omikuji in Tokyo’s Chokokuji (長谷寺)

Halfway between the Shibuya and Roppongi Stations (but closer to the Omotesando Station than any other) you can find the Chokoku Buddhist Temple. Far less famous than its counterpart in Kamakura that bears the same characters but is pronounced very differently, Chokokuji was an interesting place to visit. We were the only ones there (except for a turtle that crept along freely as if he/she owned the place), the temple houses an impressive giant Kannon statue, with a peaceful face, made out of wood.

If you want to look for this place online, you’ll end up at the Kamakura temple if you put in 長谷寺 so be sure to include 西麻布 in your search.

Rousoku (蝋燭 or ろうそく or ロウソク) means candle. Smalls were 30 yen and larges were 100 yen.

In today’s photo it looks like someone may have stolen from the omikuji box once upon a time. I’m guessing doing so is bad luck.

Posted on January 6th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, japanese language, omikuji, Tokyo. Comments Off on Omikuji

Wladimir Balentien of the Yakult Swallows (NPB 2013 home run record)

Figuring out kanji used for baseball in Japan is a fun challenge. If you have a basic understanding of kanji you can literally read what Balentien (バレンティン) did on this evening before coming to bat for the fourth time. (遊ゴ = fun go, 四球 = four balls, 死球 = death ball) So what do these things really mean? 遊 is the shortstop (the funnest position?). goro (ゴロ) is grounder so he grounded out to short his first time up. Four balls is easy enough. He walked in his second at bat. But “death ball”? What could that possibly mean? He was hit by the pitch in his most recent at bat.

Posted on November 22nd, 2014 under Japan. Tags: baseball, japanese language, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, yakult swallows. Comments Off on Japanese baseball terminology

Do Not Feed the Pigeons!

Near yesterday’s photo was this sign.

Your Japanese vocabulary words for the day:
hato (ハト) = pigeon
fungai (フン害) = feces problem

Posted on February 19th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: asakusa, japanese language, signs. Comments Off on Do Not Feed The Pigeons!

Ever since I hatched this plan of returning to Japan to live for a year in 2007 I’ve spent part of pretty much every day reading about Japan, hearing thoughts on Japan, or studying Japanese. Today is the day I finally get to do more than that. As this posts I am on a plane to Tokyo to begin a year of adventures.

The title of today’s entry “百聞は一見にしかず” is a kotowaza (Japanese proverb) that means it’s better to see (or do) something once than it is to hear (or read) about it a hundred times. I couldn’t agree more. I’m tired of the 百聞 and ready for some action.

Posted on August 13th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: japanese language. Comments Off on 百聞は一見にしかず

I’ve begun to pack. Even though I have sold all of my Mangajin and Nihongo Journal issues I still need to part with the above before leaving. Take all six off my hands for $20 delivered in the USA.

The Japanese Business Glossary is 220 pages in length and has English on the left page and the Japanese translation on the right.

The Ei-Wa Wa-Ei Legal Terms Dictionary is over 500 pages in length and lists on Amazon for over $30 by itself.

The two Kochikame manga are almost 200 pages each, all in Japanese, but easy to read as the kanji have furigana on the side.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is also easy to read for those studying Japanese as furigana is included. This copy is a hardcover, first edition.

Posted on July 25th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: japanese language. Comments Off on Packing time