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【No. 0475】Effects of a Kiss

Apr 6, 2016 21:47
A kiss has various health effects.

According to the German study, husband and wife who kiss each other every morning live an average of 5 years longer than couples who don't.

In addition, couples who kiss every day earn 1.2-1.3 times as much as others.

Also, according to the large-scale survey against 30 countries, Indian married couples seem to kiss most frequently, and the number of kisses is 17.8 times per day.

The second place is Germany, the number is 11.4 times, and the third place is Sweden, the number is 8.8 times.

By the way, the worst country is Japan, and the number is 0.5 times per day.

I'm interested in whether or not life expectancy of Japanese would also increase if we became to kiss frequently.
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【No. 0474】How to Use a Cane

Apr 5, 2016 18:05
Today, I learned a correct use of a cane.

I've thought that you should hold a cane with your hand in the same side of your bad foot.

However, this thought is wrong, and the right way is to hold a cane in the opposite side of your bad foot.

Originally, a cane is used to prevent from leaning your entire body weight onto your bad foot.

However, if the distance from your bad foot and a cane is close, the balance will become worse.

Therefore, you should hold a cane with your hand in the opposite side of your bad foot for the sake of a safe.

It is said that you will understand it when you actually use a cane.
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Apr 4, 2016 22:38
Today, I learned about the copyright of Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower, which is an symbolic building of Paris, France, was built in 1889.

Also, people have visited there more than any other fee buildings.

I think that most tourists will take pictures of the Eiffel Tower, but you have to be careful during the night.

The Eiffel Tower was decorated with illuminations in 2003, and the City of Paris obtained the copyright for it as an artistic production in 2005.

Therefore, if you take and use pictures of the illuminated Eiffel Tower without permission from the City of Paris, you may be punished.
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【No. 0472】Yunomi (a tea bowl)

Apr 3, 2016 17:07
Today, I will talk about a "yunomi," which is one of Japanese tableware.

"Yu" in "yunomi" means "hot water," and "nomi" in "yunomi" means "to drink."

As its name suggests, the "yunomi" is a cup bowl to drink hot water or tea.

In most cases, yunomis are made of potteries, and there are no handles that tea cups have.

The reason is to make sure whether or not the temperature of drink is suitable for drinking by your hand.

Since the most delicious temperature of Japanese green tea is about from 60 to 80 Celsius degrees, if you can't hold the yunomi, it expresses that the drink is too hot.

Also, there is another reason that you can enjoy the feel of the pottery by your hand.
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【No. 0471】Cat Day

Apr 2, 2016 11:44
Today, I'd like to talk about

There are many Cat Days all over the world.

In 1987 in Japan, the Cat Day committee meeting defined February 22nd as Cat Day.

The reason is because the sound of a cat in Japan "nyan" corresponds to the sound of 2 "ni."

In that day, we seem to feel grateful about happiness being able to live together with cats, and share the joy with cats.

Also in the US, October 16th is Feral Cat Day, and they seem to think about lives of humans and feral cats.

By the way, Cat Day is March 1st in Russia, November 17th in Italy, August 27th in China, August 1st in Malaysia, and World Cat Day is August 8th.
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【No. 0469】Ukiashi-datsu

Mar 31, 2016 12:24
Today, I will talk about a Japanese term "ukiashi-datsu."

"Uki" of "ukiashi" means to float, and "ashi" of "ukiashi" means your feet.

Therefore, "ukiashi" means a state that you're standing on your tiptoes and your heels are floating.

Since this state is unstable, "ukiashi" came to express that you're restless and anxious, or you have cold feet.

Nowadays, we often use "ukiashi" as "ukiashi datsu (to stand with a state of ukiashi)," or "ukiashi-ninaru (to become ukiashi)."

Recently, people sometimes use "ukiashi-datsu" as the meaning of "to be restless and excited," but this is misuse.
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【No. 0468】How to Sit on a Toilet

Mar 30, 2016 17:10
I prefer Western-style toilets that you can sit on to Japanese-style toilets that you have to bend down, because I can relax by sitting.

However, if you sit on the Western toilets in a normal way, your excrement's flow from your rectum to your anus might be prevented.

On the other hand, it is though that a bend down style is suitable for defecation.

In fact, after Western-style toilets became widespread in Japan, the number of constipation patients has been increased.

In order to lay your egg smoothly even when you use Western-style toilets, it is recommended that you prepare a footrest, put your legs on it, and bend forward.
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【No. 0467】Right and Left [Part2]

Mar 29, 2016 08:38
Today, I will write the rest of the yesterday's entry.

In Japan, when we receive a diploma in an award ceremony, we first hold out our left hands.

It is thought that the reason why we think that left is superior to right is because the sun rises from east.

However, since west can become both right and left depending on the observer's direction, I'm not sure whether or not this hypothesis is right.

By the way, many of Australia's indigenous languages don't seem to have words that correspond to "right" and "left."

They use "north," "south," "east" and "west" instead.
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【No. 0466】Right and Left [Part1]

Mar 28, 2016 18:00
Today, I will talk about "right" and "left."

Worldwide, it's thought that "right" is better and more canonical than "left" in many cases.

In fact, "right" has the meaning of something like "correct," and the right-hand side of the first place is the second place in a podium.

On the other hand, "left" has sometimes negative meanings, for example, "left-handed" contains the meaning of "awkward."

In addition, in Hinduism and Islam, a right hand is a sacred hand to eat meals, and a left hand is an impure hand to clean your bottoms.

However, Japanese people often think that "left" is superior to "right."

In our diets, we place staple food and main dish on left-side.

In our politics, the rank of Sadaijin (minister of the left) is higher than the rank of Udaijin (minister of the right).

(Since this post will be too long, I will write the rest part tomorrow.)
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【No. 0465】!? v.s. ?!

Mar 27, 2016 15:52
Today, I'd like to talk about an exclamation point question mark (!?) and a question mark exclamation mark (?!).

Both symbols are used when you want to express your surprise and question simultaneously, but you can choose either depending on the first emotion that you felt.

In Japanese texts, the exclamation point question mark is used more frequently than the question mark exclamation point.

Also, these symbols are used to represent an ambitious and notable move in a game record of chess.

By the way, I was surprised at the presence of the symbol "interrobang(‽)" today.

This symbol is a fusion of a exclamation point and a question mark, and was invented in 1962 by Martin K. Speckter.

I'm not sure whether this symbol is commonly used in overseas.
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【No. 0464】The Roots of Japanese-style Curry

Mar 26, 2016 21:38
Today, I will talk about the roots of Japanese curry.

The origin of curry is India, but Japanese-style curry was imported from the British Navy.

In the past, since refrigeration technologies had not been developed, the British Navy couldn't store milk that is an ingredient of a stew.

However, the British Navy learned that spices have an antiseptic effect while stopping over India, and developed British-style curry.

After the British-style curry was imported to Japan, Japanese people added flour and make it thickened to suit rice, which is the Japanese staple.

In this way, Japanese-style curry was made.

By the way, it is famous that people belonging to the Japanese Navy eat curry every Friday in Japan.

This custom was established so as not to forget the sense of days of the week.
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【No. 0463】Hotaru no Hikari (Glowing Firefly)

Mar 25, 2016 19:11
March is the season of graduation in Japan.

In Japanese commencement ceremonies, we often sing "hotaru no hikari (glowing firefly)" as a farewell song.

The original song of "hotaru no hikari" is the Scottish folk song "Auld Lang Syne," which is comparable to the Scottish national anthem.

Also, "Auld Lang Syne" has spread all over the world.

Actually, Japanese people sing in favor of songs that were derived from Scottish folk songs in addition to "Auld Lang Syne."

One of the reasons is thought that the musical scale of Scottish folk songs is the same as the Japanese traditional one (5 musical scale).
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【No. 0461】Chloroform

Mar 23, 2016 13:18
Chloroform is a colorless liquid that has a sweet taste and a strong sweet smell.

Once it has been used as a general inhalation anesthetic in surgeries.

Since chloroform has a variety of uses in addition to the anesthetic, many research institutions often use it.

Besides, I think the most popular usage of it is to stun people in dramas or novels.

However, if you inhale some chloroform, you may have nausea and headache, but you won't faint.

If you want to stun someone by using chloroform, you have to: impregnate your handkerchief with a large amount of chloroform, press it against someone's mouth slowly and strongly, and make him/her take a deep breath for about five minutes.

I think that you should choke him/her if you want to stun someone.
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【No. 0460】"合う (au)" and "会う (au)"

Mar 22, 2016 21:06
Today, I will talk about Japanese verbs "合う (au)" and "会う (au)."

Since each verb has the same reading, and similar kanji, even Japanese people sometimes mistake the usage of them.

However, the meanings are totally different.

"合う" means that something is suitable to something, and "会う" means that a person meets to another person.

For example:

・彼のような大人しい性格の人はこの仕事に合っている。
(Shy people like him is suitable to the job.)

・駅前で兄弟と会う予定だ。
(I'm going to meet to my brother in the station.)

Also, there is another verb "遭う," which can be read as "au."

"遭う" means that a person encounters unlucky events, and the usage is something like the following:

・自転車に乗っていたら事故に遭った。
(I had an accident when I was riding a bicycle.)
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【No. 0457】2-maime and 3-maime

Mar 19, 2016 17:57
Today, I will introduce Japanese terms "2-maime" and "3-maime."

The literal meanings of "2-maime" and "3-maime" are "a 2nd board" and "a 3rd board," respectively, but the actual meanings are "a handsome man" and "a clown."

The reason is derived from kabuki, which is one of Japanese traditional performing arts.

In a front of kabuki performing theater, there are eight advertising boards, and actor names are written on them.

Traditionally, a leading actor is written in the first board, a handsome man is written in the second board, and a funny man is written in the third board.

Nowadays, only "2-maime" and "3-maime" are usually used in our lives.
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【No. 0456】"Higan" and "Shigan"

Mar 18, 2016 20:02
One week centering around the spring (autumn) equinox, that is, a period from March 17th to 23rd (from September 19th to 25th) is called "higan."

Japanese people often visit their ancestors' graves among the higan week.

Higan refers to the world where the souls of the dead live in Buddhism.

On the other hand, the world where we live is called "shigan."

Since higan is in the west, and shigan is in the east, we think that higan and shigan are easy to connect in the spring (autumn) equinox that the sun rises directly in the East and sets directly in the West.

However, actually only Japanese Buddhists visit graves in higan.

As one of the reasons, it is said that this tradition is the result of mixing Buddhism with Shinto that worships God of the sun.
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【No. 0455】Apartments and Mansions

Mar 17, 2016 17:39
There are many loanwords in Japan, and today I will talk about two of them: "アパート (apartment)" and "マンション (mansion)."

The meaning of "アパート" is the same as "apartment," but the meaning of "マンション" is different from "mansion."

In Japan, we call relatively large/luxury apartments "マンション."

Actually, I will live in マンション from next month, but it has only one narrow room.

You will never think of my living space as a mansion.

By the way, since "man" of "mansion" means ten thousand in Japan, we sometimes call really luxury apartments "億ション(oku-sion, oku means '100 million' in Japan).
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【No. 0454】Gas Fees in Japan

Mar 16, 2016 12:28
Gases are used in many Japanese lives.

The gases are divided into two major categories; city gas and propane gas.

The city gas consists primarily of methane, and it is supplied through gas pipes.

On the other hand, the propane gas consists mainly butane or propane, and it is supplied from gas cylinders that are installed outdoors.

The propane gas has some advantages, such as the strength of firepower and the adaptability in times of disaster, but it is very expensive instead.

I think the propane gas costs more than double for the city gas in most cases.

If you are looking for your apartment in Japan, please consider which to choose the city gas or the propane gas.

If the apartment is all-electric type, there is no need to worry about the gas.
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【No. 0452】Pi Day

Mar 14, 2016 15:09
Today is White Day that men give women gifts for their Valentine's chocolates in Japan.

However, today is also Pi Day.

In 2009, Pi Day was formally established by the United States House of Representatives.

In mathematics departments of some universities, anniversary parties seem to be held in this day.

Also, right now, I am submitting this post on March 14, 15:09.

I chose the time closer to pi among Pi Day.

By the way, there is an ultimate pi day (time), which is 3/14/1952 6:53:58.
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【No. 0451】Tarai Mawashi (Acrobatic Barrel-Rolling)

Mar 13, 2016 17:02
Today, I will talk about the Japanese phrase "tarai mawashi."

The phrase "tarai mawashi" expresses an acrobatic barrel-rolling performance using your feet, but this has been converted to mean that things are shifted from one section to another repeatedly.

For example, it's a situation such as: when you went to hospital A, you were said "please go to hospital B," then you went to hospital B, but you were said "please go to hospital C," so you went to hospital C, but you were said "please go to hospital A."

If you want to experience such "tarai mawashi," please visit an Uncyclopedia page about "tarai mawashi" shown in the following URL.

http://ja.uncyclopedia.info/wiki/%E7%9B%A5%E5%9B%9E%E3%81%97

You will be prompted to refer to different pages one after another.

This is really "tarai mawashi."