Semi Japanese
Had one of those classic “Japan is the strange mix of the traditional and the incredibly new” moments this morning (cue photos of maiko with mobile phones or temples right next to Tokyo Tower). My mobile phone alarm, which is always on manner mode (vibrate), buzzing on the table set off an absolute chorus of similar sounding horny male cicadas in the tree outside. Luckily the ami-do (nets on the windows) were closed and my J-phone mobile, though 4 years old and therefore embarassingly out of date (no TV function!) does at least remain a virgin.
The ancient, traditional part of my semi (cicada) Japanese story is the absolute fascination the Japanese have with these noisy little buggers. Part of it is them being the ultimate sign of the tsuyu rainy season finishing and summer really beginning- hence their pride of place in haiku poetry, where a subtle reference to the seasons has always been de rigueur. Partly it’s the Asian love of background noise that blocks out all thought- hence also students saying “My favourite music is BGM (background music)” and endless bosa nova loop tapes in cafes and posh restaurants. My other new theory is that the Japanese are more positive about their cicadas because they behave themselves better than cicadas in the Med- the ones in Turkey took to clinging to the jumpers of screaming girls in a stubborn and annoying way not unlike a Turkish waiter insisting that you choose his restaurant. Probably no connection to national characteristics though…
August 6th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
1> Confucius – think he meant stamp collecting…
2> The poor old cicada spends seventeen years underground as a kind of worm, you know, like a ninja grass-blade. He then breaks out of the tomb and into the air (not sure exactly how that bit occurs and wondering if anyone has ever sighted it? Or even, grass-hat on head, sat in a lodge and waited for it???), sheds his perfect carapace and womp! Not satisfied with merely incarcerating the poor blighter in a matchbox with air-holes (just imagine that), some ‘orrible rittle Nipponese children now take great delight in smashing the living daylights out of Semi-san with a plastic baseball bat.
You can imagine the reams of haiku emanating from that delightful tale of summer in the idyllic city parks…
August 6th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Thanks for the info. There must be a Attenborough! video on it somewhere inmy video shop, come to think of it.
Boys when I was at school used to do things with frogs that don’t bear mentioning, but lets try to look at it in a positive, school report kind of way and say it “took imagination”- so no national prizes for little boys being cruel…