This year’s summer fashion colours

Where to begin with fashion? 

As companies can produce more and more colours with new machinery, so can advertising come up with new vocabulary. In everyday conversation people still use the old ‘red’ and ‘blue’, but increasingly they use different descriptors for their new environment. Lots of those new words come from English, but many come from French or Italian. Mind you, look around you and where do you still see colours that are pure whatever? 

This idea is nothing unique to Japanese. The English also use colours that are not pure whatever; they use turquoise (from Turkish) and aquamarine (from sea water) and cobalt (from some nasty mineral; you’d die if you touched it) and suede (from Swedish), although the last one is leather and that too can now be dyed in many colours.

Samsung S4 Mobile Telephone けいたいでんわ

Samsung buildings

かいたいです！

Meiji – One of Japan’s largest confectionery and general food companies.

The company named after the first emperor of Japan of the modern era, Emperor Meiji, this company produced such a wide range of food items that their name can be seen all over the country in any supermarket or food outlet.

Rays of the Rising Sun きょっこう Japanese post modernist kitsch

Just recently we spotted some stuff on the internet and it had the rays of the rising sun all over it. Hmm, more than just a little problematic. For older people the image of the rising sun is closely associated with Japan’s past. Certainly the rays represent painful feelings. 

However, as we looked about we noticed that the younger generation has no such memories, no such thoughts or reservations – they just like the design. And they want it obviously everywhere.

If the image hurts, just click here.

スニーカー　sneakers  

スニーカー　sneakers 

スニーカー　sneakers 

スニーカー　sneakers 

パース　さいふ　purse, wallet

パース　さいふ　purse, wallet

パース　さいふ　purse, wallet

パース　さいふ　purse, wallet

ハンドバッグ　handbag

バッグ　bag

マウス　mouse

マウス　mouse

イヤホン  earphones

イヤホン  earphones

けいたいでんわカバー　mobile phone cover

スピーカー　speakers

いろいろなもの　various goods

ギター　guitar

ギター　guitar

日本のメタル　Japanese metal

ギター　guitar

サーフボード surf board

サーフボード surf board

ホバーボード  hover board

メット  てつぼう  helmet

バイク　motorbike

くるま　car

神風　かみかぜ　kamikaze (ouch)

くるま　car

ラムネ Lemonade with a marble

Wheel chairs

Wheel-chairs are very much part of Japan’s social life. Traffic accidents, illness, older age are all contributing factors. The family as well as social organisations all make huge contributions to assist and to help recovery or adaptation if possible.

The facilities for adapting to the new circumstances are absolutely amazing in Japan, but also in many other countries around the world. Technology and a chance of mind-set have helped to make that transition. 

These are fairly typical if somewhat traditional designs. Increasingly wheel-chairs are designed with a specific user in mind. Chairs are custom-made and adjusted, so that the person has the best possible outcomes.

Therefore designs are becoming more practical, better manoeuvering,  better styled.

Wheel-chair people have higher demands for a more active life-style. They want to be about, to actively be engaged in society, they are often holding down full-time jobs.

Hence there is an industry around it: to facilitate better social and medical interaction.

Organisations now come to the party and offer their support; it is expected. Governments demand it as the current standard. Technology now allows and enables facilitation. At the push of a button platforms can be raised, doors can be opened, hoists can be readied, and so on.

Buses that “kneel”; entrance platforms that lower; batteries that enable moving for long periods of time. Japan has it all and is constantly working to advance that technology.

Meanwhile the community gets involved. Traffic-free days allow the community spirit to come alive.

More than any other factor sport has changed the face of the wheel-chair and the passenger. Once the design had been adjusted, the wheel-chair could become a means to a much richer end. Racing, competing, communicating, being involved and being alive!

パラリンピック

The Paralympics offered a crown of temporary glory. The wheel-chair became merely a different means to an end. Heroism and bravery became measured in a different, more personal way.

And if humans can live with adaptations, so can animals.

Children’s stories showed examples of achievement and acceptance. 

電動車いす – でんどうくるまいす – mobility scooter

No one needs to feel excluded. It can all be done. Japan can do it.

(Photos from internet for educational purposes)

Home delivery でまえ 出前

Four good reasons to get home delivery:

1. Mum is late with dinner; she’s still rushing home. The kids are nagging about their favourite.

2. Mum and Dad have been out; Dad was holding up everyone.

3. Mum is pregnant and she is tired. She needs a break.

4. Grandma can’t remember what she did with the onions and the eggs…

Here are some fairly typical menus for home delivery. Most families would have a few of their favourite menus next to the phone – just in case.

 Why stick to just food? We deliver anything!

 No, food is good for just now!

 onigiri sushi

 More onigiri sushi

 And this is how it is delivered:

 Very do-able, isn’t it? The dishes will be collected later.

 Oh, my!  This is gonna be great!

 You can now have all your groceries delivered to your home.

More katakana impact advertising.

Japinglish ジャピングリシュ

Here are 25 words which have their origin largely in English words, but which have now been made into Japanese words. Often these words have been shortened, so as to be easy to handle.

	Japanese katakana word	The English meaning		What do you think is the origin of some of these Japanese words?
1	ラジカセ	radio cassette	→	ラジオカセット
2	マスコミ	mass communication	→	マスコミュニケーション
3	ハイテク	high tech	→	ハイテクノロジー
4	インフレ	inflation	→	インフレーション
5	リモコン	remote control	→	リモートコントロール
6	カラオケ	karaoke	→	から [means ‘empty] オーケストラ
7	タレント	TV personality	→	talent
8	アイドル	Pop singer	→	idol
9	レジ	(cash) register	→	レジスター　[in a shop at the exit]
10	コーラス	Choir	→	chorus
11	トランプ	[Playing] cards	→	trumps
12	ナイター	A baseball game played in the evening	→	night(er) game
13	ホッチキス	Stapler	→	Mr. Hodgkiss (inventor)
14	リンス	Hair-conditioner	→	rinse
15	エネルギー	Personal drive / pace	→	energy
16	ノウハウ	Knowledge	→	know-how
17	マンション	Up-market apartment	→	mansion
18	ハイツ	Up-market apartment	→	heights
19	アンケート	Questionnaire	→	enquette
20	サインする	To give an autograph	→	to sign
21	サービス	Extra consideration given to customers	→	service
22	アルバイト	Temporary job  [from Dutch language]	→	arbeid
23	ぎりチョコ	giri chocolates	→	Given out of obligation [ぎり] on Valentine’s Day
24	マイペース	Plodding	→	my pace
25	カンニング	Cheating during examination	→	cunning