Intervju med Takahiro Uchiyama

Her er spørsmålene vi stilte til Takahiro Uchiyama, via Facebook før jul.

How many kanji signs are there, and how many do you need to know to read and understand a newspaper?
- There are over 50,000 kanjis! but in reality, you'll be fine with less than 3,000.

Do the cherry blossom trees have any special meaning? Do you celebrate them?
- No special meaning, we just like it because we see it when spring comes. It’s kind of an indicator of spring time.

Do you learn many foreign languages in school?
- Only English. It’s mandatory in junior-high and high schools. College students usually take second foreign language.

How many years do you have English in school?
- So, 6 years. Junior-high and high school. Oh, and in college, maybe around 2 years. So 8 years max of English education.

Is it obligatory to have uniforms in every school?
- No. it depends on the schools' policy.

Are there many churches in Japan?
- You mean like the Christian church? Yeah, but maybe not as many as in western countries.

Do you read much manga or watch anime?
- Hmmm both! But I think I like manga better. I personally don't watch TV.

Is kendo popular?
- Yeah, sort of. Some people like to do it. But sports like soccer and baseball are much more popular. Traditional martial arts are not one of the major sports.

What is your national food?
- Hmmm. There is no national food, although we have many traditional foods like sushi.

Is the potato a normal ingredient in Japanese food?
- Yeah, we see it throughout the year.

What do you think/know about Norway?
- It’s cold. The aurora!!!

Have you heard the song Fairytale by Alexander Ryback?
- No.

Do you like/know any Norwegian bands?
- Hmmm. no.... is Enya from Norway?

Is it normal to have house pets, and what kind is most normal?
- Yes, dogs and cats are the most popular. Out of the pet industry, probably 90% are a dog.... which sucks, because I love cats!