Archaeologists tell us that during the jomon and Yayoi periods, the japanese practiced burial customs similar to those of the West today. That is, bodies were placed in jars or coffins and buried in the ground. This custom began to change after the introduction of Buddhism, which held that the body should be cremated so that its soul could be reborn. Because the imperial family and members of the court were the first to adopt Buddhism, it was among the elite that the custom of cremation first took hold; but with the popularization of Buddhism commencing in the twelfth century, the practice spread to the common people. Cremation remains the almost universal form of corpse disposal in Japan.
Why are the men on Japanese CURRENCY so hairy?
This is not only due to the fact that men in earlier ages wore more facial hair. One of the prerequisites for appearing on the bills is to offer opportunities for lots of detail—whether in the form of a beard, a mustache, or wrinkles—to prevent counterfeiting. Writer Higuchi lchiyo was a candidate in the last selection of people, but she was eliminated from competition not because of her sex, but because she was too much of a beauty.
How did CURRY make its way to Japan?
Curry powder was introduced to Japan in the late Edo period by the English. During the late Meiji period (1868-1912), the Japanese version of curry roux was developed and the dish called karēraisuwas born. The dish has been popular since the 1920s and ranks among the favorite "Japanese dishes" of people of every age group.
What happened to the arms and legs of DARUMA dolls?
Daruma dolls represent the Indian priest Bodhidharma, who founded Chinese Zen Buddhism and is said to have lost the use of his appendages as a result of spending nine years in seated meditation. In Japan, where his name has been transformed into Daruma, his single-mindedness toward achieving a goal has made him an ideal symbol for the fulfillment of a particular wish. Papier-māché daruma are made so that they will right themselves whenever they are tipped over, symbolic of not surrendering to despair when times are tough.
Why do DARUMA dolls have no eyes?
Approximately 80% of the daruma of Japan are produced in Gunma Prefecture in the city of Takasaki. In 1783, nearby volcano Mt. Azuma exploded in a tremendous eruption, leaving the surrounding area barren and suffering from famine. The abbot of a local temple made wooden models of a painting of Bodhidharma and helped poor farmers there make papier-māché dolls as a means of earning a living.
These daruma do not have eyes for several reasons. First, Bodhidharma did not use the visible eye to achieve enlightenment but the eye of the mind. Second, an image of the Buddha is said to come to life only when the eye is painted in. Finally, there is a pun on the sound gan, which can mean either "request" or "eye," depending on the character used to write it.
Dolls depicting Daruma are most commonly used by candidates for political office. The candidate paints in one eye when his campaign begins and the other eye upon winning the election.
Which eye should you fill in first? Facing the daruma, paint in his left eye when you make your wish. Paint in the eye on the right when your wish is fulfilled, then take it to the local shrine or temple as an offering. Daruma and other felicitous ornaments are usually burned in a bonfire at New Year's.
Where did the Japanese names for the DAYS of the week come from?
It seems unclear who declared that Japan would adopt the Western calendar with its seven-day week, but the solar calendar was adopted in 1872. It is also unclear who decided that Sunday would be called nichiyōbi and so on, but the Japanese names of the other days do not follow the English names. Rather, they follow the continental western European model in associating the days with the heavenly spheres in this order: the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.
Whom do Japanese visit in order to talk to DEAD family members?
Mediums, who gather at Mt. Osore in Aomori Prefecture during the summer festival there, work at helping to establish communication with the other world.
Why do Japanese put out DECORATIONS made of bamboo and pine in front of their houses at New Year's?
The god of the New Year is welcomed at each house because he or she brings good crops, good business, or a good catch of fish, depending on the type of occupation in which the inhabitants of the house engage. The god needs a place to reside during the visit from January 1 through the seventh (in some places until the fifteenth), and the bamboo-and-pine kado-matsu provides those temporary quarters.
How did early DEPARTMENT stores tackle the Japanese custom of "no shoes indoors"?
Through the Meiji period, stores and shops did not, as a rule, put their goods on display. A customer would come and ask to see certain items, then sit in the open area near the entrance of the shop while the clerks went to the storeroom and brought out the merchandise. The Western idea of a department store, where goods are on display and the customer walks abound freely, presented the daunting problem of how to deal with customers' footwear Prior to the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, shops provided slippers for customers. This practice, however, often brought about confusion at the entranceway, where footwear was checked and later reclaimed. Even small shops were at a disadvantage because their clerks could only handle limited numbers of pairs of footwear
Finally, not long after the giant earthquake, two big Nihonbashi stores launched a revolution—they let their customers keep their shoes on! As a result, there were no more bottlenecks at the entrance and no more need for clerks to run back and forth to the storerooms.
Why is the "one" spot on Japanese DICE red?
The passion for red began in the middle of this century, when a producer in Wakayama decided to make its product stand out from those of other Japanese producers. As is often the case, other manufacturers simply followed suit, and the red dot became the norm. Dots for the export market, though, are still made with all their dots a uniform black.
What is a "DOCTOR STOP"?
There are times when a physician may prevent an athlete from continuing participation in a competition, or forbid a patient to drink alcohol. This odd combination of English words refers to the advice or stronger admonition of a doctor to avoid a certain activity, food, or beverage. Japanese-language dictionaries list it as a term referring to stopping a boxing match on a doctor's orders, and this would appear to be the origin of the expression.
Who is the most famous DOG in Japan?
This honor undoubtedly goes to an Akita dog named Hachiko, who is commemorated with a statue in the plaza on the east side of the JR station at Shibuya. Legend tells that the dog would go to the station every evening to greet his master and escort him home. Even after his master's demise, Hachiko unfailingly went to the station each evening and waited for train after train, in the process becoming a famous figure. A year after Hachiko died on March 8, 1935, a statue was erected in honor of his loyalty. The current statue dates from after World War II and remains one of the best-known meeting places in Tokyo.
What is the connection between pregnant women and DOGS?
It is believed that dogs bear offspring without great difficulty, so "dog days" are considered auspicious days to visit shrines and purchase amulets for the safe delivery of children.
Why is there a roof over the sumo DOHYŌ?
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