A「あの力士随分強そうですね」
B「いいえ、実際は負けてばかりいるんですよ。見掛け倒しですね」
Mikake Daoshi
(sumoo wo mite ite)
A: Ano rikishi zuibun tsuyosoo desu ne.
B: lie, Jissai wa makete bakari irun desu yo. Mikake daoshi desu ne.
(While watching sumo)
A : That wrestler certainly looks strong.
B: Not really, Actually he loses all the time. His looks can be deceiving.
* * *
Mikake daoshi refers to something being not as good as it looks, a mere show, a facade. Used to refer to another person it can be insulting; with regard to oneself it can be a show of modesty. In the example above, B was making fun of the wrestler. Mikake daoshi nado to iwaretara okoru ni chigai arimasen (Saying he's just a put-on will definitely make him angry).
Chienkan High School in Saga Prefecture places special emphasis on English education. Apparently, the school was built in order to attract better students and keep them from going off to schools in other prefectures. I was recently asked to visit the school and give a talk to the students. "Tell them something which will give them something to look forward to, something to dream about, something to strive after." From Yamaguchi it is only a short two-hour shinkansen and regular train ride to Saga in Kyushu. I was happy to accept the school's invitation. I met the school's principal the day before I was to address the students. "You look like you hold your sake well," I said. "Mikake daoshi de hontoo wa tsuyoku arimasen"("I just appear that way. Actually I'm not a strong drinker at all"), he replied. It was this that gave me the hint for this column. Though I then said, "Totemo mikake daoshi ni miemasen yo" ("It certainly doesn't appear that you are actually not a strong drinker"), knowing what to say in this kind of situation is difficult. Some pieople, after all, think it is good to be a strong drinker, others think it is bad.
The design of Chienkan High School is special. The campus had a nice sense about it. "Subarashii koosha desu ne"( "What a beautiful campus ! ") The assistant principal's reply: "Mikake daoshi de nai to yoi no desu ga" ("I hope it's not just some gimmick, something which is showy but of little value"). He was clearly being modest and implying in his answer that he hoped the level of the school's students was as high as the level of the campus buildings and facilities.
The lecture begins. The expressions of the students gathered in the auditorium are truly bright. These are students who have been born and brought up in a wealthy Japan. When I was a high school student, Japanese society was, being rocked by students organized in opposition to the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty (anpo). The starting salary at a top company was a mere \20,000 a month. Only a small number of students from each high school class would go on to college. Not long after this, Japan was "born again" during its well-known period of high economic growth. I can't help but wonder how these students will choose to live in the world. In any case, they listened attentively to my talk and laughed appreciatively at my jokes.
Kookooseitachi wa mikake daoshi nado dewa naku, totemo subarashii hitotachi deshita. (The high school students were not deceptive in appearance. They were truly wonderful).