NEWSLETTER QUIZ ANSWERS

March 2012 Newsletter Culture Corner answer is: HINA MATSURI		Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival, is celebrated on March 3^rd for the healthy growth and happy future of girls. Families with daughters set up ornamental dolls on platforms covered with red carpet in February and take it down immediately after the 3^rd. The dolls are arranged in a particular order and complete sets include many extra accessories. On the top tier are the Emperor and Empress in front of a gold folding screen. Below them are 3 court ladies with sake equipment. On the 3^rd tier are 5 male musicians, followed by 2 ministers and finally 3 samurai protectors on the 5^th tier. The 6^th and 7^th tiers are used for items such as furniture and tools used within and away from the palace. Hina Matsuri originates from the Hina Nagashi ("doll floating") custom of the Heian period when straw hina dolls were believed to possess the power to contain bad spirits. The dolls are set on a boat and floated down a river to the sea, taking all troubles with them.

January 2012 Newsletter Culture Corner answer is: NAMAHAGE		The Namahage is a demon-like creature which features prevalently in an annual New Year's tradition in Akita prefecture. On the 31st of December, young men don a demon mask and straw raincoat, and carry a pail and a weapon made of wood. They roar menacingly, dance around bonfires, play taiko drums and visit every house in the village, searching for lazy and disobedient children to drag away into the mountains. Once the children have been sufficiently chased around and frightened, parents assure the Namahage that there are no bad children in the house, and appease them with food and sake. The Namahage encourages the children to keep studying and working hard, and the children make a new year's resolution to behave. Finally, the Namahage wishes prosperity and good health on the family before moving on to the next house.

November 2011 Newsletter Culture Corner answer is: DARUMA DOLLS		Daruma dolls are modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism, and are a symbol of perseverance and good luck. They are typically made of red papier-mâché and depict a bearded man with eyebrows in the shape of a crane to symbolize longevity. The bottom is weighted in such a way that it will always return to an upright position when tipped, symbolizing the ability to overcome adversity or misfortune. Daruma dolls are often used for setting goals. They are frequently sold with blank white eyes - one eye is filled in when setting the goal, and the other when the goal has been accomplished. Right after New Year’s Day, the Daruma are brought back to the temple from which they were purchased and a traditional burning ceremony is held. Then new dolls are bought for the New Year and new goals are set.

September 2011 Newsletter Culture Corner answer is: EMA		Ema are wooden plaques sold at Shinto shrines for making wishes. People buy Ema to write their prayers or wishes on them, and then hang them up on the designated rack at the shrine for the gods to receive them. The tradition began long ago, when people donated horses to the shrines for good favour. This eventually became wooden plaques with the picture of a horse on them (hence the name, which is written with the characters for picture (‘E’) and horse (‘MA’)). These days, shrines have all sorts of different images on their plaques, the sales of which help support the shrine financially. The most common reasons for buying an ema are; success in work, on exams, in marriage, for having children, or for good health.

July 2011 Newsletter Culture Corner answer is: YOSAKOI		Literally meaning “come at night”, Yosakoi is an energetic dance performed by large teams of men and women of all ages, combining traditional Japanese dance moves with modern music. It began as a modern rendition of a traditional summer dance (Awa Odori) in the city of Kōchi in 1954, and is now featured in festivals all over Japan. Dancers wear happi coats, yukata, or other costumes based on historical clothing or popular fashions, and carry small wooden clappers called Naruko. Groups can also use drums, flags, batons, floats and other props/instruments. The dance is based on a song by Takemasa Eisaku, called “Yosakoi Naruko Dancing”, which combines 3 different songs: a children’s song called “Yocchore”, a folk song called “Jinma-mo” and a song called “Yosakoi-bushi” (meaning Yosakoi melody). The Yosakoi festival takes place in Kōchi city every August since 1954, and has featured over 10,000 dancers every year since 2005. The groups must follow 3 simple rules: groups may not be larger than 150 people, the musical arrangement must contain at least some part of the Yosakoi Naruko Dancing song, and all participants must use Naruko clappers.

June 2011 Newsletter Culture Corner answer is: TENGU		Sometimes described as goblins or demons, Tengu are supernatural creatures commonly found in Japanese folklore. They are part bird and part human, depicted with wings and an avian head/beak or an unnaturally long nose, and often wearing the small black cap and pom-pommed sash of the yamabushi mountain ascetics. They sometimes possess a magical fan made of bird feathers, which can generate a great gust of wind or change the length of a person’s nose. Originally considered malicious spirits or ghosts, they are now thought of as mischievous protectors of the mountains and forests, but beware their sense of pride and vanity; the Japanese expression “Tengu ni naru” (to become a Tengu) is used to describe a conceited person.

March 2011 Newsletter Where in Japan? answer is: HAKODATE		Hakodate serves as the gateway to Hokkaido from Honshu, the main island. The old brick warehouses of Hakodate have been renovated into a stylish shopping district, and the historic Motomachi district has been preserved, showing the buildings as they were in the late 1890’s. The Asa-ichi morning market is an experience not to be missed, as fishermen bring their catch to market – the famous Hokkaido hairy crabs must be seen to be believed! Ride the cable car up Mount Hakodate for a spectacular nighttime view over the city, which may be one of the world's best.