“How do you say … in Japanese?” As in what? Where would you use it? To whom are you talking? What time of the year would you be using it? It might sound extreme but is not far from the truth. Once I made a collage with a word, “play.” Translating words from one language to another is hard because language is not just words … Continue reading confused?
She neatly creased the paper. “What are you doing?” her granddaughter gaped at the intricate piece by the grandmother’s hands. “Origami… I’m making a crane.” “Aw…” the five-year-old frowned. “You fold paper like this and like this, open it like this, and voilà!” She produced a crane made of a green square sheet of paper. “Wow…” “Do you want to try?” She placed a sheet … Continue reading an origami crane
“Brace yourself.” Grandmother pulled and tightened the obi just above my hip. The motion jerked me, but I was able to hold back. “If it’s not tight enough, the whole thing will fall apart.” She made me turn around, scrutinizing everything. The smoke from the mosquito coil rolled upwards and swayed with the evening breeze. The lazy sound of the wind chime echoed. My back … Continue reading a bud
A siren pierces my ears. Planes zip above my head. I run, zigzagging, hiding behind trees. A loud explosion stops me. I turn around and see a bright ray penetrate the sky. Then, I hear the sound of rumble. Houses, buildings, and poles crumble down onto earth, leaving me in darkness. Without being able to see, I start to hear voices. Cries and whimpers. “Help … Continue reading one August day, 1945
I was born in the year of fire horse. Girls who were born in the years of fire horse are considered headstrong and dangerous – especially to their husbands, and the birth rate in those years goes down in Japan. Our classes at school were small significantly. I had two girls of the same age in the neighborhood, and we became friends instantly. One girl … Continue reading women of fire horse
On a Japanese TV show that I was watching, they were interviewing an actor who was born and raised in Japan but has lived and worked around the globe. When he was asked if he was Japanese, he thought about it and answered by stating that he was born in Japan and owned a Japanese passport. I thought to myself, “I have been there.” … Continue reading adaptation
My family has been feeling restless for the last couple of days. The earth underneath them has been shaking night and day. It is frustrating to live far from your family when a disaster happens near them. You can’t get to them quick enough even if you want to. Until you hear their voice on the phone, you worry. Since I live alone, I worry … Continue reading when the earth shakes
I hear the sound of motor stopping in front of the house, the mailbox door opening and closing, and soon, the paperboy’s scooter running off to finish his morning delivery before the sunrise. Outside, it is still dim. I have been awake because of the jetlag and am getting hungry and bored. I am dying to go downstairs and get the newspaper. But, no. I … Continue reading ink and cigarette
Thanks to the technologies, I can now watch Japanese TV shows online. When I feel like crying (crying and laughing are great ways to release stress, I heard), I watch Japanese documentaries that are very sentimental. The other day, I watched a documentary about what firefighting units had to go through five years ago in Japan. As some of you might remember, they had a … Continue reading a softy
March 3rd is Girl’s Day in Japan. People set up dolls and rice crackers as they pray for girls’ health and happiness. For my Girl’s Day celebration, my parents and grandparents prepared an elaborate ceremonial display and dressed me in baby kimono. I was loved. There were many traditions and rituals when I was growing up in Japan. There were many “do”s and “don’t”s … Continue reading on Girl’s Day
What does nelkumi think? 