chibiguri (ちびぐり)

whilst in japan, chibiguri was exposed entirely to Japanese, with the result that he is now becoming truly bilingual at last. Where he would previously answer our comments (whether uttered in Japanese or English) exclusively in the latter language, he is now much more likely to use the Japanese answer. He is also beginning to put words together in more complete sentences and he is very responsive when one addresses him directly. He is also a remarkably polite little guy, consistently using such phrases as 'Thank you', 'Good Morning', etc.

He has also discovered that he really like Japanese baths. While we were in Japan, we went to an onsen (hot spring) in the Oita region of Kyushu. Onsens involve bathing in a group tub (divided into male and female sections). He first bathed with his grandfather and me in the men's section, but he enjoyed it so much that he insisted on bathing with his mother as well. and after I returned from Japan, the family went to another onsen, where he also insisted on bathing in the pools at least twice. He also has developed a liking for the Japanese bathing technique where the bather washes him or herself prior to soaking in the hot tub. He likes soaking! And now that we have acquired a shampoo hat to keep the water out of his eyes, he likes bathing even more.

Labels: bathing, Japan, talking