100 days!

Shinryu is 100 days old today!  In Japanese tradition there is a small ceremony performed at home for the baby to encourage healthy eating and never going hungry.  We'll perform the ceremony Sunday, since Saturday is just way too busy, and i'll post the photos below afterwards.

Here, as promised (posted Jan.22).

 His "first meal" (not really - it's just symbolic).  Sweet bean rice, miso soup, picked vegetables, and sea bream fish ("tai" in Japanese).  It was delicious (usually the parents go ahead and eat it afterwards, so as not to waste anything.)  Shinryu was far more interested in sucking his own fists.

  The stone is also symbolic.  You "feed" him the stone so that he may grow up to have strong, healthy teeth.  The cute little dish set was provided by our local shrine when we went for his first shrine visit, back near the end of November.  Ever try picking up a smooth pebble with chopsticks?  I don't recommend it. Seems like a choking hazard to me.  And yes, you can choke on a symbol.

Shinryu and his name banner, given to us by his Japanese grandparents at his birth.  There is a space to write in the date of all his traditional ceremonial milestones - first shrine visit, 100 day meal, etc.  We haven't written them in yet because neither of us have particularly nice handwriting.

成人の日 - Seiji no Hi

"Seijin no Hi," called Coming-Of-Age Day in English is a celebration in Japan of the crossing from youth in adulthood. Officially this happens when one turns 20 years old, so on January 10th all the 20-year-olds in Japan don nice kimonos with long sleeves for the unmarried women and dark suits for the guys. They head back to their hometowns (an increasing logistical difficulty since so many travel away to university these days) for an official ceremony and then reunion parties with their high school classmates and friends.

This year Seijin no Hi was moved to the 10th from the traditional 15th as part of the "Happy Monday" policy to make more long weekends and make national holidays more convenient. The number of people, according to the news, is roughly 1,240,000, the lowest number on record.

Here was Google's header today:


Having no immediately accessible pics from this or past years, here are some stock photos plucked from the InterWebs to give you an idea of what it looks like...

traditional dress:


traditional displays of archery in some areas of Japan:


photo op:


what the look city ceremonies look like:


Kimonos on a roller coaster?! Weeeeeeeeeeee!




Symian is: feeling a bit old and cold.
Currently Reading: Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn (re-reading)
Currently Listening: "Life" by Keith Richards &James Fox / Audiobook Narrated by Johnny Depp & Joe Hurley
Kanji of the Day: 成人の日／せいじんのひ／"seijin no-hi"/ Coming-of-Age Day

New Year's Day - First Day of The Year of The Rabbit

Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます！ Happy Year of the Rabbit!

As mentioned before, we spent the better part of New Year's Day driving between Osaka, Kobe and Takarazuka to see Ulala's family. They are nice and all, but it is exhausting (especially with the ever-present language barrier). Next year i am determined to be somewhere else for the new year and we can go and visit people when things are calmer... A nice plan but unlikely.

Here was our day:

First to Kobe to make the required new year's greetings to Ulala's father. His apartment tower always has the nicest holiday displays in the lobby. This pic doesn't really do it justice. It has many new year's symbols; red, bamboo, whatever those are with the berries, the white flowers are often given for celebrations (are they orchids?), and the cards strewn bout are part of a traditional Japanese game, called 百人一首かるた ("hyakunin isshu karuta")、played at new year gatherings. Actually the ones seen here are いろはがるた ("iroha garuta"), a simplified version for kids.


Our lunch place setting. Year of the Rabbit


O-sechi, traditional New Year's food, comprised of many many types of foods, most of which have some symbolic or pun meaning long-life or health. I can't even begin to describe them all.



O-zoni, a traditional soup eaten on New Year's Day. I love the broth but not the giant soft rice cake in it.



The view from Ulala's dad's apartment overlooking Kobe port.



Out in Takarazuka with Ulala's mother's side of the family.



Ulala looking nice for the New Year. In case you are wondering, most of Takarazuka is built on a series of very steep hills.


The temple in Takarazuka we went to for hatsumode.


Back in Kobe with Ulala's dad's family. We ate a massive sukiyaki dinner.



Symian is: stuffed with sukiyaki and o-sechi.
Currently Reading: --
Currently Listening: "Life" by Keith Richards &James Fox / Audiobook Narrated by Johnny Depp & Joe Hurley
Kanji of the Day: 明けましておめでとうございます！ / "akemashite omedetou gozaimasu" / Happy New Year! (said at the start of the new year, when you see someone for the first time that year)