Hanchou Episode 1 - Notes of Doom
Umm...We got a little carried away with the notes for this episode... ^^;; Maybe because it's the first one we got a little over-excited. Maybe...
In Japan, people are often referred to by their title rather than by their name, especially when everyone knows who is being spoken about. For the most part, we've left the titles when they've been used as forms of address and translated them when they're being spoken of as positions...
Hanchou - Squad leader. A "han" is a small group of people that work together as a group. "Chou" is a common ending for the titles for leaders. A boat captain for example is "senchou" (sen=boat, chou=leader). Thus, I've translated "hanchou" as "squad leader."
Kachou - Chief. Technically, a "kachou" is a "section chief," but in this particular situation the kachou is in charge of the whole station because the station itself is considered a subdivision of the main police station.
Keiji - This term is used for police detectives. Many of you may also be familiar with the term "tantei" which is also translated as "detective," but is generally used for private investigators rather than those employed by the police.
Kinjo-Meiwaku - Literally, "neighborhood nuisance," this term is used to refer to things that cause problems for your neighbors. Anything can be labeled "kinjo-meiwaku" from loud music, to pets, to small children, to not separating your trash properly, to having fragrant flowers in front of the place you live.
The concept is actually a good one in theory. Since Japan is so crowded and everyone has to live very close together, it is important to be aware of the effect your lifestyle has on the people living around you. Unfortunately, however, it can be used as a form of bullying, a type of discrimination, a means to degrade someone and try to drive them out of a community.
Separating trash in particular is a sensitive issue in many neighborhoods. A large percentage of the trash in Japan is burned because there isn’t enough space for landfills, so recycling has become a big thing. Not separating burnable trash, non-burnable trash, recyclables (paper, plastics, and cans), hazardous waste, and then getting them out to the designated trash collection point causes problems for everyone, not just the immediate neighbors. People are given comprehensive lists of what constitutes burnable/non-burnable trash and recyclables, with clear guidelines about what to do with potentially dangerous items (anything with sharp edges should be wrapped in newspaper and marked “Dangerous” in red marker). There are often also people in the neighborhood who take it upon themselves to check that the trash is being separated properly and in the designated area by the collection time.
Ihai - When Azumi asks, "is that your husband," it may seem strange to many, but he's referring to the wooden tablet, called an ihai, that Oota-san is sitting in front of. Traditionally, after a person dies, their name is written on a plaque to be placed near the family obutsudan (a small Buddhist altar kept in the home) in their memory. Many families have a special stand that houses several of these plaques. Every month, on the day of the death, the person's name is in the front. So, for example, your great-aunt died on November 5th, your great-grandmother on July 20th, and your uncle on February 17th, then on the 5th of each month your great-aunts name would be in the front, on the 17th of every month your uncle's name would be in front, and on the 20th of every month your great-grandmother's name would be in the front.
Ojama-shimasu - This is a set phrase used when entering a Japanese person's home. It literally means "I am going to bother you," and acknowledges the fact that you are both intruding on their personal space and imposing on their hospitality.
Itadakimasu - This is a humble form of the verb "to recieve." In Japan, it is used before meals to show one's gratitude, both for the lives sacrificed so that you might live and for the effort put into preparing the food. The indigenous religion of Japan is Shinto, and in it inanimate objects like trees and rock carry a "life force" and possess a "spirit" just as animate objects such as cats and cows and people do. In fact, there are stories about people being haunted by ghosts of objects they've mistreated and of people marrying the spirits of trees and foxes and even hydrangea bushes. One of the other major religions in Japan, Buddhism, also draws no distinction between the lives of animals, plants, and people. So the life of a person, a lettuce, a cow, and a fruit are all of equivalent worth. That is why when you eat you must give your food proper respect. You have killed so that you may live. Saying "itadakimasu" is a way of acknowledging this and expressing your thanks for their sacrifice. (note taken from the notes for Voice ep1)
Mama - The lady at the restaurant is not Azumi's mother, and she probably isn't the waitress' mother either. "Mama" is a term used to refer to ladies who run certain kinds of bars, clubs or restaurants, much the way "Master" is used for men.
Pachinko - Pachinko is a game that's part pinball and part slot machine. Gambling is, for the most part, illegal in Japan, but pachinko players by-pass the law by exchanging the small steel balls they win at the machines for prizes, and then taking the prizes outside to a small window and exchanging them for money.
This site has a few pictures of pachinko machines and other tidbits of info about them...
And this is the wiki article...
Hosts - For information on host clubs we encourage you to read our notes for the series GiraGira, particularly those for episode 1.
Suffixes - You may have noticed that we have chosen to keep the suffixes on the names instead of translating them to “Mr.” or “Miss” or leaving them off altogether. This is because we feel that they are an essential peek into the mindset of the Japanese. Which suffix a person uses can show how they feel about the person they're using it for.
The all purpose, general suffix of respect is “-san.” This is used for anyone who as been doing something longer than you have (see senpai/kouhai) and anyone who ranks higher than you do, unless you're using their title. The suffix “-chan” is a diminutive and implies that you think the person you’re using it on is cute in a fluffy bunnies and puppies sort of way. In this sense, it can also denote affection. That's why Azumi smiles when Toyo-san uses "-chan" for Kouhei.
The is the practice of using someone’s name without a suffix attached is called yobi-sute. It’s sort of odd because yobi-sute can be seen as anything from the ultimate in rudeness to the most romantically intimate thing you can do. This is because getting rid of a suffix erases all lines between you and the person you’re talking to. It makes you perfectly equal. That is why, within the unit, they refer to each other by last name only.
In Japan, people are often referred to by their title rather than by their name, especially when everyone knows who is being spoken about. For the most part, we've left the titles when they've been used as forms of address and translated them when they're being spoken of as positions...
Hanchou - Squad leader. A "han" is a small group of people that work together as a group. "Chou" is a common ending for the titles for leaders. A boat captain for example is "senchou" (sen=boat, chou=leader). Thus, I've translated "hanchou" as "squad leader."
Kachou - Chief. Technically, a "kachou" is a "section chief," but in this particular situation the kachou is in charge of the whole station because the station itself is considered a subdivision of the main police station.
Keiji - This term is used for police detectives. Many of you may also be familiar with the term "tantei" which is also translated as "detective," but is generally used for private investigators rather than those employed by the police.
Kinjo-Meiwaku - Literally, "neighborhood nuisance," this term is used to refer to things that cause problems for your neighbors. Anything can be labeled "kinjo-meiwaku" from loud music, to pets, to small children, to not separating your trash properly, to having fragrant flowers in front of the place you live.
The concept is actually a good one in theory. Since Japan is so crowded and everyone has to live very close together, it is important to be aware of the effect your lifestyle has on the people living around you. Unfortunately, however, it can be used as a form of bullying, a type of discrimination, a means to degrade someone and try to drive them out of a community.
Separating trash in particular is a sensitive issue in many neighborhoods. A large percentage of the trash in Japan is burned because there isn’t enough space for landfills, so recycling has become a big thing. Not separating burnable trash, non-burnable trash, recyclables (paper, plastics, and cans), hazardous waste, and then getting them out to the designated trash collection point causes problems for everyone, not just the immediate neighbors. People are given comprehensive lists of what constitutes burnable/non-burnable trash and recyclables, with clear guidelines about what to do with potentially dangerous items (anything with sharp edges should be wrapped in newspaper and marked “Dangerous” in red marker). There are often also people in the neighborhood who take it upon themselves to check that the trash is being separated properly and in the designated area by the collection time.
Ihai - When Azumi asks, "is that your husband," it may seem strange to many, but he's referring to the wooden tablet, called an ihai, that Oota-san is sitting in front of. Traditionally, after a person dies, their name is written on a plaque to be placed near the family obutsudan (a small Buddhist altar kept in the home) in their memory. Many families have a special stand that houses several of these plaques. Every month, on the day of the death, the person's name is in the front. So, for example, your great-aunt died on November 5th, your great-grandmother on July 20th, and your uncle on February 17th, then on the 5th of each month your great-aunts name would be in the front, on the 17th of every month your uncle's name would be in front, and on the 20th of every month your great-grandmother's name would be in the front.
Ojama-shimasu - This is a set phrase used when entering a Japanese person's home. It literally means "I am going to bother you," and acknowledges the fact that you are both intruding on their personal space and imposing on their hospitality.
Itadakimasu - This is a humble form of the verb "to recieve." In Japan, it is used before meals to show one's gratitude, both for the lives sacrificed so that you might live and for the effort put into preparing the food. The indigenous religion of Japan is Shinto, and in it inanimate objects like trees and rock carry a "life force" and possess a "spirit" just as animate objects such as cats and cows and people do. In fact, there are stories about people being haunted by ghosts of objects they've mistreated and of people marrying the spirits of trees and foxes and even hydrangea bushes. One of the other major religions in Japan, Buddhism, also draws no distinction between the lives of animals, plants, and people. So the life of a person, a lettuce, a cow, and a fruit are all of equivalent worth. That is why when you eat you must give your food proper respect. You have killed so that you may live. Saying "itadakimasu" is a way of acknowledging this and expressing your thanks for their sacrifice. (note taken from the notes for Voice ep1)
Mama - The lady at the restaurant is not Azumi's mother, and she probably isn't the waitress' mother either. "Mama" is a term used to refer to ladies who run certain kinds of bars, clubs or restaurants, much the way "Master" is used for men.
Pachinko - Pachinko is a game that's part pinball and part slot machine. Gambling is, for the most part, illegal in Japan, but pachinko players by-pass the law by exchanging the small steel balls they win at the machines for prizes, and then taking the prizes outside to a small window and exchanging them for money.
This site has a few pictures of pachinko machines and other tidbits of info about them...
And this is the wiki article...
Hosts - For information on host clubs we encourage you to read our notes for the series GiraGira, particularly those for episode 1.
Suffixes - You may have noticed that we have chosen to keep the suffixes on the names instead of translating them to “Mr.” or “Miss” or leaving them off altogether. This is because we feel that they are an essential peek into the mindset of the Japanese. Which suffix a person uses can show how they feel about the person they're using it for.
The all purpose, general suffix of respect is “-san.” This is used for anyone who as been doing something longer than you have (see senpai/kouhai) and anyone who ranks higher than you do, unless you're using their title. The suffix “-chan” is a diminutive and implies that you think the person you’re using it on is cute in a fluffy bunnies and puppies sort of way. In this sense, it can also denote affection. That's why Azumi smiles when Toyo-san uses "-chan" for Kouhei.
The is the practice of using someone’s name without a suffix attached is called yobi-sute. It’s sort of odd because yobi-sute can be seen as anything from the ultimate in rudeness to the most romantically intimate thing you can do. This is because getting rid of a suffix erases all lines between you and the person you’re talking to. It makes you perfectly equal. That is why, within the unit, they refer to each other by last name only.