oes) JAPANESE POP CULTURE & LANGUAGE SZ, LEARNING $4.95 MANGAUJIN No. 30 JAPANESE HOTELS: the inns and outs} BREAKFAST IN AMERICA, ; sapuanss s style? —JAPANESE HOTELS: the inns and outs Newcomers to Japan ote the ryokan (RSH, “Japanese in ceathly paradise where one’s every whim is indulged in an atmosphere of Oriental grace, refinement and beauty. At this ide- alized ryokan, guests are greeted at the door by the smiling staff and escorted to ‘room that overlooks a Japanese garden until recently a garden was a legal re- {quirement for classification as a ryokan), ‘Then after tea and cakes and a very hot bath, guests are treated to a banquet of local delicacies. Soothed and sated, they finally drift off to sleep in fluffy, fresh futon, as the cicadas chitp outside. By now a travel writing cliche, this experience, or something close t0 ity is stil available at better ryokan through= ‘out Japan. It is sometimes overlooke however, that the experience comes at a price. A one-night stay at a first ryokan, including the banquet, can ap: proach the $1,000 mark. Also, some of the more exclusive ryokan will not ac+ commodate a stranger, foreign or Japa nese, without a proper introduction, Finally, not all of Japan’s 80,000 ryokan are the paradises of the travel magazines, Some are crowded with school or company groups who party boisterously until the wee hours of the morning, Others are virtually indistin guishable from minshuku Ie, inexpe sive, often family-run inns where the fa cilities are more spartan and the service Jess personal than at a first-class ryokan, (Ataminshaku, the maid will usually not pour your tea of lay out your futon. She will, however, roust you out of bed at by Mark Schilling pan has its share of standard-brand in. temational hotels, it offers visitors a ge of accommodations and experi- ences that they will find nowhere else. How about a night in an Edo-era thatch- roofed cottage, a temple that has been sheltering pilgrims since the days of ‘Murasaki Shikibu, ora love hotel whose rooms ate decorated in the style of Versailles Palace? wanese inns once welcomed pil arims on their way to temples, trades- ‘men on their way t0 market and samurai ‘A.room in the first-class ryokan Kagaya ‘Located in the famous Wakura hot springs are ‘on the Japan. Sea side of Honshi, the Kagaya has beon host to the ‘Showa Emperor ‘and Empross. Aroomin typical minshuku The Hamaya is a ‘small minshuku fon the Izu Peni sula; not as luxu fon their way to battle. They may have been as hospitable as they are now, but accommodations were usually more functional than fancy. Then, early in the 16th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate ordered the country's daimya (1%, feu dal lords) to spend alternative years in the capital, Edo, under the government's watchful eye, By keeping the daimyo, along with hundreds oftheir retainers, on the road for lengthy periods of time, the bakufu CEA, shogunal government) un- wittingly gave rise 10 a new class of 7.00 in the morning so that she can put rious as the the futon away). Kagaya (above) Fortunately, the tradition of hospi- inueh mors: tality in Japan is still alive at a wide va- ssoreene, ¥ of other establishments, Though Ja- RATE horn de sadamerarenhitsyd jen «travel wing cliche = BRAT IEVAO BEAT ry ann no jonah GEO) LSA © (alin kyalu nado no) sakarabot shokai ney eboisteroasly =BA-* L < sostail 10 Manaayin oath > wunabutlyone mo iline = SSAC jnreliho = eae Beheraluxury inn, ealled honjin APA, which evolved to accommodate the lords and their closest retainers. Lower-ranking re- tainers stayed in what were called waki hhonjin Cside-honjin”), more like the inns that catered to regular tavelers. When the Tokugawa-enforced policy of national isolation ended and Western visitors began arriving in the 1850s, inns had long been providing high-class service to well-heeled travel- crs, But foreigners had needs that Japa- nese-style inns could not easily satisfy (few, for example, could provide a roast beef dinner, after-dinner brandy or de- cent billiards table) The first Western-style hotel or otert 7 1V, a8 they are called in Japa- nese, was the Edo, a 102-room hotel built in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1868. The best- known is probably the Imperial Hote, which was opened in 1890 as a govern: ‘ment-sponsored hotel for foreign digni- taries and rebuilt in 1923 by Frank Lloyd Wright, justin time co survive the Great Kanto Earthquake. Wright's Imperial did not survive progress, however; in 1968 itwas removed to make way for the cur rent structure. ‘There are now nearly 400 Western- style hotels in Tokyo alone and 1,000 na: tionwide. Several, including the Imperial and Hotel Okura, are truly world class, and the rooms resemble their counter parts in Paris or New York. Japanese traveling on business apparently favor Western-style lodei in downtown Tokyo and other m ‘commercial centers, itis difficult to find Sl ii Capsules ina capsule hotel ‘The capsule hotel provides a cocoorlike space forlate night revelers who mssea the last tain home, or tired ssalarymen who reed a short ‘snooze during the day. a ca Photo courtesy of Kiyosuku In (3% 4 7), Tokyo, deluxe Japanese-style inns But for foreigners whose currencies have been plunging against the yen, the price of Western-style luxury comes high. AC the Hotel Okura, where Bill and Hillary Clinton stayed during this year's ‘Tokyo Summit, singles start at ¥28,000 and a night in the Presidential Suite costs adeticit-ballooning ¥350,000. The Presi dential Suite, however, is outranked by the Imperial Suite, which requires a royal outlay of ¥500,000. Hit by endaka (Iii, “high ye hotel room occupancy rates have Fallen about 10 percent compared with 1992, Also, the percentage of foreign guests is declining. “About 10 years ago, nearly 80 percent of our guests were foreign,” said a spokeswoman for the Imperial Hotel. “Now itis closer to $0 percent.” ‘To lure guests back, hotels are reducing room rates and offering special package deals. But even with breakfast thrown in, a single room under the Okura’s Busi ness Plan costs ¥33,000 ($317), ‘The budget-minded and the adven- turous need not despair, however. Japan offers a wide variety of relatively low- priced accommodations. Among the most Business Hotels (12 2 } x: > Jv, bijinesu hoteru). These are no-frills hotels for the business traveler. The rooms are often broom-closet smal, the walls paper-thin and, instead of ringing for room service, the guest explores the ‘contents ofthe tiny fridge or pads down the hall to the vending machine, Bu ness hotels ae cheap (about ¥5,000 for a single room) and are readily available (you usually don't have worry about g ting tumed down for a room because of * wellecked = BU jaan + foreign dignitaries = S00 ECRE 0° enn taste dachi go sera ster delet bl 2%) Keihi gatiminana (rokaha) nfl TRENEYD BEoeeven BIZATLBT AMES Fpataag ion PARADORLE BICBITKL- plunging apuins the yea MICE" 3 aka o tad sovens budget mind yobun-na Ebisu Wo nav experes= EIT 2 ) ‘A room in a “love hotel” (photo and verse from promotional brochure fof the Aine Hotel). Other rooms feature names such as ‘uimmy Detec- tive Office,” “Bago Bago,” “Lady White Story," “Wa Ha Ha," and “Sugar Sugar” The verse reads: Hoshi-1achi mo sasavaki ga Iikoete-kuru konna hi a, veka no yocora 0 kimi ni agetai ‘On a day like this when you can hea the whispering of the stars, I ‘want to give you the night skies from allover the world : 2 Manoauin 11"ning eh 12 Manaasin an upcoming summit or cardiologists’ convention). © Capsule Hotels (22°72 le #7 J, kapuseru hotert ) ‘The target of much tongue-in-cheek foreign media coverage, capsule hotels offer drunk or late-working salarymen a place (0 ‘crash until the morning rains start running. They supply the Usual amenities, including TV, yukaia (cotton “bathrobe”) and toothbrush, with a “capsule” that is the immobile equivalent of fa sleeper berth, The lack of privacy. security and sound-proof ing may be drawbacks (there is no barrier between you and the snoring of your sodden neighbor inthe next capsule), but some regulars develop a sense of camaraderie (perhaps they are nos- talgic for dotm life), Often found near amusement districts, cap Sule hotels rates are somewhat lower than business hotel rates Some offer special mid-day rates for stressed-out businessmen in need of a snooze, * Love Hotels (9°77, rabu hoteruy: The hot bed hotels of lubricous legend, these are also found in or near amuse: ment districts, The rates, and often pictures of the rooms, are tisplayed out front, making it easy to comparison shop (alighted picture indicates that the 1oom is available). Also, the hotels fire discreet: money and room key’ are usually passed through fa slot that eliminates the chance of eye contact between staff land guests, Given current mores, however, this discretion is becoming unnecessary; some young couples come as double dates and chatter away with each other while waiting their turn ‘The fancier hotels go in for “theme” design (Cinderella Castle exteriors, Polynesian village decor in the rooms), but nearly al supply the basics: music console, bedside condoms, porn on the tube, Two-hour rates vary, depending on the qual- ity and type of accommodations (S&M equipment or revolving ‘beds tend to cost more), but average about ¥4,000 to ¥6,000, All-night rates are not much higher, making love hotels an op tion for the single budget traveler who is either desperate or in the mood for something different. + Minghuku (}%%i): As mentioned above, minshuku are considered a step down from ryokan. The original minshukw Were private homes that provided lodging and meals to travel- like “bed and breakfast” accommodations. Now, they are more likely to be simply small, inexpensive ryokan. Self-service isthe rule and the menu can be monoto- nous (after seeing the same rubbery takuan pickle, raw egg and burnt fish morning after morning, some minshuku regulars have been known to cry at the thought of an Egg MeMuffin). At the better ones, however, the service i friendly, the food excellent and the accommodations more than adequate. At some you can ‘become part of the family, sipping sake around the “korarsu with the master and getting an earful of local Tore. Minshuku ‘can be found in nearly all tourist areas. Like ryokan, some are reluctant to accommodate foreign travelers, not because they fare in any way exclusive, but because they are concerned about language and behavior problems (soaping up in the bath, walk ng across the saran in bathroom slippets). Four hundred or so [F eardiotogists convention = GBRABED FZ suincahyal no waka “homgue inched foreign media coverage = LAGI 2 Dak ORES faitotune namo no hod» slesper enh = 46-2918.) FEE vane nc resohe no) shindot camaraderie = (PH 4/7 kama Iuka febncios lgend = pus 2 [ah worsen densa CGmreel 279 12S SONALI AD & hn) heir sulci go fe ‘rer ald HEE pono mo ast S28 fpurabas HH AS oorlunreluctant ones can be found on a list ‘compiled by the Japan Minshuku Center (81-3-3218-6558). Rates per person, in- cluding a Japanese-style breakfast and dinner, average about ¥5,000, * Pensions (<2 737, Pen shon); These might be deseribed as West emized minshuku, Found around ski slopes and other sporty resort areas, pen: sions are often run by urban escapees who try to provide their guests with a friendly, but trendierand more Western= ized experience than the typical ‘minshuku. The architecture may be tr minally cutesy Swiss chalet, but the food—often Western cuisine using local ingredients witha personal flair—can be excellent and the jazz sounds coming lover the Bose speakers, of concert hall quality. Also, there is often more to do at pensions than soak in the tub; biking, hiking, tennis and skiing are some of the tusual options. Average per person rates are slightly higher than for minshuku, FF ‘antag tive Zaotuy ans Ti hava Bae peaion = Foature+Story + Youth Hostels (2.— x: 27 J», yitsu hosuteruy: With their mandatory meetings, institutional food, early lights cout and separate sleeping quarters forthe sexes, including married couples, youth hostels were once places to experience the worst of the Japanese “group spirit. Inecent years, faced with a steady drop in visitors, some hostels from hell have = bausharei no sp C1 atari ein sok vamete abi no war) vou hosaera relaxed rules and improved service. Even so, the atmosphere at many is still rem niscent of a YMCA camp or Salvation Army flop. The main virtue of the hos- tels remains price—about ¥2,000 per per. son—and the opportunity to meet young Japanese (you can begin by trading hos. tel stories) (continued on page $3) Pension Sllverston in fashionable Karvizawa, features European exterior ‘and mostly Western: style rooms, The wheols hanging out- side retest the ‘owners interest in motorcycles, Pinas sh: Bee i + mandy meting hosel tom bell= Breaks The Language Sarrier Se ed ie a et lekeaed ees Te TET GOR Sc ae Oet es (Ca eed Mawansin 13BREAKFAST IN AMERICA Some American hotels make an effort, but a Japanese-style break- fast is more than just fish and rice. Even those people with the most ad vventuresome tastes can find exotie meals difficult to stomach early in the day That's why breakfast often becomes the focus of culinary “homesickness” when traveling overseas, Since familiar foods ‘on a hotel restaurant menu can make for cign visitors feel at home in their tempo rary surroundings, it's not surprising that so many American hotels now offer a special breakfast menu for their Japanese suests. Unfortunately, these good inten tions do not always yield the sought-af- ter result. At the heart (or should I say, stom- ach?) of the matter is the issue of famil= rity. In order for the food to be com- forting to the culture-shocked, je-lagged visitor, it must first be recognized as fa- mar in other words, authentic. And, the food must be appealing: in others words appropriate, which is not the same thing 1s elaborate or fancy. This may sound obvious, but it's difficult to do. First, you must choose the right foods to serve. ‘Then the taste, texture and temperature Of the food must be what your foreign ‘guests are accustomed to having in their ‘own country. In addition, the way in which you present each dish, the se quence in which you serve the courses, and the way in which you set the table must also follow the dictates oftheir eul- ture, not yours. “The complex set of rules governing Toko suey 14 Manaasin BAR RUIM fuaigifkoka « esurption SRL kom naftucetna a» et se ‘correct American eating habits may seem less enigmatic than those rules re garding Fapanese cuisine, but that’s only because, as Americans, we share certain presumptions about our food. For ex: ample, we expect pumpkin pie on a Thanksgiving menu, but on the Fourth of July we think an apple or blucberry pie would be a more patriotic choice. ‘And, of course, we expect pie of any kind to be served for dessert, atthe end of the ‘meal, All Americans expect the table to be set with forks tothe left, and spoons ‘and knives to the right ofthe main plate, Indeed, we woule find it very discone: ing to have these positions reversed or otherwise tampered with Because these, and myriad other “rules” concerning mealtime are part of ‘ourown upbringing and daily experience, we tend to assume that they are self-evi dent to everyone, But culinary habits are ‘a product of culture in the same way that dress, speech, and mannerisms are; they are learned behaviors with their own in trinsic, often intricate, logic. So, in or: der to provide a suitable Japanese menu in an American hotel setting, Japanese must be understood and ‘mealtime “rules accommodated Often, problems begin with choos- ing the wrong food to serve. Although it’s true that most Americans like hot dogs and ice cream, I've never seen a breakfast menu in the United States with cenit + amper with = ATED by Elizabeth Andoh either item on it. Choosing popular foods perss, is not alsways the best answer. So ‘hat do most Japanese eat for breakfast? ‘There are several prototypes: the tra ditional morning meal, with its miso-f vored soup, steamed rice, and pickles; the more contemporary version, with thick, pureed vegetable soup (potage), buttered toast and tossed green salad: and a newly popular urban coffee shop menu, appro- priately called “Morning Service,” usu ally consisting of buttered toast, hard boiled egg, and coffee or tea. This last type is the Japanese equivalent of a con- tinental breakfast. Comparing these Japanese proto: types to typical American breakfast pat- terns, there are several striking differ ences, One such difference is that savory flavors predominate over sweet in the Japanese morning meal. Although ‘Americans regularly eat sugar-coated cereals, sweet rolls, doughnuts, and muf- fins in the morning, Japanese prefer salty and sour foods such as erisp sheets of pressed seaweed and pickled plums for breakfast, While American breakfasts tend to favor fruit—orange juice, and sliced bananas or berries on cereal Japanese breakfast menus feature savory marine and terrestrial vegetables. ‘Another notable difference is the importance of soup to a Japanese meal, even (or especially) at breakfast time. le Americans might weleome a corn ore» pared vegtabe = ec B= ‘hart nb iedamatunl esta vegetable = TRALEE ike wo yaschowder or thick potato soup at mid ot late day, most would think it strange 10 hhave first thing in the morning. To the Japanese, however, who expect every ‘complete meal to include soup, it is en lirely logical, and highly satisfying, to -ahearty vegetable soup orn vored broth at daybreak Rice is the staple grain in the tradi- tional Japanese diet, and many modern households still eat rice three times a day’ However, the number of Japanese who regularly eat bread instead of rice is steadily growing. When bread replaces rice on the breakfast menu, it is usvally in the form of thick (half inch or more) slices of toast made from what the Japa- nese call shokupan (4/57), a kind of white, pullman loaf. In Japan, a single Portion usually consists of one slice of toast cut in half in a rather distinctive ‘manner (creating two pieces that are nei- ther triangles nor rectangles, but unusual trapezoids instead; see the illustration on the following page), Knowing what to serve is important, ‘of course, but so is knowing how to serve it. “Comfort food” can reassure the visi- ‘or from abroad only when it is immedi- ately familiar, and that means it has to look right, to0. Take the example of the toast mentioned above: The thickness of the bread, the slant at which itis eu, and the angle at which itis arranged on the plate all contribute to the sense of fami iarity Japanese will feel when the order of toast is brought to their table. But appearances extend well beyond hhow food is placed on a plate. The choice of gamishes, the selection of tableware, and the way in which the table is set, impart an important cultural context for the meal. Imagine the unsettling effect of a Christmas color scheme in mid-sum- mer, or an American flag motif decorat ing a Halloween party table, Think about pecan pie served as an appetizer instead of dessert, coffee being served in soup bowls and “eaten” with a spoon, or a dollop of whipped cream garnishing a plate of spanish olives and dill pickles. Pretty strange, eh? No more so than a washoku breakfast menu I was recently served at a prominent New York hotel. mab Feleaces = BOL oe 5 oishil manatchin «fawning terotsculture —_ On the morning in question, my ese guest and I were served the fol: 1g meal: Ina shallow, wide soup bowl, wakame (2H), a sea vegetable often used in Japanese soups and salads) drifted in a muddy broth (obviously, something went wrong with the miso and T suspect the cubes of tofu and chopped scallions were forgotten at the last minute); this soup course was served first. Next came a large, round dinner plate. On it lay a mound of long-erain rice, molded by an ice eream scooper, next to an enormous portion of grilled salmon garnished with strips of yellow squash that had been sauteed in olive oil Fresh strawberries and grapes shared a bread-and-buter plate with pickled egg- plant (shiba-zuke) and radish (takwan) A green tea bag dangled from an Ameri- can coffee cup into which hot water had been poured. When you add to this bi- zarre assortment and procession of foods the fact thatthe table was set incorrectly (by Japanese standards, that is), the re sult has to be massive culinary confusion for anyone brought up in a Japanese household. It was certainly a bewilder- ing sight for my guest? The problem is usually twofold: try: ing too hard, and working in a cultural vacuum. In reality, the simplest menu is often the best. Afterall, think how wel: 7 borsimaltyl ma ara yal ip swnerié= 2 dale = SUNOS kobiettaran * embark upon = 7 Can you find 10 mistakes in this “Japanese breakfast”? (answers on Page 17) come a make-it-yourself peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be to an Ameri- can traveler abroad who had eaten noth ing but exotic local delicacies for sev eral weeks. American notions of hospi Laity are such that opportunities to “do- it-yourselt” are often mote appreciated than the fawning attentions of hotel staff (not so for the Japanese, who generally feel that as guests they should be served by their hosts—in this case, the staf of the hotel), Although consultants like myself and other professionals in the food-ser vice and hospitality industry are occa. sionally called upon by restaurants and hotels in the United States to develop menus, and tran their staf to prepare and serve them, most establishments embark ‘upon Japanese breakfast service in a more casual way. Often, some respected Japa: nese business or community leader is asked to advise the local hotel's execu tive chef. Such was the case at the Cincinnatian Hotel, where Don Lanyi, Director of Food and Beverage, de. scribed (0 me the valuable assistance of Dr. Tanaka Kinji of the Japan Research Center in Cincinnati. This type of part- nership works to everyone’s advantage when the informant. typically a Japanese with no specific training in the culinary arts, is acutely aware of, and can easily BERT keiha « ike’ = sam Mawaasin 15* articulate, the cultural details associated with Japanese meals. Another popular approach taken by many American re- sorts and hotels is to train their staff by video. One commer- cially successful venture, Chef-San, has sold its videotapes 10 ‘a long list of American institutions including Disneyland Ho- The “morning service” js an alternative Japanese breakfast that may be easier for American ood-ser- ‘ee people to handle. sterotscuiture tls and Holiday Inn, Ms. Romi Adachi, President of Chef-San and Executive Producer of “The Japanese Breaktust” video. is passionate about the subject of authenticity. She is deeply dis tressed by many of the mistakes made by untrained chefs in ‘America, So distressed, infact, that with the purchase of her video comes a telephone hotline to call for further, free-of jon. As she pointed out to me in a telephone interview. just because feedback from Japanese guests is diffi= cult to obtain and interpret doesn't mean they haven't formed Strong impressions and opinions that can affeet your business. Unlike American customers who readily, and promptly, share their dissatisfaction with hotel or restaurant management, most, Japanese guests will not make a fuss when something goes wrong. When confronted, most Japanese will typically mur ‘mur some noncommittal statement, But among themselves, the Japanese will talk, and often stop patronizing the establishment in question "The mistakes inthe breakfast on page 1S are listed on the facing page, along with some general tips about serving a Japa- nose breakfast. charge, consulta Correspondence to: Elizabeth Andoh, e/o Mavens PO Box 7119, Marietta, GA 30065-1119 WORD, for Windows | Introductory Price $199.00 ‘Spell Check Document ‘SpellCheck Page English Jepqgese Dictonay. ‘anj WORD eds documents easily in Japanes Wan TNS | Page 4 = TanWORD Edhor- Unwed] Te =| File Edit View Page Window z Opere) ele) oom 7 nd English. BABE RT ET To order contact Pacific Software 2] Publishing, Inc. 98040, USA Tol 206.232.3989 102 Fax 206.236. 16 MaNaasinotecultur { Mistakes in the “Japanese breakfast” (not necessarily in order of offensiveness). 1. Sc00ps of rice on plate. Rice shouldbe served ina separate bow, gently mounded (not eecrean scooped) Serve exta rice from the kitchen as needed. or pene Idea ree “tub on the able 2. Chopsticks facing the wrong direction. Points Should fae left and they should be aligned and parallel If aisposable wooden chopsticks ina paper sheath sre Used. chops reat snot neede 53. Whole Block of tofu in miso soup. Tote in soup | shouldbe cut ino cubes approinately 1a” square ‘Wakame (seaweed) in the soup should be cut to 1” Tengths. 4, Fours are forbidden. The number four is bad luck and should always be avoided. Here the rule is violated twice, with the banana slices and the squash. 5. Inappropriate utensils. A Japanese breakfast re quires Japanese-style utensils. Miso soup should be served in a rimless bow! with a lid—no under-pla spoon needed, Rice should be in a rice bowl, tea in teacup with no handle, with separate small dishes of bowls for everything else 6. Fish is grossly oversized. A smaller piece would ‘be more appropriate for breakfast Ifthe head is still at- on page 15 ] tached, it should be pointed to the left 7. Tea bag in coffee cup. Ocha should be served in teapot, then poured into Japanese-style teacup (no handle) with no saucer. 8. There is no yaki-nori (seaweed) or soy sauce. These are essentials forthe rice-based breakfast. Yaki nori should be served in a separate box or small, flat plate. Soy sauce should be in a small, slender pourer (shaw sashi) 9. Pickles (takuan) should be sliced into half-moon shapes and should not be on the same plate with sliced ba- nana. This is tricky one since the takuan looks like peach in the photo. 10. Placement of dishes is wrong. Soup should be ‘on lower right; rice (in separate bowl) should be on tower left | Other points: + An authentic Japanese breakfast would probably be served on a tray + Japanese breakfasters would probably consider both the bananas and the squash to be odd breakfast choices, + There is a lack of varity in color. A good Japanese ‘meal achieves a pleasing array of color and texture. ST Where do Japan-related companies go to meet talented, qualified people to fill their needs? NSN EY ry DISCO’s International Career Forums When the world’s sharpest young minds meet the world’s most successful companies, connections arebound tobe formed. At DISCO -International Career Forums international companies connect with the pick of the year’s brightest Japanese-speaking university gradu- ates. These same university graduates connect with companies that havea nced for talented bilingual people with engineering, business, accounting or research skills. DISCO, Development of Information Services for Career Oppor- tunities, has been bringing great minds together for nearly 20 years. Through our renowned Nikkei Placement Guide series and interna- tional job fairs, we specialize in bringing Japan-affiliated companies and bilingual job seekers together. To find out how you or your company can participate in an International Career Forum, please call the DISCO office nearest you Berun Tel: 030-893-23.24 Loxpon Tel: 071-493-1533 New York Tel: 212-489-2040 CES ‘The 4th Annual International Career Forum in Berlin October 30-31, 1993 The 4th Annual International Career Forum in Boston November 5-7, 1993 The 4th Annual International Career Forum in San Francisco February 25-27, 1994 SDISCO 2-12 Shimomiyabi-cho Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162 ‘Tel: 03-5228-0262. Fax: 03-5228-0324 ESET EN ETE S EEL EST TT PELE) Manaasin 17LEARNING TO GO TO SCHOOL IN JAPAN The Transition from Home to Preschool Life Lois Peak. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991. 224 pages, $32.00 (hardcover). reviewed by Christopher Perrius Japanese society is often described as {group-centered, buthow do Japanese learn togetalong inthe group? By looking atthe Japanese child's first encounter with shin seikatsu (64248, “group life”), Lois Peak sheds considerable light on this question, Through several months of ob- servations at a Buddhist preschool in Nagano and shorter observations at pre schools in Nagano and Tokyo, interviews with teachers and parents, and reviews of both Japanese and US literature on the subject, she shows how Japanese children ‘make the transition from an “indulgent home life to an obedient school life. Peak quickly refutes several sterco= types of the “exam hell” variety before ‘moving om tothe larger misconception. that home training prepares the child for ‘good school behavior. In fact, the uchi, inside,” or "home”) where the child can indulge in amae, or childishly dependent behavior, is in constant tension with the soto, (“outside”), where properly disci plined group behavior is expected. Unlike ‘most US parents, Japanese mothers do not feel responsible for training thei children by requiring polite behavior at homes this taining is undertaken by the schools. A revealing explication of this extremely sophisticated training process in the pre schoo! is the achievernent of this book. ‘The family is not shudan seikarsu, although we conceive of itasa “group” in English. In the home (the uch). ame is ‘expected. There sno fear that “indulsi the child at home will make him or her spoiled outside the home. A lot of amae at home is thought to be a good thing, if not + Shed considerable ight 40 kane » ert 18 Mawansin NISTEMRON-T & 0 et sur indulgent = 1D AR Gr ZL ght shit ik oinerus = HE the whole point of the home. It is con- sciously considered to be an outlet forthe frustrations of children and husbands who retum from their stressful schools and offices and demand 10 be served, How: exer, amae is notatall acceptable in life. The goal of the preschool "LEARNING TO” then, is 10 get the children to understand the distinction between the two spheres. ‘The activities of the preschool are themselves grounded on a similar kind of stress/release tension, Again and again in the schools” statements of goals, in the words of the teachers, and in their trade ‘magazines, it is asserted that the primar activity of the preschool is asobi (lt OPfIEs amavakarhnofamal »refae “play"), And do they play! Children like my younger brother, who was asked to leave his (US) preschool and “try again next year” because he iked to un on the lables, are prised for their genki-ness Screaming, dancing on tables, berserk {games of tag ae all accepted as normal, nd teachers cheerfully aise their voices just above the din. They rarely direct the play, but subtle auidance does go on; for example, schools are often deliberately Shor oFtoys so students willhaveo share, negotiate, and interact more. But inter spersed between these periods of uninib- ited play are formal stuals marking the transitions from one activity to another. These rituals ae like those that mark transitions all through the life of a Japa nese. For each of these ritual situation, and every other group activity, such as ‘changing clothes or arranging desks for meal, the teacher emphasizes that there is only one right way, and the ability to master these kara (Ii, “set formvstyle") ‘comprises much ofthe formal education. Slight atention is given to counting oF reading and writing. Managing the three ‘year-olds transition fom boisterous play io sitting with hands folded quietly and reciting “itadakimase" im unison before a ‘meal requires considerable skill rom the teachers, the unfailingly cheerful and in sightful heroes ofthis book Japanese preschool teachers, 99 per cent young, junior-college educated ‘women, strive io inculcate a group aware- ness in students rather than obedience to the teacher as an authority figure. It is a common sense notion of Japanese pop psychology thatthe child has to want 19 behave propery, oF efforts at discipline willbe futile. Peak explores the various, mainly unconscious techniques that Japa nese teachers use to minimize the need for direct discipline, One great difference here between the more authoritarian USstyleis, that "good!" behavior in Japanese schools is consistently refered to a8 jdzu (EF “lla The “bad” childs one who just hasn't mastered the skill yet, seven if he clearly won't the teachers always say he can’t The child “behaves” so as nol 1 be ‘considered “unable” to do the task The “problem child (mondarj OR i) the Japanese preschool. then. i one who doesn't ake part in group activities, ‘or relies too much on the teacher. When TERED honbotu ureshe asked about children who genuinely prefer quiet. solitary pursuits. Peak was {old that such children don’t exist, they just “don’t yet understand the fun of being together with other." Independence (ish FE) and self-reliance (jiritsw fi.) are paradoxically listed in the statements of goals of most preschools as well as the ‘Monbusho’s official ist. They do not sig nily autonomy or doing your own thin rather. as the opposite of ame, they mean taking responsibility as a member of the group, not leting the group down. The teacher will make everyone wait until all the students arrange thei lunch boxes cor- rectly—the delay is presented as a conse. quence of students’ inabilities, not of the teacher's will, With authority subtly trans: Book+Review (Gaeu), even the child who hits other chil- dren isnot punished: in fact, his behavior is often ignored, Fights are tolerated asa way to lear social skills, and are often made a part of class discussion sometime later Peak providesmany compelling ficld notes, and one especially memorable one illus trated her somewhat shocked realization that the child she thought was “bullying her with constant kicks was in fat inviting her to play in his clumsy way. The teacher who had not disciplined the kicker, had thought that the one with the behavioral problem was Peak for rudely not respond: ing! When she did respond by chasing him, the kicking stopped. Finally, | found myself’ wanting to know more about the mothers. In the equa- boxes which “when the child removes the lid... hismother'slove andfecling forhim should pop out (advice of Tokyo Pre: school Director), Uno crs are reluctant to voice concerns, even ‘whenitis thei child who is being hit daily and they are . Dialogue betw kept ata superf seems 1 be clearly one of “leave ito us ime («°, “bullying” can be a very setious problem in later years, but mothers seem to learn to stay out of “school mat ters” in these early years. 1's a problem that asks for less newspaper sensational- ism and more investigation of the kind n parents and teachers is level, and the feeling Peak has carried out Scholarly yet writen in smooth and ferred to the group which also comssts of one’s close playmates, Japanese children (andadults) whoresist ihe norm findthem selves surrounded by “an army of friendly shadows,” an image that recalls Abe Kobo's play, Tomodachi terms this often tra Tn line with the definition of “good * sigily = EME & ind ear» autonomy = Employment Help Wanted in Japan. Help Wanted In Japan Teach In Japan Bi-Lingual Language Institute of Japan is an innovative member of the English language instruction industry. All of our schools offer a full range of English con- versation programs for adults in private, semiprivate and group classes. The courses are structured programs using Bi-Lingual’s unrivaled teaching methods. tions of performance outsi hhome, she gets to play only one part. And while the schools encourage mothers’ par ticipation (by joining the PTA, reg ‘meeting with teachers, et, i practical ates into a lot of careful preparation of supplies and lunch and anae at often entersaining prose, the insights pro- Vided by this arresting book will intrigue not only educators and parents, but all arly students of Japan, Christopher Perrius isa tree-lance writer? translator now living in Nosh Carling We are currently accepting applications from enthusiastic college graduates for a rewarding opportunity to teach English in Japan. Successful applicants must com- plete an intensive training program in our New York office before taking a position in one of our twenty-two schools across Japan. Teaching contracts are for one full year, renewable upon completion Teaching and business experience are preferred but not mandatory. Bi-Lingual instructors are professional, conscientious, organized and self-motivated. Japanese lan- guage ability is not required. Send your resume along with three letters of reference to: BI-LINGUAL USA CORPORATION Dee oe eae Ly Cay Cement) New York, N.Y. 10110-2196 Magasin 19BABEL Translation Contest Winners ‘The results of the Thied BABEL International Japanese/En- lish Translation Award from issue #25 are in. Over 400 people ‘ied for one first, one second, and five runner-up positions. The ‘rand prize goes to Akiko Shimada, of West Hurley, New York. Below is the original Japanese essay and Akiko's winning En- @ WREK @ EA, SHR IeH) OME HAY YTS ZWELRE LTRS, MABEHELT. [67 HET SORE OTL EVELE TATA (SD Mita ITH SV MEM SNSET DY TALVMES RANLORROMM ERI bd [EERE ARIS | BEEVDAT, MSO AMY HBR Ui SH Bo MLUEME LTE, ROTI TI, Hike S BOMSAS, CIVIMMCG FRAT LET LU OCHS. OQ RO HOB ALM L CHRERCSS IE HS. MURROMGDMT SAF, 3 OR ELC CHIME OSI Ke [AMER RMIARE 2 ERTS ACHR BO, feed eaaeu Eo tbs, MLEMC LHIRE CAL MEE BRL. ASL TRS. MOMETSL, AFTT ADY OMIT, VIBABAELEHEVELTH Bo @ [SY YPUR, AMP RAY OBLTO AES Fo 79 Y RHE CSET, LEDRDOb LY. Mi) Otto ERMA TOS L, COME EBA OCHS. ELADMED KH PAID BV, LAE MIEN T, Shr La & He FTO LOMIE BB TE BLA Moe, TAMAS EOLA CL EVs. ® (ecomenbig oot 6 ne bee) EMHISHR < 5 GANDA ES LAO E TE BIDATTOSO VOL OH RE KLAN DDH SOA ARR E Bat, Hy MEI TOS MEO RS PEI ViGOK, MARR b SALMO BALI IC ete BEF, MAME MOUARL TSe © eH BELT 3 Om (ByflveD AH] £ 24 Manaasin lish translation. On the following page are the judge's comments, ‘and the complet lst of prize winners. We at Maxcams thank al of those who entered and congratulate the winners. We also encourage those who didn’t win to study the judge's comments, and keep honing their translation skills @ A Full-Time House Husband, @ by Yoko Mure from Machitado Kobashiri Nikki (Mainichi Shimbun) ® —Theother day I was talking with an energetic business ‘man who ad just tumed thiny. “I don’t feel like working any more,” he told me. I understand that a man from this age 10 forty ispressed to work very hard athis job. While taking eare of younger subordinates who have not yet learned their jobs ‘very well, he has to put up with his boss's demands one after the other. The boss will say “you are still young.” and order him off on aone-day business trp tosome remote area. When hhe does manage to complete a difficult task, the company will ead him on with promises of promotional opportunities waved infront of hisnose. He sayshe has become fed up with such an environment, His ultimate wish isto quit working and become a full ‘ime house husband, He eavies the female workers who leave his office to get married. “It's not fair that only women are ‘congratulated for leaving th office for married life,” he said angrily. Afterall, according to him, he keeps his room clean ‘and cooks For himself, He also sews and itonshis own clothes. [No wonder he always looks so neat. @ — “Vamalso good at machine sewing and stitching up the bottoms of my trousers. ean even do French embroidery." he boasts convincingly. He belioves he is far more skilled at housekeeping than the spoiled young women who cannot do anything without their parents and he ambitiously looks forward to the challenge of raising children. The problem, however, is that he cannot find a mate, Most women are financially dependent on men and, even though they spend ‘most oftheir salary on clothing and traveling abroad, once they get married they think living expenses should be covered by their husbands’ earnings. ® “Nobody would be interested in marrying me.” he says, ‘with a sigh and some people have actually eriticized him for hothaving a manly attitude. don’t know when his wish tobe ‘full-time house husband will come true, but I like o picture him bashfully flushed with happiness as he receives flowers from his colleagues om his last day of work. Privately, Tam praying for his success in becoming the first man who honor- ‘ably leaves his job forthe married life.Judge’s Comments: The at of translation forces the translator todraw on every facet of his or her knowl- edge of two languages. Grammar and vo- ‘cabulary are important, but soarestyleand tone, qualities that are elusive and less easily quantifiable. The Babel International ‘Translation Award challenges. would-be translators toshow morethana grasp of the basics of translation from Japanese to En- alish; the judges look for sophistication and skill in converting the tone of the original into the target language. Thisyear sessay fortranslation, Mure Yoko's “Sengyo shufu” (Househushund), ‘drew over 400 entries from all over the United States and Japan, The winning en- ty, which appears on the preceding page \was judged to bethe most successful of this large group of submissions in handling the difficulties, both grammatical and sty tic, that this essay posed. We congratulate the Ist place winner and runners-up for their fine accomplishment, and we encour- age others to persevere in their studies. We look forward to seeing improvement in next year’s entries Even the winning transttion has im perfections: in the spirit of improvement, ‘we will discuss them briefly here. The first First prize winner Akiko Shimada now works part-time as a liasion between Japanese and American companies involved in the fashion industry. possible improvement might be tothe ttle Since (and, likewise, “nouschusband”) implies full-ime engage ‘mentin the task, itmightbe best totranslate ‘sengyoshufu” assimply “houschusband.” ‘The translation reads well and is highly ‘accurate until the third paragraph, where Wwe read: “Iam also good at machine sew. ing and stitching up the bottoms of my trousers.” But the original says “skins and trousers.” Perhaps the translator thought it ‘xd that a man would have the opportunity tohema skirt and decided tocliminate the ‘word “skirt.” but such deletions should be avoided except when necessary. In add tion, the bottom of a wouser leg is usually called a cuff, so the sentence would be improved by replacing “bottoms” with cuffs The next problem is in rendering ‘anomoshii"as"boastsconvincingly."The original suggests how the writer of the ‘essay responds t0 this list of the man’s accomplishments: that he seems to her to be reliable and she is convinced of his suitability as a mate, simply by the persua- -nessofhis words. This translation prob- lemaffectsthe next line, which begins “He believes...” Im fact, itis the writer who is commenting again on her response to the man it isthe waiter who believes the man is more skilled than a spoiled young girl, not the man himself who believes it. ‘These comments aside, the winning translation shows a subtle and masterful rasp of the tone of Mure Yoko's essay. ‘The greatest pitfall in the other attempts ‘wasto injectirony into the writers attitude toward her subject; but the original has no irony. Rather, itis a straightforward and heartfelt statementabout changes the writer hopes to see in the way women and men function together in Japan's workaday ‘world. The winning entry captures the de- ceptive simplicity of that statement with considerable subtlety and skill “housewife” Paul Gordon Schalow Assoeiate Professor of Japanese Rutgers University Prize Winners First Plac Akiko Shimada West Hurley, NY Trip to Japan, $1,000, Brother 2600Q Word Processor, Hard- cover copy of The Essence of Modern Haiku, 1-year subscrip- tion to Honyaku no Sekai, Dic- tionaties, 1-year subscription to Mavowin, Certificate and Plaque. Ms, ‘Shimada will be asked to make a report in En- aglish on her trip to Japan. Second Place: Jon B. Bernard New York, NY $700, Brother Fax 600, Softcover copy of The Essence of Modern Haiku, 6-month subscription to Honyakuno Sekai, Half-year sub- scription to Maxoauy, Certifi- cate and Plaque. Honorable Mention: Fred Harris Honolulu, HI Jason G. Karlin ‘Champaign, Ik Linda M. Lau Honolulu, Steven Myers Shiraoke, Saitama, Japan Massato Otsuka New York, NY $200, Brother P-Touch 10 La- beling System. Half-year sub- scription to ManGwns, Certifi- cate and Plaque. Prize money funded by Japan Foundation PRZCHHEAE Se) Manaasin 25WLU US) SRR Ishii Hisaishi Senshi Wyhrhy Ri ran ran Lalla la (sound of humming as he packs his bag) [Sound FX SELECTED WORKS of ISHII HISAICHI [ etary, t=O Sene wa kab eacediaster a forignclss hotel [av yal HBC by came “Thee Juxury hotel’ ‘ibe thers) (clog) Mr. Hirooka is going to be ‘canned! (PL) RY [ay al? EP *Kancume?” inhatihah? “canna “Huh? “Canned?” (PL2) sensei a.colloquil abbreviation of senset, most fala asthe word for teacher" but used also asa term of adressreference for other people con- Editor: sidered worthy of respect, including doctors, politicians, and writers. Ass ‘ften the case in Japanese the scretary uses Sense in situation where an English speaker would generally use a name, "Mr. Hirooka.” arcu literally means “packed ina can” (Lan = ean,” and ime is 2 sut fix form of mere “pack’) and usually refers to canned food bu it has the figurative meaning of «person being “boted up in some confined place Tike food in eans. When Japanese writers have missed (or are about 10 mss) thee deadlines, publishers sometimes “can” Them ineommunicado in a hotel room so the) ah work undisturbed unt the manuscript is finished. daa deve indicates she s repeating information she has heard from Someone else and ne shows she Is seeking confirmation of that information (shi saci, A sighs reserved. First published in 34 Mancasin Editor: [Wii] A 7 E, id. “Hakocume” nan da yo. jitsu wa. Stoned expla) is cpl) actualy “Actually, t's (more like) ‘boxed.”* (PL2) Secretary: 2? B nba? “What (do you mean)?” (PL2) + paralleling kancume, hakozime means “packed in box. 1 BStally isu wa ("as forthe uth” -* “actly” comes atthe beginning. Editor FH 4. Yosan a badger (sb) “(I'm sorry we don’t have) the budget (for a bet- terhotel,)” (PL unclear) Hirooka; DL it HR HY Washi we hakovotoka ka! Vie ae bona “Am the Box Man?” (PL2) Upper Left: 27 Kapusera ‘ape ‘Capsule Hotel + yoxan ga implies yosa ga na (“not have the budge) as an explanation For the nature ofthe accommodations, along with an apology «+ inthe 1970s, the “existentialist Japanese author Abe KOO had a best eller called Hako-ofoko ("The Box Man.” available in English) about ives with a large cardboard box over his head + naz isa slang version of urwsay“noiy.” The vowel combination a changes to @ of evn certain dialects and masculine slang. pon in 1991 by Foabasha, Tokyo English wanslaton rights arangd through FutabaWLOWS SAR Villon Bo SF GW Epa Kurai desu ne. Murayama — Sense Ishii Hisaishi Senshi See mcrae 1s dark, isn’t it, Mr. Murayama Fu & oRM Acta SELECTED WORKS ot te ee of ISHII HISAICHI Ser te ny + sense isa collogial sensel, hee used aa respectful ite because Murayama is an author (PL3) wags itera aaa ae Te Lakes : Merarame: toda ‘mb sora Ja ROLE chin scene oo) he |" Editor: 9 ¢, #, 4 Tt # 3 | srt wel ay “is a ‘Well that’s certainly true, but...” (PL3) frst fil limited area “by one's handsat one's Fingertips” or within easy reach «+ mlereba is conditional “if form of mira can se") {Sore devo san altemative form of sore de (lit. ine with tha"), an ‘expression meaning “That's adequatvall one nosds + Son i a contraction of sore wa ("as for that"). Sore wa 36 dew (lit, “as for ‘thts that ay”) essentially an emphatic “Tha trae” + “Pati et. taini/indeed tri,” and its frequently followed by ga but”) implying tha, however tre it may be, the speaker sll wishes to differ somehow + maori used as 3 kind of “erbal pause,” like “wellyou knowl mean’ Tes se Murayama: <2 7: Dekita Zo, W's done.” (PL2) (hom ards hom) "was “Thank you.” (PL3) dekira isthe plin/abrup past form of dekine (“be fnishedidonefredy) come’ from the word ku, meaning “rouble! the honorific preix go-and ending “sama. I's2 | king someone for that labors Pachit liek (sound of switch for helmet light) Murayama: LD i 2 Saini ‘Abtograph Session boo dL WH HLO? | Ara! tsk” mo it kasha? | Gieriy “Une So goody wonder “Oht I wonder if could have one, 1002” (PL2) Celebrity pease “Certainly.” (PL3) + demakase refers to something said without thinking or without any rel Knowledge, and kuchi kara demakase oi i wiomatc expression for “talk of the top of one's head/make irresponsible remarks. + Saini Ratakana rendering of Enalish sign Ii verb form sain sure means “serine one's signature.” 0 & a noun sain means “signatire/avtogaph” Sain can aso refer to signboards o (0 signs ofthe kind given in baseball ‘ashi colloquial wtash ("Vie"), used almost exclusively by women. 30 means “please” in the sense of granting permission or a Favor please 0 theadiplete feel fee to.) rather thin of asking 2 favor. nn ke BAYH BTED Ky ume mii. Kyo kite yokata (Gaocl of delight) dram fle _tday came end” ar lad “Wow! Its like a dream. I'm (so) glad I eame to- day!” (PL2) eer) Sara sara Obat Sound FX: {effect of writing smoothly) + bite the te form of kur ("come"), and yokatta isthe plinlabeupt past form the adjective v/v (*poodine"). The expression te yokata means mm glad 1. fm happy ti Obatarian: 5 HL RP Cry tT O. rest!” Kazokurja de fan desu no. Asien ene amily (cope) fans ae (expla) ‘“V'm so happy! Our whole family are fans.” (PL3) * Lit 6 Kohs ni shimasw wae! family care to, will make om, cll “We'll make ita family treasure!” (PL3) Celebrity: 77» Ha ha ha. (pleasegraitied laugh) + tsa sutix meaning “throughout -" so kacolu j= “throughout the fam: ily" "oar entire family + desu no 6a feminine equivalent of the explanatory form na no desu, which follows nouns to mean iterally "the station s that hamveareit is shia the PLS form of sure ("do/make") Obatarian; = GAT RAET OD (ie) ad epi?) (Ls) + amis «contraction of nani (“what”) and sa colloquial variation of (quotative 2. Nan te (yom) = read) as what” “how (do you ead.” + Somimasu is the PL3 form of yon read”). Asking 2 question with explane ‘ory no after aPLS verb sounds distinctly feminine, though men frequently ‘sk questions with no sfterplain/abrt (PL2) verbs. + the fact that Obaarian cat read the celebrity stylized signa ste doesnt even know who hei se shows that (© Hota Katto, A ighs reserved Fist published in Sapa in 1990 by Take 8 40 Manoasin Tokyo. English ansation rights ananged tough Take Shobs.OBATARIAN by SEE DO / Hotta Katsuhiko farration; 77 7 Ly Ponfureto ‘A pamphlet Sound FX: 369 759 Pasa pata Flap ap (ettect of thin, light object uttering/flap- ping in the ir or slapping against something) + panfureno isa katakana rendering of the English word “pamphlet. Narration: 22% # Hankachi A handkerchief Sound FX: 157 97 Pra para - ) Flap fap CC y + hankachés the most commonly used katakana rendering of English “hand- 7 . tercheshorene rom the orginal hata hific which salt never & 5 tend ia. P Us tyc} Ww xX : LI) Narration: 4 => My 8) a Seni PES Amen S) iv Sound FX: 70909 Pans pa Flap fap Narration: $07 7 vik KATE ISH ETS te Obatarians will urn anything into. + meng is a katakana rendering of English “menu, * chia refers toa Mat fan rather than a folding one, which is called FF 2 hi sar isan expression caning “make (something) into aah THN! ANS OArLT | a’ ; Sound FX: A443 Pecha kucha (effect of animated talk) Arrows, 29 A 0% Kono tito no meishi this perion"s busiess card This person’s meishi Sound FX 7 57 | Pata pata Flap flap isi with anything other than the utmost care and respect Ara i b Hota Kataiko. Al righs esr, Fis pubis! in Japan in 1990 by Take Shobd, Toky8 English translation rights aranged though Take Sho Mangasin 41A selection from the series o A\ifter Zero AS © Okazaki Jiro boy it EPISODE 1 | Tl 1 Jom by S Chiisaku Utsukushii Kami The Little and Beautiful Spirit sr her san abbreviated version (or Hiterary form) of chile thee form of © Oharak Teo. AM igs 42 MawansinRLU + Chiisaku Ursukuenit Kami (5 Narrator: ‘Md, kono kai ni wa dare mo nokone-nakatta 86 desu. ‘Kara kana kata kata kate Click click click elick click (ound of keys being pushed on electronic calculator) + ng (already) followed by a nega tive becomes “not. anymore + ai teers tothe “Toorvstones” of a ‘building, both as an independent word ad asa counter sfx: kat ist floor" from chi ["one"] + ai); gokai = “Fifth foe” om g0 [five"| + ka; kono ka = "this oor” + nokoie-()akarta is the past form (of nokone-inat, nogative of nator fina (be remaining/remain), fom rnokoru ("remainvbe left over"). + 0 desu after the plain form of 2 ‘vet indicates the information is hearsay 2] Empoye Fi “Whew.” (sigh of fatigue) 2] Voice: Jarapachi né ka? “No jarapachi?” (PL2) Employee: NP “Hunk?” its not clear at this point inthe story what jarapacht means, but rn ka Took like a dalecvslang ver Son of. ai ka, whic literally means “does ~ not exist?” and is ‘sed idiomaticaly to mean "Do(a't) youthave ~”" The vowel eombing tion a Frequently changes to # or In certain dialects and masculine slang, (2) Sound FX: ‘Rata kata kara Click click culator keys) They say there wasn't anyone ene (els) left on this oor at the Bes time, PL) eae Sound FX: 225 oa <8 as (sound of cal- B Gikut (effect of stiffening in fright) Manaauin 43(ELUM + Chideaky Utsukushil Kami “Yikes?” (exclamationseream of fear) EE] Narrator: ‘Mae o miru to, dki-na medama ga Kochira o nirami ‘When he looked in front of him, huge eyeballs stared back at him, and . sono shain wa haha no tei de nigedashimashita. the employee beat a hasty retreat. 13) + i-nais an alternate form of the adjective ‘kit *igharge") + medama Ht is written with kanji that iter Ally mean “eye” and + kochira = “his direction,” here meaning the direction ofthe worker in question. + niramd i continuing form of mira (Cstarefglre [at]; the past tense ofthe verb lal the end of the sentence makes rami past tense oo —* stared and + shain 24s written with Kanji meaning company” and "member" + “employee.” + haha note de is an expression for modifying flighlescape/retreat implying "as Fast as Pos siblein utr frenzy + nigedashimashita i the PLS past form of higedasu, from niger = "run awaylescape.” The verb suffix -dasoften has the meaning of “begin (doing) so nigedasu = "take off running/get out of there.” REROe FRESCO OME SU ARIOROR Suma srroeeds Kacho: to iu hanashi da, ‘Sand that's the story.” (PL2) + to nis quoatve, essentially making all the frames before this the content of hanashi (CStory/situation”) + acho literally "section chief” roughly ‘equivalent to "manages" in US. corporate Kacho: ‘Smut to shite mo hatte ok wake ni wa ikanak natta n da. “1's gotten to the point where we in (the) general affairs (section) can’t capacity of..." and mo = “even” “even asthe general affairs section ‘ ; fimpiingsomeing Uke. “noe merely personallyfindvidually onthe part ofthe __Just ignore it anymore.” (PL2) Serkors voted, uteven ts secon ofall) Diido: + hoe ofa eave signa 7 caning i outofte gucston or-cart very wil." followed by the Tsee.” (PL3) pst form of nara become’) 30 Ierally means "his become oto the + sm refers to smack, “e nea ais Ieston to. 2s fog possbe@. cunt very wel anymore.” ion ofthe company + hts very tentative sounding eu se. 0 eSohite san expression meaning “asin the 44 ManoasinAS ORLUM + Chilsaku Utsukushit Kami © Wachee ax | Okido-tun, Hanamarackun, KOS ae wea makasera kara furan de ¢ angaete kuren ka. ase “Mr. Okido (and) Ms. Hanamura, Téa Twill leave the method up to ou, ing but Pd ike you to think (about & eek solution) together.” (PL2) « Okido: Hai. “Yes sir.” (PL3) Hanamura: ono sogashi non, honto a moe “When we're so busy, really, | (what a pain) already!” (PL3) + kuren ka= burenai ka, which after the te form ofa ver makes an informal ‘equest or gentle coming, + orto ni mo (literally “wulyfindeed” + 'aleady/now") san expresion of ex aspera sane seme aunt’ (See Ce ARO Loam aN Yarei no hanashi de mochikiri no, koko Taiyo Denki wa, This company, Talyd Electric, where the talk is of nothing but hosts ... _gySkai de mo goshi ni hairu hodo no daikigyd desu. is, in the industry. a large enterprise that fits within five fingers. ~* isan enterprise large enough to be counted among the top five in the industry. (PL3) [2] Narrator Zima made ni kikicrashit kiki mo nak, hitasura seichd shi-sucikera ‘cho-yarykigva “Anlira-excclententerprise that un ‘now, without a ersilke criss, continued solely to grow,» ‘A blue chip enterprise that until ‘now has continued its inexorable | growth without encountering any- And what's more, Chairman Matsumura Seiz6 came up to Toky0 from {hing that could be called a crisis, Inate (prefecture) and built it up to this (its present size) in only single generation. (PL2) SeRMES SO peagnsRs [ ai) Rokujukkai Talye' Denk sore mo (lt. “that also") as a conjunction can have the meaning of “and moreover Kabushikigaisha Kabunushi + sara emphasizes the smallnessiminateness ofa number ot amount (Sotai) ——— nineeemeniarainah ‘The Sixtieth Taiyd Electric Nacrat Shareholders’ Meeting ‘Sono kaicho mo sakunen kyisei shi, + X rash X makes an expression for “a The Chsirrnm ied muebdenky Ht yas Si z= truly Xlike X" or “an X worthy ofthe Sound FX: hare” ‘Kan kan kan - (sound of heels echoing hollowly through the hall) Narrator: sono koro kara yirei sbdd ga okori-hajimeta no deshita it was from around that time that the ghost incidents began to occur. PL3y © Narrator ‘Sore mo kaichd no Matsumura ‘Shozo-shi ga Iwate yor jokyo shi, tata chide de koko made Kiubiageta no deshita MANaAsin 45.oRLUH + Chifsaku Utsukushii Kami FEF Tal St las ef tala fal Dae a au HEAL gait tad || bs d eB: ||Rt Real] t z ILS 7 + it s standard custom for Japanese employees to refer to and address ther si perios by tle rather than by name «Fe va means "metropolsieapital” and nal means“inside/within"; roma is bften the preferred way to refer Tokyo, especially when actually in the ity + Jinja ="Shino) shrines” and bukkaku » “(Buddhist temples soya (almost always with the honor 0 inthis usage) refers to rectangu Tar slips of paper that can be purchased at shrines and temples as “charms! talismans” toward off evil or bring good fortune/heath. They usally have the name oft deity writen on them. along with a word refering to their pur pose, and the are most typically placed in family altars or on doorways. Es ently the sume thing intended or carrying on one's person are called 23° + stmete is thet orm of atsumer(“pstherdaccumulate”), and kimashia is the PLS past form of kuru ("come") The -f orm of a verb followed by Kura Ieraliy means “do the action) and come,” but its actu meaning often coe responds t English "go do (be action.” «him refers toa "poblin” a spirit (sometimes that ofan animal) that takes on the guise of ahuman and leds people ase. 46 Manaauin (5) Sound FX: Chi-n Dinnng, (sound of bell indicating elevators arial [2] Oxido: 7 Souna ex: Kaichi? ‘Click (sound of elevator button) “Whew.” (sigh of fatigue) (5 Voice: Jarapachi né ka? - “No jarapachi?” (PL2) I sound opening) OL: Kyaaaaa! “Aaaaaael (scream) Kacho: A hai hai, wakatte-masu yo. h, yes, yes, Tknow.” (PL3) Kacho: Yarei desho, Chan-to te wa uchimasu ara, “A ghost, right? We'll take appropri- ate action, so (don’t worry).” (PL3) + wake (mas isthe PL form of Wwakarte-iru "knowlbe aware of”) + yet can refer o a wide variety of ghostsy ppantions/phantoms, Dut im strict US it reer othe spit ofa dead person which {appears ina form resembling that person. + chansto = "propery duly” 1 fechas isthe PLS fore of usu (hit Strike"), Teo isu (it "strike hands”) i an idiom for “take seton/seps toward r= Solving a problem)": using wa instead of ‘adds emphasis. (slight “ramble” of elevator doors ‘Ma shinpal irimasen yo, Kacha. “There's no need to worry anymore, Chie” “(PL3) Tonai yimeijinja bukkaku kara, o- fuda o aisumete Kimashita. “We went and gathered talismans from famous shrines and temples all over Tokyo.” (PL3) ‘Talisman: Chinn Kojak Goblin Surrender + Defeat to the Goblin + trimasen iste Pl {ive of i (need! form of irana, nega1) Narrator Taugi no hi ‘The mext day ».. LUM + Chiisaku Utsukusnii Kami Talisman in back: ‘Manono Taisan Demonic Presence Withdraw Sound FX: Wai wai wat {a standard FX word for lots of taking) Man 1: “Arya, sakasama da, “Hey! I's upside down.” (PL2) + arya is variation of are, an interjection of Surprise, ora contraction of are wa ("als"). Oxide: ‘Sona baka. Chas hata no it! *That’s impossible! placed them right-side up" (PL2) * baka = "ooo" and akan = ite feciscrzy Sow lr nines te: SScnecray ing” Aaneamaon oa akan means "Pat's erazylimpossible!™ Hanamura: Hoka no kai mo zenbu sakasa ni natte- “(The ones on) the other floors have all been turned upside down, too.” PL2) + sakasa isan alternate form of sakascima “ine vertedupside down"). Hanamura: Marude kodomo no itacura ne “I's just like a kid's prank, isn’t it” PL) [5 Oxtaoe Kodomo?! Kachd, korya shanai no mono mo shiwaza ja nai desu ka? “Chief, this must be the handiwork of ‘someone inside the company, don't ‘you think?” (PL2) Kacho: ‘Konna koto mo atte, masu-masu sawagi wa hiromatte ja no deshita ‘With incidents like this, the uproar spread wider and wider. (PL3) + masu-mase = “more and more.” and iromate ita is from hiromare spread! ‘disperse over a wide area) OL: O13: Hasegawa-san ga mita te. Kowa-i wa ne “Hasegawa-san said she saw i” (PL2) “Its so-0 sea-a-ry.” (PL2) oz: M O10 ga suru n da yo “It makes noises.” (PL2) You're kidding!” (PL2) oLa: Hie! “Yikes!” (PL2) OLS: Watashi, zamgyd shinai “I’m not going to work any overtime!” 12) Man 4: ‘Ano ne “Now listen ” (PL2) Manoasin 47AS ORL + Chilsaky Utsukushii Kami Sate ww eaBS ort TASER Sa [2] Hanamura: ‘Bsa de warukatta wa ne. Well exeutese me for being bait.” (PL2) Arrow: Sound FX: ‘Kata kata {Click eliek (computer keys) + (ode) warukatta wa ne (foe men, [.-. de Jwaraatta na, spoken farcasticlly is # common comeback toa derogatory insulting ‘mark, something ike "So what ira” or "Wel excuse me.” Warutatta isthe past form of ward (“bad”), o the expression Her ally says “that was bad of me, wasn't i” The leading... de, which repeats a key word or pase ofthe insult is optional 48 Mancasin LE Sign on Door: Sachse President + stately meas “company He” “pes se hccatle he pe enor bua sem gt nso pil) Eh ‘Shacho: Wore ndest kat “Do you realy understand? ‘Mo sug kaburash sol dea Mfc shareholders meting is comang up soon" (3) Sach: MPa hwo ga gab ni hromatar, mata tala de ssukrer “toward of someting like this gets aut, get piched apart at te sharehoers meet fa againe” PL) | “tabunuhi rb” and dal igen ‘ae tacengtoncelnga te eae | (PLA) ‘era ratber than ofa representative grup Oe Ceuve baud» shareholders meine ©) Shacha: Tass wa deite-run desh ne ‘4presume you have some kind of plan realy.” (PLS) + axa, squealed a"counter meas)” ‘Ske wondostcommonly se oreo "pla! Paming ced aresolsngaproblemofsone kind Kach “Ha, hai! Jitsu wa somu ichido de yar taiji 0 Keikaku shite-orimashite “Y-yes sir, Infact the entire general afairs section is planning a ghost hunt.” (PL3) ‘Shacho: Ti desh, Tonikaku sOkyi ni te 0 tte kudasa Il right then, In any case, please take ac- tion immediately.” (PL3) ‘subjugationeradicaton (campaign)” ©] Souna rx: Kata hata kota kata hata Click ellek click cick elek (sound of computer keys) Hontd ni arawareru ka ne? “Do you really think i appear?” (PL2) Okido: Ee, kare dake jdken 0 soroete yareba, esa ni tsurarete kandrazu kimasu. “Yes, if 10 this extent we Tine up the conditions, {twill be drawn by the bait and come for sure.” + Ves, we've set up all the right conditions, and I'm positive i'l take the bait” (PL3)Js RLOM * Chiigaku Utsukushii Kami © Hanamusa: Ha! (Catching breath from being startled) ©) Ghost: Jarapachi né ka? “No jarapach??” (PL2) (3) Hamam De... dedede...dede...de....de de (emtified stutering over the beginning of her ery in the next frame) “Iappeared!” —* It's here!" (PL2) * deta the plainlabropt pat form of ders, “emergercome ouvappear” I's the stan- dard exclamationfry/seream when you think you see a ghosVappaitonfte I Mane ‘Maite-mashital “We've been waiting!" “Let's do it!” (PL2) Ki Kono yar “Vou S.0.B." (PLI) + the exclamation matte-mashita!isessen- tilly a contraction of matie-imasita the PL3 form of marte-iu anvislare waite ing") from matsu Cw”), sot iterally means “Live have been waiting (for thi)” Iisuse as an exclamation really doesn't have a PLS feling inspite ofthe -mashita ‘ending. English equivalents range from “Allright Let's gou/What re we wating for?" when spoken asthe speaker springs ino action, to “Alright /Bravol/Now ‘when a sta performer or athlete makes his appearance. + yard is an informal word for “guy/ellow, 0 kono yard looks benign enough in its literal meaning of this guy/llow”: butt isin fact an insu Baki Boki (Crack! Crunch! (sound of bats/clubs hitting home) “Yikes!” Sound FX: Gashan Crash (sound of glass or office machinery being smashed) OL: ‘Kyat “Aaack!” (scream) Sound F Doshin ‘Thud (sound of something heavy hitting the floor/ground) To be continued . Manoasn 49The series: HOTEL is an ongoing feature in the bi-weekly magazine 4772277 (Biggu Kommikku = Big Comic), from Shogakukan, As is the case with most popular manga series, collections of the stories are also published in separate volumes called 847% (tankabon). The story We present here is from Vol. 21 of the tankabon series, published in 1993, The artist: Ishinomori Shatard is one of the top manga artists in Japan. He is known in the US for his eco nomics text-manga Japan, Inc., an English translation of #8 A Nihon Keizai Nyitmon, “An Intro ‘duction to Japanese Economics” (Japan Inc. is aveilable through Maxcaitn, see page 85). Ishinomori was a “disciple” of the late by format of the modern Japanese story-comie, Many consider Ishinomori to be Tezuka’s successor. Ishinomori Shotard ‘Arrangements have been made for a MaNGasts interview with Ishinomori, but it was not quite in time for this issue. Look for it in No. 31, along with Part Il of this story The stories are set in the fictional —¥i (ichi-ryi Tokyo hotel 77 b ¥ (Purazon, “Platon”), and revolve around the hotel staff (as regular characters) and the guests. first class ‘The main character in this particular story is Dr. Jinbo, a promising physician who left the staf of a prestigious university hospital to take char clinic atthe Platon. She made that carcer change partly because she had doubis about the way patients were treated in a big hospital—at the hotel she can take a more personal, human approach. Now, some of her former associates and teachers think her talents are being wasted at hotel clini, and are trying to lure her back tothe university Dr. Jinbo The video: HOTEL has been made into a “TV drama,” miniseries, and rental videotapes are available through some Japanese markets. Ask for Hoteru no terebi dorama. © Tskinomori Sho 1992 by Shogakukan, TOD. ogh Shogakekan Manoain 51AYryv7RTM Hotel 186 a Title: bs ‘ehauhow id Dai Hyala Hachijaroku Ke i 86 Story 186: The Clinic 2 REOELTD rascimashita? BP =07 Was Kurinikiw sory cline “What seems to be the problem?” (PL4) ‘+ nasaimashia i the polite past form of nasara, a PLA verb meaning “do.” Da nasainashia i the PLA version of do ‘shia howiwhat” + plsit/abrupt past of sur, "do". which has the idiomatic meaning of "What's wrong?/Whats the matir/What happened” (continued from page 3) * Shukubs (‘ii3, temple lodg- ings): Staying at a 1,000-year-old temple can be a wonderful only-in-lapan experi= ence, but the traveler ought to realize that the accommodations will probably be bare-bones (a spot on a tatami mat in a ‘common room) and the wake-up call, carly (temple bells have a way of going off at the crack of dawn). Temples and shrines have long provided lodging for pilgrims, and even today, you may share ‘your tatami with elderly pilgrims, dressed in white, who are on the traditional tour of the 88 temples of Shikoku. Some temples offer outsiders a chance to expe- rience a bit of the religious life in the form a mediation session or retreat. But even the non-religious traveler, who uals atthe thought ofthe evening “et- acquainted” meeting, might consider temples simply because the prices are, at '¥1,500 and up, among the lowest around, * Saunas (+9 +, Sauna): Though ‘not usually considered all-night accom- modations, saunas offer visitors “quiet rooms" where they can stretch out for a few hours (or a night) on mats or lounge chairs. On weekends they are often crowded with salarymen trying t0 sweat out or sleep off the excesses of the evening. In addition tothe quiet room and an “authentic” Scandinavian sauna room (birch switches optional), many saunas provide whirlpoo! baths, showers, Japa- nese-siyle ofuro, coffee shops, restau- quall= LO SAFE tirgom Sake no yo o xomane = satente = 390/IN EO honmono Featuresstory rants, bars, and the services of teained ‘masseurs. Te laid-back atmosphere will be a revelation to the newcomer whose image of the average Japanese is work= work, rush-rush. They may also be a dis- appointment to women; for some reason, women’s saunas tend to be smaller and less luxuriously appointed than men's. The price of the whole package, not counting the post-sauna beer, is about ¥5,000 to ¥7,000, * Gaijin Houses (i. 2, gaijin hausu): Another only-in-Japan phenomenon is the gaijin house. Essen- tially rooming houses or apartments that specialize in accommodating foreigners, dozens of gaijin houses have sprung up over te last decade in Tokyo. Their resi- dents are mainly world travelertypes who ‘want (o stay in Japan longer than the av- erage tourist, butdon't want (or ean’taf- ford) the apato or manshon of the aver- age resident, Usually located at the fringes ofthe central city, they offer the advantages ofa short commute, reason- able rent, no key money and no encoun- ters with te realestate agents who suck ‘wind through their teeth everytime a for- eigner walks in the door. Some even of- fer dirt-cheap accommodations by the day or week, usually in dorm-style rooms. The disadvantages include living conditions that sometimes give a new, unpleasant spin to the term “gaijin ghetto” “If all you want is cheap rent, 1 sleep off he excesses ofthe evening = ACE DRMAT F wtb no» tsied wave fine, but at some of these places you'll have to live with cockroaches and rats— the level of cleanliness is really low.” says Togo Kenichi, the owner ofthe To- kyo English Center, a pioneer gaijin house in Fujimigaoka. Perhaps because of the recession, or perhaps because they got tired of setting out Gokiburi Hoihot (a popular brand of roach trap), more gaijin have been moving out than mov- ing in. “We've had a 10 to 20 percent ‘drop in te last year alone.” suid the man- ager of several gaijin houses in the To- kyo area. "We've even had to close one down recently. I's a bad situation. Foreigners interested in staying in a gaijin house can begin by checking the listings in English-language city maga- zines or listening to the gaijin grapevine Some gaijin houses, like Tokyo English Center also welcome Japanese, "By stay ing here, Japanese students can improve their English—and by rooming with them foreigners can improve their Japanese,” says Togo. Travel may be broadening, but internationalism can also begin at home. Uf you would like more specific informa tion about lodging in Japan, contact JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organi ation] in N.Y. at 212-757-5640.) Mark Schilling isa free-lance write living in Tokyo, THROES $F nce song yoru nomioaita BEES te Oe kamen 0 whe ‘massdji-shj* short commate = 48 (HHP) HY 2H. ck (udtgak kan ga mika» suck wind Unrough their weeth = IH)? > i=) MOSM eo "EAS homer yO mi) hemo aida kara to salon» Bt ine 7 9 tuchikoma MANGAJIN 53.wF+ Hotel bro WOMFA BPLUA TH He bawere 2 Lo 4 5 RELSRSEAD? — ( a es SR—MIDD LD piaient, +0 RMD ST BoE EREMOTO HRCRRLERET Lad. Fok MBRE IES BCCETL IG. 54 Manaasine+ Hotel Patient: 2]) Patent: bez HO BF 4 BLY A ch. RH & boREeA DS? Choo "ino choshi ga okashii im desu. Kusuri oo moraemasen ka? {litle stomach "s condita (ub) srangeltmoemal (expan) t. medete (h.) cals aces “My stomach is feeling a bit strange. Could I have some medicine?” (P13) Doctor: HR Sik Bie CF Niton © sea o-shigoro desu ha? Japan to aso thon park ‘it “Did you (come) to Japan on business?” (PL3) ‘+ moraemasen is the PLS negative of morau receive"). Maki + the particle «is used o mark a destination, so come (to) * the horizontal letenng, called yokomoj "7 literally “horizontal leerswriting.” an idiom for “Europea _Euages", in some ofthe dialogue here presumably implis they ure speaking in English or smother Westers 3] Patient: 22. MTD LIT TRA EA TH Fe, hajimete mo biggu bijnesu nan dese Yes _fintine (2) big busines expan) “Yes, it's my first big business venture (in Japan).” (PL3) + hajimere = forthe fs time” and hajimete no = "the fi $3) Doctor HE HNTHA, Sok ie ko WHT O th Co see 23 Kusuri wa hitsuyo arimasen. ‘Kino nagatabi 10 hajimete mo shigoto de hincho shiva set des Inedicine avr ncesty “etext Surely ‘long np and fit tine (-) work. (enc) teed up seca is eeebly “You don’t need any medicine. You're probably just tense from the long trip and (your concern about) your new venture.” (PL3) + sud arimasen is the PLS form of hits (aga) nai the necessity does’t exit” -» “isnot necessaty"), negative form of his (ga) aru Che necessity exists") Hitsuy7 can also be used with daldesu (“sate n which cae the ‘negative form is hisuy0 de (wa) nal oF hist fo ma (itis not a necessity"). * so can range in meaning from a wishfulinot very confident "mayselperhaps,” to a “probablysureleertainly un . B 4 4 MM wR Hoe L. MAME bo LBLs doe A HDI. Ma “kimimo si wa_rikom chokugo dat si, seithinteX ni mo roto ata mda. ‘tcl Seu abo atthe time afer dirce spar was and. ppehlopaly ls vou hing exined(explan) protcly “SWetlthat was just after your divorce, and you probably had all kinds of things weighing on your mind." (PL2) + chats «contraction of ite shimatta, rm i a3"): imate after another vee implies he stion was Undesirable! regen. MaN@asin 69)AF + Hotel tes BReR SL HOM! ML 70 Mancasinvs Hotel 55] [ Dr. Shibata, 29 Kuk € D1 HO Wily a> supmrlmpletis is wha boas Yappari daigaku bydin —@ yameta homie no rive wa ‘suspected all along. erlang (oh Mon” nal * dls otita you ak ae Fan ok oowe thera hsp) al fim a erin dont role? rath moa res lvoe (6. Cae “was (capt 2) * rig and gen’in both mean “cause! “So was the res ason you quit the university hospital be- aoe ing ki coals teesteera cause ofthe vorce afterall" (PL3) Sanihng eth Eis cl 37] Dr.Jinbo: PL it fof Ch FFbY TS MTAT, Sukoshi wa ne Demo Puratom de hatarate mite lle a est ello) te eae) at having worked KAELT AUCH. AM ELTECEAOM & FAL bd, Isha to shite dake de naku. ingen 10 shite takusan no koto ¢ mananda Ws doctor ae potonty humm eng as many things (obj eared (Fem clog) “To some extent. But working at Platon, I've learned many things not only as a doctor, but also as human being.” (PL2) the particle wa after a namberfquantty often has the emphatic meaning of “atlas,” so ssh wa iterally means “at eas litle." but it's also used iiomatcallyto mean “Io some extent. Ahatarate is thee form of hatarak "to work/abor [ata jobT”), Unlike English “work,” hazaraku cannot be used 10 refer to “working” ata hobby or ether pastime. ‘mite isthe te form of miru and singe 1 follows another verb it implies “uy (he action)” oF “do (the scion) and see ‘what happens.” Here, though, the past-tense verb a the ed of the sentence makes it past ens, 0 ft becomes “id (the action) and found that." or "having done the action) I found that dake de nak san expression for "not only. but so ‘mananda isthe plainlbetpt past form of mab (eat) 28) Dr. Okabe: ie 03 KE E Rockean, * datara isan abbreviation of i datara, Dattara md daigak ni modotte tama “it ives 0," in that exe” Int casealeady/now university 10 come back + modotte kitamae isa command form “Then come on back to the university.” (PL2) ‘of modone kuru ("come back"), en- Ro Cb Be aM HL CHS At Salat a ‘Takaki the ade form of takai Warashi wa ima demo kimi 0 takatu hvoka shiteira nda Cae ee ae tint sso even how you (0b) Highly evaluateepa.(explsn) ‘til think very highly of you. (PLD) Fryoka sim, iterally "make an asses ‘menVevaluaion” but idiomatilly used = ae = 7 : to mean “look upowregard” —* akake Dr.Jinbo: © Liz. SAG BRK hb, MICA? | note sume nega aghlyhine Do shit mo. komma asa hayakw kara. Shibata un? | highly of whavhow gid (expla this ucts ears mening from (num hon “Shibata, what’s up, so early in the morning?” (PL?) dasha asks for an explanation of something that seems out of the oedinary: “what happened?! what's wrong?! ‘what's going on?" Asking a question with 0 i eommon in colloguial speech, more among females than males ona isan abbreviation of Konna ni (this muchito this extent”) here. Asa hava means “arly inthe morning.” Since fava is the adver form of haya ("eaty”) iLimplies an atin s being donefaking place eat. her syntax is inverted; normal order would placed shite no after hon asa yak kara. The nave of the person being addressed can come either atthe beginning or the end othe sentence 40] | Dr. Shibata: Dr. Jinbo: Hee MBAR be BRbboK Saka a Olabe Kinga ita tara" ienakata ga Tastaighe actor (aamee) (6d. extern present boas cold wat sty Sa i bOW, Hi TR-X e FB 36H Atte oku wa ano i, kimi ni puropan 0 surn isumort dana ‘nda ine ace atime you to, “rope (oh) domaks iment “wns expla) “Lcouldn’t say this last night because Professor Okabe was there, but I intended to propose to you then [before you quit the hospitall.” (PL2) yak—x" Puropozu? ropeal “Propose?” (PL2) salu i somewhat formal word for “lst nigh (ef. ytbe, Kn no ba). ‘nai the plainfabrupt pas form of ie (“belexis (in a place) for people and other animate things). femalata's fom fu (Say") era ean sa") -» ena sano say") —* femabarta cou not 3"). ‘puroptu com English “propose,” means “marrage proposal” in Japanese, The verb form ix prope (o) suru lit ‘dovmake a propos the 08 opiona Mawoasin 71AF + Hotel OIE PROWESS” mows ov PR ree RAGLAL RQOPOSt FI SRO YOY 72 MaNoasinPM Hotel o bata: ‘Sound FX: 20 AS FT BbSEH, Sono imocht wa ima demo kawaranci Ahathowe feling(s) aefor even now not canes “Those feelings remain unchanged even now.” (P12) BA ERE | BO BR ELTO He &, Daga sore joni imino isha to shiteno sand 0. tts” that_morethan "your dextor at talents (oh) IAt AFM RAD THDHLS O LY Bots. Konna —‘hoteru nana de owarasera no wa ashi to omote-ri then of “hotel (bite) ate endinnh (cm) a8 for regretblelwastfl (gues) tiene “But even more than that, I think it would be a waste to let your gifts as a doctor reach their end in a mere hotel (linie) like this.” (PL2) RUC A, REM OD PIE7F It Shubatarkun, hoteru no urnikhu wa “Shibata, a hotel clinic..." (PL2) RARR (ound of phone ringing) -awaranai is the negative form of kawaru ("change") and it can mean either “doesn’t change” or “hasn't changed.” Kimi no yout”) modifies the combination sha to shite no ("as a doctor") + said (abibivesalentgits), ‘nanka is. collouial nado ("a thingithings like"), and is often used to belile/put down/derie the tem mentioned ere he is not dering the Platon as a hotel. but rater belting the place of hotel cl ‘waraser is causative (“make/et do”) form of ware (‘enitinish”) tno isa "pominalizee that wens the entre preceding clause into a noun {the act of} eng your gifs a8 a doctor fend in a mere hotel ln] lke this", and wre makes that noun the topic ofthe rest ofthe sentence C1 tink is ‘wasteful ‘morte-ruis «contraction of omonte-ir thinkbelive") from omou (thinkoelieve/Tet"); when speaking ofa be- lit or opinion, omotte-inc usually doesnot take the progressive “an/iare ing Form in English, a Dr. Jinbo: IER nh, 46 H8ET. Sanbyotu sanjenana-gdshitow ne. Sug thimasu room 337 righ? immodiely will go “You said Room 337? I'l be there right away.” (PL3) sg0= "No." and shitsu = “room”: -gdshits isthe suis fo indicating oom numbers. imac isthe PLS form of hu 50"). a Dr. Jinbo: COALS, FO RA he br ok thot CK har Gomennasai. Sug modore kara chomtomate-tkurera? (apogs) immediately" txcamcfeo lite will oa mat for me? “E'm sorry. ll be right back, so would you (please) wait for me?” (PL2) ‘marte-t isa contraetion of marteit, te -te form of mater (“he waiting”) from matsu (wait). Kurera alter the Ze form ofa verb makes a gentle informal request, “would you (please) Akagawa Ro? WERE vee Ach Mok t E?Jinbo Sensei inci ndeswka?— Komatta na ‘nhac? “(nametle) et presen (cxplan?) be roubles. (ole) Dr. Jinbo isn't here? Oh, no,” (PL2) (sound of sniffing) ‘omaita i the plaavabrupt past frm of komaru, “to be faced with a peoblenveaught in tight spot” and na ads Tigh emphasis: Komaata ma serves as an exclamation of distressfuncertsnty when faced with a problem you're not immediately sure how to solve: "Oh no!/What a fix!/Now what /Buramer!™ Akagawa: FARIA FO EE MATHRET tb. Swnimasen. Sug sensei_o yond Kimasu kara, {polos} immecistely doctor (oh) will goeallsarmon bean “Pm sorry. Pl go get the doctor right away, so (please wait here.” (PL3) -sumimasen isa more formal apology than gomennasi, which is most often head from children — though adults ‘may use i ia informal situations when speaking wo someone of equal o lower stats ‘onde i thee form of yobu (eallsummon”), and kimasis the PL form of kuru (“come”). -Te-de kuru has a va riety of meanings, including. “goto do the action and come back” Mawaasin 73.+ Hotel Gl o weawgyt maBectss 5 RES Bowne pee SO PRoWs” HEA on foy POE URE SPAS Ee Ropar oe eee HOST Ste” etEMS eR were SOMPES Rogen ve + Rn oo 74 MaNoasinFis Hotel 5 Dr. Shibata: HbeeU. / Ro CHIE Machinasat. / Watashi ga "mite ageyd. ws at (ay. shllsclexamine + mite is the -t form of miu, which when written withthe “Wait I'M examine him.” (PL2) Kanji 82 means “seefexamine™ in the sense of a doctor eamining and attending to a patient's complaint + machinasai is elatvely gentle command form of matsu 7 Akagawa: 2 ale + ageyd is the volitional ("Iet'sMl shall) form of ageru a Bowe, (Cive"). Agen after thee form of another verb implies SWwhat? Bat.’ th sear inten oering to do the action fr some Dr. Shibata: Patient: BF BBR AVLAB BD BE 75. «ada no before noun means Neo go crs pu. iis Hoty wt tek Tadeso bar de ehanlunbentieianon oe oly com Eat “eno ce wer ntenin "that clin i « lee ne Seat Hao “po! “You have a fever, but it’s nothing serious, Just an ordinary cold.” — come home,” and the -te form here ed) function k=. i wecweee, + nena eltvely gene com- ee, wd oe oe rand frm of ner p0 1 Be ‘immediaiely home to return-and goto bed sleep"). “Gohome right away and go to bed.” (PL2) + Races wuly wanted a5") LoL EM mS AME i HbR ATH. ‘which is probably why the doctor's Shitoshi sof tora tstwred. shodon 9a ard ndess. lvoe stoma bt rs Ba SU em impact bane tls (by hace (pan) « planetary can 5:0" “Shut 1 have some important business talk at $:00," (PL) beginning) a 300" Dr. Shibata: hh OO i A & RoR ve, Liat RS MUAEE Soma mono wa hi 0 aratamereba i Tonikaku aval koerinasi thatkindof "hing as for daylde (0b) ‘freschedule.s godine anyhow any rate quickly soho ‘Something like that you can just reschedule for another day, Anyhow, you must hurry up and go home (today).” (PL2) tht HW TREHA, MO BH i AM BATH. Sonna koto wa dekimasen. Watashino koiska wa Kytshd nan desu lhatkindof thing srfor “camot do: my company stor (lee ame)caplan) is “Tcan‘t do that, My company is in Kylsht.” (PL3) eo SHE BY EARERNATE SLY ATT, Dakara kyu ni keivaku 0 sumasenakereba nara n desu fothersfoce with today coatact (eb) mut finshieomplee— (explan) “So [have to get the contract signed today.” (PL3) aranamereba i a conditional frm of aratamera Cmodifyrevise") and the expression hi o ararameru means to" Schedule (an evenivappointment)” lemeans “goodfine,” and -ba i makes an expression mesning “itis enough to do all you have todo is —" hayes the aver form of avai ("guickeaty"), and aerinasal is command form Of Keera (gocome hors"). ddekimasem is the PL negative form of deiru (‘can do"). * dakara = "because it is 80" —+“sotherefore "itn sufixed oa time Word means “within that time frame)” Snasenakereba naranai 3 "musthave to" form of sumasu (finishing to a close”) Dr, Shibata: BH (SBE © HFK MC GAL: + fukowoo tiuis iteraly “listen 0 what (someone) Kanja wa isha noi koto 0 kikwmonda! S49," but ithas the idiomatic meaning of “obey/do peat ator doctor (Sb) says thing (ob) sheldisien as (Someone) says.” "A patient should do-as his doctor says.” (PL2) + mon da (or mono da) ater a non-past verb implies 25 CHUN WOETRO TE BEA. Ep te ation or situation indicated bythe verbs eee ecient @ 2% — Et scommon/standardhthe way things are or should be.” a amie ade tae me MaOran SO isu made ate ms followed by a negative to mean : a : “something wont happen) no ater ow much “if you don't you'l never get better!" (PL3) omnis res bore) soma a Patient: Bots, $3 iLTbbbECTe HI CTL + maaleady”)followed by anegativebe Daatara, ‘mi naoshite morawanakute mo KEKE desul ‘comes “no longer. Jot... anymore” iethat ease aealyfanymoreifdootfieme feeokay + nanshite isthe for of na 1013), “Then it's fine if T don't have you give me treatment anymore." which when writen withthe kanji ir “In that ease, you don’t have to treat me anymore,” (PL2) fers togiving medical weamena cure. ‘morawanalate mo is 2 negative conditional form of morau, which after another verb means “have (the setion) done (orto me)" —» “even if (0) don't have (the action) done for me.” Naoshite morawanakate mo = “even if 1) Gon"t have you 2 ‘ekka oten replaces i ("goodTine/okay") inthe expression... te moi (desu) (it. itis fnefokay if.) Manoasin 7EATW» Hotel SS ns BRAVE 20 WARES PR Pah ves TRAN HELO aL ORC ma Pore coin a” wane Bouvps Romped- PROMO went Bikey 76 MANaauinPW * Hotel Akagawa: Dr. Shibata: WiRFY BATH. Koko wa hotert nan desu Dern pace afr el. (expan) “This ea beta.” (PLS) na hoto is erally “things of) bok BESA DH & HATHIC CKSeM about” inthis context things” Mouo” okyaiu-san no koto kangaeteagete kudasai? —_“siuaton”) or imply “about Imare" Gon queso.) of thinghuaon (bj) ‘hak forthe please” « angace isthe te form of hangar “Please think more about our guests! (think abouvconsider". and agere Dr. Shibata: “Please be more considerate of our guests” (PL3) Sethe frm of ager Afr an Teak other vet ager means “fr ea See nee “Guests?” (PL2) serb makes fry pote regs Bit. 1G, BE ED * nano wich often osu in figs, Nani 9. hala na’ Kanye dara? {Sim egresion tht els ar iat toltfadiions pues Seely ing tomper Here itu ako be “What in... (Don't be ridiculous! You mean patents, don’t taken she begining of a setence as IRs Rano ata ern ue Nat clos th Bo OR RELLT SRDMO OH eRoTOS Att. BUNS . Watashi wa isha tshie ctarinae no koto 0 itera mda « weet ME perma of line afer doer matwralnater of courting) amsayng ny” rime = "auralipope Sm saying what i oly natural asa doctor eae ee “Pm only saying what any doctor would say.” (PL2) < theenplntory asin ae aso the ct | BATELY ATT provides emai: + oso is an emphatic panicle, and De, datara oso __kangort hoot mdesa! fchterefore all te more wan you to hiakeonsie (expla) ddakara koso is lke “ll the more be- “That's the very reason why Task you tobe considerate" (PL3)__<3ts thats, tats heyy + hos ait form of verb indo: 29 SHH. HL MYC TE HAA ta. | * means "tD want Gouomeone) to 55 dewka Soreja, ‘uriatnemo —taeremasen ne. | _ othe ation that way i810 in that case even if want go home canto go home canyon? ‘ t go home even if you want to, ean you?” (PL3) dhe TH CAG HA OMT RORY L. Fe” Desu ga koma byonin no kao de aitakw wa nai shi tat’srght Isso. but tis kindof sick person "face with dont wantto meet std “No. But [ really don’t want to meet (my clients) with such a sickly face either.” (PL3) 0 des ha Tterally asks “Is itso?” but it has the idiomatic meaning of “I se.” Sore jas a contraction of sore de wa, leally, "itis that” "in tha ase.” aeritakute mo is conditional form of kaerta, the “want to” form of kaeru (“comse/go home”) + “even if (you) ‘want to go home.” Kaeremasen isthe PL3 negative form of kaerera (“can go home"), he potential form of Ker. ‘ne here doesn't so mich seek agreementiconirmation asi offers sympathy. indicates agreement, usually “Yes,” but since Dr. tbo asked 2 negative question, agreement becomes “no.” ‘itakunai ste negative of ati, the “want 0" form of au Cmeet"); inserting wa aids emphasis, Dr. Jinbo: + nl after a verb can mean bene ltho ke WHET PLUS Wakarimashita. Sore ja yoji made mi sukoshi demo understood anthateae 400 hy evenalite fe oo MATS ES ML ELS. aruda ga kaifuku suru 0 ni chiro shimadhs. fee obj) wilco Sothern “Tunderstan 3, let’ treat (you) so that your body will at leat recover litte by 4 o'clock.” (PL3) ‘wakarimashita isthe PL3 past form of watara, Since wakaru means “come to know/understan," is past form is often equivalent to English “understand” rather than “understood.” mai = "until" but made ni by that (the action takes place): kf suru yo ni = “so tat (you) recover” “himasho isthe PLS volitional ets skal”) form af sure ("do"). the WM TRB ATT Sona kolo ga dekiru n desu ka? that kindof ting tb ean do ‘expan *Can you do something like that?” (PL3) Mawaasin 77RR Sat 26S 128 SRR AFM 9 Hotel 78 MaNoasiNI+ Hotel ba Dr.Jinbo: 97D), & OFF HW & BEAL HoT CHS Sono avant” waiahi no “iu toto @Hichinto mame kadasa imexchnge forth (aj) aay tags (0h) cxayly otpadeeo ese “But please adhere exactly to what I say.” (PL3) $V Rt RATAN EC MMS tka, Macu tasuri 0 nonde sani made heya de yas fit male (6)) ead 200 foam wepand HEI b9 DSN £ 2n% sanihon ni mB ichido taho © ° went Sah” more ‘one eet comesand exammtion (ob) he “First of all take that medicine and rest in your room until 3:00, (then) at 3:30 come back here for another examination.” (PL2) Bots £0 LY prvOORET BCb69 FB Kaerara’ atode_kanarice Kotartvele no isha de ‘mite moran ko sthengotome sftereas without fal family cara cseve staan thing “When you get back home, be sure o have your family doctor examine you.” (PL2) Patient (sus, 4 0825 CE E4 as rigs gonna peso au “Okay, thank you very much.” (PL3) + sono hawari an expression meaning “in retin exchange fr th” Se is essentially saying that he ‘what she ant improve is condition (hy giving him some medicine), bu, “in exchange he must do his part wre itwill nly work ithe dos his pat + mamoie iste for of mora ("obey/aide by (rkeinsrction. Kaas makes a retaively polite request ‘Methogh the Firmness with which she speaks hee makes it elose to a command + monde thet fo of mora ("aak" en the cane of medicine, "take": yun is the ef of yar est! Slop") and ie the Ye form of kur Come"). Each of hese“ forms ital an acon ha preteen he neXt mentioned action in chronological sequence. + faerara s conditional when frm of kaa (“go home" + dakritsuke s used in speaking f doctors (and other healt ate profesional) referring to those one gos 10 rau ly» "fone regularly doctor Keka fon the er kara, which sedi the expesion sh m Akar for the meaning "pt eset under the car of doctor” and eI fom the ver uk cb tached + ovo (it. “hing” added to the end ofa non-past decartve sentence can make a gentle commandadmeniton (5) [Dr shibata: fu BH € HEAL! Cetum Zuibun anja 0 amavakashieiru fa nal ka Serie pate (bj) ae pmperinggling ste yo a ‘You certainly pamper your patients, don’t sou2” (PL2) DrJinbe HELTER Let b, Ch RATLO ihe oO & Amavatoshieins wake Jani we Kore ga hoteru no chin) nano ya Smpampeingpoting station “not Gem cmgh) thr a) ls seamen (plan) (engi) “I's not pampering, That’s the way you do treatment at a hotel.” (PL2) + canavokashteie is from amavakave pampered! soi). Jama ais erally a question, but as hs scowl sug gets he saying it more ae a aeueation 3) De.Shibata: # A CAG BC LAG BH O iim Lovcauiteu Kimi ga koma tokorode Konna anja no honma_—chiry a shite-ite wa then Ya (st) ths knd of “place” ak. this kind of pases offer this hind of reament (0) _ mun ot go om dean “You must not go on doing this kind of treatment for this kind of pati (Plz with ERB A eS 8 te Yahari ——daigaku byoin emodora bek da feralVealyuaiversityhonpital to shouldnt rtm “You really must return to the university hospital!” (PL2) nna (this kind of") canbe quite neual, but it ca also be spoken in a derogatory/belitling tone, which isthe ease here shite the te form of suru and ite wa ikea after therefor of aver means “nus not contin (ing the action)” bk dafdesu follows verbs to give the meaning “should/ought toms. Dr. Jinbo = Ate eta Konna anja? ‘This kind of patient?” (PL2) To be continued... Manoasin 79From Calvin and Hobbes, p. 26 BD baryoku Violence ase jth prey/victim aOR hhakai Sesiruction aC Eudakw crush (1) Bait kyorvt dinosaur om satsuriku rmassacre/slaughter (7) Be surudoi sharp From Basic Japanese, p.28 ia awa bubble Aa hitohada human skin RR hhonki setiousiness) me Jidat timerera we anja accounvill %OmLW —natsukashié fondly remembered/longed for me onaji the same x sugata figure/shape hw tsumerai coldeoo! RA ushiro backrbehind % yoru night From Selected Works, p. 34 a hako box HYAA —_— hanzume packed in acan ATMA Ww kapuseru hotere capsule hotel He ura dark m5 shoei lightsfighting ke yon read #8 yosan budget (n.) From Garcia-kun, p. 36 mt furin Jimmorality/ffair we hharau pay ( Ae jinsei human RR azoku family 8 mainichi every day Oe radosha Iaborer cs uwasa _gossip/common talk R wake reasonisituation we sangyo ‘overtime work From Sarari-kun, p. 38 Hi arama head/mind 2 aio meeting place a kanzo liver te yaya restrelaxation Haak samitto summit (meeting) Re seihin product(s) xe Shiraberu ——_checkiexamine/iook into the yasumu restake time off From Obatarian, p. 40 DYAF —hankacki handkerchief ez kaho Family treasure aa) imeishi business card KYIV panfaretto pamphlet YAY sain-kal Bulograph session From After Zero, p. 42 bukkakw hatte okw Jinja ‘abunushi kai kami kiki medama niger rokorw sakasama sawagl ‘gather/accumulate (Buddhist temple bait(animal) feed leave as is/ignore (Shinto) shrine shhareholder(s) Foors/stories outs )/spirit(s) eyeballs) run awayfescape Femainfbe left over upside down, uproar shosVapparition/phantom From HOTEL, p. 51 ‘amayakas byonin hatarakn Iikitomer isha jokyaju kaifuka suru anja kaze Kincho suru ital suru usu ‘mezamashii modoru nagatabi naika nakame rramaiki-na odoroku onshi oshiego oshit rikon sagasu seishin-teki nt shinpo suru shiney shodan shri sur tasukeru rsucukere yishi-na ppampericoddlelspoil sick person work (%) stoplrestain stomach doctor associate professor patients cold tense up/become nervous expecvantiipate medicine obey/abide by/adhere 10 iiking/spectacular/oiliant return/come (g0) back long tip internal medicine friends/associates audacious/brazen ccue/fix (0) be surprised teacher(sysmentor(s) student of a teacher) regretable/wasteful divorce (n.) Took for taleatsgifs psychologically Drogress/advance {doctor's) examination business talks repair.) finishibcing to a close savethelp suddenly continue Superior/exceent iseppointmentiregret The Vocabulary Summary is taken from material appearing in his issue of Mavcar. I's not always possible to give the complete ‘range of meanings for a word in this limited space, so our “definitions” are based on the usage of the word in a particular story. 80 MANGALIN