日本の秋二、にほんのあき、FALL IN JAPAN (2)

紅葉／もみじ

In Japanese, maples equal foliage.  When I type MO-MI-JI for maple, the kanji for foliage shows up.  The first two kanji reads both as MOMIJI and KOUYOU, the latter means foliage.  ヘんですね。People go hunting MOMIJI or maple late October through mid November.  

もみじがりmeans literally, hunting maple, colloquially, the word MOMIJI-GARI is used for an outing to view foliage.  きれいですねぇ。

Wait a minute!  I am from New England, we have really outrageous KOUYOU or foliage.  ニューイングランドの紅葉／こうようは、すごーーいですよ。

However, its subtlety and mysterious atmosphere in the Japanese mountains during this time of the year is superb.

私は、むすこのブラッドといっしょに、もみじがりに行きました。少し、雨／あめがふっていましたから寒／さむかったです。

紅葉は、きれいでしたが、かぜをひいてしまいました。グシュン！

日本の秋一、にほんのあき、FALL IN JAPAN（１）

What are these flowers??  菊、きくor

Chrysanthemum, mum in English.

I missed these elaborately cultivated flowers that bloom for showcase in shrines and temples in Japan for many years.  Finally I was able to see them in a nearby shrine where I biked with my girl friend from high school.  

If you put your face on the flower, you feel the cold petals on you cheek and remind the cold weather is approaching.  "Do Not Touch the Flowers." the sign says.  Oh, ごめんなさい。日本語がよめません？？？？

Learn colors!!

色／いろ

黄色／きいろ、白／しろ、紫／むらさき、うすむらさき、緑／みどり、パステル

菊人形／きくにんぎょう

If you are an artistic florist, you would be more excited to make a human shape out of flowers, wouldn't you?  There used to be an exhbition called, KIKUNINNGYOU, Kiku for mum, Ningyou for dolls, which are TV drama characters made of flowers.  I would be exhilarated to be surrounded by KIKU if I was a doll?!

日本の城／にほんのしろ CASTLES

姫路城／ひめじじょう

大阪城／おおさかじょう

板前／いたまえ、SUSHI CHEF

FIND THE FOLLOWINS:

level 3-4

板前／いたまえ、はちまき、はっぴ、頭、顔、目、耳、手、顔、鼻、まゆ毛、首、しわ、（坊主頭／ぼうずあたま）

level 1-2

おじさん、あたま、かお、て、かお、め、はな、まゆげ、くび、ピースサイン、スマイル

translation 

Sushi chef, head band, happy coat, head, face, eyes, ears, hands, face, nose, eyebrows, neck, wrinkles (shaved head)

a man or uncle, head, face, hands, face, eyes, nose, eyebrows, neck, peace sign, smile

Let's describe this friendly chef:

この板前／いたまえのおじさんは、おもしろかったです。いっしょうけんめい　じょうずに　すしを　つくってくれました。目がほそくて、はながたかいです。あたまは、ぼうずでした。とてもたのしい　いたまえさんでした。

日本の家

Find the followings in this picture:

level 3-4

かわら、甍／いらか、えんがわ、白壁／しろかべ、格子戸／こうしど、植木／うえき

level 1-2

やね、まど、しょうじ、かべ、みち、木、山、おじさん、

translation from the top:

roof tile, roof tile (end piece), long sun room, white wall, lattice window or door, plant, 

roof, window, paper window shade, wall, road, tree, mountain, a man or uncle

如意輪観音菩薩

Now, who can read this title kanji???  And who knows what it is?? OK, you can stop studying Japanese if you have the answer.  It reads NYOI-RIN-KANNON-BOSATSU, and it's this Buddhas name.  By looking at this BOSATSU or Buddha, anybody feels one's mind softens and relaxes.  That's because he (or she?) is the Buddha who rescues human from BON-NOH (polluting thoughts or human probems).  The purpose of ZEN is to obliterate BON-NOH in every human's mind.  How much BON-NOH have I been suffering in my life?  

I learned that there are many different Buddha's.  This BOSATSU carries a Buddhism miracle ball in his (or her) hands. He (or she) usually half-sits.  Beads must have been hung by worshipers.  Bosatsu is  closer to human than NYORAI (the next photo).   By the way, does this BOSATSU appear to be male to you?  Or, female?  It's up to you to decide.  

May BOSATSU save you from BONNOH..."NAMUAMIDABUTSU..."

大仏／だいぶつ or BUDDHA at Enkyou Temple in Himeju

This bronze Buddha was in the woods on a hill.  If I didn't look up towards one of the huge cedar trees, I wouldn't have noticed this inspirational statue.   Since this Buddha has only simple robe on his body, he is considered as he has achieved the enlightenment to the highest level. （如来／にょらい） This Buddha does not come with lengthy explanation or name, but has more power to me than any others.  I cannot tell if his eyes are open or closed.  The firm Mudra hand positions correspond his energy flow to me through the clean air in the surrounding.  I also like the fact that he showed up to me, I was not forced to see him (no signs directed me).  It was by chance I encountered the divine Buddha.  I climbed on a dirt road to find him.  There, he sat on a pile of mossy rocks and kept his glance as if he sees through my minds.  

Believe or not, Hollywood filmed the movie, Last Samurai at this location.   

Basic Words around Buddha: 

ほとけ（さま）Buddha, 仏像／ぶつぞう Buddha statue, じぞう（さま）stone buddha,

寺／てら temple, 座禅／ざぜん Zazen,

Mimi wants to be KAN-NON BOSATSU

OM...

Through my very shallow research on Buddhism, I found many yoga poses are originated in the Buddha pose.  The SEN-JU-KAN-NON BOSATSU has 40 palms, on each palm there is an eye,  each eye can see 25 worlds.  Therefore, 1000 eyes.  SEN(1000), JU(hands).  When am I going to achieve the soft glance??  Sending my spirit to my friends through my eyes on my palms.      Namaste.

I LIVE WITH A MONK??

坊主／ぼうず、Bouzu

If some one has a shaved head, you call him BOUZU.  There used to be more BOUZU boys in Japan because by rules, boys were required to have BOUZU hair.  Now public schools eliminated the rule.  Thanks goodness for many of them.

The word BOUZU can also be used to a novice buddhist monk.  This young man chose to shave his head because he wanted to be loyal to his school baseball team (they lost in the tournament game).  He received a new nickname, "ONIGIRI HEAD," that means RICE BALL HEAD.

この男の子は、坊主です。新しいニックネームは、「おにぎりあたま」かわいいね？！たたみの部屋にすわって笑っていますよ。

ありがとうTHANK YOU!!!!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MANY EMAILS THAT YOU SENT IN RESPONSE TO MY BLOG SITE.   I AM SO EXCITED TO HEAR FROM MANY OF YOU THAT I WAS LOSING IN TOUCH.  I ALSO THANK MANY OF YOU FOR TRYING TO POST A COMMENT.  I ADDED "HOW TO POST A COMMENT" ON THE SIDE.  PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT IT.  

I WILL TRY TO UPLOAD OCCASIONALLY, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE IN TOUCH MORE. 

THINKING OF YOU, ALWAYS.  ありがとう、ありがとう。大好きぃ〜〜！！

MIMI

お行儀／おぎょうぎ／マナー HAVE MANNER!

"What's she doing??"  "Have manner, Ms. Morimura!!"  「ゴッメーン！」

It's ok to use a toothpick in front of people, or even at the table in Japan.  

Greetings:

いただきます！！　before meals

ごちそうさま！！　"Thanks for the meal," after meals

おいしかった！       Even my husband knows how to say it.  "It was DELICIOUS!"

食べ物のことば／たべもののことばD

agvbxizl

FIND THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN THE PHOTO:

さしみ、みそしる、おはし、みず、わさび、

MORE!!

どんぶり　meat on hot rice, this one has SASHIMI on rice; or you can call a big bowl DONBURI

おわん　a bowl for soup

しょうゆ　soy sauce

つけもの　pickles

おぼん／おぜん　Plate that serves  a set of food like in this photo.

わりばし　disposable wooden chopsticks (not good for environment)

いくら　Salmon roe

うずらのたまご　pheasant eggs

しそ　Japanese mint leaf

日本食レストランで／にほんしょくレストランで

AT THE JAPANESE RESTAURANT!!

Who said it's so hard to order food at a Japanese restaurant??  All you need is one of you fingers!! (not the middle one, PLS), because of the plastic models of all-you-can-eat in front of the restaurant.  If you are ambitious, you would say to a waitress, 「これ、おねがいしま〜〜す！」

禅ぜんゼ〜〜〜〜ン

先生は、何をしていますか。へんですね。

What's she doing??  Weird!!  

おじぞうざま Stone Buddha

Stone Buddha protect travelers and children from encountering evil.  It is common to decorate OJIZOSAMA with bibs as if they are babies.  OJIZOSAMA is often seen on the country roads.

お米／おこめ rice

日本の秋には、稲が成長します。田んぼにお米が生えて、とても美しいです。もうすぐ、収穫の季節です。

にほんのあきには、いねがせいちょうします。たんぼに　おこめが　はえて とてもうつくしいです。もうすぐ　しゅうかくのきせつです。

いね  rice plant

せいちょう growth

しゅうかくharvest

きせつ season

日本の家

私の家です。ホント？？！

ウソー！京都の家です。映画に出て来るような

とても古い家の玄関ですね。（きょうとのいえです。えいがにでてくるような　とても　ふるいいえのげんかんですね。）

Is it Sensei's house??! NO, it's the kind of house you would see in the movies.  The entrance of the house in Kyoto.

たき(waterfall)

私は、こうべで　ハイキングをしました。そして、滝／たきを見ました。滝の名前／なまえは、「ぬのびきのたき」です。とてもきれいでした。おひるごはんに、おにぎりを食べました。とても　おいしかったです。先生は、オレンジのシャツをきています。そして、ジーンズをはいています。