Homepage 1.
Chocolate Time
Jungle books!
Fairy Tales
India Dreams
Jataka Tales
Lagoona
The Rising Sun
South America
Buffalo Trail
Dolls n Trolls
Asian Art 1
Nursery Rhymes
Music n Movies
Artistic Dreams
Little Verses
Homepage Two
Midnight Oasis
Pyramids
Snow - Time
Sun and Moon
Willow Pattern
Aztec n Inca's
North To Alaska
Caribbean Cola
Garden Tales!
Bockwurst Mash
HappyTalkinTalk
Homepage Three
Eurovision
Salsa Time
Moon and Sun
New Found Land
Tass an Matilda
French-Spice
Mr Bo Jangles
Photo's
Blog
Dr. Do-Diddily and the Dee-Dot's
The Rising Sun
"THE RISING SUN" IS "JAPAN"
Dr. Do-Diddily and the Dee Dot's

WELCOME TO A FEW OF THE LOVELIEST RECIPES I HAVE TRIED.
I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE OCTOPUS, MAYBE IT WAS THE WAY MY DAUGHTER COOKED IT, THOUGH I MUST ADMIT IT LOOKED MORE
LIKE CHICKEN THAN OCTOPUS
,Wink 


Totoro, I love Totoro. xxx


If you get stuck on any of the recipes, just click in the middle of the video screen and it will take you through to the video made by Cook with the Dog, inside his personal info at the right side of the
video. There is also quite a good bit of information on the different ingredients in the English Wikepeadea on the net.



Subscribe with Bloglines




Dee and Dot

Dr do-diddily and the dee-dot's

 外国語に訳された日本昔噺5

"Every cloud that spreads above and veileth love, itself is love."


Chin Chin Kobakama

           Once there was a little girl who was very pretty, but also very lazy. Her parents were rich, and had a great many servants; and these servants were very fond of the little girl, and did everything for her which she ought to have been able to do for herself. Perhaps this was what made her so lazy. When she grew up into a beautiful woman, she still remained lazy; but as the servants always dressed and undressed her, and arranged her hair, she looked very charming, and nobody thought about her faults.

At last she was married to a brave warrior, and went away with him to live in another house where there were but few servants. She was sorry not to have as many servants as she had had at home, because she was obliged to do several things for herself, which other folks had always done for her. It was such trouble to her to dress herself, and take care of her own clothes, and keep herself looking neat and pretty to please her husband. But as he was a warrior, and often had to be far away from home with the army, she could sometimes be just as lazy as she wished. Her husband's parents were very old and good-natured, and never scolded her.

Well, one night while her hushand was away with the army, she was awakened by queer little noises in her room. By the light of a big paper-lantern she could see very well; and she saw strange things. What?

Hundreds of little men, dressed just like Japanese warriors, but only about one inch high, were dancing all around her pillow. They wore the same kind of dress her husband wore on holidays,--(Kamishimo, a long robe with square shoulders),--and their hair was tied up in knots, and each wore two tiny swords. They all looked at her as they danced, and laughed, and they all sang the same song, over and over again,--

"Chin-chin Kobakama.

Yomo fukasoro,--

Oshizumare, Hime-gimi!--

Ya ton ton!"--

Which meant:--"We are the Chin-chin Kobakama:--he hour is late;--Sleep, honorable noble darling!"

The words seemed very polite; but she soon saw that the little men were only making cruel fun of her. They also made ugly faces at her.

She tried to catch some of them; but they jumped about so quickly that she could not. Then she tried to drive them away; but they would not go, and they never stopped singing "Chin-chin Kobakama, ... ." and laughing at her. Then she knew they were little fairies, and became so frightened that she could not even cry out. They danced around her until morning;--then they all vanished suddenly.

She was ashamed to tell anybody what had happened--because, as she was the wife of a warrior, she did not wish anybody to know how frightened she had been.

Next night, again the little men came and danced, and they came also the night after that, and every night--always at the same hour, which the old Japanese used to call the "Hour of the Ox:" that is, about two o'clock in the morning by our time. At last she became very sick, through want of sleep and through fright. But the little men would not leave her alone.

When her husband came back home, he was very sorry to find her sick in bed. At first she was afraid to tell him what had made her ill, for fear that he would laugh at her. But he was so kind, and coaxed her so gently, hat after a while she told him what happened every night.

He did not laugh at her at all, but looked very serious for a time. Then he asked:--"At what time do they come?" She ansvered:--"Always at the same hour--the 'Hour of the Ox."

"Very well," said her husband,--"to-night I shall hide and watch for them. Do not be frightened."

So that night the warrior hid himself in a closet in the sleeping room, and kept watch through a chink between the sliding doors.

He waited and watched until the "Hour of the Ox." Then, all at once, the little men came up through the mats, and began their dance and their song:--

"Chin-chin Kobakama.

Yomo fuk  Soro......"

They looked so queer, and danced in such a funny way, that the warrior could scarcely keep from laughing. But he saw his young wife's frightened face; and then remembering that nearly all Japanese ghosts and goblins are afraid of a sword, he drew his blade, and rushed out of the closet, and struck at the little dancers. Immediately they all turned into--what do you think?

Toothpicks!

There were no more little warriors--only a lot of old toothpicks scattered over the mats.

The young wife had been too lazy to put her toothpicks away properly; and every day, after having used a new toothpick, she would stick it down between the mats on the floor, to get rid of it. So the little fairies who take care of the floor-mats became angry with her, and tormented her.

Her mother one night sat up to watch, and saw them, and struck at them,--and they all turned into plumstones! So the naughtiness of that little girl was found out. After that she became a very good girl indeed.

Dee and Dot


There is also a story told about a lazy little girl, who used to eat plums, and afterward hide the plum-stones between the flor-mats. For a long time she was able to do this without being

found out. But at last the fairies got angry and punished her.

For every night, tiny, tiny women--all wearing bright red robes with very long sleves,--rose up from the floor at the same hour, and danced, and made faces at her and prevented her from sleeping.

Her husband scolded her, and she was so ashamed that she did not know what to do. A servant was called, and the toothpicks were taken away and burned. After that the little men never came back again.

THE ENDSubscribe with Bloglines





 IF YOU WISH TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE OF THE PLAY ASIA.COM
CATALOGUE PLEASE USE THE LINK WHICH WILL DIRECT YOU STRAIGHT
TO THEIR MASSIVE COLLECTION OF GAMES, MUSIC, FILMS ETC.

DR. DO-DIDDILY AND THE DEE-DOT'S


See the Christmas decorations on all the windows. Smell the scent of Christmas trees.
See tiny white snow crystals building up in front of your bedroom window?
 It's Christmas time again!
The season to be joyful and spend quality time with your loved ones.
We have games to suit everybody's Christmas stocking. From sports and action games for overactive siblings, to RPG's and Online games for your friends.
We also have fun learning aids for infants and retro-games that will bring back all the good memories
for
your parents and Grand parents.Holidays are for relaxation as well. To lower your blood pressure
and adrenaline levels,
we have things that you can enjoy just by sinking into your comfy chair.
Music and movies are essential! Start a movie marathon with your friends or choose a new genre of
music for an
exotic themed dance party. For those who prefer something more traditional, how about something colorful and cuddly underthe Christmas tree?
Do you need to fill Christmas stockings with candy? We have a range of sweets from Japan along with
cup noodles and apple wood scented tissue if you want to pad things up a bit. The presents will arrive on time, so don't worry.Santa's team and their well groomed reindeers are all on standby, ready to fly the goodies to your waiting hands.To avoid any shipping delays, Play-Asia.com recommends selecting a courier shipping method (such as UPS or FedEx) during the Christmas season. Get some inspiration
from this mailing and start thinking about what to get for your loved ones and hunt down some deals
for yourself! And best of all, two coupons have been included, which will help you save some cash on
this year's shopping spree.

But most importantly, Merry Christmas to you all!





Code VI-ZZP-ZAO


Get US$8 off a purchase of US$50 or more


Code PG-FBB-SFJ


Get US$12 off a purchase of US$100 or more

Both coupon codes are only valid until the end of 2009 and can be redeemed just once.
Feel free to pass either coupon to anyone else if you can't use it for yourself.
Please be reminded that shipping costs do not account for
 the minimum purchase amount and only one coupon
code can be used per order.
Coupon codes are further not valid in combination with our weekly special promotion.


The Xbox 360 is still many people's favorite console and this year the releases are really strong.

Left 4 Dead 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Assassins Creed 2 are just a few of the

blockbusters.If your budget is limited, pick up RPG classic Blue Dragon for only $19.90.

Don't forget, plenty of good Xbox 360 games are region free.

This and much more can be found in our Xbox 360 category pages.



Slowly but surely, Sony's PlayStation3 is picking up the pace.
Many of the top releases of this season are PS3 exclusives:

God of War Collection, Final Fantasy XIII and Demon's Souls.

For family fun under the Christmas tree,consider Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 or the recently price reduced Lego Batman. Explore even more in our PlayStation 3 categories.



More color, more games and more fun.
The Sony PSP, with its wide screen and beautiful graphics will open up the game world for you wherever
you go.
Find the system that suits your taste. We have a wide spectrum of colored PSP models and a range
of hot titles,
such as Naruto Accel 3, Invizimals and Disgaea 2. If you're looking for some good value fun,
try the RPG classic known as Final Fantasy Tactics.
What's more to explore for PSP? Check it out...

Still a PC gamer or simply want to play in the office during lunch break?
Connect with your friends and take on quests in Dragon Age: Origins and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.
Build your dream soccer team in Football Manager 2010 and PES 2010. Tap to the rhythm in DJ Max Trilogy. DJ MAX games have their Muse On controllers, play it the right way. There's plenty more to explore in our PC Games section.


Gaming, learning even composing music or playing sports games, the Nintendo DS really is a
 versatile
   handheld. Recently upgraded to Nintendo DSi LL, the hottest titles this year are: Pokemon [Heart Gold and Soul Silver version], Phantasy Star 0, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Scribblenauts.

Revived for the NDS, it's high time to get Chrono Trigger now, at a lower price too. Find a ton of fun in our large selection of Nintendo DS titles




You can create a whole world of heroes and monsters under your Christmas tree.
Carefully painted and crafted, these figures are here to join your collection.

Popular figurines include the Link from Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a classic style Sonic the Hedgehog statue, Metal Gear Solid: Naked Snake and The Boss, Date Masamune and Sanada Yukimura from

Basara and Monster Hunter Trading Figures. Hundred of different figures can be found in our

Statues & Action Figures and Trading Figures categories.



Looking for something cute for a loved one? We offer a wide range of adorable plushies in all sizes.

A couple of Nintendo mascots are here waiting to be adopted.

Here is the round and soft Kirby in a number of costumes and of course Mario and friends.

Keep track of your pet or baby siblings wherever you go with Rovio Mobile Webcam.

Prefer more interactivity?

We have Hovercrafts in the R/C Toys category and the Gopher Handheld for Mega Drive games.

Lastly, see our toys categories for more shopping ideas.



Not satisfied with the Christmas TV Program? How about Chinese Blockbusters Red Cliff 1
and Red Cliff 2 or the conclusion to
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete.
See our Blu-ray Discs and Hong Kong movies for inspiration. Don't forget there is a
10% discount for all Japanese music CDs.
Now is the time to try something completely new:

Arashi, Kinki Kids Swan Song, K-On! Band Score, Soldner-X Soundtrack , and more.

Don't forget our large video game soundtracks collection. There's plenty more to explore in our

Movies and Music pages.





Still looking for ideas? Great! Check out our Japanese Anime series.
You name it, we have it. K-On, Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam,
 Final Fantasy, Macross, Code Geass and of course Neon Genesis Evangelion, just to name a few.
Play around with our search function and you will find thousands of Japanese Anime related games,
movies, soundtracks, toys and gadgets at Play-Asia.com.

There is also the Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress for PlayStation 2.

Those who love this console, take a look at our PS2 category for more games.

Computer wizards can get the GP2X Wiz. Developed by gamers for gamers, let loose your creativity

and share your brainchild with the growing community.

If you have time to browse a bit, check out our bargains section for hundreds of reduced price

products. The items here change constantly, be sure to check regularly for updates. Revive your

childhood memories and put your classic consoles to use again. Forget about the fancy graphics and 3D environments, just enjoy speed, speed and speed in Rush Rush Rally Racing

[Standard and Deluxe Editions].

Drown your screen in energy beams and explosions with Last Hope: Pink Bullets for Dreamcast.

Have you realized recently that your classic console has broken down and are feeling down?

You can stop moping around with the Mega Drive Twin Pad Player.

See our Dreamcast, PS One, Sega Saturn, Super NES, PC-Engine, NES and beyond categories for more

shopping ideas. Stuck in a game but find asking your friends for help too embarrassing?

Don't worry, we've come to the rescue! See our range of game guides and search for the right tips.

Besides tips, admire the design and artwork of games through their artbooks.

Some of the most popular artbooks are Shadow of the Colossus, Biohazard the Umbrella Chronicles

and Persona 3: Official Design Works. After Christmas, new year will only be a few days away,

get your calendar for 2010. Thinking about using your holidays for something educational?

If gaming your anime are your hobbies, why not give learning an Asian language a try?

Play-Asia.com has all the tools to get you started. Check out our softwares and flash cards.

Some of the useful products for language learning are Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten, My Japanese Coach and My Chinese Coach, so give yourself a head start this holiday season.

More upcoming product releases can also be found in our Games, Toys, Movies & Music dedicated preorder lists. Play-Asia's bestsellers are listed up in every product category, giving you an extra

opportunity to make the right decision.

Disclaimer: This e-mail has been sent to you as you are either registered as a customer at Play-Asia.com or have subscribed to our newsletter. This e-mail is a once-a-year promotion only. Both coupon codes listed in this e-mail are only valid until the end of 2009 and can be redeemed just once.Feel free to pass either coupon to anyone else if you can't use it for yourself. Please be reminded that shipping costs do not account for the minimum purchase amount and only one coupon code can be used per order. Coupon codes are further not valid in combination with our weekly special promotion.In case of any dispute, the final decision shall be made by Play-Asia.com.

If you have any questions regarding this mailing, please feel free to contact our customer service.

Dr. Do-Diddily and the Dee Dot's
Little Peachling.

 "I have copied this from the lovely Wikipaedia again, I do love this online encyclopeadia, wonderful. And so what is it about. Only this fabulous shoppin area on line in Japan. so I will  just let you go woander round and enjoy yourselves. Hey don't forget to come back !"

Lovely or what!

Rilakkuma (リラックマ; a combination of the Japanese pronunciation of relax and the word for bear) is a      

                             "JapaneseSan-X company."

Rilakkuma debuted in 2003. All that is known about Rilakkuma's back story is that one day he appeared in the apartment of an office worker named Kaoru. Rilakkuma wears brown bear suits. In picture books Rilakkuma is frequently seen sitting around waiting for suits that look exactly like him to dry on the clothes line. When Rilakkuma's mysterious zipper located on his back is opened, you can see parts of a light blue polka dot pattern. When he has his bear costume off he is always wearing a spare costume. True to his name, Rilakkuma greatly enjoys relaxing. This includes sleeping, laying around, watching tv, and soaking in hot springs.

[1] He loves using Kaoru's yellow bean bag pillow.

[2] He is often accompanied by Korilakkuma, who is a smaller white bear with a mischievous personality, and Kiiroitori, a yellow chick who plays a tsukkomi role (considered to be the smarter, more logical one who criticizes others for making mistakes). Kiiroitori is basically the opposite of Rilakkuma because of the bird's hard-working nature and love of cleaning.

This is the store I found quite by accident.

[1] Kiiroitori is Kaoru's bird. Kiiroitori is always nagging Rilakkuma on how lazy he is.

[2]music. He loves being a troublemaker.

[2] Rilakkuma's favorite foods include mochi, pancakes, dumplings, flan, and doughnuts. Rilakkuma once lied to Kiiroitori and Korilakkuma by telling them his ears were made out of castella. They then proceeded to bite his ears.

[3] A character produced by the Korilakkuma frequently plays pranks on Rilakkuma whilst he is sleeping, such as drawing on him, putting headphones on him and sewing odd color patches on his bear suits. Because Korilakkuma is still a child, he doesn't know how to speak very well but can often be found copying what Rilakkuma is saying. It is not known where Korilakkuma came from, he just seemed to appear. Korilakkuma also loves




Not all of these little films are from Rilakkuma, they all seem very short and the same so there are a few more as well. xxx Dr Do-Diddily. xxx

The San-X company puts staff members under obligation to create one cute character per month. Aki Kondo (also the creater of Okutan to Dannachan) saw a TV show about dogs. She wished to own a pet because at that time she was very busy working and hoped for a more relaxing life. Rilakkuma is an embodiment of her wish.


Rilakkuma World Forum Index

I don't think Rilakkuma World is connected to San X,

it is just someone Blog! I think.


[4]

In July 2009, Bandai released an exclusive edition of Rilakkuma-themed notebook computers.


Subscribe with Bloglines
 Dr. Do-Diddily and the Dee-Dot's

Little PeachlingLittle Peachling

MANY hundred years ago there lived an honest old wood-cutter and his wife. One fine morning the old man went off to the hills with his billhook, to gather a faggot of sticks, while his wife went down to the river to wash the dirty clothes. When she came to the river, she saw a peach floating down the stream; so she picked it up, and carried it home with her, thinking to give it to her husband to eat when he should come in. The old man soon came down from the hills, and the good wife set the peach before him, when, just as she was inviting him to eat it, the fruit split in two, and a little puling baby was born into the world. So the old couple took the babe, and brought it up as their own; and, because it had been born in a peach, they called it Momotarô, or Little Peachling.

By degrees Little Peachling grew up to be strong and brave, and at last one day he said to his old foster-parents—

"I am going to the ogres' island to carry off the riches that they have stored up there. Pray, then, make me some millet dumplings for my journey."

So the old folks ground the millet, and made the dumplings for him; and Little Peachling, after taking an affectionate leave of them, cheerfully set out on his travels.

As he was journeying on, he fell in with an ape, who gibbered at him, and said, "Kia! kia! kia! where are you off to, Little Peachling?"

"I'm going to the ogres' island, to carry off their treasure," answered Little Peachling.

"What are you carrying at your girdle?"

"I'm carrying the very best millet dumplings in all Japan."

"If you'll give me one, I will go with you," said the ape.

So Little Peachling gave one of his dumplings to the ape, who received it and followed him. When he had gone a little further, he heard a pheasant calling—

"Ken! ken! ken! where are you off to, Master Peachling?"

Little Peachling answered as before; and the pheasant, having begged and obtained a millet dumpling, entered his service, and followed him. A little while after this, they met a dog, who cried—

"Bow! wow! wow! whither away, Master Peachling?"

"I'm going off to the ogres' island, to carry off their treasure."

"If you will give me one of those nice millet dumplings of yours, I will go with you," said the dog.Little Peachling

"With all my heart," said Little Peachling. So he went on his way, with the ape, the pheasant, and the dog following after him.

When they got to the ogres' island, the pheasant flew over the castle gate, and the ape clambered over the castle wall, while Little Peachling, leading the dog, forced in the gate, and got into the castle. Then they did battle with the ogres, and put them to flight, and took their king prisoner. So all the ogres did homage to Little Peachling, and brought out the treasures which they had laid up. There were caps and coats that made their wearers invisible, jewels which governed the ebb and flow of the tide, coral, musk, emeralds, amber, and tortoiseshell, besides gold and silver. All these were laid before Little Peachling by the conquered ogres.

So Little Peachling went home laden with riches, and maintained his foster-parents in peace and plenty for the remainder of their lives.

The Boy who drew Cat's Subscribe with Bloglines
Dr Do-Diddily and the Dee - Dot's

 
The Boy who loved to Draw Cats


A LONG, long time ago, in a small country-village in Japan, there lived a poor farmer and his wife, who were very good people. They had a number of children, and found it very hard to feed them all. The elder son was strong enough when only fourteen years old to help his father; and the little girls learned to help their; mother almost as soon as they could walk.

But the youngest child, a little boy, did not seem to be fit for hard work. He was very clever,-cleverer than all his brothers and sisters; but he was quite weak and small, and people said he could never grow very big. So his parents thought it would be better for him to become a priest than to become a farmer. They took him with them to the village-temple one day, and asked the good old priest who lived there, if he would have their little boy for his acolyte, and teach him all that a priest ought to know.

The old man spoke kindly to the lad, and asked him some hard questions. So clever were the answers that the priest agreed to take the little fellow into the temple as an acolyte, and to educate him for the priest hood.

The boy learned quickly what the old priest taught him, and was very obedient in most things. But he had one fault. He liked to draw cats during study-hours, and to draw cats even where cats ought not to have been drawn at all.

Whenever he found himself alone, he drew cats. He drew them on the margins of the priest's books, and on all the screens of the temple, and on the walls, and on the pillars. Several times the priest told him this was not right; but he did not stop drawing cats. He drew them because he could not really help it. He had what is called "the genius of an artist," and just for that reason he was not quite fit to be an acolyte;-a good acolyte should study books.

One day after he had drawn some very clever pictures of cats upon a paper screen, the old priest said to him severely: "My boy, you must go away from this temple at once. You will never make a good priest, but per haps you will become a great artist. Now let me give you a last piece of advice, and be sure you never forget it. Avoid large places at night;-keep to small!"

The boy did not know what the priest meant by saying, "Avoid large places;-keep to small." He thought and thought, while he was tying up his little bundle of clothes to go away; but he could not understand those words, and he was afraid to speak to the priest any more, except to say good-by.

He left the temple very sorrowfully, and began to wonder what he should do. If he went

straight home he felt sure his father would punish him for having been disobedient to the priest: so he was afraid to go home. All at once he remembered that at the next village, twelve miles away, there was a very big temple. He had heard there were several priests at that temple; and he made up his mind to go to them and ask them to take him for their acolyte.
Now that big temple was closed up but the boy did not know this fact. The reason it had been closed up was that a goblin had frightened the priests away, and had taken possession of the place. Some brave warriors had afterward gone to the temple at night to kill the goblin; but they had never been seen alive again. Nobody had ever told these things to the boy;-so he walked all the way to the village hoping to be kindly treated by the priests!

When he got to the village it was already dark, and all the people were in bed, but he saw the big temple on a hill at the other end of the principal street, and he saw there was a light in the temple. People who tell the story say the goblin used to make that light, in order to tempt lonely travelers to ask for shelter. The boy went at once to the temple, and knocked. There was no sound inside. He knocked and knocked again; but still nobody came. At last he pushed gently at the door, and was quite glad to find that it had not been fastened.

So he went in, and saw a lamp burning,-but no priest.

He thought some priest would be sure to come very soon, and he sat down and waited. Then he noticed that everything in the temple was gray with dust, and thickly spun over with cobwebs. So he thought to him self that the priests would certainly like to have an acolyte, to keep the place clean. He wondered why they had allowed everything to get so dusty. What most pleased him, however, were some big white screens, good to paint cats upon. Though he was tired, he looked at once for a writing-box, and found one, and ground some ink, and began to paint cats.

He painted a great many cats upon the screens; and then he began to feel very, very sleepy. He was just on the point of lying down to sleep beside one of the screens, when he suddenly remembered the words, "Avoid large places;-keep to small!"

The temple was very large; he was all alone; and as he thought of these words,-though he could not quite understand them-he began to feel for the first time a little afraid; and he resolved to look for a small place in which to sleep. He found a little cabinet, with a sliding door, and went into it, and shut himself up. Then he lay down and fell fast asleep.

Very late in the night he was awakened by a most terrible noise,-a noise of fighting and screaming. It was so dreadful that he was afraid even to look through a chink of the little cabinet: he lay very still, holding his breath for fright.

The light that had been in the temple went out; but the awful sounds continued, and became more awful, and all the temple shook. After a long time silence came; but the boy was still afraid to move. He did not move until the light of the morning sun shone into the cabinet through the chinks of the little door.

Then he got out of his hiding-place very cautiously, and looked about. The first thing he saw was that all the floor of the temple was covered with blood. And then he saw, lying dead in the middle of it, an enormous, monstrous rat,-a goblin-rat,-bigger than a cow!

But who or what could have killed it? There was no man or other creature to be seen. Suddenly the boy observed that the mouths of all the cats he had drawn the night before, were red and wet with blood. Then he knew that the goblin had been killed by the cats which he had drawn. And then also, for the first time, he understood why the wise old priest had said to him, "Avoid large places at night;-keep to small."

Afterward that boy became a very famous artist. Some of the cats which he drew are still shown to travellers in Japan.

 Subscribe with Bloglines
Dee and Dot

I am not sure if any of you have ever seen the wonderful films of Studio Ghibli. Unfortunately you can't download them nor can anyone else they are much to precious and like Disney only limited films of the Studio make their way to the Television. Everyone of them are brilliant, though some, i.e. The Grave of the Fireflies, are not suitable for younger children. As with all my playlists I always stress that adults look through the films I suggest first because not every one has the same taste. These are just the trailers of some of the Ghibli films. Totoro, all my grandchildren adore, as well as Weeping Camel, Cave of the Yellow Dog, Kiri's Delivery Service, all of them really. Enjoy xx Dr. Do-Diddily.


Support the KoreanWiz website by clicking on this banner when ordering from YesAsia


Dee and Dotdr. do-diddily and the dee-dot's
Custom Search






This mixture is of asian origin, mainly Japanese but there my be a few odd one about.
I love Kat Tun, I find their music and beat brilliant, and the lads are nice looking too.

Subscribe with Bloglines
 THE MOON MAID

        It was towards the end of a dreary day's work. Old Miyakko, the bamboo cutter, was toiling on with his mind full of poverty and the coming winter. All at once he saw a silver light shining among the reeds. He bent down and saw a little girl about four inches long. She was alive, and glowed like a diamond.
     
       The old man gathered the little creature up and ran home, with a pounding heart.
He was so afraid his wife wouldn't let him keep the child! But she too, fell in love with the tiny, helpless thing. They christened her Kaguya, and we had better call her that for the English version is  'Precious-Slender-Bamboo-of-the-Field-of-Autumn.'

        Now every time the old man went to work he found gold among the reeds, and in a few days he was a very rich man. Meanwhile Kaguya grew at an amazing rate. In three months' time she was quite grown up, and so beautiful that it made the heart stand still to look at her. She was as graceful as an emperor's daughter, and as gentle as a child. The old bamboo cutter loved her devote
dly.
       Very soon the tale of Lady Kaguya's beauty drew a crowd of
suitors to the house, but she begged her father to tell them all she would never marry, and she wished to live in retirement with her parents. At this most of her suitors had the good taste to withdraw, but four remained obstinate. They spent the whole day waiting to catch a glimpse of the damsel, and the whole night in serenading her. The home life of poor Miyakko was completely ruined.
    "I will rid you of them," said the Lady Kaguya at last. "Tell the noblemen that I w
ill wed the one who first brings me back what I bid him. Let Prince Ishizukuri go to India and bring back the bowl that the Buddha used. Let Prince Kuramochi go across the Eastern ocean and bring from the mountain Horai a branch of the tree whose roots are silver, whose trunk is gold, and whose fruits are of jade.  Let the Dainagon bring me a robe made of the flame proof rat's pelt which comes from Morokoshi. Let the Chinnagon bring me the rainbow coloured jewel which is hidden in the sea dragon's head."
      When this message was delivered the four men eagerly promised to do these little errands, and went away. All four shut themselves up at home and spread rumours that they had started off on their travels.
   When three years were up Ishizukuri bought an old stone bowl and took it to the Lady
Kaguya.
   "Ah, lady," he cried, "What years of hardship, peril, and sorrow it has cost me!
But now I feel as though all my labours had been a dream!"
   "The Lady Kaguya replied:  "A holy light shines from the Buddha's bowl. Look there is no light here!"
   "What could shine beside your beauty? Who sees a star when the Sun is up?" said the prince: but the Lady Kaguya was unmoved.
   Then in came Kuramochi with a golden branch hung with fruit of jade.
The Lady Kaguya turned pale at the sight of it and listened sadly to the prince's description of his travels. He said he had found the tree in the forest of jewel-laden bushes by a stream whose waters were blue and gold. But he was interrupted by the entrance of five jewellers who demanded payment for their work. Kaguya laughed, and gave the workmen twice what they asked in her joy of escaping.
   Next the Dainagon came in with a wonderful fur robe, it was green tipped with gold, and
he had bought it from a merchant who swore it was made from the pelt of the flame proof rat. But no sooner did Kaguya throw it on the fire than it burned like any ordinary fur.
     The Chinnagon never returned. He sent his servants out in a ship to look for the jewel in the sea-dragons head. Time passed without news and at length he decided to set sail himself. but a furious storm arose. He became very sick and very frightened.
  "Oh noble, honourable, beautiful Sea Dragon." he cried, "do not lash the waters into
tempest! I swear I will never touch your jewel!"
 His ship was driven ashore. The Chinnagon tottered and fell on the sand, wailing that he was wrecked on a desert island.
At length his servants made him understand that he was quite near home and he crept back there, cured of his love.
    
    Now when the Mikado heard of Kaguya's extraordinary loveliness, and he sent a message to Miyakko bidding him send his daughter to court. But Kaguya wept and refused to go. She was afraid. She cried; she besought her father not to send her there. So the old man went to the Mikado himself, and besought him to forgive his child's disobedience.
   "Try to persuade her to come," said the Emperor, "and I will make you a Nobleman".
But nothing would move Kaguya. Her parents and her garden where all she wanted to make her happy. The Mikado's curiosity was aroused, so he arranged a royal hunt which
would take them close to Miyakko's house. Entering suddenly he met a girl of unearthly beauty. He offered her his love, but she refused it weeping and trembling. Then he ordered his men to carry her off by force. But all at once she became invisible.
It was now the Mikado's turn to be frightened, and after asking her forgiveness he rode away.
   For a few more years Miyakko, his wife, and their adopted child lived happily together; then a change came over Kaguya. She was continually thoughtful and sometimes she wept. The moon was waning, and she seemed to wane with it. At length she came to the old man and hiding her tears on his shoulder, she said:

    "O father, I must leave you before long! At the next full moon they will come to fetch me. I am a Moon-maiden, dear father, and for a fault I committed, I was sent to Earth. But the place of my exile has grown dear to me, and I love you tenderly!"
   The old man hastened to the Mikado, who sent soldiers to guard the house, even though Kaguya told him it was useless.
    The night of the full moon came. The starlight made it almost as bright as day. A little after midnight a cloud appeared. It drew closer. A company of shining people stood upon it, surrounding a palaquin hung with curtains.
Most of the soldiers fled in horror, but some shot their arrows at the invaders but the shafts fell back to the earth. The palaquin hovered closer and closer to the house, the outer lattice work and then the door flew back to reveal Kaguya, with her women huddled about her, and Miyakko helpless besides her.
   "Come forth Kaguya," cried a voice from inside the car. "It is time!"  Kaguya clung to her father, but at the second calling she went forward, crying bitterly. One of the messengers gave her a cup of the Elixir of Life. She drank some and tried to give some to her father, but she was stopped. Then just before they were to take her away she was allowed to embrace her mother and father one last time.
Going back to the palaquin she was immediately wrapped in a feathered cloak of forgetfulness, and as the cloud drifted upwards so the Child of the Earth once more became a Child of Night again. Miyakko and his wife never forgot their beautiful Kaguya, but before Kaguya had left their world, her years were forgotten, taken away by the cloak of feathers.    
Subscribe with Bloglines

this site  zoomshare  the web