Storyboard / Culture
Japan’s natural religion, Shinto (神道), consist of 2 ideograms: “God (神)” and “Way (道)”. I noticed there are many different Japanese disciplines contain “Way (道)”. The “Way (道)” to be the most important thing in ones own life, and the quest for all is to find ones own “Way (道)”.
Bathing is truly a unique experience in Japan. I never thought about the art of bathing while growing up in Central British Columbia, when as a child, I was taking my weekly bath on Sunday evening. Jump in, scrub up, wash off the soap (yes, while in the same water one soaped up in is where one also rinsed)
Stinky, Slimy, Savoury, Succulent and So on… One get a mixed reaction from many of the Japanese, and uniform abhorrence of this miracle food from foreigners.
What may look like just a gigantic party in Japan, is actually something that has much deeper meaning and significance to the Japanese. The time when cherry blossoms are bloom is when the Japanese gather to reflect on just how fleeting and ephemeral life can be, all the while sitting, eating, drinking, and some times singing and dancing as they congregating beneath the majestic cherry trees.
Of course the party always starts with some long winded speech by a couple of “important people”, of the group. These speeches tend to drone on and every one wants them to shut up and start the party. There’s always an amazing array of delicious food and lots and lots of “junkatsu yu” or social lubricant.
Last week we talked about the 9-year old drumming prodigy Yoyoka Kaneai and her original appearance on ellentube. She was invited on the show for a second time (first for Japanese citizen) to find out what happened in that most amusing original encounter.
My father came to Japan in 1968, at the invitation of Nissan Motor Co Ltd., and wore this hat. Datsun was the export brand of Nissan Motors cars.
What does a 9-year old Japanese child have to teach what is arguable one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful person in American show business? A little of the Japanese Way from Yokoka, the 9-year old drumming sensation to her very powerful and most gracious host.
Last year this company also bought the prized itsukiboshi crab for a mere ¥2 million, and has now smashed its own Guinness book of World Records for the highest price ever paid for a crab.
The meaning of this important event is to celebrate the survival of their children, because as we all know historically understand, the mortality rate for young children in most parts of the world was very high. They pray to the Shinto Gods for the continuing healthy growth of their children in the coming years of youth into adulthood.
