The temple has gotten through the air raids…with many donations of a lot of people.

Before I went to Akihabara, I went to “Senso-ji” in Taito ward, Tokyo.

This is my first time to go to “Senso-ji” and “Kaminarimon Gate”, so once I got out of the subway station, I asked one high school student where they were. “Excuse me, could you tell me where Kaminarimon Gate?” asked I.

I didn’t know why he was surprised with me and chuckled. “Not far away. There.” said He, pointing out the direction.

I just understood why he laughed. I arrived at Kaminarimon Gate in a few SECONDS…hihihi…

This is “Kaminarimon Gate”.

Suprisingly, The current Kaminarimon Gate was re-built in 1960, donated by Konosuke Matsushita! Do you know him? He is the founder of Panasonic, and is known for the God of Management, not only in Japan but also all over the world.

You can see the two statues protecting the gate on either side of the gate? They are “Fujin”, (means wind God) and “Raijin”, (means thunder God). The words of “Fujin” and “Raijin” are often used like the symbol of the guardians in a lot of situations, such as the character of Japanese comics.

After the Kaminarimon Gate, You can walk through “Nakamise-dori” street, which is the place selling many kinds of goods. I was surprised with the shop selling wigs! “Why wig?!” I walked through the street, thinking like that…

Finally, I arrived at “Honzon Gate”, in the center of the premises. ummm…the Senso-ji temple is famaous for the sightseeing place so much that a lot of foreign travelers are there, not Japanese.

As a matter of fact, I’m writing this article, referring to the brouchure of Senso-ji. I’ve just realized that the person who donated money to re-build this “Hozomon Gate”(not Kaminarimon Gate”) was Yonetaro Otani. He was the founder of the Hotel New Otani!

After through “Hozomon Gate”, You can achieve the main hall of Senso-ji, which was erected with donations by hundreds of thousands of adherents. The original gate was buit in 628.

Looking through the brochure, I knew a lot of things happened to Senso-ji and most of the things were happened in World War 2 in 1945. At that time, people must have suffered terrible damages from air raid strike in Tokyo….

As an aside, I will recommend one ceremony you should do when you go there. In order to make your bad part of your body well , please try to get the smoke like the people in the photo. People, who think their heads are idiot, should get the smoke over their own head. People, who think their organs are not good, should get the smoke around their own body.

Me? Ofcourse, I got a large mount of smoke…all of my body…from head to toe…! hihihi

The maid made me happy.

This time, I’ll try to write about my first experience on visiting “maid-cafe”.

Akihabara in Tokyo is very famous for the place about Japanese animations and appliances. I went there in February. I got two purposes to go there. First I wanted to go to “maid-cafe”, and second, I wanted to buy a game software.

Do you know what “maid-cafe” is? ummm…I don’t know if my expression is correct…”maid-cafe” is…kind of the place to enjoy talking, viewing, communicating with pretty maids while having a drink.

The clerks putting maid-looking clothes serve drink and entertain us. Some clerk kindly entertain us, some clerk coldly do us. In the case of cold entertainment, you can find that they sometimes and abruptly change their attitudes into gentle ones. It calls “tun-dere” in the realm.

The maid-cafe I went to was, what we call, a normal cafe, not extremely unique. As I felt excited and nervous, I entered with my friend.

“Welcome!” So cute and high toned voice appeared from every place, and a girl putting maid costume on came to us. “Is this your first place to come here?” asked the maid with her smile on her face. “Y…yes…” said I. “Please come here.” said she.

I saw a few customers drinking, eating something. All of them seemed to search for the chance to talk to maids. I guessed they regularly came to meet them.

Looking around, I ordered one cappuccino with one service. With extra money, they give one service to draw something on the surface of the cappuccino with chocolate cream.

“What do you want me to draw on it?” asked the maid to me.
“ummm….What can you draw? A letter? Painings of something?” asked I.
“Anything! Anything you want!” said she smiling.
“ummm….anything…ok…I wanna this.” I asked her to draw one Chinise character written on the menu, pointing it out.

That was “love”. Ofcourse it’s written in Chinise character.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” said she.

After a few minute, she brought my cappuccino and started drawing “love” in Chinise character on it in front of me.

“Wow! You can really do that!”
“Ofcourse I can!”
“So…You often practise it? I guess…you guys got so hard traning in the backyard before the open.”
“hahaha…not really. but…sometimes some customers tease us.”
“Like what?”
“They ask me to draw very complicated animation characters…such as Gundam,”
“Gundam? You did?”
“I didn’t even know that! So…I drew my imaginary Gundam on it…hehehe”
“Wow!”
“I said to him, This is my Gundam in my heart!”

Talking with me, she smoothly drew the letter of “love” on my cappuccino. It’s already…kind of art!

Additionally, I was surprised with one thing. Their communication skills! They are not just girls putting pretty clothes. Their talk was so sophisticated. Actually, the served drink in that cafe was just a…drink; however, I felt that was very delicious because their talk made my drinking time happy.

“Hey, I know what you’re thinking… You…wanna employ her on your business, huh?” my friend talked to me, chuckling. “Yeah…her communication skill has already been completed…I think she could get by even if she started working in my office.” I said.

I had a happy time.

Japanese love Sakura

This season, you can see “sakura”, cherry blossoms, in many places in Japan. Japanese love sakura, and parties called “hanami” hold under cherry blossomes. Watching and admiring cherry blossoms, people drink alcohol, chat with each other, and enjoy the party.

The parties held by friends are not that difficult, however, the ones held by co-workers are sometimes very difficult. It’s said that the first task for the new company recruits is to hold the party successfully.

To hold the good party, you know, we have to get the good place, position to watch cherry blossoms. Many people actually want to get that place, so the new company recruits must spend the time keeping that place for days.

One more thing, some company order them to organize the party. The new company recruits are tested their planning skill from the order. Organizing the party and keeping the place for the party…it’s a tough job for them…

There are a few phrases about “sakura” in Japan. For example, “sakura saku”, means “I made it!”, is used in the case of reports of the successes for something, such as examinations, graduations, promotions. On the contrary, “sakura chiru”, means “I failed…”, is used in the case of reports of the failures for something.

The most interesting phrase I’ve met is…”sakura hubuki”, means “the cherry blossom blizzard”. The tons of petals of cherry blossoms fly like blizzard. In spite of spring we express it with the words associated with winter.

On the contrary, in winter, we use this phrase “kazahana”, which means “winds and flowers”, when the powder snow on the road are blowed up by winds. It looks like dancing something. I can’t help associating flowers with spring. It’s so interesting.

For Japanese, Spring is the season of encounter and fairwell, so every time people meet with someone new and leave someone, cherry blossoms always watch those happening gently above them.

Not so easy to explain as easily and clearly as possible.

Mansion…now that this word has become Japanese, not English.

“mansion” in English is generally used in the meaning of “condominium” or “flat”. In Japan, we respectively buy our own room and posess it. The buildings which properties have gathered are called mansion in Japan.

In mansion, condo association board must be formed by law, which call “kanri-kumiai”. “kanri-kumiai” consisits of all owners of mansion and is managed. The general meeting is held once a year every fiscal year.

As a part of my business, I have some contracts with such a “kanri-kumiai”. As a consultant, I give many kinds of help to them, such as making documents, checking a lot of things, etc. Explaining bills in the general meeting is one of the most important work as a consultant.

From April to May, many general meetings are held, so I know I get busy this season. Today, I got the first general meeting this year. The first one in the morning, the second one in the afternoon. ummm…keep talking loudly and clearly is very hard. The people in front of me are all not so used to technical languages especially law, so how to get them easy is an important talent in this business.

This time I made a few byelaws and handed in the meeting, so I had to explain them as easily as possible. I stood up and louldly talked to them, receiving a ton of staring from attendees.

Fortunately, no trouble happened in this meetings today; however, I still have six meetings to go. ummm…It’s gonna be tough days.

This is today’s meeting photo…