12 years in Tokyo, almost to the day. I remember being completely bewildered. In the first year it was expected, but the second year was getting too much. I walked and walked but Tokyo is no Paris, the modern, cheap, ugly building go on forever. On that point, Tokyo is divided into 23 wards (ku in Japanese), which have their own "ban-cho-mei" numbers. You find the numbers on the side of building and on pillars. The streets have no names so you have to match the numbers on the map. Google's map don't have the numbers and they're pretty useless. Yahoo does better on this count.
Knowing the meanings of the kanji helped a lot. I'm not scared of getting lost but communication was still impossible. Granny bullied me into going to the YMCA Asia Language School in Ochanomizu. Ha!ha! O-cha (お茶) tea and mizu (水) water...It's Dr. Ochanomizu in "Astro Boy"! She was ill and getting sicker. In 2006, as far I can recall now, she was in hospital and then a hospice. Mickio was three years old and he cried at her funeral.
2007 was a great year - very relaxed and mild weather. I went back to school but I still failed the exam. 2008 as the economy went bad I got a short contract. I think the project was great but the so-called Lehman Shock meant the end of contractors. Grand-dad was in and out of hospital that winter. He died suddenly in February 2009. My wife is an only child and for about a year she just stunned.
That accounts for eight years as foreigner. There's not much to show externally but internally I am different. I think I've forgotten all French and German I ever knew, maybe I've even lost myself. I passed the Japanese Language exam N3, finally! Arte's Journal is on the internet and there are a few people from the past on Facebook. (With Adam in Zurich Kusthaus, an early installation art piece said "Old friends are best left in the past" and "Private property created crime". I still ponder on these, if they really are true).
I start school again next week and I need the N2 Japanese exam. Older posts show a glimpse in the last 5 years. I've gotta pass the exam and make progress. Wish me luck!
2014年9月4日木曜日
2013年4月15日月曜日
Waking up!
I'm too lazy, too busy and a bit too schizophrenic to maintain my blog. I'm trying to balance my computer brain with the Japanese context. And I've woken up to my European roots. I like to listen to German, from Berlin via http://www.inforadio.de, which is Hoechdeutsch and quite easy now. Then there's http://radiogrischa.ch which is southeast Switzerland. They speak Hoechdeutsch with an accent when they read the news, but often off the cuff interview with a skier is incomprehensible. When I'm tired, it's http://www.franceinfo.fr/ because it's easy (I mortgaged my soul for that 20 years ago, and it's just wasted).
But I live in Japan. With the hanami, fukushima dai ichi and the brand new 'Abe-nomics'. Japan had a lost decade and I think I did as well. I love my kendo, Iaido, calligraphy. My daughter has just started to study the famous tea ceremony. This traditional Japan is beautiful. But along with the beauty comes the Confucian-derived hierarchy and, as some famous anthropologist said, the culture of shame - if no-one sees you, at least no-one you know, it's alright. This leads directly to a complete lack of manners. In shops, people push me all the time.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to an Iaido competition. For the lower dan grades, there are 5 people doing any 5 of the 12 ZNKR Iai kata. One person wins and 4 lose, but we don't know why. I guess I have to talk to teacher (grovelling, or am I too arrogant).
Tokyo Budo-kan, with the Chairman of the Tokyo Kendo Renmei.
But I'm a software engineer. The iado is interesting and if I was rich, I'd be 100% into it. But I'm broke and I'll be 47 years old in 2 weeks. I don't know how to get a job. In a 'Hail Mary pass' I looked at CERN a couple of weeks ago. That's where it all began. They want experience with Java Spring. I got this book on Spring which is quite readable. What I've understood so far is called Dependency Injection. It's like the Factory pattern but goes much further. Every thing is a Java bean and implements an interface. Actually looking further, Java language defines annotations to help with DI. I wasn't quite sure what annotations are (they're interfaces used as comments on steroids, or as processing instructions). I got through all of Java Language Specification last week. I strongly believe that Spring, a container for DI and support for AOP, will contribute to productivity and code quality.
I'm taking a break from big project. Phase Ia is done. There are 7 Android apps to help learning Japanese syllabullaries 'hiragana' and 'katakana'. Phase Ib will be the completion of the kanji apps. I'm musing Phase II should be recognition of the language and then maybe Phase III will be translation. It's early days still but the first cut is at http://www.kanji-teikoku.com/. And the beat goes on!
But I live in Japan. With the hanami, fukushima dai ichi and the brand new 'Abe-nomics'. Japan had a lost decade and I think I did as well. I love my kendo, Iaido, calligraphy. My daughter has just started to study the famous tea ceremony. This traditional Japan is beautiful. But along with the beauty comes the Confucian-derived hierarchy and, as some famous anthropologist said, the culture of shame - if no-one sees you, at least no-one you know, it's alright. This leads directly to a complete lack of manners. In shops, people push me all the time.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to an Iaido competition. For the lower dan grades, there are 5 people doing any 5 of the 12 ZNKR Iai kata. One person wins and 4 lose, but we don't know why. I guess I have to talk to teacher (grovelling, or am I too arrogant).
There are samurai in Japan in you know where to look.But I'm a software engineer. The iado is interesting and if I was rich, I'd be 100% into it. But I'm broke and I'll be 47 years old in 2 weeks. I don't know how to get a job. In a 'Hail Mary pass' I looked at CERN a couple of weeks ago. That's where it all began. They want experience with Java Spring. I got this book on Spring which is quite readable. What I've understood so far is called Dependency Injection. It's like the Factory pattern but goes much further. Every thing is a Java bean and implements an interface. Actually looking further, Java language defines annotations to help with DI. I wasn't quite sure what annotations are (they're interfaces used as comments on steroids, or as processing instructions). I got through all of Java Language Specification last week. I strongly believe that Spring, a container for DI and support for AOP, will contribute to productivity and code quality.
I'm taking a break from big project. Phase Ia is done. There are 7 Android apps to help learning Japanese syllabullaries 'hiragana' and 'katakana'. Phase Ib will be the completion of the kanji apps. I'm musing Phase II should be recognition of the language and then maybe Phase III will be translation. It's early days still but the first cut is at http://www.kanji-teikoku.com/. And the beat goes on!
2011年10月27日木曜日
Same sun
Koyaanisqatsi is a film made in 1982. The title is a Hopi native American word, meaning life out balance. The score is by Philip Glass and I found it to be quite hypnotic. The website is http://www.koyaanisqatsi.org/. The third film resonates now - there is the natural world and the technological world.
From by previous life I knew people in Europe and the US. It's 10AM in Tokyo. Type into Google "What time is it in Zurich" =- it's 3AM. Try California, it's 6PM. I'm starting my day. Zurichers should be asleep and Californians are having an evening meal. We all see the same sun and stars.
The natural world, the sun and stars, and the technoly world, Google aren't that divorced, but they can be. Not nature or technology, bu human values.
From by previous life I knew people in Europe and the US. It's 10AM in Tokyo. Type into Google "What time is it in Zurich" =- it's 3AM. Try California, it's 6PM. I'm starting my day. Zurichers should be asleep and Californians are having an evening meal. We all see the same sun and stars.
The natural world, the sun and stars, and the technoly world, Google aren't that divorced, but they can be. Not nature or technology, bu human values.
2011年5月29日日曜日
http://takedanet.com/2011/05/post_adae.html
Yumi thinks this is important. I've translated it...but I've still missed the point!
練馬区、日本医師会、イオン、そして表土
Nerima-ku, Japan Doctors Assoiation, Ion(izing radiation ?) and surface soil
第一話 練馬区
No 1 Nerima-ku
練馬区は神になったようです
Nerima-ku announces the following.
練馬区の広報を読者の方が教えてくれたのですが、練馬区の放射線の強さについて調べ、被曝量を表にして示した後､驚いたことに次のうに書いてあるではありませんか!!
A certain person reading Nerima's information explained to me that, alterations with regard to the strength of radiation in Nerima,after exposure, it's not surprizing!!
the following was written
１） ヨーロッパＥＣＲＲ 年間０．１ミリが限度
European ECRR 0.1millisieverts/year
２） 日本の法律 年間１．０ミリが限度
Japanese law 1.millisieverts/year
３） ある学者 年間100ミリまでＯＫ
Certain scientists 100 millisieverts OK
練馬区は神になり、１）から３）の内、自ら判断して３）を選び､区民を被曝させることを決めたようです。神様だから今年の税金も区役所の職員の給与も要らないでしょう.
Nerima-ku expressed that, within 1 to 3, naturally deciding to select 3, decided by residents who have been exposed. Thank god this year tax and City Hall staffs' exposure hasn't been bad.
よく、こんなことを決める自信があるとビックリします.
Well, I am confident and surprised how this has been decided.
文部科学省「福島県内の学校・校庭・利用判断における暫定的な考え方」に対する日本医師会の見解
Japanese Doctors Committee opinion with reagrds to Min of Education and Culture "Fukushima-ken schools and playgrounds decision of use thereof, provisional thoughts"
(暫定ざんていprovisional)
１）国際放射線防護委員会が言っている1ミリから20ミリの範囲は「非常時」に限定されること、
1. International radiation protection ?? committee stated that the limit is in the range 1-20millisieverts, in an emergency.
２） 1ミリから20ミリの内､上限の20ミリを選んだ理由がハッキリしないこと、
2. Within the range 1-20millisieverts, there is no clear reason for selecting 20 milliseiverts.
など20ミリは不適切であると指摘した後､次のように注意を呼びかけています.
However, 20 millisieverts is not correct and after this was pointed out, the following was cautioned.
成人についてももちろんであるが、とくに小児については、可能な限り放射線被爆量を減らすことに最大限の努力をすることが国の責務であり、これにとり子どもたちの生と健康を守ることぞが求められていろ。
Naturally regarding adults, but especially with regard to small children, the effort to reduce the acceptable upper limit on radiation exposure is a national priority, in order to protect life and health, is on-going.
日本医師会が医師の良心を失っていないことを嬉しく思います.
I'm happy to see that the Japanese Doctors Committee has not lost faith.
放射線の障害はとても難しい問題で、諸説がありますが､ともかく医師として日本人の健康を守ろうという気概が感じられます.
Radition sickness is a very difficult problem, and I think all doctors must do their best to protect the health of Japanse people.
これなら安心して病院に行くことが出来ます.
So you must be able to go to the hospital without worry.
それに対して､いったい文科省というのはどういうところでしょうか？ アメリカには文科省はありません。この際、文科省を廃止してもらえば、児童の被曝も地下水の汚染（
天地返し）も無くなるでしょう.
So just what is Min of Education and Culture saying ? America does have a Min of Education and Culture. In this case, if it is repealed by Min of Education and Culture, there is no polution of ground water or childrens radiation.
第3話 イオン
Item 2 Ion
.... at this point, I got reallt bored and stopped
練馬区、日本医師会、イオン、そして表土
Nerima-ku, Japan Doctors Assoiation, Ion(izing radiation ?) and surface soil
第一話 練馬区
No 1 Nerima-ku
練馬区は神になったようです
Nerima-ku announces the following.
練馬区の広報を読者の方が教えてくれたのですが、練馬区の放射線の強さについて調べ、被曝量を表にして示した後､驚いたことに次のうに書いてあるではありませんか!!
A certain person reading Nerima's information explained to me that, alterations with regard to the strength of radiation in Nerima,after exposure, it's not surprizing!!
the following was written
１） ヨーロッパＥＣＲＲ 年間０．１ミリが限度
European ECRR 0.1millisieverts/year
２） 日本の法律 年間１．０ミリが限度
Japanese law 1.millisieverts/year
３） ある学者 年間100ミリまでＯＫ
Certain scientists 100 millisieverts OK
練馬区は神になり、１）から３）の内、自ら判断して３）を選び､区民を被曝させることを決めたようです。神様だから今年の税金も区役所の職員の給与も要らないでしょう.
Nerima-ku expressed that, within 1 to 3, naturally deciding to select 3, decided by residents who have been exposed. Thank god this year tax and City Hall staffs' exposure hasn't been bad.
よく、こんなことを決める自信があるとビックリします.
Well, I am confident and surprised how this has been decided.
文部科学省「福島県内の学校・校庭・利用判断における暫定的な考え方」に対する日本医師会の見解
Japanese Doctors Committee opinion with reagrds to Min of Education and Culture "Fukushima-ken schools and playgrounds decision of use thereof, provisional thoughts"
(暫定ざんていprovisional)
１）国際放射線防護委員会が言っている1ミリから20ミリの範囲は「非常時」に限定されること、
1. International radiation protection ?? committee stated that the limit is in the range 1-20millisieverts, in an emergency.
２） 1ミリから20ミリの内､上限の20ミリを選んだ理由がハッキリしないこと、
2. Within the range 1-20millisieverts, there is no clear reason for selecting 20 milliseiverts.
など20ミリは不適切であると指摘した後､次のように注意を呼びかけています.
However, 20 millisieverts is not correct and after this was pointed out, the following was cautioned.
成人についてももちろんであるが、とくに小児については、可能な限り放射線被爆量を減らすことに最大限の努力をすることが国の責務であり、これにとり子どもたちの生と健康を守ることぞが求められていろ。
Naturally regarding adults, but especially with regard to small children, the effort to reduce the acceptable upper limit on radiation exposure is a national priority, in order to protect life and health, is on-going.
日本医師会が医師の良心を失っていないことを嬉しく思います.
I'm happy to see that the Japanese Doctors Committee has not lost faith.
放射線の障害はとても難しい問題で、諸説がありますが､ともかく医師として日本人の健康を守ろうという気概が感じられます.
Radition sickness is a very difficult problem, and I think all doctors must do their best to protect the health of Japanse people.
これなら安心して病院に行くことが出来ます.
So you must be able to go to the hospital without worry.
それに対して､いったい文科省というのはどういうところでしょうか？ アメリカには文科省はありません。この際、文科省を廃止してもらえば、児童の被曝も地下水の汚染（
天地返し）も無くなるでしょう.
So just what is Min of Education and Culture saying ? America does have a Min of Education and Culture. In this case, if it is repealed by Min of Education and Culture, there is no polution of ground water or childrens radiation.
第3話 イオン
Item 2 Ion
.... at this point, I got reallt bored and stopped
2011年5月28日土曜日
It's confucian
The stated aims of the 全日本剣道連盟 or All Japan Kendo Federation are to mould the character and produce harmony in society. I just tried to re-read The Life Giving Sword. I didn't get far into chapter 2 when I read "The Great Learning is the gate for the beginning scholar." James Legges' translation (of Confucius) also starts "...and forms the gate by which first learners enter into virtue".
The Great Learning (大学) is either the good stuff to learn or learning for adults. It says cultivate yourself, learn everything! By self-regulation, the family will be regulated, and thus the village, and the state and the whole country. Analects (論語) is said to be Confucius' words but with lots of additions. I read Legge's translation but I couldn't understand it. I read "Zhu Xi's Reading of the Analects" but that was still difficult. Then I read "The Secular as Sacred" by Herber Fingarette
"He expands me with culture and constrains me ritual" Fingarette's summary of Analects. Kendo is described as ｢礼のはじめ礼の終わり」. This is constriant of ritual.
It is my understanding that the modern shinai (竹刀) emerged around 1830. At the same time, the Japanese philosophers were trying to purify Confucian ideas, be removing the Toaist elements. Did Conficius meet Loa Tzu ? Was it even possible ? (Loa Tzu "Toa te ching" = "The path that can be walked is not the true path").
Zen 禅 is yourself, inside. Confucius (孔子) is about society. Shinto (神道) is about nature. The present from 剣道日本 said 交剣知愛 - by doing kendo we become friends. You can't do kendo without other people, so it's a social activity, hence confucian in nature.
What is the "Doctrine of the Mean" and "The Mencius" ? There are five other classics, of which we know I Ching. There are 7 military classics, of which we know The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
The Great Learning (大学) is either the good stuff to learn or learning for adults. It says cultivate yourself, learn everything! By self-regulation, the family will be regulated, and thus the village, and the state and the whole country. Analects (論語) is said to be Confucius' words but with lots of additions. I read Legge's translation but I couldn't understand it. I read "Zhu Xi's Reading of the Analects" but that was still difficult. Then I read "The Secular as Sacred" by Herber Fingarette
"He expands me with culture and constrains me ritual" Fingarette's summary of Analects. Kendo is described as ｢礼のはじめ礼の終わり」. This is constriant of ritual.
It is my understanding that the modern shinai (竹刀) emerged around 1830. At the same time, the Japanese philosophers were trying to purify Confucian ideas, be removing the Toaist elements. Did Conficius meet Loa Tzu ? Was it even possible ? (Loa Tzu "Toa te ching" = "The path that can be walked is not the true path").
Zen 禅 is yourself, inside. Confucius (孔子) is about society. Shinto (神道) is about nature. The present from 剣道日本 said 交剣知愛 - by doing kendo we become friends. You can't do kendo without other people, so it's a social activity, hence confucian in nature.
What is the "Doctrine of the Mean" and "The Mencius" ? There are five other classics, of which we know I Ching. There are 7 military classics, of which we know The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
2010年12月20日月曜日
The Continueing Adventures of....
I got a tenegui from 剣道日本 with the 4 kanji phrase 交剣知愛, which I didn't understand. http://www.budogu.jp/column/kotoba.html has a long list of Japanese budo terms. I hardly have the time to to read it all.
Last night, Iaido 忘年会 or end of year party. Very enjoyable, but very drunk. There were 2 ladies either side of me, both kendo 5thdan. Opposite me, a friend of 森島先生. To his left, kendo 7thdan hanshi, and to his right, shigin 7th dan. And me, just started Iaido, kendo 2 dan, 6kyu shodo and no qualification in shigin. I makes me humble and shows to goals.
Lunch time, shigin end of year party. Much more alcohol than last year, and people commented that the atmosphere was much nicer than last year.
This week is Christmas for the west, but Christmas day I have kendo keiko in the evening. The next day is the last keiko for Kaishin and their end of year party.
This year kendo 2dan; shigin contest - got a prize in October; shodo - got a prize in December. All in all, mission accomplished, all systems go for next year. (I have to find to time to describe the shigin contest and upload the video).
Last night, Iaido 忘年会 or end of year party. Very enjoyable, but very drunk. There were 2 ladies either side of me, both kendo 5thdan. Opposite me, a friend of 森島先生. To his left, kendo 7thdan hanshi, and to his right, shigin 7th dan. And me, just started Iaido, kendo 2 dan, 6kyu shodo and no qualification in shigin. I makes me humble and shows to goals.
Lunch time, shigin end of year party. Much more alcohol than last year, and people commented that the atmosphere was much nicer than last year.
This week is Christmas for the west, but Christmas day I have kendo keiko in the evening. The next day is the last keiko for Kaishin and their end of year party.
This year kendo 2dan; shigin contest - got a prize in October; shodo - got a prize in December. All in all, mission accomplished, all systems go for next year. (I have to find to time to describe the shigin contest and upload the video).
2010年8月8日日曜日
Forever changed
Summer holidays are here. The season begins with kendo gasshuku (剣道合宿, best translated as camp or retreat). My stretching/yoga/exercise regime finally paid off as I was able to do kendo properly. In general keiko, you have to stretch, lifting the shinai(竹刀) with your left hand up to your forehead. With my general poor health I'd forgotten, but from now on I'll do an hour of basic practice everyday.
A week later was the Sumida river fireworks display. It was hotter than I can ever remember, but still crowded. I feel like there were more yukata this year. I can only imagine that daily life has become difficult so festival events are good chance to escape, even if it's only for short time.
I wanted to do kendo keiko the next day, but I was too tired and had to get ready for the long trip. I drove from Tokyo to Hiroshima, a total of 2160 Km, over five days. It was a brilliant experience but I never want to do that again.
We left Tokyo on Monday and drove all day to Aichi ken, to a ferry at the end of the 渥美半島, which might to Akubi penisular. The ferry took almost an hour to 鳥羽, which I read as Toriwa. This is the home of Mikimoto cultured pearls (but I know nothing, so the name in English might be wrong). Ryokan, onsen, beer and bed.
We had to visit Ise jingu in Mie ken. Last year, my kendo sensei went to a hachi-dan match here, and it's very important to the the Imperial family. It's mentioned in the Tale of Genji (元治の物語, written 1000 year ago. I'm a beginner, I don't know what I'm looking at.
There a two strong memories - the A-Bomb Dome and the castle. 300,000 civilians died there and the castle, the center of Japanese imperial military was destroyed. The military target is a consequence of war, but I can't deal with civilian slaughter, genocide, terrorism, mass destruction, what ever word we use. The preparations for the ceremony the next day made my cry. I couldn't hold back the tears when I saw a block of seats for the bereaved families...people going about their daily business. Kokushi-jinjya helped a bit.
20 years ago on the cover of my first Japanese language book was the torii at Itsukushima jinjya. Finally I got there. Buddhism is almost pure logic. Everything is cause followed by effect. The military planners in Horoshima castle made it a military target. Shinto, on the other had is all human feeling.We look at the shape or form, of the torii, or the kanji drawn with a fude brush, or the movement in kendo, and think of the deeper meaning. Itsukushima jinjya is beautiful and the A-Bomb dome is very sad, but both help us to understand a deeper truth.
On from Mie (三重県) ken to the border of Okayama/Hiroshima ken, to my late parents-in-law's birthplace, Tojo (東城). Some relatives live in Niimi (新見). Tojo didn't suffer effects of the bomb, but the black rain slightly affected Niimi. On the way out, we visited a shrine (国司神社), which was cathartic.
Directly south, we took another ferry to 'gas' island - so named because of a secret poison gas factory in WWII. It's a nature reserve now and a museum dedicated to the victims of the poison gas production. Mixed emotions - different times, different morality. A taste of the next day, Hiroshima city.
There a two strong memories - the A-Bomb Dome and the castle. 300,000 civilians died there and the castle, the center of Japanese imperial military was destroyed. The military target is a consequence of war, but I can't deal with civilian slaughter, genocide, terrorism, mass destruction, what ever word we use. The preparations for the ceremony the next day made my cry. I couldn't hold back the tears when I saw a block of seats for the bereaved families...people going about their daily business. Kokushi-jinjya helped a bit.
20 years ago on the cover of my first Japanese language book was the torii at Itsukushima jinjya. Finally I got there. Buddhism is almost pure logic. Everything is cause followed by effect. The military planners in Horoshima castle made it a military target. Shinto, on the other had is all human feeling.We look at the shape or form, of the torii, or the kanji drawn with a fude brush, or the movement in kendo, and think of the deeper meaning. Itsukushima jinjya is beautiful and the A-Bomb dome is very sad, but both help us to understand a deeper truth.There was not enough time at Miyajima (宮島, also called Itsukushima=厳島). Six or seven hours driving got us to the shore of Lake Biwa, the biggest lake in Japan. Sashimi, sake, onsen, beer, bed. Finally Saturady, eight hours driving back to Tokyo. I feel physically tired but spiritually stronger than ever, ready for the next step. I want to practice and rehearse kendo, shakuhachi, shodo and learn more about Noh theatre, Iaido, and shinto.
Sunday afternoon and I want to sleep, I think it's catching up with me now, because it has been an exciting two weeks.
登録:
投稿 (Atom)