Chiba Prefectureis still recovering from the massive power outages and damages caused by Typhoon Faxailast month, but now Japan is bracing itself for yet another potentially destructive typhoon. Called Hagibis—a Tagalog word for “velocity”—the typhoon is set to be one of the most powerful on record.
Typhoon Hagibis is no joke
The forecast for wind and torrential rain is getting grimmer by the hour. Categorized as a violent typhoon, the highest category on the Japanese scale, Hagibis is making landfall today. Matches for the Rugby World Cup, the F1 race and the long-awaited return of the Backstreet Boys in a special concert have either been canceled or postponed. Airlines and train companies have also announced the suspension of some services until Sunday.
As the second most powerful storm to hit planet earth in 2019, theJapan Meteorological Agency is urging the public to take precautions. The size, speed, and timing of the storm makes it a serious danger for coastal areas, as well as the Tokyo region.
What to do
Well, for starters, avoid going out when the typhoon lands in your area. If there’s a lesson we learned with Typhoon Faxai last month, it’s that the danger comes from sudden flooding and/or flying or falling objects. Trees, branches, roofs and even garden walls can give in to the strong winds.
If you haven’t gotten yourself a nicely packed emergency kit, it’s probably a good time to put together a simple pack that can keep you going in the event of a natural disaster. Store some snacks, emergency food, and water, as well as batteries for flashlights and fully charged portable batteries for your phone. Nothing worse than a dying phone during a power outage!
Now, let’s talk windows
Fear of broken windows and flying pieces of glass has prompted quite a lot of Japanese Twitter users to promote using tape on their windows.
Taping Xs on them is said to make the glass stronger and, were it to break, prevent pieces from scattering all over the place.
なので、のはないかもしれないけどがんできてガラスにするかもしれないのでめにテープでしておく。の10メートルだとからくらいのさのガラスのテープしかないので、ホームセンターでちゃんとしたやつをってきた方がいですね。
= In a densely populated area the risk associated with the wind might be small, but flying tiles can hit the glass, so I’ll reinforce (the windows) with curing tape. A 100 yen store roll is about 10 meters long and just enough for one window with a height from about the knee to the head, so it’s better to go and buy a proper one at a home center.
Since Thursday, Japanese people have been panic buying reinforced tape and home centers are now out of stock. The news made the headlines as manufacturers struggled to keep up with the sudden increase in demand.
で”養生テープ”りれぐ メーカー「がしています」
= Because of the Typhoon Hagibis (typhoon no.19) curing tape stockists are running out out one after another. “Orders are rapidly increasing.”
Dreading the hassle of finding curing tape (what even is curing tape?!) andX-ingall your windows one by one?
Well, the measure seems to actually be a myth—apparently a dangerous one that needs to be debunked.
もっとエビデンスをします。 アメリカが出したガイドラインにこのようながあります。 https://fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1622-20490-3346/hurricanefactsheet_final.pdf…テープによる窓ガラス補強はく持ってがないとの。
= Here’s more evidence. The disaster prevention guidelines issued by the US Department of Homeland Security has this statement: https://fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1622-20490-3346/hurricanefactsheet_final.pdf
So there’s absolutely no point in reinforcing the window glass with tape.
Whether you decide to tape or not your windows,one thing’s for sure, you should definitely take precautions today and keep an eye on the local news for updates.
How to give advice in Japanese
To make a suggestion or give advice such as “it’s better to…” or “you should…”, you can use the phrase: verb ta form +がいい.
- した方がいいです。= Better make the preparation today.
- 台風がしているときは、へない方がいいです= When a typhoon is passing, you shouldn’t go outside.
The phrase verb ta form +方がcan actually be used in a wide range of situations with other adjectives:
- いた方がいです。= It’ll be faster to walk.
- とった方がしいです。= It’s more fun to go with friends.
Vocabulary
台風19号 taifuu juukyuu gou Typhoon n°19 住宅密集地 jyuutakumisshyuuchi dense residential areas 風 kaze wind 影響 eikyou effect, impact 少ない sukunai little かもしれない kamoshirenai may, it may be that… けど kedo but 瓦 kawara tile 飛ぶ tobu fly ガラス garasu glass 直撃する chokugeki suru hit 気休め kiyasume restless, without rest 養生テープ youjyou teepu curing/wrapping tape 補強 hokyou reinforcement 100円均一 hyaku en kinitsu ¥100 store 1巻 ichi maki one roll 10メートル jyuu meetoru 10 meter 膝から頭 hiza kara atama from the knee to the head くらい kurai about 高さ takasa height 1枚分 ichi mai bun one (window) しかない shika nai only ホームセンター hoomu sentaa Home Center ちゃんと chyanto proper 買う kau buy 今日 kyou today 準備する junbi suru prepare 通過する tsuuka suru pass とき toki when 外 soto outside 出る deru go (out) 歩く aruku walk 早い hayai fast 友達 tomodachi friend 行く iku go (somewhere) 楽しい tanoshii fun
For more on learning Japanese
- Learn Japanese with our original study materials on GaijinPot Study
- Questions about studying Japanese in Japan? Take a look at the Japan 101 section on Higher Education and Studying Japanese
- Join our GaijinPot Study Facebook groupto connect with fellow learners
- Learn more about the GaijinPot Study Placement Program
See a funny Japanese tweet that could be awesome for Tweet of the Week? Retweet it and tag us @gaijinpot!
