Sumo

Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It originated in ancient times as a performance to entertain the Shinto gods. Many rituals with religious background are still followed today.
The basic rules of sumo are simple: the wrestler who first touches the ground with anything besides the soles of his feet, or who leaves the ring before his opponent, loses. Fights take place on an elevated ring, called a "dohyo", which is made of clay and covered in a layer of sand. The fights themselves usually last only a few seconds, or in rare cases, about a minute.

At the top of the sumo wrestlers' hierarchy stand the yokozuna (grand champion). Once a wrestler reaches the rank of yokozuna, he cannot lose this status but he will be expected to retire when his results begin to worsen. Many former wrestlers remain active in the sumo world as members of the Japan Sumo Association.

Kokugikan, the sumo stadium in Tokyo

Most elite wrestlers are highly trained athletes between 20 and 35 years old. They typically live together in residential and training complexes, called "stables", where all aspects of life, from sleeping and eating to training and free time, are strictly regimented by the coach, called the "stable master".

There are no weight restrictions or classes in sumo, meaning that wrestlers can easily find themselves matched off against someone many times their size. As a result, weight gain is an essential part of sumo training. The typical sumo dish, chanko nabe, is a hearty stew full of vegetables, meat and fish.Six tournaments are held every year, each one lasting 15 days. Three of the tournaments are held in Tokyo (January, May, September), and one each in Osaka (March), Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November).


Source : www.japan-guide.com/e/e2080.html

The True Story of a Faithful Dog Hachiko

A Professor and a half old living alone in the city of Shibuya. His name is Professor Hidesamuro Ueno. He was only accompanied by her beloved dog, Hachiko. Once the dog and his master's intimate relationship so that wherever it went Hachiko always drove. The professor went every day to teach at the university always use the train .. Hachiko also accompany Professor faithfully every day until the station. In this Shibuya station Hachiko faithfully watch over his master's home without moving out before the professor again. And when Professor Ueno returned from teaching by train, he always finds a faithful Hachiko was waiting at the station. Once done every day without ever bored Hachiko.

Winter in Japan this year so badly. All covered with snow. The air chilled to the bone marrow makes many people reluctant to go out and prefer to live near a warm fireplace.

That morning, as usual, the professor went to college teaching. He was a professor who is very loyal to his profession. Very cold air does not make him lazy to travel long distances to the campus where he teaches. Age an increasingly dusk and an increasingly fragile body is also not unreasonable to make him stay home. Hachiko Likewise, thick piles of snow everywhere not discourage loyalty to accompany his master to go to work. With a thick jacket and an umbrella that opens, Professor Ueno went to Shibuya with Hachiko stasun.
Professor Ueno teaching places actually not too far from their residence. But it has become a favorite habit and professor to catch a train every depart and return from university.

The train arrived on time. Rumbling long trumpet like a little warm up station full of people who had waited for it. A train crew was familiar with Professor Ueno immediately familiar as the train stopped screaming. Yes, almost all officials and employees of the station wagon and met with Professor Ueno's loyal dog, Hachiko. Because it's been years since he became a loyal customer for coal-fueled vehicles that.

After stroked with affection to her dog like two people close friend, Professor got into the carriage which he usually rode. Hachiko watched from the edge of the balcony to the disappearance of a professor in the train, as if he wanted to say, "I'll wait for the master again."

"Dogs are sweet, do not go anywhere yes, you should never leave before the host you are home!" Shouted half-jokingly train employees.

As if to understand what was going, Hachiko welcomed with rather loud voice, "woofh!"
Not long after officials blew the whistle a long balcony, a sign of the train to leave immediately. Hachiko even know the meaning of the long whistle. That's why he seemed to get off the departure of his master by barking mild professor. And preceded bursts of thick smoke, the train went. Vibration is rather hard to make snow, snow that stuck around the station a little fall foliage.

On campus, Professor Ueno besides teaching schedule, he also completed studies in the laboratory tasks. Because it was so finished teaching in the classroom, he immediately entered the lab ready for his research. Very cold air outside hit Professor who was passing by the corridor of campus.

Suddenly he felt very tight in the chest. A faculty member who else saw Professor Ueno giddy soon led him to the campus clinic. Starting from a simple thing, the campus suddenly became excited because Professor Ueno fainted. The doctor who examined it declared Professor Ueno had heart disease, and that afternoon relapse. They tried to help and revive Professor. But their efforts seem futile. Professor Ueno died.
Professor relatives immediately contacted. They come to campus and decided to bring the body of professors to their hometown, rather than returning to the home of Professor in Shibuya.

Toward evening getting colder in Shibuya station. But Hachiko remain unmoved by holding the cold air, feeling restless. Professor Ueno should have been returned, he thought. As he paced around balcony Hachiko trying to shake her anxiety. Some of the guests at the station felt sorry for the dog's loyalty. Someone approached and tried to comfort him, but still could not shake her anxiety.

Night came. More stations deserted. Hachiko was still waiting there. To warm the body he huddled in one corner of the waiting room. While occasionally jumping to the balcony every time there's a train coming, hoping his master was among the passengers who arrived. But always he must be disappointed, because Professor Ueno did not come. Even until the next day, two days later dian, and days later he never came. But still Hachiko waited and waited at the station, hoping his master's return. Her body began to become thinner.

Employees who feel sorry for the station to see Hachiko and wondered why Professor Ueno never again attempt to find out what happened. Finally got the news that Professor Ueno had died, even buried by their relatives.

They also attempt to notify Hachiko that his master would never come back again and persuaded him to not have to wait forever. But the dog seemed not to believe, or do not care. She kept waiting and waiting for his master at the station, as if he believed that his master would return. Her body is becoming increasingly gaunt since rarely eat.

Finally the issue in the news about a dog who faithfully kept waiting for his master even though his master had died. Too many citizens who came to see him. Many were touched. Even some had tears in his eyes when he saw with his own eyes a dog who was curled up near the entrance waiting for his master who was never coming back. There was sympathy for those who provide food, milk, even a blanket to prevent freezing.

During nine years, he appeared in the station every day at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a time when he used to wait for the return of his master. But those days it was when he was tortured by his master not to arrive. And in one morning, a janitor's station rushed to report to security officials. The atmosphere for a moment then becomes crowded. The clerk found the body of a dog that has been stiffly curled in a corner waiting room. The dog was already a corpse. Hachiko is dead. His loyalty to his master was carried away to death.

Residents who heard Hachiko's death immediately flock to Shibuya station. They usually already know the story about the dog's loyalty. They want respect for the last time. Honoring a sense of loyalty that sometimes it rare in humans.
They were so impressed and touched. To commemorate their loyalty to the dog later dian to make a statue near Shibuya station. Until now the garden around the statue was often used as a place to make an appointment. Because the people there hope to have such loyalty that has been exemplified by Hachiko when they have to wait and promise to come. Finally, the statue had become a symbol of loyalty Hachiko. Genuine loyalty, which carried him to death.




Source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hachiko , mirianto.com/articles/kisah-hachikosi-patung-anjing-di-shibuya/

Issun Boshi

The story begins with an old, childless couple who live alone. The old woman wishes for a child, despite her old age, "Please, please let us have a child, no matter how small." Eventually, a son was born to them. But small indeed was the child--no larger than a grown man's fingertip. They named the miniature child Issun-bōshi (Issun is a measure of approximately 3 centimeters. Bōshi means son). The child, despite being incredibly small, is treated well by his parents. One day, the boy realizes he will never grow, so he goes on a trip to seek his place in the world. Fancying himself a miniature samurai, Issun-bōshi is given a sewing needle for a sword, a soup bowl for a boat, and chopsticks for oars.

He sails down river to the city, where he petitions for a job with the government and goes to the home of a wealthy daimyo, whose daughter is an attractive princess. He is scorned for his height, but nevertheless given the job of accompanying the princess as her playmate. While they travel together, they are suddenly attacked by an oni, who deals with the pesky boy by swallowing him. The boy defeats the Oni by pricking him from within with his needle/sword. The Oni spits out Issun-boshi and drops the magical Uchide's Mallet as he runs away. As a reward for his bravery, the princess uses the power of the mallet to grow him to full size. Issun-bōshi and the princess remain close companions and eventually wed.

Source : en.wikipedia.org , life.ou.edu/stories/

Kachi-kachi Yama

In the old days lived a pair of grandparents. Every time grandfather worked in the fields, tanuki came interfere with singing. Lyrics of songs that tanuki containing curse sung to failed harvests. Not only that, tanuki also dig and eat the sweet seeds planted by grandfather in the fields. Grandfather was furious and set traps. Tanuki in a trap, tied up, and taken home. Once placed in the kitchen, grandfather returned to the fields. Grandmother meet tanuki in the kitchen and agree to realease him , because tanuki has lied to grandmother promised to help her clean the house. Once off, instead tanuki beat and kill her grandmother.Grandmother meat cooked by tanuki into the soup. After return from the fields , grandfather meet tanuki who had changed into the grandmother. Grandfather ate soups that are served by "grandma" with maximum flexibility. After the soup eaten, "grandma" again transformed into a tanuki and told him everything. Laughing, tanuki home to the mountain.

Rabbit friend's grandfather heard of this event and decided to take revenge. Tanuki coincidence familiar with rabbits and just believe with the rabbit invitation to gather firewood in exchange for money. After the collected dry twigs, Tanuki walking in front while shouldering the dry bonding. Rabbit followed from behind because he wanted to burn dry twigs on the back of tanuki. Tanuki can hear "crack-crack" from two pieces of flint that knocked by the rabbit, but his view was obstructed with dry twigs in his back that he brought. "What's that sound 'crack-crack'?" tanuki asked. Rabbit replied, "Oh, that's the sound of birds from Mount Crack-crack-crack Crack who's over there."

After successfully burning the back of tanuki, a bunny to visit the ailing tanuki burns. Tanuki given that according to the rabbits are mustard burn treatment ointment. Mustard smeared on the burns on his back more and make tanuki more pain.

At the end of the story, tanuki invited by rabbit to go fishing in the lake. Rabbit riding a boat made of wood, but the tanuki given a boat made from mud. Exposed to water, become soft mud boat and drowned. Tanuki try to swimming with his all strength to shore, but the rabbit was beaten him with the paddle until he dies drown.





Source : in.wikipedia.org , dwellingindreams.blogspot.com/

Tanabata

In ancient times, in a small village there lived a poor boy. To meet the needs of day-to-day the boy has been selling pottery. Every day he walked from village to village to offer pottery homemade. "Pottery ... pottery ...!" He cried every day. Although it is very heavy and tiring but the boys always chirpy offer his wares.

On a hot day, the boy walked along the edge of a lake of clear water. "Ah, today is tiring at all" he said, putting his pottery on the shores of the lake and wiped the sweat that dripped from his forehead. The young man washed away and drink a few handfuls of water taken by hand. "Ah, fresh ..." he says with delight.

The youth want to continue the journey when the faint sound of a woman who was joking from the lake. "Whose voice is it?" She wondered. With great concentration he tried to sharp hearing and move his eyes to find the source of the sound. Apparently the sound was coming from some women who were bathing in the lake. Seeing a beautiful woman who was in the shower, the heart of the youth to be pounded with embarrassment. When he was looking for a hiding place not to be seen by the woman, he saw several pieces of clothing that is very smooth and beautiful color. Maybe it was the clothes of the woman who was in the shower. Finally arises the evil thoughts that young man to take a garment to them. Then the clothes were stashed in bakulnya. The young man then went away from that place.

Towards dusk, the boys came back past the lake to see if there are beautiful women who were taking a bath is still there or gone. How shocked she was when she saw from behind a tree by the lake a woman beautiful without dressing sheet, too, was crying alone. With a pounding heart of the boy approached the girl.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Asked the youth.

"My clothes are stolen! I can not go home without clothes was "answered the girl.

The young man felt sorry to see her cry, a moment arises intention to return the clothes that he had taken earlier. But, for the first time he saw a lovely girl like that, cause the intention to invite the girls come back home with him. The girl was very grateful for the good of the youth to take her home.

Because the girls have nowhere else in the world so he decided to stay with the youth. They were eventually married. Some time later the girl who has now become his wife, gave birth to a child. Their lives became increasingly unhappy.

One day, as is usually the husband goes to work, while the wife stayed home to cook and play with his son who was a baby. It was not as usual, the baby cried loudly, until the mother had to struggle to put him to sleep. When his son was fast asleep, without realizing the eyes of the mother were on a strange object hanging from the ceiling of his house. What is that you? Out of curiosity, then took the stairs to retrieve the object that was hung above. It turns out it was a bundle of cloth. Slowly opening the package and ... "Oh, these clothes that I've been looking for. It turned out that my own husband who has been saving! "She said with sadness mixed with joy. Immediately wearing the clothes. And by holding his son who was still fast asleep, he was about to fly into space. At the same time her husband returned home. Saw his wife wearing the clothes her husband became upset and worried.

"My wife, about to go where art thou?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"My husband, I've found clothes that I've been looking for. Actually I was an angel from heaven. And now is the time I had to return to the skies. Because there the place! "Said his wife as he slowly drifted into the air.

"My wife, do not leave me!" Cried the husband by begging.

"If you want to see me, make a thousand pairs of straw sandals, and pendamlah in soil in the bamboo forest is high. Climb the bamboo tree, and it reached the kingdom of heaven. Later we will be able to meet again. See you ... "said his wife with his eyes welling with grief to part with her husband. And slowly his wife climbed into the sky to disappear behind a cloud of white.

After hearing the explanation, the husband immediately collect hay as much as possible and tirelessly worked day and night to make a thousand pairs of straw sandals. Finally the husband managed to make 999 pairs of slippers, but since it can not wait to meet his wife and son immediately transported to 999 straw sandals and was buried in a bamboo forest. Suddenly, from the embankment straw sandals that grew at a bamboo tree that towered into the sky. The husband had climbed the bamboo tree is up to the end. But because the straw sandals are made less than one pair, then the husband could not reach the kingdom of heaven is only approximately one arm only. Whatever the hands of the husband and flailing nor to the kingdom of heaven. So she yelled top of my voice to call his wife. "My wife ... I came to see you. Get out! "

Cries her husband was eventually reached the ear of his wife. He held the arm of his wife to reach her husband's arm. Finally the husband managed to set foot in the kingdom of heaven. After that they both face the god of the sky which is also the father of his wife. But because basically the dominion of the heavens do not like the relationship between humans and gods, then by any means father and mother of his wife's separate relationships children with humans.

One day the father ordered the husband's son to take water without spilling a bit with a basket of many holes. Of course this is impossible. In the bewilderment of his wife helped her husband to bring wax paper to cover the basket with holes-holes. As the father of his wife saw that the basket can accommodate the water, he was very surprised.

"It turned out that humans also have a flair!" He said with a grunt. For a moment the heart of the husband was relieved, but it has not ended.

It was during the summer. In the kingdom of heaven, eating a watermelon is a taboo which should not be made because it would cause a disaster. However, because the mother wanted to separate his daughter from her husband, so she ordered him to pick a watermelon in the garden.

"Broken and brought back a watermelon from the garden!" Commanded the mother.

Because he thought picking and cutting a watermelon is not a difficult job, so without further ado the husband immediately went to the garden to pick a watermelon. She cut a watermelon with caution. But then what happens? From inside a watermelon that split it flows the flood surge. The husband swept the water without being able to do anything about it. "Please ... please!" Cried the husband. My father and mother of his wife laughed happy to see her husband her son dragged the flow of water that has been turned into a river that big. His wife is now realizing the disaster immediately went to the edge of river. But he was too late. Her husband had been washed up the river that far. It was very sad. He shouted, "My husband! We will meet annually on the seven! Seven ...! "

But because her husband further away, then what sounded by her husband only numbers "seven".

The flow of the river in the kingdom of heaven is called the river Amanogawa. Each of the seventh of each month, the wife is always waiting for the arrival of her husband on the banks of the river Amanogawa. But for months waiting for her husband did not appear too. Finally her husband came to meet his beloved wife on December 7 months 7 (July). The husband just hear the number seven and seven, so he thought met on seven months and seven. Since that time they could only meet once a year which was on July 7. Until recently dated July 7 is celebrated as the Festival Tanabata in Japan. On that day, the Japanese people hang small paper colors contain a variety of applications at the twigs of bamboo tree in the hope that the petition be terkabulkan.

Tale Tanabata originated from Kagawa Prefecture. The theme of love story this tragic provide inspiration for the traditional society of Japan to make the two characters in the story as gods and goddesses who can fulfill all their requests, especially things associated with love romance. Positive values that can be taken, among others, is sincerity of love will never die even if exposed to various kinds of obstacles.

Quoted from : Antony R. Pujo Purnomo, M.A. Tanabata Collection Folklore Japanese options. Era Media. 2007

Source : www.tvtropes.org

Princess Kaguya

One day, while walking in the bamboo forest, an old, childless bamboo cutter called Taketori no Okina (竹取翁?, "the Old Man who Harvests Bamboo") came across a mysterious, shining stalk of bamboo. After cutting it open, he found inside it a baby the size of his thumb. He rejoiced to find such a beautiful girl and took her home. He and his wife raised her as their own child and named her Kaguya-hime (かぐや姫 "radiant-night princess"). Thereafter, Taketori no Okina found that whenever he cut down a stalk of bamboo, inside he found a small nugget of gold. Soon he became rich, and Kaguya-hime grew from a small baby into a woman of ordinary size and extraordinary beauty. At first, Taketori no Okina tried to keep her away from outsiders, but over time the news of her beauty had spread.

Eventually, five princes came to Taketori no Okina's residence to ask for Kaguya-hime's hand in marriage. The princes eventually persuaded Taketori no Okina to tell a reluctant Kaguya-hime to choose one from among them. To this end, Kaguya-hime concocted impossible tasks for the princes to accomplish. She would agree to marry the prince who managed to bring her a specified item.

That night, Taketori no Okina told the five princes what each of them must bring. The first was told to bring her the stone begging bowl of the Buddha from India. The second was told to retrieve a jewelled branch from the island of Penglai[4]. The third was told to seek the legendary robe of the fire-rat of China. The fourth must retrieve a colored jewel from a dragon's neck. The final prince was told to find the cowrie which was born from swallows.

Realizing that it was an impossible task, the first prince returned with an expensive bowl, but after noticing that the bowl did not glow with holy light, Kaguya-hime saw through his deception. Likewise, two other princes attempted to deceive her with fakes, but also failed. The fourth gave up after encountering a storm, while the final prince lost his life in his attempt to retrieve the object.
Taketori no Okina takes Kaguya-hime to his home, Drawn by Tosa Hiromichi, c. 1600
Kaguya-hime goes back to the Moon

After this, the Emperor of Japan, Mikado, came to see the strangely beautiful Kaguya-hime and, upon falling in love, asked her to marry him. Although he was not subjected to the impossible trials that thwarted the princes, Kaguya-hime rejected his request for marriage as well, telling him that she was not of his country and thus could not go to the palace with him. She stayed in contact with the Emperor, but continued to rebuff his requests.

That summer, whenever Kaguya-hime saw the full moon, her eyes filled with tears. Though her adoptive parents worried greatly and questioned her, she was unable to tell them what was wrong. Her behaviour became increasingly erratic until she revealed that she was not of this world and must return to her people on the Moon. In some versions of this tale, it is said that she was sent to the Earth as a temporary punishment for some crime, while others say it is because she was sent to earth for safety during a celestial war.

As the day of her return approached, the Emperor set many guards around her house to protect her from the Moon people, but when an embassy of "Heavenly Beings" arrived at the door of Taketori no Okina's house, the many guards were blinded by a strange light. Kaguya-hime announced that, though she loves her many friends on Earth, she must return with the Moon people to her true home. She wrote sad notes of apology to her parents and to the Emperor, then gave her parents her own robe as a memento. She then took a small taste of the elixir of life, attached it to her letter to the Emperor, and gave it to a guard officer. As she handed it to him, the feather robe was placed on her shoulders, and all of her sadness and compassion for the people of the Earth were forgotten. The heavenly entourage took Kaguya-hime back to Tsuki-no-Miyako ("the Capital of the Moon") leaving her earthly foster parents in tears.

The parents became very sad and were soon put to bed sick. The guard officer returned to the Emperor with the items Kaguya-hime had given him as her last mortal act, and reported what had happened. The Emperor read her letter and was overcome with sadness. He asked his servants: "Which mountain is the closest place to Heaven?", to which one replied that the Great Mountain of Suruga Province is the closest place to Heaven. The Emperor ordered his men to take the letter to the summit of the mountain and burn it, with the hope that his message would reach the distant princess. The men were also commanded to burn the pot of elixir of immortality since the Emperor did not desire to live forever without being able to see her. The legend has it that the word immortality (不死, fushi?, or fuji) became the name of the mountain, Mount Fuji. It is also said that the kanji for the mountain, 富士山 (literally "Mountain Abounding with Warriors"), is derived from the Emperor's army ascending the slopes of the mountain to carry out his order. It is said that the smoke from the burning still rises to this day. (In the past, Mount Fuji was much more volcanically active than today.)

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org

Japan National Football Team

11 June-11 July 2010 is World Cup event and one of the finalist is Japan,together with South and North Korea they represent Asia Zone (AFC).

The Japan national football team is is controlled by the Japan Football Association.
Takeshi Okada, the manager for Japan who had previously served as leading during the 1998 FIFA World Cup is the current coach for the team. Japan's first major achievement in international football came in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
The Japanese team is commonly known by the fans and media as Soccer Nippon Daihyō (Japanese representatives of soccer), or Nippon Daihyō (Japanese representatives), Daihyō (representatives) as abbreviated expressions. Although the team does not have an official nickname as such, it is often known by the name of the manager. For example, under Ivan Osim, the team was known as Osim Japan. Recently the team has been known or nicknamed as the "Samurai Blue".
Japan is one of the most successful national teams in Asia, being a three-time winner of the Asian Cup and having qualified for the last four consecutive World Cup finals.

Nickname(s) : Samurai Blue,Nippon Daihyo ,Okada Japan
Association : Japan Football Association
Confederation : AFC (Asia)
Head coach : Takeshi Okada
Captain : Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi

Most caps : Masami Ihara (122)

Top scorer : Kunishige Kamamoto (75)
FIFA code : JPN
FIFA ranking : 45
Highest FIFA ranking : 9 (February 1998)
Lowest FIFA ranking : 62 (February 2000)

Player Composition :
1 Seigo Narazaki (GK)
21 Eiji Kawashima (GK)
23 Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (C) (GK)
3 Yūichi Komano (DF)
4 Marcus Tulio Tanaka (DF)
5 Yuto Nagatomo (DF)
6 Atsuto Uchida (DF)
13 Daiki Iwamasa (DF)
15 Yasuyuki Konno (DF)
22 Yuji Nakazawa (DF)
2 Yuki Abe (MF)
7 Yasuhito Endō (MF)
8 Daisuke Matsui (MF)
10 Shunsuke Nakamura (MF)
14 Kengo Nakamura (MF)
17 Makoto Hasebe (MF)
18 Keisuke Honda (MF)
20 Junichi Inamoto (MF)
9 Shinji Okazaki (FW)
11 Keiji Tamada (FW)
12 Kisho Yano (FW)
16 Yoshito Okubo (FW)
19 Takayuki Morimoto (FW)

Formation : 3-5-2

Source : en.wikipedia.org