Bank Transfer

I had a refund problem with XXXXX uni. more than six months.  The beginning of this problem is mistreatment of uni.  When I received the remittance advice, the refund account number was the different number from mine, and I could not confirm the deposit on my account.  Therefore, I had enquired it to the uni. through my consultants.  However, they had not received a refund from the bank, so they had argued that they had treated correctly.  Therefore, I started to contact to the uni. directly.  Somehow, I had explained the wrong treatment repeatedly.  For example, the sort-cord was wrong obviously, so I had mentioned the sort-cord was another bank.  At that time, I do not understand the transfer system in the UK, but I thought that the basic way of structure is similar with Japanese one.  In addition, the transfer system of oversea and domestic would be entirely different.  I had sent mails and phones repeatedly, but they hardly respond to me.  I had considered how I should write a mail as I can receive response from them.  I had referred a business writing book, "Model Business Letters, E-mails and Other Business Documents" which was very useful and practical to convey my argument.  Finally, I could confirm the refund from them!  I could learn the British custom and system a little through this problem.  The British people tend to be attractive for positive application, but if it is a negative one, they tend to be getting later and later...This is also the British style!

Thank you for your reading to the end.

The Borough Market

I had visited the Borough market where is near from the London Bridge.  The market ( http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/ ) has long history since around 1014.  Some traders exchanged products such as fish, vegetables and livestock.  We can now see and enjoy those stalls and have cheese, breads, beers, wines, and sweets.  There are interesting shops around the market. Currently, open day and time is Thursday 11:00-17:00, Friday 12:00-18:00, and Saturday 8:00-17:00, so if you visit there, please check a time and go ahead!  Furthermore, I will recommend to visit Neal's Yard Daily ( http://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/index.html )which is a British cheese shop nearest from the Borough Market.  As you know, Stilton cheese is a representative of British cheese and one of three major blue cheese.  I recommend to have it and expect you will enjoy a ripe taste.

The Tate Modern ( http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/ ) is a popular place as well as the market.  The massive number of innovative arts are exhibited there.  In addition, some friends recommended me the cafe in the museum, because we can enjoy the City hall and River Thames in sight.

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The Geffrye

There are the great number of museums and theatres in London, and almost of museums are free, so I would like to visit as much as possible during staying here.  Today, I visited The Gefferye, Museum of the home ( http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/ ).  We can watch historical furniture, and interior from 1600's to 2000's.  In particular, we will enjoy the gardens from Spring to Autumn.  There is a cafe in the museum, so if you have a spare time, you may enjoy it in order to forget difficulties.

Thank you for your reading to the end.

Chado

During staying in Japan, I had a lesson of the Japanese tea tradition.  When I tell foreigners that I have learnt it for more than 13 years, most people have a question why I learn it such a long time.  For them, it is a subject such an art and economy which study in universities, so they would wonder that we keep practise it so long.  I understand some, but I suppose that the tea tradition is one of performances such a classical music and ballet.  When I start learning it, I thought that it is to learn how to make a tea and drink.  However, after I had learnt for about 7 years, I thought that we would learn the spirits which host treat precious guests warmly.  Then now, I think tea ceremony is mid-space arts using atmosphere, behaviour, consideration and five senses, sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches.   For example,  we can enjoy not only tasting green tea but also sounds of boiling water, watching flower and calligraphy, and other factors.  Each rules have meanings, and only guests who knows the tea culture can have a really good time, because they can understand the host's thought.  It seems that those communication is difficult to obtain completely in a short time.  At first glance, you may feels too stiff and formal about the manner, but if I can convey how to comfort to someone, it would be my pleasure.  Furthermore, if you are interested in URASENKE which is one of the Japanese tradition in London, please visit the follows site ( http://www.urasenkeuk.btinternet.co.uk/ ).

When I go abroad, in particular, more than one month, I notice that I do not know about Japan such as culture and geography.  Although we can imagine representative cultures easily, some people has a difficulty to explain it to foreigners.  I suppose that there are three reasons.  One is  most people don't have experiences about almost of Japanese cultures practically.  Second is difficult to convey them correctly in terms of vocabularies and  specific nuances, i.e. in most cases, there is no expression and sense in foreign countries.  Third is we hardly discuss about our culture among the Japanese in daily life.  Therefore, I would like to recommend a book "A Bilingual Handbook on Japanese Culture" which introduce not only Japanese cultures but also numeric statement, geography, government policy and modern cultures such as PACHINKO and cartoon.  Certainly, it is explained simply not in details, but we should read it once for ourselves.  It is the same meaning either we explain the Japanese culture to foreigners after reading this book or the foreigners read it by themselves, but I believe that imagining the situation for the Japanese is easier than foreigners do.

Thank you for your reading to the end.

Saka no Ue no Kumo

The topic "Saka no Ue no Kumo" is a full-length historical novel written by a Japanese novelist in name of Ryotaro SHIBA.  Mainly, Russo-Japanese War and historical backdrop are illustrated in it.  I purchased this novel 3 years ago, when the NHK special TV drama ( http://www9.nhk.or.jp/sakanoue/ )was generally popular among some Japanese.  Although I did not watch it all, it had become a popular topic of conversation.  Until then, I rarely read historical novels, because I had thought those kind of stories were masculine.  When I started reading, good old days were described well.  The leading characters are AKIYAMA brothers who will be lieutenant commanders in the future, whereas Shiki MASAOKA, a literary person who established haiku turned up in the story.  However, I had given up to read in the thick of the fight, because it is too grievous for me to continue reading further.  Last month, I glanced at the rebroadcast, and restarted reading.  Finally, I could read it to the last, because I may have a change of heart during 3 years, and interested in knowing reasons why everything are decided.  Recently, I suppose that all things have reasons, even if the reasons are either good conscience or evil conscience.  In addition, this story is researched the fact deeply, especially such a serious story, the author would not write without unshaken evidences.  In fact, he had taken 4 years to investigate the materials, and 5 years to write this novel.  The novel is mainly illustrated the Japanese by the Japanese.  Therefore, if I have an opportunity, I would like to touch the opposite or third position story someday.

Thank you for your reading to the end.

Skiing in Japan

I have not gone to ski in recent 10 years, because my friends in college days have already married and had children, so they are difficult to go skiing for a while.  However, I consider to go to ski to Swiss while staying in the UK.  In addition, my wine associates and a teacher love ski, so I decided to practise ski.  The place where I live far from the ski area, we have to take about three hours by car.  We visited Ski Jam KATSUYAMA ( http://www.skijam.jp/green/index.html )  in Fukui Prefecture where is located in Hokuriku area.  Their ski courses have variety courses from beginners to experts.  On that day, the snow condition compared with previous visits was good, and I could really enjoy skiing.  At first, I worry about my skills, but I could remember the style gradually.  Hokuriku area is also famous for crabs, "ECHIZENGANI".   Furthermore, we can enjoy hot springs "ONSEN".  That is a Japanese style hot springs, so we just sit in the hot water, not swim and wear swimwear there.  It is effective in relieving muscle pain, so the hot springs after skiing make my body defrost and me feel happy!

Thank you for your reading to the end.

Seven-herb rice porridge

On 7th of January, the Japanese have a custom to eat seven-herb rice porridge, NANAKUSA-KAYU in Japanese.  KAYU is added lots of water to rice and boil until soft.  According to a bilingual handbook on Japanese culture, as originally defined, eating KAYU on that day is said to ward off all kinds of diseases.  Then, the seven-herbs of spring are Japanese parsley(SERI), shepherd's purse(NAZUNA), cottonweed(GOGYO), chickweed(HAKOBERA), Lamium amplexicaule(HOTOKENOZA), a turnip(SUZUNA), and a Japanese radish(SUZUSHIRO), whereas we say the seven flowers of Autumn, but we do not eat the seven-flowers.  In my childhood, I used to remember the name of seven-herbs.  Actually, the Japanese generally eat so much quantity during winter, especially, Christmas and New year days, so this dish is quite gentle for our stomach and detoxify poisons from us.

Thank you for your reading to the end.

Happy New Year 2012!

Japanese flower arrangement
EDAWAKAMASU(branch young pines),
 GINYANAGI(silver willow),
 KIKU(chrysanth) and SENRYO

I had not written this blog and come back to Japan for a while due to a change of my mind.  To be reported here, I have decided to alternate the studying place from Leicester to London since Jan, 2012.  There are some reasons for this decision, purposes, environment for learning, and other reasons.  All of reasons are caused by having experiences at Leicester.  However, I could have wonderful Christmas and new year's days with my family and friends in Japan.  Although Japan had terrible disasters at the recent earthquake, fortunately, I am very thankful to pass last year without any trouble.  This year, I tried to wear KIMONO which is a Japanese traditional dress.  In recent years, we are difficult to see people who wear it, because treatment and the way of wearing is difficult for young people.  They generally wear for such special occasions as special ceremonies and parties such as Coming of Age ceremony, wedding and funeral.  In some case, the beauty and fashion of kimono are being reconsidered.  Actually, I like wearing KIMONO because this style is feminin and gentle.


New year's day is special events for the Japanese, for example, we are likely to spend times with family and relations, and visit shrines to pray something such as grateful for spending in peace last year and success for studying and business new year, and have traditional New Year dishes in name of "OSECHI", and give money to children as new year's gifts.  You may know, the Japanese tend to be multi religions, some Japanese have a Christmas party and a western-style wedding ceremony in a church, a funeral in a temple, celebrate in a shrine....  I suppose that the Japanese tend to receive various customs and cultures easily because of topographical factors, i.e. islands and the end of Eurasia continent, and national identities, if those are pleasure events.  It is certain that marketing strategies would be successful for current Japanese styles.  Furthermore, excepting for the Japanese would be no nationalities having many kinds of national cuisines such as French, Korean, Thai, and other country's foods even at home.  Nowadays, we may say this custom will be one of Japanese culture, then it seems that this culture contribute to high quality Japanese restaurants.  However, we would have to consider local production for local consumption at the same time in order to reduce air pollution and develop Japanese agricultural industries.

Thank you for your reading to the end.