Shoki Barai

"Drinking away the summer heat" was how this succinct Japanese phrase for getting drunk on a summer evening was translated for me. I can find no equivalent word or simple phrase in English to express that idea. I do have a couple of friends, however, who would no doubt suggest "Friday" has the same connotation.

Along with hanami (viewing the blooming cherry trees) and hanabi (fireworks, which in Japan means going to a park, drinking for several hours to hold your place among the tens of thousands of others doing the same thing), shoki barai seems to me simply another excuse to do what they already want to do: drink.

Now I just need to find a term that is applicable to winter drinking. There is doubtless one.

Fears: Correction

It would appear that I was misinformed. But, fortunately, one benefit of being an idle monkey trainer is having a dedicated research staff.*


I've checked the "Earthquake, Lightning and Father" stuff, as I thought there is one more, "Earthquake, Lightning, "Fire" and Father". And I was right, there are 4 top things to fear. And there are not just for children, adults also fear those.

And I found an interesting story about "Father" - "Oyaji" in Japanese. "Oyaji" used to be "Ooyamaji" which is an old word that means "Typhoon". "Oyaji" and "Ooyamaji" sound very similar, so someone (in old era) started to play around with the word and changed to "Oyaji" which means father, but historically father is not on the 4 top things to fear. So, actually the 4 top things to fear are "Earthquake, Lightning, Fire and Typhoon" which are all weather disasters which could happen in Japan.

Let me just add, that those things do often occur Japan.

*Not actually true, idle monkey trainers do not have any benefits.

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Finally there is new material to be found at Global Tito. Take a look at diving in Hawaii and more Dying Sealife.

Japanese Fears

Working in Japan has necessitated learning the language (Japanese monkeys do not speak English). The other day, following the unsettled weather and seismic events of the past couple weeks, my teacher told me about the top fears of children in Japan, and how they have changed.

Previously, the top three were:
1. Earthquakes (on average, Japan has one every 5 minutes)
2. Lightning (the god is pictured)
3. Fathers (the phrase "lightning strikes" was often used to mean "father yelling")

Now, however, the top fears are:
1. Earthquakes
2. Lightning

Fathers, according to my teacher, "have gotten weak."