Poor Little (Kawai So Na) Frog! カワイソウな蛙！

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Poor little frog

Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! 

Can you hear it? I heard it and couldn't help but chuckle because this poor little flog poked with a stick, flying on something like fish or alligator with both arms raised was so kawaii, isn't it?....   

The above picture is a magnified center left (red circled) part of "The Temptation of St. Anthony" by David Teniers, the Younger (below) at The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo.

The Temptation of St. Anthony" by David Teniers, the Younger

The painting depicts St. Anthony (in the center), a hermit living in the desert, being tempted by the Devil sent to test his faith. It is so religious, but that's not what grabbed my attention but this little frog and although I should have felt "sorry (kawai so)" for the frog, I found it cute (kawaii)...

"Kawai so" differs from "kawaii."

kawai so ni (adverb):
その蛙をかわいそう/可哀そうに思う
I feel sorry for the frog.

kawai so na (adjective):
かわいそうな/可哀そうな蛙
poor frog           

kawaii (adjective):
かわいい/カワイイ/可愛い蛙
cute frog

上野の国立西洋美術館に行きました。常設展、ほとんど人がいませんでした。その中で目を引いたのが上の一枚、ダフィット・テニールス（子） の「聖アントニウスの誘惑」。絵の中央左のカエル君に目が釘付けに｡｡｡ 悪魔が聖人を誘惑して試すという宗教画なのに全然別のところに目が行ってしまいました。テニールスさん、そしてカエル君、ごめんなさい🙇

Crepuscular Rays At Dawn and Sunset 薄明光線

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I often look up at the sky. One day just before sunset, I noticed these crepuscular rays—also known as Jacob’s ladder or God rays. I had never heard of the term "crepuscular rays," or even its literal Japanese translation, "hakumei kousen," until I looked it up to write this post. Instead, I used to just say, "It looks like a Buddha halo is shining." I am not religious, but these rays always make me feel like there might be something greater than ourselves up there. I took the photos below at sunset on different days.

Crepuscular rays at sunset

Negative Capability - Essential Skill for Japanese Simultaneous Interpreting ウィスパリング通訳 トンネルを抜けると予期せぬ結論があった？

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

What do you think are the essential skills and capabilities for simultaneous interpreting from Japanese to English? English-speaking skills? Yes, of course, but there is another key capability: "negative capability." And this doesn't apply to just any language pair. Before jumping into the details, let's look at what "negative capability" means.

Celadon in 16 Forms いろんな青磁

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I always wondered why there are so many celadon colors, so looked it up. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "Celadon is greenish ceramic glaze that is used on stoneware. Celadon is used both for the glaze itself and for the article so glazed. It is particularly valued in China, Korea, Thailand, and Japan."

I still didn't understand why the green or blue* colors of celadon porcelain vary between articles. So, I went to the Asian Gallery (Toyokan) of Tokyo National Museum to compare celadon ware there. (I say "blue" because in Japanese, celadon glaze is "青磁," meaning "blue porcelain.")

1. Large vase with carved peony design,  China, 14th century

Sky and Clouds Reduce Loneliness 空と雲は孤独を減らす

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The beginning of autumn always makes me feel lonely. It makes me look up at the blue, azure, or pitch-dark sky and the drifting white clouds, searching for my friends up there.

St. Luke International Hospital, Tokyo 聖路加病院

Netsuke - Japanese Lovelorn Ghost Puts a Curse Saying "Urameshiya.." うらめしや～

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

What do you think it is? It's not a field horsetail—it's a Japanese female ghost!

Unable to enter heaven or hell, she returns to this world to take revenge on the guy who played with her heart and broke it, crying 'Urameshiya!' to curse him to hell.

Symbol of Peace? - Netsuke & Halloween 平和の象徴？「根付とハロウィン」

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Netsuke titled “Halloween,” carved from macadamia nut and amber
「ハロウィン」宍戸濤雲作

Japanese Women's Minds, and Sheep, Sardine, Mackerel, and Fish Scales 女心と秋の空

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

If you want to be popular with Japanese women, you need to understand the autumn sky. Japan has a saying, "Women's hearts and the autumn sky (onna gokoro to aki no sora)," which means a woman's mind changes as quickly as autumn weather.

Sheep clouds  or altocumulus clouds 羊雲

Chinese Sculpture - Agate Pomegranate 瑪瑙石榴

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It seems so fresh and so real, doesn't it? I've eaten pomegranates only a few times and don't remember how they tasted like, but when I set my eyes on this red stone craft, I wanted to take a bite of it!

Pomegranate made of agate and ruby

Japanese Saying: Iron Fist In Velvet Glove or Velvet Fist in Iron Glove? 外柔内剛？内柔外剛？

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

'An iron fist in a velvet glove.' A CEO from Europe often told me this before important meetings. I remember this because it perfectly described him. He appeared gentle, but could be very ruthless.

Japan has a similar (but not identical) saying, "外柔内剛 (gaiju naigo)," meaning "soft on the outside, but hard on the inside." My father always wanted to have "an iron fist in a velvet glove," but he couldn't. He was hard on the outside, but soft on the inside.

As the eldest son, my dad was raised with the expectation of becoming a "strong" man who never showed emotions or set foot in the kitchen. (Japanese men weren't supposed to cook.) And as a "tough" guy with a judo black belt, he rarely showed weakness or emotion. Even when he got lung cancer, he never talked about it. Right after his surgery, he started exercising in bed using a resistance band so he could go back to work as soon as possible. But just once, he said with a deep sigh, "I admire someone who is soft on the outside, but hard on the inside..." He might have stretched himself too thin, or something might have happened to him... He has changed since then, however. He is now soft on both sides, while my mom is getting harder and harder on both sides!

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「An iron fist in a velvet glove.」 以前、通訳していたCEOがよくミーティング前につぶやいていました。「外柔内剛」に近いでしょうか。表面は穏やかだけど戦う意志を秘めていた彼をよく表していたと思います。

私の父はその逆で悩んでおりました。柔道黒帯の「内柔外剛（笑）」でした。今は「外柔内柔」で、 母はますます「外剛内剛」です（ガオー）。

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Chinese Antiques Give Us Power 中国美術にパワーもらいました！

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I was so exhausted mentally that I needed something to recharge me so went to the Toyo Kan (Asian Gallery) of the Tokyo National Museum and found this! 

What's this?

The Ring Finger's Fault 薬指が悪いんです｡｡｡

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Everyone has made at least one (or maybe even hundreds of!) spelling errors in their life. I'm no exception. I misspelled "mouth" as "month" in a post about netsuke sculpture and was unaware of it until it was pointed out by a kind reader. I always perform a spell check before publishing posts or submitting documents to clients at work. However, because writing "month" instead of "mouth" isn't a misspelling but a misuse of words, it went through the spell check without being detected.

Japanese Saying: Netsuke Titled "A-Hum" 根付って面白い！

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I found this netsuke in the Prince Takamado's netsuke collection at Tokyo National Museum. For those who have never heard of "netsuke," a netsuke is a small carved ornament, especially of ivory or wood, worn as part of Japanese traditional dress as a toggle by which an article may be attached to the sash of a kimono.

根付 (netsuke) titled "Beginning and End" 

Exquisite Chinese Ornaments of Three Kingdoms 中国美術の繊細さ

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Crown decorated with cicada design

I want to show you two items currently on view in the Three Kingdoms exhibition held in the Tokyo National Museum.

One is a 5cm wide 5cm tall, gold and bronze made crown in the above photo. The color is so beautiful and its cicada design, usual for Chinese bronzeware, is so exquisite.

Money tree

The other is "Money tree," a two meter high bronze made tree, decorated with more than 400 bronze coins. Despite the name, the tree has some kind of religious (not financial) significance.

Both embody delicate and exquisite beauty with many similarities to ancient Japanese ornaments.

東京国立博物館の三国志展に行ってきました。展示物が多かったので、自分の好みで二つ紹介します。

上の写真は「蟬文冠飾」という天子や重臣の装飾具。下は「揺銭樹」で英語では「Money tree」と言いますが、宗教的な意味合いを持つ装飾具だそうです。

両方とも、とっても繊細でした｡｡。

What's Your Name, Kung Fu Buddha? 仏様、お名前は？

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。 

What do you think it is? I found this 15cm to 20cm tall Buddha in the Tokyo National Museum. It was between an old plaque and an old mirror which were made from the 10th to 12th century and found in Tenkawa village, Nara prefecture, but there was no description of this kung-fu kicking Buddha.

So, hey Buddha, I'm gonna name you "Kung Fu Buddha"!

A curator said that a description of the Buddha is missing and that they're waiting for re-issuance. If you are in Tokyo or considering coming to Japan, don't miss the chance to meet him!!

東京国立博物館に行ってきました。そこの本館で見つけました。ムムム！奈良県天川村で発見された銅板と鏡の間にあったのですが、このちっちゃい（15cm～20cmぐらい）仏さまに関しては何の説明もなし。確認したところ、おそらく漏れてしまい（なくしてしまい）、再発行を依頼しているとのこと。

でもこのとぼけた顔可愛いでしょ。一見の価値ありです！

Work Like Hell or Possum? 蛭子さんの助言「死んだふりして働きなさい」

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

"Work like a possum...."

Simultaneous Interpreting, Skiing and Yakuza 同時通訳とスキーと褒め殺し

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

A couple of weeks ago, I interpreted for the first time in a while. I used to do that every day, but not anymore. One of the directors, who's joined the company just recently, doesn't speak Japanese at all and needed someone translating through a two-hour internal meeting simultaneously, so I interpreted for him using a technique called "whispering," a form of simultaneous interpreting.

Flowers in May - Foxgloves and Hot Lips ジギタリス＆チェリーセージ

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Someone named "rieo" wrote a comment on a post about flowers whose names I don't know published last week and I learned the names of two flowers.

The flowers in the picture below are foxgloves or digitalis purpurea. I hadn't heard of foxgloves, but had heard of digitalis. They were used to kill someone in Agatha Christie's stories, a favorite author of mine, if I remember correctly... They are so beautiful, but poisonous like some women......

Digitalis

The flowers on the right in the picture below (i.e., red and white ones) are cherry sage or hot lips. They are also beautiful, lovely and cute, aren't they! Unfortunately, the pink and purple flowers on the left couldn't be identified.

Still unidentified & hot lips

先日お花について書いたら、コメントをいただき、花の名前を教えていただきました。

上の写真の花はジギタリスだとのこと。確か、クリスティーの小説で毒殺に使われていたのでびっくり。こんなにきれいな花だったんですね。

下の写真の右の花（赤と白の花）はチェリーセージまたはホットリップス。可愛いですよね。

rieoさん、ありがとうございました。一つ賢くなりました！

Flowers in May 名もなき花ですが｡｡｡

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Recently flowers have drawn my attention more than ever. I realized their beauty and liveliness first at Kyoto botanical garden and again in my neighborhood while walking. 

I found these flowers on the street. These flowers, whose names I don't know, were so beautiful that I just stopped and stared at them for a while. 

5月ってこんなに植物がきれいだったんですね。京都府立植物園で初めてそのことに気づき、そして先週東京でも｡｡。名前分かりませんが思わず立ち止まって見入ってしまいました。

Nara - Byakugouji Temple 白毫寺

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Byakugoji temple
Nara prefecture

This is Byakugoji Temple (白毫寺) in Nara. I had first planned to go to Shin Yakushiji Temple (新薬師寺), but found this temple on a map and changed the plan and that was a success!

It's located on a small mountain or hill, so you have to walk first to arrive at the entrance and then climb to the top of the hill to enjoy a view of the entire Nara city, but it's worth it.

The temple is famous for five-color Japanese camellias (goshiki tsubaki), but their season was over and instead I enjoyed fringed irises or butterfly flowers. 

Iris japonica, fringed irises, butterfly flowers or shaga

Nara city from Byakugoji temple

新薬師寺に行くつもりが、地図で白毫寺を見つけたので予定変更。でも行った甲斐はありました。

高い所にあるので眺めが最高。かつ、このシャガというお花もきれい。冬は「五色椿」 で有名ですが、シャガもとっても可憐でした。

奈良に行ったら東大寺とか春日大社だけでなく、白毫寺にもぜひ立ち寄ってみてください！

Kyoto Botanical Garden 京都府立植物園

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Fuchsia Lonora

Fuchsia My Fair Lady

Fuchsia Looks

Fuchsia Golden Dawn

Fuchsia Winzewrin

Fuchsia Looks

Fuchsia Jack Shahan

Fuchsia Angels Earrings

Fuchsia Lena

Fuchsia Happy

Fuchsia Mrs. Minnie Pugh

Fuchsia Display

Fuchsia Harbour Bridge

I went to Kyoto Botanical Garden a few days ago. The garden held a special exhibition of fuchsia flowers. I'm not interested in plants, just wanting to kill time, but found these! How beautiful and lively these two-tone-color fuchsia flowers are! Please enjoy these Fuchsias "Lonora," "My Fair Lady," "Winzewrin," "Golden Dawn," "Looks," "Jack Shahan," "Angels Earrings," "Lena," "Happy," "Mrs. Minnie Pugh," "Display," and "Harbour Bridge"!

京都府立植物園に行きました。 何の期待もせずに行ったのですが Wow! フクシアという花を初めて知りました。

Tulips are Also in Bloom! 桜だけじゃないですよ！

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。 

So colorful and powerful, aren't they! People in Japan talk about only cherry blossoms from late March through early April, but don't forget that tulips are also in bloom. 

Cherry blossoms make me aware of ephemerality of life, but these tulips' bright colors gave me vitality and energy. 

銀座の道路脇にチューリップを見つけました。あまりの鮮やかさにしばし見とれてしまいました。最近弱っているのでエネルギーもらいました！

Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Taisha Food Stalls Go Away 伏見稲荷の屋台がなくなるんだって

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It's been reported that food stalls in Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine will all go away at the end of March 2019.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine Vermilion torii gates
伏見稲荷大社の鳥居

This shrine, which is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii arches and as the patron of business, is very popular among not only Japanese people but also tourists from overseas. I went there two years ago, climbing the mountain behind it, and wrote a fictional story based on the experience.

The reason for this drastic decision is overtourism. The number of visitors of the shrine has doubled for the last five years, resulting in too many food stalls along one of the major streets in this area, reducing its width to almost two thirds and causing a trash problem. The police, receiving complaints from local residents, have stopped issuing business licenses to these food stall owners since April 2018.

Fushimi Inari is also famous for sparrow yakitori, i.e., grilled sparrow. As I didn't have it last time, I decided to give it a try next time, but maybe I shouldn't go there for now and so it seems that this small wish may not be fulfilled for a while. 

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伏見稲荷大社の屋台、3月で全部立ち退くそうです。2年前に行ったときにあまりの混雑ぶりに驚きましたが、屋台をなくさなければならないほど悪化しているとは知りませんでした。 雀の焼鳥、今度行ったら食べてみようと思っていたのですが、当分行かない方がいいようですね。残念です｡｡。

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Never Underestimate "等 (Tou)"! 「等」の訳し方

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

A Japanese man asked me how to translate the following term:

指名委員会等設置会社 shimei iinkai tou settichi gaisha

The Surprising Origins of Royalty: Korean Emperors and French Kings 天皇は朝鮮人でスウェーデン王はフランス人

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

A historical fact that astonishes me is mentioned in Geert Hofstede's Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. In 1809, Swedish nobles deposed the incompetent King Gustav IV and invited Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, a French general under Napoleon, to take the throne. Consequently, the current Swedish royal family is of French descent—a fascinating fact that is widely accepted today.

Kyoto - Horinji Temple in Arashiyama and Matsuo Taisha to Avoid Crowd 京都－法輪寺と松尾大社が静かです

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

1. Saki offerings to Matsuo Taisha

I went to Matuo Taisha shrine in Arashiyama Kyoto on December 30, 2018. I didn't plan to go there, but happened to know that this famous shrine is near Arashiyama, my destination on that day. Matsuo Taisha is famous for enshrining God of sake (or saki) protecting people who not only produce, but also sell or drink sake. It's understandable for the shrine to receive so many offerings from sake manufacturers across Japan.

2. From top of Horinji temple stairs

3. From Horinji temple viewpoint

As a sake lover, I had wanted to go to Matsuo Taisha shrine for a long time, but thought it was an inconvenient place to go. I was wrong. The shrine is very close to the very famous tourist site Arashiyama, in which Horinji temple is located. The temple enshrines a deity of electricity and radio wave and I happened to go there to avoid crowd in Arashiyama. After enjoying beautiful views from this temple, not only from the top of its stairs (Picture 2), but also its viewpoint (Picture 3), I again happened to find a sign showing Matsuo Taisha shrine being only 2.1 km from the temple.

If you are now in Arashiyma, but disappointed at the crowd and want to go to a quiet place nearby, cross the Katsuragawa River and go to Horinji temple. You can enjoy a serene atmosphere and in 20 minutes walk, pray to the sake deity at Matsuo Taisha. You can go to Matsuo Taisha shrine also by the Hankyu Line, one stop from the Arashiyama station.   

年末年始と京都で過ごしました。12月28日に嵐山に行ったら相変わらずの混雑で大失敗。でも桂川を渡ってふらふらしていたら法輪寺を見つけました。電気と電波の神様を祭っているとのこと。すると何と松尾大社まで2.1キロという標識を発見。歩いて行ってみました。

松尾大社はお酒の神様。お酒大好きな（あまり飲めないけど）私にとっては大事な神様。ちゃんとお礼を言いました。

嵐山であまりの人込みにうんざりしたら、法輪寺、そしてそこから2キロほどの松尾大社はお勧めです。ちなみに嵐山から松尾大社までは阪急電車で一駅。歩き疲れた方は電車でどうぞ！