22.2.22 22:22 and 22°

On the Japanese calendar, it is currently the year 「平成22年」 (“Heisei 22“). (Click here to read my FAQ about the Japanese calendar.)
So that means today’s date is 平成22年2月22日 (Heisei 22/2/22).

And the current time in Japan is 10:22PM…or 22:22 (on the 24-hour clock).

And, I’m serious, I just looked at the thermometer in my house…the temperature (indoors) is 22°C.

So, it’s “Heisei 22 February 22 at 10:22PM and 22°C”…or “22.2.22 22:22 and 22°“! 😉

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On a different subject…
I saw a chart of the sales tax rates for 145 different countries around the world.

When I came to Japan, the sales tax here was 3%. But about six years later, it was increased to the current rate of 5%.
Around the same time, the Japanese government passed a law that stores and restaurants must display the “after tax” prices on everything they sell.
It’s very convenient. The price displayed on everything in stores in Japan is the price you pay…no need to calculate sales tax.

Anyways, according to this list…
Canada‘s sales tax is 5%, same as Japan.
South Korea and Australia have 10% sales tax,
China and Brazil have 17% tax,
England‘s is 17.5%,
Russia is at 18%,
Germany, Holland and Greece pay 19% sales tax,
France is 19.6%,
Italy has 20% sales tax,
and Sweden, Denmark and Norway have the world’s highest sales tax rate…25%!

What’s the sales tax rate where you live?
Is the cost of living high? Are salaries high too?

Month names

Do you know the names of the months in Japanese?
They’re named “Month One“, “Month Two“, and so on in Japanese.

The names of the months are:

1. 一月 (Ichi-gatsu)
2. 二月 (Ni-gatsu)
3. 三月 (San-gatsu)
4. 四月 (Shi-gatsu)
5. 五月 (Go-gatsu)
6. 六月 (Roku-gatsu)
7. 七月 (Shichi-gatsu)
8. 八月 (Hachi-gatsu)
9. 九月 (Ku-gatsu)
10. 十月 (Jyuu-gatsu)
11. 十一月 (Jyuu-ichi-gatsu)
12. 十二月 (Jyuu-ni-gatsu)

But until about 900 years ago, the months had different names in Japanese.
These days, the old months’ names aren’t normally used except in poems and stories.
Occasionally people will call March, May and December by their old names.

These old names of the months in Japanese are:

1. 睦月 (Mu-tsuki)…it means “Harmonious month”.
2. 如月 (Kisaragi)…means “Month for an extra layer of clothes”.
3. 弥生 (Yayoi)…”Month of growth / life”. (Yayoi can be a girl’s name too).
4. 卯月 (Uzuki)…”Month of the Unohana flower”.
5. 皐月 (Satsuki)…”Month of the Azalea blossoms. (Also can be a girl’s name).
6. 水無月 (Mi-na-zuki)…”Month without water”.
7. 文月 (Fumi-zuki)…”Culture month”.
8. 葉月 (Ha-zuki)…”Month of leaves”.
9. 長月 (Nagatsuki)…”The long month”.
10. 神無月 (Kan-na-zuki)…”The month with no gods”.
11. 霜月 (Shimo-tsuki)…”Frosty month”.
12. 師走 (Shiwasu)…”The month of busy priests”

These month’s names are based on the old Lunar Calendar (that China still uses).
That’s why some of the month’s names might seem a bit off (for example, 水無月 (Mi-na-zuki)…”Month without water” is the month of June—which is Japan’s “rainy season“.
Japan uses the “solar calendar” now (same as Western countries)…speaking of the Western calendar, have you ever noticed that many of the month’s name seem wrong?
For example, September means “seven“, but it’s the ninth month…
October means “eight” (like “octogon” (eight sides) and “octopus” (eight legs)), but it’s the tenth month…
November means “nine“, but it’s the eleventh month…
and
December means “ten” (like “decimal” (based on units of ten)), but it’s the twelfth month.