Photo Credit: Marcus Ireland@pexels.com

What do you think of when you hear the word “opera”? What is opera? Opera is a stage play where the actors sing rather than speak their lines. Opera incorporates drama, orchestral music, singing, dancing, costumes, and set design among others. Opera started more than 400 years ago and continues to remain popular. There are two types of opera: opera seria, which is a tragedy, and opera buffa, which is a comedy. The person who writes the music is called the composer while the person who writes the words is called the librettist. The librettist writes the libretto, which means a little book in Italian. The libretto is the script, which contains all the words.

Librettists are unjustly forgotten. Seldom—if ever—is the librettist’s name included when referring to or advertising the opera production. However, everything starts with the words. While a composer and lyricist for a musical might work together as the songs are created, an opera composer never starts until the words are more or less set. Some composers demand changes to the words as the music is composed, other composers do not. Still, most people come to listen to the beautiful music so understanding the words is not as important. While many opera houses have displays that run translations of the words as they are sung, it is best to know the story before going.

What is the difference between operas and musicals? While operas are sung from beginning to end, musicals, traditionally, are not. Even though there are some modern musicals that are also sung from beginning to end, they are not operas. The difference lies in the complexity of the music and the ability of the singers. While singers in musicals use microphones to amplify their voices, opera singers receive no such assistance; they must project their voices to the top seats in the highest balcony. Furthermore, operas are not only about powerful voices, but also about voice control and range. In other words, they are about the quality and ability of the singers. The songs in operas are not easy to sing and only the best trained and talented singers can hit the right notes.

The followings are the recommended operas for first timers:

The Barber of Seville: Composer—Gioachino Rossini/Librettist—Cesar Sterbini. This is a comic opera about a servant, Figaro, who tries to get the beautiful Rosina away from her perverted guardian and into the arms of the man she loves.

Hansel and Gretel: Composer—Englebert Humperdinck/Librettist—Adelheid Wette. This is a short opera about two abandoned children who come upon a witch’s cottage in the woods.

Carmen: Composer—Georges Bizet/Librettists—Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy. This opera is about a soldier, Don Jose, who falls in love with a gypsy woman, Carmen, who ultimately betrays and rejects Don Jose.

The Kansai region has many opera companies, so if you love beautiful music and live theater, I would recommend going to an opera.

Blog Quiz:

Q1. Who writes the words for opera?

a. The lyricist.

b. The librettist.

c. The composer.

Q2. What is comic opera called?

a. opera buffa.

b. opera seria.

c. soap opera.

Q3. Why do many believe opera to be the perfect art form?

a. Because it has great singers.

b. Because the music is beautiful.

c. Because it incorporates many other arts.

Scroll down to see the answers below.

Answers:

1. b—the librettist.

2. a—opera buffa.

3. c—Because it incorporates many other arts.

Photo Credit: Elviss Railijs Bitāns@pexels.com

The term ‘audiophile’ refers to someone who is passionate (often obsessively so) about the high-fidelity reproduction of sound. Audiophiles will sometimes go to great lengths to find the best sounding albums from their favorite music artists. Whether you call them LPs, records or vinyl, many times the Japanese recordings of albums are considered the greatest and most sought after by many audiophiles. Let’s take a look at just some of the reasons why.

1. Quality Control: Especially during the 1960s to the 1980s, Japanese record pressing factories were regarded as having much better and stricter quality control than record pressing factories in the West. Japanese factories also tended to press records in much smaller quantities meaning that the overall quality was better.

2. Virgin Vinyl: While other factories around the world tended to use recycled vinyl, Japanese plants initially began using new vinyl for each press. This was called ‘pure virgin vinyl’ and resulted in records with less surface noise. In the 1960s and 70s, the electronics company, Toshiba, pioneered their ‘Everclean’ vinyl, which is easily distinguishable because of its shiny red color. These Toshiba red records are still highly sought after by collectors because of their rarity, but also because these records were made to reduce static electricity and dust buildup, producing a clearer sound.

3. The Obi: Japanese vintage records usually came with a small strip of paper wrapped around the outside of the album called the Obi, or ‘sash’ in English. Because album covers were usually all in English, the Obi was the perfect solution to present the Japanese consumer with information about the artist/album printed in Japanese on the Obi strip. Records with the Obi still intact are often highly sought after by collectors for their rarity and in some cases for their beauty.

4. Quality and Condition: In the case of Japanese records, not only is the vinyl of higher quality than most, but the jacket of the record was made of higher quality materials. Many Japanese records have a jacket made from thick, strong cardboard, rather than the thinner cardboard found on western releases. This means that Japanese records tend to be much heavier than their western counterparts, but also means that they are typically in better condition and last much longer.

It is also true that culturally Japanese people tend to value their possessions more, especially given that these records were quite expensive to buy at the time they were made. For example, a 2,000 yen record in 1960 is more than 10,000 yen in today’s money. This fact, combined with the higher quality of materials used, is the reason many Japanese records that are 50-60 years old now can still be found in superb, sometimes ‘as new’ condition.

Blog Quiz:

Q1. What is an Obi called in English?

Q2. What type of vinyl did the electronics company, Toshiba pioneer?

Q3. A person who is passionate about high quality reproduction of sound is

 known as an:

Answers:

A1. A sash.

A2. Everclean vinyl.

A3. Audiophile.

Photo Credit: Kseniya Budko@pexels.com

I really love salty pickled plums called umeboshi. I have loved them since I was a little child. When I was young, I was pretty picky about food, so I mainly ate plain white rice, miso soup, and umeboshi. My grandma had some plum trees in her garden, and every year, she would make umeboshi by hand. Her umeboshi were more sour than salty, and they were soft and had a natural red color because of an herb called red shiso.

I thought my grandma's umeboshi were perfect, and she kept making them until she was ninety years old. I always say umeboshi is my favorite food when people ask, but I never thought about making them from scratch until after my grandma passed away ten years ago.

When my mom, aunt and uncles, and I were going through her things, we found her recipe notebook, and it had an umeboshi recipe. Plums are harvested in June, so if I missed that time, I would have to wait a whole year to make umeboshi. That year, I decided to give it a try. I bought some plums at the store and picked some from my parents' trees. I have been making them every year since then.

Making umeboshi is simple. All you need is plums, salt, a little bit of distilled alcohol to clean the container, red shiso, and some heavy stones. First, you weigh the plums and measure out about twelve percent of their weight in salt. Then, you wash and dry the plums and clean the container with alcohol to prevent mold. Next, you layer salt and plums in the container, adding more until it is full. Place a plate and heavy stones on top, cover it, and leave it for about a week.

After a week, a sour and salty liquid comes out and covers the plums. That is when you add red perilla leaves. Wash them with salt and mix them into the container. The liquid turns bright red because of the leaves. Leave the plums for three to four weeks until the rainy season ends in Japan. Finally, on a sunny day, put the plums outside in a bamboo basket to dry and soften. I love seeing the red plums on my veranda.

I know many people, especially young ones, don't like umeboshi. But when you cook them with meat, fish, or vegetables, they lose their weird smell and add a rich flavor to the dish. I am always amazed at how people in the past made this preserved food with so few ingredients and simple steps. Umeboshi, for me, is a connection to my past and a wonderful tradition that I still enjoy today.

Blog Quiz:

Q1. Did the author like many foods when she was a child?

Q2. About how many weeks are required to complete the pickled plums?　

Q3. Why do you need shochu, a distilled alcohol, for making umeboshi?

Scroll down to see the answers below. ↓

Answers:

A1. No, she was a picky eater.

A2. About four to five weeks altogether.

A3. To clean the container to prevent mold.

Photo Credit: The Author

Phones have been used to connect people with each other for more than a century, and the benefits of technological advances outweigh the drawbacks.

My experience begins as I describe using the phone in the early 1960s in the United States. Take for instance, the physical form (see photo). It was as heavy as one brick and as bulky as a cake box. It hung on a wall in the kitchen or stayed on a desk. Our family phone had a 5-foot cord that kept you standing under it. There was no room for a chair. Unlike the iPhone that you can dial with one touch on someone’s number on the screen, the 1960s’ phone had a rotary dial. That meant sticking your index finger into the hole to drag the wheel around to the “finger stop”, a different distance for each number. For example, if you dialed a “1”, you dragged the wheel 2cm. However, if you had to dial a “zero”, you dragged it around the circle clockwise for about 10 cm. Your dragging technique had to be strong and smooth lest the number not registering, which required starting all over. Dialing the number of course caused a loud ringing sound in the recipient’s house, a ring so loud that made someone in the house jump up to answer it.

Because families only had one phone, somebody had to usually run to the kitchen from a distant bedroom, a comfortable sofa or up from the basement to answer it. Family members sometimes shouted to each other to answer the phone. There were no answering machines, and every caller was a mystery to the recipient until the voice was heard. There was no way to know if the caller was your friend, a family member, a boss or a business. Therefore, all the calls had to be answered.

Messages for family members were written on a piece of paper or maybe not and forgotten. Who called? What was their number?

In contrast to texting communication these days, there was very little privacy 60 years ago. Listening in to my mother’s phone conversations, I knew the names of her friends and what appointments she was planning. I learned to take messages from these other moms and learned formal phone etiquette. I learned from listening to her voice about who she liked. Her chats could last hours in a child’s mind.

When I became a teenager, I competed to use the phone with my mom and two sisters. At that time, the cord in the kitchen became 10 feet long, but I still could not get the privacy I craved. Contrast that with today’s teen who can make calls outside, but probably doesn’t because of the dream invention of texting quietly and privately.

Phones have come a long way. While we have gained in convenience, we have lost by not making connections with others in the public space because everyone’s faces are glued to the screens they hold.

Blog Quiz:

Q1. Why did some phone users have to stand while talking on the phone?

a. Because they wanted to see out the window.

b. Because they talked for a short time.

c. bBcause the cord was too short to sit down.

Q2. Where was the 1960s phone in the house?

a. In the kitchen

b. In the bedroom

c. In the living room

Q3. Which phone number was easiest to dial in the 1960s?

a. One with many 1s.

b. One with many 5s.

c. One with many 9s.

Scroll down to see the answers below.　↓

Answers:

A1. c

A2. a

A3. a

Photo Credit: Vera Bomstad @pexels.com

Amanohashidate is located in northern Kyoto, in Miyazu, on the Sea of Japan and is known as one of the Three Famous Views in Japan or Nihon Sankei. It is essentially a land bridge, a sandy strip of pine forest and beach which stretches for 3.5 km across Miyazu Bay, with the sea on either side. Approximately 8,000 pine trees line the white sand beach and there is a lovely walking/bicycle path leading from one end to the other. For those who do not wish to walk, a ferry crosses the bay every 15 minutes offering a view of the pine forest during the 12-minute ride.

At the top of the hills located on either side of the bay are observation decks (accessible on foot or by lifts) that allow one to look down on the entire stretch of the land bridge and the bay for a spectacular view from above. It is recommended to bend over and look at the view from between your legs (as many people do, so you won’t look strange to others around you). From this position, the sea and sky are reversed and the scene resembles a ‘bridge to heaven’, or Amanohashidate.

As well as the sea and beach, there are a number of famous shrines and temples in the area and the small town on the east side of the bay (where the train station is located) has a large number of small cafes and shops, and a natural onsen bathhouse. Most famous of the shrines are Amanohashidate Shrine, where one can pray for luck in romance, and Motoise Kono Shrine, which at one time enshrined the Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) now enshrined at Ise Shrine in Mie. Chionji Temple, located near the train station, has one of the oldest pagodas in Japan. And don’t forget to keep an eye on the small bridge crossing from the town to the beach, which sometimes rotates to allow boats to pass through, making for a great picture or video. Amanohashidate is accessible by train from Kyoto city and is a perfect day trip for those wishing to know more about the northern area of Kyoto prefecture while enjoying a day at the beach, or visiting shrines and temples, or eating some seafood dishes, and relaxing at some cafes.

Blog Quiz

Q1. Why is the land bridge called Amanohashidate?

A. Because it is a good place for a date.

B. Because when you bend over and look at the view from between your legs, the sea and sky are reversed and the scene resembles a ‘bridge to heaven’, or Amanohashidate.

C. Because it is where Amaterasu used to be enshrined.

Q2. From where is it best to see the entire land bridge of Amanohashidate?

A. At the top of the hills located on either side of the bay.

B. From the ferry that runs every 15 minutes.

C. From the small bridge that leads to town.

Q3. What is the relationship between Motoise Kono Shrine in Amanohashidate and Ise Shrine in Mie?

A. They are two of the top three shrines in Japan.

B. They are both accessible from Kyoto Station.

C. Motoise Kono Shrine in Amanohashidate at one time enshrined the Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) now enshrined at Ise Shrine in Mie.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. B

Q2. A

Q3. C

Photo Credit: Karen Laark Boshoff @Pexels.com  

Have you ever enjoyed Aussie sweets? What comes to mind when you think of Aussie sweets? There are a lot of traditional and popular sweets in Australia. Let’s explore some of them! 

First of all, there are Lamingtons. A Lamington is a square-shaped sponge cake covered with chocolate and coconut sprinkles. There are various theories, but it is generally believed that Lamingtons are named after Lord Lamington, who was a governor of the Queensland colony between the end of 18th and the early 19th century (or his wife). Lamingtons are really popular in Australia. Australian people have enjoyed National Lamington Day on the 21st of July since 2006. 

Next, there is pavlova. This is a meringue-based dessert. Making pavlova is not that difficult. First, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, bake slowly in an oven on low-heat. After the meringue base is cooked, cover it with whipped cream and your favourite fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, mango, kiwi fruit, and passion fruit. A pavlova kit is available at a supermarket, and you can make one very easily with the kit. Pavlova is also quite popular in New Zealand, and the debate about whether pavlova was originally born in Australia or New Zealand is still ongoing. 

Another popular sweet is Anzac biscuits. The main ingredients are oats, flour, sugar, butter, golden syrup, and dried coconut (if you want). “Anzac” means the allied forces of Australia and New Zealand that were established during World War Ⅰ. Anzac biscuits were originally made for soldiers by their mothers or wives. That’s why the long-lasting and nutritious ingredients are used for the biscuits. They are sold at supermarkets all year round, but they are particularly popular on the 25th of April, which is the Anzac Day. 

These are three very popular Aussie sweets, but of course, there are other famous sweets such as Tim Tams, too. By the way, did you know that Australians consume the most ice cream per year all over the world, according to some surveys? New Zealand comes second. As it is said that these two countries have had a very close relationship historically and culturally, it seems to be natural for the countries to have similar taste in desserts. Regarding ice cream, you should try “Hokey Pokey” flavour when you have a chance of travelling in New Zealand or Australia. It was not originally born in Australia but in New Zealand. It is said that Hokey Pokey is a nationally popular flavour there. The flavour is quite similar to caramel, but it is actually made from golden syrup. Golden syrup is boiled down until it becomes crunchy, and it is mixed up with vanilla ice cream. Many people enjoy the rich flavour and crunchy texture. It is also popular in Australia. There are plenty of tasty sweets in Australia. It might be nice to enjoy their taste and also think about their historical and cultural background while you enjoy them. 

Questions: 

Q1. “Aussie” means _____

         a. Australian

         b. Austrian

         c. Summer

         d. Spring

Q2. Which of the following are not Australian sweets?

         a. Anzac biscuits

         b. Good-day cakes

         c. Lamingtons

         d. Tim Tams

Q3. Australians consume more ice cream per capita than Japanese. True or false?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

Answers

A1.  a

A2.  b

A3.  True

Photo Credit: Engin Akyurt @Pexels.com 

The ancient Greeks told stories about their gods and heroes. These stories, or myths, helped to form western culture. There are many English words that come from Greek mythology. Two such words come from the story of Narcissus and Echo. Below is a retelling of the myth based on the writing of Ovid, a Roman poet. 

Once there was a youth named Narcissus, who was 16 years old but appeared to be a man. He was so handsome that others fell in love with him. However, Narcissus cared only about himself and spurned the many youths who sought his attention and love. 

Hera, the queen of the gods, was looking for her unfaithful husband, Zeus. She saw the nymph Echo playing in the woods. Hera was envious of Echo’s gaiety, or cheerfulness, and so she cursed her by making it impossible for her to speak except for repeating what others said. 

Echo would often see Narcissus walking through the woods alone or with friends and, like all the other maidens, she fell in love with him. 

One day, when Narcissus was in the forest alone, he heard Echo step on a branch. “Who is there?” he called out. Echo could only respond by repeating his words, “Who is there?” 

Narcissus responded, “Come to me.” 

And Echo replied, “Come.” 

“Why?” replied Narcissus. “Why are you avoiding me?” 

“Avoiding me,” replied Echo. 

“Come and introduce yourself,” said Narcissus, “I wish to meet you.” 

“Meet you,” replied Echo. 

She came out from behind a tree and up to Narcissus. She put her arms around his neck and looked him in the eyes. But Narcissus pushed her away and ran. 

Echo disappeared into the forest and found a cave where she hid herself--her heart still loved Narcissus. Eventually, Narcissus’ arrogance angered the gods. One day, he grew thirsty and found a small pond. One of the gods made the pond silvery bright so that, when Narcissus bent over to take a drink, he saw his own reflection, which was so beautiful that it matched that of the god Apollo. Narcissus fell in love with the image of his own face. He stared into the pond and forgot all else, including food. He remained for days until his body grew weak. Narcissus knew he was close to death and called out, “Farewell.” 

Echo heard him and responded, “Farewell.” She went back to her cave and lived there all alone. Her body wasted away and shriveled up until it was gone. The only thing that remained was her voice, which still repeats back what is said. 

From this story, we get the English words narcissist and echo. What do you think they mean?

Glossary 

myth: a traditional story often involving supernatural beings, such as gods, faeries, and nymphs.

spurn: to reject because you think the other person is unworthy

nymph: a nature spirit

arrogance: thinking that you are better and more important than others; overbearing pride

reflection: the image of something in a mirror or clear body of water 

Questions: 

Q1. After reading the story, what do you think the word narcissist means?  

a. a handsome young man

b. someone who thinks about or admires only him or herself

c. someone who enjoys walking in the forest  

Q2. What is an echo?  

a. someone who lives in a cave 

b. a young woman who is in love 

c. the sound that repeats back to you when you call out 

Q3. Why did Narcissus die?  

a. He didn’t eat because he couldn’t stop looking at his own reflection 

b. Because Echo no longer loved him 

c. He had nothing to drink 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

Answers

A1. b

A2. c

A3. a

Photo Credit: Olia Danilevich @Pexels.com

In general, I like playing and/or watching sports such as tennis, volleyball, basketball, baseball, football, and so on. I enjoy playing with teams and it is a lot of fun to communicate with people while playing sports. When playing such sports, I need quick responses and instinctive reactions and I get really excited when I play.

When it comes to sports like Japanese martial arts, they are too sophisticated for me to enjoy. They seem to require the student to follow a detailed process as well as practice and effort to even understand the logic of what you are doing. They also include a lot of mental preparation that occurs through the movement and process. Therefore, I did not practice arts like kendo or kyudo while in Japan. Despite that, I was interested in the deeper meaning of such activities.

I wrote in a previous blog that I lived in Belgium for nearly 12 years. During that period, I tried kyudo for some time. My sensei and almost all the students at the dojo were Belgian. I had a chance to learn and practice all the procedures, movements and techniques in French. It was a very good experience as I needed to understand not only the process of kyudo but also some of the philosophy of Kyudo using a language other than Japanese in a different cultural situation. I remember I was often told by the senior students at the dojo that “Mato (的) is not the target/goal but the result of all the process of our movement”. This kind of idea is different from other sports that require competition with others as I mentioned at the beginning of this essay. Since I was curious how people in Europe perceive martial arts from Japan, I asked one of my friends who was from France and had practiced Aikido and Karate. It seems that at the beginning, it was the esthetic interest in things such as costumes and kata that attracted him. However, later he started to understand and focus on mastering himself in terms of training his own mental and physical balance through the martial arts.

Through these experiences across sports, culture and language, I could understand some of the deeper meaning of Japanese culture and sports. I really appreciate these experiences. I stopped doing kyudo for many years after I returned to Japan. However, I am thinking to restart by trying to remember the instructions I received in French in Belgium.

Questions:

Q1. According to the author, what did she feel about Japanese martial arts before starting?

Q2. Where did the author learn and practice kyudo?

.

Q3. What did she find good about the experience doing Japanese martial arts abroad?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

A1. She thought that they were difficult to understand (they require following a detailed process as well as practice and effort to even understand the logic of what you are doing) and needed mental preparation through the movement and process.

A2. She learned in Belgium

A3. It was a very positive experience as she needed to understand not only the process of kyudo but also some of its philosophy using a language other than Japanese in a different cultural situation.