Countdown event

Wishes are attached on balloons.

We're ready to fly the wishes in the sky in 2011

Getting ready to hit the bell at the midnight!

Joya-no-kane means the ringing of the temple bell one hundred and eight times at temples all over the country at the Midnight on New Year's eve.

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Ready to countdown!

I have just made toshikoshi soba (new year's eve buckwheat noodles at home. Traditionally, Japanese people eat buckwheat noodles on New Year's Eve. This custom dates back to the Edo period. Buckwheat noodles are very long and thin, which has led to the belief that if one eats these noodles they will have a long and prosperous life. I also think this is a good way to keep warm before going out for countdown!

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9 hours 46 minutes 42 seconds to go

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餅つき

At the end of the year, rice is pounded for the special rice cakes known as mochi.

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Are you ready for 2011?

Soon that will be 2011, most of my friends go back to their hometown to celebrate New Year. I choose to spend my holiday in Tokyo. It's very popular to visit shrine or temple on the first day of New Year, Hatsumoude in Japanese. I used go to Meiji Shrine for Hatsumoude. But as for temple, Sensou-ji seems to be the most popular one in Tokyo. Of course these week, everyone are busy for preparing things for the new year. Clearing and decorate home. Also people are busy preparing things at the Sensou-ji for New Year's day!

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Japanese rice cake

There are many traditional decoration associated with New Year. One of these decorations called Kagamimochi (鏡餅). This is an offering to the gods. It consists of two rice cakes, one on the top of another. A Japanese bitter orange with an attached leaf is placed on the top of the rice cake. This decoration is placed in the tokonoma, or alcove of the main room of the house. It is traditionally broken and eaten in 15th day of the new year.

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New Year Postcard Lottery

New Year holiday is the most important holiday in Japan. One of the traditions is sending New Years postcards as I mentioned in previous post. There is one new year postcards including a lottery numbers for Otoshitama (お年玉）which refers to new year's gift. They are most commonly used by the Japanese. In the lower right hand corner of the back of the postcards, there is six-digit number. Every year in late January, the Japan Post Office will hold the lottery. There are various household goods as gift. I wish my friends will win the prizes by my postcards this year!

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New Year Post

Once I said Merry Christmas to my Japanese friend, he replied me that he didn't know that day was Christmas. It seems Christmas is not that important in Japan. Anyway now Christmas is over and new year is around the corner. Sending New Year's postcards (nengako) to relatives and friends is a very important custom in Japan. Last year, one of my Japanese friends had prepared around 400 postcards. I always wonder without the printer, how long it would take for them to write all the postcards.

From mid-December, Japan Post service accepts New Year's cards and they will deliver them on New Year's Day. If you would like to send a card to your friend, you had to write down nenga (年賀) under the stamp in red, so that the card will be distinguish as New year card from regular mail. If you don't do it, your card will post as a regular mail. It probably will arrive before the New Year's Day. Also you have to beware when you drop your card to the post box. Be sure you put your card into the one which 'nenga yuubin' (年賀郵便) is written. The Japanese are always neat and considerate, they have prepared some plastic bands placing on the mail box for senders to gather the cards together.

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Afternoon Tea at Omodesando

There are many cafes along Omotesando. I like to go to Cha-cafe because of its variety of tea, such as English, Chinese, Indian, Japanese tea. Also the atmosphere is relaxing. The interior is quite stylish with white walls and black chairs. I like their counter seats because I can look at people walking along Omotesando while I am sipping a cup of earl grey. It's delightful to have a piece of lemon tart for afternoon tea. The sweetness of the honey has balanced the sourness of lemon. Also it serves with a scoop of pineapple ice-cream and garnish with a slice of lemon. That's very elegant and prefect with English tea.

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Xmas Party

I celebrated Christmas with friends at Spanish Lounge Parador at Ebisu. Their homemade bunuelos (spanish bread) was very tasty and it served together with a Foie Gras paste. The starter Jamon Serrano (Spanish ham) was very delicious as well. It was lovely to having all these together with a glass of wine. We have some other dishes. Of course we always have space for sweet.

Jamon Serrano

Paella Valenciana

Postre Variados

SPANISH LOUNGE PARADOR
〒150-0022 東京都渋谷区恵比寿南2-3-1 パイザ恵比寿2F

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Merry Christmas

I'm glad that Christmas is on Saturday this year because there is no public holiday for Christmas in Japan. Since today is day off for most of the Japanese. Atmosphere of Christmas season seems much nicer than past few years! At least I can enjoy a holiday with friends! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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Christmas Eve 2010

Shinjuku

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My breakfast on Christmas Eve

Most Japanese have their breakfast at home. I used to have breakfast outside in Hong Kong, though now I almost have my breakfast everyday at home. I bet not many Japanese would like to prepare traditional Japanese breakfast which consists rice, miso soup and various side dishes like tamagoyaki (rolled egg), grilled fish, natto and so on, especially if they are living alone. I like cooking. However, it's still hard for me to understand how to make food in authentic Japanese taste. For breakfast, western style is still easier for me. Especially for Christmas Eve, I prefer something western to start my day! :)

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珈琲貴族エジンバラ

After shopping around Shinjuku, it's always good to enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. My friends are busy with iphone at this cafe where they can access wifi! It's nice place, though there is only Japanese menu without any picture.

珈琲貴族エジンバラ

http://www.k-thanks.co.jp/kizoku/

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Oden

Oden is very popular dish in the winter. It's originally from Kansai area (関西). Oden is the collective name given to various ingredients such as egg, Japanese radish, fish cakes, tofu, fried soybean curd and so on cooked slowly in fish stock. Oden also sells at convenient stores in Japan. Oden in Japan is popular as well as fish ball in Hong Kong.

大根 (daikon/ radish)

玉子 (tamago/ egg)

ちくわ (chikuwa/ broiled fish-paste cake)

はんぺん (hanpen/ fish cake)

がんもどき(ganmodoki/ fried soybean curd)

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Sushi chef's craft

Chef cut this crane with his knife on a paper for me.

The Japanese regard the crane as a symbol of good fortune and longevity.

Have you ever notice green plastic leaves place inside the box of take away sushi? Of course, presentation is always important for food severing. But the original idea is not just a decoration. It's commonly for the chef to use bamboo leaves instead of the plastic at the restaurant because bamboo leaves can be used as sterilizer for sushi. However, the bamboo leaves wouldn't stay fresh for long. Therefore a plastic leave is invented for delivery.

I like to take counter seat at the sushi restaurant because I can order what I want from the ingredients displayed in the glass case in front of me. Looking at the chef to make sushi is also an entertainment. Most chefs use their knife to cut different pattern on bamboo leaves for sushi bowl decorations.

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Deep fried buns

4 tastes of Agemanju :

Plain Agemanju (filled bean bun)

Ume Agemanju (Japanese apricot taste)

Maccha Agemanju (Green Tea taste)

Goma Agemanju（Sesame taste)

Green tea taste and Japanese apricot taste

I do recommend the green tea taste even though both are great!

Agemanju, fried sweet bean-jam bun, is a traditional Japanese sweet. It's a fluffy flour bun filled with red beans. I highly recommend you to try the one at Nakatomi-syouten (中富商店) at Nakamise-dori in Asakusa. Believe me, you should try the one just made! That's much tasty when it's hot. Hot and sweet and also crispy outside. It definitely makes my day.

中富商店

東京都台東区浅草1の37の1

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羽子板市 2010

Hagaita-shi is held at Senso-ji Temple (浅草寺) in Tokyo on the 17th, 18th and 19th of December.

Nearly the year, people have already started to prepare for new year.

New year decorations are everywhere at Senso-ji Temple.

Yatai (屋台)

Stall for selling Hagoita

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羽子板

Hagoita is a good luck charm to celebrate the growth of girls for New Years.
Kabuki characters are popular for hagoita.

The above character is musume-dojoji (娘道成寺)

場所：2010年　浅草　羽子板市

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Hagoita DIY

Children's DIY hagaita

Since next year oriental zodiac sign is rabbit, many children draw ribbit (usagi) on their hagoita.

Another lovely rabbit!

場所：2010年　浅草　羽子板市

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Japanese shuttlecock

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Takoyaki

Takayaki are similar to Okonomiyaki except that they are smaller and the filling consists of boilded octopus cut into pieces. Each takoyaki is about 3 cm in diameter, and seven to ten of them make one serving. They are handed to the customers on a plate and eaten with toothpick.

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Shinjuku Sourthern Terrance City

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I-Link Tower

Edogawa/ 江戸川

Besides Tokyo Tower, you can enjoy the scene of Tokyo from the two panoramic observation decks at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building where is free of charge to the public. Actually there are quite a number of observation decks in Tokyo. The 360 degree observation deck at I-link Tower at Ichikawa city (市川市) is also a good option.

I-link Tower is just few minutes walk from Ichikawa Station. As you can see in the photos, this tower allows you to explore Edogawa (江戸川) at the highest place (150 meters tall) in Ichikawa city. Edogawa is one of the popular places for firework displays in Tokyo. You can also see Tokyo Sky Tree from this tower.

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Yatai Ramen - 屋台のラメーン

Yatai Ramen at Shinjuku/ 新宿　屋台のラメーン　

A common sight in the street of Japanese cities is the yatai, a mobile stall with a roof and cooking facilities, selling various types of food and drink. Yatai are often to be seen clustered around stations and parks, or on festival days in the grounds of shrines.

Many of the stalls that gather round stations in the business districts at night are ramen-ya, serving bowls of hot ramen noodles, seved in a soy sauce-flavored soup. Some of these stalls stay open as late as three or four a.m. Though the normal ramen restaurant used to close at about 2am.

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Yuzu Soy Sauce Ramen

Yuzu Soy Sauce Ramen　ゆず醤油ラーメン　

I've been a ramen shop called AFURI which is slightly more modern looking than other ramen shops. It seems popular among female. I go for their special winter menu, Yuzu salted ramen. I was impressive that the roast pork was cooked over charcoal. They are very fragrant, so I order some separately as side dish. Yuzu soup is refreshing with its scent of citron. The mellow flavor and rich aroma of yuzu makes it perfect for soft-boiled egg and noodle.

AFURI 原宿店

東京都渋谷区千駄ヶ谷3-63-1 グランデフォレスタ1F

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Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

Mt. Fuji

View from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

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