My Favorite Word ― 2025/12/14
Lately, I’ve found myself fascinated by the word “ご婦人” (Go-Fujin). It’s a rather old-fashioned way to refer to a woman of a certain age, and its plural form is “ご婦人方.”
Sounds charming to me, but you should be careful when using this word. If someone too young uses it, it risks sounding pretentious. But at my age, I feel I can say it without seeming like I’m trying too hard to be refined.
The tricky part is that Go-Fujin doesn’t suit everyone—it’s picky about its addressee. For instance, a young woman is better called Ojo-san (お嬢さん). And even if you’ve reached the right age, you need a certain aura of elegance, a touch of detachment from everyday life. If you radiate too much “real-life energy,” then you’re not a Go-Fujin—you’re an Obachan, the loveliest and most powerful being in this world.
Then, who truly deserves the title of Go-Fujin? My current shortlist includes actress Hiroko Yakushimaru, Harue Ooka (wife of novelist Shohei Ooka, as mentioned in Fuji Nikki by Yuriko Takeda, 1977), and Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado. Does this selection give you an idea of what a Go-Fujin is like?
(Helped by Copilot)
Cursed？ ― 2025/12/14
Image retrieved from 福岡市中央区地行浜 男女2人 刃物のようなもので襲われる 逃げた男の行方捜査 殺人未遂容疑 | NHKニュース | 福岡県、事件・事故
Today, the Mark Is shopping center in Fukuoka became the scene of another horrific knife attack. A man stabbed both a woman and a man before fleeing the scene; he is currently at large.
Tragically, this is the second major violent crime to occur at this exact location. The first incident, in 2020, involved the fatal stabbing of a young woman in the restroom by a juvenile, a case that remains ongoing in the courts.
Is it just bad luck, or does this particular spot need more than just security—perhaps an exorcist? The reality is sinking in: the chance of being assaulted while shopping casually in central Fukuoka might be starting to feel more terrifying than a solo hike in the remote Hokkaido mountains. Something is deeply wrong here.
(Helped by Gemini)
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