伊達政宗(だて まさむね)[Date Masamune] Vol.1

From today we will introduce you Japanese Bushi 武士, great warriors in history.
Hi, this is Kazuki@MIJC from Japan. Have you heard anything about Japanese Bushi? From today we will share Japanese Bushi, their history. Today’s rebellious man is “Date Masamune” 伊達政宗_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._
-伊達政宗(だて まさむね)[Date Masamune] Vol.1

Date Masamune is *①Japanese regional lord at Azuti-Momoyama period(安土桃山時代 1568~1600) through early Edo period(江戸時代 1603~1867). He is 17th head of Date clan and a founder of the dominion of Sendai(仙台藩). His *②formal name was “Date Touzirou Masamune”(伊達藤次郎政宗).He got smallpox and lost his right eye in the cradle, so he was called “one-eyed dragon”(独眼竜). He originally ruled north part of Fukusima(福島), but moved to Miyagi(宮城) later.

In 1567, he was born as eldest son of Date Terumune(伊達輝宗) . His mother, Yosi-hime(義姫), was came from neighbor, Mogami clan(最上氏). His childhood name was Bontenmaru(梵天丸). When he was 18, his father Terumune retired and handed over a patrimony to him. However, in 1585 Terumune was killed by other clan. Some chief retainers committed suicided to follow Terumune and relationships between other clans were getting worse. Masamune had to fight with whole neighboring clans. Finally, he defeated them and got the largest dominion in Tohoku-region, however, he was faced with a tough choice right after this success. To be continued…..

This is just a beginning part of his life, but it’s already full of ups and downs. He was much more ambitious, perverse and sometimes reckless than the others. This characteristic is why he succeeded and why he courted danger. Unfortunately, he was born too late to attain his purpose.

*①: There were many large and small feudal lords and ruled their land individually at that time. We call them “daiimyo(大名)”.
*②: In the old Japanese custom, ceremony of attaining manhood for male was held at the age of 11 to 17. They stopped using childhood name and received their formal name. This ceremony is called “genpuku(元服)”.

MIJC Japanese Conversation group No.20

Wednesday, July 31, 2013 4:30pm – 6:30pm

practical expressions – through animation and so on

Let’s enjoy Kanji world!

Let’s enjoy Kanji world!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++>>

today’s group is “weather”!

1 = 雨　= あめ[Ame]　/　ウ[U]
2 = 雷 = かみなり[Kaminari]　/　ライ[Rai]
3 = 雪 = ゆき[YuKi]　/　セツ[Setsu]

+++Structure+++++++++++++++++++>>
雨 = rain
Don’t you think it looks like rain from the sky?

雷 = 雨 + _ ==> thunder with “Ame-kanmuri”
雪 = 雨 + _ ==> snow with “Ame-kanmuri”
(*make sure that Ame-kanmuri is slightly different from the kanji of Ame)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++>>
Using one of these kanji,
let’s try to come up with some compound words!
※If it is On-reading, I will write it in Katakana here.

雨季 = ウキ [U-Ki] = rainy season
梅雨= バイウ[Bai-U] = rainy season
雷雨 = ライウ [Rai-U] = thunderstorm
落雷 = ラクライ [Raku-Rai] = lightning

If you could do that,
let’s challenge to use another one of these kanji!

積雪 = [Seki-Setsu] = accumulated snow, snow cover
降雪 = [Kou-Setsu] = snowfall
落雪　= [Raku-Setsu] = snowslide

There are many words using this “Ame-kanmuri”.
ex. 雲 = cloud, 霧 = fog, 雫 = dew..etc

Today’s Kanyoku – idiom

Today’s Kanyoku – idiom
【Related with BODY – 体 (からだ) [Karada]】

胸が熱くなる
Mune ga atsuku naru

key words:
– Mune (胸) = breast, chest
– atsuku(熱く) naru(なる) = get hot, heat up

implications:
– Mune (胸) –> heart –> emotion
– Atsuku-naru (熱くなる)–> get hot -> impressed by, moved by

usage:
Do you have anything that has recently moved you?
Were you very impressed by it from your heart as if your chest or heart got hot with emotion at that moment?
For example, after you had the moment, you can say that Mune ga atsuku natta. (natta is the past tense of naru.) Then,
someone will ask you, “nani-de?” = by what? or “nande?” = why?
you can answer that watashi no yujin no yoi hanashi de munega atsuku-natta (-narimashita – in a polite way).

Could you guess it? (^^)..V

MIJC Japanese Conversation group No.19

Friday, July 26, 2013 5:30pm – 7:30pm

general conversation useful expressions – continued,
watching animation

How about a variety of J-Pop ?

How about a variety of J-Pop ?

コブクロ(Kobukuro) was formed by Kobuchi Kentaro and Kuroda Shunsuke in 1998 and made its major label debut in 2001. They met each other in Sakai near Osaka. Kobuchi was a salesman who held street concerts every Saturday for relaxation and Kuroda was a physical education teacher and a street musician. The name of their folk duo was taken from the first parts of their names. Today’s song is “Tsubomi”, one of their hit songs, released in 2007. It became their first number-one single on the Oricon weekly charts and won the coveted “Grand Prix” awards in December 2007 at the 49th Japan Record Awards.

Title : 蕾(つぼみ) [Tsubomi]
key words:
涙(なみだ)こぼす[namida wo kobosu]-cry
汗(あせ)にまみれた[ase ni mamireta]-sweaty
笑顔(えがお)[egao]-smile
誰(だれ)も気(き)づかない[daremo kizukanai] -no one notices
知(し)らない[shiranai] – don’t know
僕の心に(ぼくのこころに)[bokuno kokoroni] – in my mind
明かり(あかり)[akari] – light
あなたがくれた[anataga kureta] – you gave me
愛 (あい)[ai] – love
ひだまり[hidamari] -　sunny spot
いつかこんな日(ひ)がくる[itsuka kannahiga kuru] – Days like this will come someday
蕾(つぼみ) [tsubomi]　- blossom buds, bud
待っている[matteiru] – wait
手(て)のひらでは[teno hira dewa] – with one’s palm
つかめない[tsukamenai] – can’t grasp
肩(かた)に[katani] – on one’s shoulder
あなたを思い出す(おもいだす)[anatawo omoidasu] – remember you
夢(ゆめ)[yume] – dream
花(はな)を咲(さ)かす[hana wo sakasu] – blow, bear flowers
信じた夢(しんじたゆめ) [shinjita yume]- dream (we) believed
咲く場所(さくぼしょ)を選ばない(えらばない)[saku basho wo erabanai] – (the flower – in the lyrics, the dream) doesn’t choose where they blossom
影(かげ)[kage] – shadow
みんな光(ひかり)を探す(さがす)[minna hikari wo sagasu] – everyone try to find the light
時の流れ(ときのながれ) [toki no nagare]- stream of time
風(かぜ)のない [kaze no nai]- with no wind
動(うご)かない[ugokanai] – not move
ちぎれ雲(ちぎれぐも)[chigire-gumo] – fractus, ragged low clouds
どこにも戻(もど)れない[dokonimo modorenai]
– cannot come back anywhere
僕(ぼく)のようだ[boku noyouda] – like me
(boku is used as boys’ or men’s word)
舞(ま)い落(お)ちていく[mai-ochite-iku] – flutter
両手(りょうて)[ryoute] – one’s hands
消(き)えそうな[kiesouna] – as if (bud) blows out, clear away
咲(さ)きそうな[sakisouna]
– as if (bud)　blossoms, (bud) just ready to burst
散る(ちる)[chiru] – (bud) falls
今年(ことし)も僕を待(ま)っている[kotoshimo bokuwo matteiru]
– wait for me this year again
あなたと描いた(えがいた)夢(ゆめ) [anatato egaita yume]
– a dream I had with you
蕾(つぼみ)を探(さが)している[tsubomi wo sagashiteiru]
– try to find the buds
空(そら)に[sora ni] – in the sky
From Yokohama Aka-Renga-souko (Red Brick Warehouse), Yokohama bay area near my hometown:

Japan now – vol.3

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Japan now – vol.3
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The 23rd Elections to the House of Councillors for the upper house of the National Diet will be held on July 21 this weekend. The House of Councillors is elected by halves to six year terms and 121 seats are chosen in this election.

The official campaigning for the important election started on July 4th, when here in America most people were celebrating Independence Day watching the fireworks.

It’s also the first national election that facilitates its campaigning through the internet since a revision of the Public Officers Elections Law has been passed in this April.

It’s interesting that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo met with Facebook Inc.’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg at the prime minister’s official residence this week and that he expressed that both he and his wife have been a fan of Facebook using both official and private accounts.

If the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) can repeat its landslide, it would further encourage the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his economic-revival plan called ‘Abenomics’.

Mr.Abe will be putting out the last spurt in front of Akihabara station, Tokyo where many young people get together on the final day of the campaign.

MIJC Japanese Conversation group No.18

Friday, July 19, 2013 5:30pm – 7:30pm

through any animation, some useful conversation practicing

How about a variety of J-Pop ?

How about a variety of J-Pop ?

藤井フミヤ(Fujii Fumiya) was the vocalist of The Checkers and after they split up, he started his solo activities. He is from Fukuoka pref. Kurume City in Kyushu and he has younger brother,Fujii Naoyuki, who was also a member of The Checkers. They sometimes do their activities as F-Blood. Today’s song is one of his hit songs,”True Love” which was sold over 2 million copies in 1993.

Title : True Love
key words:
振り返る[Furikaeru] = turn around
笑う [Warau] = laugh
眩しい [Mabushii] = dazzling
目を閉じる [Me wo Tojiru] = close one’s eyes
涙 [Namida] = tears
君だけを [Kimi dakewo] 信じる [Shinjiru] = believe only you
はるか遠い未来 [Haruka Tooi Mirai] = far-distant future
夢みていたはず [Yume miteita hazu]
= (we) would have dreamed of
立ち止まる [Tachidomaru] = stop
変わらない [Kawaranai] = not change
あの時 [ano toki] = at that time
君と出会った時から [kimi to deatta toki kara] = since I met you
君だけを見つめる [kimi dake wo mitsumeru] = see only you
君だけしかいない [kimi dake shika inai] = there is no one except you, or there is only you

Today’s Kotowaza – proverb

Today’s Kotowaza – proverb
【Related with BODY – 体 (からだ) [Karada]】

喉元過ぎれば熱さを忘れる（のどもとすぎればあつさをわすれる）
Nodo-moto Sugireba Atsusa wo Wasureru

key words:
– Nodo(喉-のど) = throat
– Nodo-moto (喉元-のどもと) = the bottom of one’s throat
– Sugireba (過ぎれば-すぎれば)=> verb + reba = [conditional]-> Sugiru (過ぎる-すぎる）= pass
-> if something passed through the bottom of one’s throat

– Atsusa (熱さ-あつさ) = heat
– Wasureru (忘れる-わすれる) = forget

implications:
– Atsusa (熱さ-あつさ)–> heat -> something tough or hard
– Nodo-moto (喉元-のどもと) -> When you swallow a very hot food, you feel it is very hot in your throat.
– Sugireba (過ぎれば-すぎれば) -> However, once it passed through your throat, you won’t sense it is very hot.

usage:
Let’s remember things you failed in and that you had some trouble with it. But did you repeat the fault because you forgot about it? Or didn’t you remember such a tough thing you had at that moment?

Could you guess it? (^^)..V