Last Thursday (November 3rd) was 「文化の日」 (“Culture Day”), a Japanese holiday on which the Japanese Emperor personally presents medals and awards to people who have contributed to Japan culturally in some way.
At this year’s ceremony, the Emperor presented awards to novelists, historians, scientists and actor 大滝秀治 (Hideji Otaki).
Japanese actor Hideji Otaki
Mr. Otaki has acted for over sixty years and has starred in numerous Japanese movies. But, for me, his greatest role will be as the grouchy father in the Kincho bug spray TV commercials a few years ago.
There’s one commercial in particular that I like. In this one, he asks his “son” what’s so special about Kincho bug spray and as his son begins to explain, he yells 「つまらん！お前の話はつまらん！」 (“Boring! What you say is boring!”).
I have always liked that commercial.
Here it is:
(On the subject of Culture Day awards, my wife’s late grandfather received a medal from the Emperor on 「文化の日」 (Culture Day) a number of years ago for his fifty years of service as a volunteer in the Tokyo Fire Department.)
Does your country have any ceremonies similar to Japan’s Culture Day awards that honors citizens’ contributions to the country?
And are there actors in your country like Hideji Otaki?
Tokyo Five 
I don’t watch many movies from my country…so I can share actors from my country to you.
I have never seen this actor, Hideji Otaki, before.
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>I have never seen this actor, Hideji Otaki, before.
I guess he isn’t known outside of Japan.
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He looks like a fun curmudgeon.
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>curmudgeon.
Honestly, I wasn’t familiar with this word. I had to look in a dictionary. It means “grouchy old man”, doesn’t it? 「扱いにくいやつ」 (Atsukai-nikui-yatsu) in Japanese.
It’s not easy to figure out that word’s pronunciation by looking at the spelling. I wish I could see it in Japanese カタカナ (katakana). 😉
>He looks like a fun curmudgeon.
Yeah, I think he is.
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Yes, there are quite a few ceremonies: Congressional Medal of Honor, President’s award, etc. Sorry, I can’t remember the names of all of the ceremonies, but we do have them.
I am not familiar with your actor, so cannot comment.
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>Congressional Medal of Honor, President’s award, etc.
I’ve heard of the Medal of Honor…but I’m not sure what type of things it’s awarded for. But I don’t think I’ve heard of the President’s Award before.
What are they awarded for? And is there an annual award ceremony like here in Japan?
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Please google, because I do not know.
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>Please google, because I do not know.
I’ll see what I can find.
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