“ The Long Way “ -My History of Written Works-

When I was a little girl, I loved listening to my grandmother’s old stories. Her stories excited my imagination. After I began to learn how to write letters and characters, I also came to love writing. Writing in my small notebook, the stories that I imagined, was my favorite hobby. I have loved writing since then.

However I didn’t like to write compositions in my Japanese class very much, because I was given themes and had to finish writing it on the time specified. I wanted to write compositions freely according to my imagination. My compositions I wrote in my Japanese classes weren’t nice, but ones I wrote at my home and in the composition club, won a price in school competitions. My works was included on the book that shows a collection of essays and articles written by elementally school students, and which was distributed to schools in Kyoto city. One of my compositions was broadcasted by the local radio station, once when I was in the sixth grade.

As I reached puberty, when I was a junior high school student, suddenly I stopped writing compositions and began to keep a diary. I loved writing my feelings on my diary. I dreamed to be a novelist secretly at that time, even though I had never showed my written works. When I majored in American literature in my university, I was ambitious to be a famous and popular novelist.

It was on a social networking site (SNS) that I began to write my opinions and feelings. Since then, I got many SNS friends, they read my writing works and gave me their comments. I loved using SNS and I wrote many essays and some short novels. I just enjoyed writing and collecting comments about it.

Recently I had an opportunity to think why I write essays. I realized that writing essays makes my mind clear, moreover it allows me to reflect on myself. I love writing as much as when I was a little girl. Now I enjoy writing freely according to my imagination. I think writing enriches my life.

“ Knowing the Difference “ - Oden and Sinigang -

Getting to know different culture is very interesting. It is especially fascinating for me to learn differences in food culture.

Now I study English with the help of Filipino teachers in an online school and I often enjoy talking about food in Japan and Philippines. But I don’t know much about Filipino cooking and they don’t know much about Japanese one either.

I often tried to introduce Japanese delicious food to my teachers but it is very hard for me to do that in English. A typical example was “Oden”. It is a dish consisting of radish, potato, konnyaku, chikuwa, hard-boiled eggs, fried tofu and other boiled meat. They are stewed with Japanese soup stock, soy sauce and sweet cooking rice wine (mirin). It is a very popular and well known cuisine in Japan and people are looking for it especially during cold season. However the ingredients was very difficult for me to explain in English, especially, “ konnyaku”. “Konnyaku is one of my favorite ingredients, so I wanted to tell my teachers how delicious it is. I tried to describe but I felt it is almost impossible for me to explain it.

I think everyone loves “Oden” and almost all Japanese know it. But it is the common thing only for Japanese. I found that "Oden" is a new and unique food for people who have a different culture, so I was a little bit surprised at that time.

I’ve experienced a similar situation when we talked about a typical Filipino food “Sinigang. “ It looked delicious and balanced. However I still couldn’t imagine its taste even though my previous teacher already explained how to cook it and what are ingredients used.

It was the first time for me to know the typical Filipino seasonings like tamarind, patis and bagoong.

I could only imagine that “Sinigang “ has sour taste because I heard tamarind, which is the main ingredient, is sour.

I felt knowing these two different foods impressed me and entice me to know more about the vast difference of food culture in both countries. Moreover I even thought of the factors that defines the back ground of dietary culture such as geography, history and climate. It enriched my understanding about Philippines as well as Japan.

“Oden” is a familiar food for me and “ Sinigang” is familiar for my teachers. I know the world is wider than before and knowing the difference of dietary culture taught me the importance of learning it. Now I think that knowing the differences enriches me.

“A Small Test in My Life”

I live happily and quietly now. I don’t have much stress from other people because presently I don’t work and my family consists of only me, my father and younger brother. My world is very small and peaceful.

Even though I live in my small and peaceful world, relating to others are complicated and troublesome. I sometimes feel it is hard for me to be good at associating with others. For example, there is a woman in my neighborhood who likes to boast about herself. We often have to listen to her proud words in our town meetings, festivals, parties and so on.

Listening to her insensitive pride translated into senseless words many times makes me sick and all fed up. I think boasting is uncomfortable for everybody. She continues to be too proud of herself because probably she is the only one who doesn’t notice the situation. Only a few people who flatter her pretend to be glad listening to her stories. As others are mature adults, they try to endure the same topics about herself over again and again.

I don’t know how to accompany such people. Even though it is not serious as it looks, it is very uncomfortable for me and that is now becoming a problem.

I complained to my friends about her after that and I was able to discover that other people don’t like her either. Some even advised me not to relate to her anymore. On the other hand, one of my close friends had a different opinion. She told me that she has a very strong personality and if I could try to connect to her, it would somehow improve my own. Her opinion was an eye-opener for me.

I suddenly realized I closed my mind against her because I didn't like her and my closed heart prevented me from knowing her real character. She is talented, generous and frank and maybe she only conceals her inferiority complex at the same time that is the reason why she is boastful. I think I just didn't want to admit good side of her because of the bad impression which I unknowingly generated due to her strong character.

If I had been more tolerant, she could have a chance to show me her real self which I could like eventually.

Trying to understand her made me recognize that I tend to shut off people who have different attitude from mine and be judgmental.

To be honest, it is still difficult for me to accept her but now I realized that admitting her gives me the way to wide and rich perception. I’m sure that the problem between her and me is a small test in my life. I believe overcoming the small test will improve my identity even more.

“ Pumpkin for Halloween and Winter Solstice “

Recently, Halloween has become one of the popular events in Japan. And so, pumpkin is often used to make jack-o'-lanterns and to cook Halloween dishes. Lately, I have been seeing Halloween decorations near my place often because Halloween is coming soon.

But it feels more familiar to eat pumpkin on winter solstice as a habit in Japan. My mother used to cook pumpkin on winter solstice. My mother loved practicing seasonal habits. I miss her pumpkins.

I think it is good for Japanese people to enjoy Halloween, but I don't want to forget Japanese seasonal habits. I’d like to cook pumpkin on winter solstice this year, too.

" Peaceful Mind after Yoga Lessons "

Recently I got addicted in crocheting more than before, and because of that, I sat for long time in same posture while busy doing my craft. As a result, I was suffering from stiff muscles in my shoulders, neck and lower part of back. The bad physical condition made my mind depressed.

I attended Iyengar yoga class yesterday. Before going there, I was lacking motivation, but as I was  practicing yoga, soon it  remove the bad feeling. For example, when I  practiced Adho Mukha Svanasana (down dog pose), which is a famous yoga pose, I felt my back, low back and back part of my legs were stretched. This pose improved my stiff body completely. Whenever I practice Iyengar yoga, I feel my inner muscles stretched. That makes me comfortable and relaxed. My mind always gets calm and peaceful after the lessons. Of course, my depressed feeling before the class disappeared at that time.

I realized that it is necessary for my mental and physical health to practice Iyengar yoga. I want to continue it for my body and mind from now on.

" Don't Compare Ourselves to Others. "

We tend to compare ourselves to others and then we often feel inferior.

I often feel lesser, anxious and frustrated when I compare myself with others. Such negative feelings make me tired and unsure of myself very much. I suffered from inferiority complex for a long time.

When I started Iyengar yoga, I was the person with such negative feelings. At that time I often felt miserable when I couldn’t do even very easy yoga pose while other students could do difficult ones easily. Now I think it is very natural because I was a beginner and we have very different personal situations but I tended to feel inferior feelings then.

But soon I came to forget such negative feelings because doing yoga was very fun and comfortable. This has made my mind light and calm. Practice made my body more flexible and thus also made my way of thinking adoptable. Gradually I could do some difficult yoga poses.

I focused on my own progress and that reduced my inferiority complex, which made me confident. My negative tendency was lessened, therefore, I felt both my body and mind became light. This yoga experiences taught me that it is important not to compare ourselves with others but to focus on our own progress.

“Faces”

When my mother was young, she was very pretty. Unfortunately, I look like my father rather than my mother.

People often told to me, "Your mother is very pretty but you don't resemble her." I felt inferior of my appearance and their words hurt me seriously. Thus, I pretended not to be interested in my looks and fashion while feeling a strong inferiority complex. However, I believed beautiful girls had advantages over ordinary ones.

In fact, most men love beautiful faces. I noticed that they tended to treat beautiful women more kindly than they would treat ordinary women.

Since I was young, I strongly wanted to be prettier and I often thought about what the beauty really is. Some adults told me that not only the outer beauty is important but also the inner beauty. However, I still couldn't understand the meaning behind it.

As time went by, I experienced a lot and I came to understand their words and perspectives about beauty.

Certainly, the outer beauty is important. For example, I have a very ordinary face but when I wear my favorite dress, I would look prettier than usual. So I feel a bit happy and confident whenever I wear my favorite dress. That goes the same with hair and make-up. The outer beauty sometimes compensates for the inner beauty. Positive minds reflect on their faces. Cheerful expressions can make people look blooming and attractive.

However, it is very difficult to keep positive mind because people tend to have negative feelings - - selfishness, jealousy, doubt and so on. Negative feelings make people sad and dark even thought they have beautiful faces. If we want to be beautiful, I think we should expose ourselves in various experiences and overcome negative feelings. One day, I noticed happy and confident people tend to look beautiful.

For me, a beautiful person is someone who is both beautiful inside and out. Coco Chanel said, “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.”

Now I believe that we should be more responsible about our own faces.

                                                     *My mother

Making Plans to Visit the Philippines

I started to study English in an online school in January. I’ve enjoyed studying English with Filipino teachers since then.

 I didn’t know the Philippines at all when I began to study there but I come to know about it gradually. I’m getting familiar to the Philippines more and more.

 Now, I hope to visit the Philippines someday to meet my Filipino teachers and spend a good time with them. I could imagine going for sightseeing with my teachers and have delicious Filipino foods. It would be awesome to use practical English while spending enjoyable moment with them.

 I loved traveling abroad before I had a bipolar disorder and visited foreign countries many times. Since then, I love to make plans to go abroad and think that it is one pleasure of traveling.

I researched for the Philippines online and found out that it is one of the popular countries where a lot of students study English. I got many information including beautiful beaches, historical places, delicious foods, friendly people and so on.

But most of the information tell me that the Philippines is not safe especially it’s capital, Manila. I want to meet the three teachers who teach me mainly but they live in the different places. I heard that traffic in the Philippines isn’t as convenient as Japan.

I haven't decided yet of travelling to the Philippines but making plans of visiting the country is very interesting and exciting. I come to like the Philippines more and it motivates me to study English a lot.

“Full Moon Power”

The moon looks beautiful in autumn. I saw a beautiful autumn full moon on September 28 which we call "Super moon".

 The full moon will start to wane the next day. I heard that it would be a suitable time for people to throw the things they don't need any more or start a good diet.

We can say that it's not only the things we can throw but also our negative thoughts. Full moon has the power to make people’s minds clear and to purify them.

I was bathing under the moonlight while praying to the moon to remove my attachment to material things, and to purify my mind.

Long time ago, my grandmother used to tell me that rabbits live on the moon and I believed it until I became an adult. I was still innocent whenever we pray to the moon together.

I want to make my complicated mind be innocent as well as I was a girl. Now I don’t believe that rabbits live on the moon, but I believe the full moon has a special power that can make my mind pure.

" Volunteer" and "Obligation "

I take care of the plants in the park near my house as a member of women’s association. Me and hardworking 77 years old lady, that I was partnered with, needs to take care of these plants. We pull out the weeds, gently pick up the withered petals and water the plants there. We need to do it 2 consecutive days, every after week, twice a month. We generally start this work at eight thirty and end it at nine thirty or ten.

Not that I dislike taking care of plants but I sometimes feel that it is becoming an obligation. Our association first makes the schedule of watering the plants, then the members have to follow it. Of course, we can cancel it if we have a hectic schedule but going there makes me uneasy because I  don’t like the sense of duty. After having my schedule, I have to remember my responsibility. I don’t like this feeling the most.

I love getting up late and hate getting up early moreover I tend to work inside my house, crocheting, sewing, learning English online and so on. Therefore I don’t have enough chance to go out and I rarely experience the nature, so somehow it may be necessary for me to be obligated to touch the nature.

In fact, raising plants gives me good effects: smelling flowers and earth makes me calm and happy, my mind is getting bright when I see the flower blooming, and I feel seasons changing directly from plants. The woman who is my partner knows how to raise flowers very well and teaches me as well. I also enjoy talking with her.

Taking care of plants in the park is sometimes an obligation for me but it is good a chance for me to experience the nature at the same time. It is good for my body and mind. I want to enjoy the work from now on.

“ Enjoy painting.”

The season is changing from summer to autumn in Japan now. It is getting cooler and cooler. Autumn is cool and comfortable in Japan while summer is very hot and humid, especially in my home town Kyoto. The autumn is a good season for reading books, enjoying arts, eating delicious autumn food and playing sports.

I like enjoying arts, eating delicious autumn food and also love painting; of course I always love crocheting.

I loved only looking at beautiful pictures but I never tried to paint or draw any picture. I believed I was bad at painting. I was a teacher of junior high school then. One day, a fine arts teacher who was my close friend told me, “ Paint first, Mieko and you will learn how to paint gradually. I will teach you. Enjoy painting.” and he gave me a small sketchbook. I had learned from him for a year, unfortunately he moved to another school the next year.

I began to learn painting at the therapy center which is for the people who have mental illness. Though it is not continuous, I have learned painting for seven years there. I like painting with my teacher and friend in the therapy center.

Pleasure of painting improves our mental illness and accomplishment gives us self-confidence. I remembered my friend’s words, “ Enjoy painting.” And so I do. Painting is one of the pleasures in autumn.

“ The Fish Which Tells It’s Autumn. “

Saury is the fish which tells Japanese people that autumn has come. It is the fattiest and tastiest in autumn. The best season to get saury is during autumn. When we grill it and then eat it with grated radish and sudachi ( a kind of Japanese citrus) or sliced lemon, it tastes wonderful.

I heartily felt autumn has come when I ate it yesterday for the first time in this season. I think the four seasons are distinct in our country, that’s why we value the sense of each season; we also appreciate it in Japanese dietary culture.

Recently Japanese dietary culture has been Americanized and Japanese people, especially the young ones, tend to love Americanized food: hamburger, fried chicken, pizza and so on. We can eat strong-flavored dishes for 24 hours. They are delicious, easy to eat and not so expensive and so, we become accustomed to strong taste before we knew it. “Washoku “ (Japanese traditional food)  was listed as a world heritage and is appreciated by foreign people but locals patronize fast food nowadays.

 Japanese traditional foods are good and healthy , moreover they look sophisticated and have the great sense of season. I want to value Japanese traditional dietary culture even though it is a little troublesome to prepare and it takes a long time to cook. I also want to keep the idea in appreciating the sense of season in the food, and as a good example of this is the feeling we get when we eat saury in autumn.

 

 

value the sense of each season; we also appreciate it in Japanese

“People in Kyoto”

I have been living in Kyoto since I was born. Many people regard Kyoto as a very attractive city. I am often told the same about Kyoto.

People in Kyoto are vague and they don't express their opinion clearly.

They look kind and gentle on the surface. Therefore for people who come from other prefectures Kyoto is a good place to visit for sightseeing. But it is said Kyoto is a very difficult place to live in. It is said that Kyoto is closed to newcomers, too, because it is a very old historical city.

It seems these things are bad points of Kyoto. But I think it is a kind of culture of Kyoto.

Kyoto served as the formal capital for a long time. Many power holders had often come to Kyoto and had held on to power and had lost it and then had gone away. So it was very dangerous for people in Kyoto to express their own opinions clearly at that time.

And also people in Kyoto think it is a kind of modesty not to express clearly their own opinion.

I myself hesitate to express my opinion and I am vague. But even though I was born in Kyoto and grew up in Kyoto, it is still very difficult for me to understand Kyoto.

I think Kyoto is a very attractive and mysterious city. And I think it is one of the attractive things about Kyoto.

 (Photo: My aunt. My grandmother did her hair Japanese style.)

 

 

 

 

“Kyoto Brand”

As Kyoto is one of the most popular cities in the world, Kyoto Brand is supported by a lot of people.

A few of famous Kyoto brands are “Kyo-ryouri” which means Kyoto style cuisine, ”Kyo-gashi” which means Kyoto style sweets, ”Kyo-gofuku” which is Kimono designed and sewed in Kyoto, ”Kyo-yasai” which is Kyoto vegetable, and so on.

 I have been living in Kyoto since I was born, same as my father and my grandparents. Since I love Kyoto very much, I’m very proud that many people in the world also love my home town, Kyoto.

 One day, I went to the restaurant, which is famous for using “Kyo- Yasai” with my friends. “Kyo-yasai” is a general term for varieties of vegetables that were created by selective breeding which have been practiced a long time ago and have been produced in a traditional manner mainly in regions in Kyoto Prefecture.

 Recently “Kyo-yasai” is very popular in Japan. When people hear the name of Kyoto, this brings out  a special kind of feeling which is traditional, artistic, noble, culture rich, etc. Therefore many restaurants emphasize on using the Kyo- yasai brand.

 However, I don't think it's good that Kyoto brand will be very commercialized in terms of food.

 Unfortunately, some restaurants use ordinary breed of vegetables in their food but label it as “Kyo-yasai” which means special breeds of crops that can only be grown in Kyoto. For example, some restaurants used western breeds of vegetables, carrot, onion, pumpkin which were produced in Kyoto and ambitiously advertise them as “Kyo-yasai”. The shop owner knew the name of Kyoto is an effective way to draw in people.

I think such act is an abuse of the name of Kyoto and it spoils the culture of Kyoto. I hope the people will notice the difference between authentic and traditional Kyoto and the fake one. I want them to  love the authentic “ Kyoto –Brand”.