OK, it's time to take what you've learned in the past several lessons and ... (drum roll, not egg roll) ... apply it! Try some of these examples and see how well you do.
A) Practice changing the sentences around.
If it says, "There is an A there", change it to "The A is there" and vice-versa.
Also, try to write down the meaning of each of the sentences for practice.
You should be able to put it together if you have come this far.
Rei: Asoko ni niwa ga arimasu. --> Niwa wa asoko ni arimasu.
1. Koko ni shii-dii ga arimasu. -->
2. Niwa no ike ni sakana ga imasu. -->
3. Keiko-san wa doko ni imasu ka? -->
4. Heya ni neko wa imasen. -->
5. Sono teeburu ni biiru ga takusan arimasu. -->
B) Produce the following sentences.
Each one will get larger, but they are all complete sentences.
Rei: Arimasu; takusan; okane (money); watashi wa. --> Watashi wa okane ga takusan arimasu.
1. Imasen; amari; tomodachi (friend); imooto (younger sister) -->
2. Arimasu; san-gai (third floor); pooru (pool); anata-tachi no -->
3. Arimasu; takusan; okane; kanojo -->
4. Imasu; oji-san (middle-aged man); futotta; tabako-ya ni wa -->
C) Say the following in Japanese.
Be careful of the use of wa, ga, imasu, arimasu.
1. There are (some) cats here.
2. The tobacco shop is over there.
3. Over there is a fish.
4. Honda-san is over there.
5. There is a pen there.
And...
Take a deep breath
in..........
now......
out ........
You're doing a fantastic job! Now go turn off your computer, and head out into the great outdoors for some refreshing minus ions to help let your brain relax, and absorb what we have been learning about in these lessons!
I'll see you again soon.
- Sensei
P.S. Send me a message when you get this far and are ready for some more lessons. Until I get a few people who have come this far, I plan to give you a break.
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Possible answers to Part C:
1. There are (some) cats here. --> Koko ni neko ga imasu.
2. The tobacco shop is over there. --> Tabako-ya ga asoko ni arimasu.
3. Over there is a fish. --> Asoko ni sakana ga imasu.
4. Honda-san is over there. --> Honda-san wa asoko ni imasu.
5. There is a pen there. --> Asoko ni pen ga arimasu.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Lesson 17: More of a good thing - Plurals
Unlike English where we put an s at the end of nouns to indicate more than one (in most cases), Japanese does not have singular and plural nouns (in most cases). This would mean that neko could mean cat or cats, depending on the situation. Usually it is understood in the context of the sentence.
However, with pronouns such as I (watashi/boku), you (anata/kimi), he (kare), she (kanojo) we pluralize them by adding -tachi to the end of the noun. 'We' becomes watashi-tachi, you becomes anata-tachi, they becomes kare-tachi or kanojo-tachi.
With kare or kanojo, one could also use the form -ra instead of -tachi to signify the plural (this is more informal). Here are just a few examples for you to look at:
1. Watashi-tachi wa ginko ni ikitai. (We want to go to the bank.)
2. Kanojo-tachi wa Nihon ni imasu. (They are in Japan.)
3. Kare-ra ni wa rippa-na ie ga arimasu. (They have a splendid house.)
But, but but but but but, if you attach the plural -tachi to people's names, it takes on a different meaning:
1. Yamamoto-san-tachi. (Mr./Mrs. Yamamoto and those around them. (often the family)
2. Keiko-chan-tachi. (Keiko and her buddies.)
And if you grab another kind of tachi with two hands and swing it around the room you can do some very serious damage because a tachi is the two-handed long sword of Japanese samurai days. Interesting, yes?
In the next lesson, let's practice.
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 18: Time for some Renshuu - Practice Makes Perfect.
However, with pronouns such as I (watashi/boku), you (anata/kimi), he (kare), she (kanojo) we pluralize them by adding -tachi to the end of the noun. 'We' becomes watashi-tachi, you becomes anata-tachi, they becomes kare-tachi or kanojo-tachi.
With kare or kanojo, one could also use the form -ra instead of -tachi to signify the plural (this is more informal). Here are just a few examples for you to look at:
1. Watashi-tachi wa ginko ni ikitai. (We want to go to the bank.)
2. Kanojo-tachi wa Nihon ni imasu. (They are in Japan.)
3. Kare-ra ni wa rippa-na ie ga arimasu. (They have a splendid house.)
But, but but but but but, if you attach the plural -tachi to people's names, it takes on a different meaning:
1. Yamamoto-san-tachi. (Mr./Mrs. Yamamoto and those around them. (often the family)
2. Keiko-chan-tachi. (Keiko and her buddies.)
And if you grab another kind of tachi with two hands and swing it around the room you can do some very serious damage because a tachi is the two-handed long sword of Japanese samurai days. Interesting, yes?
In the next lesson, let's practice.
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 18: Time for some Renshuu - Practice Makes Perfect.
Lesson 16: More on the verb Arimasu
The Form, Part B
Sentences can become pretty complicated at this stage. The nice thing about Japanese, though, is that you can often omit a lot of words that you would need to have in English. Whereas English cannot function without a subject (be it a noun or pronoun), the subject in Japanese can be omitted altogether if it is already known. Watch:
1a. Watashi (ni) wa neko ga yon-hiki imasu. (I have four cats - hiki is the counter for small animals)
1b. Ippai imasu, ne. (You certainly do have a lot!) - note, the "you" (anata) is missing in the Japanese.
2a. Imasu. ((I) have (some).)
2b. Takusan imasu. ((I) have a lot.
2c. Kyodai ga takusan imasu. (There are many brothers & sisters/(I) have a lot of brothers & sisters.)
2d. Watashi (ni) wa kyodai ga takusan imasu. ((I) have many brothers & sisters.)
In number (2) if all of the subjects are known, you can simply say, Imasu (2a) to say the same thing as you would say in (2d) and therefore save yourself a lot of time and breath (especially if you are in a really smoky place and the cigarette smoke is killing you). It makes the language really handy, don't you think?
There is one other pattern that you should be aware of and that is ni wa will sometimes be used in place of wa. See the examples below:
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi ga ippai imasu. (My brother has many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa ga arimasu ka? (Does this room have a CD player?)
One Final Note (+/-):When you change from positive tense to negative tense, you usually switch the ga to wa.
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi wa amari imasen. (My brother doesn't have many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa wa arimasen ka? (Doesn't this room have a CD player?)
In the next two lessons on this topic we will talk about plurals, and then give you some practice sentences. Then we'll take a "culture pocket break".
- Sensei
Next Lesson 17: More of a good thing - Plurals
Sentences can become pretty complicated at this stage. The nice thing about Japanese, though, is that you can often omit a lot of words that you would need to have in English. Whereas English cannot function without a subject (be it a noun or pronoun), the subject in Japanese can be omitted altogether if it is already known. Watch:
1a. Watashi (ni) wa neko ga yon-hiki imasu. (I have four cats - hiki is the counter for small animals)
1b. Ippai imasu, ne. (You certainly do have a lot!) - note, the "you" (anata) is missing in the Japanese.
2a. Imasu. ((I) have (some).)
2b. Takusan imasu. ((I) have a lot.
2c. Kyodai ga takusan imasu. (There are many brothers & sisters/(I) have a lot of brothers & sisters.)
2d. Watashi (ni) wa kyodai ga takusan imasu. ((I) have many brothers & sisters.)
In number (2) if all of the subjects are known, you can simply say, Imasu (2a) to say the same thing as you would say in (2d) and therefore save yourself a lot of time and breath (especially if you are in a really smoky place and the cigarette smoke is killing you). It makes the language really handy, don't you think?
There is one other pattern that you should be aware of and that is ni wa will sometimes be used in place of wa. See the examples below:
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi ga ippai imasu. (My brother has many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa ga arimasu ka? (Does this room have a CD player?)
One Final Note (+/-):When you change from positive tense to negative tense, you usually switch the ga to wa.
1. Otooto ni wa tomodachi wa amari imasen. (My brother doesn't have many friends.)
2. Kono heya ni wa shii-dii pureyaa wa arimasen ka? (Doesn't this room have a CD player?)
In the next two lessons on this topic we will talk about plurals, and then give you some practice sentences. Then we'll take a "culture pocket break".
- Sensei
Next Lesson 17: More of a good thing - Plurals
Lesson 15: Having & Being Continued
The Form
Arimasu and imasu can be used to indicate location as well if used in the following pattern:
A wa B ni arimasu/imasu.
... where A is the topic of discussion and B is the place.
In this case you must use ni before arimasu/imasu in order to designate the location.
1. Neko wa soko ni imasu. (There is a cat there.)
2. Sakana no niku wa koko ni arimasu. (There is some fish meat here.)
You could also use the previously-learned pattern of A wa B desu to designate a similar meaning:
1. Neko wa soko desu. (The cat is "that place.")
2. Sakana no niku wa koko desu. (The fish meat is "this place.")
Either pattern is fine, but since today we are focusing on arimasu and imasu, let's stick with that pattern, shall we?
If you have forgotten how to use desu, please refer back to previous lessons.
Now you can switch around the location of the location in the sentence and put it in the beginning. If you wanted to do that, you would say, B ni A ga arimasu/imasu where B is still the location and A is the topic.
If you notice, ga has replaced wa in this case. Why? Simply, because A wa tends to be stuck at the beginning of a sentence but A ga does not have this restriction.
If you switch A and B around like this you are also changing the importance of A and B in relation to each other (the difference between the and a). You could also look at this as A wa is already understood or noticed while A ga is noticed for the first time.
A wa can also be used when comparing two things, even if one of the two is not actually mentioned (or present) - see example 7. and 8. below.
1. Toire wa asoko ni arimasu. (The toilet is over there.) - does this ring a bell?
2. Asoko ni koban ga arimasu. (There is a police box over there.)
3. Shini-so! Tabako-ya wa soko ni aru no? (I'm dying! The smoke shop is over there?)
4. Shini-so! Soko ni Tabako-ya ga aru no? (I'm dying! There is a smoke shop over there?)
5. Inu wa niwa ni imasu. (The dog is in the garden)
6. Niwa ni inu ga imasu. (There is a dog in the garden.)
7. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. Neko wa ike no soba ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond in the garden. The cat is beside the pond.)
8. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond (wherever the cat may be).)
This verb is important to understand, so let's take a breath, think about this, and then head into the next lesson whenever you are ready. Don't rush it, I'll be here when you want to come back.
Rather than put this all in one huge blog-lesson, I prefer to break it up into short "spurts". That way, you don't need to feel overwhelmed by it all.
Take your time. It's worth the effort (although Chinese these days might get you further ahead in the business world than Japanese...)
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 16: More on the verb arimasu.
Arimasu and imasu can be used to indicate location as well if used in the following pattern:
A wa B ni arimasu/imasu.
... where A is the topic of discussion and B is the place.
In this case you must use ni before arimasu/imasu in order to designate the location.
1. Neko wa soko ni imasu. (There is a cat there.)
2. Sakana no niku wa koko ni arimasu. (There is some fish meat here.)
You could also use the previously-learned pattern of A wa B desu to designate a similar meaning:
1. Neko wa soko desu. (The cat is "that place.")
2. Sakana no niku wa koko desu. (The fish meat is "this place.")
Either pattern is fine, but since today we are focusing on arimasu and imasu, let's stick with that pattern, shall we?
If you have forgotten how to use desu, please refer back to previous lessons.
Now you can switch around the location of the location in the sentence and put it in the beginning. If you wanted to do that, you would say, B ni A ga arimasu/imasu where B is still the location and A is the topic.
If you notice, ga has replaced wa in this case. Why? Simply, because A wa tends to be stuck at the beginning of a sentence but A ga does not have this restriction.
If you switch A and B around like this you are also changing the importance of A and B in relation to each other (the difference between the and a). You could also look at this as A wa is already understood or noticed while A ga is noticed for the first time.
A wa can also be used when comparing two things, even if one of the two is not actually mentioned (or present) - see example 7. and 8. below.
1. Toire wa asoko ni arimasu. (The toilet is over there.) - does this ring a bell?
2. Asoko ni koban ga arimasu. (There is a police box over there.)
3. Shini-so! Tabako-ya wa soko ni aru no? (I'm dying! The smoke shop is over there?)
4. Shini-so! Soko ni Tabako-ya ga aru no? (I'm dying! There is a smoke shop over there?)
5. Inu wa niwa ni imasu. (The dog is in the garden)
6. Niwa ni inu ga imasu. (There is a dog in the garden.)
7. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. Neko wa ike no soba ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond in the garden. The cat is beside the pond.)
8. Sakana wa niwa no ike ni imasu. (The fish is in the pond (wherever the cat may be).)
This verb is important to understand, so let's take a breath, think about this, and then head into the next lesson whenever you are ready. Don't rush it, I'll be here when you want to come back.
Rather than put this all in one huge blog-lesson, I prefer to break it up into short "spurts". That way, you don't need to feel overwhelmed by it all.
Take your time. It's worth the effort (although Chinese these days might get you further ahead in the business world than Japanese...)
More to come...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 16: More on the verb arimasu.
Lesson 14: Having & Being
I want. I need. You have. I don't have. I take. You don't have anymore? Tough. Gimme gimme never gets. Ain't you learned your manners yet?
There are a lot of things in life that we have or need. For example, I have three mountain bikes; three beautiful mountain bikes that love to work their tires off for me on those steep steep climbs up and then spread their wings on the wicked descents back down to civilization. Maybe I don't need three bikes, but I have them.
There is a computer that I have sitting in one of my rooms (if I didn't have a computer you wouldn't have this lesson in front of you right now). It used to be a luxury (want) but has since become a need.
I have spam coming out of the wazoo every morning I get up and check my mail. I don't need that.
I do need you folks to continue enjoying these lessons.
So, for now, I have a following. Or I could say, there is a fairly large group of people who have accessed these lessons are are patiently (impatiently?) awaiting the next lesson which is far too far late in coming.
It is always important to know what is yours and what isn't, if there is something there or if there isn't.
If I said to you, "There is a murderer lurking in that alley." would you venture down it? What if I knew there was a murderer there but couldn't tell you so because I didn't know how? How would I explain to the police when they found your remains that I knew there was danger lurking in the darkness, but did not have the ability to tell the victim? Can you say, "good morning, fellow inmate"? Sure, I knew you could.
So in this lesson we will learn how to say "I have" and "There is" because at times it can be important.
The Lead-in
The verb arimasu (aru) means "there is" and "have" when you are referring to objects. If you are talking about the possession of people (not politically correct these days), living things or the existence of living things, you would use the verb imasu (iru) to express your thoughts.
In a previous lesson we learned that desu means to be but with these two new verbs your conversation strategies expand exponentially.
Arimasu and imasu are the "polite" forms of the verbs aru and iru respectively, which is not to say that aru or iru is "impolite". Rather, they tend to be used in more casual conversations with family and friends, or when writing books, papers, etc. although you could use the more polite version when writing to friends, etc. if you so wish.
Women tend to use the polite version more often than men do, but that is a cultural thing here in Japan. It seems to be acceptable if men act more impolite on a common basis although this too is falling into disfavor with many women who find many young men unmannered these days. As an aside, foreign men are viewed by Japanese women to have much better manners than their Japanese counterpart - just for all you single guys out there.
Here is an example of what it would look like in a simple sentence:
1. Anata no ie ni neko ga imasu. (There is a cat in your house.)
2. Watashi no poketto no naka ni sakana no niku ga aru. (I have some fish meat in my pocket.)
3. Boku no mawari ni neko ga sen-biki iru! Tasukete!! (There are 1000 cats around me! Help!!)
More to come on this very important verb...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 15: Having & Being Continued.
There are a lot of things in life that we have or need. For example, I have three mountain bikes; three beautiful mountain bikes that love to work their tires off for me on those steep steep climbs up and then spread their wings on the wicked descents back down to civilization. Maybe I don't need three bikes, but I have them.
There is a computer that I have sitting in one of my rooms (if I didn't have a computer you wouldn't have this lesson in front of you right now). It used to be a luxury (want) but has since become a need.
I have spam coming out of the wazoo every morning I get up and check my mail. I don't need that.
I do need you folks to continue enjoying these lessons.
So, for now, I have a following. Or I could say, there is a fairly large group of people who have accessed these lessons are are patiently (impatiently?) awaiting the next lesson which is far too far late in coming.
It is always important to know what is yours and what isn't, if there is something there or if there isn't.
If I said to you, "There is a murderer lurking in that alley." would you venture down it? What if I knew there was a murderer there but couldn't tell you so because I didn't know how? How would I explain to the police when they found your remains that I knew there was danger lurking in the darkness, but did not have the ability to tell the victim? Can you say, "good morning, fellow inmate"? Sure, I knew you could.
So in this lesson we will learn how to say "I have" and "There is" because at times it can be important.
The Lead-in
The verb arimasu (aru) means "there is" and "have" when you are referring to objects. If you are talking about the possession of people (not politically correct these days), living things or the existence of living things, you would use the verb imasu (iru) to express your thoughts.
In a previous lesson we learned that desu means to be but with these two new verbs your conversation strategies expand exponentially.
Arimasu and imasu are the "polite" forms of the verbs aru and iru respectively, which is not to say that aru or iru is "impolite". Rather, they tend to be used in more casual conversations with family and friends, or when writing books, papers, etc. although you could use the more polite version when writing to friends, etc. if you so wish.
Women tend to use the polite version more often than men do, but that is a cultural thing here in Japan. It seems to be acceptable if men act more impolite on a common basis although this too is falling into disfavor with many women who find many young men unmannered these days. As an aside, foreign men are viewed by Japanese women to have much better manners than their Japanese counterpart - just for all you single guys out there.
Here is an example of what it would look like in a simple sentence:
1. Anata no ie ni neko ga imasu. (There is a cat in your house.)
2. Watashi no poketto no naka ni sakana no niku ga aru. (I have some fish meat in my pocket.)
3. Boku no mawari ni neko ga sen-biki iru! Tasukete!! (There are 1000 cats around me! Help!!)
More to come on this very important verb...
- Sensei
Next Lesson 15: Having & Being Continued.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Culture Pocket: Daily Life in Japan
We all know how important it is to have a daily schedule in order to feel as if we are in control of our life. This is even more true when one lives in a foreign country for the first time. And it is vital when transplanted to a culture that is so different from one's own.
Japan, on the outside, looks a lot like the west. This is mainly because western goods and services abound. Everywhere you look you can see things from the US. To the "new" foreigner, at first it seems as if Japan is not so different. Everyone lives in a house, apartment, condo, drives a car, goes to work, owns a pet, eats food. It is easy to misinterpret the situation and try to live following the same cultural rules that are familiar back home. This, however will lead to several complications after a short while.
As mentioned earlier, it looks similar on the outside, but looks can be deceiving. Deep down the roots are totally different, fundamentally different. Basic survival can be achieved by practically anyone on their own: after a few months foreigners will be able to move on their own, eat, shop, use the public transportation and other basic services. But some of the people will not have acquired the rules of the Japanese domain correctly.
If, however, the foreigner is guided during the initial stages, adapting to the culture of Japan and the Japanese daily life routine may be near perfect. This will prevent foreigners from the: "why does everyone treat me like a foreigner?" syndrome. To do this it is important to watch the people around you, ask for correction, discuss behavior with Japanese friends and try to immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can. Many acquaintances of mine have lived here in Japan for two to three years in a totally "English environment". They go about their day in a North American way, listen to English music, rent English videos, eat at western restaurants, answer their phone in English, hang out with other native English speakers all the time. And they wonder why Japan always seems so strange and foreign to them. It is simply because they are refusing to try.
Because daily life is more complicated here than many other places it is especially important to make the effort to adapt to the cultural aspects of life. Work hours are longer, there are less holidays, people travel longer distances to work, eat out more, spend more money (save less). I would like to make a few brief comments on various aspects of daily life in Japan, aspects which, if taken into account, should help the newcomer adapt more quickly to his or her new daily life.
Bathing time is important to consider. Most households bathe at night, after the work day is completed. There are showers available in most places but these tend to be mainly for rinsing off before getting into the bath. In the summer months when the heat and humidity is high families tend to take showers but during the cold winter months the bath is important.
People here believe that you will catch a cold if you have a shower and not a bath in the winter because you will not be able to heat your body entirely. Breakfast meals tend to be western-style these days but in some families you will still find the very filling Japanese-style breakfast of rice, miso soup, fish, natto, and a few vegetables. Breakfast is usually not a problem for the foreigner.
If someone is leaving the house before you, walk them to the genkan (entrance) and see them off. As it is a time-honored custom here, to not do so will seem very strange and possibly the foreigner will be thought of as inconsiderate.
When going to and from work or school, many people use public transportation because the roads are always congested (except in the middle of the night - a great time to travel) and parking is at a premium. Public transportation tends to be very crowded during rush hour so don't be surprised to find that there is almost no room to maneuver around. The public transport system here is extremely efficient and runs to most locations with little or no problem at all. Taxis are abundant if not expensive.
Usually people who finish their daily work at a bar with coworkers will take a taxi home late at night when the trains are no longer running. Taxis are reliable and drivers taking roundabout routes to make extra money are extremely rare. The rear left door will open automatically for you while the driver sits in his seat and waits for you to enter. Drivers here tend to be quiet and not converse with passengers unless the passenger begins a conversation.
There are three types of lunches in Japan: single dish, set meal, and elaborate course dinner (does not belong to the normal daily domain). Western food, Chinese and Japanese food tend to be the norm for lunch. Many people will have a bowl of noodles (Chinese ramen or Japanese udon/soba) for lunch or perhaps a bowl of rice with egg or pork on top. Set menus usually consist of a meat, vegetable, salad and a soup of some kind. It is not uncommon to see people dropping into the local McDonalds for a lunch or a quick coffee these days. In fact, young people tend to like the western food more than traditional fare. In restaurants there is a consumption tax (5% in 1998) but nobody tips; which makes for poor service at some places because the part time staff have no incentive to work hard at pleasing the customer.
When asking for directions, choose who you ask with care. It is best to avoid large stores because people working there may not live in the area and only know their route to work. Also, people in the street may not know either as they may be travelers as well. It is best to ask for directions at police boxes (small one or two-man stations found on many corners around town) or gasoline stations. Automobile dealers seem to have a good grip on directions as well. Stay away from convenience stores; they are notorious for "trying to please" by giving directions, any directions to you.
In the big cities, most people do their shopping on the way home from work. But as this may be late and the stores closed, Sundays tend to be very popular shopping times. All retail businesses are open on Sundays for the customers' convenience. Convenience stores (Circle K, Lawson, Family Mart, etc.) are open in the evening if you need to do some emergency staple shopping but the prices are a little higher than supermarkets and the selection is less. Except for electronic stores where you might be able to haggle a better deal, all prices are fixed. There is no bartering here like in many other Asian countries. You pay the price on the tag. People are very honest here and do not usually overcharge so you can be sure that you are not paying overinflated prices. Most shops will be similar in price, but it is always good to shop around.
The main meal is dinner at home for families. They usually try to eat together as much as possible. This may even mean that dinner is not until 10pm because Dad gets home late every night. On average, though, dinner is later here than in North America because the work hours are longer. It is not unusual to begin eating at 9pm. Adults often drink beer or sake with the meal. I drink milk and get funny looks.
All homes and apartments have a bath (unless you are living in a very old rural community, in a very old house in which case there will be a public bath nearby that the locals visit every evening). It is very important to observe bathing rituals so that others can enjoy the bath as well. The water in the bath is heated to a high temperature (often too hot for many foreigners) and is used for soaking and relaxing, not for bathing. Bathing occurs outside the bath and care must be taken not to get any soap into the water. The order is usually rinse, soak, wash and rinse, then get back in and soak again. In most homes the bathing order is hierarchical with the father having the first bath and the mother bathing last.
Many young people sleep on beds these days but it is not uncommon to find futons still. Most older people prefer the futon on the tatami floor to a bed. The quilts that are used are fairly thick and heavy. Western-style sheets are not used so most people sleep with pajamas or a t-shirt on to avoid the draft that tends to seep in around the shoulders. Most pillows in homes (the exception is in hotels where they seem to have gone to the extreme and looked for the softest, most uncomfortable ones in existence) tend to be small and hard. This dates back to when people wore elaborately coiffured hairdos and didn't want to ruin it just by sleeping. Most bedrooms do not have light switches and the light are operated by pulling a cord that attaches to the light itself.
These are just a few common things in daily life that may help the foreigner adjust a little more easily.
- Sensei
Next Lesson 14: Having and Being.
Japan, on the outside, looks a lot like the west. This is mainly because western goods and services abound. Everywhere you look you can see things from the US. To the "new" foreigner, at first it seems as if Japan is not so different. Everyone lives in a house, apartment, condo, drives a car, goes to work, owns a pet, eats food. It is easy to misinterpret the situation and try to live following the same cultural rules that are familiar back home. This, however will lead to several complications after a short while.
As mentioned earlier, it looks similar on the outside, but looks can be deceiving. Deep down the roots are totally different, fundamentally different. Basic survival can be achieved by practically anyone on their own: after a few months foreigners will be able to move on their own, eat, shop, use the public transportation and other basic services. But some of the people will not have acquired the rules of the Japanese domain correctly.
If, however, the foreigner is guided during the initial stages, adapting to the culture of Japan and the Japanese daily life routine may be near perfect. This will prevent foreigners from the: "why does everyone treat me like a foreigner?" syndrome. To do this it is important to watch the people around you, ask for correction, discuss behavior with Japanese friends and try to immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can. Many acquaintances of mine have lived here in Japan for two to three years in a totally "English environment". They go about their day in a North American way, listen to English music, rent English videos, eat at western restaurants, answer their phone in English, hang out with other native English speakers all the time. And they wonder why Japan always seems so strange and foreign to them. It is simply because they are refusing to try.
Because daily life is more complicated here than many other places it is especially important to make the effort to adapt to the cultural aspects of life. Work hours are longer, there are less holidays, people travel longer distances to work, eat out more, spend more money (save less). I would like to make a few brief comments on various aspects of daily life in Japan, aspects which, if taken into account, should help the newcomer adapt more quickly to his or her new daily life.
Bathing time is important to consider. Most households bathe at night, after the work day is completed. There are showers available in most places but these tend to be mainly for rinsing off before getting into the bath. In the summer months when the heat and humidity is high families tend to take showers but during the cold winter months the bath is important.
People here believe that you will catch a cold if you have a shower and not a bath in the winter because you will not be able to heat your body entirely. Breakfast meals tend to be western-style these days but in some families you will still find the very filling Japanese-style breakfast of rice, miso soup, fish, natto, and a few vegetables. Breakfast is usually not a problem for the foreigner.
If someone is leaving the house before you, walk them to the genkan (entrance) and see them off. As it is a time-honored custom here, to not do so will seem very strange and possibly the foreigner will be thought of as inconsiderate.
When going to and from work or school, many people use public transportation because the roads are always congested (except in the middle of the night - a great time to travel) and parking is at a premium. Public transportation tends to be very crowded during rush hour so don't be surprised to find that there is almost no room to maneuver around. The public transport system here is extremely efficient and runs to most locations with little or no problem at all. Taxis are abundant if not expensive.
Usually people who finish their daily work at a bar with coworkers will take a taxi home late at night when the trains are no longer running. Taxis are reliable and drivers taking roundabout routes to make extra money are extremely rare. The rear left door will open automatically for you while the driver sits in his seat and waits for you to enter. Drivers here tend to be quiet and not converse with passengers unless the passenger begins a conversation.
There are three types of lunches in Japan: single dish, set meal, and elaborate course dinner (does not belong to the normal daily domain). Western food, Chinese and Japanese food tend to be the norm for lunch. Many people will have a bowl of noodles (Chinese ramen or Japanese udon/soba) for lunch or perhaps a bowl of rice with egg or pork on top. Set menus usually consist of a meat, vegetable, salad and a soup of some kind. It is not uncommon to see people dropping into the local McDonalds for a lunch or a quick coffee these days. In fact, young people tend to like the western food more than traditional fare. In restaurants there is a consumption tax (5% in 1998) but nobody tips; which makes for poor service at some places because the part time staff have no incentive to work hard at pleasing the customer.
When asking for directions, choose who you ask with care. It is best to avoid large stores because people working there may not live in the area and only know their route to work. Also, people in the street may not know either as they may be travelers as well. It is best to ask for directions at police boxes (small one or two-man stations found on many corners around town) or gasoline stations. Automobile dealers seem to have a good grip on directions as well. Stay away from convenience stores; they are notorious for "trying to please" by giving directions, any directions to you.
In the big cities, most people do their shopping on the way home from work. But as this may be late and the stores closed, Sundays tend to be very popular shopping times. All retail businesses are open on Sundays for the customers' convenience. Convenience stores (Circle K, Lawson, Family Mart, etc.) are open in the evening if you need to do some emergency staple shopping but the prices are a little higher than supermarkets and the selection is less. Except for electronic stores where you might be able to haggle a better deal, all prices are fixed. There is no bartering here like in many other Asian countries. You pay the price on the tag. People are very honest here and do not usually overcharge so you can be sure that you are not paying overinflated prices. Most shops will be similar in price, but it is always good to shop around.
The main meal is dinner at home for families. They usually try to eat together as much as possible. This may even mean that dinner is not until 10pm because Dad gets home late every night. On average, though, dinner is later here than in North America because the work hours are longer. It is not unusual to begin eating at 9pm. Adults often drink beer or sake with the meal. I drink milk and get funny looks.
All homes and apartments have a bath (unless you are living in a very old rural community, in a very old house in which case there will be a public bath nearby that the locals visit every evening). It is very important to observe bathing rituals so that others can enjoy the bath as well. The water in the bath is heated to a high temperature (often too hot for many foreigners) and is used for soaking and relaxing, not for bathing. Bathing occurs outside the bath and care must be taken not to get any soap into the water. The order is usually rinse, soak, wash and rinse, then get back in and soak again. In most homes the bathing order is hierarchical with the father having the first bath and the mother bathing last.
Many young people sleep on beds these days but it is not uncommon to find futons still. Most older people prefer the futon on the tatami floor to a bed. The quilts that are used are fairly thick and heavy. Western-style sheets are not used so most people sleep with pajamas or a t-shirt on to avoid the draft that tends to seep in around the shoulders. Most pillows in homes (the exception is in hotels where they seem to have gone to the extreme and looked for the softest, most uncomfortable ones in existence) tend to be small and hard. This dates back to when people wore elaborately coiffured hairdos and didn't want to ruin it just by sleeping. Most bedrooms do not have light switches and the light are operated by pulling a cord that attaches to the light itself.
These are just a few common things in daily life that may help the foreigner adjust a little more easily.
- Sensei
Next Lesson 14: Having and Being.
Lesson 13: Renshuu: Practice Makes Perfect - Adjectives
Now it is time to put it all together and practice what you have learned on adjectives.
Put the following conversation into Japanese:
1. Where is the beauty salon (biyoushitsu)?
2. It's that way.
3. Is it far?
4. No, it's not very far. It's near the station (eki).
5. Is it a clean beauty salon?
6. Yes, it's very clean.
You are in a foul mood. Complain about everything:(the "answers" are examples only. Your answers could vary)
1. the bus you are waiting for
2. the handsome Italian you had a date with
3. the public toilet that you had to use
4. the sound (oto) at the movie theater (eigakan)
5. the "new" computer (pasokon) that is full of used parts
Unscramble the following words and make correct sentences:
1. kissaten, kono, de, wa, arimasen, amari, shizuka, wa
2. desu, wa, Tanaka-san, Nihonjin, hen na
3. suupu (soup), wa, atatakai, kore, desu
4. ka, desu, dochira-sama
5. ooki na, kasa (umbrella), wa, sono, taihen, desu, kasa
Whew, we're done with the adjectives. I hope you enjoyed / survived this lesson.
Let's take a little break with a Culture Pocket on Daily Life in Japan.
- Sensei
Put the following conversation into Japanese:
1. Where is the beauty salon (biyoushitsu)?
2. It's that way.
3. Is it far?
4. No, it's not very far. It's near the station (eki).
5. Is it a clean beauty salon?
6. Yes, it's very clean.
You are in a foul mood. Complain about everything:(the "answers" are examples only. Your answers could vary)
1. the bus you are waiting for
2. the handsome Italian you had a date with
3. the public toilet that you had to use
4. the sound (oto) at the movie theater (eigakan)
5. the "new" computer (pasokon) that is full of used parts
Unscramble the following words and make correct sentences:
1. kissaten, kono, de, wa, arimasen, amari, shizuka, wa
2. desu, wa, Tanaka-san, Nihonjin, hen na
3. suupu (soup), wa, atatakai, kore, desu
4. ka, desu, dochira-sama
5. ooki na, kasa (umbrella), wa, sono, taihen, desu, kasa
Whew, we're done with the adjectives. I hope you enjoyed / survived this lesson.
Let's take a little break with a Culture Pocket on Daily Life in Japan.
- Sensei
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