Japanese Blog

  This week I began watching Kamisama Kiss (ひらがな：かみさま はじめました；かんじ：神様はじめました) while I was sick. I've really been enjoying it so far since it combines comedy and romance with Japanese mythology. For example, the anime references different spirits and gods (かみさま) and yokai (ようかい), which are supernatural creatures. One of the main characters, Tomoe, is a fox yokai, also known as a kitsune ( きつね). Furthermore, this anime takes place in a shrine ( じんじゃ) , which has allowed me to better understand Japanese shrine culture and some traditional beliefs. I really recommend this show!  みなさんいっしょにみませんか？

  Okinawa (おきなわ) is both the western and southernmost prefecture of Japan, consisting of three main island groups, being the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daito Islands. Known as Japan's tropical paradise, Okinawa is famous for its beautiful beaches, warm weather, and Ryukyu ( りゅうきゅう)  Heritage. One famous landmark is known as the Shuri Castle in Naha, Okinawa, which was the heart of the Ryukyu kingdom and served as the royal palace.  Okinawa is also famous for its many festivals, one of the most notable being the Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival, which is held in late summer. The event lasts three days and includes street parades, performances by different eisa groups, and firework shows.  おきなわにいきましょう！

  こんにちは！Today I listened to the song "Ooedo Julia Night (大江戸ジュリアナイト)" written by Mitchie M (ミッチー・エム) and sung by the Japanese vocaloids Hatsune Miku ( 初音ミク) and Kaito (カイト). The song is very fun and energetic, and combines Edo-period Japan with 1990s Japanese club culture. From my understanding, the characters 大江戸 mean "Great Edo," which act as a playful name for the Edo period in Japan (1603-1868). The other characters ジュリアナイト mean "Julia night" which is a pun on Juliana's Tokyo, a famous club in the 90s that was associated with extravagant dancing and Juliana fans ( ジュリ扇), which can be seen in the attached photo.   From my understanding of both Japanese and Chinese (for some kanji) I was able pick out some words and understand some of the song! It was very rewarding! If you would like to listen here is the link!:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3yyYYLyVzw&list=RDy3yyYYLyVzw&start_radio=1