UZURA vs USAGI

 

We Germans like a good nice word a lot, not only the vernacular. And it is sometimes very nice that the words for different things are different also. After all there is lots and lots of space in Germany, unlike in the Japan which is tokidoki crowded. I always tend to be a little casual when I talk to my friends because you cannot misunderstand the words in German so easily. Not so in Japanese. The Japanese, they are very very resourceful and efficient and they are also this way with their words. You see, the Japanese I think they like to save a lot and so they do not want to have so many words and the dictionaries are already crowded like the commuter trains at 8 in the morning. They tend to use a single word for lots and lots of meanings but when you change a little thing in it the word means something very different all of a sudden. And this is a problem sometimes for lets say a relaxed speaker such as yours truly. For instance when I sat in my favorite izakaya last week with my friend Kenji and some of my other japanese friends, being maybe a little more relaxed after a beer or two. Well I wanted to show off my cooking skills to the girls and so I told them my favorite recipe and said that when I wanted to have a very very special flavor to it I put an egg or two of the usagi over the finished dish. But then the girls started to giggle and the boys rolled with laughter (Kenji even sprayed his beer over the counter). Hazukashiii. ..... I had wanted to say UZURA which means quail but I said usagi which means rabbit- and you do not have lots of fun eating rabbits "eggs" unless the rabbit happens to be the easter bunny. (But this one comes only once a year plus he brings not his eggs neither since they come from the chicken). So again I was the butt of the jokes of my friends for the whole evening afterwards, who kept telling me that two letters CAN make a lot of difference. But when I was a little more sober the next day day and looked into my language book, I was stunned: the two very different words for the two very different animals, a bird and a mammal do take the same counter - wa... 羽 ... how can that possibly be? (They also can take the hiki 匹 I think but this spoils the punchline a bit) So do the Japanese skimp on their words and do not waste much here or not? Honestly, I don't know. (Maybe I will have to ask my teacher at Asahi Nihongo's next time.)

Kanji can be sooo "easy"...

We Germans certainly like to make things easy, only not in our language which is supposed to be the fourth difficult language in the world.
So I was very pleased when I used my personal computer (which we call PC in Germany) last week to write an email to my buddy Kenji. Not only did I discover that PC-kun knew Kanji characters, he knew lots of them and most impressively he knew even more than I do. Whenever I completed a word in my favorite Hiragana he produced lots and lots of really cool Kanji characters to choose from.
Naturally to boast a little I took the coolest and most complicated Kanjis for my email. And I wondered how long it would take Kenji to reply who had mocked me a little because I did not like the Kanji very much before. Demo hazukashiiiiiii .... Kenji did not understand my email very much to say the least.
So he replied after 2 minutes writing that he preferred Hiragana in emails by me.
But I liked the PC-kun's help so much that I will start to use just a little more Kanji characters in the future.
みんなさん、木をつけってくださいね。

How you not count in Japanese!

We Germans like to count a lot, not only the beers on the Wiesn (the Oktoberfest's bavarian insider name). But I learned in my Japanese class that it is chotto more complicated in Japanese since nearly every single word comes with its own counter. But you cannot learn without trial and error, can you? (Anyway that is my motto).

So when I was invited to a family trip to the zoo by my friend Kenji's sister Fumiko san last week, I tried to boast a little with my expert japanese knowledge. Saying will your three children also come using the counter for little beings, sanbiki 三匹 (no kodomo) ... ... but Fumiko san did not look too pleased. Hazukashiiiiiiii ....Kenji told me afterwards it was the counter not for small beings but for small animals.

Anyway when I saw Kenjis nephews I really understood my mistake ... they were not so little any more. They were rather large and very big so I thought to myself the counter for them ought to be santou 三頭 (Only this time I kept silent about my knowledge ... ).

An eating person

We Germans like to brag a little bit sometimes, not like the Japanese who rather than not put their inabilities in front of their abilities and skills.

Since I am a person who likes good food a lot, be it western or Japanese food, I not only wanted to impress my friends at the Izakaya with new words. I also wanted to learn from my examples and experience. So I asked my friend Kenji again for good words.

"No problem", he said, he had just the perfect word for me which was "Isseki nichou" ... meaning everybody would be instantaneously impressed AND speechless. The word for gourmet eater in Japanese is "SHOKUJIJIN" he told me (= an eating person). And since there was a kanji for eating in the word (食事人). I knew he did not set me up like with the last new words. Anyway he told me to use the word with discretion and only when he was present since bragging is a difficult thing in Japan.

So when I was in m favorite Isakaya again with my friends I nevertheless used the new word, saying (after some preliminary kampai's): "Japanese food is great, but we Germans also like the "SHOKUJIN" a lot. Maybe I can prepare you all a special dish in the future."

Boy oh boy, that was really a big success ... Not only were all my friends speechless and impressed ... some of them even gagged or went to the loo, leaving for home shortly afterwards.

But when I came to the office the other day with my home made german obento my colleague next to me asked me I I really was a cannibal ... .... hazukashiiii - obviously this was the real meaning there ...

sausage in my hand luggage

We Germans like the sausage a lot, not only the Eisbein (pork chop). So when I came to Fukuoka the last time I brought a present for my friend Andreas. Wanted to bring or tried to bring in the end as you will see, that is.

OK I went to my favorite butcher in my German hometown and there I bought two of the finest liver sausages ... of course pasteurised, sterilised, free from any germ anyone in Germany could ever ever know of (and maybe you are aware that we Germans are experts here ... the german doctor Robert Koch invented tuberculosis about 120 years ago).

So since I had one sausage in my hand luggage, somebody at the check in control at the airport in Germany mistook it for dynamite so it had to stay at the ground. (Failed to explode though afterwards I think).

And the second sausage which I had dutifully declared on the little customs form before landing in Tokyo did not pass customs. Hazukashiii ..... With a facial expression that clearly showed that this particular officer had never ever seen liver sausage before or/and deemed it unfit for consumption by any decent human being, I was told that I could not make this present. Plus I could also not bring the big Italian salami I had bought as a second gift ... kawaiiiisooo ....

But when I was in my favorite suupaamarket in Fukuoka the next day after my arrival looking around in the meat section although I did not find a good liver sausage there was the fine Italian salami. So somebody had somehow succeeded in smuggling this sausage to Japan - luckkkky .....

German Mike wants to live in Japan

So, in order to live in Japan you need money. Usually you earn money by working. The thing is, if you want to work in Japan as a foreigner you need a visa. As a young person, you may work for 1 year with a Working Holiday visa, which is not difficult to get.
But as you get older and maybe have a girlfriend you don't want to marry right away, it becomes more difficult. I mean which company employs someone who won't last long? If your mother tongue is English, then there is often the possibility to earn some coin as an English teacher.
But this is often a dead-end and may not be suitable for everyone.fulfilling in the long run.
It would be better to work a real job.

This means that you have to invest...
So in addition to your application documents, you should attach a complete reference list of your achievements and works. A nice photo is important. Your CV and motivation letter should definitely be written in Japanese, with a description of how you can be an asset to the company.
Naturally, a language course is mandatory. While taking this language course, you should personally introduce yourself to the companies and leave your application documents for them to read. You may also offer the company to temporarily work for them for free (3-4 hours a day). However, this should be conveyed in a subtle way and should not be said directly!
If the company then sees your potential and you as an asset to the company, the representative will soon contact you in order to have a chat with you. If the representative does not contact you in any way, then it means that you've been rejected. But since the Japanese labour force is constantly decreasing, you have fair chances of acquiring a job. With your job contract in hand, you then go to the foreign office and apply for a working visa. The process is relatively quick if you have all the required documents ready.

The next thing you need is accommodation.
Flat sharing is a good alternative to save money otherwise invested in the security deposit and furniture. A Japanese person usually lives with you and takes care of the gas, electricity and other bills. Once you work and earn money, you can look for something else, but keep in mind that you always need a guarantor in order to do this.

Here's a list of living expenses:
Monthly rent: 40000-60000 Yen
Food: 30000-40000 Yen
Transportation: 10000 Yen
Leisure time: 20000 Yen
Total: 140000 Yen per month

You can calculate your hypothetical monthly income (with appropriate qualifications!):
Age x 10000 Yen I.e. a 40-year old's gross income is about 400000 Yen per month on average
This may vary of course, as about 20% is claimed by the health insurance and pension.

I hope I was able to give you an insight on how to live in Japan.
See you in Fukuoka soon!

Hashimoto kacho - do gen ne???

We Germans like the vernacular a lot, not only the Goethe and Schiller. So when I was in my favourite Izakaya last week drinking with my old buddy Kenji and his friends, he made me a nice suprise. I was very delighted when he offered to teach me some REAL Japanese as he called it. As opposed to the stuffy old fashioned Book Japanese I was speaking, that is, as he told me.

So while we was drinking and drinking and then drinking some more REAL Beer, I was shown the pleasures of some nice Everyday Japanese Words I had never ever heard before. But as Kenji and his friends assured me many times, no one was taking me seriously unless I used once in a while the REAL Japanese word sometimes.

Well, I did miss the last subway that evening and believe me, I had started to walk and talk slightly wobbly when the evening was ending. But since I am a quick learner, I had grasped some pretty nice words I wanted never to let go of again. So I wrote them up and memorized and memorized them every day after wards.

Imagine my pleasure and surprise when Kenji entered my office in the firm yesterday morning! He had been transferred that day to the main branch and I was soo happy to see him again. I cordially called out to him one of my newly learned phrases, namely "Oe Kenji - hisabisa da nee" (which he had always translated with "Hello Kenji my friend ... how very delightful to see you again". And since my superior Hashimoto san was entering too, I did not want to leave out the chance to impress him also, so I blurted out loudly "Hashimoto kacho - do gen ne?" which Kenji had always translated with "may I inquire about your well being?".

But the two suddenly became very silent and, I must say, very polite. Especially Hashimoto Kacho, that is. He told me, would I do him the great favor not to address him in REAL Japanese since he was not very much accustomed to its use, was what I understood. Hazukashiiiii ... ... Kenji told me afterwards that maybe the meaning of the phrases was a little more plain than he told me.

Anyway he said Hashimoto san is not from Hakata so maybe he cannot understand the Hakataben so well. So I took the next opportunity to apologize to him and I could see that he was pleased. And so was Kenji also, who told me to be a little careful in the future with those Japanese Words. I will handle them with care in the future I promised to him ... ...

But since I know that Takeda shacho was born here in Hakata, maybe I try some REAL Japanese on him when I see him next time ... ...

We Germans like riding the bus a lot

We Germans like riding the bus a lot, not only the BMW Auto. So when I come to Fukuoka I always ride the bus to school or to visit Tenjin and so on. (We Germans also like walking a lot, but maybe this is another story). But it was a little difficult to get used to it as a matter of fact at first.

You know when I for the first time stood at the bus station at the Watanabe dori there was a queue at the little bus stand house. But when the bus came I saw that all the people were standing at the wrong place ... ... since you have to enter the bus via the front door (in Germany you have to, that is). So when all the people who wanted to get out of the bus had gotten out (of the front door, which was a little strange, as I already mentioned) I wanted to enter and buy a ticket from the driver. But while a german driver is always eager to sell me a ticket, his japanese colleague was not ... ... he was rather blunt gesturing me not to enter and to to go back saying in japanese "something anything o kudasai" (I did not understand much more at that time).

And then he shut the door and drove on but when he saw that there were some people still standing behind he stopped and opened the rear door, so I could enter too. Hazukashiiii ... ... you always enter a japanese city bus by the rear. And twice hazukashiiii you take a little ticket from the ticket machine to pay the fare later at the front exit when you get out which I of course forgot.

But I was lucky anyway ... ... it was a 100 yen bus, and the ticket is always 100 yen so the driver was pleased when I threw a 100 yen coin into the slot just like the passengers in front of me. Anyway, maybe I bring my BMW Auto next time so I won`t have difficulties riding the bus. (But that can be a problem also because the steering wheel is on the wrong side ... ... hazukashiiii).

Do you have YOUR shoes?

I have observed a strange phenomena in Fukuoka;　the mysterious abandonment of shoes.

I have, on three separate occasions, seen shoes in a public place with no one around them and no indication of why the shoes were in that place. I understand that in Japan people should take off　their shoes when they enter a house or some buildings, but these shoes are not near homes or buildings.

I always try to think about a situation that I would take off my shoes and not need to put them back on. And I can't find one.

This picture is from a small park with bike parking near Hakata station.


I think they are cute boots. If I didn't have big feet in Japan, I might have tried them on. But, I went home with MY SHOES ON.

Have you ever abandoned shoes? If yes, why?

Not All Vending Machines are Bad!

My friend and I lived in Tokyo for years, so we thought we'd seen everything surprising that Japan could offer. But last week, Japan got us again.

My friend was looking for a bottle of water, which was hard to find amid the cigarette and sweet drink machines. We spotted a brightly colored vending machine standing on it's own. And behold, it was a BANANA vending machine!!

Yes! I said a BANANA VENDING MACHINE! There were ONLY bananas in it!

Most were in singles wrapped in plastic and a few were in bunches also wrapped in plastic. And I NEEDED ONE!!

I wanted to be able to say I have eaten a banana from a vending machine. So I put my money in and put my finger on the button to choose a number, though I don't know why there are individual numbers for each item on the rack, as it is all bananas. The only difference is between bunches and singles, but nevermind that!!

Then, my friend and I thought in unison, "Wait. If it falls, won't it bruise the banana?" I pressed the button anyway and to my delight a small plastic lift descended to carry my banana.... almost to the bottom where it dropped it at the last second.

Sigh, almost a good job banana engineer, almost...

Despite the last minute let down(pun intended), the banana was minimally bruised and tasted fantastic! So remember in the middle of Tenjin's fast pace and quick beauty market, someone is still concerned about your health.

You should look for the banana vending machine, it's where you'd least expect it.

-

We Germans like the chopstick

We Germans like the chopstick a lot, not only the silver cutlery. But I must admit, it is sometimes a little bit tiresome for me to use them.

Anyway I was in this tiny little izakaya restaurant and I had had some nice little Sapporo beers and some tasty little izakaya food when the ugly little devil on my left shoulder began to whisper in my ear ... ... is it not inconvenient to use chopsticks when there is such a thing like a fork already invented. Especially after the first beer and its three brothers had started to, ahem, do what they ought to do, namely making me feel nice and relaxed. Plus I would not get any compliments for my dexterity with the chopsticks now (here the beer did what it did not ought to do).

So I ordered a fork and within the blink of an eye eating became waaay more relaxed. (As a matter of fact, drinking also, but that is another story).

But then I looked at the next table there was a party of five people with a little girl who was about two and a half years old. And boy she did not miss a beat with her chopsticks. Hazukashiiii - being beaten by a little girl. I swore to myself I would never ever use a fork in Japan again.

But on the other hand ... that girl was some years away from legal age for drinking yet. So before she can realise my problems in handling chopsticks in a tipsy state I can really really practise hard. Gambarimasho !!

New Japanese Characters????

We Germans like the Japanese Kanji characters a lot, not only the Suetterlin script. And this includes the Hiragana and Katakana also. So when I am walking down the street, I am always reading the signboards and adverts, even looking them up in my little electric dictionary.
Imagine my shock when I walked down Watanabe Dori last week and discovered a signboard I could not decipher. And it was impossible to look it up in my electric dictionary neither.
I was furious. I was decided to go to the " Oki Camera Shop " (or so, I forget the exact name) to return the dictionary and complain. Plus I wanted to get my money back then.
As a matter of fact my business Japanese is just not up to par. Yet. So I asked one of my Japanese friends for help. She offered to go to the shop first to check the sign. Hazukashiiiiii ...... it was in Katakana all right, only each character was written upside down. (The Japanese they are polite people but I could see the lips of my friend twitching a little. And I think she went not around the corner to look up the bus schedule as she said but to have a hearty laugh on me 一人で).
Anyway now I know that my electric dictiomary is OK. Plus I had to treat Naoko chan to a nice dinner and that was not bad either ... ... I wonder if there are any more upside down advertisements in Fukuoka ??

It's lunch time !!!

We Germans like the noodle a lot, not only the kartoffel (= potato). So on yesterday's lunch break I went to eat some noodles. Because I wanted to learn a little Japanese I went to a noodle shop near the fishmarket where I could be certain that there was no English menu. (Also I like Nagahama Ramen more than Hakata Ramen).

Hmm, did I say it was lunch time ? The shop I entered was VERY busy. Four or five customers were standing in line, so I just joined them. They had to be market workers with a coupon for a free lunch ( I thought ) - each and every one of them had a little white paper slip in his hand.

When my turn had come, I sat down at the counter. There was no English menu just like I expected ... ... but neither was there a Japanese one. Scary ! The cooks from behind the counter just looked at me with question marks in their eyes ... Also scary !

But I just told the waiter who also had a slightly quizzical look in his eyes I would be very glad to receive a bowl of Nagahama Ramen in my best Japanese ( though with a little German accent ) ... and five minutes later I got a big pot of steaming noodle soup. The only difficulty was, when I stood up and left, there was no cashier. Nowhere. So I just asked a second waiter for the bill ... ... again, very puzzled looks from all members of the staff when I paid my 400 Yen ( - they did not have any change for my 10.000 Yen note ). So I had to scrape together some 50 and 10 Yen pieces from my various pockets.

With a happy "Thanks for the meal" I left the shop - only to stop in my tracks 5 meters later. Hazukashiiiiiii - the white paper slips the other customers had were no free coupons. There was a food ticket vending machine in front of the shop !!! (Now I knew why nobody had any change ...).

Anyway, the Nagahama Ramen was great food. Plus now I know it is good to always have at least 400 Yen in coins with me.

The German Mike

Big in Japan^0^

Since last year I've been living in Fukuoka. And in comparison to 2010 I gained about 8,5 kg more weight. Do you want to know what's the reason? I remembered, my Japanese friends invited me to an Izakaya. I've heard before of that kind of restaurants and imagined a lot of delicious Japanese food. We ordered a course. At first we had like many different appetizer and salad with pork. I was looking forward to eating the main dishes to satisfy my big hunger. But after all these small appetizer my friends looked already happy like a baby and said ippai (I'm full). I wondered and answered that I'm still hungry and couldn't wait for more food... Watching at their faces made me realize that our dinner was already finished, no main dishes..... Since then I always choose a super big 4 course-meal , so I really got BIG IN JAPAN^0^

Tea time!

We Germans like the tea a lot, not only the beer. So while staying in Japan, I certainly drink my daily pot of green tea and I really enjoy it. When I talked to my friend Andrea in Germany and found out that she also likes to drink tea, I sent her a little sample home.

Now the problem is, she immediately wrote back to me that this tea was extra delicious and she wanted to have more of it since she had drunk all of it in a single week (it was not a very big package though). So I went to the teashop to buy her tea again. But I could not remember the name of the tea or the special brand she liked. All I could remember was the kanji for woman (which is " 女 ") was written on the box. So I asked in the shop for "onna no hito no o - cha", which means woman's tea, since I thought that was the reason my friend Andrea liked the tea so much. But it was a little difficult to get since all woman's tea was out. (That is what I understood, anyway).

But when I went around and around to other shops asking for "onna no hito no o - cha", I always encountered blank, not understanding faces. This was not possible, I thought. Fukuoka's women most likely will cherish this special tea, and drink a lot of it, but they could not have bought all of it !!!

But when I talked to my japanese friends they asked me if probably the tea had come from the Yame region of Kyushu ?? Since the Kanji for Yame are the kanji for "eight" and the kanji for "onna" or " 八女 ", these were the kanji that were written on the teabox. HAZUKASHIIII .... this was true. And when I asked again, most certainly every shop had tea from Yame.

But anyway, I was glad. I was able to find the tea my friend Andrea liked plus I learned a new combination of kanji. Which I doubt I will ever forget.

The ground floor is being counted in Japan

Yesterday I went to visit a traditional Japanese public bathhouse. You know, we Germans really like to study the customs of other cultures. My Japanese friends had warned me not to go there alone, since it might be "chotto" difficult not to make a mistake, but I preferred to make a firsthand experience. Who would need a tour guide for such a simple thing like taking a bath ??

Well, when I entered the bathhouse, it was quite easy, you just remove your shoes at the place where you always remove your shoes and put them into the shoe locker. And after having paid the admission fee (on my own and without any assistance) I heard the attendant tell me it was "ikkai". Well, this was also easy, since ikkai means "first floor". I was wondering a little why the curtain was red before I went to the staircase, but I entered anyway and went upstairs. After two or three steps I saw some women coming down looking a little strange at me, but then I thought that they had gone in the wrong direction. Anybody can make a mistake, can t she?

But hardly 5 seconds later the manager came after me telling me I was wrong and showed me the right direction ... ... I was about to go into the women s section of the bath. While I was nearly as red as the curtain I had just parted I went through the men s section s blue curtain on the the ground floor. How embarrassing ... ...

But there was no fault on my side, I had been given wrong directions by a bad attendant, I thought. Only later did I learn from my Japanese friends that contrary to German habit in Japan the ground floor is being counted. So I was actually wrong since "ikkai" means ground floor in Japanese. How embarrassing ... ...

But everything is okay because on this occasion I learned a new word from my japanese friends: "HAZUKASHIIIIII ..."

How to get a mobile phone in Fukuoka

Getting your own mobile phone or your own phone number.

Many students of Asahi Nihongo ask us how to get a mobile phone or how to using their own phone with a Japanese phone number. Unfortunately, you cannot get a monthly service contract with a Japanese provider unless you will live in Japan for at least two years.

However, you have two other options for mobile service:
1. Buy mobile phone with prepaid card
2. Use your own phone with Japanese SIM Card

In either case, you will need your passport, current address in Japan, and some contact information (e.g. school phone number and address).
The standard mobile phone in Japan is 3G. In case you are not sure about your phone, you should go to your local Softbank branch and the staff will check it out.

Also visit these websites:
http://www.softbank-rental.jp/en/phones/

1. Buy mobile phone with prepaid card

With choice one, you can go to your local Softbank and purchase a phone with a prepaid card. The initial phone and card purchase price ranges from 5,000 yen to over 10, 000 yen. Usually all incoming calls and mails are free. Call cards are available from 3000 yen.

Outgoing rates are as follows:

Purchase price for the mobil phone: 7500-10 000 Yen
Price for renting the prepaid simcard: 3000 Yen Miete (20 min free of charge, after that you have top paty about 100 yen a minute)
Total: around 10500 Yen for the first month and than 3000-5000 Yen per month

2. Use your own phone with Japanese SIM Card

With the second choice, if you have an iphone or a 3G phone you can purchase a sim card (approx. 3500 yen) with a rented Japanese phone number for (105\/day). Once again, all incoming calls and text are free. This SIM card is only at the Fukuoka Airport available.
You have your own phone and it is the best choice for very short stay in Japan.

Outgoing rates are as follows for the Airport Softbank Simcard:

Price for renting the prepaid simcard: 105 Yen per day
Price per minute: 105 Yen
Total: 3000 Yen + Phone calls

Beautiful castle

Do you know Kokura castle? It's a very beautiful castle located in Kitakyushu, constructed in 1602 by the Hosokawa family. I read a lot of the Hosokawa family's history, so I was proud to guide my Japanese friends with their children from Tokyo. And I showed them a lot of the "kireina oshiri". But for some reason their children always laughed when I said castle in Japanese. What was wrong with it? Oh no, I confused oshiri (backside) and oshiro (castle). How embarrassing^o^. That's why everybody laughed...

About Integration in Japan

Last weekend I met Hans from Germany. He lives in Fukuoka for 17 years and got married here 10 years ago. So I guessed he' s well integrated in Japan, because he speaks fluent Japanese and he knows all the customs and tradition. But he told me that he sometimes feels like an typical gaijin who can't eat with chopsticks. For 10 years he used to go to the same convenience store with always the same staff. But he always receives a knife and a folk when he buys food. When his wife cooks the meal she gives everybody chopsticks except Hans, although I told her that I want to eat like a Japanese. That's soooo frustrating 0^0

Embarrassing Japanese!!!

Last week I had my first job interview at a school as a German teacher. They introduced me their teaching method and asked me to do a trial lesson in front of the interviewer, so I met my first student. We talked about adjectives and my student asked me what's the meaning of cold. And I answered it was the "hentai" (opposite) of hot. Suddenly everybody seemed very shocked and laughed. I blushed and felt that I said something stupid....yes I did. I confused the words hantai (opposite) and hentai (gay). Oh no, how embarrassing!!!! But finally I got the job^0^