Thursday, March 26, 2009

TOKYO MARATHON 2009

If you read this blog for a long time, you maybe know, two years ago I participated in Tokyo Marathon 2007. Well, it was the first Marathon that Tokyo had for everybody.

Big cities like London, NYC have the big marathon event with long history, but Tokyo didn't have, although have the race for the top athletes.

Then the governor of the Metropolis of Tokyo had proposed having one in Tokyo. It was a good surprising and I was so lucky that I drew a lot.At Tokyo Marathon 2007 only one -third people could run.

And then, last year at Tokyo Marathon 2008 I couldn't get space for me. Nowadays running is just like the fashion in Tokyo. At that time it was more than 5 times people applied.

With regard to this year, can you imagine??? According to the official website, as follows...

State of the number of applicants: Total 261,981 (68% to past race)
State of the number of participants: 35,000 (7.5 times: ratio of applicants to participants)

Well, how much people like marathon?
It seems impossible to run any more, doesn't it???


So, I gave up, and didn't run whole the summer, fall...
One day in November I got a mail that I can participate...

How lucky I am !!

As for my friends, only I could get a lottery.
Last Sunday was the day of the Tokyo Marathon 2009.

Friday, March 06, 2009

おくりびと okuribito (departure)

As I wrote a few days ago, I watched the movie "おくりびとokuribito(departure)". It was nice movie, I feel the necessity to think about the death. I agree the judgement of the Academy, hahaha . But i wonder non-Japanese people can understand deeply.




The following I will mention about story of the movie , so if you don't want to know it , please don't read any more.




I really don't know about the other culture about the death and the ways of funerals. Besides, I also don't know so much in Japan. I just have a few experience for far. But still I know some stuff. We have a kind of social customs that we detest "death ". For example, we make purify our body with salt (acutually we poring a few pinch of salt to our self ) after we come back from a crematory. It's very common.

Well, I know another example that I haven't seen yet. When we carry out the casket from the house of the deceased, broke his/her rice bowl in front of the house.

That's why the man was trying to hide his new job, and after the wife knew it, she wanted him to quite it. This is the most importante part of the
movie, I think.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Oscars !!!

Recently, we have had almost only bad news on TV, for example the news about economic and politic so on. Maybe just same as in many countries.

Like that time, having a great news about own culture is marvelous. Well, it might be already well known news with much surprise, which two Japanese works got Oscars at Academy award in Kodak Theater, California U.S.A. At the moment this is the biggest and happiest news in Japan.


One movie is "おくりびとOkuribito (Departure)" that is winner of the Oscar “Best Foreign Language Film"

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Últimamente hemos tenido casi solo malas noticias en la tele, como por ejemplo problemas de economía o política. A lo mejor es igual en otros países.
En este caso creo que sería maravilloso tener una noticia muy buena.

A ver, ya ha de conocer por los Oscars las obras japonesas que se mostraron en el teatro Kodak en California, EEUU. Ahora, esta historia es más grande y más feliz.

Una película que se llama "おくりびとOkuribito (Departure)" ganó como mejor película extranjera.Aunque todavía no la he visto y por eso no puedo decir nada, una amiga mía tiene muchas ganas de verla así que pronto iré al cine.Tal vez pueda escribir algo después de que la vea.

Pienso que hay varios aspectos de la cultura japonesa, pero solamente alguna parte es muy conocida en extranjero.

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Well, I haven't watched yet actually ,so that I can't say it is blah blah. But should be good=) one of my foreign friend wants to see that movie, but she can't understand Japanese, but as I checked one theater is showing it with English subtitles. So I am going to there with her in a few days. Maybe I can write my impression later.

I think Japanese culture has many aspects, but is known only some part in overseas. To be honest, for me , as a Japanese, I don't know some part. Especially about “die ” and “funeral.” Maybe I am little bit young to speak those things; I still haven’t experienced so much those, only a few times. The movie is based the job for sending the dead. I think the way of thinking toward “die” depends on the culture, religion. I am not sure one way of ours are accepted or no, but after they got Oscar , is thought more easy.
Anyway I am looking forward to seeing it soon.

The movie is due to be released in 36 countries, and now they have been gotten many offers from many other countries.

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A ver,aunque todavía no la he visto y por eso no puedo decir nada, una amiga mía tiene muchas ganas de verla así que pronto iré al cine. Tal vez pueda escribir algo después de que la vea.

Pienso que hay varios aspectos de la cultura japonesa, pero solamente alguna parte es muy conocida en extranjero.Honestamente yo tampoco sé sobre varios de estos aspectos aun siendo japonesa. Especialmente acerca de la “muerte” y de ”un funeral”. He tenido pocas experiencias.

La base de la historia es un trabajo que se relaciona con los muertos.Creo que la forma de pensar de cada individuo depende de su cultura o religión. No estoy segura si nuestra manera de pensar es aceptada o no, pero después de conseguir un Oscar, será más fácil. Entonces espero verla muy pronto.

Esta película se estrenará en 36 países y ahora los directores reciben muchos ofrecimientos en otros países.



Another movie is “つみきのいえ Tsumiki No Ie (LA MAISON EN PETITS CUBES)” of the “Best Short Film (Animated)”. Japanese animation is already popular worldwide because of Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki. I know many people are studying Japanese for those works.

The website of the Academy says “In a world gradually flooding with water, an old man adapts to changing circumstances and looks back on his life.” If I have a chance I wanna see it , too.
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Otra película, llamada " つみきのいえTsumiki No Ie(LA MAISON EN PETITS CUBES )", es ganadora del mejor corto de animación. La animación japonesa ya es popular en todo el mundo, gracias a Osamu Tezuka y Hayao Miyazaki. Sé que muchas personas están estudiando japonés para entender los dibujos animados.

En la página web de la Academy dice: "Mientras el mundo va progresivamente inundándose de agua, un viejo hombre se adapta a las circunstancias cambiantes y mira atrás hacia su vida." Si tengo una oportunidad, me gustaría verlo también.
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Apart from these two Japanese movies, as I am studying Spanish, I was very happy the Oscar for Penelope Cruz, too. Although I like her more in Spanish.

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Aparte de estas dos películas japonesas, como estoy estudiando español, también me sentí muy feliz por el Oscar que ganó Penélope Cruz, aunque me gusta más ella en español.

Friday, January 30, 2009

It's already the end of January!!

Happy new year, hahahha ,although it's already the end January. But on this blog this is the very first post in 2009 !!! You may think I have already left this blog , but I wanna keep bloging in the future actually, just recently a bit busy than before.

Thank you very much for visiting this blog, morever some of you sent me new year's greeting. I am appreciate it. Well, I am so happy to know the people throuth this blog , and contact with them. We woudn't imagine before, would we??



Feliz año nuevo , jajajaja , aunque ya estamos en el fin del Enero. Pero este es primera vez escribir en este blog en 2009. Pensáis que he dejado ya, pero quiero seguir escribirlo.Solamente ahora un poco ocupada que antes.

Muchas gracias por visitarlo. Además unos me han mandado los salidos del año nuevo. Estoy muy contenta de conocer la gente por este blog.



This is the picture that the one of the famous monkeys are called "Snow monkey ". It is taken by my friend. I havn't seen it still, but I feel very happy that just looking at this picture. Well, I hope everyone has happy 2009 year just like this monkey !


Esta foto es del mono muy popular que se llama "Snow Monkey". Me parece el es muy feliz, ¿no? Espero que todos van a tener un año muy feliz como este mono.


Thank you . Muchas gracias.

Kazumi

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

NO Tourist in Tsukiji Fish Market.

Accroding to the News, Tsukiji Fish Market is now closed for tourists.

It's so pity news.


Normally they open for everybody, becuase it is one way to show Japanese food culture, but recently the Market is much popular among the tourists from overseas.
Maybe too much.

Because some of them behave very badly there. I just watched one TV program about this issue. Some guys came there after drinking all the night, they touched and kissed Tuna for the picture. Other guys didn't listen any notice, they took the vehicle for the fish. Some peeple tried to enter the restrected area.... Seems terrible, although I guess the most of people has no problem.

Anyway from now on for new years season it gonna be most busy season threre. Nowdays too many tourists is one of the obstacle in the market. So Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided to prohibit tourists from entering to the one part of the Market from 12/15/2008-1/17/2009. After 1/18/2009, they havn't decided yet.

Well, before in this blog I wrote about Tsukiji Market sometimes, and this problem was that I worried. I love Sushi so much, and I just feel sorry for the people who would like to visit it at this period.


The Mainichi News

Friday, December 05, 2008

高尾山 ( Mt.Takao / Monte Takao )

Last Sunday I climbed up Mt.Takao, Recently it's so popular.From the center of Tokyo, it took just about 60 minutes.
I don't have so much time today, I just show some photos.

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El domingo pasado subí al Monte Takao. Ultimamente está muy poplar. Desde el centro de Tokio se tarda solo más o menos 60 minutos.
No tengo mucho tiempo hoy , por eso solo subo las fotos de allí.


mountain trail


Leaves change the color to red.


Mt.Fuji from top of Mt. Takao. So beautiful , isn't it?


Soba noodle is very famous there. I ate this on the top.


The 599 meter mark on the top


official web site of Mt.Takao in English

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Myth of Tomorrow

There was an artist whose name was "Taro Okamoto (岡本太郎・おかもとたろう)". I don't know how much he is well known in other countries. But in Japan he is one of famous artists. Above all “Tower of the sun” that was the symbol of Expo 70 of Osaka is very famous. Not only his works , but also his unique character was loved by Japanese people. He was sayiong so often "Art is Explosion." Although he already died in 1996.

The other day I went to Shibuya that is one big city in Tokyo, I was so surprised, because one of his works was on the wall of Shibuya station. I didn't know about it, but I recognized at once it is his work, because his works are so characteristic.

After I got home, I checked about it. According to the internet, the picture was originally painted for the one Mexican hotel owner, but after that his business went bad, so that it was missing until found in Mexico City in 2003. After then it has been repaired by one project group, after all 18th of November 2008 it is put on view eternally at Shibuya station. Because Shibuya is close to Aoyama area where Taro spent at elementary school time.


This is very big(height: 5meters length: 30meters), so I couldn’t take a nice photo. But it is really powerful with a lot of colors , named “ashita no shinwa(明日の神話)” means “The Myth of Tomorrow”. It is worth to watch.

Official web page of "Ashita no shinwa " rebirth project in Japanese
http://www.1101.com/asunoshinwa/news.html