Sunday, January 22, 2006
It's all downhil from hereWithout a doubt, the Japanese have many customs and traditions that seem weird to us, for example cheese fighting and bull sumo. But now I wonder if there isn't something very practical in what they do, and perhaps we should start copying them.
A case in point is an annual event held in mid-January in the city of Tokamachi in Western Japan, a place known for its heavy snow and its exquisite rice and soba noodles. In this winter celebration at the Matsunoyama Hot Spring resort, two recently married men first get their faces painted with ink by other jealous single men, and then are thrown down a 15-foot snow-covered slope. Afterward the participants cover each other's faces with snow mixed with ash from a bonfire, in hopes of health and prosperity.
The tradition supposedly was started a long time ago by a man who saw his girl stolen by another guy, so he organized the face-painting and hurling event as a sort of revenge. More pictures and videos here. Just click randomly until you find the right links -- it's bad enough that you read my blog, I am not going to ask you to learn Japanese too.
In the interest of fairness, maybe there are a few things the Japanese should learn from us in exchange. First of all, revenge by face painting and snow tossing is for wimps -- come on, be a real man and go grab a gun, or at least a baseball bat and whack the other guy's kneecaps. Second, according to this Japanese tradition, the new grooms are pushed down the slope by other local people while their wives wait for them at the bottom of the slide. I think the wives should do the pushing -- and prepare the men for a lifetime of proper respect and learning.
- posted by Woofwoof @ 6:35 AM
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Ha Ha, those wacky Japanese. I need to show this post to my husband.
# posted by 
: 22 January, 2006 18:47
: 22 January, 2006 18:47
Connecticut,
When I talk with the Japanese, they always laugh about "those wacky Americans." Maybe we are more similar than we know.
When I talk with the Japanese, they always laugh about "those wacky Americans." Maybe we are more similar than we know.
woofwoof~
We must be,Nice reads.There is a new movie coming out about Husky's Stop by to see Sam Iam ,
We must be,Nice reads.There is a new movie coming out about Husky's Stop by to see Sam Iam ,
Hmm,
In my home country, we chase a ball made from cowhide around and call it a "pigskin." We call it "foot"ball, even though the kickers are the most despised players on the team. And, for some reason, we have it in domes. Plus, my teams out now. Dangit.
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In my home country, we chase a ball made from cowhide around and call it a "pigskin." We call it "foot"ball, even though the kickers are the most despised players on the team. And, for some reason, we have it in domes. Plus, my teams out now. Dangit.
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