Early Japan (until 710) HISTORYDuring the Jomon Period (13000 BC to 300 BC), the inhabitants of the Japanese islands were gatherers, fishers and hunters. Jomon is the name of the era's pottery.

During the Yayoi Period (300 BC to 300 AD), the rice culture was imported into Japan around 100 BC. With the introduction of agriculture, social classes started to evolve, and parts of the country began to unite under powerful land owners. Chinese travellers during the Han and Wei dynasties reported that a queen called Himiko (or Pimiku) reigned over Japan at that time. The Yayoi period brought also the introduction of iron and other modern ideas from Korea into Japan. Again, its pottery gave the period its name.

By the beginning of the Kofun Period (300 - 538), a center of power had developed in the fertile Kinai plain, and by about 400 AD the country was united as Yamato Japan with its political center in and around the province of Yamato (about today's Nara Prefecture). The period's name comes from the large tombs (kofun) that were built for the political leaders of that era. Yamato Japan extended from Kyushu to the Kinai plain, but did not yet include the Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido.

The emperor was ruler of Yamato Japan and resided in a capital that was moved frequently from one city to another. However, the Soga clan soon took over the actual political power, resulting in the fact that most of the emperors only acted as the symbol of the state and performed Shinto rituals.

Due to friendly relations to the kingdom of Kudara (or Paikche) on the Korean peninsula, the influence from the mainland increased strongly. Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the year 538 or 552 and was promoted by the ruling class. Prince Shotoku is said to have played an especially important role in promoting Chinese ideas. He also wrote the Constitution of Seventeen Articles about moral and political principles. Also the theories of Confucianism and Taoism, as well as the Chinese writing system were introduced to Japan during the Yamato period.

In 645, Nakatomi no Kamatari started the era of the Fujiwara clan that was to last until the rise of the military class (samurai) in the 11th century. In the same year, the Taika reforms were realized: A new government and administrative system was established after the Chinese model. All land was bought by the state and redistributed equally among the farmers in a large land reform in order to introduce the new tax system that was also adopted from China.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2131.html

Samurai HISTORY

Samurai Armour

The samurai (or bushi) were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors.

Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword.

Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior.

After a defeat, some samurai chose to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) by cutting their abdomen rather than being captured or dying a dishonorable death.

Heian Period (794-1185) The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period, when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties. Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other.

Kamakura Period (1192-1333) In 1185, the Minamoto defeated the Taira, and Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military government in Kamakura in 1192. As shogun, the highest military officer, he became the ruler of Japan.

Muromachi Period (1333 - 1573) During the chaotic Era of Warring States (sengoku jidai, 1467-1573), Japan consisted of dozens of independent states which fought each other constantly. Consequently, the demand for samurai was very high. Between the wars, many samurai worked on farms. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa take place during this era.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603) When Toyotomi Hideyoshi reunited Japan, he started to introduce a rigid social caste system which was later completed by Tokugawa Ieyasu and his successors. Hideyoshi forced all samurai to decide between a life on the farm and a warrior life in castle towns. Furthermore, he forbade anyone but the samurai from arming themselves with a sword.

Edo Period (1603 - 1868) According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of social castes, the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each caste. All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and received income from their lords in form of rice. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the early Edo Period.

With the fall of Osaka Castle in 1615, the Tokugawa's last potential rival was eliminated, and relative peace prevailed in Japan for about 250 years. As a result, the importance of martial skills declined, and most samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists.

In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the samurai class was abolished. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html

Pearl Harbor - Japan Attacks - America Enters WWII HISTORY On the morning of December 7, 1941, planes of the Japanese Navy carried out a surprise assault on the American Navy base and Army air field at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. Eighteen ships were sunk or damaged, and around 2400 Americans lost their lives. The Japanese suffered minimal casualties. This attack has been called the Bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Pearl Harbor but, most commonly, the Attack on Pearl Harbor or simply Pearl Harbor.

Overview

On March 27, 1941 Japanese spy Takeo Yoshikawa arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii and began to study the United States Naval fleet stationed at Pearl.

The Japanese deployed six aircraft carriers for the attack, Akagi, Hiryu, Kaga, Shokaku, Soryu, Zuikaku, with a total of 441 planes, including fighters, torpedo-bombers, dive-bombers, and fighter-bombers. Of these, 55 were lost during the battle.

The Japanese planes bombed the US Army air base at Hickam Field and the ships anchored in Battleship Row. The American battleship USS Arizona blew up and sank with a loss of over 1100 men, nearly half of the American dead. Seven other battleships and twelve other ships were sunk or damaged.

Historical significance

This battle, like the Battle of Lexington and Concord had history-altering consequences. It only had a small military impact due to the failure of the Japanese Navy to sink any U.S. carriers, but it firmly drew the United States into World War II and led to the demise of the Japanese Empire and aided in the defeat of Nazi Germany as well. America's ultimate victory in this war and its emergence as a world power has shaped international politics ever since.

Strategic appraisal

The purpose of the attack on Pearl Harbor was to neutralize American naval power in the Pacific. The Japanese wanted license to do as they pleased in the Pacific and Asia, and thought they could get this by eliminating American influence. Specifically, Japan had been embroiled in a war with China which had come to a stalemate after many years of fighting. Japan thought by cutting China off from American (as well as British) aid, China would be weakened, and the stalemate could be broken. Japan also knew that American naval power could not be neutralized indefinitely, but thought that by dealing it a heavy blow at Pearl Harbor, the American Navy could be neutralized long enough for Japan to achieve its objectives in Asia and the Pacific.

In terms of its strategic objectives the attack on Pearl Harbor was, in the short to medium term, a unique and spectacular success which eclipsed the wildest dreams of its planners and has few parallels in the military history of any era. For the next six months, the United States Navy was unable to play any significant role in the Pacific War; with the US Pacific Fleet out of the picture, Japan was free to to conquer South-East Asia, the entire South West Pacific and extend its reach far into the Indian Ocean.

In the longer term, however, the Pearl Harbor attack was an unmitigated strategic disaster for Japan. In the first place, the main Japanese target was the three American aircraft carriers stationed in the Pacific, but these had been dispatched from Pearl Harbor a few days before the attack and escaped unharmed. With most of the USN battleships out of commission, the Navy had no choice but to put its faith in aircraft carriers and submarines, and these would prove to be the tools with which the USN first stopped

Pearl Harbor - Japan Attacks - America Enters WWII HISTORY

and then reversed the Japanese advance.

Furthermore, although the Japanese forces inexplicably did not consider them an important target, the base also had large fuel oil storage facilities - a successful bombing of them would not only have resulted in massive fires that could have devastated the base, but it would have also have crippled much of the Pacific Fleet by robbing them of a major fuel supply and fueling center thousands of miles from the mainland.

Most significantly of all, the Pearl Harbor attack galvanised a divided and half-hearted nation into action as nothing else could have done: overnight, it made the whole of America utterly determined to defeat Japan, and it forever removed any question of a negotiated settlement short of unconditional surrender.

A related question is why Nazi Germany declared war on the United States December 11, 1941 immediately following the Japanese attack. This doubly outraged the American public and allowed the United States to greatly step up its support of the United Kingdom while recovering from the setback in the Pacific.

Aftermath

Despite the perception of this battle as a devastating blow to America, only five ships were permanently lost to the Navy. These were the battleships USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, the old target ship USS Utah, and the destroyers USS Cassin and USS Downes; much usable material was salvaged from them, including the two aft main turrets from the USS Arizona. Four ships that were sunk during the attack were later raised and returned to duty, including the battleships USS California, USS West Virginia and USS Nevada. Of the 22 Japanese ships that took part in the attack, only one was to survive the war.

In addition, despite the debacle, there were American personnel who served with distinction in the incident. The most famous is Doris Miller, an African-American sailor who went above and beyond the call of duty during the attack when he took control of an unattended machine gun and used it in defense of the base. For that, he was awarded the Navy Cross.

The attack has been depicted numerous times on film with the best known examples being:

From Here to Eternity Tora! Tora! Tora! Pearl Harbor

The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the resulting state of war between Japan and the United States were factors in the later Japanese internment in the western United States.

In 1991, it was rumored that Japan was going to release an official apology to the United States for the attack. The apology did not come in the form many expected, however. The Japanese Foreign Ministry released a statement that said Japan had intended to release a formal declaration of war to the US at 1 P.M., twenty-five minutes before the attacks at Pearl Harbor were scheduled to begin. However, due to various delays, the Japanese ambassador was unable to release the declaration until well after the attacks had begun. For this, the Japanese government apologized.

Pearl Harbor - Japan Attacks - America Enters WWII HISTORY

http://www.japan-101.com/history/pearl_harbor_ww2.htm

Little Boy was the codename given to the nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on Monday, August 6, 1945. Little Boy was dropped from a B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay piloted by Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets, from about 31,000 feet (9450 m). The device exploded at approximately 8:15 a.m. (JST) when it reached an altitude of 1,800 ft (550 m).

It was the first of the two nuclear weapons that were ever used in warfare.

The Mk I "Little Boy" was 10 feet (3 m) in length, 28 inches (71 cm) wide and weighed 8,900 lb (4000 kg). The design used a gun arrangement to explosively force a sub-critical mass of uranium-235 and three U-235 target rings together into a super-critical mass, initiating a nuclear chain reaction. The yield of "Little Boy" was about 13 kilotons of TNT equivalent in explosive force, i.e. 5.5�1013 joule = 55 TJ (terajoule). Approximately 75,000 people were killed as a direct result of the blast, though more died later as a result of fallout and cancer.

At the time there had never been a test explosion with this type of weapon. The only test explosion of a nuclear weapon was with the plutonium-type, on July 16, 1945 at the Trinity site. This was because tests of controlled nuclear reactions with U-235 (as opposed to the uncontrolled reaction that occurs in a bomb) had already been done, and the principles involved were so simple that it was taken to be unnecessary to test the weapon in advance. The military were also anxious to drop the bomb, and testing the device would have delayed its use until more uranium was ready.

Although used occasionally in later experimental devices, the design was used only once as a weapon because of the extreme danger of a misfire. A simple crash could drive the "bullet" into the "target" and release lethal radiation doses or even a full nuclear detonation.

Pearl Harbor - Japan Attacks - America Enters WWII HISTORY

http://www.japan-101.com/history/little_boy.htm

CULTURE

The kimono is the traditional clothing of Japan. Kimono styles have changed significantly from one period of Japan's history to another, and today there are many different types of kimono worn by men, women, and children. The cut, color, fabric, and decorations of a kimono may vary according to the sex, age, and marital status of the wearer, the season of the year, and the occasion for which the kimono is worn.

http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/

From the primitive Jomon period through the Yamato, Asuka, Nara, Heian, Muromachi, and Edo periods, factors including climate, life and customs of the Imperial court, laws, the development of skills in weaving and dyeing, and the availability of materials have influenced the style of Japanese clothing.

Jomon Period Yamato Period Asuka Period Nara Period

Heian Period Muromachi Period Edo Period

Today, 1200 years later, the Imperial household still uses the costumes of the Heian period for the formal occasions of coronations and weddings.

http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/kimono/kimono-history.html

CULTURE

Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper and more recently manga, cartoon, along with a myriad of other types of works of art. It also has a long history, ranging from the beginnings of human habitation in Japan, sometime in the 10th millennium BC, to the present.

Historically, Japan has been subject to sudden invasions of new and alien ideas followed by long periods of minimal contact with the outside world. Over time the Japanese developed the ability to absorb, imitate, and finally assimilate those elements of foreign culture that complemented their aesthetic preferences. The earliest complex art in Japan was produced in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. in connection with Buddhism. In the 9th century, as the Japanese began to turn away from China and develop indigenous forms of expression, the secular arts became increasingly important; until the late 15th century, both religious and secular arts flourished. After the Ōnin War (1467–1477), Japan entered a period of political, social, and economic disruption that lasted for over a century. In the state that emerged under the leadership of the Tokugawa shogunate, organized religion played a much less important role in people's lives, and the arts that survived were primarily secular.

Painting is the preferred artistic expression in Japan, practiced by amateurs and professionals alike. Until modern times, the Japanese wrote with a brush rather than a pen, and their familiarity with brush techniques has made them particularly sensitive to the values and aesthetics of painting. With the rise of popular culture in the Edo period, a style of woodblock prints called ukiyo-e became a major art form and its techniques were fine tuned to produce colorful prints of everything from daily news to schoolbooks. The Japanese, in this period, found sculpture a much less sympathetic medium for artistic expression; most Japanese sculpture is associated with religion, and the medium's use declined with the lessening importance of traditional Buddhism.

Japanese ceramics are among the finest in the world and include the earliest known artifacts of their culture. In architecture, Japanese preferences for natural materials and an interaction of interior and exterior space are clearly expressed.

Today, Japan rivals most other modern nations in its contributions to modern art, fashion and architecture, with creations of a truly modern, global, and multi-cultural (or acultural) bent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_art

Traditional Music CULTURE

There are several types of traditional, Japanese music (hogaku). Some of the most important ones are listed below:

Gagaku: Ancient court music from China and Korea. It is the oldest type of Japanese, traditional music.

Biwagaku: Music played with the Biwa, a kind of guitar with four strings.

Nohgaku: Music played during Noh performances. It basically consists of a chorus, the Hayashi flute, the Tsuzumi drum, and other instruments.

Sokyoku: Music played with the Koto, a type of zither with 13 strings. Later also accompanied by Shamisen and Shakuhachi.

Shakuhachi: Music played with the Shakuhachi, a bamboo flute that is about 55 cm long. The name of the flute is its length expressed in shaku an old Japanese unit of length.

Shamisenongaku: Music played with the Shamisen, a kind of guitar with only three strings. Kabuki and Bunraku performances are accompanied by the shamisen.

Minyo: Japanese folk songs.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2113.html

Popular Dishes CULTURE

Japanese cuisine offers a great variety of dishes and regional specialties. Some of the most popular Japanese and Japanized dishes are listed below.

We have categorized them into rice dishes, seafood dishes, noodle dishes, nabe dishes, soya bean dishes, yoshoku dishes and other dishes. Please note that some dishes may fit into multiple categories, but are listed only once.

Rice Dishes

For over 2000 years, rice has been the most important food in Japanese cuisine. Despite changes in eating patterns over the last few decades and slowly decreasing rice consumption in recent years, rice remains one of the most important ingredients in Japan today, and can be found in numerous dishes.

Rice Bowl A bowl of plain cooked rice is served with most Japanese meals. For breakfast, it is sometimes mixed with a raw egg and soya sauce (tamago kake gohan) or enjoyed with natto or other toppings.

Sushi more information Sushi can be defined as a dish which contains sushi rice, cooked rice that is prepared with sushi vinegar. There are various kinds of sushi dishes.

Domburi more information A bowl of cooked rice with some other food put on top of the rice. Some of the most popular toppings are tempura (tendon), egg and chicken (oyakodon), tonkatsu (katsudon) and beef (gyudon).

Onigiri Onigiri are rice balls made of cooked rice and usually wrapped in nori seaweed. They are slightly salted and often contain some additional food in the center, for example an umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum), katsuobushi (dried bonito shavings), tuna or salmon. Rice balls are a popular and inexpensive snack available at convenience stores.

Kayu Kayu is rice gruel, watery, soft cooked rice that resembles oatmeal. It is a suitable dish for using left over rice and is often served to sick people because it can be digested easily.

Seafood Dishes

Hundreds of different fish, shellfish and other seafood from the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers are used in the Japanese cuisine. They are prepared and eaten in many different ways, for example, raw, dried, boiled, grilled, deep fried or steamed.

Sashimi more information Sashimi is raw seafood. A large number of fish can be enjoyed raw if they are fresh and prepared correctly. Most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soya sauce and wasabi.

Yakizakana Yakizakana means grilled fish. Many varieties of fish are enjoyed in this way.

Noodle Dishes

There are various traditional Japanese noodle dishes as well as some dishes which were introduced to Japan and subsequently Japanized. Many of them enjoy a very high popularity.

Soba more information Soba noodles are native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour or a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour. Soba are about as thick as spaghetti. They can be served cold or hot and with various toppings.

Yakisoba Yakisoba are fried or deep fried Chinese style noodles served with vegetables, meat and ginger.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2035.html

Haiku Poetry 俳句（はいく） CULTURE

(poems in 17 syllables)

Haiku is poetry structured in the set form of 17 syllables, arranged in groups of 5, 7,and 5. It derives from the first line of the linked verse which alternately repeats a line in groups of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, and a line in groups of 7 and 7 syllables; in the Edo Period(1603-1867), MATSUO Basho established its present form.

The designation haiku became widespread with the work of MASAOKA Shiki in the Meiji Period(1868-1912). Because haiku poetry can express the beauty of nature and the depths of the human heart in a brief form, it now has spread throughout the world and in the United States it is even part of one's education.

A season word, indicating the season, is included in haiku poetry in the original style. The season word brings out ideas associated with the background of the word, and, within the space of just 17 syllables, it adds breadth and depth to the verse.

The history of the modern haiku dates from Masaoka Shiki's reform, begun in 1892, which established haiku poetry as a new independent poetic form. Shiki's reform did not change two traditional elements of haiku poems: the division of 17 syllables into three groups of 5, 7, and 5 syllables and the inclusion of a seasonal theme. Kawahigashi Hekigoto carried Shiki's reform further with two proposals:

1. Haiku poetry would be truer to reality if there were no center of interest in it.

2. The importance of the poet's first impression, just as it was, of subjects taken from daily life, and of local color to create freshness.

Examples of Haiku Poems:

The flowers outsideHide under snow until spring

like shy teenage girls

Now that I've lost youWhat do I do when you're hereWith you, without you

http://www.chinatownconnection.com/haiku-poetry.htm

LANGUAGE: The Japanese alphabet is usually referred to as kana, specifically hiragana and katakana. While the Hiragana consists of 48 syllables, it is a phonetic alphabet where each alphabetic combination represents just a single sound. Thus any Japanese word can be written in a way that can be read without having to remember how the word is pronounced. So the Japanese kana are much simpler, the way something is written is the way it sounds. There is also Kanji, a Japanese system of writing based on borrowed or slightly modified Chinese characters.

Hiragana Syllables (Alphabet)

The table below shows the 48 Hiragana syllables:

EN JP EN JP EN JP EN JP EN JP

 

a あ ka か sa さ ta た na な

i い ki き shi し chi ち ni に

u う ku く su す tsu つ nu ぬ

e え ke け se せ te て ne ね

o お ko こ so そ to と no の

ha は ma ま ya や ra ら wa わ

hi ひ mi み ri り wi ゐ

fu ふ mu む yu ゆ ru る n ん

he へ me め re れ we ゑ

ho ほ mo も yo よ ro ろ wo を

http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_alphabet.htm

LANGUAGE

Every kana name takes the form of a X no Y (X の Y?), for example りんごのリ, meaning "ri of ringo". Voiced kana do not have special names of their own. Instead, one simply states the unvoiced form, followed by "dakuten". /P/ sounds are named similarly, with handakuten. Thus, to convey "ba" (ば?), one would say "hagaki no ha dakuten" (はがきのハ 濁点?). To convey "pa" (ぱ?), one would say "hagaki no ha handakuten" (はがきのハ 半濁点?).

Kana Spelling Kana Spelling Kana Spelling Kana Spelling Kana Spelling

あ / ア 朝日のアAsahi no "a"

い / イ いろはのイIroha no "i"

う / ウ 上野のウUeno no "u"

え / エ 英語のエEigo no "e"

お / オ 大阪のオŌsaka no "o"

か / カ 為替のカKawase no "ka"

き / キ 切手のキKitte no "ki"

く / ク クラブのクKurabu no "ku"

け / ケ 景色のケKeshiki no "ke"

こ / コ 子供のコKodomo no "ko"

さ / サ 桜のサSakura no "sa"

し / シ 新聞のシShinbun no "shi"

す / ス すずめのスSuzume no "su"

せ / セ 世界のセSekai no "se"

そ / ソ そろばんのソSoroban no "so"

た / タ 煙草のタTabako no "ta"

ち / チ ちどりのチChidori no "chi"

つ / ツ

つるかめのツTsuru kame no "tsu"

て / テ 手紙のテTegami no "te"

と / ト 東京のトTōkyō no "to"

な / ナ 名古屋のナNagoya no "na"

に / ニ 日本のニNippon no "ni"

ぬ / ヌ 沼津のヌNumazu no "nu"

ね / ネ ねずみのネNezumi no "ne"

の / ノ 野原のノNohara no "no"

は / ハ はがきのハひ / ヒ 飛行機のヒふ / フ 富士山のフ へ / ヘ 平和のヘ ほ / ホ 保険のホ

Hagaki no "ha"

Hikōki no "hi"

Fujisan no "fu" Heiwa no "he" Hoken no "ho"

ま / マ マッチのマMatchi no "ma"

み / ミ 三笠のミMikasa no "mi"

む / ム 無線のムMusen no "mu"

め / メ 明治のメMeiji no "me"

も / モ もみじのモMomiji no "mo"

や / ヤ 大和のヤYamato no "ya"

ゆ / ユ 弓矢のユYumiya no "yu"

よ / ヨ 吉野のヨYoshino no "yo"

ら / ラ ラジオのラRajio no "ra"

り / リ りんごのリRingo no "ri"

る / ル るすいのルRusui no "ru"

れ / レ れんげのレRenge no "re"

ろ / ロ ローマのロRōma no "ro"

わ / ワ わらびのワWarabi no "wa"

ゐ / ヰ ゐどのヰIdo no "i"

ゑ / ヱ

かぎのあるヱKagi no aru "e"

を / ヲ 尾張のヲ(W)owari no "(w)o"

ん / ン 先生のンsensei no "n"

゛濁点dakuten

゜半濁点handakuten

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_phonetic_alphabet

LANGUAGE

Kana Romaji Pronunciation Example

A "ah" Soft A sound, as the "a" in "father."

I "ee" Long E sound, as the "ee" in "meet."

U "oo" Double O sound, as the "oo" in "boot."

E "eh"Short E or long A sound, as the "e" in "met." It sometimes sounds like a "y" is in front of it-- "ye."

O "oh" Long O sound, as the "o" in "boat."

KA "kah" "Ca" in "cause"

KI "kee" "Key"

KU "koo" "Coo"

KE "keh" "Ke" in "ketchup"

KO "koh" "Co" in "Coat"

SA "sah" "Saw"

SHI "shee" "She"

SU "soo" "Sue"

SE "seh" "Se" in "set"

SO "soh" "So"

TA "tah" "Ta" in "tall"

CHI "chee" "Che" in "cheat"

TSU "tsoo" "Tzu" in "Shih Tzu"

TE "teh" "Te" in "tell"

TO "toh" "Toe"

NA "nah" "No" in "not"

NI "nee" "Knee"

NU "noo" "New"

NE "neh" "Ne" in "net"

NO "noh" "No"

HA "hah" "Ha" in "haunt"

HI "hee" "He"

FU "foo"This letter is produced by blowing through circular lips. It can be either "fu" or "hu."

HE "heh" "He" in "head"

HO "hoh" "Hoe"

MA "mah" "Ma" in "mall"

MI "mee" "Me"

MU "moo" "Moo" in "mood"

ME "meh" "Me" in "met"

MO "moh" "Mo" in "most"

YA "yah" "Ya" in "yacht"

YU "yoo" "You"

YO "yoh" "Yo" in "yoke"

RA "rah"  

RI "ree"  

RU "roo"  

RE "reh"  

RO "roh"

http://www.learn-hiragana-katakana.com/reading-hiragana-pronunciation/

ORIGAMI

There is much speculation as to the origin of origami. While Japan seems to have had the most extensive tradition, there is evidence of independent paperfolding traditions in China, Germany, and Spain, among other places. However because paper decomposes rapidly, there is very little direct evidence of its age or origins, aside from references in published material.

The earliest evidence of paperfolding in Europe is a picture of a small paper boat in Tractatus de sphaera mundi from 1490. There is also evidence of a cut and folded paper box from 1440.[1] It is probable paperfolding in the west originated with the Moors much earlier,[2] it is not known if it was independently discovered or knowledge of origami came along the silk route.

In Japan, the earliest unambiguous reference to a paper model is in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680 which describes paper butterflies in a dream.[3] Origami butterflies were used during the celebration of Shinto weddings to represent the bride and groom, so paperfolding already become a significant aspect of Japanese ceremony by the Heian period (794–1185) of Japanese history, enough that the reference in this poem would be recognized. Samurai warriors would exchange gifts adorned with noshi, a sort of good luck token made of folded strips of paper.

In the early 1900s, Akira Yoshizawa, Kosho Uchiyama, and others began creating and recording original origami works. Akira Yoshizawa in particular was responsible for a number of innovations, such as wet-folding and the Yoshizawa-Randlett diagramming system, and his work inspired a renaissance of the art form.[4] During the 1980s a number of folders started systematically studying the mathematical properties of folded forms, which led to a steady increase in the complexity of origami models, which continued well into the 1990s, after which some designers started returning to simpler forms.[5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origami

ORIGAMI: Origami (pronounced or-i-GA-me) is the Japanese art of paperfolding. "Ori" is the Japanese word for folding and "kami" is the Japanese word for paper.

That is how origami got its name. However, origami did not start in Japan. It began in China in the first or second century and then spread to Japan sometime during the sixth century.

At first, there was very little paper available so only the rich could afford to do paperfolding. The Japanese found useful purposes for their origami. For example, the Samurai (sa-MURE-ay) would exchange gifts with a form known as a noshi (NO-shee). This was a paper folded with a strip of dried fish or meat. It was considered a good luck token. Also, the Shinto Noblemen would celebrate

weddings by wrapping glasses of sake or rice wine in butterfly forms that had been folded to represent the bride and groom.

As easier papermaking methods were developed, paper became less expensive. Origami became a popular art for everyone, no matter if they were rich or poor. However, the Japanese people have always been very careful not to waste anything. They have always saved even the tiniest scraps of paper and used them for folding origami models.

For centuries there were no written directions for folding origami models. The directions were taught to each generation and then handed down to the next. This form of art became part of the cultural heritage of the

Japanese people. In 1797, How to Fold 1000 Cranes was published. This book contained the first written set of origami instructions which told how to fold a crane. The crane was considered a sacred bird in Japan. It was a

Japanese custom that if a person folded 1000 cranes, they would be granted one wish. Origami became a very popular form of art as shown

by the well-known Japanese woodblock print that was made in 1819 entitled "A Magician Turns Sheets of Birds". This print shows birds being created from pieces of paper.

In 1845 another book, Window on Midwinter, was published which included a collection of approximately 150 origami models. This book introduced the model of the frog which is a very well known model even today. With the publication of both these books, the folding of origami became recreation in Japan.

Not only were the Japanese folding paper, but the Moors, who were from Africa, brought paperfolding with them to Spain when they invaded that country in the eighth century.

Today, master paperfolders can be found in many places around the world. Akira Yoshizawa of Japan is one of these. He is considered the "father of modern origami" because of his creative paperfolding. He also developed a set of symbols and terms that are used worldwide in the written instructions of origami.

The interest in origami continues to increase today. Just as the ancient Japanese found useful purposes for their origami models, so do we today. Origami will also be a part of our future as we look toward the millennium. The origami crane has become a global peace symbol.

Highlights in Origami History

100 AD

Paper-making originated in China by Ts'ai Lun, a servant of the Chinese emperor. The art of

paperfolding began shortly after.

600 AD

Paper-making spread to Japan where origami really took off.

1797 Hiden Senbazuru Orikata is the oldest origami book for

amusement in the world is published. Translated it means "The Secret of One Thousand Cranes Origami".

1900 Origami spread to England and the United States

1960 Sadako and One Thousand Cranes was published by

Eleanor Coerr and is linked with the origami crane and the international peace movement.

2000 International Peace Project-An international project

which is engaging communities in collaborative activities to promote peace, non-violence and tolerance - A Million

Paper Cranes for Peace by the Year 2000! http://library.thinkquest.org/5402/history.html

"Learn to Speak Japanese" Lessons

English meaning Japanese Langauge Learn to Speak Japanese

Hello ( Kon Ni chi Wa)

Learn to speak Japanese hello

Nice to meet you (Ha ji Me Ma Shi Te)

Learn to speak Japanese greeting

Good Evening ( Kon Ban Wa)

Learn to speak Japanese greeting

long time no see(hisa shi bu ri)

Learn to speak Japanese long time

Good bye(Sa yo na ra)

Learn to speak Japanese good bye

Excuse me(su mi ma se n)

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Thank you(a ri ga to u)

Learn to speak Japanese thank you

Yes(hai)

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No(i i e)

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I am tired.(tuka re ta)

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Are you right?(dai jyou bu)

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English(ei go)

Learn to speak Japanese english

Japanese(ni hon go)

Learn to speak Japanese: japanese

It is difficult.(mu zu ka shi i de su)

Learn to speak Japanese difficult

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Origami, the Japanese Way Oct 18, 2010 Naoko Charity The art of paper

Although the root of origami has not been established, in general, origami is viewed as a distinctive art from Japan. In Japan, origami folding activities have been integrated into major parts of early childhood educational curriculum, reinforcing children to get accustomed to the paper folding practice.

Subsequently, people in Japan learn that origami folding skills are not only to be enjoyed as a form of entertainment, but also to be mastered as essential etiquettes throughout their adult life.

Brief History of Origami

The word, “origami” is defined in Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “the Japanese art or process of folding squares of paper into representational shapes,” The Japanese word, “ori” simply means folding, and “gami” (a variation of kami) means paper.

Besides the fact that production of paper was invented in China, there has been no evidence to show where origami originated.

However, owing to the Japanese indigenous religion, Shinto, paper was considered sacred; the first use of cut paper was seen in religious rituals.

The romance novel, “Eiri koshoku ichidai otoko” (1682), by Saikaku Ihara, was introduced during the Edo period. Starting in 1699, various designs, such as orizuru (folded crane), komozo (a priest), and fune (a ship), began to appear in kimono patterns as well as in Kabuki (the classical Japanese dance-drama).

Japanese origami became popular during the Edo period (1603-1868) when paper became abundantly available due to the development of mass paper production technology.

Towards the end of 18th century, many in Japan began to engage in origami folding as their hobby and some experimented and improvised origami folding technique by cutting paper (“kirigami”).

When Japan began trading with the West in the 19th century, origami further took off by merging together with the Europeans who independently were engaging in a form of folding paper.

Art of Gift Giving

The custom of folding paper is used for various occasions; mostly during formalities, ceremonies, and presentation of gifts. Incorporating the art of paper folding in such occasions is considered to be the initial form of origami culture in Japan.

Prior to the introduction of paper from China, the raw materials using paper-hemp and mulberry fiber were presented as ritual offerings.

During the Muromachi period (1392-1573), two important origami forms were invented for gift giving occasion. The paper-string made of rice called, “mizuhiki” was abundantly used to wrap or present gifts. The word is related to the Japanese word “musubu” which means to tie or connect. To show appreciation and affection, mizuhiki is vigilantly folded and often shaped like a flower or crane.

Another special form of origami is found in “noshi.” Noshi is a beautifully folded paper glued to the front surface of wrapping paper. In early years, noshi included a strip of dried abalone in the center to show good luck.

Today, the strip is replaced by a piece of yellow paper. More often, noshi is presented as a printed image on a wrapping paper.

All formal appearance of origami in gift giving is created from careful folding steps. The formal steps of folding paper is called “orikata.” Once orikata was officially established and began to be widely practiced in formal occasions, such as during zoto girei (ceremonial formalities of gift giving), casual activities of folding papers, including making orizuru (paper crane) shapes became more popular among the general population.

Children playing with orizuru were described in the 18th century literature, “Keisei Orizuru” (1717). Teachers praised and awarded children who accomplished the orizuru folding skill. Children exchanged gifts by using their origami folding skills.

Solidification of Origami during the Meiji Period (1868 -1926)

To catch up with the West, Japan began to incorporate a modern education theory developed by a German educator, Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel. Since origami instruction was already taught in Frobel’s educational curriculum, the Japanese government integrated origami in the kindergarten curriculum. There were about 150 models of origami folding patterns.

During this time, the conventional origami appearance (only one side is colored) became accepted and continues to be viewed as a standard style of origami papers.

Today, the concept of origami is used in many fields, from teaching geometry, computer graphics, to therapeutic health care. Origami associations are located all over the world and continued to fascinate young minds and amuse many origami enthusiasts.

Source:

“The History of Japanese Origami.” Web. 17 Oct 2010.

http://www.suite101.com/content/origami-the-japanese-way-a298374