I want to thank my friend Anne Marie for introducing me to the young man who is going to tell us about his life in Japan today. I know this makes me sound old, but it really is amazing how we can connect with people all over the world so quickly & learn about their day to day lives. So let’s get right to it and find out about our guest.
Q: Hi Yushi. Thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview. I’m sure our readers will be fascinated to learn about your home country Japan. First of all can you tell me what city or town you live in and a bit about what your life is like there? Do you have a large family? Tell me a little about them.
A: I live in Tokyo. I’m 17 years old. I have one older brother (19), 2 younger brothers (6 & 3), and 1 younger sister (13). We’re Christian and we’re home schooled.
Q: Could you describe your country’s flag? Tell me a bit about the colors and design and why they were chosen?
A: The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disc (representing the sun) in the center. In Japanese we call our country “Nippon.” In English that means “The Origin of the Sun”, but it is often translated as “The Land of the Rising Sun.” The RED circle in the center of the flag represents the sun, with the sun itself representing sincerity, brightness & warmth. Ancient meanings for the sun on flags also have association with hardiness, bravery, strength and valor. The WHITE field stands for purity and honesty.
Q: What is the primary language spoken in your country? Can you tell us the words for “Hello, how are you” in that language?
A: Japanese, of course! The standard way of saying “hello” in Japanese is “konnichiwa,” but there are actually several Japanese phrases used to greet someone. For example:
“moshi moshi” – This is the standard “hello” to use over the phone.
“ohayo gozaimasu” – When greeting someone before lunch, this is the standard way to say “hello.”
“konbanwa” – After dinner, people would begin greeting others with this phrase rather than “konnichiwa.”
“ogenki desu ka” – This is the standard way of saying “how are you?” in Japanese.
…But I use “Saikin Do?” a lot. The English equivalent of this Japanese question would be along the lines of “What’s up?” or “What’s new?”
Q: What are some of your favorite places to visit in Japan? And where would you recommend our readers visit if they were to win a dream vacation to Japan?
A: My favorite place to visit in Japan is Hokkaido! Hokkaido seafood is the best in Japan, and maybe even the world. There is also beautiful nature in Hokkaido.
Goko 5 Lakes in Hokkaido
I also recommend you visit Kyoto! Kyoto is a traditional, beautiful place.
The Golden Palace
Thank you so much Yushi for answering these questions. It has been wonderful learning about your home country Japan! If you enjoyed hearing from Yushi, please leave a comment to thank him!