Moist
By Roger B. Rueda

Some anglicized Japanese words

When I was in Barotac Nuevo, I had a Japanese friend. His name was Koji. I forgot his family name but of course never the words he had taught me. He also taught me hiragana, a Japanese syllabary, one of the four Japanese writing systems—and katakana, though this one is quite esoteric.   

I also in a causal way attended lectures conducted by a couple—Dr. Ildefonso Toledo and Dr. Veronica Toledo. They had been to Japan then and while they were training the fishermen for Japan in our office, I would ask them some words I didn't know.

The books which Koji gave my aunt helped me familiarize some Japanese words related to the arts. He also gave me a handbook with Filipino translation. It's peachy.

And believe me, learning Japanese is easier than learning Korean. Certainly, Korean is easy when one is good at pronunciation.

Who is not familiar with anime, a Japanese animation? Ask young children who are fond of watching early morning TV shows. How about bonsai? It is also known as tray gardening or the art of tending miniature trees. Well, speaking of bonsai, my former classmate at university is preoccupied intensely about it. She would haggle bonsai or bonsai books when we went to bookstores and fairs.

Bokeh is a subjective aesthetic quality of out-of-focus areas of an image projected by a camera lens. When it is used it's like this: The bokeh, or quality of the blurred image in the photograph, was described and discussed.

I would love choka, a long poem. It is a genre of Japanese poetry. Well, this might be befitting to Philippines Free Press. I mean its poetry section right now publishes longer length pieces.

Gaiden means outside legend. It is a side story. Maybe some Filipino students can make gaiden, too. I hope I can give you the rules.

A haiku is a very short poem consisting of three lines of 5, 7, and 5 units each. My friend poet Alain Russ Dimzon prefers this style. Because, perhaps, it is manageable and it is about nature. Try submitting your haikus to Home Life.

A hentai is an explicit sexual or pornographic artwork.

I met the term ikebana, a flower arrangement, when I was a grade schooler. Our home ec teacher taught us this. I can't remember if I won. I love flowers—and especially when arranged artistically.

Who doesn't know karaoke? Every home these days has a karaoke. Well, karaoke means an empty orchestra. It is an entertainment where an amateur singer accompanies recorded music. Which karaoke bar have you been to lately?

Manga is a comic book. While netsuke is a toggle use to tie the sash of a kimono also to attach small items such as inro, a small, usually ornamented box that is hung from the waist sash of a Japanese kimono and has compartments for holding small objects such as cosmetics, perfumes, or medicines.

I first encountered the term origami, artistic paper folding when I was a sophomore in high school. My mathematics teachers were the ones who taught us about it. But I didn't know origami well because I was not patient aside from smithing words.

Jessica Zafra may be an otaku, a geeky enthusiast of many things. In my case, I maybe an otaku of words—or poetry.

Renga, renged poetry, is a form of Japanese collaborative poetry. I first saw the term in Home Life. Usually this is done by fellows in writing workshops before parting ways. I love paintings and I like them when they are not very colorful—or when they monochromatic. And sumi-e, Japanese black ink painting is maybe what I like. I don't know where can I use a taik, a big drum. Maybe I can donate it to Bombo.

Well, tanka, short poetry, an older form of Japanese poetry than haiku will be liked by Dr. Leo. For one he prefers shorter poems.

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Happy wedding to Ms. Phoebe Biñas Piosca of Barotac Nuevo. She was wed to Mr Lawrence Wendam of Villa Arevalo last 10 March. My congratulations and best wishes!