FOOD IN JAPAN

       Japanese cuisine is easily one of the healthiest in the world, with its concentration on fresh fish, seafood, rice and vegetables. The sauces and delicate flavors of fresh foods complement each other beautifully, and the methods of presentation turn even simple meals into beautiful masterpieces.

    The Japanese have about a dozen different names for rice, depending on how it is prepared and what it is served with. The most common meal is a rice bowl, a bowl of white rice served with various toppings or ingredients mixed in. So popular is it that the Rice Bowl has even made its way into the world of Western convenience foods alongside ramen noodles. Domburi is a bowl of rice topped with another food: domburi tendon, for instance, is rice topped with tempura and domburi gyudon is rice topped with beef. The Japanese adopted fried rice from the Chinese, and a century ago, when curry was first introduced, developed Kare Raisu, curry rice. It is now such a popular dish that there are many fast-food restaurants that serve several versions of it in take-away bowls. Besides white rice served as a side dish, Japanese cuisine also features onigiri (rice balls wrapped in seaweed) often with a ‘surprise’ in the middle, and kayu (a thin gruel made of rice that resembles oatmeal).

   As an island nation, it’s not surprising that seafood is featured in Japanese cuisine. Sushi and sashimi both are raw fish and seafood with various spices. Impeccably fresh fish is the secret to wonderful sashimi and sushi, served with wasabi and soya sauce. The Japanese love of beauty and simplicity turns slices and chunks of raw fish into miniature works of art. Fish sliced so thin that it’s transparent may be arranged on a platter in a delicate fan that alternates pink-fleshed salmon with paler slices of fish. Sushi is typically arranged to best display the colors and textures to their best advantage, turning the platter and plate into palettes for the artistry of the chef.

     Traditionally, meat plays a minor role in the Japanese diet, though it has been taking a larger and larger role over the past fifty years as Japan becomes more westernized. Beef, chicken and pork may be served with several meals a week now. One of the more popular meat dishes is yakitori (chicken grilled on a skewer) and served with sauce. An example of a fast food lunch in Japan is a skewer of yakitori and a rice bowl with sushi sauce.

    Japan has imported dishes from other cuisines and "Japanized" them, adopting them as part of their own cuisines.  Western dishes that have made their way into Japanese everyday cuisine include omuraisu (a rice omelet), and hambagau which is the Japanized version of an American hamburger.

Travel Japan!

Hi. Did you know that there are beautiful beaches in Japan? I sure didn't.

In Okinawa Island, there are three beautiful beaches called: Moon beach, Manza beach, and Okuma beach. Manza beach is the most popular. It is about a one and a half hour drive from Naha-city. The view of Monza-mou, which is a famous cliff made of coral reef, can be seen from Manza beach. The beaches of Okinawa Island are open from April to October.There is also a good diving point in Manza.

Iriomote Island is the second largest island in Okinawa. This island is covered by tropical and subtropical forest and is known as the "mystery land of Japan". River tours through the jungle are a popular attraction. An intresting sight on this island is star-shaped "sand" on the Hoshisuna-no-hama Beach. The "sand" is actually the tiny skeletons of sea creatures, but it resembles grains of sand. Star sand is said to bring happiness and makes a very popular souvenirs.

Ishigaki Island is the third largest island in Okinawa. Fifty percent of the island is mountain, and there are lots of sugar cane fields. The coasts are covered by beautiful coral borders. Ishigaki Island is the transfer point where visitors can take ferries to go other islands such as Iriomote Island and Taketomi Island.

Next time that you want to travel to some foreign country to see beautiful beaches, rethink Florida, Cancun, and other popular places. Try something new buy a one-way ticket to Okinawa, Japan, and you won't be disappointed.

Japanese Cosmetics and Fashion Magazines

Japanese Cosmetics     

        @Cosme is Japan’s most popular “kuchikomi” (word of mouth) cosmetics information and ranking website. On March 10th the website released a cosmetics guidebook called “The Cosmetics Chosen by 1,200,000 People.” As the title suggests, the book showcases the top cosmetic products as selected by the site’s 1,200,000 users. From over 60,000 products discussed on the website in over 6,600,000 user rating entries, top items in categories such as skin care and make-up get mention in the book. The products themselves are surprisingly varied, from $200 face creams to drug stores staples like witch hazel and Vaseline—a reflection of the different users of the site.

          “The Cosmetics Chosen by 1,200,000 People” is a “mook,” the curious Japanese word for a cross-between a book and magazine. More casual than a book, but not as disposable as a magazine, mooks usually enjoy an initial display on the magazine shelves at the bookstore before retiring to the appropriate book section. Like other crowd-sourced products and self-publishing “keitai novel” sites that have proved hits lately, this does a nice job of making users of the site feel like they are really part of something greater—ensuring that a good number of them will feel vested enough in the creation process to purchase the book not only for the information but also as a “souvenir.” The layout of the book itself resembles the beauty section in fashion magazine, yet with the prominent “rating points” and “members comments” reminding readers that they themselves are part of the collective editorial voice.

Japanese Magazines

Fruits

 

      FRUITS is now the best recognized Japanese street fashion print magazine outside Japan. Thin and simple, it nevertheless manages to introduce some of the best trendsetters in Harajuku as they roam the streets. The original urban street fashion magazine that made Harajuku famous all over the world.

 

Gothic & Lolita Bible

 

      

     Gothic & Lolita Bible is the last word on gothic and lolita fashion in Japan. This gorgeous full-color magazine features photographs of new items, specials on popular brands, introductions to shops, illustrations, detailed how-to’s and tons of tips and other info. Because the magazine is so incredibly well-illustrated it is worth buying even if you don’t speak Japanese and already read the English version. Each issue also comes with gifts such as stickers, and a complete pattern for making your own outfit.

 

KERA

     The moment that the photographer arrives on his spot in front of Harajuku GAP, people start to arrive to get their photos taken. They e-mail their friends to inform them that he is there and the word gets around in no time. It shows in the quality of this magazine’s street snap shots. It gives an excellent overview of what is hot on the streets of Tokyo right now, from punk to Goth-Lolita. KERA also features photographs of models, apparel by itself, articles about JPOP artists, and make-up tips and accessory information. A must-have if you are interested into the fringe urban fashion that Harajuku is famous for.

 

EGG

 

    

     This monthly magazine introduces youthful kogal fashion and features the Shibuya style fashion that they love. Not half as thick as the above two magazines, but still has a handful of great photographs and fashion ideas.

 

COSMODE

 

     Not a street fashion magazine, but Japan’s most popular print magazine on Cosplay Fashion. It features snap shots of fully decked out cosplayers as photographed at Comiket (Comic Market), Tokyo Game Show, and exclusive cosplay events. Full-page color photos, how-to info, tips, designs, online resources and more. Published 2-3 times per year.

 

The Meaning of Fashion in Tokyo, Japan

    Unlike in the West, clothes are not a social statement in Japan according to Aoki. “Instead of expressing yourself, it is a way of communicating with the members of your group. A message without words. You show your feelings, your awareness of fashion. It has no social context whatsoever. They don’t care at all about how other people in society or how other groups see them.” This group feeling is so strong says Aoki that members of one group will never meet or communicate with members of other groups. “Harajuku girls would never become friends with Shibuya girls. It is a different universe.”

 

 

How the economic stimulus plan affects me?

     Economic or "fiscal" stimulus stands in contrast to monetary stimulus, a process through which the U.S. Federal Reserve Board adjusts interest rates to encourage or discourage lending. By 2009, the Fed had lowered rates to near zero. Because it can't lower rates below zero (which would amount to lenders paying people to take a loan), the Fed had few remaining policy options. Economic stimulus is another means by which a government can seek to boost its economy, either in the short term, by encouraging consumers or companies to consume goods, or in the longer term, by encouraging the growth of businesses and the creation of jobs through investments in infrastructure and research.
There are many different forms of potential economic stimulus and they work in different ways. Tax cuts for individuals generally encourage short-term spending. Tax cuts for companies encourage both spending and investment. Expenditures on public works create contracts for firms and provide short- to medium-term employment opportunities. Investments in research and development take a longer-term approach under the theory that businesses will thrive in the future (and thus provide jobs) if they have the money to make intelligent investments in their operations now.
Finally, some forms of economic stimulus seek to make investments that will pay off in the long run by making consumption cheaper for everybody. An example is investing in the U.S. energy grid. Theoretically, a one-time outlay could make energy costs for both individuals and businesses less expensive for decades to come. Similar arguments are made about health care spending. Critics say an outdated and illogical health care system presents significant costs for U.S. businesses that could be eased through front-end investments. Obama has called attention to both energy and health care as sectors in which infrastructure investments could help make U.S. firms more competitive internationally. Other countries, including China, have similarly focused stimulus spending on infrastructure development.







Economic Stimulus Package- distribution of money

• Doubling of renewable energy production
• Renovation of public buildings to make them more energy efficient
• Rebuilding of American infrastructure (roads, bridges, and schools)
• Updating and computerizing our healthcare system
• Modernizing classrooms, labs, and libraries
• Providing “direct tax relief” to 95% of American workers
• A $2,500 college tuition tax credit.

Why not simply pay for the tuition entirely based on individual merits? Let’s reward those low-income students who truly want to earn their way to college with full scholarships, with the pre-agreed condition that they will work to benefit their communities for at least 2 years after graduating.


Expand Health Care
• $24 billion to subsidize COBRA benefits for laid off workers.
• $87 billion to help states with Medicaid.
• $10 billion to National Institute for Health
• $17 billion to modernize health information technology systems.


Improve Education

• $54 billion to school districts and states.
• $21 billion for school modernization.
• $17 billion to boost Pell Grants.
• $13 billion for Head Start.
• $12 billlion for special ed programs.

Japanese Kimono and Trivia

Konbanwa, by the way that's just Good Evening in Japanese if you were wondering...

I talked about Harajuku, a street fashion style last time, and this week I thought that I'd discuss traditional japanese fashion.

     The kimono (着物) is the traditional clothing of Japan. Originally the word "kimono" literally meant "thing to wear" (ki "wearing" and mono "thing"), but now has come to signify a particular type of traditional full-length Japanese garment. 

    Kimonos are T-shaped, straight-lined robes with collars and full-length sleeves that typically are wide. Both genders wear their kimono so that the hem falls to the ankle. Kimonos are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial) and secured by a wide belt called an obi, which is tied at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially zōri or geta) and split-toe socks (tabi).

 Kimonos range from extremely formal to casual. The level of formality of women's kimono is determined mostly by the pattern of the fabric, and color. Young women's kimonos have longer sleeves,signifying that they are not married, and tend to be more elaborate than similarly formal older women's kimono. Men's kimonos are usually one basic shape and are mainly worn in subdued colors. Formality is also determined by the type and color of accessories, the fabric, and the number or absence of *kamon(family crests), with five crests signifying extreme formality. Silk is the most desirable, and most formal, fabric. Kimonos made of fabrics such as cotton and polyester generally reflect a more casual style.

*kamon (家紋 ), are Japanese heraldic symbols. Mon may refer to any symbol, while kamon and mondokoro refer specifically to family symbols. Mon serve roughly similar functions to badges, crests, and coats of arms in European heraldry.

Next time that you pick up your cell phone, remember it's called keitai in Japanese. 

Some More Japanese:

- kurai: dark, gloomy, also used to descrobe lack of light

-kirai- hate/dislike 

-koibito:lover, boyfriend/girlfriend

Interesting Facts about Japan:

1. In the Japanese language, it is considered rude to say the word "no" directly.
2. It is considered rude to show signs of affection toward a loved one in public.
3. When you go to a funeral or a wedding you must take a gift of money.
4. Many Japanese people eat rice with or for their breakfast, lunch and dinner.
5. Never stick your chopsticks upright in your rice. This is an old Japanese custom and is what is done when food is offered to the dead. When it is not an offering it is considered to be a very ill omen.

Japanese Art

     Ukiyo-e is a form of Japanese woodblock printing that typically depicts the floating world -- a world of luxury and privilege that was largely inaccesible to the typical Japanese of the time. 

Art is the illusion of spontaneity.~ Japanese Proverb

Harajuku Fashion ....

         J-pop princess, Utada Hikaru has released her new album named "This is the One", and is now available on I tunes. "This Is The One" is No.19 in the store rankings, and is the first album by a japanese singer to break the Top 100 in it's five year history. The new album goes on sale in CD in May. Utada Hikaru is focusing on the U.S. market since, she's already a well- established singer in Japan who has released five albums with profits over 17 million dollars.

Fashion

              The term "Harajuku” describes  teenagers dressed in any fashion style who are in the area of Harajuku. This fashion infuses multiple looks and styles to create a unique form of dress. One of these styles, Kawaii, came to fame in the 1990’s. Kawaii became a popular phrase that meant something was cute or pretty. Kawaii was a form of resistance in that the style and culture associated with it were not seen as attractive by an older generation. This idea of Kawaii was a distinct youth culture separate from the traditional one in existence.

             The cyber-punk look takes its influence from gothic fashion and incorporates neon and metallic colors. However, it’s not as popular as it was in the 1990’s. Gothic-Lolita style was created in Osaka. It is a play on Victorian era princess fashions and was merged with gothic fashion.  By wearing and promoting these styles performers allowed the fashions to flourish because fans were eager to replicate their idols.

           Punk style in Harajuku is more of a fashion than a statement. Its fashion mainly consists of dark colors, plaid, chains, and zippers. Punk style is also one of the more gender-neutral fashions in Harajuku. 

           Ura-Hara is another section of Harajuku, which caters to a mostly male population interested in a hip-hop, graffiti, and skater fashion and culture. Ura-Hara is seen as the opposite of Harajuku in that it’s more hidden and reserved. 

        Cosplay is more of a costume-based style. A cosplay enthusiast will usually dress as a fictional or iconic character from a band, movie, or manga. 

Japanese Culture in NYC :Special Event: KRAZY!& Cosplay Party

Saturday, March 28, 5:30 PM — 8:30 PM

 

    KRAZY! will be New York’s first major show dedicated to the Japanese phenomenon of Anime, Manga, and Video Games—three forms of contemporary visual art that are exercising a huge influence on an entire generation of American youth. In addition to the exhibition KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Manga + Video Games, Japan Society holds its first-ever Cosplay Party, inviting local fans to create and show off costumes of their favorite characters and share their enthusiasm for anime, manga and video games. 

Admission to the Cosplay Party includes:

§  A costume competition with prizes from Kinokuniya Bookstore andManga Entertainment! The KRAZY! Cosplay Contest will be judged by members of World Cosplay Summit Team USA and Ningin.com!

§  Music from DJ VDRK and a special performance from Reni singing songs in Harajuku and Akihabara style!

§  FREE entrance to the KRAZY! exhibition featuring original manga artwork, hundreds of manga to read, an environment by cutting-edge architectural practice Atelier Bow-Wow, and playable video games!  Classic anime film clips from Akira, Mind Game, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Paprika, and more!

§  Costume Contest Prizes:
1st Place: $200 gift certificate to Kinokuniya Bookstore
2nd Place: $100 gift certificate to Kinokuniya Bookstore
3rd Place: $50 gift certificate to Kinokuniya Bookstore

Other prizes: DVDs of Ninja Scroll, Straight Jacket and Ghost in the Shell provided by Manga Entertainment and Street Fighter 4 for PS3

 

Tickets:
$10 pre-register 
$15 at the door

http://www.japansociety.org/event_detail?eid=30d38e21

 

News from Japan:Tokyo girls prefer school uniform-like dresses

           Teenage girls in Tokyo these days see a school uniform not something suggest discipline but something that symbolizes their sensitivity to trends in fashion.

      An increasing number of female students in high schools and even some in junior high schools in Tokyo prefer going to school wearing uniform-like clothes even if they have not been told to wear a real uniform.

     Yasuko Nakamura, president of Tokyo-based marketing company Boom Planning Co, said the trend is believed to have started around 2002, when she found one high school girl wearing different ‘‘uniforms’’ every time she saw her.

         Nakamura later realized that what appeared to be school uniforms were in fact just their favorite dresses.
‘‘The school uniform (for girls) used to be regarded as a symbol of an education with strict regulations. But today, wearing a uniform should be recognized as a privilege only for high school girls,’’ Nakamura said.

    Many magazines for young girls feature topics on school uniform-like dress, approvingly called ‘‘nanchatte seifuku’’ (fake uniform), Nakamura said. Against the backdrop of such a trend, a boutique dealing exclusively with school uniform-like apparel opened in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku district in February 2008.

      Shizuka Fujioka is a TV personality who works at the boutique CONOMi. Fujioka is nicknamed the ‘‘charismatic coordinator’’ due to what her fans describe as her good sense in selecting clothes for potential customers.

    The shop has seen the number of customers jump four-fold since its opening and is organizing an event called Brand School Uniform Collection 2009 to exhibit and sell uniform-like dresses in Tokyo which will run through April 6.

                                                                                SAYONARA, till next time...