Tanabata

Posted July 7th, 2009 in Japan, Ume's Interests | No Comments »

Today is 07 July… it’s Tanabata in Japan! Tanabata is Japanese star festival, takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, when, according to a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meet.

Tanabata story is very romantic. According to those separated stars, the story is about two lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi, are allowed to meet only once a year on this day. The river separates these lovers is Milky Way, called “Amano-gawa” in Japan. Amano-gawa means “river in Heaven”.

Here is the story ..

Orihime (織姫 Weaving Princess), daughter of the Tentei (天帝 Sky King, or the universe itself), wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa (天の川Milky Way, lit. “heavenly river). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet and fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter, Tentei arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (彦星 Cow Herder Star) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa. When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and married shortly thereafter. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tentei and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tentei separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again. Tentei was moved by his daughter’s tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if Orihime worked hard and finished her weaving. The first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river. It is said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies cannot come and the two lovers must wait until another year to meet. (wikipedia)

In Japanese custom, we celebrate this day by writing wishes on Tanzaku (small pieces of paper) and hung them on bamboo tree. With Tanzaku and other decoration, the bamboo is set afloat on a river in the night time.

Many areas in Japan have their own Tanabata customs, but this is what I did when I was a child. Besides, there is a river named “Amano-gawa” near my house and this is the place my family and I set the bamboo tree afloat every year on this day.

Now, still, I write a wish on Tanzaku and hung on a tree in the garden although we don’t set the tree afloat in a river. Just keeping up one of Japanese custom here :p

Some photos from Japan ↓↓↓

Tags: Japan, Story

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Japanese Tale

Posted June 15th, 2009 in Japan, Ume's Interests | 3 Comments »

I was told lots of Japanese old tales from my grand parents when I was little. Some of them are famous stories like “Momo Taro” “Saru Kani Gassen” “Kachi Kachi Yama” etc, but also they told me about “hell” quite often.

In Japan we say that liars will go to hell after death and get their tongues taken away by Enma as punishment. We also say that people who go to hell will have to take bath in a pool filled with blood, have to walk on burning stones, and will be slaves of devils for ever.

I don’t remember all the stories that my grand parents told me, but here is one of them …

In hell, hungry people are sit in front of a big table. There are lots of food on the table and everything looks so delicious. Now, they can eat all the food as much as they want, but the rule is that they have to use the chopsticks that is 5 metres long.

People try to eat some food using the chopsticks, but they can’t pick up anything because the chopsticks are too long. They are so hungry, they want to eat! Everyone looks so furious and crazy; with anger, sadness, grudge and vexation…

One of them cries “There are delicious food in front of me, but I can’t eat. ’m so starving… it is hell, indeed.”

At the same time, there is a same situation going on in heaven. People are sit before lots of delicious food. The rule is same: they can eat as much food as they want, but have to use 5 metres long chopsticks.

In haven, however, people start enjoying the food immediately without any troubles. Their face is so peaceful and happy. They are actually using the long chopsticks to feed each other!

One of them says, “There are delicious food in front of me, and people help each other to feed. The food is so delicious, I’m so happy. It is heaven, indeed.”

The circumstance for both is exactly same. The difference is the way people think.

Summary: If you change a way of thinking , it can be heaven and hell.

Life is tough and we experience lots of bitter things, but we can at least try finding the way to change what we think of it, and enjoy everyday. Life is short! :)

By the way if you want to tell some of famous Japanese tales, you can find them from here.

Tags: Japan, Story

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Fox Wedding

Posted May 22nd, 2009 in Japan, Ume's Interests | No Comments »

It’s been raining last couple of days… Rainy season has came :p

In winter in Perth it rains almost everyday… We don’t get any snow, but cold weather + rain. I don’t mind raining days, but I really hate huge snails moving around my house! (><) Not only my house but everywhere… I can’t go outside for walking because I know I will definitely step on huge snails on the road…

This morning was raining, but the sun was out. In Japan we call this weather (sunny and raining at the same time) “Fox Wedding”. The origin for this, I think, is because of a Japanese old tale. In Japan, foxes and raccoons are depicted as the epitome of deception, able to transform into any shape or form it strategically desires. There are many tales about foxes/raccoons tricking people in Japan. So, if it rain while sun is out, it’s obviously strange and people thought “ah, foxes are trying to trick us again!”.

By the way, the weather “snowing and raining at the same time” is called “raccoon’s wedding”.