Japanese Things 1-1 Flashcards
(12 cards)
The Japanese language has many levels of politeness.
If you have studied Japanese, you may notice that some people speak in a different way from what you studied.
This is the casual form. Friends and family members speak to each other in this form.
The Japanese language has many levels of politeness.
For example, there are several levels of politeness to say “How are you?” We change our politeness level depending on who we are talking to.
The politest level is used, for example, when company staff talk to customers. In the past, children talked to parents politely, but they are more casual today.
Most passengers carry them.
Most passengers of Japan’s train and bus systems carry IC passenger cards. The majority of train stations have gates equipped with IC chip scanners, so you can pass through just by holding your IC card over the scanner.
There is no need to buy a ticket.
The Suica card is widely used in the Kanto area. You can reload your Suica card using cash or credit card, and use it on almost every transit network within the area.
“IC” stands for “integrated circuit,” and there is a built-in computer chip in each card. IC passenger cards are extremely light, so you can easily carry one in your wallet or card holder.
You can buy anything, anytime, anywhere.
Japan is a country with many vending machines. The most common vending machines are for beverages such as coffee, tea, fruit juices, soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks.
You can also buy various items such as hot meals, toiletries, tickets, cigarettes, and batteries. Some machines sell hot and cold drinks at the same time. You may find just about anything you can imagine.
The “print club” is also a type of vending machine. It is a kind of instant photo booth. There, you can take pictures and print them out. It is popular because you can design your photos and print them out as stickers.
We value the spirit of hospitality.
When you go to shops or restarurants in Japan, the staff bow very politely to you. Because of this kind of behavior, the Japanese people are often said to be “polite.” This quality is probably rooted in the spirit of omotenashi - a Japanese type of hospitality.
Shop and restaurant staff and company salespeople receive training to put their customers first. For example, when cashiers give you change for your cash payment, they will hand you the paper bills first, wait for you to put them in your wallet, and then give you the coins.
The ultimate example of being considerate to your guests is the tea ceremony. For example, the host will sprinkle water at the entrance to symbolize purification of the building. Seasonal flowers and art will also be displayed to suit the guest’s preference.
A family shares the same bath water.
In a Japanese bathroom, there is a separate area for washing. A family shares the same water in the bathtub, so we try to keep the bathtub water clean.
Next to the bathroom, there is a changing area. When you enter the bathroom, you will find a washing area. If you find something that looks like a step tool in the bathroom, it is for sitting. Please rinse your body before going into the tub.
If the bath water is too hot, please add cold water. After sitting in the tub for some time, you get out of the bathtub and wash your body and hair.
We have some unique item.
We have some unique items in the Japanese Kitchen. You will know the gas stove, the microwave, and the toaster when you see them. You will also see a rice cooker, a rice bin, and a water heater.
We use western cookware like frying pans and saucepans. To grill fish, we use a special fish grill or the grill oven of the gas stove.
Our kitchen knife is large and wide. This is good for cutting fish. We have a big bowl with a rough surface inside. This is for grinding sesame seeds. We also like to use a big grater for grating radish.
It’s a part of the Japanese life.
In Japan, you will see a konbini on almost every block. The word konbini comes from the English word “convenience.” So, it is like a North American convenience store. Most konbini are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In a konbini, you can buy daily goods and sweets. You can also buy meals like salads and lunch boxes. Many also sell alcoholic drinks and have ATMs. You can even send packages by courier from one.
Konbini is now a part of Japanese life. Some people even say they can survive if they have a wallet, a cell-phone, and a konbini.
Smart phones are overwhelming the “Galapagos cell phones.”
According to a 2014 (two thousand fourteen) survey, penetration of cell phones in Japan is over 100% (one hundred percent). This result means that some people have more than one cell phone.
Many people own both a smart phone and a so-called “garakei.” Garakei is short for “Galapagos cell phone”. It means cell phones with technical specifications unique to Japan, that were never sold outside the country. As you can imagine, the name comes from the islands off the west coast of South America.
Recent surveys indicate that more people, including the elderly and children, use smart phones, like the iPhone or Android devices, instead of the Galapagos cell phones.
It’s your local neighborhood casino.
Pachinko is a cross between a pinball game and a slot machine.
Pachinko parlors are almost always crowded. You can get prizes based on the number of balls you win, so you could call it “your local neighborhood casino.”
In a pachinko game, you operate a handle or dial to shoot up balls into the pegboard. If your ball enters a hole, you are given extra balls. If you get lucky and your ball makes it to a special hole, you get even more balls.
The prizes are sweets, cigarettes, household goods, and sometimes even fresh food. The rate of winning is computer-controlled.
We relieve stress by singing songs with karaoke.
Karaoke is a form of private entertainment born in Japan. Many Japanese relieve stress by singing songs with karaoke. It is a major entertainment for men and women of all ages. You can sing all types of Japanese songs, and English songs from the Beatles to Lady Gaga!
Karaoke started in the 70s (seventies) to 80s (eighties) when bars played recorded music for their customers to sing with.
We also have karaoke rooms where people can enjoy karaoke in small groups. You can get drinks and snacks in these places, but the main reason for going to karaoke rooms is to sing your hearts out.
We enjoy all kinds of drinks and foods.
In the Japanese style pub called izakaya, you can enjoy all kinds of drinks and foods. It is best to go to an izakaya with a group of friends. The izakaya is casual, so you can talk and laugh in a loud voice!
The food in an izakaya is just as important as the drinks. The izakaya food menu has a wonderful variety from casual appetizers to sushi or steak.
When you sit at the table, they may serve a small appetizer that you didn’t order. This is not a mistake. Even though some izakaya charge you for this, you cannot return it.
It’s different from soba or udon.
Ramen is a noodle soup dish. You see many ramen restaurants in Japan and people often go to them because they are casual and prices are reasonable.
Ramen is different from soba and udon because it uses meat for its soup stock. Soba and udon use fish or seaweed. Ramen soup may also have garlic, soy sauce or miso added to its base. Popular toppings are roasted pork and chopped green onions.
Different areas specialize in different kinds of ramen. The famous specially ramen of Hakata uses a white soup taken from pork bones. You can slurp when you eat your ramen!
