From 1st of June, 2008, you must wear a seat belt even you are
sitting in the back seat.

There's no penalty by driving without wearing seat belts 
in the back seats on general road/local street, however,
you will lose 1 point on Express way.*

Remember, seat belts save lives.  Please fasten your seat belt,
doesn't matter you sit in the front seat or in the back, wherever you go.

*As of 30, May 2008.  Rules may change in near future.







Another new rule.
When a person who is aged 75 and over drives a car,
he/she should endeavor to display the mark called 'Momiji Mark'
like below picture.  There's no fine for offenders at this moment,
but the rule may change in near future.

 









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When we drive by Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo
for area tour with clients from overseas,
we are often asked about Japanese funeral.

So this is about typical Japanese funeral style:

Tsuya (a wake) is held the night before the deceased
is buried.  Relatives and close friends spend the last night
with the corpse, praying for the soul of the departed.

The body is laid out with head to the north.
A picture of the deceased and heaping bowl of rice
with chopsticks stuck vertically into it are set on an altar.
A buddhist priest offers sutras, and the deceased is
given an honorary Buddhist name.











Black-and-white striped curtains and wreaths
donated by friends and relatives are put up for
the Kokubetsushiki (the final farewell ceremony).

Mourners proceed one by one to the altar, press their
palms together in prayer and burn pinches of incense.

Finally, the nails of the coffin lid are pounded shut with a
stone and it is put into the hearse.







At the crematorium, relatives and friends gather the
cinders of bone with chopsticks and put them in an
urn which is later buried in a tomb.

In parts of the country where it is still customary to bury
the dead uncremated, the body is taken to the cemetery
in a funeral procession.

Usually mourners wear black, and men, black neckties.
Traditionally they bring Okouden (incense money) to the
dead person's home.  Returning home after the funeral,
they purify themselves at the entrance with a sprinkling
of salt.

Nowadays the entire funeral is managed by a professional
undertaker.  While funerals are generally held at the
home of the deceased, when that is not large enough
they are held at temples or public buildings.
Or, Christians may request a church funeral.

Ancient Japanese ideas of the soul persist, and it is still
believed that the souls of the dead return to the world
each summer at Obon.


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September 1^st is National Disaster Prevention Day
(Bousai-no-hi) in Japan.

The day was established in 1960 in accordance with the a

harsh and bitter experience of the Great Kanto Earthquake
which struck on September 1^st 1923.
The day was also set for the typhoons which often hit Japan
at this time of year.

At your residence, we suggest you to re-check the location
of the nearest evacuation site and also prepare an emergency kit.
The emergency kit should be minimal, light-weight and can be
easily taken out by one person.

Also check the contents at least once a year. If batteries,
bottles of water, emergency canned food etc. are getting old,
you need to replace them.

We also suggest you to store some water, canned and instant food
for a case of emergency. They may not be brought out with you
immediately upon a disaster but can be taken out when
your safety is guaranteed.

After the Great Hanshin Earthquake, there were many reports of
accidents caused by falling furniture and appliances.
Please take this opportunity to check if you have any unbalanced
furniture and hazardous materials, etc. in and out-side your home.

Please also read our previous article to check Earthquake Survival Manual.
http://blog.realestate-tokyo.com/archives/50555003.html



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A Happi is a type of Japanese style jacket.
In the Edo period they were worn by servants of
military families and merchants, and by workmen.

They are wide sleeved, reach the hips and are fastened
with a sash (obi) tied around the waist.  There is often a
family crest (kamon) or trademark on the back, so they
also served as a kind of advertising.

Later, the Happi coat gradually fell into disuse and today
are ordinarily worn only by carpenters, gardeners,
scaffolding men, and a few other types of workmen. 

However, they are commonly worn at festivals, and
neighborhood groups or merchants' associations have
matching Happi made for their members, who can be seen
wearing them as they carry portable shrines (mikoshi) or
pull the floats (dashi).











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Maneki = Welcome
Neko=Cat

Maneki-neko are often put at the entrance to restaurants
in the hope that they'll bring lots of customers and a
thriving business.  It is like a good-luck charm.

They look funny with one paw held up, but it means
'Come here, come here!'.










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