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Japanese food

Japanese cuisine or Washoku has recently been designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, and in this Japanese teachers' blog we introduce some personal stories by professional Japanese teachers about their views of Japanese food culture.

Posted by on in Japanese food

Rice in Japan

Rice is the staple food in Japan. It is eaten daily by people – often for all three meals in a day.

But there are some reports that as Japan modernized and society underwent changes, other food started to be consumed as an alternative more and more. And this included bread and noodles.

In this blog for Japanese learners, Japanese teacher Yukiko Takane explains the connection that her family specifically has with rice. It is a fun and interesting blog about Japanese culture.

Read the blog to study Japanese vocabulary and Kanji. Listen to the YouTube video to practice Japanese listening for exams like the JLPT. And enjoy learning Japanese for free here at JOI.

日本人とお米
Japanese people and rice

takane

By TAKANE Yukiko

rice-ball-takane

 わが家では、田植え稲刈りが大切な年間行事です。 今年も8月下旬に無事に稲刈りが終わりました。 天に祈り、稲の病気や害虫との長い戦い経て無事にお米がとれたこと、高齢になった両親がケガせず、無事だったことに感謝します。 いかにも自分でしているように書きましたが、私はほとんど手伝いません。 この時期、私の仕事はおにぎりをたくさん作って、田んぼに持っていくことです。

 日本人の米離れが言われていますが、お米は日本人にとってはエネルギー源です。 また、お正月にはお餅、祝い事では赤飯を食べます。 おせんべいや日本酒の原材料にもなっています。 家電量販店には、おいしいお米を食べるために、こだわり炊飯器が並んでいます。 日本人はやはりお米に深いかかわりがあると思います。

 海外に旅行中は、ごはんが食べたいと思うことがよくあります。 私は日本人なんだなと自覚するときです。 以前、新聞の記事で日本人は「米食民族」というより、「米食悲願民族」だという記事を読んだことがあります。納得したのを覚えています。

 きっと田んぼ仕事の合間におにぎりが食べたいと待っていてくれると思います。 来年もたくさん作って運びます。

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

日本人(にほんじん)とお米(こめ)

 わが家(や)では、田植(たう)え稲刈(いねか)りが大切(たいせつ)な年間行事(ねんかんぎょうじ)です。 今年(ことし)も8月(がつ)下旬(げじゅん)に無事(ぶじ)に稲刈(いねか)りが終(お)わりました。 天(てん)に祈(いの)り、稲(いね)の病気(びょうき)や害虫(がいちゅう)との長(なが)い戦(たたか)い経(へ)て無事(ぶじ)にお米(こめ)がとれたこと、高齢(こうれい)になった両親(りょうしん)がケガせず、無事(ぶじ)だったことに感謝(かんしゃ)します。 いかにも自分(じぶん)でしているように書(か)きましたが、私(わたし)はほとんど手伝(てつだ)いません。 この時期(じき)、私(わたし)の仕事(しごと)はおにぎりをたくさん作(つく)って、田(た)んぼに持(も)っていくことです。

 日本人(にほんじん)の米離(こめばな)れが言(い)われていますが、お米(こめ)は日本人(にほんじん)にとってはエネルギー源(げん)です。 また、お正月(しょうがつ)にはお餅(もち)、祝(いわ)い事(ごと)では赤飯(せきはん)を食(た)べます。 おせんべいや日本酒(にほんしゅ)の原材料(げんざいりょう)にもなっています。 家電量販店(かでんりょうはんてん)には、おいしいお米(こめ)を食(た)べるために、こだわり炊飯器(すいはんき)が並(なら)んでいます。 日本人(にほんじん)はやはりお米(こめ)に深(ふか)いかかわりがあると思(おも)います。

 海外(かいがい)に旅行中(りょこうちゅう)は、ごはんが食(た)べたいと思(おも)うことがよくあります。 私(わたし)は日本人(にほんじん)なんだなと自覚(じかく)するときです。 以前(いぜん)、新聞(しんぶん)の記事(きじ)で日本人(にほんじん)は「米食民族(べいしょくみんぞく)」というより、「米食悲願民族(べいしょくひがんみんぞく)」だという記事(きじ)を読(よ)んだことがあります。納得(なっとく)したのを覚(おぼ)えています。

 きっと田(た)んぼ仕事(しごと)の合間(あいま)におにぎりが食(た)べたいと待(ま)っていてくれると思(おも)います。 来年(らいねん)もたくさん作(つく)って運(はこ)びます。

Japanese people and rice

In our family, rice planting and harvesting are important annual events. The rice harvesting was successfully completed in late August this year. We pray to the heavens and thank the gods that the rice is safely harvested after a long bout against rice diseases and pests, and are grateful that our aging parents were not injured. I have written about it as though I was also doing it, but actually I hardly ever help out. At this time of year, my job is to make lots of rice balls and take them to the rice fields.

 Rice is a source of energy for the Japanese, although it is said that the Japanese are becoming less and less interested in rice. Rice cakes are also eaten at New Year's and red rice at celebrations. It is also used as an ingredient in rice crackers and sake. Rice cookers are available at electronics retailers, with a particular focus on tasty rice. Japanese people still have a deep connection with rice.

While traveling abroad, I often find myself craving rice. This is when I realize that I truly am Japanese. I once read an article in a newspaper that said the Japanese are not so much a 'rice-eating people' as a 'rice-eating craving people'. I do remember being convinced by this.

I have no doubt that in between working in the rice paddies, someone will be waiting for their rice balls to eat. I will make and deliver many more next year.

田植(たう)え rice planting

稲刈(いねか)り rice harves

年間行事(ねんかんぎょうじ)Annual events

下旬(げじゅん)last third of month

天(てん)に祈(いの)る pray to the sky

害虫(がいちゅう)pest

戦(たたか)いfight

経(へ)る pass the time

高齢(こうれい)old age

感謝(かんしゃ) Gratitude

米離(こめばな)れ shift away from rice consumption

エネルギー源(げん) Source of energy

祝(いわ)い事(ごと) celebration

原材料(げんざいりょう) raw materials

家電量販店(かでんりょうはんてん) Home electronics mass retailer

こだわり particular about

炊飯器(すいはんき) rice cooker

深(ふか)いかかわり deep relationship

自覚(じかく) Awareness

米食民族(べいしょくみんぞく) rice eating nation

悲願(ひがん) dearest wish

記事(きじ) the article

納得(なっとく) assent

合間(あいま) interval

takane

Hajimemashite, I am Yukiko Takane.
I live in Chiba Prefecture. My hometown is near the ocean and is surrounded by rice fields - its a laid-back place. The sashimi and rice is really good here. My family home makes rice as well, so I usually help out during the harvest season. I may look weak, but actually I can lift a 30kg bag of rice.

In the past, I taught Japanese in Saipan and Cebu islands. The people I got to know there are precious to me. I am really looking forward to meeting you all in the online classrooms. I have been called 'Takani' Sensei or 'Okane' sensei by my students. Well, I am not a 'crab' nor am I 'money' - the name is Takane. Doozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Try to use your newly learned vocabulary and phrases all the time in the lessons. Looking forward to meeting you all in class !

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