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This entry was posted on Sunday, August 13th, 2006 at 12:19 am and is filed under Japanese Culture Classes . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
57 Responses to “Japanese Culture Class #23 - Bon Festival”
Sunday at 12:19 am
Mina-san, we hope that you’re enjoying your weekend wherever you are!
We know that most of our staff is somewhere out there, and NOT here.
If anyone spots them, please let us know. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Sunday at 12:30 am
yahoo… I’am the first this time!
Again great weekend to everyone!
Sunday at 12:35 am
Speaking about the video, I found the way to compress the file in the AVI format, the size of the file increases much (210 Mb) the quality maybe is a litle better, but I don’t know what to do with the sound.
Sunday at 12:57 am
I think you should add pictures to the JCC so that you could see how everything looks like.
Anyway, I really liked to listen to this.
来週、頑張ってください
Sunday at 1:01 am
Good morning Mina-san, we are gathering people together who are interesting to meet each other or studying Japanese together.
You guys can send me a PM and give me your msm, Skype or Ichat ID.
If you don’t have none of that or don’t know how to do it, just let us know we will help you to get through it.
It’s fun to meet new people whoever out there, and it helps to study in Japanese with fun.
Like Nathan-san, he didn’t have a video but he was able to meet some of community members including me.
Let’s try guys!!!
Sunday at 1:03 am
JockZon-san, if they have skype or ichat ID, we can meet them through video, right?
We are still working on video conference though.
Sunday at 1:29 am
Yeah Vicky, but you should start a thread in the forum instead of writing it everyday on the lesson board.
Sunday at 4:25 am
JockZonさん、
I agree.
Sunday at 4:33 am
JockZonさん、
I also agree with you about adding pictures. Also, in lieu of an informal track for JCC, they could add an enhansed podcast with the pictures showing up on ones iPod or in iTunes. They could really take advantage of the technology available.
Sunday at 4:56 am
Everyone,
I highly recommend the ‘Shibawanko no wa no kokoro’ series of educational anime, available for you on TV in Japan, or via video download on Youtube.com (Search for ’shibawanko’ in romaji).
In particular, episodes 25, 26, 27, 28 deal with O-Bon. Please watch them in order, as there is a very simple but heartfelt sublot which gives the ‘wa no kokoro’ feeling. There are excellent descriptions and depictions of butsudan, offerings, etc.
I cannot say enough positive things about this series as a whole: it is enormously popular, and rightfully so. The information provided is of enormous cultural value, the ambience of the series is delightful, and Shibawanko and her cat friend, Mikenyanko, are kawaisugiru.
-Sean Somers
Sunday at 5:24 am
Sean-san,
That series sounds wonderful!! Thanks!
JPOD Team: Today’s Culture Class was very interesting to me. I loved it! I learned so much about this season of the year. I had known bits and pieces about Bon Festival, but this puts it all together. I have friends in Japan and this helps me understand what they are doing these day. THANKS!
Sunday at 5:25 am
Peterちゃん、
So, was it just you & Chigusaさん in the studio?
Oh, and what’s a “yuge” kanji?
Chigusaさん、
For the information parts, it sounded like you were reading off a page.
Oh, btw, how many people think JP101 should make a video of Peterちゃん dancing? I’ll be going to visit soon. If there’s enough demand, I think we can get something recorded.
Sunday at 5:33 am
Daniel Beck-san,
Please do not make fun of Peter-san’s New York accent!!
I really would love to see Peter dance, ha, ha, ha!
Sunday at 6:01 am
Sean-さん
リンクですから有難うございます。
アラン
(ビデオで新しい歌作曲しました。楽しいでした。明日ビデオの用意ができます。)
Sunday at 7:05 am
PS: JP101 I hope the staff finally comes to NYC or Mexico because if not I’ll understand it anyway
Sunday at 9:11 am
JP101 will win the awards in education so don’t worry!
S_R_C
Chigusa-san I still can’t believe that its you the one speaking your english is very clear and great wow!
Sunday at 9:30 am
Sunday at 11:19 am
Hi Vicky, couldn’t find your forum post, but here you go anyway! My msn is maxiewawa@hotmail.com . I live in Shanghai though, so that might be a problem regarding meeting up.
ゆろしくお願いします。
Sunday at 11:28 am
Max-san,
Here is how you find members:
Go to the Forum
Click “Member Lists”
Select Sort Method: Pull down menu to “Username”. Click “Sort”
Here is the page for names beginning with “A”:
http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=username&order=ASC&start=100
To advance in the list, delete the last number (100) and replace it with a higher number (500). Now you will be farther along in the alphabet. Try to estimate the page where your friend might be.
I hope this helps you!
Sunday at 11:43 am
Max-san, I got you. Don’t worry. We tried Japan and other Europe side I don’t think we will have a problem to reach you. Let’s see how it goes.
Looking forward to meet you!
Sunday at 11:51 am
アランさんへ
ええ、よかった!どういたしまして。本当に癒されましたね。
ショーン サマーズ
Sunday at 12:39 pm
Great talking to everyone on skype. Maybe we should try talking in Japanese next time!
Sunday at 12:56 pm
Max-san, you are too advanced to me. I’m still newbie in Japanese. Btw, I saw your video as well. Nice Fingers!!!
It was fun!!! We went to China, yeah!!!
Sunday at 1:09 pm
May I ask a question. Sometimes I listen to the Metropolis podcast: http://metropolis.co.jp/podcast/
And I just wanted to ask a question. It was mentioned in the Podcast that there was an hour fireworks display somewhere by a lake. Is this related to Obon or is it just because it’s summer?
Sunday at 1:12 pm
Oh and where exactly is this Fireworks display? Is there anyone here who lives in Japan and purchases the Metropolis magazine? I wonder if ピタさん purchases it.
Sunday at 1:26 pm
Hi mina-san, hope everyone’s having a good weekend!
Max-san, nice meeting you. I’m with Vicky-san… we have a ways to catch up with you as far as Japanese
I think I saw some of the JPod crew over here at the local Obon festival!
Just kidding.
Sunday at 1:26 pm
Using Skype to see and talk to community members is an incredibly rich and powerful tool!! I got such a kick out of speaking with Max-san in Shanghai today. We saw each other by the use of cameras on our computers and we could carry on a conversation!!!!
Thanks, Vicky-san, for helping us to meet each other!! (virtual meeting, not actual)
Sunday at 5:13 pm
Mattさん、
Metropolis is a free magazine. Which is why it’s about 40% straight advertising and another 40% advertising masked as articles.
The parent company Crisscross also has a news site about Japan in English:
http://www.crisscross.com/jp/news/
Sunday at 6:57 pm
そう!
Maybe we can do it again sometime!
Monday at 2:24 am
皆さん、
雨が降る。たくさんあります。でもビデオを終わりました。
電子メイルを送りました。
アラン
Monday at 6:15 am
Hi Mina-san
I learn alot about it! I hear some information before but not has extended like Peter-san and chigusa-san did thank you so much!
I really enjoy Bon festival lesson today!
Sindy-san

I’m sorry but I just got tired to see all those comments in all the lesson and in my particular opinion don’t help at all “its just trash talk” 
Please don’t get offended I have a comment for you but I think you need to know so you can improve and behave yourself better with respect!
Can you stop posting nonesense I know its your opinion and I respect it but I see your comment in all the lessons and its just things that have nothing to do of what is being comment!
Excuse my interruption to all but I needed to say it that’s all!
Monday at 8:02 am
Yeah!!! Hugo-san found me…..we went to Argentina!!
Mina-san, it’s fun!!!
Monday at 9:05 am
Sean Sommers,
I looked up that series you were talking about. It’s cute! I watched 2 episodes and enjoyed them, though I didn’t understand too much of what was going on–which makes me feel even more of an elementary speaker, heh.
I really wish this website would get a chatroom!
Monday at 9:14 am
Monday at 9:23 am
Rob-san, we kinda have a chat room. You can send me a PM or give me your email address or something???
Monday at 9:25 am
Change the subject I agree with Rob JP101 should consider a chatroom where we can all chat!
that would be
S_R_C
Monday at 9:50 am
Hi mina-san,
Click on my name for some photos from an Obon festival that I went to in the US.
I don’t know how close this is to the Obon festivals in Japan, but it was fun.
Monday at 10:44 am
Hey, I set up a mixi page! But I’m not sure what everything does. 教えてもらってください!(I even used this week’s vocabulary)
Monday at 11:31 am
Sindyさん、
You have proven over and over again that you cannot behave yourself here. You also have some kind of warped sense of “truths”, whateve that means.
You need another “time out”.
Chill out or leave please.
Monday at 11:50 am
Liz + Rob様
Very pleased you enjoyed it: honestly, I think it does more than just provide an ‘education’, in the usual sense of vocabulary, cultural data, etc . . . it offers an internalising experience of the culture *itself*, a kind of participatory portal into the Japanese way of life. I appreciate that it is not fashionable to discuss culture’s and their uniquenesses, but I am always inclined to believe that different nations have different points of view, arising from long periods of historical conditioning. Most nihojin I know frequently say, “We Japanese feel . . .”
Programmes like Shibawanko really provide a very authentic, very sensitive depiction of the Japanese character, and that kind of experiential feeling of Japan is what really needs to go with the grammar and kanji flashcards. I know the folks at JapanesePod101 strive *very hard* to give that quality, alongside the more practical linguistics; hence, the culture lessons and interesting commentary they provide. Language without living culture is a cold textbook, IMO.
I especially loved the O-bon series in ‘Shibawanko’: a very lovely, sensitive perspective on Japanese models of life and death and their cosmology of spirits, in a presentation suitable for children and learners.
Monday at 1:02 pm
Vickysan,
robstewart@gmail.com–is my email address. Fill me in on where I can find this chatroom!
Monday at 2:49 pm
Sindy, Sindy, use the forum to express your feelings and don’t talk about this kind of thinga here where we should comment the lessons. I am not trying to give you a hard time, it’s a request from my side. Please?
Monday at 2:50 pm
Rob-san, I got you too. Sorry for delay. My internet was so slow for couple of hours. Did you send me PM as well? I saw a name, and I think that is you.
See you soon!
Monday at 4:21 pm
Danielさん,
Quote:
—————————————————————————
Metropolis is a free magazine. Which is why it’s about 40% straight advertising and another 40% advertising masked as articles.
—————————————————————————
I don’t actually live in Japan so I don’t know much about the actual magazine but I do like the people on the podcast that they have on the site. Kamasami Kong sounds like a nice guy and Susie too.
Monday at 4:23 pm
Mattさん、
I’ll have to give it a listen then. Thanks.
Monday at 4:24 pm
You’re welcome. It is actually very good. Do you live in japan?
Monday at 4:41 pm
Now I know the answer to my original question. I was asking about the fireworks display mentionedon the Metropolis website and I finally picked up what it was. It was the Tokyo Bay Fireworks. I believe that they were on Saturday night. Did anyone go tot his fireworks display? It is supposed to be the biggest in Japan. It runs for an hour. Wow!! That is much better than in Australia. On New Years Eve they show them on TV and they probably only go for 10 minutes or so. So this is a very unnormal fireworks display. I heard them say on the Metropolis Podcast that this display takes people like a whole year to plan. Double Wow!! Must be an amazing sight!!
Monday at 5:20 pm
Mattさん、
It was cancelled due to lightning.
What will they do with all those fireworks I wonder.
Tuesday at 4:55 am
Daniel-san I’m calm and that is what I’m doing I’m just commenting about the lesson that is all I just got upset of what she said that’s all and No I won’t leave just because you say so ok!
S_R_C
Tuesday at 4:56 am
Tuesday at 5:00 am
Tuesday at 10:21 am
Thank you Daniel-san I will chill out!
S_R_C
Tuesday at 10:56 am
Monday at 7:37 am
Thursday at 8:14 pm
um hi im chi-chan
gommenasai if im not in the place because i just want to know you all
if that’s ok with you all…….
Thursday at 8:14 pm
Monday at 2:40 pm
Chincha-san,
Thank you for your post!! Welcome to JPOD community!
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