受講生56　女性

質問内容

（以下、J：日本人試験官、N：ネイティブ試験官、A：受験者）

J: What is your name?

A: My name is ….

J: Where did you come from?

A: I came from Sumida ward where Katsushika Hokusai, a famous woodblock print maker in Edo period was born and had lived for about 90 years.

N: When is typhoon season?

A: Typhoon season is between the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Many typhoons hit Japan during the season. They hit Kyusyu, southern part of Japan most. We worry about typhoons during the season.

N: Is it good to visit Japan during typhoon season?

A: Of course it’s not good for you to come to Japan on the exact day when a typhoon will hit Japan, but autumn is the best season of Japan together with spring. In autumn, we have beautiful red and yellow colored leaves, and nature is so beautiful, and there are some matsuri in some districts.

N: What is matsuri?

A: Matsuri is a local festival at shrines. People living in the districts of the shrines get together and carry mikoshi, portable shrines, or dance a special kind of dance to dedicate to the god. There are many shops, stalls called yatai along the ways to shrines. You can find Japanese traditional toys, game, foods and so on at yatai and you can buy those items within 500 yen each, if you want to. I believe you can enjoy matsuri.

N: Was there any female ruler in Japan?

A: Excuse me?

N: Was there any female ruler in Japan ?

A: You mean an empress?

N: Yes.

A: Well, in old days we had female rulers. But recently, we do not have female rulers. If we could have a female ruler, it would be a very good thing. Because, Japanese society is not all but in some aspects men’s society. So, some women who work in the society sometimes have to work through various hardships. And so, if we could have a female ruler someday, there would be a good influence on the working circumstances of women.

N: Is there any earthquake in Japan?

A: Yes. A few years ago, we had a big earthquake in Yamakoshi village, a good quality rice producing region in Niigata prefecture. In Yamakoshi village, there were very beautiful nature and paddy fields which were like water-color paintings, but they were destroyed by the disastrous earthquake. Houses collapsed, and many other places were destroyed. One of my friends lived there and we had hard time during those days. As I told you, since the paddy fields were destroyed by the earthquake in the district where my friend lived, no rice could be produced for a while, though Yamakoshi village is a good quality rice producing region.

N: Where is Niigata prefecture?

A: It’s in northern part of Japan. Rather close to Tokyo. It’s about two hours from Tokyo by train. It has very beautiful nature and in winter you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. They produce good quality rice there, so you can enjoy tasty boiled rice, too.

N: What should you do when an earthquake occurs?

A: Well, if you are in the building, first of all, you should open the door. You can go out through the door when something happens. And don’t go close to the window, because it’s dangerous if glass will be broken. If you are on the road, cover your head with something you have. You have to be careful up your head. Something may fall from building and hit you. And then, find a safety place and evacuate as soon as possible.

N: What is Enka?

A: Enka is a Japanese old popular music. The words of enka are sake, fermented alcoholic beverage, a man and a woman, tears and lost love. Many songs of enka consist of sad stories. Rather old people like enka. They go to a karaoke box where the machine plays music while people are singing, and enjoy singing enka.

N: What is Kabuki?

A: Kabuki is a play and dance performed only by men with exaggerated masks and costumes at Kabukiza (Kabuki theater) at Higashi-Ginza. Its stage is colorful and very beautiful. You can borrow an earphone gadget. It explains plot, music, dance, and etc, of Kabuki in English to let non-Japanese audience enjoy Kabuki much more. Rental charge is 650 yen, but you have to pay 1,000 yen deposit. 1,000 yen will come back when you give the gadget back to the theater. Kabuki was very popular in Edo period. People enjoyed “Sewamono (the story of the commoners’ dilemma between social obligation and humane feeling)” and “Jidaimono (the story of historic events)”. I often go to Kabukiza to enjoy Kabuki. I believe you can enjoy it, too.

N: What is geisha?

A: A geisha is a grown-up woman who entertains guests dancing, singing songs or playing shamisen, a Japanese traditional instrument like a banjo, usually at a ryotei, a Japanese-style restaurant. She has trained many Japanese traditional things. She usually wears kimono, Japanese traditional clothing made of silk and a Japanese-style hairdo wig.

N: What is the difference between geisha and maiko?

A: A geisha is a grown-up woman, while a maiko is an about 16 or 17 years old girl?usually under 20. Both geisha and maiko are women who entertain guests singing songs, dancing and playing shamisen, a Japanese-style instrument like a banjo. A geisha wears kimono with short sleeves Japanese traditional-style clothes made of silk, while maiko wears kimono with long sleeves called furisode and a long and wide sash called darari-no-obi. A maiko is very beautiful like a Japanese doll.

N: Can I meet geisha?

A: Of course you can. Please come to Sumida ward. You can meet geisha at a Japanese-style restaurant named Sakurajyaya. If you pay a little more than 10,000 yen, you can enjoy delicious kaiseki-ryori, Japanese style dishes. And geisha will show you Japanese dancing. But please be sure to go to the restaurant during lunch hour. Because the charge will be very expensive in the evening.

N: That’s all for today.

A: Thank you very much. I enjoyed talking with you.

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