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Japanese culture

Learn about Japanese culture from this Japanese language blog by the JOI's professional Japanese teachers.

Posted by on in Japanese culture

Kimono in Japan

The traditional dress of Japan is the kimono (着物). In the past, it was worn as everyday wear by women but recently Japanese people wear it for special occasions such as weddings, funerals and some traditional events.

The style and color of the kimono can depend on the occasion and also the person's age and whether a woman is married or not. Many students wear kimonos and hakama for their graduation ceremonies and also for their coming of age ceremonies. These are often rented recently.

Wearing a kimono is a complicated affair and usually, it requires a professional dresser to put it on for you. You have to study how to dress people in kimono.

One of our JOI teachers, Yanaka sensei, has extensive experience with kimono. Read her blog to learn new vocabulary and also listen to the blog to practice your Japanese listening.

 続けています
Still dressing Kimono

yanaka

By YANAKA Izumi

Still-dressing-Kimono-yanaka

 JOIで初めて書いたブログのテーマは「着付け」でした。まだ始めて間もないころで、ゆくゆくは皆さんに着せるくらいまでうまくなりたいと書いていました。

 あれからもうずいぶん経ちます。その後、どうなったかというと初級、中級、上級と進み、教室の先生を目指すコースも修了しました。今はいかに美しく着るかを学んでいます。着物の種類も普段着から、ゆかた、外出着、ミスとミセスの礼正装七五三、女物のなどいろいろなものを練習しました。中級以降は期の終わりにテストがあり、緊張と不安でいっぱいになりながら人へ着せる練習と自分で着る練習をしました。

  途中忙しかったり、億劫になったりしてやめようかと思うことが何度もありました。それでも、ここまで長く続けてこられたのは、月2回、1回2時間というゆとりのあるカリキュラムと先生方の辛抱強い教えによるものだと思います。それと、一緒に学ぶ仲間の存在がとても大きいです。テストのときは励まし合いながら練習し、どこを直したらいいかお互い指摘しあって進めてきました。教室では毎回、いろいろな着物を見られるのも楽しみですし、何より先生やみんなと会って一緒に練習することが楽しいです。

 今は教室のときしか着物を着ませんが、もう少し着物を着る機会を増やしていけたらいいなと思っています。

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video. 

続(つづ)けています

 JOIで初(はじ)めて書(か)いたブログのテーマは「着付(きつ)け」でした。まだ始(はじ)めて間(ま)もないころで、ゆくゆくは皆(みな)さんに着(き)せるくらいまでうまくなりたいと書(か)いていました。

 あれからもうずいぶん経(た)ちます。その後(ご)、どうなったかというと初級(しょきゅう)、中級(ちゅうきゅう)、上級(じょうきゅう)と進(すす)み、教室(きょうしつ)の先生(せんせい)を目指(めざ)すコースも修了(しゅうりょう)しました。今(いま)はいかに美(うつく)しく着(き)るかを学(まな)んでいます。着物(きもの)の種類(しゅるい)も普段着(ふだんぎ)から、ゆかた、外出着(がいしゅつぎ)、ミスとミセスの礼正装(れいせいそう)七五三(しちごさん)、女物(おんなもの)の袴(はかま)などいろいろなものを練習(れんしゅう)しました。中級(ちゅうきゅう)以降(いこう)は期(き)の終(お)わりにテストがあり、緊張(きんちょう)と不安(ふあん)でいっぱいになりながら人(ひと)へ着(き)せる練習(れんしゅう)と自分(じぶん)で着(き)る練習(れんしゅう)をしました。

 途中(とちゅう)忙(いそが)しかったり、億劫(おっくう)になったりしてやめようかと思(おも)うことが何度(なんど)もありました。それでも、ここまで長(なが)く続(つづ)けてこられたのは、月(つき)2回(かい)、1回(かい)2時間(じかん)というゆとりのあるカリキュラムと先生方(せんせいがた)の辛抱強(しんぼうづよ)い教(おし)えによるものだと思(おも)います。それと、一緒(いっしょ)に学(まな)ぶ仲間(なかま)の存在(そんざい)がとても大(おお)きいです。テストのときは励(はげ)まし合(あ)いながら練習(れんしゅう)し、どこを直(なお)したらいいかお互(たが)い指摘(してき)しあって進(すす)めてきました。教室(きょうしつ)では毎回(まいかい)、いろいろな着物(きもの)を見(み)られるのも楽(たの)しみですし、何(なに)より先生(せんせい)やみんなと会(あ)って一緒(いっしょ)に練習(れんしゅう)することが楽(たの)しいです。

 今(いま)は教室(きょうしつ)のときしか着物(きもの)を着(き)ませんが、もう少(すこ)し着物(きもの)を着(き)る機会(きかい)を増(ふ)やしていけたらいいなと思っています。

Still dressing Kimono

 The theme of the very first blog I wrote for JOI was 'Kimono dressing'. At the time, I had only just started and I wrote that I wanted to eventually become good enough to dress people.

 It has been a long while since that time. After that time, I progressed from beginner, through intermediate and on to advanced levels, and I have also completed a course to become a classroom teacher. I have learned how to dress people beautifully. I have practiced with various types of Kimono, from everyday wear, to yukata, and also going out wear and formal wear for young and mature ladies, as well as women's hakama, etc. From the intermediate level onwards, there is a test at the end of each term, and I was anxious during that, and nervously practiced dressing others and dressing myself.

 There were many times when I thought about quitting because I was too busy or felt like it was too much work. Even so, I think the reason I have been able to continue for so long is due to the relaxed curriculum of twice a month, two hours each time, and the teachers' patient teaching. Also, the friends I study with are very important. When we had tests, we encouraged each other to practice and pointed out to each other where we needed to improve. I look forward to seeing various kimonos at each class, and above all, I enjoy meeting and practicing with the teachers and other students.

 At the moment, I only wear a kimono in these classes, but I hope to have more opportunities to wear kimonos in the future.

普段着(ふだんぎ)                    everyday clothes; ordinary clothes; casual wear; 

外出着(がいしゅつぎ)               outdoor wear; semi-formal kimono;

礼正装(れいせいそう)               formal kimono (Furisode(unmarried woman’s formal kimono ), Tomesode’(married woman's ceremonial kimono))

七五三(しちごさん)                    children’s kimono to wear at celebration of aged 7,5 and 3

袴(はかま)                               hakama; divided skirt

億劫(おっくう)になる                  to be reluctant to do

ゆとりのある                             not tight;

辛抱強い(しんぼうづよい)          patient

励まし合う(はげましあう)           encourage each other

指摘(してき)する                      point out

yanaka

Hajimemashite ! My name is Izumi YANAKA.
Through my work as a System Engineer, I have had the experience of teaming up with foreign members of a team. After seeing the difficulties the team members went through with communication and cultural differences, I got to thinking, "If only there was something I could do to help !" Which was what led me to become a Japanese teacher.

How do you find studying Japanese ? Is it difficult ? Do you find it trying ? At the beginning, easy phrases will do, just think of what you want to say and give it a go. For example, let's talk about your favorite things. I like playing tennis, traveling, and gardening. What do you like to do ?

What's the best phrase to say in this situation ? Is this grammar usage correct ?

If you have questions like these on your mind, I want to answer them all one by one. And in this way, without even realizing it, your Japanese will come to improve.

Once you are able to speak, it gets to be fun. It's not difficult, and not trying at all ! I will help you widen your Japanese speaking world. Let's enjoy learning Japanese together.

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