More essential skills for “living Japanese.”
How to make tea, casual style (TheNagual)
This version is done by Japanese people; very professional and evocative.
How to make sencha, by Griff and Matt
And now for a different take.
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse. We’ll post more videos as we find them. Feel free to suggest some!
Learn more about KCP International Japanese Language School.
Here’s a very fast video on how to buy a ticket in Tokyo. It’s reportedly very confusing to buy a ticket in a Tokyo train station.
How to buy a ticket in a Tokyo train station (werty2000)
This is fast and perhaps not very useful, but I’ve heard buying a ticket is tough. Do you think this helps?
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse. Look for more videos soon.
Learn more about KCP International Japanese Language School.
For the next installment in our Japanese how-to videos, here are a couple of looks at how to bow. It’s much more complex than you might imagine.
How to bow
–informal version. Pretty sweet.
–in-depth, formal version (Fujiyama Foundation). Nicely produced.
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse. Look for more videos soon.
Learn more about KCP International Japanese Language School.
Another “Japan skills” video–how to use an abacus for basic computation. Mystery revealed!
How to use an abacus (soroban)
An easy-to-grasp explanation.
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse. Look for more videos soon.
Learn more about KCP International Japanese Language School.
Next in our How-To series–
How to make a paper crane (SchoolTube)
The best one I found.
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse.
Learn more about KCP International Japanese Language School.
There has been much interest in our chindogu post. So we decided to take a crack at inventing our own chindogu (珍道具–remember, unusual tool).
Doesn’t this seem like a good idea, if you don’t want to bend down? But I already get a queasy feeling about the angle of that razor . . . .
Check out our seminal chindogu post, and then, if inspiration strikes, please invent something yourself! If you do, please let us know. I think we all need all the unusual tools we can get.
We’re gathering FAQs about the KCP International program. Eventually they’ll live on the KCP website, but we have to know what they are first.
KCP alums, interested Japanophiles, or anyone who’s been to Japan–
What do you most need to know about the program?
What do you wish you had asked before you went?
What surprised you the most about the KCP program, living in Tokyo, getting over there, or any other aspect of studying in Japan?
You are the ones “on the ground”–both here and in Japan. So we’re counting on your insights and look forward to your comments.
Thanks.
How to get closer to “living Japanese”? Maybe this video will help. This first one is on how to use chopsticks. Why not try it? They say one of the best way of bringing the currents of the world around to carry you where you want to go, is to “act as if.” Live Japanese now, and who knows what doors may open for you? At the very least, when you get to Japan, you’ll be that much closer to the Japanese way of life.
Those who’ve been there–please comment on how useful/accurate you find this!–Arigato.
How to use chopsticks (Howcast)
This was the clearest video I found. It does have a commercial that you can opt out of before it’s over (at least it did when I tried it).
Hope you enjoyed this glimpse. Look for more videos soon.
Learn more about KCP International Japanese Language School.
Want us to help you keep up with KCP? Sign up for our eZasshi. The May issue features a recent spring trip, learning Japanese through proverbs, this precious moment, and upcoming deadlines.
Read the eZasshi archives and sign up for it (bottom).
Arigato!
from Tanaka-san
We went to Kamakura this weekend (4/23, 4/24) with our spring students, so I would like to share some photos.
Kamakura, a city in Kanagawa prefecture, is fairly close to Tokyo and has plenty of historical and architectural interest. It is full of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, and it also has a great beach.
We’re at Hase-dera (Hase Temple), about to enter a cave. The rain on Saturday and the sunshine on Sunday really ramped up the trees!
Inside Benten-Kutsu (a cave that commemorates the Benzaiten goddess) in Hase-dera. It is narrow, with low ceilings, so the tall U.S. students need to crouch down.
In front of Kamakura Daibutsu (the Great Buddha statue in Kamakura). Students said that they saw many American tourists on-site and they are happy for that.
Obamaccha ice cream. Interesting flavors.
Ice cream shops in the Hase area that sell Maccha green tea ice cream call the ice cream flavor ”Obamaccha,” since President Obama visited Kamakura and enjoyed the ice cream. Green tea? Sweet potato? Some careful tasing going on.
Gathering his nerve before trying the green tea and vanilla. Obamaccha ice
cream . . . probably Mr. Obama did not imagine this coming.
Sunday’s Enoshima island. Up the hill is the shrine; there is a long line of people waiting to pray.
Very, very crowded, with lots of tourists. It was fine weather, so no wonder.
