Skip to content

Essay

  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0324】The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique

Nov 7, 2015 11:53
I often take long to fall asleep.

When I searched for ways to get a good sleep quickly, I found "the 4-7-8 breathing technique."

This breathing technique, which was proposed in Harvard University, has a relaxing effect, and put you to sleep comfortably.

The specific method is: inhale through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.

Not only can this technique put you to sleep, but it seems to have also a effect to increase your concentration.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0323】Spatial Ability

Nov 6, 2015 11:17
Spatial ability is the ability to recognize three-dimensional information such as shapes, positions and angles of objects.

This ability can not only be applied to sports or work, but is also used when you back up your car to a parking or you read a map.

In addition, it is said that people who have excellent spatial ability can understand the entire scope of things and see through the true nature of things.

If you want to enhance the spatial ability, you should play catch with someone or draw pictures.
  • in Essay
  • 4 min read

【No. 0322】Buttons on Sleeves of School Uniforms

Nov 5, 2015 14:20
Today, I learned the reason why buttons are put on sleeves of school uniforms.

It was occurred when Napoleon's army tried to invade Russia.

Since it was too cold, many soldiers wiped their runny nose using their sleeve.

Napoleon watched them, and angrily said something like "stop doing things like that, it's a shame."

Then he put buttons on sleeves so that they can't wipe their nose.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0321】Chin-chin (dialect)

Nov 4, 2015 12:31
Today, I'd like to explain a dialect "chin-chin" in Aichi Prefecture where I was born.

It represents that something is very hot, we use it in the following manner.

・The kettle is chin-chin.
・The tea is chin-chin.

This phrase came from a sound of a kettle's lid when water is boiling.

However, this is just a dialect, and it could become a different meaning in other areas.

Therefore, please use it with utmost caution.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0320】Drop-kick

Nov 3, 2015 13:03
When human beings are electrified from an electrical wire or an outlet, they will become immobile.

However, if you try to help them, there is a risk that you could also be electrified.

The best way to help them is drop-kick.

Since most soles are made of rubber, any current does not pass.

If you have little confidence to do drop-kick, you can also hurl yourself against them.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0319】Taste of Your Tears

Nov 2, 2015 15:41
Have you ever licked your tears?

Actually, the taste of your tears slightly changes depending on your emotion.

When you are happy, impressed, or trying to deceive someone, your tears are similar to water and have little taste.

On the other hand, when you are excited, angry, or frustrated, your tears will become salty.

The reason is because strong emotions make the sympathetic nerve dominant, and the sodium excretion of kidney is suppressed, then the sodium concentration of tears increases.

Therefore, you could check people's emotions from the taste of their tears.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0318】Proverbs about Failure

Nov 1, 2015 12:24
Today, I learned Polish proverbs.

One of them is "Even the best baker sometimes fail to bake bread."

This literally indicates that even the master in the field can make a mistake.

Actually, there are many proverbs that have the same meaning, for example:

・Kobo (master in Shodo) sometimes slip of the ink brush.
・Even monkeys fall from trees.
・Kappa (water imp) get washed away by the river current.

I think there are similar proverbs in most counrties.

However, according to the Japanese dictionary site, there were as many as eighteen proverbs that have similar meanings.
  • in Essay
  • 1 min read

【No. 0317】"Kachin to kuru" and "Kochin to kuru"

Oct 31, 2015 14:27
There is the Japanese phrase "kachin to kuru," which expresses anger.

"Kachin" is a hitting sound of hard things.

Since we feel like something is hit in our brains when we feel anger, the phrase "kachin to kuru" was born.

"Kachin to kuru" is actually the more moderate expression than "angry."

There is also the anger expression "kochin to kuru," which is the more genial than "kachin to kuru."

"Kochin" is a kind of hollow sounds, so we think of it as a weaker hitting sound than "Kachin."

However, I have never seen someone use "kochin to kuru."

"Kochin to kuru" is the really unfamiliar expression.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0316】The Meaning of Aka (Red)

Oct 30, 2015 12:18
The Japanese word "aka (red) " has various meanings.

For example, aka includes meanings something like "obviously" or "completely," and is used like "赤の他人(aka no tanin: complete stranger)" or "真っ赤な嘘(makka na uso: barefaced lie)."

Also, since we have written deficits using red color in bookkeeping, the expression "赤字(akaji: deficits)" was born.

Similarly, we refer to a bad score on a test as "赤点(akaten)."

Meanwhile, we call babies "赤ちゃん(aka-chan)," "赤ん坊(akanbou)" or "赤子(akago)," because their skins look red.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0315】Ichi-moku Oku

Oct 29, 2015 16:44
Today, I'd like to explain the phrase "ichi-moku oku (place one stone)," derived from the board game called Go.

In Go, a weaker will sometimes start the game with placing one (or several) stone.

From such a thing, we have become to say "ichi-moku oku" when we acknowledge someone's superiority.

For example, the phrase is used like the following:

Since this kid was remarkable, I acknowledge his superiority.
（彼のような子供は珍しいので、一目置いている。）

However, it is rude that you say "ichi-moku oku" to elders and betters, so please be careful when you use it.
  • in Essay
  • 4 min read

【No. 0314】Mayonnaise

Oct 28, 2015 13:44
I like mayonnaise.

Since mayonnaise is often used as ingredients of rice balls and breads in Japan, I think many Japanese like mayonnaise.

However, Russians eat more mayonnaise per capita than any other nation in the world (the amount is 5.1 kg).

In Russian households, they sometimes seem to use an entire bottle of mayonnaise for one dish.

Winters in Russia are very cold, so presumably they supplement calories with mayonnaise.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0313】Price of Beer

Oct 27, 2015 14:19
I heard beer is very expensive in Japan.

Roughly, a glass of beer (400 ml) costs 500-600 yen (4-5 dollars) in taverns.

What do you think about this compared to your country?

One of the reason why beer is expensive is height of taxes on alcohol (alcohol tax).

If you are fond of drink, take care when you comes to Japan.
  • in Essay
  • 3 min read

【No. 0311】White Chocolate

Oct 25, 2015 10:19
I like white chocolates, and sometimes eat them, but I heard there is little advantage compared to ordinary chocolates.

Chocolates contains polyphenols, which are effective in preventing aging, cancer and arteriosclerosis, while white chocolates don't contains them.

Also, since white chocolates are comsists of just fat and oil of cacao, the calories are higher and the preserving property is lower than chocolates.

A doctor said that white chocolates are the same as the mass of fat and sugar, and he don't recommend that you eat it.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0309】Furin (wind chimes)

Oct 23, 2015 12:49
Summer in Japan, we often see furin.

Furin is called "wind chimes" in English, and it tinkles with cool sounds while winds are blowing.

When we hear the sound of hurin, our brains are misled into thinking that it's cool, and our body surface temperature drops about 2 degrees.

However, this law seems to be applicable only to Japanese people, and not applicable to overseas people.

I think it's really interesting that such a sound can decrease our body temperature.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0308】Let's Count Six Seconds

Oct 22, 2015 09:47
An emotion "anger" is very susceptible to the temporal mood.

It's said that you particularly get emotional within six seconds after you feel anger towards something.

Also, it's also said that a terrible anger emotion can persist for only a maximum of six seconds.

Therefore, if you feel anger towards something, please count six seconds calmly.

By doing this, you can prevent bad actions, and regrets will be reduced.

【No. 0307】Sleeping After Waking Up

Oct 21, 2015 11:21
I often go back to sleep after waking up.

It is thought that since going back to sleep become light sleep, and stimuli from outsides become mild, it feels good.

However, I actually want to get up early, so I searched for methods to prevent from it.

According to the Internet, it seems good to move your body forcibly and drink a glass of water.


I will try to do this from tomorrow.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0306】Evolved Washlet

Oct 20, 2015 14:22
Washlet toilets (or shower toilets) are popular in Japan.

In fact, a toilet placed in my apartment has also the washlet function.

However, a Japanese company developed a new toilet.

Surprisingly, the toilet has a function that wiping automatically your anus using toilet tissues after using washlets.

I think this crossed the line.

This toilet will be released next summer.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0305】Cunning

Oct 19, 2015 13:57
Japanese people call "a fraud in a test" "カンニング(cunning)."

"カンニング" is derived from an English word "cunnning," but the meaning is different.

The meaning of "カンニング(cunning)" in Japan is actually "cheating " or "cribbing" in English.

The reason why the meaning changed is said that a student extended the meaning of "cunning," and started to use it as the meaning of "cheating" implicitly in Meiji Period.
  • in Essay
  • 2 min read

【No. 0302】Static Electricity

Oct 16, 2015 13:18
During winter, I often crackle with static electricity when I touch a doorknob.

Since the static electricity shocks me and is painful, I hate it.

In such cases, I heard it will be better to touch the doorknob while rubbing the back of the hand.

The signal that your hand is touched interfere in other signals, so you seem not to feel pain signals caused by static electricity.

It is also effective that you touch non-metal things such as a wooden wall before you touch metals such as a doorknob.

【No. 0300】It's Difficult to Keep a Diary

Oct 14, 2015 14:40
It has proven scientifically that writing a diary is good for you.

In particular, it can restore your mental balance.

If it was a bad day, I would write the detail on my diary, and recover myself.

However, it's difficult to keep a diary for many people.

In such cases, please try to keep a diary for three weeks (it's also okay if the diary is only one line) .

In the field of brain science, it's said that if you continue to do something for three weeks, it will be your habit.