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【No. 0274】Caligula Effect

Sep 18, 2015 13:48
Have you ever had the experience of being tempted to watch something by being told "don't watch it?"

This psychological effect, that you feel tempted to something by being prohibited like this, is called "Caligula Effect."

Since most people place more value on rare things, if something is prohibited or restricted, it will tend to get a lot of attention.

Therefore, if someone say "no trespassing," "don't touch," or "don't tell anyone," some people will get eager to do the opposite to them.

Unfortunately, there are exceptions.

Even if you say "don't study hard" to your children, they will not study.
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【No. 0272】Drink Medicine

Sep 16, 2015 11:19
In Japan, we often say "薬を飲む(drink medicine)" when we take medicine.

It is the same even for a tablet, powder, or liquid.

I think we say "食べる(eat)" when we chew something, and we say "飲む(drink)" when we swallow something.

Some people refer to curry as drink.

On the other hand, take can used for both meals(e.g. take a meal) and drink(e.g. take a cup of coffee).

Since take carry a great deal of meaning, it sometimes helpful, but sometimes confusing to me.
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【No. 0270】Unmanned Sales of Vegetables

Sep 14, 2015 13:20
In countrysides of Japan, you can see that vegetables are being sold in the open air.

Vegetables are arranged, and prices are written, but there are no sales person.

If you want to buy the vegetables, you have to put your money into the box placed near them.

Since no labor cost is needed, you can buy vegetables inexpensively.

I think such unmanned sales imply good public safety and order of Japan.

However, unfortunately there seems to be some Japanese people who take vegetables without paying money.
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【No. 0268】Kyoto Sightseeing

Sep 12, 2015 18:43
Today, my friends, my teacher and I went sightseeing in Kyoto for half a day.

During the morning, we visited the Ninnaji Temple, which is listed as a World Heritage Site.

It was a place with atmosphere, and worth seeing.

In the afternoon, we went to see Lake Biwa, which is the largest lake in Japan.

And now, I'm on the bus on the way back to Nagano.

Five more hours and I'll be in my apartment.
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【No. 0263】Movement Distance of Blood

Sep 7, 2015 10:54
Within our bodies, blood is always circulating.

Generally, blood seems to make a circuit of our bodies in around 23 seconds.

This time means that the speed of blood is around 216 km per hour.

Then, blood in our bodies moves approximately 96,540 km in total in a day.

This movement distance is almost equivalent to two and a half times as long as the circumference of the Earth.

I think this is kind of weird.
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【No. 0262】Operate a Smartphone While Eating

Sep 6, 2015 10:20
In Japanese restaurant, more and more people have operated a smartphone while eating.

It does not mean to check e-mail or something occasionally.

They put their smartphones on a table, and eat a meal using their right hand, while operating the smartphone using their left hand.

What do you think about this behavior?

I think this is not a good manner.

I think this is rude to a cook, and rude to the other party if they are coming to the restaurant with several persons.

Also, it is not good from a hygiene perspective, and the posture looks like clunky.

If they eat alone at their home, I think it is no problem.

However I want them to stop operating a smartphone while eating in a public restaurant.

【No. 0261】Snooze Button

Sep 5, 2015 10:42
I use an snooze button of an alarm clock.

However, I found out that the snooze button derange your sleep cycle and biological clock, so it's not good for your health.

By using the snooze button, you will be "sleep inertia," which is something like spaced-out state.

Also, this will affect your work deeply over a day.

From now on, I will stop using the snooze button.

【No. 0260】Cold and Coke

Sep 4, 2015 10:35
I have had a sore throat since yesterday, so I could have caught a cold.

At time like this, I found the information that a Coke is good for a cold.

According to the Internet, this information is common in the West (especially France), but I think most Japanese people don't know this.

Originally, the Coke had been released as a cold medicine.

Medical evidence has not been proven, but it seems to have effects, such as relaxation of headache and throat inflammation, and improvement of indigestion.

Today, I will buy and drink a Coke.

By the way, in Canada, a cold sufferer seems to drink Ginger Ale.
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【No. 0256】Color Effect

Aug 31, 2015 11:25
Colors have powers that affect our time sense.

Warm colors, such as red, orange, yellow, is called "excitement color."

When you are in a room that composed of many warm colors, your heart rate and blood pressure will rise.

Also, the warm colors make us feel that the time seems long, so fast food outlets often use warm colors to increase turnover of customers.

Cold colors, such as blue, is called "sedative color," and they will suppress our excitement/appetite, and lower our heart rate/respiratory rate/blood pressure.

Companies often use the cold colors to increase work efficiencies.
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【No. 0254】Kitamakura(北枕)

Aug 29, 2015 09:01
In Japan, ’kitamakura,’ which is to sleep with the head toward the north, has thought of as bad omen.

There is a custom that we lay a deceased with the head toward the north, kitamakura reminds the death.

I heard this is derived from the figure of when Buddha died from poisoning.

However, in India, where Buddhism originated, and any other countries, there is no custom like this.

Conversely, it is said that kitamakura is good acting in some countries.

In fact, Kitamakura seems to be scientifically good for health, because of geomagnetic relationship.
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【No. 0253】The Meaning of "結構(kekko)"

Aug 28, 2015 11:14
Today, I'd like to introduce a Japanese confusing term '結構(kekko).'

Kekko has four big meanings:

1 : "結構面白いですね（Kekko omoshiroi desune : It's more interesting than expected.）"

Here, the meaning of kekko is something like "more ~ than expected" or enough or 'pretty.'

I think this kekko is most commonly used in Japan.

2 : "お支払いは結構です（Oshiharai wa kekko desu : The payment is not needed.）"

Here, the meaning of kekko is "no need" or "not required."

3 : "お支払いは後日で結構です（Oshiharai wa gojitsu de kekko desu : The payment is fine at a later date.）"

Here, the meaning of kekko is "no problem" or 'satisfied.'

You can translate "結構です" as "構いません（don't care）" or "大丈夫です（okay）."

4 : "結構なお点前ですね（Kekko na otemae desune : It's a worthy place.）"

Here, the meaning of kekko is worthy or fantalicious or 'perfect.'

While writing this, I was also a little confused, haha.
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【No. 0252】Stroke Order of the Letter 'H'

Aug 27, 2015 10:32
Stroke order of alphabets are not decided exactly.

However, there are common stroke order that are widely taught.

And, I heard that only 20% of Japanese people can write the letter H at the correct stroke order.

The correct stroke order of H is : write the left vertical bar, the right vertical bar, and the central horizontal bar.

Most Japanese seem to write H at the following stroke order : the left vertical bar, the central horizontal bar, and the right vertical bar.

I was wrong too.

By the way, the correct stroke order of the letter M is writing firstly left and right vertical bars, but I think most Japanese are wrong as well.
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【No. 0249】The Longest Song

Aug 24, 2015 13:50
The song, which has the longest performance time, is "Organ2 / ASLSP" of John Cage composer.

The performance time is 639 years.

This song has been performed from 2001, and the performance will end in 2639.

The length was derived from the period from 1361 which is the first year an organ was installed to 2000 which is the year the performance was planned.

By the way, the performance began from September 5, 2001, but it had been silent until February 5, 2003 because the period was rest.

The first code had been performed from February 5, 2003 until July 5, 2005.

I'm not sure but I think it's amazing.
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【No. 0248】Pocari Sweat

Aug 23, 2015 14:06
"Pocari Sweat" is one of the most popular sport drink in Japan.

Many of us drink it during sport, and it is sold in most of the shops and vending machines.

I think it's something like "Gatorade" in foreign countries, but it has also a little sour taste in addition to sweet tastes.

However, the sour taste never imply that Pocari's sweat is contained.

"Sweat" in "Pocari Sweat" means that the drink can replenish water lost by sweating.

Also, I heard that "Pocari" has no meaning.

I really like this drink "Pocari Sweat," but I think that it will be shunned by the name in English-speaking countries.
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【No. 0247】Japanese Common People Names

Aug 22, 2015 12:01
The other day, I introduced Japanese strange name(kira kira name).

Today, I will show you some Japanese common names that have meaning even in some foreign countries.

「愛（あい, Ai）」・・・While this name means love in Japan, it means "artificial intelligence" or "the first person."

Therefore, if she said "I'm Ai," you might be confused.

Also, this name means egg in German, and sloth in Portuguese.

「沙織（さおり, Saori）」・・・This name has a image like feminal or silky, but if she said "I'm Saori," you might think of it as "I'm sorry."

「たけし」・・・This name means strong and toughie, but it might sound like "take a shit."

「こうた」・・・This name has several good meanings depending on the kanji. However, the pronunciation seems to be similar to dirty in Swedish, ploppy in German, "female genitalia" in British English.
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【No. 0246】The Meaning of SOS

Aug 21, 2015 12:17
SOS is the distress signal, and the message for help, which is used all over the world.

In the Morse code, SOS is composed of three short, three long, and three short signals, that are very easy to input and remember.

At the beginning of the introduction of the Morse code, CQD (call to quarters, distress) was used as the distress signal.

However, in 1906, the new signal SOE, which was proposed by Germany, had been adopted as the universal distress signal due to the intelligibility.

Furthermore, E is one short signal, and it was tended to fail to hear, so SOE became SOS.

It is sometimes referred to as the abbreviation of "save our souls" or "save our ship," however, actually these letters have no meaning.

The etymology is just because it's easy to input and recognize SOS.
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【No. 0245】An Obsession with Time in Japanese Trains

Aug 20, 2015 15:25
It is said that Japanese trains are exactly on time.

It depends on the region, but is generally correct.

Almost all Japanese trains don't get delayed more than 15 seconds.

If the train got delayed for 15 seconds, the railway company would report it as a delay.

If the train got delayed for 1 minute, the railway company and the motorman would express regret over the delay.

If the train got delayed for 2 minute, people might make a complaint.

Since trains run every 2-3 minute in Yamanote Line in Tokyo, it's very important to be exactly on time.
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【No. 0244】Kira Kira Name

Aug 19, 2015 16:15
Recently in Japan, children who has strange name has increased.

The strange name is called "kira kira name(キラキラネーム, kira kira means twinkle)."

Today, I'd like to show famous ones of kira kira names.

「黄熊」・・・The reading is "ぷう（Pooh）." This might be derived from "Winnie-the-Pooh."

「光宙」・・・The reading is "ピカチュウ（Pikachu）."

「金星」・・・The reading is "まぁず（Mars）," though, "金星" means Venus.

In addition, some Japanese people have tried to name their baby something like foreigner's name.

For example, "南椎（なんしー, Nancy）," "奏日亜（そふぃあ, Sophia）," "舞気流（まいける, Michel）," "匠音（しょーん, Sean）."

However, their name will be written "Nansi," "Sofuia," "Maikeru," "Shon" In their passport.

We sometimes feel shame.

【No. 0243】Interesting Open and Closed Signs Board

Aug 18, 2015 11:19
Today, I found an interesting open/closed signs board.

The video is shown below.



As you can see, the word "close" changed into the word "open" by rotating the gears.

Furthermore, the character d changed to the eighth note, and the star changed to the sun.

It was so impressive to me, and I liked this gimmick.
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【No. 0242】The Silent Bon Dance Festival

Aug 17, 2015 14:12
In summers in Japan, we often join a bon dance festival that was originally a Buddhist event.

In the bon dance festival, we play music, hit drums, and dance.

However, recently in Japan, people who feel annoyed to the sound of the festival has increased.

Therefore, some bon dance festivals became silent ones.

They wear an earphone, and just dance.

From afar, this may seem like zombie dance.