This week the annual World Happiness Report was released by UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and Norway came out as number 1. As a Norwegian living in Tokyo I had the chance to talk about this topic with a couple of Norwegian friends on the Japanese TV-program "ZIP!". A short clip from the show can be seen below.

今週発表されました世界幸福度ランギングで出身地ノルウェーが世界一に選ばれました。その結果について日本テレビの番組「ZIP!」でノルウェーについて語る機会がありました。ご興味ある方はどうぞ見てみてください(　＾ω＾)ノ

番組の内容：

世界幸福度ランキングでノルウェーが1位に輝いた。世界幸福度ランキングは、国民1人あたりのGDP、社会的支援などを数値化しランキングにしたもの。日本は51位。ノルウェーはどんな国なのか？面積は日本とほぼおなじ面積で人口は500万人。公共教育は大学まで全て無料。留学生には家賃も全て出してくれるという。企業側も残業をさせない働きかけをしている。長期休暇も休暇手当という制度があり、法律で決まっている。出産・育児は有給で1年間休むことが出来、どちらの性別でも使えるという。

「TVでた蔵」より

The program is mostly in Japanese (except for one interviewee who uses English), but for those who don't the content in Japanese the things we discussed largely concentrates on the following points:

• It is common for Norwegians to enjoy a large range of activities after work hours, and generally people like to do fun activities (This stands in stark contrast to Japan, where people usually reserve their weekdays for work only).
• Working culture: In Norway it for employees to leave the office as soon as the official work hours are over. If the employees won't leave it often happens that their managers will ask them to leave (In Japan, on the other hand.
• Maternity Leave: In order to ensure that both parents are able to spend time with their newborns Norway has adopted a law making it mandatory for both the mother and the father to take out maternity (/paternity) leave. The total period of the maternity leave is one full year (fully paid), but it is up to the couples themselves to decide how to split it.

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• Yokohama : Norwegian Skolebolle in World Porters
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• Celebrating Norway's National Day at the Embassy in Tokyo!
• NHK on Norwegian Slow TV／NHK放送：ノルウェーのスローテレビ
• NHK E-Tele: "Gretel's Magical Oven" and Norwegian Waffles
• The Norway-Japan Society: Yakatabune Dinner Cruise on the Tokyo Bay (屋形船)
• ZIP！（アレナニ？）Norway and the World Happiness Report 世界幸福度ランキング ”世界一幸福” ノルウェーどんな国？

NHKのEテレの番組「グレーテルのかまど」でワッフルパーティの収録に協力しました。番組をきっかけにノルウェーに興味を持ってくれる人が増えますように～。番組の一部をこの下に共有しますので、ご興味がある方はぜひご覧になってください。

A little while ago me and some friends had the chance to participate in the making of an episode about Norwegian waffles and the stories about the fictional Norwegian character Mrs. Pepperpot. It was aired today on a program called Gretel's Magical Oven (Gureteru no kamado / グレーテルのかまど), and you can find parts of the episode below in this post (Japanese only).

「スプーンおばさん」にも登場する、ノルウェーの国民的おやつと言えば、愛らしいハート型が特徴のワッフル。チーズとチョコレート、2種類のトッピングでお楽しみあれ！世界中で親しまれている、ノルウェー発の「スプーンおばさん」。ひょんなことから、スプーンほどのサイズに小さくなってしまうおばさんの冒険物語。作中にも登場する、ノルウェーの国民的おやつが、ワッフル！薄くてしなやか、ほのかに香るカルダモン、そして何よりも、愛らしいハートの形。おばさんお得意の一品に、ヘンゼルも挑戦。ノルウェー伝統のトッピングと、オリジナルのふわふわガナッシュで、何枚でも食べられちゃう！

• All blogposts from Tokyo
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• Yokohama : Norwegian Skolebolle in World Porters
• Yokohama Kannai: The Norwegian Bar - Bar Norge (バーノルゲ)
• Norway Food Festival in Tokyo!
• Tokyo Cafes: Cafe Fuglen - Norwegian style Coffee & Vintage Furniture
• Norwegian 17. May Celebration in Tokyo 2014 - 東京でのノルウェー憲法記念日
• Norway Yumenet Presentation in Tokyo (Norsk Salong)
• Japan Hardanger Club (日本ハルダンゲルクラブ) Performance at the Norwegian Embassy
• Norway in Japan: Arne & Carlos Knitting Event
• Celebrating Norway's National Day at the Embassy in Tokyo!
• NHK on Norwegian Slow TV／NHK放送：ノルウェーのスローテレビ
• NHK E-Tele: "Gretel's Magical Oven" and Norwegian Waffles
• The Norway-Japan Society: Yakatabune Dinner Cruise on the Tokyo Bay (屋形船)
• ZIP！（アレナニ？）Norway and the World Happiness Report 世界幸福度ランキング ”世界一幸福” ノルウェーどんな国？

*update* full blogpost from the yumomi here

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
Anette

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Kusatsu Onsen Daitokan ★★★★

Kusatsu Onsen Nisshinkan ★★★  → review

Ryokan Naraya ★★★★★ .

Yubatake Souan Hotel ★★★ .

Perhaps you have already heard about the Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis? These are the two guys behind last years' international mega-hit "The Fox". Although the song brought them instant world fame the talented brothers were originally more famous in Norway for their many comedy shows rather than their music.
This is one video based on a prank shown in their TV-show "I kveld med Ylvis" that I personally find quite funny. I specially like how the brothers utilize so many different languages (or imitation of languages) in their prank. Anyway, hope you'll enjoy it;)

Some of you might remember the Ylvis brothers from last years' hit "The Fox"

11日にTBSテレビの「世界の日本人妻は見た！」にノルウェーの話がメインになります。さらに、皆さんが知っている人もでる可能性がありますよ〜。時間があれば是非ご覧になってください⭐︎o(^▽^)o

(しかし、その前にはこの記事を読みになればいいかもしれないですが…

Nippon Television's program "ZOOM-IN!! Saturday"'s year-end special with the title 「ズームイン!!サタデー 年末SP外国人&グルメな絶景まつり」features a number of interviews with gaijins living in Tokyo, and apparently the interview they did with me will be included in the show^^
It will be aired from 5:30-10:00 on Saturday. I guess I'll update this post once I've had the chance to see the program..! ;)

Alain de Botton: A kinder, gentler philosophy of success

"The next time you see somebody driving a Ferrari, don't think this is somebody who is greedy, think this is somebody who is incredibly vulnerable and in need of love"


In a world where we are pretty much driven by the capitalistic hunger for consumption it is good to take a brake once in a while and remembering the things that really makes us happy. Hope you enjoy the video!

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