Laksa vs Rakusa らくさ

Do you know the meaning of both the word laksa (in Singapore context) and rakusa らくさ (in Japanese context)?

Note: Both laksa and rakusa らくさ have the same pronunciation.

Laksa is a spicy cuisine in Singapore. It is a coconut curry soup with thick rice noodles, usually served with sliced fish cakes and fried bean curd puffs. The eateries in Singapore usually customise their laksa with a wide range of ingredients such as seafood and chicken. Despite the warm and humid climate, this spicy dish is rather popular in Singapore.

Now, are you craving for a bowl of  piping hot laksa? =P

Although laksa and rakusa らくさ have the same pronunciation, their meanings differ to a large extent.

Do you want to take a guess at the meaning of rakusaらくさ?

In the Japanese Language, the word rakusa らくさ（落差） means difference.

For example, risou to genjitsu no rakusa 理想と現実のらくさ means the difference between ideal and reality.

The Japanese (especially the older generations) enjoy playing with common-sounding words to create a humorous or rhetorical effect. This is known as dajare in Japanese. It is actually similar to punning in the English Language. Using both laksa and rakusa, we can create a dajare as follows:

 

シェフが変わってから、特にラクサの味の落差がはげしい。

(Shefu ga kawatte kara, toku ni rakusa no aji no rakusa ga hageshii.)

Meaning: The taste of the laksa differs to a great degree after a change of chef.

 

Perhaps, it might be a little difficult for some to enjoy this pun if you do not have some knowledge of the Japanese language. However, at least we have learnt the meaning of both words for now :)

 

If you have enjoyed this dajare entry, please stay tuned for more! We will be updating the blog with similar entries every now and then. If you don’t, let us know what you would like us to write about. Who knows? Your idea may be the next entry we will be working on. :)

The Origin of the Tanabata Festival （七夕の由来）

Tanabata is one of the five seasonal festivals 五節句 (gosekku) that were celebrated when Japan was using the lunar calendar but are still observed after Japan started using the Gregorian calendar on 1 Jan 1873.  Tanabata was originally celebrated on 7 July on the lunar calendar and is now celebrated on 7 July or 7 August (7 July on the lunar calendar roughly falls on to 7 August on the Gregorian calendar).

Tanabata is also known as the star festival and has its origins in a famous Chinese legend.  According to the legend, Emperor Tentei who lived beside the Milky Way (天の川Amanogawa) had a daughter named Orihime (織姫 weaving princess).  She was a weaver who made kimonos.  When Orihime came of age, Emperor Tentei arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (彦星), a cowherd who lived on the other side of the Milky Way.  It was love at first sight for both Orihime and Hikoboshi and they were married soon after.   The couple enjoyed their married life so much that they neglected their usual duties.  This angered Emperor Tentei who decreed that the couple were to be separated by the Milky Way.  Orihime was devastated by her father’s decision.  Moved by Orihime’s grief, Emperor Tentei relented and allowed the couple to meet once a year on the evening of 7 July only if Orihime worked hard at weaving during the year.  As a result, if Orihime did not put in sufficient effort in weaving during the year, Emperor Tentei may make it rain on that day, making it impossible for Orihime to cross the Milky Way and the couple would have to wait for another year before they have a chance to meet again.  

 

Today, people celebrate Tanabata by writing their wishes on small pieces of colourful paper called  tanzaku (短冊), and hanging them, sometimes together with other *decorations, on sprigs of bamboo.   In line with the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, people usually wish for improved skills and abilities.  After the festival, the bamboo, along with the tanzaku and decorations are usually set afloat on a river lighted with lanterns or burned after the festival.

Many cities in Japan organise Tanabata festivals with colourful displays along their streets. The most famous of these are the ones held in Sendai (仙台) and Hiratsuka, Kanagawa (平塚、神奈川).

*If you wish to learn more about the decorations used for the festival, please read our related blog post here.