Japanese Temples, Sontaku and Venison Sukiyaki 忖度に関する考察 No.3 興福寺と鹿のすき焼き

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

Five-storied pagoda of Kofukuji temple

Auctioned in the 19th century

This is part 3 of a series of posts about "sontaku," a unique habit of Japanese, i.e., preemptive acts to ingratiate themselves to their superiors, to explore it from a religious perspective.

The above photos are of the five-storied pagoda of Kofukuji temple in Nara prefecture. I definitely recommend visiting it if you come to Japan. I love this old temple, but one fact.... It once auctioned this pagoda for 25 yen then or 100,000 yen (930 US dollars) currently.

There was a reason, of course. The temple wanted to survive "haibutsu kishaku" or abolition or destruction of Buddhism, triggered by the government's order issued at the beginning of the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Encounter of Hindu Ganesh & Buddhism Mask in Japan ガネーシャと酔胡従の出会い

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

Who do you think it would be, Ganesh in the first photo plus the head in the second picture? That's my husband! His belly looks like six month pregnant. And he always makes a face like the mask when trying to be funny.

Seated Ganesh ガネーシャ座像

Japanese Phrases You Should Remember 記憶にございません。

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

As a professional translator, I keep it in mind to understand what a speaker/writer really means before translating because literal translation doesn't necessarily convey their real intent. I wrote about this in the post, "Simultaneous Interpreting, Skiing and Yakuza," using an example of "killing by praising," a technique once used by yakuza against a politician.

Jinglish: Japanese Women "Mounting" マウンティングする大和撫子達

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

Have you ever heard of the Japanese term "マウンティング (mounting)"? Male monkeys are known to "mount" each other to assert their authority over the other male monkeys, but Japanese women also do the "mounting" in a more subtle and elegant way.

Chinese Sculpture - Agate Pomegranate 瑪瑙石榴

Japanese follows English.　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

Cambodian Statue With Thumb Up イエーイ！な仏像

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

"I have a lot of money. Money follows me like chicks do! I'm cool and have everything! YAY!!," said this 10cm tall statue.... Or was it my hallucination...?

Standing Uma

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

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

"An iron fist in a velvet glove." A CEO often told me before important meetings. He was from Europe. I remember this because it well described himself. He appeared gentle, but was sometimes very ruthless.

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

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?

Is This Condo Leaning? どうなってるの？

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

The sky is so blue! But it's not what I want to talk about today. Do you see something wrong in this picture? If not, take a look at the photo below.

Do you see now what I mean? It's still under construction so definitely not tilting or leaning. It should be so designed. But if so for whatever the reason is, isn't it so confusing to build such a condo in the country where the 2011 earthquake disaster made many condos look like this in reality? Or does Japan have such a sense of sarcasm or a dark sense of humor?

I've been wanting to ask someone about it, but still haven't been able to find the right person....

建設中のマンションです。どうしてこうなってるんでしょう？こういうデザイン？地震大国の日本で？このセンス嫌いじゃないけど｡｡。

前を通るとムクムクと疑問が｡｡。でもまだ誰にも確認できていません。

Japanese Saying: "My Butt is Ticklish!" 今日の英単語: Utility Player

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

Am I a utility player? My mentor, who is American, said I am. I didn't know what it meant so googled it, finding that "a utility player is one who can play several positions competently." Can I? As a modest Japanese person, no.... My butt got ticklish... Of course, it wasn't ticklish literally, but figuratively it was. His praise made me feel at unease...

"(Someone's) butt is ticklish (shiri ga kosobayui [尻がこそばゆい])" means that "(they) feel at unease because they feel overpraised." This is how a Japanese mindset usually works as they don't want to stick out by being praised. "Harmony" is still one of the values that drive their behaviors. But as an individual working closely with English native speakers, I should be able to confidently say, "Yes, I'm a utility player. I can do anything!," shouldn't I?

The thing is that Japan has no such concept. Japanese see someone who can play several positions competently as a "nandemo ya," i.e., someone who can play several positions competently, but not completely..." From the Japanese perspective, I'm not a translator, interpreter, English teacher or anything. Does this sound like the well-known half empty or half full glass saying, doesn't it?

Either way, I've "decided" to go for a utility player when being with English speakers. I like this new definition of me. Of course, with Japanese people, I need to wear a cat (another Japanese saying), i.e., modestly acting a competent, but incomplete player.

What I like most about being a utility player is that it stretches myself beyond my limits, i.e., not only translating or interpreting, but also helping and even leading others through checking their writings, teaching English, coordinating Japanese and non-Japanese speakers. It's fun to feel I can change not only myself but also others!

先日、米国人の同僚と話していたら「You are a utility player.」と言われました。意味が分からないのでググってみたら「何でもできる人」とありました。「尻がこそばゆく」なりました。米国人らしい発想ですね。コップの水が半分「しか」ないのか、半分「も」入ってるのか、という話に似ています。

日本だと、全部中途半端な「何でも屋」とみられます｡｡。でもいいんです、「utility player」で行こうと決めました♪ 最近、翻訳、通訳、英文ライティング・チェック、日本人と外国人の仲介、英語の先生等と「何でも」やってます。楽しいです！ 成長してる気が（？）します。