Japan through the eyes of a six-year-old

This is not just any six-year-old, but my little (half) brother, Daniel. He often comes out with gems - some surprisingly knowledgeable and some just plain cute.

Daniel a couple of years ago, super happy making rice krispie cakes.

When I told Daniel that I'd be moving to Japan in September he wasn't too disheartened, figuring that since he'd be going to China anyway he could easily visit me in Japan, too. The next time he phoned he told me that he was excited to come to Japan. In a thick Barnsley accent (don't ask) he said:

'D'you know in Japan they have really, REALLY fast trains? They're so fast! They're called bullet trains. You can get one in Tokyo, where you'll be, so can we go on them when I come? I'm really excited about the trains! The trains and the kangaroos.'

So Japan according to a six-year-old? A country relatively near to China, characterised by Shinkansen and kangaroos.

En smak av Japan i Norge

Until I get to Japan (5 weeks and counting) I'm honing my chopstick skills whenever and wherever I can. It's sort of a race against time if I am to to eat in Tokyo.

This week I sampled sushi in Oslo, which proved both delicious and a bargain - by Norwegian standards at least. In Hasle a large box of sushi cost 109 krone; to put this in perspective half a pint of cider cost 80. Note to self: ditch the cider and spend on the sushi - good for the budget and great for chopstick hand-eye coordination.

Fersk fisk, Hvasser.

Who's afraid of Mr Bean?

The answer? Hikari and Hiyori, a pair of identical Japanese twins. 

In a lesson on British culture I asked the students which celebrities they could name, and to write which they liked and disliked. Walking around the class I saw the question 'which British celebrities do you not like, and why?' answered unanimously with 'none', or 'I like all celebrities', until I came to Hikari. Surprised, I tried not to laugh as I read her answer: 'Mr Bean, because his face is fearful'. Sitting a few seats down was Hiyori. Her answer? 'Mr Bean. His face is terrible to me'.

The idea that someone so beloved to children in Britain (and across the world) could inspire such fear in these twins (who wrote their answers independently, as far as I'm aware) at first made me giggle, and then made me think. It reminded me of an article a friend once sent me about children's stories in France:http://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2012/may/30/terrifying-french-childrens-books-in-pictures  

Mr Bean seems so harmless next to terrifying (not to mention inappropriately sexual) titles like 'La Visite de Petite Mort'. But perhaps 'the man with the rubber face' is just as unnerving; 'l'homme au visage de caoutchouc' does have a certain ominousness to it.