My home town♪ ~Hirakata~

　I have been lived in Hirakata city since 20 years ago, so I can say that my home town is Hirakata. Do you like Hirakata city? I love Hirakata. ^^ Today, I would like to write about the Hirakata city.

There are 400,000 people in Hirakata. Hirakata's topography is similar to turtle. There is a well known brand of cake in Hirakata. It is called Kurawanka-mochi. The taste is not too sweet. Chrysanthemum(菊)is famous in Hirakata, so chrysanthemum is enacted in 1967 to Hirakata's city flower. Also, chrysanthemum is famous for a chrysanthemum figure as well. The chrysanthemum figure's clothes is made of chrysanthemum. It is very beautiful. The chrysanthemum figure could see in Hirakata Park (It is theme park) untill a few years ago, but now it can't see. By the way, Have you ever been to Hirakata Park? In my case, I have been to there more than 10 times since my elementary school student's time. However, recently Universal Studio Japan was established in Osaka, so I sometime go to there with my friend. I haven't go to Hirakata Park for a long time. I want to go there after a long separation, so I have a plan that I am going to go to play skate in Hirakata Park with my friend in Februaly. In winter, we can play skate in Hirakata Park. In reverse, we can play swimming at there in summer time.

How about your home town?

Run with Hurisode

January 11th was a ceremony what to celebrate 20 years old . It is called Seijinsiki in Japan.

That day, I woke up 5 o'clock to join marathon competition. I went to beauty salon at 5:30. I made stylist to make up, hair set and dressing of Hurisode. After finished my set, I went the out side. In the out side, it was a little cold.

Then I went to the Yodo river by car to run with Hurisode. The marathon competition was held by the sports association of Hirakata. There were a lot of people in the place. The marathon competition has many category. For example, elementary school student category, general category, physically challenged person category, and so on. Among these category, there is a 20 years old category. Men have to run 1km with suits, and women have to run 300m with Hurisode. It's a kind of entertainment what to celebrate 20 years old people. First, 20 years old category was played. The mayor of Hirakata came in the competition, and he run with women. I was likely to fall down, because Hurisode was heavy. After all, I was forth in the game. I was four out of four. In the other words, I was the last place in the game.><; I thought that to run with Hurisode was difficult for me. After running, I got many memorial gift with testimonial. For example, T-shirts, hand towel, drink, free ticket of Macdonald, and wine. The wine was made the year when I was born. I was a last place, but I was very happy, because I got many gift such this.

After awarding ceremony, I was interviewed by reporter of Mainichi broadcasting. He asked me, "What do you want to be in the future?" or "Who is a your respect person except your parents?"and so on. I was a little nervous, because I had never been interviewed until now.

Then, I went to Seijinsiki where was held at Junior high school of Hirakata. Many kinder gartners sang for us. Furthermore, high school student performanced for us as well. I was very happy.

Anyway, the day was a special time for me. How about you?

In Kumamoto☆

Hi everyone! How was your the New Year holidays?

In my case, I spent at my grandmother's house in Kumamoto. I would like to write about trip of Kumamoto.

During winter vacation, I went to Kumamoto to meet my grandmother with my family for 5 days.

My grandmother's house was built about 100 years ago, so the house is very cold. Of course, the house doesn't have air-conditioners. The house is located in shopping arcade, so my grandmother's house is a clothing shop.

Kumamoto has beautiful nature and delicious foods. As beautiful nature, there are Aso Mt. and Onsen in Kumamoto.

Firstday,we went to we went to Sentou with my grandmother by cars. My grandmother's house doesn't have a bath, so we always go to Sentou every night. The Sentou is divided into many area. For example, a sauna bath, a electricity bath, a green tea bath, and a open-air bath. When I was taking a open-air bath, it began to snow. It was very cold. Any way, the Sentou make me very relax.

Next, I will write about Kumamo's delicious foods. Have you ever eaten raw of horese meat? It is called "Basashi" in Kumamoto. "Basashi" is one of the most famous foods in Kumamoto. It's pretty expensive, but it's very delicious. Kind of taste is soft. Except Basashi, there are many delicious foods in Kumamoto. For example, there is a "Karashi renkon" in Kumamoto. this food is mustard into lotus root. It's really very spicy. If you like spicy foods, you should eat "Karashi renkon" once in your life.

We ate rice cakes boiled with vegetables.(お雑煮Ozouni) Kumamoto's Ozouni is not Miso. Just soup. The Ozouni have rice cakes, carotto, Chikuwa, Kamaboko, taro(サトイモ), dried cuttlefish(するめ), and some people put Natto into the Ozouni. I don't like to put Natto into Ozouni very much. Natto with rice is Ok. How about your home town's Ozouni? Please tell me. Actually, I don't know about Osaka's Ozouni very much, because I spend in Kumamoto every New Year's Day.

Thank you for reading.

Christmas party☆

I'm involved in volunteer work. Maninly, playing with many children is my volunteer work. I love kids. It make me happy.

Last week I planed chiristmas party with my volunteer friends. We had the party in big room. It's rental. We prepared food or decoration before frineds come to here. We decolated around the wall and ceiling. I sticked the christmas tree(is made of cardboard) on the wall and paper's ring hung from the ceiling. We wored Santa Claus's costume. I was a little ashamed. We made cakes and cookies.

Many people came to the party. I ate Macdonald's hamburger and Kentucky's flied chicken. I also ate some snacks. My friend said,"This cake is good taste" I was glad to heard that. I thought so too. I was very enough. I couldn't eat anymore.

After eating some foods, we played a game. It called gesture game. The game's room is very simple. I express something by my body and it show to the next person. The game warmed up.

Finally, we exchanged each present. We sat in a circle. We turned the present with music. When the music stopped, the present is one's. I got daughter of sumou. It is very soft.

Anyway, I had a very good time. How about your Chiristmas?

Japanese English!!

Japanese English is meanings to the English words. It sounds like English but it doesn’t express English. These words doesn’t get through in English block people. I would like write about these words. There is a lot of Japanese English in Japan. I sometime use words that I think are English, but people who use English can’t understand me. When I use words of “concent” in Japan, it expresses the plug’s entrance that receives the plug from an electric cord. However, English doesn’t use this word. When you want to say “concent” in English, you should use “outlet” Why did the difference happen between English and Japanese?　Some people say” concentric plug” as English became “concent plug” in Japanese. As a result it became “concent” So Japanese people use “concent”. This word can be understood only by Japanese people.
Another Japanese English word is “cunning”. This word is used when student cheats an exam. Cunning is Japanese English too. In Japan, “cunning” is meanings to “cheating”. Originally, cunning means crafty or sly in English. For example, “He is a cunning man.”, so I think the word started to be used to describe cheating an exam.
If you want to drive in English speaking country, you should use “Gas Station” If you say “Where is a gasoline stand?” You will be said “Are you crazy?” by English block people. They will think “Gasoline is standing?” In this case, gas means gasoline. I searched on the web and I found it that native people image small scare when the word “stand” heard. For example, shop which sell ice-cream or drink with small table and umbrella in the road side express ice-cream stand. In British use petrol instead of gasoline, so they say “petrol station”. Thus the word differs widely between Japan and British and American. It is very interesting that each country has different expression.
I’ll give some synonym of Japanese English next. In this case, synonym means another meaning of the same word that is used in Japanese and English. There is “fried potato” : a word as good example. This word express such as McDonald’s potato when Japanese people use it. American don’t use the word fried potato, they say “French fries”. To my surprise, the word of “fried potato” existence in English. However, a meaning is not same. In English it means a fried whole potato.
How about “baby car”? Similarly, this word is synonym, but a meaning different. Japanese people use as car to carry a baby. If you use “baby car” when you go to foreign country, it means small type car in English, because baby means small or little. A vehicle to carry a baby is a “baby carriage” or “stroller” in English. You should be careful when you use these words in foreign country.
Besides the ones I showed above, there are many other Japanese English in Japan. You will not know these words meanings if you lived in Japan for a long time. I think that we have to understand difference of really English and Japanese English

KANI KANI♪♪

Do you like crab? Today, I had a Kani nabe for dinner. I like clab very much.However, clab is difficult to eat. It takes a few minutes. I am lazy. so this time we bought peeled crab.^^ We could eat it easily.The crab was delicious. There were many ingredient in the nabe. Hakusai, Siitake, Age, Kuzukiri and so on. Do you know Kuzukiri? I like it. It's noodle. It is something like Tokoroten. Clab is expensive, so I couldn't eat much. My mother said "Let's go to eat Kani next what we can eat as much as we like" We agreed with her opinion. It was a lovely dinner.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

October 30th, I went to Halloween costume contest where was held in Kansaigaidai. I was just looking, but I thought that I want to entry next year.

There were many unique costumes in there. For example, Gaijin geisha, Yakuza, Jack sparow of pirates of caribbian and so on. Gaijin geisha is male all together. They are disguised in woman's Yakata. They was making up on own faces. It is called Oshiroi. By the way, I like Jhonny deep as Jack sparow, so I took a picture with him. I was very happy. \^-^ /

This costume contest has 4 category. Fantasy, funny, pair-group, and general category. Winner was chosen in each category. Who is winner in fantasy category? Fantasy means game, animation, character. Can you guess that winner of fantasycategory? It is famous in Japan. Recently, it became to famous in the world. .......................................................Winner is Kaonashi! This character is "SPIRITED AWAY" It is called"SEN TO CHIHIRO NO KAMIKAKUSHI" in Japanese. It's funny! I think this is very good idea.

I had a good time in the day.

Thank you.