Japanese Element Symbols | Japanese Culture

What is Noren?   

Noren are traditional Japanese fabric dividers, hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows.

And it is decorative silk-screened curtains used for centuries by the Japanese as door curtains, wall hangings and window curtains.

They usually have one or more vertical slits cut from the bottom to nearly the top of the fabric, allowing for easier passage or viewing.

Noren are rectangular and come in many different materials, sizes, colors, and patterns.

Noren are traditionally used by shops and restaurants as a means of protection from sun, wind, and dust, and for advertising space.[citation needed]

 

 

Sento(commercial bathhouses) also place noren across their entrances, typically blue in color for men and red for women with the kanji "湯(yu)[hot water] or the corresponding hiragana "ゆ(yu)".

They are also hung in the front entrance to a shop to signify that the establishment is open for business, and they are always taken down at the end of the business day.

 

Japanese house's Noren Curtain

We have a wide variety of Noren, a Japanese cloth room divider, wall hanging, doorway curtain or a window curtain.

The word noren usually refers to split curtains hung in front of a shop.
It was used to keep out the sun and dust but now since it often has the shop's name written on it, it serves as the shop's sign as well.

But, Noren are commonly used in private homes as well (such as the ones featured in this section)as space dividers or decorations they come in many different sizes, colors and designs.

Norens are split in the center for ease of entry, they are colorful and attractive and can be used in many innovative ways; as a hanging art on the wall, as a closet door when an actual door might not be feasible and, of course, the tradition usage of separating rooms creating privacy

Lace Noren	Wave pattern noren
Paper crocheted Noren	Mickey mouse Noren

 

 

Various Japanese Noren

Japanese Noren is a short cotton or linen curtain hung in a shop or restaurant doorway indicating that a shop is open for business.

Izakaya's Noren in Japan

 

Noren make for an elegant entrance in any room and are now used in Japanese homes as a door or partition curtain.
Japanese Noren originally used mostly in Japanese households and Japanese restaurants is now widely found in contemporary homes.

Noren in the past were typically dyed navy blue with the shopkeepers insignia in white.

Japanese brewery's Noren

Norens are made of a durable blend of material consisting of cotton and rayon blend.

 

The following photographs are shop or restaurant's Noren in Japan.

Noren is split down the middle, so you walk straight through.
Simply place a wooden or bamboo dowel through the seamed passage at the top to hang your Noren.

Japanese ramen shop's Noren	Japanese rice cracker shop's Noren
Japanese wine bar's Noren	Japanese public bath's Noren
Japanese Izakaya's Noren	Japanese noodle shop's Noren
Japanese Tenpura shop's Noren	Japanese-style confection store's Noren
Japanese cuisines shop's Noren	Japanese pawnshop's Noren

 

Hararie

 

 

 

Ken Watanabe performed the comical role on a TV commercial.

He is the Japanese famous actor, 渡辺　謙(Ken Watanabe).
He is very much in the public eye on the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio.

May, 2010, NTT DoCoMo Inc. released the new product campaign to promote their mobile phones and services in the commercial.

Ken Watanabe teams up with young actor Okada Masaki for a NTT DoCoMo's TV commercial.
The spot in the series features actor Ken Watanabe as the cell phone of a young salaryman.

 

CM of the NTT DoCoMo Inc.

1. "I am his cellular phone."

He is introducing himself on this TV commercial.

"I am his cellular phone, and I'm with him at work and during private time."

He "vibrates" when there's a call, which in the case illustrated happens to be from the young man's boss, who wants to know where he is.

"I'm shaking, but I'm not cold."
"This is a vibration."

 

2. "My body is soaked."

 

Watanabe's owner is in his office, and he is looking for his cellular phone(Watanabe).

"Your cellular phone is ringing somewhere now."
" !!!"

Watanabe's owner suddenly recalls Watanabe's whereabouts.
The outside of an office is downpour.
Watanabe's owner goes out to look for Watanabe.

His cellular phone (Watanabe) sits on the park bench.
Watanabe's body is soaked.
The cellular phone keeps ringing (Watanabe is singing the ring tone).

"Sorry! You are soaked!"

Watanabe's owner wipes Watanabe with the handkerchief.
His cellular phone (Watanabe) says to him, "Please wipe me neatly."
They go back to the office.

"Really I'm sorry"
"I don't hate rain(Because the cellular phone of Docomo is a waterproof), so don't worry so much."

 

3. "I can pay the price in the convenience store."

 

Watanabe is in the convenience store with the young man who is his owner.
His owner is speaking the grumble in work to Watanabe.
And, His owner says payment by the cellular phone.
Watanabe press his forehead (window to read ID) against the computer in a hurry.
After shopping, the cellular phone comforts his owner.

"Things don't always go as you wish, but you should carry out your intention."

 

 

Ken Watanabe: Profile

Watanabe was born in Koide, Niigata prefecture.
His height is 6.037 feet, and 176.4lb in weight.

He is a famous movie star in Japan.
He might be one of the best-known actors in the Japanese in worldwide.
His activity is remarkable in the movie and TV drama and the television commercial of Japan.
His daughter is fashion model 渡辺　杏(Anne Watanabe).

He is taking an active part in the Japanese movie and Hollywood picture.
He has a good reputation for his roles in Samurai movies.

Especially "御家人斬九郎(Gokenin- Zankuro)" ,which lasted 5 series, must be one of his most important works.
In the last and 50th episode he even directed and starred himself.

Another work which should be mentioned is "壬生義士伝(Mibu- Gishiden)".

 

It was a 10-hour samurai TV drama that aired on January 2nd, 2002.
This touching story and his incredible performance moved a lot of viewers to tears and created sensation.

Currently Ken aggressively continues to make good works and enjoys playing distinct personalities such as a serious cop, a typical Japanese office worker, a violent gangster, a cool and attractive samurai, a dignified feudal lord, a charismatic Heian-period nobleman, .a sharp professional soldier like a razor blade and a Hojo regency of dignity and monarchy.

He continues his active career today as one of the few contemporary actors with a broad range of works.
Further successes in many fields are expected.

 

Lastly, this is "TV commercial of Renown Inc." in which he performed.
His role is "Trumpet".

This is a video up-loaded to YouTube about three years ago.

 

 

Hararie

 

 

Junior high school and high school in Japan with uniform

Almost all Japanese junior high school and Japanese high school have a uniform.

In a public school of a lot of other countries, students can wear any clothes they like, but in Japan, almost all junior high and high schools adopt a school uniform system.

Teachers force students to wear school uniforms tidily because they want to teach students morals.

Schools are for study, and uniforms are also a part of educational system.
A Japanese society doesn't like special individuality.

The Japanese word for uniform is 制服[Seifuku].

Moreover, clothes sometimes reflect the gap in the students' families'income.

What's more, school uniforms help teachers make students learn to fit into society.

Well, in junior high school and high school, most students are obliged to wear the school uniforms.
And every morning teachers check whether their uniforms are tidy.

It sometimes limits their free movement though they don't need to choose clothes every morning.

They can't play basketball, soccer, etc. with that uniform.

The uniform to solve the problem is "ジャージ(jāji)".
"The ジャージ(jāji)"is a sportswear.

It is used by the physical education and extracurricular activities, etc.

"The ジャージ(jāji)[Tracksuit]" is an article of clothing consisting of two parts: trousers and a jacket usually with front zipper.

 

 

Junior high school boy and high school boy's uniforms

For boys, there are basically two types of uniforms, though there are many types of uniforms in Japan.

One is "Gakuran", the other is blazer.

Junior high school boy and high school boy at general public school wear a uniform, called "Gakuran" whose top has a stand-up collar.
For boys, Gakuran and Blazer are an ordinary uniforms.

Blazer type uniform	Gakuran type uniform

Gakuran; this type of school uniform is called 学ラン(Gakuran)

And, it is a uniform for the junior high school student and the high school student in Japan.
The top and pants of Gakuran are both black, and the jacket has usually golden buttons.

 

Junior high school girl and high school girl's uniforms

About girls, they wear a sailor outfits or blazer.
The most popular school uniform in Japan is the セーラー服(Sailor fuku)[sailor outfit].

Because the top part is shaped like the shirt the sailors wore in the old days, it is called like that.
The top has a ribbon on it of different colors and shapes.

In several East Asian countries, some schools continue to prescribe sailor-themed wear as school uniforms (Sailor fuku) for girls.

Blazer type uniform	sailor outfit type uniform

On the other hand, girl's the sailor outfit uniforms include a dark blue or a black pleated skirt.
And, girl's blazer uniforms include a dark blue or a black pleated skirt and white blouse.
Their uniforms is often used for girls in middle school and high school Uniform changes by season, and occasion.
The blazer style uniform and the sailor outfit uniform; the socks that they wear with the uniforms are usually white.

Gakuran: winter uniform

Gakuran: summer uniform

 

Summer uniform and winter uniform of Japanese school

Boy's summer uniform is usually only white shirt and pants.

Girl's summer uniform of blazer style usually consists of a short sleeved shirt ("cutter shirt") and a pleated skirt and short sleeved blouse.

Moreover, Moreover, summer uniform of the sailor outfit style usually consists of a short sleeved sailor outfit and a pleated skirt.
The short sleeved sailor outfit's base color is white.

Girl's summer and winter uniform of sailor outfit

 

Winter uniforms is more diverse.

At some schools, boys wear stiff-collared jackets, while at other schools they wear blazers and neckties, and at other schools they wear sweaters or sweater vests.

Likewise, some girls wear sweaters, some wear blazers, some wear long-sleeved sailor blouses.

Uniforms vary from school to school, and it is possible to know which school a student attends simply by looking at the style and colors of their uniform.

 

 

Indoor shoes of junior high school student and high school student in Japan

 

In foreign country, students do not have to change their shoes after they arrive at school, but in Japan they wear another shoes for room, called "うわばき/上履き(uwabaki)

In foreign country, students do not have to change their shoes after they arrive at school, but in Japan they wear another shoes for room, called "uwabaki".

They has just arrived at school and is putting on their indoor shoes.
It is called "Uwabaki".

They then puts their Uwabaki shoes in their locker or Getabako.

All the students have their designated shoe lockers.

These shoe lockers are called "ゲタ箱/下駄箱(getabako)".

This is a common practice in the school as well and of course helps to keep the school clean.
We see children at some uniform schools with different uwabaki.

Most students put on Uwabaki of the design that their schools made though the rule to Uwabaki is different at each school.

 

Uniforms change of the woman student in Japan

The school uniform for girls used to be regarded as a symbol of an education with strict regulations.
But today, wearing a uniform might be privilege only for high school girls.

For teenage girls in Japan these days, a school uniform is not something evoking a spirit of discipline but something that symbolizes their sensitivity to trends in fashion.

Into the 1980 years arose the mode feature to carry the skirts so long that they reached up to the soil.

But, in the 1980s, when Japan were enjoying the bubble economy and fascinated by designer-brand clothes, some schools began to remodel their uniforms to more fashion-conscious designs.

Since then, many private high schools and some public high schools changed their uniforms into the modern style.
But, many public junior high schools' uniforms have been left the traditional style.

Then by the 1990s, some schoolgirls had become so fashion-conscious that they tried to make their uniforms look cool by tucking the skirt up to a very short length, and matching it with long and loose socks.

 

*The long and loose socks; ルーズソックス[rūzu sokkusu]

The loose-socks trend is over now, but high school girls have continued to favor short skirts.

The short skirt is carried today gladly as mini skirt, with which the loose socks becomes effective particularly well.

They also like to "dress up" by choosing bags or vests that make a good combination with their uniforms.

School uniforms with short skirts are considered fashionable among high school girls.

 

 

Hararie

 

 

Japanese elementary students' school uniforms

"Yellow cap and yellow umbrella" obligated for young children.

In general, students of kindergarten and elementary school do not wear the uniforms.

Most Japanese elementary schools require caps or hats, even those schools that otherwise have no uniform requirement.

They must wear a yellow cap or hat, and if it rains, they must hold a yellow umbrella when they are going to school.

And, they are quite colorful to help motorists spot the younger children.

In Japan, this cap is called "通学帽[tsuugaku-bou]".

The reason that they use the yellow cap and umbrella is for road safety.

Though on the other hand, there is no particular name in that yellow umbrella, it is called "Yellow umbrella" generally.

For a yellow cap, the most common style is a rounded, short brimmed hat.

Sometimes with short streamers, although other styles from peaked caps to Zouave caps to full-brimmed hats are also seen.

Boy's cap	Girl's hat

They are peaked caps for the girl.
Wearing a yellow hat and a yellow umbrella is obligations at early elementary school years.
But, it is about two years.

Because young children lack carefulness, wearing a yellow cap and yellow umbrella has been obligated for about two years.

The grade-schooler in recent Japan doesn't wear the hat so much though the baseball cap was the most popular among my grade-schooler age.

 

 

Backpack for the Japanese elementary students that is called "RANDOSERU"

What is put in the satchel?

The ランドセル[RANDOSERU] is a firm-sided backpack made of stitched firm leather or leather-like synthetic material, most commonly used in Japan by elementary schoolchildren.

It measures roughly 30 cm high by 23 cm wide by 18 cm deep, and features a softer grade of leather or material on those surfaces which touch the body.

When empty, the average randoseru weighs approximately 1.2 kilograms (about 2 1/2 pounds avoirdupois).

The term RANDOSERU is a borrowed word from the Dutch "ransel" meaning "backpack", a clue to its origins nearly 200 years ago as used in the Netherlands.

 

 

Traditionally, the RANDOSERU is red in colour for girls, black for boys.

While in more conservative schools the colour (and often the brand and design) is mandated and enforced, the backpack is available in a variety of colours, partly as a compromise for parents to retain some tradition within modernized schools which no longer require the use of traditional uniforms or of the RANDOSERU.

Traditionally given to a child upon beginning their first year at school, the RANDOSERU's materials and workmanship are designed to allow the backpack to endure the child's entire elementary education (six years).

 

 

What is put in the satchel?

Well, what on earth do you think is in RANDOSERU that the grade-schooler in Japan uses every day?

The Japanese grade-schooler has these in the satchel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Handkerchief （ハンカチ[hankachi]）

2. Pocket tissue （ポケットティッシュ/ポケティ[poketto thisshu/pokethi）

3. Textbooks （教科書[kyoukasho]）
　　　*When they go to school, they has about ten textbooks.

4. Notebook （ノート[nooto]）

Notebook of Japanese grade-schooler	Shitajiki of Japanese grade-schooler

 

5. SHITAJIKI （下敷き[shitajiki]）

SHITAJIKI is a Japanese word for various types of materials placed under a sheet of paper for writing, either to prevent marking on the sheets below or to provide a better surface for writing.

SHITAJIKI for handwriting are generally made of plastic about 1 mm to 2 mm in thickness, making them flexible but still durable.

Merchandised SHITAJIKI are very common, featuring images of everything from tourist attractions to celebrities to anime and manga characters.

6. Pen case （ペンケース/筆箱[pen keesu/ hudebako）

Pen case of Japanese grade-schooler

 

6. 6. SANSUU-set （算数セット[sansuu setto]）

 

<Teaching material that they sometimes use at school>

Recorder （リコーダー[rikoodaa]）
The English flute or recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes ― whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle and ocarina.

Today, it is often thought of as a child's instrument, but there are many professional players who demonstrate the instrument's full solo range.
The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple.

It is distinguished from other members of the family by having holes for seven fingers (the lower one or two often doubled to facilitate the production of semitones) and one for the thumb of the uppermost hand.

 

Melodica （ピアニカ[pianika]）　

The melodica, also known as the "blow-organ", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica.

It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument.

Melodicas are small and light enough to be carried around.

They have been very popular in music education, especially in Asia.
Melodica is called "ピアニカ[pianika]" in Japan.

 

Japanese calligraphy set （習字セット[shuuji setto]）

It is used for the training of writing a letter with a writing brush.

 

As for SHUUJI set, a big brush, a small brush, the paperweight, the Hanshi (paper for Japanese calligraphy), the a celluloid board laid under written paper for the brush, the ink stone, and the Indian ink, etc. are stored in one bag.

Melodica is called "習字セット/書道セット[syuuji setto/syodou setto]" in Japan.

 

The watercolor pigment set (絵の具セット[enogu setto]

It is a tool for the watercolor.

 

The ENOGU-set; an opaque watercolor pigment for about 12 color school child, a paintbrush with different 2-3 thickness, palettes, and small buckets to wash the brush are stored in one bag.

Melodica is called "絵の具セット[enogu setto]" in Japan.

 

KOUKAKU-BOU （紅白帽[kouhaku bou）

KOUHAKU-BOU is a hat (physical exercise hat) worn with the gym wear of the child of the elementary school of Japan.
It is also called 赤白帽[akashiro bou].

 

 

Training wear （体操着[taisou gi）

TAISOU-GI is a sportswear.
There are some kinds.
It is short sleeve T-shirt, long sleeve T-shirt, the half pants, long trousers, and a long sleeve jersey.
The design of TAISOU-GI is often school specification, and it is used in PE lesson, the athletic meet, the ball game rally, and the marathon rally, etc.

Melodica is called "体操着[taisou-gi]" in Japan.

 

 

Hararie

 

 

 

"The actual cost of plastic bags" and "Japanese people's change"

 

One thing you may be surprised in Japan is the excessive packaging of products.

When you buy a pack of cookies in Japan, the cookies inside may be individually wrapped.

 

When you buy clothes at an apparel store in Japan, they may first be wrapped in a plastic bag and then put in a paper bag.

The main purposes of this excessive packaging are probably to handle the products carefully (so they won't break), to make the products look nice, or to show customers some respect.

 

But, it's obvious that excessive packaging is against the global trend towards environmental protection.
So, these days, more and more Japanese are becoming conscious of how they can reduce the amount of wasteful packaging.

One of the easiest and most effective ways is to carry your own bag (called "エコバッグ[eko bag]") and not receive plastic bags at stores.

Especially at supermarkets.

In the supermarket in Japan, a thin bag "Plastic bag (called "レジ袋[Reji bukuro]")" to take the commodity that the customer bought home has been always offered to the customer free of charge.

Most Japanese supermarkets have long been providing their customers with free plastic bags.

In Japan, the number of sheets of consumption was 30 billion a year.

Not only the generation control of garbage but also decreasing the use of plastic bag because the raw material of plastic bag is crude oil leads to the saving of the resource.

So, more and more supermarkets are now encouraging customers to carry their own bags.

Though some supermarkets give discounts to customers with their own bags, and some charge customers for the actual cost of plastic bags, plastic bag of most supermarkets in Japan is customer's actual cost as of May, 2010.
[Customer's actual cost in Japan is 3-5yen (3.3-5.5cent)]

 

Consumers are also making an attempt to carry their own bags.

Some bag makers have made cute, colorful and design-conscious shopping bags.
These shopping bags are now called "エコバッグ(Eco-bags)" and they have attracted consumers.
Especially the younger generations.

For them, to make efforts to protect the environment is not only something they "have to" do, but also something they can enjoy doing as part of their fashion.

 

Present-day Japanese people is very egocentric.

If plastic bag was not customer's actual expenses, the Japanese might not have used Eco-bags.

The Japanese tends to love new product, and to spend money for a new product.
A lot of energy-saving products are spreading to Japan.
It is true the spread of energy-saving products is a great thing, but, almost all Japanese don't have "Mind that makes an effort only for the environment".

-Paying the expenses out of one's own pocket for the environmental protection.

I think the Japanese lacks this mind.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to know what's good for the environment and what's not.

 

Hararie