“A picture is worth a thousand words.”  How many times have we heard that?  Since early times, humans have made pictures of things and events around them, both because visual representations give pleasure and because they create a record.  The invention of the motion picture camera and of its derivatives in the digital age have carried record-keeping one step further, by creating a record of events as they are happening in real time.

When a Japanese rice trader invented what is now known as “Japanese Candlestick” recordation of sales and purchases, we do not know whether he kept a running account in writing of the day’s events.  We do know that he recorded the trading process of the day after the day was done.

The Candlesticks are becoming more widely accepted in Western financial markets as time passes.  Certainly some of the more successful traders in every market, from stocks to commodities to foreign exchange, use them as a matter of course.

One major advantage of the Candlesticks is that they respond to the human condition, in that they are a pictorial representation of price action in a particular time period; that is, they display that which needs to be seen in a form which is instantly recognized by the eye and translated by the brain as depicting the psychology of the market at a point in time.  The eye loves pictures.  By whatever name – picture, pattern, image, or formation – investors have come to rely upon them in their investing and trading as a form of technical analysis which has exceptional value in determining the probable next direction of prices.  Professional writers have built entire businesses around providing training and commentary about the Candlesticks.  Several prominent practitioners prefer to offer the “forum” or “seminar” style of instruction on a regular basis, while others issue a market letter or investment newsletter over their own signature.  Several combinations of services are available.

Apart from revealing the underlying mood or psychology of market traders and investors, Japanese Candlesticks, when properly interpreted, have an uncanny ability to foretell major reversals of trend.  There are only about twelve major reversal patterns, which are easy to memorize and a pleasure to find when they occur.  Some of the patterns consist of a bar showing the price events of a particular time period.  Others are a combination of two bars, or three.

The Candlesticks are fully compatible with “Western” indicators.  The process is clearly additive, not subtractive or substitutional.  It is a matter of synergism, or enhancement, whereby the power of the Candles tends to be perfected by incorporating the particular revelations of the “Westerns” into the entire analytical process.

Every investor and trader should familiarize himself with the Candlesticks.  The amount of time, attention, and energy which is required to learn the basics is tiny in comparison to the amount of enjoyment that will follow, together with an enhanced appreciation of the analytical processes which underlie individual and group trading decisions.

In the eighteen hundreds a certain Japanese gentleman was very popular when it came to rice trading. He is supposed to have acquired over a hundred trades, and the secret to his success lay in candlestick charts.

Most people have never heard of a candlestick chart. It is nothing but something like your regular bar graph, made in two dimensions on x and y.

The basic attributes of the candlestick charts:

1. The Real Body – this is the basic body of the graph that speaks of the open and closing of the markets and can itself be divided into two classes. Black Body and White Body.

The Black body, which is also called the fill-in body tells us that the close was lower than the open of trade. The White body, also called simply the open, tells us that the close was higher than open.

2. Shadow – this is a thin line which tells us about the change in prices in a given time span. It can be divided further into the upper shadow and the lower shadow.

Candlestick charts are made using the following six kinds of patterns:

1. Hammer pattern – it has a somewhat small real body and a long lower shadow. This is usually used when the market is undergoing a down trend.

2. Engulfing pattern – the market trend is well displayed thanks to the white real body of the candlestick around the real body of the previous day.

3. The Dark-cloud – it is seen when the first market day’s pattern is made up of a resilient and white real body in a form which is top reversed.

4. Hanging man pattern – its features resemble those of a hammer pattern, the difference being that there is an uptrend form on the framework.

5. Bearish pattern – here, a black real body surround the previous day body in place of a white real body.

6. Piercing pattern – it is the opposite of the dark-cloud pattern but a downtrend exists rather than an uptrend.

Every one of these patterns is unique. You could use two or more patterns to suit different needs as well. Finally it is up to you what pattern you feel works best for you.

This article only introduces you to candle stick charting. There is in fact so much to learn about the topic that there are courses out there especially designed to train one in this Japanese graph form. If you are serious about learning more about it, a course can be a great idea. You could also invest in books that teach you how to make effective candlestick graphs. In the long run, these graphs will help you make better profits no doubt.

The game of Japanese Chess is called “Shogi” in Japan. Shogi shares some similarities with Chess and both games are believed to be derived from the Indian game of Chaturanga. However, there are several unique features to Shogi that distinguish it from Chess.

The first couple of things Chess players are likely to notice about Shogi are the size of the board and the number of pieces. Chess players who are used to playing with sixteen pieces each on an 8 x 8 board may be surprised to find that Shogi is played on a 9×9 board and that each player starts with twenty pieces.

Also, typical Chess pieces are representations of soldiers, knights, bishops and so forth and consequently they are designed to stand upright, whereas Shogi pieces are made to lie flat on the board and are wedge-shaped, with a pointed edge facing forwards to enable the players to tell at a glance whose pieces are whose!

The rank of a piece is indicated by its size and by one or two Japanese characters painted on its upper face.

Depending on which piece is being played, when it advances to one of the back three rows it may be promoted. This is done by turning the piece over to reveal a different character that indicates its new status.

Chess players will be surprised to learn that in Shogi captured pieces may be “dropped” back on the board and used by the player who captured them! The “drop” rule is a unique development of the Japanese game. After capturing a piece the player sets it aside (or place it on a tray especially designed for captured pieces). A player who has one or more captured pieces in hand may choose on his turn to move a piece that is on the board, or to bring a captured piece into play by “dropping” it onto one of the empty spaces on the board. Because of this innovation the pieces are not distinguished by colour as they are in Chess, Igo, or other games.

A game of Shogi tends to take longer to get going than a game of Chess as some of the pieces have limited movement ranges and also because players commonly prefer to build a defensive organization around the King before attacking.

Nevertheless, Shogi has an opening, middle and end phase as does Chess, but the “drop” rule gives Shogi a more open-ended character as the board can suddenly fill up with pieces again if the players engage in a battle of “drop” and “counter-drop”.

The drop rule allows for the truth that captured soldiers may be turned against their former masters. A Shogi piece dropped deep inside enemy territory can cause major disruption. It is rather like having a hostile Ninja fighter suddenly appear armed to the teeth in the Daimyo’s bedchamber!

Shogi offers an early example of how a foreign invention is introduced into Japan and modified and refined to become something unique to the Japanese.

In recent years Shogi has begun to attract a following outside of Japan, in China, Europe and America. If you enjoy playing Chess, I recommend that you try playing Shogi and experience something of the unique spirit the Japanese have imparted to this ancient family of games.

It was centuries ago that a rice trader in Japan devised a method of price recordation which told him what he wanted to know about the psychology of his fellow traders.  It was almost like a living, breathing second-by-second tracking of their mood of the moment that gave him an advantage.  The secret to it, if indeed there was a secret, was that in the course of the trading day certain patterns, or pictures, appeared which captured the essence of what had happened and had predictive value for future events.

He gave names to these “reversal” pictures, which in themselves are word pictures.  They’ve been translated, arduously, over the years by enterprising people in the financial industry; and the entire system has been reduced to writing and widely broadcast.

The Candlestick pictures are especially adept at spotting reversals of major price trends, either as they are in the beginning stages or about to begin.  They do not predict the extent of the price change following a reversal.  Fortunately for us, they are adaptable to all forms of financial trading, including – now – trading in currencies, which was probably an unknown art those many centuries ago.

In earlier times, the Western invention of the “corporation” was probably unknown, too.  It is, as we know, an artificial person; and has come to be used as the predominant style of business characterization.  It is very convenient for the allocation of capital in that shares in the enterprise can readily be created and traded in public markets.

The formation of the “corporation” has led to the stock markets as we know them today.  Trading in the shares of corporations is truly “big business.”  Even larger, in terms of dollars at risk at any given time, is trading in foreign exchange, which takes place around the clock.

The Candlesticks, as a system of price recordation, are free to use and simple to learn, while at the same time being so obviously superior to anything else in terms of instantly identifying the psychology of the traders in picture form which is readily recognized by the eye and translated by the brain.  The eye loves pictures; and in this case it was never so true that “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Everyone who has an active interest in any financial market should take the time and devote the minor amount of energy to learn the Candlesticks.  The pictures will open your eyes to trading delights that you never knew existed, and will add immeasurably to your enjoyment of trading as well as your success in the endeavor.

Have you ever wondered how the Japanese seem to live longer than anyone else and what the secret to Japanese skincare is that keeps them looking so young?

There are of course many factors to it including diet, exercise and the climate, but there does seem to be another factor nicknamed the Japanese beauty preserver, and this is Phytessence Wakame, from a special sea kelp.

It seems that this is one of the best kept secrets of Japanese skincare, and they eat it fresh from the sea or in dried form. They have long known its powers for keeping the skin looking youthful, being rich in calcium (15 times more than milk!) and many minerals and B group vitamins.

It is very special as it attacks a harmful enzyme which breaks down the hyaluronic acid in your skin (used to maintain the elasticity and smoothness of your skin). Therefore your levels of hyaluronic acid will gradually increase to the amounts normally found in a much younger person!

It can also help protect the skin from the damaging UV rays from the sun and from environmental pollution. The results are increased elasticity and smoothness of the skin, and due to its high antioxidant levels, it can help to heal dry and irritated skin as well.

No wonder this has been such a closely guarded secret of Japanese skincare!

This ingredient cannot be found in everyday skin care but only in high end niche lines, like those on the internet who put their money into the ingredients and not the advertizing.

If you truly want beautiful youthful looking skin, free from lines and dark eye circles, this is a must have ingredient to look for, and when you find it, like me, you will never look back!

To learn more about the skin care products I personally use that contain Phytessence Wakame, visit my website today.

It was centuries ago that a rice trader in Japan devised a method of price recordation which told him what he wanted to know about the psychology of his fellow traders.  It was almost like a living, breathing second-by-second tracking of their mood of the moment that gave him an advantage.  The secret to it, if indeed there was a secret, was that in the course of the trading day certain patterns, or pictures, appeared which captured the essence of what had happened and had predictive value for future events.

He gave names to these “reversal” pictures, which in themselves are word pictures.  They’ve been translated, arduously, over the years by enterprising people in the financial industry; and the entire system has been reduced to writing and widely broadcast.

The Candlestick pictures are especially adept at spotting reversals of major price trends, either as they are in the beginning stages or about to begin.  They do not predict the extent of the price change following a reversal.  Fortunately for us, they are adaptable to all forms of financial trading, including – now – trading in currencies, which was probably an unknown art those many centuries ago.

In earlier times, the Western invention of the “corporation” was probably unknown, too.  It is, as we know, an artificial person; and has come to be used as the predominant style of business characterization.  It is very convenient for the allocation of capital in that shares in the enterprise can readily be created and traded in public markets.

The formation of the “corporation” has led to the stock markets as we know them today.  Trading in the shares of corporations is truly “big business.”  Even larger, in terms of dollars at risk at any given time, is trading in foreign exchange, which takes place around the clock.

The Candlesticks, as a system of price recordation, are free to use and simple to learn, while at the same time being so obviously superior to anything else in terms of instantly identifying the psychology of the traders in picture form which is readily recognized by the eye and translated by the brain.  The eye loves pictures; and in this case it was never so true that “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Everyone who has an active interest in any financial market should take the time and devote the minor amount of energy to learn the Candlesticks.  The pictures will open your eyes to trading delights that you never knew existed, and will add immeasurably to your enjoyment of trading as well as your success in the endeavor.

Like traders everywhere, one particular rice trader in Japan centuries ago was always searching for an “edge” in his analysis of the market. He developed a system of price recordation which, in his view, captured the essence of the psychology of the traders with whom he was doing business. Rather than recording prices in a simple manner which only revealed the opening price, the closing price, the high, and the low of rice prices during a particular trading session, his system showed all of that, to be sure, and more. Specifically, rather than using a simple line drawing, he “fattened out” the line into a cylinder, which he either colored in, or not, depending on the movement of prices during that session. Simply put, if he left the cylinder unfilled, that meant that prices ended up higher that day; if he filled in the cylinder, that inferred that prices declined. He felt that by this device he could tell, and could record, the overall psychology of the market.

In the United States, and elsewhere in the West, this system of price recordation has become known – not surprisingly – as “Japanese Candlesticks.” Their use here began about 25 years ago, and is now spreading widely. The system is simple and quick to learn. It’s necessary to memorize only about a dozen of the major candle patterns. Investors who have taken the time and trouble to learn the candles aver that they would never go back to the old system, because in fact the candle patterns do reveal so much of the psychology of the market participants. The beauty of the candles is that they can be used with equal result in any financial market and in all time frames. They are especially adept at foretelling reversals of trend. They accurately predicted the top of the market in year 2000 and the beginning of the recovery in 2002-2003. Further, they spotted the top of the market in October 2007, which appears now to have been a major turning point, following which we can expect a long decline which will retrace all of the market gains since 1995.

Purely as a defensive measure if nothing else, every investor should take the time and the minimal effort which is required to learn the basics of Japanese Candlesticks price presentation. Informational materials are widely available, both in printed form and in DVD form. Skilled practitioners also make a business of conducting seminars on the subject, both in person and via the Web.

Mechanical technical analytical systems are a product of the human desire for certainty.  They are attempts to reduce to physical certainty processes which are emotional, not physical.  They try to jam the facts of one world, the world of emotion, which we cannot see, into another world – the physical world which surrounds us.  The two are incompatible, which is why mechanical trading systems eventually fail, in spite of the most advanced computers available.  They work in a parallel universe, and the two do not meet.

Japanese Candlestick technical analysis does not suffer from the fundamental defects of a mechanical system.  Nevertheless, it does not operate in a vacuum.  Its starting point is the physical universe – the movements of stock prices and, in particular, the patterns which are left behind by price action.  It then transfers that knowledge, through the eye, to the most exquisite computer ever devised – the human brain – which interprets the emotional, psychological underpinnings of stock price movements and produces estimates of the next direction of prices.

There comes to mind the Crash of 1987, which was “unexpected” and “came out of the blue.”  It was no such thing.  Had Japanese Candlestick analysis been in general use in those days, skilled observers would have seen evidence of the psychology of the market and could have taken action to escape the worst of the decline.  Yet, to this very day, experts who should know better are still trying to find physical “reasons” for the Crash, but have found none – because there are none.

Whereas mechanical systems denigrate the analytical capabilities of the human brain by excluding it from the analytical process, Candlestick analysis, on the other hand, celebrates it.

The eye, of course, is an extension of the brain.  The real beauty of Candlestick analysis is that it empowers the brain to interpret the patterns which are presented to it, recognizing that price action in the stock market reveals the emotions and psychology of the traders who are participating at the time.  It is nothing less than a deconstruction of the traders’ mood, from which reasonable conclusions can be drawn about their next move.

The Candlesticks live for reversals of trend.  They are champs at spotting reversals which are in the process of happening, or are about to happen.  Some Candlestick pictures are clear as crystal.  Others are less clear, but nevertheless throw off clues.  Much of the time, no clear reversal pattern is evident.

It really gets interesting – and fun – when a less-than-perfect reversal pattern emerges, or when the clues are nevertheless somewhat tilted to the bullish side or to the bearish side.  This, I think, is where some Candlestick proponents do their clients a disservice, in searching always for perfection or near-perfection in pattern formation.  Certainly it is essential to know and to be able to recognize the major patterns in their pure form.  However, in my experience volumes of valuable and predictive information are presented by unorthodox patterns which are not shown in the standard textbooks but which, nevertheless, reveal mountains of data regarding the underlying psychology of the market and the next direction of trend.

So, why is it that proponents of mechanical trading systems remove from the analytical equation the finest computer ever devised?  It’s a mystery to me.  There is nothing that can, or ever will, approach the human brain in its ability to analyze the psychology of the market as revealed instantly in pictures – the Candlestick patterns.  After all, the human brain is working in its own world here – the world of human emotion – which is a parallel universe to which mechanical systems and observers who always search for physical, external “reasons” for market action have no entry door.

This is a world with respect to which the talking heads on CNBC have no clue.  But it’s there, it’s real, and I use it every day.  You can, too.  This is not rocket science, or anywhere nearly as intricate as putting a lander on Mars.  And it’s so much fun to decipher the psychology of the market, and then to base your own trading decisions on that knowledge.

Don’t simply try to rely on the numbers.  Rely on your own eye and on your own brain!  You have in your head the greatest computer of all.  You can do this.  The Candles are easy to learn and a joy to use.  A whole new world will open up for you, and you may never knew it exists!

With the advent of the internet, there is a number of foreign online television stations available for the people to choose, for example, German and Japanese TV online is offered for free. Especially for those who are learning a new vernacular, in this case German and Japanese, internet TV of these languages can surely be of great help.

The web, in itself, offers a wealth of site listings for German TV streams. This includes viewable TV shows, news and music that are native for the German populace. In order for one to practice a perception of the German language, he or she needs methods to practice the dialect. Speaking and listening German especially if the learner is not in the country where the language is massively used can utilize the German TV online, which guarantees a media environment for one to get accustomed to the language fast wherever his or her location may be. Watching internet TV just became quicker and less troublesome because aside from watching TV shows online, one can already save the videos streamed for future references.

Talking about programs to watch, there are actually varieties that can be seen in many places over the internet. Other domains are content specific and offer a single channel or genre to watch. Like one site broadcasts only German news, another is dedicated to long-running soap operas, while others showcases a few entertaining German shows. Moreover, there are even opportunities to watch the exact local TV stations broadcasted from Berlin itself and other cities throughout Germany.

Like watching free cable TV on the internet, viewing Japanese online television also requires a download of a certain TV player. Usually, there are actually two download options specified for the customer to choose. The first basic package offers the minimum features of the software for free while the premium or pro package has all the features of the basic option but also has more advanced features like a faster connection, more Japanese channels to select, and even free tech support or upgrades. You can also change your player’s skin with more skin choices for the premium package. However, this deal does not come cheap. Most sites advertise the same offer for almost the same price, which is a little bit expensive. The only advantage is, you happen to pay for this player only once and you can then enjoy Japanese online TV for as long as you like.

The good thing for both packages is that the software can be used for any type of format and operating system. And together with the online TV, comes a bundle of online radio stations as well. Once you have the player, you get a list of available Japanese channels; most likely there are more than 30 channels for you to choose. As a final tip, it is best for one to have a fast internet connection, cable or broadband connection is encouraged. This is for the sole purpose of delivering the Japanese TV flawlessly with little or no connectivity problems at all.

Take a moment to learn about Japanese skincare; you will be pleasantly surprised by how your skin responds to age-old knowledge of natural sources for cosmetics. The Japanese have a long tradition of caring for their skin and hair with natural ingredients. Mothers have shown their daughters and grand daughters the best way to soothe, protect and enhance their natural beauty with locally grown products.

Rice bran, Wakame sea kelp, and almond oil are a few of the excellent naturally occurring ingredients used in Japanese skincare products for centuries with fabulous results. Though originally exclusively home-made, the formulae for family recipes are now more readily available in the marketplace from a very few manufacturers. Seek out these products and try them for yourself. You will be quite impressed with the change their use will effect in your skin within just a short time.

Oriental peoples have many good habits to increase their health and the health of their skin and hair. A healthy diet with natural grains, vegetables, fruits, sea foods and very little red meat has an impact on the whole population that Americans could really emulate to good effect. Many of the elements of a healthy diet are also used in Japanese skincare products. Avoiding highly processed and chemically laden ingredients has multiple benefits for the whole body.

The real powerhouse secret ingredient in Japanese skincare is the native sea kelp: Phytessence Wakame.  It is a super food, full of B-vitamins, minerals and especially calcium. So it is equally good for you inside and out. The most important fact of all is that the benefits of Wakame are really obvious inside your body outside, too. This wonderful plant inhibits the activity of hyaluronidase, an enzyme that attacks the supply of hyaluronic acid in your skin. “Say what?” You say.

Hyaluronic acid is the “glue” that holds the collagen and elastin fibers together to make smooth, strong, healthy human skin. Without it we would all be wrinkly, dried-up prune like people. Regenerating collagen and elastin fibers is the key to beautiful skin over time.

Phytessence Wakame is cultivated in the Sea of Japan and used fresh and dried in many recipes. Japanese skincare takes advantage of the natural anti-oxidants supplied by this sea vegetable both in food and as a preparation to apply on the skin. These anti-oxidants do a great job of protecting our bodies from free radicals we produce as the result of poor nutrition, junk food, saturated fats and polluted air and water. The whole global ecosystem is suffering along with people on every continent. Take a lesson from the Japanese and begin to repair your private world today.