Tamaki SAITO（西東たまき）

Now that the environmental issues are one of the major topics to be discussed and handled globally. Each of us is encouraged to think what we can do to save the Mother Earth and take it into action － no time for cooling your heels. So here is the reason why ‘Furoshiki’ has been given a re-evaluation and a movement to bring it back to life in this modern time is being evolved.   What is Furoshiki? ‘Furoshiki’ is nothing but a simple square fabric made of silk or cotton traditionally; used for wrapping purpose. You can now find in ...

Sembei, or Osembei with the prefix ‘O’ for politeness, is a snack as popular as everyone would like to pick one or two packets whenever they go shopping. It's also a typical accompaniment for tea. Its major ingredients are basically non-glutinous rice and seasonings only – they are basically grilled so oil-free. But it has uncountable variation in shape, size, flavor and texture.   Arare It usually comes in handy size of round or square shape but also comes in tiny pieces called ‘Arare’ or goes as large as human face just to surprise. It can taste savory or sweet. ...

In Japan, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May. It’s the same date as many countries — but the mood feels uniquely Japanese: gentle, warm, and quietly grateful.   🌸 Red Carnations Everywhere Walk through town in early May and you’ll see a wave of red. Flower shops and supermarkets fill their displays with red carnations. Ads read “お母さん、ありがとう” — “Thank you, Mom.” This custom came from the United States in the early 20th century and spread widely after World War II. Over time, it blossomed into one of Japan’s sweetest spring traditions.   🎁 Gifts Beyond Flowers ...

Japanese tea is not just for a drink. How does it sound to you the combination of tea and plain rice? Whether you have heard of it or not, ‘Ochazuke’ is an established menu for a light meals. Pour a generous cup of hot tea － or chilled if you prefer － over the plain rice in the bowl is the body of the ochazuke. ‘Ocha’ is tea in Japanese and ‘zuke’ means ‘soaked’. Different from porridge, it is only pouring; no need of cooking. It’s a good reuse of leftover rice and its simplicity in preparation is ideal when ...

When you think of sushi,you probably imagine a chef shaping rice and fish with delicate hands. That image is right — but it’s only one part of Japan’s sushi story. In Japan, sushi is not only a fine dining experience.It’s also homemade, festive, and unique to each region. Let’s take a look at the different types of sushi that go beyond what you already know. Chirashi-zushi – The “Scattered” Sushi The most popular homemade sushi is called chirashi-zushi (ちらし寿司).The word chirashi means “to scatter.” A layer of vinegared rice is placed in a bowl or tray.Then it’s topped with colorful ...

People are enthusiastic to learn new things to upgrade themselves. Kouminkan – community centre – is where to go. Community centre is a public facility provided and supported by the local government. Their main purpose is to offer residents the spaces for their multiple activities, which could be group meeting, event or anything that the space could serve for. Some facilities could be just simple with a few of meeting rooms while others could have multiple functions; meeting rooms, hall which is suitable for larger events and some indoor sports, Tatami Japanese room, besides some are combined with library and ...

Lunch time is the time most awaited by pupils at school. Usually, lunch is provided at school during the whole compulsory education and everyone eat the same menu of the day. There’s no difference whether affordable or not about what they eat. Amount of the portion is only adjustable according to the appetite. Do you rather feel uneasy for kids being fed same food regardless of the preference? But experiences of sharing the same food will make them talk sweetly or bitterly whenever they meet again.   Being considered that lunch is one of the major meals of the day ...

Japanese shares Chinese letters (Kanji) in writing. But unlike Chinese, we use them mixing with two sets of our own alphabet. One is called ‘Hiragana’ the other is called ‘Katakana’. Each set has 48 letters out of which two are obsolete. Both of them are phonetic letters. So they can express almost any kind of sound, which is especially convenient to describe foreign words. However, the context of usage makes a distinction between those two. Hiragana is basically used for writing words and expressions of Japanese origin, while Katakana is used for expressing those of foreign origins. Since words and ...

Japanese traditional houses normally have sliding doors for the entrance and rooms. But in modern housing, swing doors are dominant and the sliding doors are only to be seen for Japanese style rooms which most of the modern house still contains one or two within. In western countries, the doors open inwardly. On the contrary, they open outwardly in Japan. The reason could be that since Japanese has a custom of taking the shoes off when stepped inside the entrance door, a certain space to take off the shoes and keep them must be secured there. Besides, the movement of ...

If you walk through a Japanese suburb on a sunny weekend, you might spot a patch of soil surrounded by neat fences — rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, and shiso leaves quietly basking in the light. This is a kitchen garden, or katei saibai in Japanese. It’s one of the most popular hobbies in Japan, blending the calm of nature with the satisfaction of harvest.   🌱 A Little Farm in the City Many people don’t have a backyard, so they rent a small plot from a local landowner or community garden. The space is modest — often just a few ...