Support Japanese Orphan with Gilbert HS carwash

Gilbert High School’s Japanese classes have banded together to support Rinka Hirayama, the young Japanese national recently orphaned in a terrible accident in northern Arizona. It is likely that many of you have already heard the news surrounding Rinka, but for those who have not, a brief summary of the tragedy is included in the attached flyer.

School Carwash Flyer

Students have organized a car wash/bake sale to support Rinka and “show her the love and sympathy of the state of Arizona.” It will be held on Friday, April 18th (this Friday!) from 8:00am to 12:00pm at the Walgreens at the SE corner of Val Vista and Warner, close to the Denny’s restaurant. Come to support our cause, leave with a clean car and a treat! See the attached flyer for a map to the location.

We are also collecting donations and well-wishes in room 1604 of Gilbert High. If you do not have a student attending the school, we welcome your donations by mail. Please address checks to “JBAA” and send to:

Mutsumi Hazen

c/o Gilbert High School

1101 East Elliot Rd.

Gilbert, AZ 85234

Please help us spread the word and “Send Love to Rinka”.

Many thanks,

Mutsumi Hazen

What’s for Lunch?

Bento, Bento Box and much more…

Cooking with Kathy Man

157,500 Yen Deluxe Sunlight Buried Golden Bento (日光埋蔵金弁当)

The reason why this bento is so expensive is not because of its food but the hand-crafted lacquered bento box.

Limited quantities of the tax-inclusive 157,500 yen (about US$1,514) bento are available for advanced booking in Japan.

View original post

Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S124/R455, Piano: Harumi Hanafusa

euzicasa

李斯特 第一號鋼琴協奏曲
Liszt, Franz 
Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S124/R455
—————————————-­————————–
1. » Allegro maestoso
2. » Quasi adagio
3. » Allegro marziale animato

Piano: Harumi Hanafusa
鋼琴: 花房晴美

Conductor: Heinz Wallberg
指揮: 華爾貝格

NHK Symphony
NHK交響樂團

View original post

Kura: Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 1

SHIZUOKA GOURMET

A tall kura in Shizuoka City

“Kura” (in japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditonal Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

Can you spot the small one in far distance? Discovered in Numazu City!

Except in Kyoto and other touristic regions, or unless designated as cultural properties, most large ones have been pulled down as…

View original post 747 more words

Japan is more affordable than we expected

simpletravelourway

A few years ago, when we were choosing which countries to visit on our round-the-world trip, we decided against visiting Japan.  We were sure that it would be over our modest budget. However, our friend, Stephen, was so enthusiastic about Japan, we decided just MAYBE we could travel simply in Japan.

Would it be possible?  We booked AirBnB apartments in Tokyo and Kyoto for much less than hotels would have cost and allowed us the use of kitchens and washer-dryers. Transportation costs were negligible because we walk almost everywhere. Food had been our biggest surprise. Modest Japanese-style meals cost less than we paid for equivalent meals in Washington, DC.  Sightseeing?  We spent very little.

We were surprised that our visit to the East Garden of the Imperial Palace was free and even more surprised that The National Museum of Modern Art was free (for seniors).  Another free activity should not…

View original post 193 more words

Parents/Student Trip Meeting Sept. 25, 2013 in Gilbert

Dear Parents/Students:

On Wednesday September 25, there will be an informational meeting for the Japan trip at Gilbert High School (1101 E. Elliot Rd. Gilbert 85234), Room #1604 (Japanese classroom) from 6:30-8:00 PM. We kindly request that you enter through the cafeteria located off of the student parking lot. If you enter through the front office, the doors might be locked and the gates are closed at night. There will be signs as well as ushers to direct you.

Please note that Gilbert High School is located on Elliot Rd., between Val Vista Dr. and Lindsay Rd. The student parking lot is the entrance closest to Val Vista Dr., on the east side of school with the Tiger Electronic Message Board.

If you have any questions or concerns you can send me an email and we will address them at the meeting. Furthermore, if you are interested in going on the Japan Trip, please e-mail me stating that you are interested in receiving further information regarding the trip. Please contact me at hazensensei@gmail.com

Here is the link to view our trip!

http://www.explorica.com/Mt-Account/My-Yours/TourCenter.aspx?tourCenterCode=Hazen-8665

Thank you for your time! Hope to see you all there!

Sincerely,

Mutsumi Hazen, Japanese teacher

Gilbert High School

1101 E. Elliot Dr.

Gilbert, AZ 85234

We traveled from Nagano to Gifu. ３ : Shirakawa-go(village) ２

aquacompass 7

＜　Wada’s house   　＞

I introduce the inside of the architecture with A-frame, the four seasons and the living of the mountain village.

 

今回は、合掌造りの家、白川郷の四季と暮らしを紹介します。

 

＜　four seasons, this photo are the good will of http://blog.livedoor.jp/nagu0223/　　＞

A:  A rice planting in spring. It is reproducing old work.

B:　A harvest of rice has finished, so it become a good time to see autumn leaves. We see Hakusan Mountains to the right side back.

C:　being buried in snow in winter, people shut themselves up in their house.

D:  All villagers must put on a new roof of about two houses with some kind of grass together every year.

 

I observed the Wada’s house.   　

This family served as a village mayor at Edo Ｐeriod, and prospered by business of gun smoke.

The gun smoke that is materials of gunpowder was produced by fermenting some kind of grass under a floor.

This…

View original post 433 more words

We’re not in Kentucky anymore – KFC Japan offering chicken-flavored rice balls

進撃の単語

Attack on Titan, 進撃の巨人, Japanese, Shingeki no Kyojin.

Chilling out in the Tokyo heat wave

gardens, Japanese gardens, Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, travel. Bookmark

simpletravelourway

We set our agenda for Japan: No rushing about; no long days of sightseeing; no pursuing the best dining in the best restaurants. What we needed more than anything was to chill out and relax after a hectic last month of preparations for this trip.

Every morning, we spread the map out and plotted a walk.  Walks restore us.  Our first stroll took us to Shinjuku Gyoen Garden,  a large park combining several themed gardens as well as a large greenhouse for tropical plants.

“Muggy” described the day, very warm with stifling humidity.  A few hours in this large park of gardens meant that we were able to concentrate only on its traditional Japanese gardens and the greenhouse.  After those, we collapsed onto benches by the French formal garden and enjoyed the view before acknowledging the heat had done us in.  We slowly made our way home.

Shinjuku Gyoen…

View original post 212 more words