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In “Patient’s death bares hole in the system”, the Asahi newspaper wrote this article about death of Japanese woman who was pregnant and refused 7 hospitals in Tokyo.
Behind the tragedies is a shortage of obstetricians across the nation. Medical institutions are losing their capacity to accept emergency patients. However, many people must have been shocked that such a case could occur in Tokyo where there are many medical institutions. What should be done to establish a system to accept emergency patients even under such harsh conditions? We must carefully look into what happened this time and apply the lesson for the future.
The broadcast was complaining the hospital was careless, because they couldn’t correspond the serious situation such as cerebral homrrhage, diarrhea or heavy headache. Also, the doctors were accused of the system on weekend. At that time, only one trainee doctor was at the hospital and it said no more bedroom for her. The number of doctors are decreasing recent days, especially obstetricians/gynecologists. They have hard work everyday, although they can get low salary. If they make a mistake, sometimes victim of family cause the judgement. It is necessary to have responsibility, but I think no one want to be this job. It is concerned all people’s lives. I suggest the government ought to increase the doctors, review the system of hospital when it is emergency, make a rule that center work together with other hospitals in same area, let mass media not tell wrong story to people, offer children the class which they can be interested in medical and so on. For women who are pregnant should care about this and choose the hospital and doctors which you really trust your birth too.
http://chinadaily.cn/opinion/2008-10/29/content_7157471.htm
In February 14th, only girls or women give the gift mainly chocolate to boys or men. Japanese girls or women are too shy to express their feelings, so Valentine’s day is a good chance to do that. Many of them get nervous, because it is possible that boys or men refuse it. This custom is common in our country. However, this is a plan that a smart companies spread to boost their sales, and it has been very successful. People can buy chocolate a lots during the week before Valentine’s day. Boys or men are supposed to return gifts on White day, March 14th. But one advice…recently girls or women make “Giri-choco” which give it to friends, men as bosses or colleagues, not only to their loved one. A true love chocolate is called “Honnmei-choco”.
Japanese celebrate new year’s day on January 1st every year. Many people who are away from home and return to spend a time with their family. Just like Christmas in west, Japanese are looking forward to the “Osyogatsu”. We also have a song:
Mou ikutsu neru to oshogatsu (How many nights to sleep until new year’s day)
Oshogatsu ni wa tako agete (In the new year’s holidays, let’s fly a kite)
Koma o mawashite asobimashou (Let’s play with spinning top)
Hayaku koi koi oshogatsu(Come come quickly, a new year’s day)
To prepare for “Osyogatsu”, everybody gets busy a big year-end cleaning, setting new year’s decoration such as Kadomatsu or Shimenawa, and cooking Japanense traditional food called Osechi-ryori. Hatsuyume is the first dream of the new year. It is said that good dreams are “Ichi-fuji, Ni-taka, San-nasubi”(Mt. Fuji, hawk, eggplant). If you have these dream, you will have a good year.
Do you believe Santa Claus is real? I do! Actually I should say “I did.”. I was always excited on Christmas eve because of the present from him. I did think Santa lives in the world and he gives them to all good children on that day. Christmas day is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25th which is the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth. However, in my country we do not celebrate like Christian does. I decorated the fir tree(Of course, it is NOT real) and the room with the symbol color of red and green when I was little. My mother made special dinner and handmade cake. And children get the presents. How lucky they are. Christmas season still makes me excited. It is one of big celebration day in Japan.
Birthday is a very special day for everyone! When I was young, I invited my school friends and had a party at home. They gave me a lot of presents that maybe their parents prepared. However, I remember I was very happy then. While aging, I do feel empty and birthday is not special, it is a normal day. But that thought has suddenly changed. When I was 14 in spring vacation, I went to Australia. That was my first time to go abroad. Host families were very kind to me. On my birthday, April 2nd, they made an ice chocolate cake and meals. It was very delicious. They also gave me a nice card and souvenirs of Australia, because I would left the next day. It was the best memory on my birthday. I will NEVER forget that event.
Otsukimi is an autumn festival, also known as the moon festival in Japan. It is also called “Jyu-goya”, “Cyu-jun no meiduki” or “Imo-meiduki”. It is held in August of old calender. Japanese celebrate to enjoy seeing the moon with odango, Japanese rice cake, pampas grass on the day. When I was young, my mother and I prepared to make odango before that day. We always wished we could see the full moon, but sometimes the weather was not good, so we could not see it clearly. The custom of enjoying moon seems to differ considerably according to the region and each province. If I have a chance, I want to know the way of celebration, Otsukimi, in any other country .
Obon or just bon is a Japanese Buddhist custom honoring departed sprits of family’s ancestors. During Obon season, people welcome their ancestors which means real or not visual, souls and go to clean and wreath flowers or sakaki for graves. Then family gather and eat dinner together. But now, I think Obon is changing the entertainment from traditional event. One reason is Obon became holidays in the middle of August. Many people want to get a rest during Obon and go back to their hometown. For example, in Tokushima which my parents live has a festival called “Awa odori”, held from 12 to 15 August as part of the obon festival. It is one of the biggest dance in Japan. Every year, many ren(dance group) join and dance on the street. There are a lot of food shops and people really enjoy that. It is worth going to see. But I am regrettable in decreasing of the ream to dance original “Awa odori” gradually.
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20090514-00000622-san-soci
Mother’s day is a day to honor mothers and motherhood in May. It is marketed holiday, and many people generally give flowers such as carnations or roses in Japan. Nowadays the media suggest a plan “Let’s cook dinner for your mother!”. In a TV commercial, I see some children are cooking easy meal like curry and rice, then mother is surprised and she has a very happy face. Also we have Father’s day in June which is a day honoring fathers. It is not as popular as mother’s day.
This year I gave summer cloth for my mother. I could not do anything on that day but she was glad to get it. Soon, Father’s day is coming. My father’s birthday is in same month too, so I am thinking what I can do for him.
Tanabata is Japanese star festival in July. We celebrates the meeting of Orihime and Hikoboshi. Both of them are named from mythology. If the weather is nice at night, you can see the milky way which is a river made from stars that crosses the sky. Separated these lovers are allowed to meet only once a year. In present-day Japan, people generally celebrate this day by writing wishes and hang them on bamboo, we sometimes do decorations. There is a traditional Tanabata song:
Sasano ha sarasara(The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle)
Nokiba ni yureru(Shaking away in the eaves)
Ohoshi sama kirakira(The stars go twinkle, twinkle)
Kin Gin sunago(Gold and silver grains of sand)
Tanabata will be held next month. Why don’t you wish to the star festival?
http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/aya-ueto-releases-postage-stamps
http://www.japantoday.com/category/picture-of-the-day/view/tanabata
June bride means the couple celebrate a wedding in June. June is named after Juno who was goddess of marriage and a married couple’s household, so some consider it good luck to be married in this month. I can say girls and women yearn for wedding. It is wonderful and brilliant. When we go to someone’s wedding, we see everyone is happy in good atmosphere. Actually, I joined my brother’s wedding which bride and groom’s parents, relatives, friends gathered and celebrated. It was awesome. When I marry someday(Hopefully!), I would like to wear Japanese-style white dress and wedding dress:)
http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/tanimura-shows-off-wedding-gown-worn-in-drama
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