Japan - as I know it

Japanese tea ceremony - an art and a form of meditation

2013-04-25T04:50:00.003+09:00

I first experienced the "Japanese tea ceremony" or "Sado" during the Golden Week (end of April) in 1999, nearly 14 years back. I still have a very vivid memory of the whole thing as it was quite a unique experience. I was visiting my friend's family in Osaka for the holidays and it was his mother who suggested I experience one and I got quite excited about the idea. I remember how she took out all her kimonos one by one from the closet and asked me to choose one and then she helped me into it. Wearing a kimono took me about half an hour. As I have mentioned in one of my previous articles, it is not easy to wear one. And I thought wearing a sari was the most difficult task in this world :)

Finally I was ready and we started with the ceremony. My friend's mother took me through the whole ritual step by step, explaining in detail what each action signified and I was amazed at how a simple day-to-day affair like making tea can be like a "work of art", time consuming, seeking our undivided attention to detail but unique, and striving for perfection. It turned out to be an extraordinary learning experience, although I do remember feeling a wee bit exhausted after the whole thing was over. I guess it was because of the kimono and sitting in a "seiza" ** position for long.

My friend's family has a "chashitsu" or tea-room in their house with a proper "ro" or a square hole in the tatami flooring where the tea is prepared. I believe not many homes in Japan have a "chashitsu" and having one in your house is a matter of pride. The tea prepared in tea-ceremonies is usually "matcha", a type of finely ground, high quality green tea.

Like everything Japanese, the tea-ceremony has a set of etiquette that should be strictly adhered too. For foreigners like me, following each and every rule may seem like a little tedious at times but then each of these "predefined actions" have a significance and are thus an integral part of the ceremony.

The room had this beautiful "Tokonoma" (an alcove), which i was told, is the most important part of a tea-room. It had a "kakejiku" (hanging scroll) hung inside, with a "chabana" or flowers displayed on a small table. It is important that the main guest be seated nearest to the Tokonoma, considering that it is the most important part of the room. As you probably know, Japan is a hierarchical society and so the Japanese are very conscious about their position in any social setting and act (and are expected to act) accordingly. The tea ceremony is no different.

Right from how the guests and host enter the room, how they sit, how the tea utensils are bought into the room, their placement on the tatami floor, how they are held, how the sweets are offered and eaten, how the the tea is consumed, to how everybody leaves the room, is all governed by a set of rules which takes each individual's position into consideration. The guests take time to drink the tea, appreciating it's color, taste and aroma and making appropriate gestures whenever required. This is a way to show their respect and gratefulness towards to host for inviting and honoring them.

For the host, it is important that everything takes place strictly in accordance with these predefined rules and the guests leave happy and satisfied.

My friend's mother told me that it sometimes takes years for a person to master the "art" of tea-ceremony perfectly. She had also taken dedicated classes in the subject and it took her a few years before she felt confident about holding a tea ceremony on her own.

Though it is a unique and an interesting ritual, I have always wondered why the Japanese convert a simple and relaxing affair of preparing and having tea into such a complicated and tedious affair. I am sure many of you must have asked this question to yourself or to your Japanese friends. Obviously, it is very different from our modern ways of serving and drinking tea. At times I have felt that the strict protocol kind of hinders the actual free spirit behind the whole thing, which is quite contradictory to how a tea-gathering should be.

For the Japanese, it has a spiritual and aesthetic value attached to it. It is almost like meditation for them. It is a way of connecting with not only the people around them but also the surroundings. Deeply rooted in the Zen philosophy, it is a way to remove oneself from the mundane affairs of life and achieve serenity and peace, even if it is only for a short time.

Since I mentioned scrolls, there is one very interesting thing that I would like to share with you The scroll hung in the alcove of my friend's tea-room had the phrase "一期一会 " (ichigo-ichie) written on it. His mother told me that It is a phrase that you will often see on scrolls hung in the Japanese tea rooms. It can be literally translated into "a once in a life time meeting", which basically conveys the idea that each time we meet for tea, is unique and special in its own way. While we may meet again it the future, no meeting will be quite the same. Thus, it basically emphasizes on the fact that we should not engross ourselves too much in the future, but try to live in now and treasure the people and our encounters with them. Such a simple phrase and yet the meaning it conveyed was so strong. I was moved.

The Japanese tea ceremony originated from China and was initially enjoyed only by the Samurai class. Eventually, people from all walks of life started having small tea gatherings and that is when this tea culture reached it's peak. In the modern society, tea-ceremony is not a as much a household affair as it used to be. Most Japanese regard it as something which is a part of their cultural heritage and their interest in it is kind of limited. The younger generation finds it to be a tedious and boring ritual.

The ceremony is however quite popular among the tourists for whom the whole idea of being a part of one seems exciting and unique. Kyoto's Gion district is one place where tourists throng in large numbers to attend tea-ceremonies hosted by a Geisha. Interestingly, the traditional tea-ceremony is being given a "face-lift" by a tea-ceremony promoter Nozomi Taneda, who is mainly targeting the office goers and spreading the message that they too can "take a mental break anywhere, and it doesn't have to be fancy.” You can read more about it here:
http://travel.cnn.com/tokyo/drink/japanese-tea-ceremony-gets-fresh-update-busy-salarymen-and-office-ladies-774458

In India, although there is no "tea-ceremony" as such but offering tea to guests is considered as an act of politeness. It is common to offer tea with sweets/snacks to your guests and many households believe that a guest should not leave one's house without having a cup of tea. In my previous post, I mentioned about my love for "chai" or Indian milk tea. For me, and I believe many of my Indian friends, drinking tea everyday is like a form of meditation too. It helps me relax and "unwind my mind from the daily grind"...

How about you?

I found this great website that talks about the Japanese tea ceremony, its history and techniques in detail. I am sharing the link, in case you are interested.
http://www.japanese-tea-ceremony.net/

Photo credits: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/japanese%20tea%20ceremony

I love my chai (tea)...

2013-04-21T07:58:00.000+09:00

A blog on Japan and we are discussing tea..strange??

I know it is...but this is one of the few aspects of living and working in Japan that I struggled the most with..ha ha!!..Being a true Indian, my relationship with tea has been a long and emotional one..:) Tea has been my best friend...smiling at me when I wake up in the morning, helping me stay awake at nights during exam time, rejuvenating me when I feel exhausted...sharing my happiness when I am chit chatting or having fun with friends, giving me company when I am feeling lonely, providing warmth on a cold and rainy day.and the list goes on.....now.. aren't all those characteristics of a good friend ?..:)

Yes, indeed!!

You can very well imagine my plight when I realized during my very first visit to Japan, that my dearest friend, my Chai was nowhere to be found. (Chai** is Hindi for Indian milk tea). All the cafes and restaurants served only coffee, which was mostly bitter and very different from the concept of coffee in India, where, like tea, coffee is also had with a lot of milk and sugar in it. Starbucks and Excelsior were not popular names back then in 1999, that too in a small city of Utsumomiya. (Starbucks entered the Japanese market only in 1996 and was yet to establish its popularity)

So the very first thing I did after settling down was to get an electric thermos and make my own :) ..I remember having my first tea in Japan after almost two weeks after landing here and it tasted like never before.

Things are quite different now, with Starbucks, Doutour, Excelsior, etc becoming household names and serving different types of coffee and tea (milk tea as well). For me, It is much easier now to grab a cup of (milk) coffee or tea during long work hours or while traveling than it was back then. Excelsior is my favorite, though Doutor is the best if you want to have a cup of good milk tea. The Chai latte at Starbucks is not at all like how tea should be...it just ain't my cup of tea :) (that is totally my from my perspective)

Tea is a popular beverage in Japan too, although mostly it is black tea (Kocha) and of course the Japanese green tea (Ocha***). Other teas like Oolong tea (a type of Chinese tea) and Mugi cha (barley tea) are also quite popular. Like Chai in India, Ocha is an essential part of the Japanese everyday life. In spite of all the popularity that the above mentioned brands enjoy in the daily life of the Japanese, tea continues to have a special place in the Japanese society.

Green tea, Oolong cha, mugi cha, with their various health benefits, definitely have an upper hand over kocha, coffee or chai. Green tea is low in calories and is a rich source of vitamins C and B2. It helps kills bacteria,has cancer fighting properties, lowers cholesterol, and the list goes on. More and more Japanese are now realizing that and throwing away their 'new-fashioned' refreshments in favor of the dear old Japanese tea (and Chinese tea)

The green tea is not limited only to beverages only. There is green tea ice-cream, green tea kit-kat, green tea cakes, and guess what? a green tea hair dye :) Dozens of salons in Japan are now using matcha (a variety of Japanese green tea) to dye hair. They feel that matcha improves the quality of the hair and is chemical free and thus beneficial for the hair. Now that is one healthy way of dying hair :)

Personally, I am still having a tough time letting go of my beloved chai in favor of the healthy green tea. For us in India tea has a certain "image" and developing a taste for something which is no where near that is not an easy task, but I am trying . And then, having chai once in a while should not hurt...should it? :)
(Oh yes, I am making sure my one year old son prefers Chinese and Japanese tea over Chai and started giving him mugi cha, which he absolutely loves)

This reminds me - it is time for cup of hot chai and pakodas (Indian version of theJapanese tenmpura) Perfect for a rainy day like today) ...Catch you later!!

**Green tea is divided into grades depending on the time of harvest, the portion of the leaf used and the processing method (Matcha, Ryokucha, etc.)
***Chai comes in various flavors such as masala chai, ginger tea, cardamon tea, saunf tea, etc. Ginger tea and Cardamon tea are my personal favorites.

(An article on tea and Japan and there is no mention of the Japanese "tea ceremony". I am sure many of you must have expected that to come up in the write-up sooner or later, while reading this article. Tea-ceremony for me is a much more "serious affair" and I hope to write an article dedicated to it in the near future. Will keep you posted)

Celebrating life - no matter what (the age)

2013-04-20T17:47:00.001+09:00

One of my Japanese friend's family will be celebrating her father's 88th birthday very soon. According to her, it is an important celebration in Japan and her whole family will get together at her hometown, on the occasion. The festivities would be held at a local banquet hall and relatives and friends would be invited too. When she told me this, all i could say was "Wow!! that must be exciting". For me, coming from India, where grand birthday celebrations are usually meant for kids, celebrating one's birthday at the age of 88 definitely has a "wow" factor attached to it. :)

Talking about festivities and celebrations, Japan has countless locals festivals but the way the Japanese celebrate life and its various stages is absolutely amazing. - 'Shichi-go-san', 'Seijin no Hi', and the various "Go no iwai" ('Yakudoshi', 'Kanreki', 'Beiju', 'Hakuju", and many more); and of course birth(and the child's first visit to the temple or miyamairi) and wedding - the list of festivities is endless. I am sure no other culture celebrates age as much as the Japanese do!!

"Miyamairi" or a newborn's first visit to the shrine, usually held between 30-100 days after a baby is born, is a very special occasion for the family. The priests says prayers for the baby, asking for her good health and long life. It is somewhat similar to baptism in Christianity. I guess the first temple visit of a newborn is a special occasion in cultures all over the world.

"Shichi-Go-San" (literally 7-5-3) is a festival for 3 and 5 year old boys and 3 and 7 year old girls. On this day, the families visit the temple with their children. The children wear kimono and are given "Chitose ame" (thousand year candy) that symbolizes good health and a long life. Incidentally, the same friend of mine celebrated shichi-go-san for her grandson, who turned 5 this year.

"Seijin no Hi" or coming of age day. This festival is for the new "young" adults, who are not teenagers anymore, that is turned 20 year of age, the previous year. The females wear "furisode" kimonos** and the males wear a hakama or western suits and attend congratulatory ceremonies usually held at local city halls after which they have drinking parties and photo sessions.

"Go no Iwai" is a custom of celebrating one's birthday on turning 60 (Kanreki), 70, 77, 80, 81, 88, 90 and 100. Here I go again.."wow". In a society where the average life expectancy for males is 82 and females is 86, it is not surprising at all. And to top it all, most of the Japanese I know are in pretty good health even at that age. I remember meeting an old lady in a bus who was 86 years old (she told me that). We sat chatting and that is when she was told me she was going to the gym and a swim after that. Can you beat that?

Out of all these birthdays, the Kanreki (60th birthday) and Beiju (88th birthday) are considered the most important ones and are celebrated in a grand manner by many Japanese families.

'Kanreki' (literally means "going around the calender") has its roots in the traditional Chinese calender which was organized in 60 year cycles. Thus, completing 60 years of life meant going one full circle around the calender and was thus symbolized as re-birth. Interestingly, this is the reason why the age of 60 was traditionally the age at which men would retire. This is not the case now when most of the 60 year olds in Japan are still working and most likely feel they still have a long life ahead of them.

'Beiju' - the word is made up of the Japanese Kanji character "Bei" (rice). It is basically a play on the Kanji - the strokes in the character can be rearranged to form the number 88 (米　-->　八十八） Traditionally, rice had a special place in the Japanese society as it was their food, their very livelihood and denoted purity and wholesomeness. This is the reason why Beiju is considered to be such an important day.

Then there are the unlucky ages or "Yakudoshi" which are also important. For women, 18 and 32 are considered as unlucky ages, whereas for men it is 24 and 42 that are considered unlucky. Men and women usually visit temples on their birthdays to pray for better luck during the unlucky years.

With the average life expentancy in Japan sky rocketing, these events which were once extremely rare are becoming commonplace now.

All in all, life looks like one big celebration for the Japanese for and onlooker but those who have worked or lived in Japan know very well that there is a lot of hard work that goes into it.

** A furisode (振袖) is kimono with long sleeves and is only worn by adult single women. This is somewhat similar to Debutante gowns in the western society, worn at balls by young ladies making their debut into the high society.

Departure (death) - a way of life?

2013-04-19T04:00:00.002+09:00

I am sure many of you must have watched the Oscar award-winning film - Departures or Okuribito (in Japanese) This is one visually and emotionally stunning movie because of the way it portrays death, as an inevitable part of human life. If you have noticed, the four seasons, which in a way depict human life, have been beautifully and very articulately woven into the story.

The movie inspired me to come up with this write-up that talks about how the Japanese perceive death. I have also tried to compare this with the belief and attitude of the Indian culture towards death and all that is related. Death is invariably a taboo topic in societies all over the world. Keeping that in mind, the way the movie depicts and tackles the subject death, both in a dignified and a humorous way, is truly commendable.

I have never had a chance to talk about death with a Japanese and so all that I write here is purely what I could understand from the movie, which I assume gives a true picture of the Japanese culture and belief (If not, I would love to receive inputs from my Japanese friends, that is if they don't mind talking about it ) , and also from what I have read on the web.

The movie revolves around the life of a Nokanshi (an encoffinment apprentice) and how he takes up this jobs by mistake and eventually starts to love and respect it. It is indeed amazing to see how a Nokanshi glorifies death, how he turns the simple task of encoffinment into a heart-warming ritual, conveying respect and passion to a lifeless body as if it was alive.

While watching the movie, I realized that there were so many similarities between the way death is perceived in India and Japan. I could not help but draw the similarities between the ritual of encoffinment** in India and Japan.

The complex ritual of encoffinment in Japan is very similar to that in the Hindu Culture***.

Just before an expected death, or right after a death occurs, the dying (or the deceased) person's lips are moistened with water. This practice of giving water to the dying or the dead is known as "water of the last moment" (末期の水 matsugo-no-mizu). This is quite similar to the practice of offering gangajal (holy water of the Ganges) to a dying person in the Hindu religion, so that the soul may attain liberation. Matsugo-no-mizu is probably also offered for similar reasons.

In both the cultures, the purification of the body involves the cleaning of the body with water after which the orifices are blocked with cotton. The fact that "purification" is carried out means that death is considered as impure by the Japanese and Indians alike. The body is then dressed up in new clothes, after which make-up is applied. In India, the body of a married woman, whose husband is still alive at the time of her death, is usually dressed up in bright colored clothes and adorned with jewelry. This whole ceremony is basically held to prepare the deceased for a journey into the next life, which stresses the fact that both Japanese and Indians believe in life after death or 're-birth'.

After the cremation, it is customary for the relatives and friends to spray salt over themselves before they enter their house to purify themselves. This practice is again quite similar to the practice in India of spraying holy water over oneself for purification.

It is believed by the Japanese that the soul of the dead wanders for 49 days before it finally goes to heaven. In Hinduism, the belief is that the soul wanders in this world for 13 days before it finally attains "Moksha" (or eternal freedom from the cycle of life and death) 'Moksha' is one aspect of Hindu religion which is quite intriguing and complicated, and I would rather not touch upon it in detail for my understanding of it is quite minimal :). From what I know, this concept of liberation has it is origins in Buddhism so I wonder if the Japanese also have something similar in their religious traditions or culture?

The concept of "Obon" and "Shradh" is also very similar in the two cultures. During "Obon" or "Shradh", the souls of the dead are thought to return to their homes. The families hold prayer ceremonies during this period and the favorite food of the deceased is prepared in order to welcome their souls. In India, people avoid eating any non-vegetarian food during this period as non-veg is considered to be impure. It is a way of showing reverence to the dead. ('Shradh' comes from the word 'Shraddha' which means 'unconditional reverence')

Coming back to the movie and the topic of Nokanshi, one can see that there is a social stigma attached to the job, which is exactly how it is in India, where the person who cremates the dead is usually a person from a lower caste. In Japan, these men are referred to as 'Burakumin' (literally 'filthy people') and are (were?) considered as social outcasts, which is very similar to the concept of "untouchables" in India.

These similarities probably have their roots in Buddhism which came to Japan from India and intrinsically linked the two cultures together. This is reflected not only in death but also in other aspects of life.

Summing up, one cannot help wondering how death can "hold us all together", no matter how far apart we may be in our lives.

** The word "encoffinment" per se would not be applicable in the "Hinduism" context as the dead are cremated and their ashes are deposited in the Ganges or sea. In Buddhism, the body is put in a coffin, then cremated and the ashes are then buried.
***Although, Japan is a secular society, 91% of the funerals are held according to Buddhist customs"" (""quoted from Wikipedia)

Geisha & Devdasi - mirror images?

2013-04-11T03:16:00.002+09:00

I happened to read "Memoirs of a Geisha" a few months ago and have been kind of intrigued by the uncanny resemblance the Geisha has with Devdasis or "Kalavantis" (as they were popularly known in ancient times) of the south Indian folklore.

In fact the literal translation of the two words is exactly the same. "Gei" in Japanese means "art" and jin stands for person, and so the word Geisha basically translates to "a person who is skilled in some art form" or "an artist". Similarly, "Kala" in Hindi means "art" and "vanti" refers to a woman who is an expert in or possesses some skill.

The book describes the world of a Geisha in a very lucid manner with subtle descriptions of their emotions, customs and rituals and is one big reason that I decided to come up with this write-up. After reading the book I did some research on Devdasis and was surprised at how two women from two different parts of the world, different cultures and beliefs, and strikingly different looks, can possibly have so much in common.

Usually coming from an impoverished background, they were sold into households that maintained such practices, at a very young age and were then rigorously trained on various art forms such as dance, singing, musical instruments (Sitar, Shamisen), etc. Both went on to become professional entertainers, the only difference being that Geisha performed at tea houses and were thus required to master the tea ceremony, whereas the Devdasis performed at temples. It was a kind of social obligation (also religious obligation in case of a Devdasi) that they were expected to fulfill till they died.

Although they enjoyed a very high social status in the pre-colonial days, the British and American presence resulted in an intense social and financial turmoil in the two countries. This may have caused the two systems to collapse and forced the Geisha and Devdasis to succumb to prostitution.

Born out poverty, these so called "mortal fairies", molded into personality that is a connotation of queen, a slave, an artist, and a prostitute, have been a subject of fascination for many. Revered by some and looked down upon as social outcasts by many, they lived a life dedicated completely to the society and yet they belonged to nobody. Beyond their elaborate costumes and extravagant lifestyles, there lied immense pain, which is very clear from the following snippets from the book - Memoirs of a Geisha

“We can never flee the misery that is within us.”

“Nobody becomes a Geisha because they want to - they become one because they have no choice"

Another one from a book, "Nine Lives: In search of the Sacred in Modern India" that explores the various traditional forms of faith in modern India, captures the emotions of a Devdasi beautifully.

"If I were to sit under a tree and tell you the sadness we have to suffer, the leaves of that tree would fall like tears."

The enormous grief hidden behind these words can only be felt and understood by them, they who have lived all their lives as slaves and yet had nerves of steel. Although geisha and Devdasis lived**in oblivion of each other's existence, their sufferings and fate binds them into a bond that only soul mates can share.

** The Devdasi system was abolished by the government of India in the year 1988 but continues to flourish in some parts of southern India. The modern Geisha still lives in Okiyas (geisha households) in areas popularly known as hanamachis (literally "flower town"), the most popular one being Gion in Kyoto.

Nomikai (drink parties)

2013-04-04T01:20:00.003+09:00

Nomikai (drink party) - is one aspect of the Japanese work culture that I am still kind of getting used to....

I remember my first nomikai quite distinctly - why? because I was a tee-totaler...(i still have a very low tolerance for alcohol and can manage a beer but mostly get away with a breezer or an orange juice...) and more so, because my school director told me I was supposed to drink - and that if i did not drink, it would be considered very rude. Drinking, he said, is mandatory in Japan and one has to do it in case one has to mix up or socialize with the Japanese.

That was on my very first trip to Japan and I hardly knew or understood the Japanese culture. Moreover, that was the very first time in my life I had ever been away from my house and was kind of struggling to gel into the totally new culture, trying to make new friends..appearing rude to the people i was going to work with was the last thing i could do...so..quite unwillingly.. I took a glass of beer...and somehow forced myself to take a sip...and...uggghhh!! The taste and smell of the "beer" was too much for me to "bear"...there was no way i could gulp all that down..i just could not...I had to find a way out and thanks to a "flower pot" kept on my table, I managed to somehow pour my beer into it when no one was watching and kept on filling my glass with water (i wonder if people actually did not notice that or were just pretending not to..that is one thing that i will never know)....phew!! ....that was one long long evening...

I would learn later that although nomikais are an integral part of the work culture in Japan - but Japanese are extremely tolerant towards other's drinking habits and culture. If you don't drink, they will never ever force you, or even expect you to drink. And yes, that has absolutely no impact on your relationship with them. Instead, they will try to ensure you get something to drink and try to make you feel comfortable.
It makes me sad that my "first lesson on the Japanese culture" proved to be wrong....
Nomikais are sometimes followed by a Nijikai or a second party, usually at a karaoke restaurant or a bar which serve light meals and alcohol.

In the Japanese professional world, nomikais, usually held at Izakayas (restaurants serving alcohol with food), are considered as an opportunity for colleagues to let their hair after the very hectic work day/week, and bond with other co-workers. This kind of socializing and bonding between colleagues is important in a culture where people tend to work in groups as a team, quite different from the culture elsewhere in the world where individualism is a way of life. It is considered socially acceptable to get drunk at such parties and anything said or done in such a state is forgiven and not taken seriously. One can often see emotional displays and frank opinions being exchanged between colleagues, irrespective of their rank, and can sometimes get quite scary for a non-Japanese. I have experienced such scenes and have always wondered if the people on the receiving end do actually forget what is said or done? After all, human beings are basically the same everywhere. Not that I am being cynical, but isn't that what anyone new to the people and culture think?

Frankly, even after all these years I am still struggling to understand this aspect of Nomikais. I am often baffled with questions like is it really possible for one to pretend as if nothing has happened even after somebody says or does something mean? I wonder if the people who say such things are really drunk enough to not know what they are doing? Is there a limit to what and how much you can say? Is there a protocol to all this, like everything else in Japan? And last but not the least, what if a non-Japanese co-worker was to say or do awkward things to a colleague? Would that be acceptable? What do you think?

All said and done, nomikais are excellent opportunities to understand and build good relationships with your fellow workers, especially for a non-Japanese or somebody who is new to the workplace. It is a good idea to attend one, once in a while (irrespective of whether you drink or not). For an astute businessman, it provides a marvelous opportunity to get to know your client, which sometimes help in future negotiations and decision making. But one should keep in mind that like everything Japanese, the nomikais also have an etiquette that should be stickily adhered to. Grab a book or google it to understand the rules before you attend one :)

Asakusa Temple (also known as Senso-ji)

2013-04-03T02:10:00.004+09:00

My very first visit to the temple was about fourteen years ago on a hot summer day in the middle of August. One of my friends and his family took me around Tokyo for sightseeing and Asakusa was our stopover after a delicious lunch of Omurice (Japanese chicken rice with Omlette) at a popular restaurant in Tokyo.

After walking around the narrow lanes of the long shopping arcade called Nakamise, we reached the temple's inner gate (Hozomon) - , notable for a giant straw sandal (waraji) hung up on one side.. A lustrous red building, a big red paper lantern hanging at the main gate (Kaminarimon or the 'thunder gate'), a five storied beautiful pagoda (Gojūnoto) next to the main hall (Kannondō) of the temple, and smoke billowing out from thousands of incense sticks jutting out of huge sand-filled containers - it was a view that is not easy to forget, even after fourteen long years. That was my first ever temple visit in Japan and I loved everything about it. (and that includes the huge and yummy ice candies that I had outside the temple :))

The place was crowded with visitors, tourists and was bustling with activity. You could hear the Buddhist monks chanting from inside the temple. People lighting incense sticks and planting them into these large sand pits and joining their hands to pray. Many of them, particularly the tourists were buying o-mikujis or random fortunes written on the strips of paper, hoping for a good fortune.

The o-mikuji is a kind of prediction of a person's chances of his or her dreams or wishes coming true, of finding a good match, or general matters of health, fortune, life, career etc. When the prediction is bad, it is customary to fold up the strip of paper and attach it to a pine tree or a wall of metal wires alongside other bad fortunes in the temple grounds.. A purported reason for this custom is a pun on the word for pine tree (松matsu) and the verb 'to wait' (待つ matsu), which have the same reading in Japanese, the idea being that the bad luck will wait by the tree rather than attach itself to the bearer. I also bought one and I remember keeping it with me so it must have been one of good fortune (though I can hardly recall what it was about)

My friends told me that the temple was one of the most popular temples in Japan. Looking at the huge crowd in the temple grounds in spite of it being a weekday, there was no doubt about that. It remains that way throughout the year with thousands of people visiting every day.

Though I am not much of a history fan, it is always good to know a little more about the interesting places you visit. My friends had a pretty good knowledge about the temple history and were more than glad to share it with me. According to them, most of the buildings of the temple, built in the year 645, were destroyed during the war and are relatively recent reconstructions, the oldest one being the Asakusa Shrine, which was built in the year 1649 by Tokugawa Iemitsu. It stands only a few meters to the left of the temple's main building)

According to a legend, two fishermen—brothers named Hinokuma Hamanari and Hinokuma Takenari—found a statue of the Bodhisattva Kannon caught in their fishing net while fishing in the Sumida River. A wealthy landlord named Hajino Nakatomo, heard about this discovery and approached the brothers and converted them to Buddhism. The three men then devoted their lives to the Buddhist faith and constructed this temple to house and honor the statue.

Various events are held in and around the temple throughout the year out of which the Sanja-matsuri is one of the most popular one. Held in the third weekend of May, ever year for three consecutive days, it is the largest and wildest festival held here and attracts over 2 million locals and tourists. (that must be good fun but not for the claustrophobic J) It is held to honor the three men who constructed the temple and there are grand parades with people dressed in lavish costumes carrying Omikoshis (portable shrines) singing and dancing to traditional music. One can also enjoy geisha & taiko performances. All in all, it is one grand festival that should not be missed if you happen to travel to Tokyo around that time.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to visit the temple again since then but the month of May is around the corner and I hope to make it to the Sanja matsuri this year.

Cracking under the strain - the rising suicide rates in Japan

2011-12-19T15:28:00.000+09:00

It makes me a bit sad to write about this topic, but write I must....now that I am sharing experiences from my life In Japan.This is something which I experience almost every other day in my life in Tokyo...train accidents or "Jinshin Jikou" as they are called. The very trains, which have proved to be one of the safest in the world, end up injuring or killing many, not because of any fault of the train companies...but just because some people think that jumping in front of the train is the easiest and a sure shot way to commit suicide. So much so that the common man has kind of become indifferent to such incidents.

The first thought that comes to a rush hour office goer when he hears about a jinshin jikou is...."oh another accident..i wonder if i will be able to reach office in time"........unfortunate, it is!! but it has become a way of life here.

When I started my life in Japan almost a decade ago, such incidents sounded shocking to me..and people's attitude towards the suicides was even more appalling. Over the years I have realized that my own attitude towards it has changed too. I have kind of started "thinking alike" .i guess this has to do with the human tendency to accept change and adapt oneself to one's surroundings.

As probably many of us are aware, Japan has one of the highest suicidal rates in the world and the factors include unemployment, depression and social pressures. Out of these, committing suicide due to social pressures is something which is probably one of the most common reasons. In Japanese culture there is a long history of honorable suicides, which were strongly linked to the Samurai way of life and Bushido code (code of a warrior) - loyalty and honor until death.

Samurais committed "Harakiri" - a form of committing suicide by cutting open their stomach. They believed that it was better to die rather than fall into the hands of their enemy. During Japan's imperial years, suicide was common within the military. This included Kamikaze ((Divine wind) and Kaiten ( return to the sky) - "suicidal aircrafts" "suicidal crafts" designed in a manner, that enabled the Japanese army to commit suicides when a battle was lost.

In 2007, when the then cabinet minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka took his life, while being investigated for an expenses scandal, the governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, described him as a "true samurai" for preserving his honor.

It is indeed unfortunate to see that the cultural heritage of suicide as a noble tradition still has some resonance in the modern Japanese society.

Another arguably leading cause of suicide in Japan, is “Karojisatsu” – death from overwork. Individuals in Japan work for more hours than most of their counterparts in other countries, and there is little government regulation in the number of hours an employee can put in. In doing so, the employee shows his/her dedication towards the company – at the cost of the employee’s mental health. Studies have linked excessive amounts of work-related stress to depression, which oftentimes leads to suicide as a means of escape.

Suicide has never been criminalized in Japan till date. Japanese society's attitude toward suicide has been termed as "tolerant," and on many occasions a suicide is seen as a morally responsible action and a viable alternative. Although, the public unease due to the rising suicide rates has grown over the years, a lot needs to be done socially and policy wise to curb these rising levels.

Until the societal attitudes and issues are addressed, Japan will face an uphill climb in lowering the suicide rate permanently. And in a society that has been infamously slow to adapt to change, the pursuit of such a goal may take quite some time.

It isn’t easy stopping a person from killing himself/herself, after all.

Jishuku - Self restraint

2011-05-02T22:31:00.019+09:00

"The Sakura were late this year as if they too observed some form of “Jishuku” .......quoted from a photo essay by Francis Harrison , a photographer who captured Tokyo in a somber mood after the triple disaster (earthquake, Tsunami and Radiation fears) struck the island nation....

The Japanese history is marked by many instances wherein the citizens of the country have observed Jishuku or self-restraint to express regret and a feeling of responsibility in times of great grief and pain. Jishuku is like an unwritten law, embedded deeply into the Japanese community - an obligation that one must perform when expected.

One such instance was the death of Emperor Hirohito when the government called off all annual festivals and events. Weddings and music concerts were postponed. Television comedy shows were taken off air replaced by silent prayers and monochromatic public messages. Newscasters replaced their designer clothes with unobtrusive gray suits to match the country's somber mood. The whole country was depicted to be in grief and mourning the death of the emperor - who was considered to be divine - a direct descendant of God Amaterasu.

Personally, I had never come across the word until very recently, when the 9.0M earthquake and a huge tsunami destroyed millions of homes and left thousands dead and missing in north eastern Japan. The disaster, one of the biggest that the county has ever experienced, struck right at the onset of spring - a time of the year when normally the spirits of the people are high, and a time that is highlighted by delightful gatherings for hanami parties, graduation parties from schools and colleges as well as farewell and welcome parties for employees in companies nationwide.

Instead, the country went into a deep mourning, very quietly and informally. The government requested the people to observe a state of Jishuku, compelling people to refrain from any public display of happiness.(although later they requested people to refrain from Jishuku and to lead normal lives in order to protect the country's economy)

Graduation ceremonies and Hanami parties were put off. Concerts, sports and other events, even weddings were either postponed or cancelled. Out of respect for the profound suffering of their fellow citizens in the disaster stricken areas, people avoided going to restaurants and bars. Several electronic and gaming companies ceased or delayed the production and launch of their products. The release of new movies was postponed...and the list is endless...

Whether or not it is good practice is something which has been a matter of debate all through these years...is it just a mindset that has been passed on to people from one generation to the other...or is it really a necessity?

Although many have willingly or unwillingly (out of fear of appearing indiscreet to others) followed what was expected of them, not everybody thinks it is a logical thing to do, especially at a time when the country is reeling under recession and at the same time trying to deal with the massive economic impact, both direct and indirect, that the recent crisis has had on the country. It is true that emotions tend to run high during such times but one has to be practical - too much of holding back and prolonged grieving can hurt the economy.

There are those who feel that at times like these, we as human beings have a moral responsibility to grieve with or console those who are grief-stricken and in pain. We cannot afford to turn our heads away and pretend as if nothing has happened. With hundreds of thousands of people displaced up north from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, anything with the barest hint of luxury needs to be and has to be condemned, is what they propagate.

I feel Jishuku is something that probably comes naturally to us (at least most of us) when we experience such a traumatizing scale of loss of human life, for that is how we human beings are "designed" to feel and behave, and to an extent such behavior is legitimate. All we need to take care of is that it does not become an obsession and that there is always a right balance between what we want to/are asked to do and what needs to/should be done.

There should be a time to grieve and a time to refrain from it - for that is what life is about - it is all about change and does not or should not come to a stand still....it has to move on....and it is important that it does...for our own well being, for the well being of those who have suffered and for the well being of the country as a whole...

Ganbarou Japan!!

I have pasted a link to the photo essay - “Jishuku”: Tokyo after the earthquake" by Francis Harrison (mentioned above)

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/04/29/Jishuku-tokyo-after-the-earthquake-by-francis-harrison/

Daruma - the 'Dharma' doll

2011-05-01T22:47:00.017+09:00

Those of you who have been to Japan must have seen this doll several times - they are sold at omiyage (souvenir) shops outside various temples, shrines and other popular tourist destinations around Japan and onlookers are often fascinated by the peculiar face paint and colors of the doll.

I too was a bit fascinated by the shape and color of the doll initially but never ever thought of buying one. After all, there are much more popular omiyage that one can buy at such stores - who would want to buy a doll depicting a bearded man with no hands and legs...or at least that is what I thought...

Well ...i was wrong. I realized that when I got one as a gift from one of my Japanese family friends when I was about to finish my training in Japan and had been been struggling a bit to find my first job. My friend gave it to me saying that the doll was for good luck and that he and his family hoped that I get whatever it is that I wished for. He said he had been a little apprehensive about whether I would like the gift or not but he and his wife could not think of a more appropriate gift for me at that time. It was then he told me about the significance of the doll and all that it stands for...

The doll is called Daruma (also called Dharma) and was modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism (that is where the name comes from), he said. It is considered as a symbol of good luck and is thus a popular gift given for encouragement. It also symbolizes self discipline and perseverance.

When giving the doll to me, he asked me to keep it on the table and try tilting it over....i did as he said and tried to tilt it over a couple of times - but the doll 'stood' back upright every time...see, that is how it is built. It is completely hollow from inside but has a weight at the bottom..so it will always return to its original position even if it is tilted or knocked over - thus teaching us perseverance and encouraging us to overcome our adversities..it also symbolizes our recovery from misfortunes ..and that is exactly what my family and I wish for you :). I was overwhelmed.

If you have ever noticed, it usually comes with big round eyes that are blank. The idea is that once you buy the doll or receive it as a gift, you paint one of the eyes black and make a wish.Once your wish comes true or you achieve whatever you wanted to, you paint the second eye black too....I painted one eye black on the same day and painted the other one black when I got my first job...:) and thought of my friend back in Tokyo (I had returned to India after finishing my training) I still have it with me and every time I see it, it brings back fond memories...

So for all my friends in Japan, now that you understand what it is all about, the next time you want to wish somebody luck, try giving a Daruma doll as a gift...:) I am sure it will be well appreciated by whosoever receives it...at least when you tell what it is all about.....

Note: The doll has many legends associated with it and I found a very good link that describes the history and significance of the doll in great detail in case you want to read about it more...

http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/daruma.shtml#dolls

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Honne and Tatemae - two sides of the same coin

2011-04-28T00:45:00.011+09:00

Honne is a person's true feelings and desires, whereas Tatemae literally means 'facade' or the behavior or opinion that one displays in public (quoted from Wikipedia)

These two words are considered to be of immense importance in the Japanese society and pretty much define the behavior of the country's people, when dealing with their peers.Honne and Tatemae are so well integrated into the society that the Japanese tend to behave accordingly, more often without even realizing it. The objective is to avoid any conflicts and maintain a sense of "wa" or harmony in the surroundings.

In the almost 10 years that I have lived in the country, I have never ever seen Japanese voicing their opinions openly, or even expressing their true feelings publicly (except in the nomikais (drink parties) about which I shall talk later). Public confrontations are almost non-existent. Almost everywhere, and especially in the professional world, it is very normal for a Japanese person to say things or behave in a manner which is "socially tuned", often suppressing his/her "natural impulses" and replacing them with what the surroundings or a particular situation may demand. Although people all over the world, sometimes say or do things which they do not mean or intend to and do so in order to avoid conflict, no where does one see the behavior to be as socially acceptable as it is in Japan.

I have often wondered the reason behind this and over the years have come to an understanding that this is kind of a "culture necessity" in a society where team work is an underlying theme in almost everything they do. Makes sense....?

All this obviously comes at a price - it isn't easy for us human beings to be under constant pressure all the time...is it? One needs an outlet - to release all the tension and the stress - and that is what one can see them do - in the numerous (after work) nomikais, in pachinkos, in their obsession for manga, and so many other things.

Of course, not all of the things are negative - they also find release in their hobbies, art, theme parks, movies, exercise, etc. At occasions like these you will be surprised to see the normally polite and reserved Japanese go totally wild and immerse themselves into the mood.

Personally, I had to struggle a lot till I finally got a hang of this social behavior. I remember feeling very frustrated, puzzled and sometimes extremely uncomfortable with this initially. It definitely does not come across as something which one can accept easily. I had colleagues with whom I worked for an year and they were so very formal and reserved in their behavior throughout the year - it was almost like I did not know them. Yet, the very same people would be extremely friendly, open and talkative in the drink parties, numerous outings that we went for, etc. However, with time and a lot of struggle I have come to accept this behavior, though I must admit that it still feels somewhat unacceptable at times. I am sure I am not alone when I say this - many of my friends who have lived in Japan for some time and are reading this have also experienced something similar?

What is surprising is, that many of my Japanese friends are also frustrated with such social norms and yearn to work in a "western (read friendly) environment" - for those who don't have that opportunity hope for things to get better with time....but for most of my friends - that is the "right" way, "the protocol" and something that they are obliged to do...no matter what!!

On a positive note - sometimes we do things which we don't want to - but then at times, what we do is much more important and that is probably the reason why the Japanese, so in love with peace, have learnt to adapt to, accept and so religiously follow this aspect of their culture ....

(I must mention that over the years, I have made some wonderful friendships with some of my colleagues though i had a tough time understanding them in the beginning :)- I guess it is only with time that one can break such cultural and social barriers and I hope all who read this and want to work and live in Japan will achieve it eventually...even though it may take some time....)

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Hotaru no Hikari (Glow of the fireflies)

2011-04-25T21:48:00.021+09:00

I am sure you must have heard this 'one' music at closing time (see the link at the end of this para) in shops, department stores, supermarkets, gyms (my gym plays it) and a lot of other places in Japan. All these years, though the thought did occur to me a few times, but I never dwelt much on why all these places played exactly the same music..Thanks to a friend's status message on facebook today, I thought of looking it up on the net and was pleasantly surprised to find what I did :) It turns out that the music is from the 'Japanese version' of the English (originally Scottish) song that I have loved for the past couple of years (I heard it for the first time in the movie 'Sex and the City') No wonder the music sounded familiar but wasn't quite able to place it.

(http://classic-midi.com/midi_player/uta/uta_hotaru.htm - the music)

'Auld Lang Syne' (means "times gone by") - is a Scots song written by Robert Burns, set to the tune of a traditional folk song and is very popular in the 'English speaking world' (quoted from Wikipedia). Traditionally sung at the stroke of midnight on New Year's eve to welcome the new year, it marks the end of an year and the beginning of a new one. Symbolizing "end" or a "new beginning", whichever way we choose to look at it, the song is also sung at funerals, graduation ceremonies, farewells, and other such occasions.

The Japanese version 'Hotaru no Hikari' (蛍の光, means Glow of the fireflies), the lyrics of which are quite different from the original Scottish version, is sung mostly on graduation ceremonies in Japan (and of course at the end of business day at all other places that I mentioned above). Composed in the 19th century, it is now so well integrated in the Japanese society that most of the Japanese do not realize that the original song is not from Japan. Chikai Inagaki, who was a teacher at the Tokyo National School of Fine Arts & Music, is believed to be the composer of the Japanese version, though this is yet to be confirmed.

I love the lyrics of both the English and the Japanese versions - the verse of the Japanese version denoting a lot of things such as the diligence of the students who studied in the night by the light of the fireflies (which is where the name comes from) long back when there was not much of electricity, parting or farewell (and death), and also a farewell to students who were sent to war after they graduated from high school (World war II, i believe)

Thus, partly symbolizing an end , it is sung at the end of the business day in many places in Japan to say 'goodbye' or 'see you' and is a polite request to the shoppers, members (of a gym), etc to finish whatever they are doing and leave (in time).

Also sung in many other parts of the world, it has different connotations in every country.

Note: In India, the melody was the direct inspiration for the popular Bengali song "Purano shei diner kotha" (Memories of the Good Old Days) composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, and forms one of the more recognisable tunes in Rabindra Sangeet (Rabindra's Songs), a body of work of 2,230 songs and lyrical poems that form the backbone of Bengali music.(quoted from Wikipedia)

Lyrics of the Japanese version (with English translation)

(source: a post in Yahoo groups)

hotaru no hikari, mado no yuki. (Light of fireflies, snow by the window)
fumi yomu tsukihi, kasanetsutsu.(Many suns and moons spent reading)
itsushika toshi mo, sugi no to wo. (Years have gone by without notice)
aketezo kesa wa, wakare yuku. (Day has dawned; this morning we part)

tomaru mo yuku mo, kagiri tote ( Stay or leave, either an end)
katami ni omofu, chiyorozu no (Think as mementos; so many)
kokoro no hashi wo, hitokoto ni (Corners of my heart, in one word)
sakiku to bakari, utafu nari. (Sing for peace)

tsukushi no kiwami, michi no oku (Far reaches of Kyushu, far along roads)
umi yama tohoku, hedatsu tomo (Though separated by seas and mountains)
sono magokoro wa, hedate naku (Its sincere heart is not.)
hitotsu ni tsukuse, kuni no tame. (Serve single-mindedly for our country)

chishima no oku mo, okinawa mo (From the ends of Chishima to Okinawa),
yashima no uchi no, mamori nari. (All part of Japan)
itaran kuni ni, isa o shiku. (Contribute to our great country)
tsutomeyo wagase, tsutsuganaku (I'll faithfully devote my life)

***It is also a popular Manga in Japan

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Finding your way around the streets of Tokyo

2011-04-25T13:48:00.005+09:00

It is not difficult to loose yourself in the streets of Japan, especially Tokyo....but finding your way back isn't difficult either...thanks to the extensive road signs/maps on the streets and the extremely helpful people that I have come across so far.(A couple of my friends have not had very good experiences when asking for directions but I have been lucky ...thankfully!!)

The house numbering system in Japan is pretty complicated and chaotic, at least for those who are new to the country. Most of the cities are basically divided into numbered zones(sub-area) and and the houses within each zone are labelled in the order which they were constructed and this is especially true of Tokyo. So building no 1 and 2 may be blocks away instead of being adjacent to each other. Even the veteran taxi drivers sometimes have a hard time locating an address. This is one reason why you will see that most of the companies/public institutions/etc usually provide an "access map" dotted with a couple of "landmarks" to make it easier for people to find their way.

I remember getting lost once when I was quite new to the country and wanted to get to the city's international center. I was already a bit late for an event I was to participate in and after struggling with the map on the roadside for a few minutes, I finally gave in - It was then i saw one gentleman loading bags into his big car....with about 7-8 kids tagging along holding smaller bags. I asked him for the directions and he was like - "you seem to be new here. You mind if I take you to the international center? ".I was kind of hesitant initially....but surprisingly I ended up shaking my head with a "Yes please". He, along with his kids, got into the car and dropped me off at the center.

When i tell this incident to my Japanese friends they are like "I cannot believe you did that", "C'mmon, Japan is safe country but you cannot go and sit inside a stranger's car". I realized later that I should not have done what I did...but thankfully it ended well :) Jokes apart, almost all the Japanese I have met so far have been very courteous when helping me with the directions. (No, I never sat in anybody's car after that :))

In fact, the Japanese are very good at reading and understanding maps, probably because they are taught to read and use maps right from when they are kids in junior school. I have seen very small school kids with these small neighbored maps in their hands wandering around the streets trying to locate some place or the other. I remember asking one of the kids once what he was up to and he told me it was a school assignment. He had been asked to locate the local convenience store and buy a couple of things from there.

So as you see, they start quite early and only get better with age. I have experienced that many times , and I am sure many of you have had similar experiences too :)

Note: Never go too close when asking for directions..maintain a healthy distance or they may get scared and completely ignore you. Only when you see they seem comfortable talking to you, should you go near.

Example of numbering system in Japan:

Wikipedia explains the numbering system in an easy to understand manner. Please see the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_addressing_system

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Nemawashi - 'a management technique' ?

2011-04-23T13:35:00.019+09:00

Nemawashi - literally meaning 'going around the roots' (ne = roots; mawasu = go around), is a Japanese word which is quite difficult to interpret effectively, although it may be often translated as "laying the groundwork". Sometimes difficult for foreigners to understand, it is deeply embedded into the Japanese (work) culture.

As most of us are probably aware, 'team-work" is the basis of any work that is taken up in Japan, be it business, sports, or anything else. 'Individualism', per say does not have a place in the Japanese society. In order for any team work to succeed, it is very important that there be a consensus amongst the team members, and nobody understands this better than the Japanese do. They go to great lengths to avoid any direct conflicts and try to ensure that any kind of decision making happens in the smoothest way possible.

'Nemawashi' is kind of a semi-formal consensus building technique, wherein the person who has a new proposal (be it a change in the current system, or an introduction of a new policy, etc) informally talks to the key stakeholders and decision makers and gathers support and feedback beforehand, much before everybody actually goes into a formal meeting to discuss the proposal.These "informal" discussions can be held in smoking rooms, golf sessions, lunch, drink parties (nomikais), even standing in the corridor, waiting for the elevator. From what I have experienced, it is definitely not an easy job in a set-up where even the so called 'decision makers' rely on and are influenced by others who may not be the actual stakeholders. Unacceptable, eh?

Over the years, I have come to understand that consensus here does not mean compromise. Instead, in the Japanese business scenario it is seen as a way to solicit ideas, suggestions if any and create a better understanding of what one wants to propose. This way, when all the key-stakeholders are involved, it becomes comparatively difficult for anyone to resist or oppose the idea, especially when they have been involved with it since its conception, unless of course if the idea not at all feasible, in which case it will usually be 'rooted out' in the initial meetings itself and will not/may not reach the big bosses.

The process is undoubtedly very slow, and at times has been very frustrating for me. It is ambiguous, obscure and very unlike how business is done in many parts of the world, where one takes an idea to a formal meeting straightaway and gets on with the proposal.It is often not seen as a "democratic" process by many as they feel there are a lot of "behind the scenes" discussions involved.

With all its so called "drawbacks", Nemawashi has one great advantage, which even the westerners agree with - by getting everybody 'on board' right from the beginning, the method ensures that once a decision has been agreed upon, the execution is very rapid and free of any major obstructions, which may otherwise impede the process of implementation of an individual's idea in the western world. In fact, very recently a lot of non-Japanese business entrepreneurs and management gurus have observed and proposed that this as an "effective management technique" to get one's idea across and get it accepted, even in the western world.

It has given big institutions greater adaptability and has been a key factor in the success of so many of the Japanese companies, Toyota, being on of them. (The book - "The Toyota way - 14 management principles", talks about this as an important ingredient for its success -> Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement decisions rapidly (nemawashi).)

So next time when you see your colleagues working at it, don't be impatient...just wait till you see the results :) and you will be pleasantly surprised!!

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Kimono - the traditional dress

2011-04-22T20:17:00.022+09:00

Kimono - is a traditional Japanese dress, worn by men, women and kids. The literal translation of the word is "something to wear" (Ki = wear; mono = thing). It is a T-shaped, straight line robe, which comes in all types of designs and quality, some of which are extremely rich and expensive.

Unlike India, where the "Saree" (traditional dress of India) is worn on daily basis by many, Kimono is usually reserved for special occasions like weddings, tea ceremonies, burials, etc, one of the reasons being that it is extremely difficult to wear a kimono. The picture above will give you a fair idea of the complexity of the garment. Not shown in the picture are a lot of other accessories that go with it - inner linings, ropes & ties, obi (belt), a bow (for the back), tabi (special white socks), Geta (special wooden sandals), etc.

Brides usually wear a "pure white" kimono (Shiromuku)on the day of the wedding with an elaborate hairpiece (Wataboshi - equivalent of a bridal veil). Wearing white by the brides has a special significance. As the bride leaves one family and enters a new one, she wears white so that "she can take on the colors of the groom's family".

The groom wears a black kimono carrying the family crest, a pleated skirt (hakama ) and a half-length black coat (haori)

(Along with the headgear, the bride also wears a traditional hair piece wig (Tsunokakushi) - it literally means "hiding horns". Hiding the horns signifies that the women will be obedient to their husbands. The idea comes from a folklore which says that when women are jealous, they grow horns - reminds me of the devil from the Onida color TV ad....:))

My first experience of wearing a kimono was at a family friend's house in Osaka. The lady of the house had a lot of extremely beautiful Kimonos and wanted me to try one :).........and believe me, it was a huge task. Not that I wore it myself, of course she helped me with it, but it took almost 40 minutes to get the whole thing in place. But once done it looked absolutely gorgeous - worth every bit of the effort that went into it. Oh.but that was not all..I could hardly walk. and what's more..my friend taught us the traditional "tea ceremony" that day ...with the Kimono on, which was fun and a good learning experience....but phew!! extremely tiring...all in all, it was a wonderful experience but at the end of it, I was happy to be out of the Kimono and back into my denims...:)

I got to wear the dress once more and that was at Hotel Higashi Nihon in Utsunomiya. The hotel has a professional studio where I was dressed up in a beautiful and rich Kimono by the studio employees. I remember it took almost 2 hours for us to dress-up (with all the accessories and the make-up). Once ready, they took proper professional photographs of me in Kimono in a variety of poses and gifted them to us. (was arranged as a gift by my school) Those photographs are one of the best souvenirs that I have from the country.

One very important thing to remember when wearing a kimono is when wrapping it around the body, it should always be the 'left side over the right side'.....it is only when dressing the dead for the burial, the kimono is wrapped the other way round, that is 'right side over the left side. I am not sure about the significance.) I will have to check and get back.)

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Omikoshi - wa-shai, wa-shai!!

2011-04-21T23:14:00.006+09:00

Omikoshi is an honorific term for Mikoshi - a portable Shinto shrine. (In Japanese, O is a prefix that is usually added to the names of objects to make them sound polite) It resembles a miniature temple building, with the roof usually holding a carved Phoenix. (a phoenix is usually considered a symbol of re-birth, but I am not sure about the significance in this case. I will have to check with my friends in Japan and will update the info later)

On the day of a matsuri (festival), people carry the Mikoshi on their shoulders by means of two or four poles, through the streets of their neighborhood in a procession that usually lasts for a few hours. At the time of the procession, the Mikoshi is decorated very lavishly as the Shinto followers believe that it serves as a vehicle for God/divine spirit at that time. The whole structure is quite heavy..believe me...I carried one for the whole time the procession was on ....and my shoulders ached for months :) .....Usually, people take turns in carrying the shrine, but I loved carrying it and did not want to budge from my place on the side of the shrine. The mood at that time is ecstatic..the hapi (a special coat) and tabi (special socks) that I got to wear, the shouts of "wa shai...wa shai" - over and over again, the music and the sweat :)...it was just amazing....i did not wanted to miss a single minute of it.

The shrine was first taken to a Shinto temple, basically to let the kamisama (god) or the divine spirit to enter the Mikoshi. It was then taken around the streets of the neighborhood to bring fortune to homes and local businesses in the area. The neighbors set up small stalls every few hundred meters of the procession route, offering water and eatables to the participants of the procession. As the festival is held in summers (i think I mentioned sweat in the para above ;) )...these stalls are real lifesavers, especially for the people carrying the Mikoshi. I remember my friend making me drink water from a straw as both my hands were wrapped around the Mikoshi pole....:) I am sure I gave them a hard time during the procession though they have never mentioned it to me :) ....of course I did get to hear that "I told you not to carry it that long..look at your shoulder now"..stuff....but that is OK...;)

The Mikoshi was then bought back to the shrine...for the divine spirit to return to the temple and take rest. Oh yes, there was tug-of-war after that .Actually, there are a lot of Mikoshi seen on the road that day as each neighborhood has one of its own. So once all the processions end, each one of this neighborhood forms a team and holds various competitions, which are a lot of fun....and yes, i'd like to mention that our team won in the tug-of-war. Finally, in the end, everybody sat down to have a meal together, chit chatting, and enjoying till late in the night....(I have an interesting snap from that day which I will share later :) as I need to find it...)

I had a great time that day and the experience of participating in the matsuri and carrying the Omikoshi is just unforgettable!!

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Karaoke - some singing and a lot of fun

2011-04-21T00:42:00.011+09:00

Karaoke - is a portmanteau of two Japanese words - Kara (empty) and Oke (from Orchestra). Although the word is Japanese, whether or not this favorite pastime of many in Japan was invented here or not, is a matter of dispute till date. Some claim it was invented by a Japanese musician named Daisuke Inoue. There are others who claim that it were the Filipino musicians who migrated to Japan way back in 1960, who bought this form of music to the country. Well, for most of us who enjoy Karaoke, it does not matter much,does it? :)

My first experience with Karaoke was in the year 1999 when I was working as a trainee in Utsunomiya, Tochigi. Our Shacho (CEO of a company) had organized a company trip to Kinugawa Onsen, a famous hot spring resort in north eastern Japan.(In Japan, such company outings, at least a couple of times in an year, are pretty common).We stayed at the onsen resort for a night, about 20 of us, and had dinner at the resort restaurant which, as it turned out to be was a Karaoke restaurant. It had a stage which had a huge Karaoke system (player, screens, microphones,etc) placed on it. Each one of us took turns going on to the stage to sing various Japanese/English songs of our choice (we had to select from a list of pre-recorded songs that were displayed on the screen)

That was my first ever 'public performance' as a 'singer' :) .....a bathroom singer that I had been, it was not easy singing on the stage in front of such large 'audience'. I remember being very shy and it took quite some cajoling by my friend, also a fellow colleague, to convince me to go onto the stage. I was new in Japan that time and hardly knew any of the Japanese songs listed on the system screen. The only option I had was "hotel California" by eagles. Thankfully, I was an 'eagles' fan that time and knew the song well....and sing I did :) and it turned out to be a 'huge success'.....everybody loved it and asked me to sing again :)....not that i am a good singer...but the mood, the background music, (and thanks to the lot of noise of people screaming, shouting and singing along), it was a big hit ;)

Thereafter, that song became my "juhachiban' :) (Many karaoke singers have that one song which they are especially good at and which they use to show off their singing abilities :) - that is called their Juhachiban.)

Since then, I have been to a lot of Karaoke parties with friends and colleagues and am kinda getting better each time :) In fact, as I mentioned above, it is one of the most popular past times in Japan. There are Karaoke bars/parlors/restaurants all over the country, which usually have a private room fully equipped with a karaoke player, screen and microphones. The rooms are available in all sizes, from rooms meant for two people to large party rooms, where you can go with your family and friends to enjoy Karaoke. You can even order food and drinks inside the room. The rate is around 1000-1500 yen/person/per hour and sometimes comes with an all you can eat/drink deals.

Karaoke appeals to people of all ages and status. It is a good way to relax and de-stress after a hectic work day, a perfect way to enjoy with friends and is also a great icebreaker when you go with a new group of friends, or colleagues (like it proved to be for mine) ....and last but not the least - you get to become a 'pop idol', even if it is only for a few hours ;)

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Mono no Aware

2011-04-19T19:33:00.012+09:00

物の哀れ(read as "mono no aware") literally means "an empathy towards things" , (mono = things; aware=pitiful)It is a Japanese word basically used to describe the "awareness of impermanence", that things are ephemeral, and that there is usually a sympathetic sadness associated with them.

This term, coined in the late eighteenth century has now eventually become the center of Japanese culture and tradition. The Japanese have a great sensitivity towards this concept and believe that this awareness that everything in this world is temporary, and the understanding that happiness and beauty are always fleeting, increases our appreciation towards things and thus evokes a deep sense of melancholy on their passing.

Sakura (Cherry blossoms) perfectly symbolize this concept. They bloom right after the harsh winters, a symbol of warmth and life after the dead coldness of winters, only to die after a few days.

This has also been a strong recurring theme in almost all the Japanese movies that I have seen so far - out of which the one I remember the most is Okuribito " and "Tokyo.Sora".I have realized that in spite of the anguish and longing that is projected on the screen, not a single movie that I remember seeing has left me with a sense of sadness or depression. Instead, the movies resonate with a sense of optimism and calmness that is unbelievably incredible.

As we all probably know, Japan has experienced a lot of pain in the last few decades, right from the post-world war days and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the many devastating earthquakes/tsunamis, including the very recent 9.0M earthquake that rocked north-eastern part of the country. All through these difficult years, the Japanese seemed to have mastered this concept of "mono no aware" and this has been quite visible in their behavior and attitude every time a great tragedy has befallen this beautiful island nation. This, almost Zen like acceptance that they have for things tragic is unbelievable.

I understand that to many of us foreigners, this concept may sound very odd and difficult to accept. Yet, this is the essence of Japan and its people, and also the supreme reality - something which cannot be altered, no matter what we do, no matter where we go.

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It's a dog's life - and what a life it is..

2011-04-19T17:45:00.023+09:00

Going to Japan being my first ever trip abroad, I remember being shocked and amazed when I saw this little dog, wearing a very smart pink dress, with matching clips in its "hair" being pushed in what I thought was a "baby pram" by an elderly lady. It actually took me some time to believe what I saw that day. I had never seen something like that ever before :)

That is not a baby pram my dear, said my friend...it is a "dog pram" and it is very common in Japan. Don't be surprised when you see people carrying their dogs in their arms in shopping malls, in trains, and everywhere else...and see, I did.....and wondered..."wow"....these dogs have some life out here...I came to understand later that this is very common in other parts of the world as well? but for me, coming from India, where though pets do get a lot of love and affection from their owners, never ever get to live the more 'privileged" life that their counterparts in Japan get to enjoy :D

Dogs, dressed up in smart clothes (I saw one wearing denim shots and jacket :)) are a common sight out here. Shopping malls have dedicated corners, where you get all kinds of pet stuff, that includes 'designer' clothes, accessories, prams, cots, toys and everything and anything you can imagine buying for your "toddler" :) There are dog saloons, where you can get your pet all kinds of haircuts/hairstyles. They have "pet spas", pet restaurants', pet creche, and a pet washing machine too. It is supposed to guarantee to turn the pongiest pooch into the cuddliest of canines within minutes. A wash, spin and blow dry costs just under 1500 Yen a time.

The demand for "pet-friendly" homes in Japan is on the rise.

Pets, specially dogs, in Japan are not seen as "home-guards", as the country's crime(theft) rates are almost nil. They are most often seen as companions who enjoy a status almost equal to the kids in the household. Pets are even sent to schools to learn "pet manner" and the usual animal tricks. What else can your pet ask for?

Almost every time I see a dog like that, I cannot help thinking (being an Indian and believer in the concept of Karma and re-birth) - these guys must have done something really great in their past lives to enjoy a lifestyle that they do out here :)

A dog is a man's best friend. Here in Japan, it seems like man has also proved to be a dog's best friend :)

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Sakura - Hanami

2011-04-18T23:33:00.013+09:00

Sakura - is one of the most beautiful and most "loved" flowers of Japan and has a very prominent position in the country's culture. I have never seen a country "celebrate" a flower as much as the Japanese do. Blooming of the beautiful flower, which blooms only for a few 'glorious' days every year, is awaited almost impatiently throughout the country. So passionate are they about the flower that they have "Sakura viewing" parties (Hanami) during the days it is in full bloom. It like a picnic wherein friends and family get together under Sakura trees and eat and drink and have fun.

This concept of Hanami came into vogue long back in the Heian period when Sakura trees were planted in Japan for their beauty and grandeur, especially in Kyoto, the then capital of Japan. It was originally limited to the 'elite' of the imperial court but soon spread to include the common people as well.

Sakura starts to bloom in the end of March in the south and steadily moves upwards throughout the month. The blossom forecast is announced every year by the weather bureau and is watched carefully by those who are planning "Hanami". Hanami parties are held in the mornings and even at the night. The "night Sakura" or yozakura is also very beautiful and enjoyed and celebrated by many.

I remember my first Hanami party from almost a decade ago when all my colleagues from the company I was working as a trainee got together in "Hachimanyama", a park full of Sakura trees, in Utsonomiya. We reached the park around noon and it was full of people. In fact it took us some time to locate a tree under which we could sit.

I can never forget how beautiful the park looked that day .The mood was just amazing. I had never seen my so called "workaholic" colleagues so relaxed till then and it was good to see them finally talking about something other than work :) . We stayed there till midnight (that was one long picnic ;)) and enjoyed the Yozakura, sang songs, listened to music and chit chatted the whole day long. (some energy)

Since then I have been to many Hanami parties and surprisingly, I feel almost the same enthusiasm and excitement as I felt the very first time. Sakura never fails to uplift my mood even after all these years.

Note: Sakura is seen by the Japanese as a metaphor for life itself, beautiful but lasting only for a short time. Many poems and songs have been written on Sakura and this "temporary" view of life. There is one very old and a famous poem which reads- " 散りぬべき　時知りてこそ　世の中の　花も花なれ　人も人なれ" . It basically means, that Human beings, like flowers, are beautiful because they have a short life span and eventually die. (Nobody would value flowers so much if they were never to wilt and die)

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Learning to bow - Ojigi

2011-04-18T02:22:00.011+09:00

Incidentally, this is also the name of the book that I am reading right now. But what I write here is not about the book It is about the "art of bowing", which is an integral part of the Japanese society. Believe me, it is not easy. Anybody would think, what is so difficult about bowing...you are in for a surprise :)

Bowing, in the Japanese custom, is used to apologize and is also a gesture of gratitude. People perform some form of ojigi to apologize, to bid guests farewell, to express gratitude, to greet others, or even to introduce themselves.

I have learned through experience that the longer and deeper the bow, the more the emotion or the greater the difference in social standing between the two parties. I did not realize this initially and ended up bowing usually shorter than needed, more often with just a slight tilt of my head.

Now I understand how rude I must have seemed back then.

After almost 10 years in Japan, I "think" that i fairly understand what kind of a situation/person asks for what "degree" and "length" of bow.

But believe me, it took quite some struggle to reach here. It isn't easy, especially when it is associated with respect/gratitude towards the other person/party. You cannot take a risk, can you? Not in Japan, at least, although I have heard through friends that Japanese usually do not expect foreigners to bow and don't mind a handshake either.

Well, after all those years of working at it, I better do it - bow appropriately and appear polite and well aware of the Japanese culture :)...and not just another "gaijin"(foreigner)

Note the difference between how men and women bow.

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Communal bathing

2011-04-17T18:59:00.007+09:00

I stayed in Utsunomiya (Tochigi prefecture) for exactly an year during my first ever visit to Japan. I remember staying in a girl's hostel in a pretty small room, which I had to share with a fellow scholar. It had a bunk bed (phew!! imagine sleeping in one when you are in your early twenties :)) and one small carpet. That is it...there was no TV, no PC, nothing. I got to sleep in the "upper berth" of the bunk bed and i tell you it was painful...every time I wanted to drink water, fetch a book or something else, or go to the restroom, i had to climb up and down the ladder. Then there were the frightening "earthquakes" every night. I mean almost every night I used to get up with the bed shaking only to realize that my friend below had just changed sides while sleeping :) (Eventually we dismantled the whole thing and made two separate beds out of it. What a relief it was)

My stay at the hostel was a pretty eventful one I should say. Lots of surprises, good and bad and some funny experiences of which one particular "experience" is something I can never forget.

The "bathing ritual" . I am not sure how many foreigners who have never been to Japan know this but there is this system of a "common bath" in the country. Since we lived in a hostel, we had a common bathing area for all the occupants of the hostel. You can imagine our plight when we were asked to use that for our daily bathing. The thought itself was so dreadful that we promised ourselves we were never ever going to even try it, no matter what.

After much ado, we finally found a way around the torture. We took bath in turns, with one person standing outside the "ofuro" door and making sure nobody else entered when one of us was taking a bath....and we did that for the full one year we stayed there. Thankfully, most of the Japanese girls living in the hostel understood us quite well and were very cooperative (except one, but that was OK)

It was not until a couple of years back that I have come to understand and accept this practice of communal bathing in "Ofuro", "Onsen" or "Sento", and surprisingly I love every bit of it now - the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of leaving Japan is "Oh...i am going to miss the Onsens" ...:) strange..eh?

You really need to try going to one to understand what I mean.

Why the practice? Japanese believe in the virtues of "naked communion" (裸の付き合い hadaka no tsukiai^?), a practice wherein people are stripped off any unnecessary barriers that may inhibit free communication. They feel that this way, without any pretense or show, we have no choice but to be our true selves.

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Train Etiquette in Japan

2011-04-17T13:00:00.003+09:00

You do not expect to see words like run, rush, push when you talk about etiquette. Yet, it is very common in Japan to experience this when traveling in trains. Of course, it is not only about running and pushing, but about being silent, giving seat to elders/expecting mothers/etc and a lot more - all this an important part of the "train manner" in Japan.

For some weird reason the Japanese are usually rushing - to nowhere. I would understand if it was only in the mornings or when people are trying to get onto a train. But that is how it is even in the evenings, people just get out of the train and start running. Aren't they supposed to be going home at this hour? Then why the rush? Of course, I would love to get back home at the earliest possible, take off my shoes, and relax. But why run? this is something which I have failed to understand in all these years.

If you do manage to get to the train in time and it is crowded with people, just push yourself in. Pushing your way into the train is not considered rude....so if you don't get a space to stand, well just push and make some...

Oh but push with your body, never with your hands....and it should be a polite but firm push....and not a jolt :)....

In fact, train station has "pushers" - basically people whose job is to push the people into the train and make sure the door closes and locks before the train moves.

Here is an interesting video you may want to see to get an idea how it works :)

Note: This is not a usual scenario everywhere so do not think you will have to deal with it when you are in Japan.

Once inside the train, you will realize that nobody is talking. Almost everybody on the train can basically be divided into four categories. The "music lovers" who have headphones on and are listening to music, the "fiddlers" who just fiddlie around with their mobile phones/Nintendo DS, the "readers" - who love to read - newspapers, books, magazines, comics (manga), in fact Japanese are known to be extremely fond of reading ..and last but not the least - the "sleepers" ....i mean they definitely have some secret ability to sense the "stations" they have to get off at. No matter how deep in sleep they seem to be in, they will get up immediately as soon as the train arrives on the platform. There are the occasional "talkers" too...but they are usually whispering except of course the teenage girls...but you can never get to stop them, can you? ;)

(The poster above is one of the many posters that you will see inside the trains in Japan asking people to follow the train manners)

Remember : there are priority seats reserved for the elderly, expecting mothers, adults with babies/toddlers, and wounded people/people with disabilities. And never forget to switch off your mobile phones when you are near these seats. At all other places inside the train, it is okay to keep the phone on but strictly on "manner mode" ...you don't want to be stared at or sometimes rebuffed by some elderly lady if you don't follow the "manner" ....

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The train journey

2011-04-17T09:29:00.002+09:00

The very first time I sat in a bullet train was in January 1999, from Tokyo to Utsunomiya city (Tochigi prefecture), the place that was to be my (second) home for the next one year. My first ever ride in one of the fastest, and most luxuriously comfortable trains in the world... I do want to mention here that the train arrived and departed from the station dot on time, precise to the minute.

The very first thing I noticed (or felt) was the silence. Not a noise - pin drop silence. One of the things foreigners realize when traveling in trains in Japan is that nobody talks. At least most of them. It felt as if the bullet train was also trained to do just that - trained to obey the "manner" that most of the Japanese so diligently follow throughout their lives.

The other thing I noticed was that despite the chart-topping speed of almost 250-300Kms/hour, it was a surprisingly smooth ride. I did not have to hold on to my glass of water or my "bento" while eating. They stayed right where I put them on my table and did not move an inch.

Buying a "Bento" is an integral part of the "pre-boarding ritual" for most of the travelers. It involves the careful selection and buying of a bento at the station, accompanied by bottled tea for the journey ahead. The selection of "bentos" at train stations is amazing, and the boxes are almost a piece of art – ranging from the very simple to the more elaborate ones - the “character bento” (kyaraben, kyara=character, ben =bento) decorated to look like popular Japanese cartoon characters or “picture bento” decorated to look like people, animals, plants or places.

I am not particularly fond of Japanese food even after all these years but the thought of buying a bento and boarding the Shinkansen never fails to excite me even now.

After a journey that lasted for about 50 minutes, we arrived at the Utsonomiya station, tired and weary eyed, with not a trace of energy left in us after the long plane and then the train journey, desperately in need for some sleep. But our school had other plans and it was only a start of a long long day. At least that is how it felt that day...

'True to the notion of the journey being more important than the destination, travelling by bullet train that day was one of my most memorable experiences.'

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How did it all start

2011-04-17T07:44:00.001+09:00

"You have a flair for languages" - a friend told me once.(I picked up Persian pretty quickly when I was a kid and was pretty fluent at it. My Persian friends used to tell me that I sounded almost like a native.) That is when i decided I wanted to learn another language.

A few months later I enrolled myself for a hobby course in Japanese language at the embassy school - that is after my dad suggested that I take up the language. He somehow felt it was a better choice and also he wanted me to take up something which was different from what others were choosing. (It was not a popular choice back then in 1996 as almost everybody who took up

language as a hobby or profession, pursued either French or German and I had almost made up my mind to learn either of the two)

I never realized back then that - that decision on that day would end up shaping my career and in a way my life..........

I am not at all being modest when I say that I was not a high scorer in school or college but I excelled at Japanese. I still don't know if I have a flair for languages but yes, I did fall in love with the language. Learning Kanjis to me was fun. I loved practicing and memorizing Kanjis. My friend used to call me a "walking dictionary of Kanjis" .....and after learning the language for 3 years i got a scholarship to work and study in Japan for an year.

I landed in Japan on 13th of January, 1999 - on Lohri, considered to be an auspicious day in India. It was an early winter morning. and guess what - i saw Mt Fuji the very first day...and I saw it from the cockpit of the plane (The pilot/air-hostess offered me to come over to the cockpit and see around if I wanted to.....:) good for them that I was not a hijacker;) ........and when we flew over Mt. Fuji, the captain told me - there...you see...that is Mt. Fuji.....and i still cannot forget the site of it...it stood tall and beautiful wearing the famous "ice cap" and every bit as beautiful as I had always imagined it to be....and much much more..

(A legend has it that if you see Mt. Fuji once, you definitely get a chance to see it again at least once. Mt. Fuji never forgets you and almost always calls you back once for sure)

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