Taku

I am a Japanese living in Mie prefecture. I work in a supermarket. You will often find information about Japan from anime and manga. However, in reality, it is slightly different. I want to convey the true Japanese culture and lifestyle.

Raw Egg On Rice? The simplest Japanese food

Tamago kake gohan (“egg over rice”) is a popular Japanese breakfast dish, which consists of hot steamed Japanese rice, topped with raw egg, and toppings. There is no correct way of making tamago kake gohan. Some people beat the egg first, then pour it over their rice. Some people only use the yolk. Toppings can include whatever you feel like adding. Scallions, nori, furikake, bacon,all are delicious! This dish is so popular in Japan that is sometimes called TKG for short. Food Safety Japanese eggs are premised on raw food, so hygiene management is thorough from the production stage, and ...

Vending Machines in Japan, You can buy it anywhere!

It is estimated there is a vending machine of some variety for every 20 people in Japan. With Japan’s population in excess of 127 million people, there must be some 5 million vending machines in the country. This figure might be hard to believe, until you step foot in Japan. There are vending machines for virtually everything, from the expected soft drink, ticket and food machines to the unusual machines which sell underwear or stuffed toy animals.   General vending machine Many of the drink machines provide both hot and cold beverages, and they are fairly cheap in contrast to ...

Do Japanese people have a prejudice against tattoos? History of Japanese tattoos

In Japan, it is common to see "no tattoos allowed" signs at establishments such as restaurants, public bathing areas (Onsen), gyms, public swimming pools. But why is this? Tattooing is the most misunderstood form of art in contemporary Japan. Demonized by centuries of prohibitions and rarely discussed today in civilized circles, people with tattoos are outcasts in their own country — banned from many beaches, pools, and public baths.   Reason Ask anyone to explain the reason for this vilification and most will blame the yakuza and their penchant for body ink; better-informed citizens may even trace the roots of ...

Katori senkō: The Mosquito insense Coil in Japan

A mosquito coil is mosquito-repelling incense, usually made into a spiral, and typically made from a dried paste of pyrethrum powder. The coil is usually held at the center of the spiral, suspending it in the air, or wedged by two pieces of fireproof nettings to allow continuous smoldering. Burning usually begins at the outer end of the spiral and progresses slowly toward the center of the spiral, producing a mosquito-repellent smoke. A typical mosquito coil can measure around 15 centimeters (6 in) in diameter and lasts around 7–12 hours. Mosquito coils are widely used in Japan, Asia, Africa, South ...

Miso: One of the basic seasonings in Japan

Soy bean paste : Like soy sauce, miso is made from soy beans.It is a paste-like condiment mostly in a brown color. It's a thick paste, usually some shade of reddish-brown, made by mixing crushed boiled soybeans with salt and a koji fermenting agent produced from rice, barley, wheat or beans. Traditionally the mix was wrapped in straw and left to ferment for between two months and two years. Protein-rich miso is one of the essential elements of Japanese cuisine. It has been around since at least the 7th century, and the standard fare of rice (barley for the poor), ...

Escalator In Japan: Do Not Ride In The Middle?

Escalators are used around the world in places where elevators would be impractical. Principal areas of usage include department stores, shopping malls, airports, transit systems (railway/railroad stations), convention centers, hotels, arenas, stadiums, and public buildings. An escalator is a vertical transportation device in the form of a moving staircase – a conveyor that carries people between floors of a building. Like vending machines, canned coffee, and convenience stores, escalators seem to be ubiquitous in modern Japan. This is especially true in Tokyo, with its many multi-storied buildings with basements, and if you take public transportation, as you descend (and ascend) ...

Sashimi is a method of eating fresh fish beautifully and delicious

I can recall someone told me decades ago with a subtle tone of creepiness ‘I heard Japanese eat fish raw? Then I clarified by saying Yes, but they are neatly cut and arranged on a dish plate – not catch and eat. Now many people know how the raw fishes are eaten in Japanese style it’s a decent seafood preparation called ‘Sashimi’, widely appreciated anywhere in the world. Actually, ‘Sushi’ is a rice dish on which ‘Sashimi’ is placed Since Sashimi is eaten raw, the ingredient has to be exceptionally fresh. You know things in an afterlife can rapidly degrade ...

Soroban:The more you use the soroban, the faster your calculathing skil becomes

Abacus might have been quite replaced by a calculator by now. But actually, as far as the speed and preciseness are concerned, the abacus would quite surpass the calculator if it is operated by an experienced user.   Soroban Japanese abacus, called ‘Soroban’ is made to be just simple; a number of rods lined in a rectangle frame. Each rod has 1 bead and 4 beads that are divided by a bar in between. A bead placed above the bar represents a number of five (5) and the each of 4 beads under the bar means a number of one ...

Ohagi: The Best Partner Of Green Tea

Japanese traditional sweets are often related and tied to the specific customs or holidays. ‘Ohagi’ is the one for the event called ‘Higan’ which is celebrated upon the spring and autumn equinox. Ohagi is otherwise called ‘Botamochi’ in some regions. Some people say that the one made in spring time is called Botamochi and the one made in autumn shall be called Ohagi, though both are actually identical. It is said that the distinction of the names came from the names of flowers characterise each season. It’s made from sticky rice which is half-way pounded after steamed. Then the rice ...

Tonkatsu: Crispy texture and source matching is perfect

While more and more Japanese menus are being explored abroad, ‘Tonkatsu’ also has been widely recognised by now. ‘Ton’ stands for pork and ‘Katsu’ is the translation and abbreviation of cutlet.   The choice is either fillet or loin The major preparation is like this: a steak of meat is dredged in wheat flour then dipped into beaten eggs followed by pressing into ‘Panko’ bread crumbs to coat all over. Deep-fry until golden brown. Freshly fried Tonkatsu of crispy covering and succulent meat is to die for!   It’s typically accompanied with a heap of shredded cabbage and a wedge ...