Folk Remedies to Ease the Sneeze

　　"Ah-choo!" Have you already caught a cold this winter? The common cold has been an all too familiar affliction to humans since ancient times. In Japanese classical literature, for instance, The Tale of Genji, which dates back to the Heian Period (794~1198), the common cold is described in some detail.
　　A cold is a viral disease of the respiratory system. It is often accompanied by fever, inflammation of the nose and/or throat, headache, and aches and pains. Colds are usually caused by the following factors in winter: dry and chilly air, exhaustion, lack of sleep, stress, unbalanced nutrition, and lack of exercise.
　　There are more than 200 different cold viruses, and you never have the same one twice. Being infected by one makes you immune to it - but only that one. Take care, as colds can lead to all kinds of other aliments. Along with medical treatment, traditional folk remedies also help with relieving a cold. The best thing about folk remedies is that they are available right in your pantry. Whilst exploring remedies in Japan, I also had an opportunity to ask several foreign students studying in Kyoto about how people deal with colds in their home countries.
　　In Japan, green tea is well-known for its proven health properties. Gargling with green tea is also effective as it contains certain sterilizing elements such as catechin which helps kill bacteria. It is not necessary to use fresh tea leaves as weak tea is sufficient. There are various other drinks that are used to relieve a sore throat and cough. Pour a generous amount of honey over diced daikon (Japanese radish) in a jar. Wait for a few days and drink the fluid generated at the top of the syrup. If you like umeboshi (pickled plum), try putting a pickled plum in a teacup with a slice of ginger and some brown sugar, then add hot water. For those who are feeling a little lethargic, perhaps Japanese eggnog is what you need. Place a soft-boiled egg in a bowl of sake and heat until the egg is soft. Then add honey or brown sugar to your liking. No appetite? A delicious ginger drink will soon reawaken your appetite. Pour hot water over grated ginger and add honey or brown sugar to suit your taste. To revitalize, green onion or garlic soup is a proven winner. Pour hot water over finely chopped green onion or grated garlic. Flavor with shoyu (soy sauce) or miso (soybean paste) and drink hot.
　　Here I would like to look into popular ways used to combat the common cold in other countries.
Switzerland:
Add a few drops of eucalyptus essence into boiling water. Drape a towel over your head and inhale the steam. This will decongest your sinuses and chest. Another remedy is to make a narrow hole in a turnip and fill it with crystal sugar. Leave it until juice comes out, which you then drink.
USA:
Chicken soup with egg noodles is perhaps the most common "comfort food". Hot honey lemon tea is a common drink.
Germany:
While honey lemon tea is also common, some people drink cola if they feel sick in the stomach, while interestingly, others drink warmed beer and then sleep in a heated bed. After waking up in a sweat, people usually feel much better.
Taiwan:
People go to a traditional Chinese doctor and have (herbal) medicine prescribed according to their symptoms. Taiwanese food is usually quite oily, but when suffering from a cold, people usually eat non-oily dishes such as hot rice porridge with boiled tofu (bean curd), boiled vegetables, mushrooms and dried pork.
Korea:
Yuzu (Chinese citrus-flavored) tea is considered effective both for preventing and curing a cold. Not only is it rich in vitamin C, but it also warms up your body. While many people may think kimchi (spicy pickles)is a favorite among Koreans, spicy chige (Korean pot-boiled soup) is perhaps even more popular.
Mongolia:
Mongolians eat garlic soup with mutton or horsemeat when they catch a cold. Horsemeat is believed to give people energy to conquer a cold. When kids have a cold, they are often given a string of garlic to hang around their necks. Hot- boiled milk is also thought to be effective. It's often the case that city dwellers head to the countryside to spend a day breathing fresh air.
Xinjang Uygur (China):
Cold sufferers are offered hot soup, boiled with mutton or lamb. Chopped carrot
(a whitish yellow colored one) and onion are often added.
China:
With the largest population in the world, there are of course a diverse range of home remedies to treat a cold. In Shanghai, people don't drink Chinese green tea when they have a cold. Chinese green tea is a cold-natured substance and should not be taken with Chinese medicine. Fermented tea (such as English tea), on the other hand is "warm-natured" and helps ease a cold.
　　Believe it or not, the highest concentration of cold virus germs are found under the thumbnail, although the viruses can survive for hours on skin or other smooth surfaces such as plastic and metal. Wash your hands as often as you can, ideally with disinfectant soap, especially when you have been in the company of those infected by a cold.
　　In any case, it is important to pay attention to what you eat. Minimize foods that may weaken immune functions, or stem the function of white blood cells. These include refined sugars such as white sugar, corn syrup, and alcohol. In fact, even natural sweeteners like honey, dried fruit, fruit juice, and concentrated fruit sweeteners are not good when taken in excess. Furthermore, reducing dairy products during a cold or flu outbreak will help minimize buildup of mucus and congestion. Needless to say getting extra sleep, drinking more fluids in the form of herbal teas and clean water, along with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables will strengthen your immunity and promote detoxification processes.
　　Consider all your medicinal options and remember "common-cold-sense" - eat well, sleep well, and exercise.

M. Matsushita

Water World Series
Canals of Kyoto
　　You may not have noticed, but there are several old canals in Kyoto City. Many of them are now rivers, which is why their history is not all that familiar to a lot of young people. Horikawa (堀川), Takase-gawa (高瀬川) and Biwako Sosui (琵琶湖疏水) are all examples of old canals which still remain today. Many people pass by these old canals everyday, but little thought is probably given to their background and what they once represented. Let us take a step back in time and see how they came about.
　　Horikawa River is in fact one of the oldest canals in Kyoto. It was built during the construction of the capital of Japan, Heian-kyo (平安京: now Kyoto), more than 12 centuries ago, to facilitate transportation of timber and other materials into the city center.
Timber companies lined along its banks for many years, and it is thought that the river was mainly used for this purpose until the Muromachi period (室町時代: 1392-1573). When the civil war, Oninnoran (応仁の乱), broke out in and around Kyoto in 1467, YAMANA Sozen (山名宗全), a powerful general, built his army's base camp on the west side of Horikawa. People therefore began calling the area Nishijin (西陣), or west army base, which it is still called today.
During the Meiji Period (1868-1912), Horikawa became famous for yuzen (友禅) dyeing, but it was also used for agricultural irrigation and other purposes. In those days, Horikawa River covered quite a long distance. It began in the north of Kamogawa River (鴨川) around Kitaoji Street (北大路通), ran along Shimei Street (紫明通) joining up with Horikawa Street underground, before travelling above ground from Imadegawa (今出川通) down to near Jyujo Street (十条通), where it was once again connected up with the Kamogawa. During the Second World War, to make way for an expansion of Horikawa Street on the west-side of the river (previously a road only existed on the east-side) many houses were pulled down. In the course of citywide flood control projects (construction of sewage and drainage infrastructure) during and after the war, the flow of water into the river was ceased. Much of Horikawa was thus filled up, with the remaining section running from just Imadegawa (今出川通) to Oike Street (御池通), left looking more like a huge concrete drain than a river (see above left).
　　Although "kawa", of the word, "Horikawa", represents river, it is the street that townspeople picture when they say "Horikawa". However, about 2 years ago a public petition to revive the canal was adopted by the city government, which has launched an ambitious project to recreate waterside leisure areas within the city. The project will start this year and it is planned to be completed by 2010. So, in the future people will be able to enjoy the sight of a real flowing "Horikawa", which for many, will be for the first time.
　　Takase-gawa is probably the most observed and well known among the canals, running through the heart of Kyoto's entertainment district, Kiyamachi-dori (木屋町通り). In a busy and bustling part of the city with few spots to relax and enjoy the view, Takase-gawa flows by unappreciated for much of the year, except for spring when the beautiful cherry blossom trees on its banks come into bloom. Takase-gawa is a long yet shallow canal, extending 10.5 km from Nijo Kiyamachi (二条木屋町) to Fushimi (伏見) in the south of Kyoto. The canal derived its name from the takase-bune (高瀬舟), a flat-bottomed, high-prowed boat used in shallow water.
　　The idea of building Takase-gawa first appeared in 1607 when TOYOTOMI Hideyori (豊臣秀頼) decided to rebuild a temple known as Hokoji Daibutsuden (方広寺大仏殿) at Shichijo Higashioji (七条東大路). SUMINOKURA Ryoi (角倉了以), who was responsible for ferrying building materials to the site, thought that the most convenient way would be to do so via Kamo-gawa River (鴨川). However, given the rivers tendency to flood during heavy rains, it had been dubbed abaregawa (あばれ川: wild river), and he concluded that a new canal should be dug. Furthermore, because Kyoto was surrounded by mountains in three directions, up until then goods had been delivered to the city by carts from southern and western river ports only. This made delivery of goods slower and less reliable, dependent on weather conditions.
　　The construction of Takase-gawa canal took 3 years to complete, and was officially opened in 1611. After that it became quite easy to move goods into the city center. All kinds of goods were loaded into Takase-bune boats at Fushimi river port, and from dawn boatmen hauled their boats along by hand, reaching the Kiyamachi area by the afternoon. It was hard work indeed! Kiyamachi Street was named after the many shops dealing in wood that lined either side. Of course there were other stores as well, many selling rice, charcoal, salt and so on. As Takase-bune boats could run even if the water level was very low, the economy in Kyoto became very stable. Takase-gawa was used until the early Meiji period, after (琵琶湖疎水) canal was constructed. You can still find Takase-bune stationed at Kiyamachi Nijo along the Ichinofunairi (一之舟入), where boats loaded and unloaded cargo. Takase-gawa runs almost silently, adding a sense of peace to otherwise lively Kiyamachi atmosphere.
　　Visitors to the Kyoto International Community House (KICH) near Keage Subway Station should have seen at least one part of the Biwako Sosui canal. Across the road from the Community House is the famous "Incline" or railway line that runs from the top of the hill to the bottom. In its heyday it was used to transport boats between the two separated waterways.
　　After the capital moved from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869, the government sought a means of maintaining the city's prosperity, which was feared would disappear after the transfer of the capital. The idea of building a waterway between Lake Biwa-ko (琵琶湖) and Kyoto had already been thought in the Edo Period (江戸時代: 1600-1867), however, due to technological constraints was not possible at the time. With the introduction of new technology and western engineering know-how, the local government saw an opportunity to open up new areas for regional trade linked through the canal. A young engineer by the name of TANABE Sakuro (田辺朔郎) was put in charge of the project. Part way through the building process Tanabe visited America and toured various water power plants. After this it was decided to add a hydro-electricity power plant to the project. By 1890 the canal and power plant facilities were completed, taking a total of 5 years and double the original budget. Thanks to the power plant, Kyoto became the first city in Japan to have trams powered by electricity. By the 1920's the development of other means of transporting goods saw the canal's role of water transportation changed to that of supplying drinking water to the city. If you have not seen the canal in the past, why not take the time to check out one of Japan's early engineering feats, just a stone's throw away from KICH.

R. Hakamada

Water-World Series:
Water-Related Sayings
　　There are many different types of sayings or kotowaza (諺) that are related to water. The following are just a few examples of commonly used sayings which you can study and practice with Japanese friends. Under the themes; America, Disputes, and Plastic Surgery, the usage of each saying has been simply illustrated. These sayings may add a little more flair to your Japanese!

1) America:
Water splashes into the ears of sleepers
寝耳に水 (nemimi ni mizu)
Meaning: A bolt from the blue, a complete surprise
Example: News of the terrorist attacks in America last September took us by complete surprise.
去年の９月のアメリカでの同時多発テロのニューズは私達にとって寝耳に水だった。
Even water can't enter
水も漏らさぬ (mizu mo morasanu)
Meaning: airtight (ex. security), thorough (ex. investigation)
Example: The Winter Olympic Games will be held in Salt Lake City in America this month. The Olympic Village is already under tight security (being closely guarded).
今月アメリカのソルト・レイクシティで冬季オリンピックが開かれる。オリンピック村ではすでに水も漏らさぬ警戒網がしかれてる。

2) Disputes:
Oil and Water
水と油(mizu to abura)
Meaning: To be incompatible, go together like oil and water
Example: Many people from all over the world gather for the Olympic Games. While at a glimpse it may seem like not all the (participating) countries get along, generally the athletes look beyond this, and just give their all.
オリンピックには世界中から大勢の人が集まる。中には一見水と油のような関係の国もあるが、選手達はそれを超えて全力を尽す。
To pour (something) into the water
水に流す(mizu ni nagasu)
Meaning: To discard one's troubles of the past; to let bygones be bygones; forgive and forget.
Water takes the shape of its container
水は方円の器に従う (mizu ha hoen no utsuwa ni shitagau)
Meaning: People change to match their environment/ take on the color of their environment.
Example: A man spends all his spare time watching TV, sprawling out on the carpet and eating snacks at home. His wife has always been disgusted with his bad manners. One day she lost her patience and shouted, "Don't behave so badly. Our children learn from imitating us. We have to set an example and make a favorable environment for them. There is a saying, "Water takes the shape of its container." After arguing for a while the husband finally apologized, and they forgave each other and soon forgot their quarrel.
夫は家暇さえあれば、寝そべっておやつをぼりぼり食べながらテレビ見ている。彼の妻はその行儀のわるさにいつもむかついている。ある日彼女は頭にきて、どなった「そんなに行儀悪くしないで。子供達がまねるでしょう。私達はお手本と示さくちゃ。私達は彼のためによい環境を作ってやるべきです。諺にもあるでしょう「水は方円の器に従う」って。しばらく反論をしていたが、おっとはついに彼女に謝った。彼らはお互いを水に流して仲直りした。

3) Plastic Surgery
Even water trickles
水もしたたる (Mizu mo shitataru)
Meaning: Breathtaking or stunning beauty
An argument with flowing
water
水掛け論 (Mizu kakeron)
Meaning: An endless dispute /debate
Example: There are pros and cons in regards to plastic surgery, which has in recent times become quite popular. Some people say "It amounts to a profanity to God", while others say, "Its fine if through becoming very beautiful, a person gains increased confidence in himself/herself and thus lives more positively as a result." As a contentious issue, this debate is unlikely to reach a consensus.
最近はやりの整形手術には賛否両論がある。ある者は「そんような行為は神への冒涜だ」という。またある者は「もしその人が水もしたたるいい女になって、体に自信を持ち、積極的に生きられたら、それもいいではないか」という。結局、この議論は水掛け論だ。

Y. Matsuda