Ko-Girl (A2M/F)
Among the many high school girls in Japan there are some that
look like the picture below. They are called Ko-Girls (Ko is
the first character of the word high school in Japan) and they
can mainly be seen in large cities in Japan. Most Japanese people
think that they look strange but these girls think that they
look very cute.
Regardless of the fact that the thick soled shoes they wear often
cause them be fall, they still wear them since they think it
makes their legs look longer. We Japanese do not understand them
at all but we also think that you should be allowed to do what
you like.
Pricura - Print Club (A2M/F)
Pricura are small pictures taken with the kind of machine
in the picture below. These machines first appeared about 4 years
ago. The price to take a pricura is about 300 yen, about $3,
and is very popular among girl students of all ages. Pricura
look like this.
Many people trade these pictures with their friends and collect
them in small albums. Lately, full body pricura have also came
out. You can also write messages or graffiti on them. Pricura
are very fun so when you come to Japan, please take some with
your friends !
'Onsen,' hot springs (A4F)
In Japan, we have many hot springs
which we call "onsen." An onsen is big and is surrounded
by stones and trees. The natural hot water in the onsen is very
good for the body. We Japanese often go to an onsen when we want
to relax, because the hot water there cures stiff sholders and
other ailments.
You do not wear any clothes in the onsen bath and it is divided
into sections for men and for women. There are some onsen where
there is mixed sex bathing in which both men and women can use
the same bath, but these places are an exception. When an onsen
is outside we call it a rotemburo, which means open-air bath.
Here we can enjoy the scenery of the outdoors or of a garden.
At some onsen, monkeys even get into the bath with the people.
Before we go into an onsen bath, we first take a shower but in
Japan we sit on a small stool while we shower.
We also have special onsen hot spring eggs as well as hot spring
manju. An onsen egg is a half boiled egg which is cooked by the
steam of the hot spring. Since it is only half cooked, we mix
with a clear soup and eat it.
Hot spring manju is also made with steam of the hot spring. An
onsen is a very good place to go if when you visit Japan.
Paper Money (A4M)
In Japan there are 3 different denominations for paper money-1000
yen, 5000 yen and 10000 yen. The 1000 yen bill has Natsume Soseki,
a writer on it, the 5000 yen bill has Nitobe Inazo, a scholar
on it, and the 10000 yen bill has Yukichi Fukuzawa, also a scholar
on it. This year a 2000 bill will also start to be issued, but
we do not know who will be on it.
Coins (B3M)
Coins in Japan used to be sea shells long time ago. Then they
became coins whose shape were like a sword. Later they were imported
to Japan and became oval-shaped coins called Ohban and Koban
which were made of gold, or round-shaped coins called Dosen,
or square-shaped coins made of gold or silver. The recent type
of coins has been used for about 100 years.
Bills have been used more than 100 years ago. The present bills
used in Japan are strong enough, so even if you fold a bill thousands
of times, it will not tear.
Washi, Traditional Japanese Paper (C1F)
'Washi,' or Japanese paper, is part of traditional Japanese
culture and was first made as a gift to the emperor in Nara period.
Washi was made a lot in Edo period, but now the demand has decreased
and only 50 or so companies produce Washi which contains plastic
or glass fiber and sell it as craftwork.
The trees which are the raw material of Washi are paper mulberry,
ganpi, and trident. The tanned leather of paper mulberry is brown
and very hard so it does not tear easily. Only the tanned leather
of these trees can be used for this paper.
You can make Washi from milk packs, too. You can also send post
cards made from it.
Japanese Cars (C5M)
A) Sport Cars
a) TOYOTA: Supra, Soarer ,MR2, Celica, Artezza, Trueno, Levin,
MR-S
b) NISSAN: Skyline, Silvia, 180SX, FairLady Z
c) HONDA: S2000, NSX, Prelude, Integra, Civic
d) SUBARU: Forester, Legacy, Impreza
e) MITSUBISHI: Lancer, Galant, Diamante
f) MAZDA :RX-7, Roadstar
B) High Quality Cars
a) TOYOTA: Cersior, Crown Majesta, Progres, Century, Aristo,
Windom (All are Lexus in America)
b) NISSAN: Gloria, Cedric, Laurel, Cima, President
c) MAZDA: Luce, Sentia, Millenia
d) HONDA: Legend
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