One of the most famous landmarks in Japan is Kaminarimon(雷門; かみなりもん) or the “Thunder Gate” in Asakusa, Tokyo.
Along with Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Skytree, and Tokyo Tower, it is no exaggeration to say that it is recognised by virtually all Japanese people.
But did you know that “Kaminarimon” (Thunder Gate) is just a nickname for this gate?
Many Japanese do not even know this, but its real name is “Furaijinmon” (風雷神門; ふうらいじんもん) or “The Gate of the Gods of Wind and Thunder”.
If you look closely at the picture above, you’d probably notice that there are two deities displayed on the sides of the gate.
The one on the left with the drums is Raijin (雷神 らいじん) or the god of thunder. He makes thunder with those drums.
I remember as a child I was told to hide my belly button as Raijin likes to eat it for whatever reason…
The one on the right is Fujin (風神 ふうじん) or the god of wind.
Therefore, the official name of Kaminarimon is Furaijinmon.
In fact, if you look at the giant red lantern from the other side, its official name is actually written on it.
Furaijinmon (風雷神門; ふうらいじんもん)
Asakusa is one of the destinations that I definitely recommend you to visit once the Corona crisis is over.
The remnants of the Edo period (1603-1867) can be still felt in this area, and it is widely considered the heart of the Edo culture. For rakugo lovers, it is also known as the home of Asakusa Engei Hall (浅草演芸ホール), one of the four full-time rakugo venues in Tokyo.
I am so looking forward to visiting Asakusa again myself!
At Japanese festivals, four banners with the pictures of the four divine beings are sometimes displayed.
You might have also seen them at a ceremony at the imperial palace.
They are the defenders of Shin’iki (神域 しんいき) or the sanctuary of the shrine.
These four defenders are: Blue Dragon (青龍 せいりゅう Seiryu; the defender of the east), White Tiger (白虎 びゃっこ Byakko; the defender of the west), Vermilion Bird (朱雀 すざく Suzaku; the defender of the south), and Black Tortoise (玄武 げんぶ Genbu; the defender of the north; usually entwined together with a snake).
Together these four flags are called “Four Godly Flags/ Banners” (四神旗 しじんき Shijinki).
But in the Edo period (1603-1868), they were also called “Four Godly Swords” (四神剣 しじんけん Shijinken) in the Tokyo area as they put swords at the tips of the flags.
There is a hilarious rakugo story that involves a set of “Four Godly Swords”, which is based on a true story that happened at a restaurant called Momokawa (百川 ももかわ).
Unfortunately, it is one of those stories that would get lost in translation, but I will attempt explaining it another time!
If you have been to a Japanese restaurant, I’m sure you have seen those waribashi (割り箸, わりばし) or disposable wooden chopsticks that you pull apart before digging in your yummy Japanese dishes.
Personally, I have a love-and-hate relationship with them- I love them because they are sanitary; I hate them because they are an absolute waste of trees.
Anyway… I came across the origin of those chopsticks the other day, so I’m sharing it with you 😃
It is said that waribashi was first created by an eel restaurant in Edo (1603-1868), which is the old name for Tokyo.
They were originally made of bamboo and called “Hikisakibashi” (引裂箸 ひきさきばし), which roughly means “chopsticks to split apart”.
However, the wooden disposable chopsticks that we use today were actually invented in Nara Prefecture(奈良県 ならけん).
It is said that amonk called Sugihara Souan (杉原宗庵, すぎはらそうあん) invented them from Japanese cedar from the Yoshino region (so called “Yoshino Cedar”; 吉野杉, よしのすぎ) in 1827.
They used the scrap wood from making sake barrels, and even today they only use wood from forest thinning in the Yoshino region, therefore making them more ecological than the imported ones from overseas.
I personally think it’s best to use reusable metal chopsticks like Korean people do for the environment, but if you are into waribashi, I recommend you get ones from Yoshino!
A while ago, I made a silly video about different ways to say “I” in Japanese.
Some people have asked me in what context each expression is used, so I have decided to explain that in this article!
Hope this is helpful for you 🙂
Also… if you like this kind of video, please follow my YouTube channel, too. That will definitely make my day!!!
私（わたし Watashi): The most standard “I” in Japanese. The textbook definition!
私（わたくし Watakushi): This is a more polite version of “watashi”. As you may have noticed, the kanji for “watashi” and “watakushi” is the same “私”.
僕（ぼく Boku): This “I” is usually used by a male speaker regardless of his age. When used by an adult, it is usually with someone with an equal or a lower social standing. In recent years (especially in the manga context), some women use “boku” to address themselves as well.
俺（おれ Ore): Casual “I” used by men. It is only used with someone in the same or lower social standing or someone who is really close such as family members. This is my default “I” with my parents and older sister. I have met some non-native speakers of Japanese who think this is an impolite expression, but this is not the case as it completely depends on the context and its use is often a show of closeness to the person.
俺様（おれさま Oresama): This is the arrogant version of “ore”. I have never heard of this expression in real life except when someone is being silly on purpose. You might encounter this expression in books particularly in comic books 🙂
自分（じぶん Jibun): A formal “I”. According to this dictionary website, it was originally used as a second-person personal pronoun during the Edo period (1603-1868). In Osaka dialect, it is used to address a close friend i.e. it can also mean “you”! Confusing, isn’t it?
当方（とうほう Touhou): Wow, my sincere apology, this expression actually means “we”!!! I accidentally included it as it literally means “this side” or “the group I belong to”… but it should really be treated as “we” because the person is talking about the group s/he belongs to as a representative… Sorry!!! (You now know Japanese people don’t always know Japanese!)
身共（みども Midomo): This is a formal “I” used towards someone in the equal or lower social status.
手前（てまえ Temae): This is a humble way to refer yourself. But the confusing thing is that it could also be used to mean “you” towards someone in the same or lower social status. For this use, its variation てめえ (teme’e) is often used, but remember it is a very rude expression!
おら (Ora): This “I” is usually used in the Tohoku region. It is mainly used by men, but it is used by some old women as well.
俺っち (おれっち Orecchi): A casual and almost uncouth “I”. Not many people actually use this expression, but you do hear it spoken by some stereotypical characters in drama, manga, etc. Some people say it is the short version of “俺達” (おれたち Oretachi) or “we”.
あっし (Asshi): This is often used in “jidaigeki” or a period drama. It is often used by the craftsmen of Edo.
あたし (Atashi): Informal “I” used by women. It was used by men as well during the Edo period (1603-1868), and rakugo performers still use this expression even today. I use it myself with my rakugo friends.
あたい (Atai): This “I” feels a little archaic to me, but it is used by little children and sometimes by adult women. “Atai” is used by Yotaro, one of the star characters in rakugo!
拙者（せっしゃ): This is the “I” used by samurai warriors. You still hear it a lot in period dramas!
わし (Washi): This is a variation of “watashi” used with someone in the same or lower social status. It can sound a bit arrogant.
我 (われ Ware): This is a formal “I” that shows up often in Japanese literature, and I have never met anyone who uses this “I” in conversation.
余 (よ Yo): An archaic “I” used by the feudal lords and samurai warriors in high social status.
English Rakugo NZ 