Hello everyone,
so yesterday I arrived safe and sound back in Germany. The flight back was really ok, I was able to sleep and entertain myself with good movies. After a good nights sleep in my own bed at home I feel like a new person.
Starting today I will study Japanese again, there is much for me to learn until I start working in a Japanese company from April next year. If I manage with my busy schedule I will try to keep you updated on how I am doing in Tokyo.
So just wait a couple of month and there will be new adventures of myself in Japan. Next time everything there is to find out about Tokyo!
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
One week - so much left to do
Hello everyone,
so my last week in Japan just started, and it is sad, that my time here is almost at an end. But I will make the most of it!
Last week I did exactly the same, and lived life to the fullest, here is what I did all week:
Monday:
Well Monday was my first day in freedom (after taking the JLPT), so I went to a temple I always wanted to go to, but never found the time. The temple is called Daigoji (醍醐寺) and is a world heritage site. This temple a little bit outside of Kyoto to the south-east was established in 874. It is a big complex of buildings built on the side of Daigo Mountain. Though the temple was destroyed repeatedly by fires, its five story pagoda, built in 951 remained intact and is now the oldest reliable dated building in Kyoto. This makes it already worth a visit, but you shouldn't miss the Bentendo Hall, a very famous building (especially in Autumn, when the surrounding leaves turn their color).
so my last week in Japan just started, and it is sad, that my time here is almost at an end. But I will make the most of it!
Last week I did exactly the same, and lived life to the fullest, here is what I did all week:
Monday:
Well Monday was my first day in freedom (after taking the JLPT), so I went to a temple I always wanted to go to, but never found the time. The temple is called Daigoji (醍醐寺) and is a world heritage site. This temple a little bit outside of Kyoto to the south-east was established in 874. It is a big complex of buildings built on the side of Daigo Mountain. Though the temple was destroyed repeatedly by fires, its five story pagoda, built in 951 remained intact and is now the oldest reliable dated building in Kyoto. This makes it already worth a visit, but you shouldn't miss the Bentendo Hall, a very famous building (especially in Autumn, when the surrounding leaves turn their color).
five story pagoda
Bentendo
Tuesday:
On Tuesday I went to eat Chinese Food with my host-mother, a friend of hers and a Greek girl. I had never had "real" Chinese Food before, always only the westernized fastfood that you get everywhere in Germany. It was an interesting experience. I tried jellyfish and shark fin, both really tasty, as well as pork meet in a dark sauce and other really tasty dishes.
Wednesday:
My personal highlight of the week: Universal Studios Japan, aka The Wizard World of Harry Potter. It was exactly as awesome as I expected. The rebuilt the Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmead with all its famous Shops like Zonkos, Honey Dukes, the three Broomsticks and the Hogs Head. It was all created with love to detail and you could really feel like someone who had just entered the world of Harry Potter. Unfortunately the merchandize was very expensive, but I still had to buy some things.
Hogwarts Castle
Ollivanders
Thursday:
I relaxed and stayed home, except for going to dinner at an Indian Restaurant, which was really good, and afterwards having a short stroll along a street illuminated by christmas lights in all the trees.
Friday:
I met with Kati after school (and three exams that day) to go to Osaka. We first went shopping (for me more like window shopping, I can't buy much more things since my luggage is already full), then we at dinner (Kushikatsu, I always forget to take a picture sorry) and last we went to the German Christmas Market in Umeda. It is actually exactly just like a German Christmas Market, only there are more Japanese people, and it is much more expensive. They had Stollen (Christmas Cake) and Glühwein (hot wine) and decoration for christmas and the atmosphere was also really nice.
Saturday:
I met with Roy (for the last time in a while) and went to Uji (a small town south of Kyoto, famous for its Matcha). It was really cold and we were half dead from walking so much but we went to see Byodoin (平等院) a very famous Temple (it is on every 10 Yen coin), the Uji shrine and the Ujikami shrine and also the Mimurotoji Temple.
Afterwards we ate and went to Karaoke, ate again and just sat at Starbucks talking about everything and nothing.
Byodoin
Sunday:
The week is almost over! In the morning we went to a nice tea place with a friend. Afterwards Roy and me went to watch "The Hobbit" (I thought it wasn't bad, could have done some things better though).
And that is how my week ended. Thank you for reading all that.
Not its only one more week, and I still have a lot of tests, and the weather will also be bad half of the time.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
Hi everyone,
so I haven't really been writing a lot, but thats mainly because I didn't have time to do anything fun, and also because I didn't really have the time to write. The reason for that was the very very very important Japanese Language Proficiency Test, that I took yesterday. For the last two weeks I have been preparing for this test, but really I started studying for it sometime in August.
The JLPT is the test if you want to officially prove a certain level of Japanese Language knowledge. It is split up in 5 Levels, N5 being the lowest, N1 the highest and most complicated. Each one of these tests is only twice a year and in every level there are parts that you need to pass. Like Vocabulary and Kanji, Grammar, Reading and Listening. I think it is very sad that there is neither a writing nor a speaking part, but as the Japanese say "shouganai" which basically means: It can't be helped. But like most words and phrases in Japanese language it implies much more than that. I am drifting of topic here.
Last year in December I took the JLPT N3 Level, it was relatively hard, you need to know about 650 Kanji and around 3000 Vocabulary. It was really hard for me, but I passed. Reading and Listening sections were really easy for me. One year later I thought I needed to prove myself that I had learned a lot, and also if you have N2 it is much easier to find a Japan related job. So I have been studying, and going to school, and doing my homework, and studied some more after that for good measure. But I have to say, yesterdays test was really hard. In N2 Level you need to know 1000 Kanji and 6000 Vocabulary terms. Listening was still easy for me, but Reading to really tricky because of the questions, it was hard for me to understand the nuances of the answers. The last problem with the test is the time. I am usually really fast at taking tests, always the first to hand it in, but the JLPT has so much to do and to read and so little time, that I didn't even manage to start reading the last text, and so I had to guess 3 questions completely (they weren't the only ones that i guessed).
I will know in February if I passed or not, and until then I will just not worry and enjoy my freedom. This week and also next week to a lesser extent are going to be really busy with things I really want to do and places I want to go before returning to Germany. So wait for my next post with exciting adventures and beautiful pictures.
so I haven't really been writing a lot, but thats mainly because I didn't have time to do anything fun, and also because I didn't really have the time to write. The reason for that was the very very very important Japanese Language Proficiency Test, that I took yesterday. For the last two weeks I have been preparing for this test, but really I started studying for it sometime in August.
The JLPT is the test if you want to officially prove a certain level of Japanese Language knowledge. It is split up in 5 Levels, N5 being the lowest, N1 the highest and most complicated. Each one of these tests is only twice a year and in every level there are parts that you need to pass. Like Vocabulary and Kanji, Grammar, Reading and Listening. I think it is very sad that there is neither a writing nor a speaking part, but as the Japanese say "shouganai" which basically means: It can't be helped. But like most words and phrases in Japanese language it implies much more than that. I am drifting of topic here.
Last year in December I took the JLPT N3 Level, it was relatively hard, you need to know about 650 Kanji and around 3000 Vocabulary. It was really hard for me, but I passed. Reading and Listening sections were really easy for me. One year later I thought I needed to prove myself that I had learned a lot, and also if you have N2 it is much easier to find a Japan related job. So I have been studying, and going to school, and doing my homework, and studied some more after that for good measure. But I have to say, yesterdays test was really hard. In N2 Level you need to know 1000 Kanji and 6000 Vocabulary terms. Listening was still easy for me, but Reading to really tricky because of the questions, it was hard for me to understand the nuances of the answers. The last problem with the test is the time. I am usually really fast at taking tests, always the first to hand it in, but the JLPT has so much to do and to read and so little time, that I didn't even manage to start reading the last text, and so I had to guess 3 questions completely (they weren't the only ones that i guessed).
I will know in February if I passed or not, and until then I will just not worry and enjoy my freedom. This week and also next week to a lesser extent are going to be really busy with things I really want to do and places I want to go before returning to Germany. So wait for my next post with exciting adventures and beautiful pictures.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Last days of November
Hi everyone,
November is drawing to a close and I am sitting at home all day studying. The JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) will be next week and I don't feel ready. The weather has really been great recently and so I really wanted to go and do something other than studying for a change.
So on Friday I met my German friend to go see a temple and afterwards go shopping and have dinner together. I only bought DVDs, in Japanese, so I could watch them and learn something while doing so.
The temple we went to is called Tofukuji (東福寺) and is a very famous temple in Kyoto, especially because of its Japanese Maple trees that turn so beautifully red in autumn. It was founded around 750 years ago as a buddhist zen temple (as so many others in Kyoto). Really beautiful is the view from but also of the Tsutenkyo (Bridge). There where still a lot of tourists, even though the season is almost over, and a lot of the trees didn't have all their leaves anymore. But if I imagine how full it must have been one week ago I am really happy that I went on Friday.
Our shopping we did at Kyoto Station, there are a lot of shops below ground. The christmas tree in the big entrance hall is also really beautiful, and in the background you can see the stairs with their light show (it changes all the time with a lot of christmas related pictures).
Lastly I would like to show you what a really beautiful Japanese tea house is like. You might be thinking tea ceremony now, but that is not what I am talking about. It's more like a café where you go, sit down, drink some tea and eat some sweets and just enjoy the view of the garden. I went with a Japanese friend, who really loves visiting nice tea houses in Kyoto and two American friends of hers.
November is drawing to a close and I am sitting at home all day studying. The JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) will be next week and I don't feel ready. The weather has really been great recently and so I really wanted to go and do something other than studying for a change.
So on Friday I met my German friend to go see a temple and afterwards go shopping and have dinner together. I only bought DVDs, in Japanese, so I could watch them and learn something while doing so.
The temple we went to is called Tofukuji (東福寺) and is a very famous temple in Kyoto, especially because of its Japanese Maple trees that turn so beautifully red in autumn. It was founded around 750 years ago as a buddhist zen temple (as so many others in Kyoto). Really beautiful is the view from but also of the Tsutenkyo (Bridge). There where still a lot of tourists, even though the season is almost over, and a lot of the trees didn't have all their leaves anymore. But if I imagine how full it must have been one week ago I am really happy that I went on Friday.
Our shopping we did at Kyoto Station, there are a lot of shops below ground. The christmas tree in the big entrance hall is also really beautiful, and in the background you can see the stairs with their light show (it changes all the time with a lot of christmas related pictures).
Lastly I would like to show you what a really beautiful Japanese tea house is like. You might be thinking tea ceremony now, but that is not what I am talking about. It's more like a café where you go, sit down, drink some tea and eat some sweets and just enjoy the view of the garden. I went with a Japanese friend, who really loves visiting nice tea houses in Kyoto and two American friends of hers.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Arashiyama in Fall
Hello everyone,
it's finally fall in Japan, one of the most beautiful and also nicest seasons, on the other hand Japan is a country were all seasons are really nice for one or the other reason.
In Japan fall is the season of book reading and tasty food. Two of my most favorite past times. Unfortunately it also gets very cold especially in the night and inside the houses, for they are very poorly isolated. But fall is specially nice because of the color changing leaves of the trees, here the most famous and beloved are Momiji (red Japanese maple), but I also really like Ginkgo trees which turn bright yellow.
To enjoy this season the best I can, I went to Arashiyama, one of the nicest areas of Kyoto. I have been there a couple of times before but it is a very beautiful area, no matter what season. I went there right after school and since I didn't have too much time (almost all temple and shrine close around 4 or 5) I looked up which temple I wanted to go to and went there first.
My way led me to Rakushisha (落柿舎), not a temple but a cottage of a famous poet named Mukai Kyorai. The name Rakushisha means the cottage of the fallen persimmons and has a very nice story.
"Kyorai had about forty persimmon trees in the garden of his hut. One automn when they were heavy with fruit, he had arranged to sell the persimmons. But the night before they were to be picked a great storm arose. The next morning not a single persimmon was left on the trees. Kyorai was enlightened by this experience, and from then on called the hut Rakushisha."
The small cottage is really beautiful to look at and the small garden surrounding it has the atmosphere as if a poet could be inspired there.
Next I made my way to Jojakkoji (常寂光寺) which was founded only in 1596 and is located at the side of a mountain. The garden is really beautiful with a lot of moss and maple trees. There are small ways surrounding the buildings that lead through a nice garden. The atmosphere is really great, but unfortunately there were a lot of people because of the nice weather and colored leaves.
I crossed the famous bamboo forest and came to a very small shrine that I always visit when going to Arashiyama. It is called Nonomiya (野宮神社) and has a small moss garden. Here it was also really crowded but I guess you just have to live with that in a tourist spot like Kyoto.
After satisfying my thirst for colored leaves I walked through the tourist shops, ate some Japanese food and just enjoyed everything. Here are a couple more pictures I took on the way.
it's finally fall in Japan, one of the most beautiful and also nicest seasons, on the other hand Japan is a country were all seasons are really nice for one or the other reason.
In Japan fall is the season of book reading and tasty food. Two of my most favorite past times. Unfortunately it also gets very cold especially in the night and inside the houses, for they are very poorly isolated. But fall is specially nice because of the color changing leaves of the trees, here the most famous and beloved are Momiji (red Japanese maple), but I also really like Ginkgo trees which turn bright yellow.
To enjoy this season the best I can, I went to Arashiyama, one of the nicest areas of Kyoto. I have been there a couple of times before but it is a very beautiful area, no matter what season. I went there right after school and since I didn't have too much time (almost all temple and shrine close around 4 or 5) I looked up which temple I wanted to go to and went there first.
My way led me to Rakushisha (落柿舎), not a temple but a cottage of a famous poet named Mukai Kyorai. The name Rakushisha means the cottage of the fallen persimmons and has a very nice story.
"Kyorai had about forty persimmon trees in the garden of his hut. One automn when they were heavy with fruit, he had arranged to sell the persimmons. But the night before they were to be picked a great storm arose. The next morning not a single persimmon was left on the trees. Kyorai was enlightened by this experience, and from then on called the hut Rakushisha."
The small cottage is really beautiful to look at and the small garden surrounding it has the atmosphere as if a poet could be inspired there.
Next I made my way to Jojakkoji (常寂光寺) which was founded only in 1596 and is located at the side of a mountain. The garden is really beautiful with a lot of moss and maple trees. There are small ways surrounding the buildings that lead through a nice garden. The atmosphere is really great, but unfortunately there were a lot of people because of the nice weather and colored leaves.
I crossed the famous bamboo forest and came to a very small shrine that I always visit when going to Arashiyama. It is called Nonomiya (野宮神社) and has a small moss garden. Here it was also really crowded but I guess you just have to live with that in a tourist spot like Kyoto.
Last I made my way to the most famous Temple in Arashiyama called Tenryuji (天龍寺), a world heritage site. The name means "Temple of the heavenly dragon" and is a head temple of a part of Zen Buddhism called Rinzai Zen Buddhism. It was established in 1339 on the site of the first Zen Temple ever established in Japan. Like many other temples in Japan it had to be rebuilt very often due to fires. The buildings that can be seen now were mostly built in the Meiji period (1868-1912). The most fascinating feature of Tenryuji is its landscape garden, one of the oldest in Japan, created in the 14th century.
After satisfying my thirst for colored leaves I walked through the tourist shops, ate some Japanese food and just enjoyed everything. Here are a couple more pictures I took on the way.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Traditional Japanese Poetry
Hello everyone,
this sunday I went to a 20th Anniversary meeting of a traditional poetry society in Kyoto. There were mostly old people and I have to honestly say it was interesting, but way too long. I don't know why but I seems Japanese tend to do everything too long.
I was there from 10:30 till 4 p.m.
For the last 5 weeks I have been in Japan I could hear my host mother practice every day, so it seems to have been very important to her.
It was actually some kind of story that I got to look at, but unfortunately I didn't understand any of it.
We had a traditional Japanese lunchbox.
But the most exciting thing were the Kimono all women were wearing. I really love to look at them.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Everything you always wanted to know about Kimono
Hi everyone,
my hostmother had a fitting with a Kimono teacher last week and I got a lot of explanation about everything surrounding this very traditional clothing. Now I would like to give you the opportunity to learn something more.
Did you know that Kimono (着物) just means thing to wear ("kiru" 着る meaning to wear and "mono" 物 just means thing) but in reality it is much more than that. People who are interested in Japan often know that there are different kinds of Kimono, for example the so called "summer Kimono" the Yukata. But Yukata is actually no Kimono in that sense, but was traditionally worn as easier everyday wear. Now you can find Yukata either in traditional Japanese guest houses (Ryokan) to wear after taking a bath or more beautiful ones to wear when going to a summer festival like "Hanami" Fireworks.
I was explained, that there are different kinds of Kimono worn on different occasions and by different people:
The most formal Kimono is the Tomesode, there exists one version in color the Irotomesode and one black one (Kurotomesode). They have beautiful hand drawn patterns or pictures only under the waistline. If they have five family crests they are most formal. The colorful one might have only three or one crest and trough that it becomes less formal. Most often the Tomesode are worn to wedding ceremonies by the family of the bride and groom. While Irotomesode can be worn by married and unmarried women the Kurotomesode is usually only worn by married women.
The Furisode is the most formal Kimono for unmarried women, mostly worn nowadays to the coming of age ceremony (when Japanese turn 20). They have beautiful colorful patterns and very long sleeves.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to wear two different Kimono. The first one is similar to the Kimono a bride wears or a Maiko (Geisha in training). It took a very long time to put it on, and there were a lot of towels, straps, cushions and other things involved in making everything look so nice. Wearing a Kimono is actually not very comfortable, it's hard to breath and the Kimono is actually very heavy. I don't envy those girls who have to wear a Kimono every day.
The second Kimono was a Hakama, traditionally worn only to graduation ceremony and sports like Kyudo, Aikido and Kendo. It was much easier to put an and was more comfortable to wear. You might have seen some Shinto Shrine Maidens (Miko) wear red Hakama over white Kimono, their traditional clothing.
my hostmother had a fitting with a Kimono teacher last week and I got a lot of explanation about everything surrounding this very traditional clothing. Now I would like to give you the opportunity to learn something more.
Did you know that Kimono (着物) just means thing to wear ("kiru" 着る meaning to wear and "mono" 物 just means thing) but in reality it is much more than that. People who are interested in Japan often know that there are different kinds of Kimono, for example the so called "summer Kimono" the Yukata. But Yukata is actually no Kimono in that sense, but was traditionally worn as easier everyday wear. Now you can find Yukata either in traditional Japanese guest houses (Ryokan) to wear after taking a bath or more beautiful ones to wear when going to a summer festival like "Hanami" Fireworks.
I was explained, that there are different kinds of Kimono worn on different occasions and by different people:
The most formal Kimono is the Tomesode, there exists one version in color the Irotomesode and one black one (Kurotomesode). They have beautiful hand drawn patterns or pictures only under the waistline. If they have five family crests they are most formal. The colorful one might have only three or one crest and trough that it becomes less formal. Most often the Tomesode are worn to wedding ceremonies by the family of the bride and groom. While Irotomesode can be worn by married and unmarried women the Kurotomesode is usually only worn by married women.
The Furisode is the most formal Kimono for unmarried women, mostly worn nowadays to the coming of age ceremony (when Japanese turn 20). They have beautiful colorful patterns and very long sleeves.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to wear two different Kimono. The first one is similar to the Kimono a bride wears or a Maiko (Geisha in training). It took a very long time to put it on, and there were a lot of towels, straps, cushions and other things involved in making everything look so nice. Wearing a Kimono is actually not very comfortable, it's hard to breath and the Kimono is actually very heavy. I don't envy those girls who have to wear a Kimono every day.
The second Kimono was a Hakama, traditionally worn only to graduation ceremony and sports like Kyudo, Aikido and Kendo. It was much easier to put an and was more comfortable to wear. You might have seen some Shinto Shrine Maidens (Miko) wear red Hakama over white Kimono, their traditional clothing.
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