Saturday, 29 January 2011
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Shabu Shabu
Raw seafood, sashimi, is the one thing that you can't leave out with Japanese cuisine. It's always served as a combination of two to three items such as squid, red fish, white fish or shell fish. Also the dish is always garnished with shiso and radish. Also a tiny edible shiso flower, as you can see the pic at the middle of the above photo), which you can add into soy sauce for its signature aroma.
生うに
Shabu Shabu is a popular Japanese meat dish, similar to sukiyaki, consisting of thinly-sliced beef and vegetables dipping in boiling stock and eaten with special sauce such as ponzu or gomadare (thicker sauce flavored with crushed sesame). Actually it's similar to Chinese style hot pot, though food only dip in boiling for a few second. If you don't know how long it takes, you can dip the food into the pot and say 'Shabu-shabu' and it's ready to eat!
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Japanese alcoholic beverage - Sake
When we say simply 'sake', it usually refers to Nihonshu, which is tralation alcoholic beverage produced by fermenting rice. The quality of sake is depended on the quality of rice and water. Shuchu, which I mentioned not long ago, is one most common alcoholic beverage. Shochu is drunk in many ways such as on the rocks (ロック), shochu with water(水割り), shochu with hot water(お湯割り) and shochu with green tea (お茶割り).
Another sake which I like called Amazake（甘酒）, traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. The first time I tired Amazake was back to several years ago. That was a freezing cold day, therefore on the way to Senjoji, I stopped by a shop to buy a Amazake. There was nothing better than sipping some hot drink in such a cold day!
At first, I do worried it would make me drunk, but my friend told me that was just a sweet drink for kids! Anyway when I left Senjoji, I got another cup of Amazake. Of course I wasn't alcoholic. It was just simply because that was very tasty! Also there mustn't another way better than sipping a hot drink to take off the chill in such a cold weather. Since then, I'm fond of Amazake, especially the one at Asakusa.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Ice sculpture
Urashima Taro ride on turtle
Another day I visited Meiji Shrine, by chance I saw many ice scuplture there because of the 34th annual exhibition of ice sculpture was being held there. I especially like the the sculpture of Urashima Taro who is a Japanese legend about a fisherman who rescues a turtle.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
WFSLeague Japan Series
World Foot Style League launch the first freestyle football sport competition at Adidas Futsal Park in Shibuya today under the name of WFSLeague Japan Series which includes two events (Tokyo and Osaka) and a National Final (Nagoya). Thanks for this event! My friend came to Tokyo as the judge. My friend has just told me about this event last night! So it becomes activity on my schedule today. This is the first time for me to see the freestyle football competition. Later this year there will be WFSLeague Master Final in Tokyo on 10th October which features 16 best athletes of freestyle football in the world.
Three judges who are invited overseas.
All look so serious, but partly because of the cold weather!
behind the scene...
Today event is held at Adidas Futsal Park where locates right above Shibuya station, Tokyu Department store Roof top.
Futsal Park hosts tournaments among adults, professional game viewing venues, and J-Frontage, futsal school for toddlers and children. You can get information at their information desk.
Adidas Futsal Park, Shibuya
〒150-8319 東京都渋谷区渋谷2-24-1
東急百貨店東横店西館屋上
明治神宮 2011
This is the first visit to Meiji Shrine in 2011. Surprisingly there are many visitors today.
At Shinto Shrine, you will see this temizuya at which visitors are expected to wash their hands before proceeding to the prayer spots. This process is known as purification.
We are lining up to pray.
I used to go to Meiji Shrine for hatsumode (初詣, first shrine or temple visit of the New Year). Since I attended countdown at Tokyo Tower, the first one I had been was Zōjō-ji. I didn't pray there, but the second day I went to Tōshō-gū in Nikko for hatsumode. Anyway today I finally visit Meiji Shrine where I like the most. Anyway I always forget how to bow and calp hands when I pray. And today I saw many Japanese discussed about the way for bow and hand clap after they prayed.
Ok here is the proper way. First you drop the money into the collector in front of you. If there is a bell rope. You can grasp the bell rope in the right hand and ring the bell. Bow twice afterwards and clap the hands twice. Then you can make your wish. Before you go, remember to bow once more.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Mugijochu/ 麦焼酎
Shochu (焼酎) is a distilled beverage originally from Japan. When my friends visit Japanese restaurant with me, they used to ask me which Japanese Shochu is good. Actually I rarely drink in Japan, especially Shochu (焼酎), literally "burned wine" which gives me an impression that it's strong as flame. I think it's quite similar to vodka.
Shochu is commonly distilled barley or rice. Though some of them are distilled from buckwheat. My Japanese friend recommends me barley shochu (Mugijochu, 麦焼酎), which is generally easier to drink than rice shochu. Mugijochu called "吉四六" from Nikaido (二階堂酒造), maker with almost 150 years history, is very popular in Japan. If you have restaurant you used to go, you can order a bottle. Staff will put your name on it and you can enjoy the rest next time.
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Kabukicho Dancing show
dancers
The manger makes a trick for me to be a birthday gal! :P
Most tourists go to Kabuki-cho (歌舞伎町) only for taking photos of the landmark sign. Though they rarely explore the nightlife there because there are hardly any English sings. Instead, many sexy photos of women or even men displays there. Sometimes I do doubt what their business really is. Therefore, non- Japanese prefers nightlife at Roppongi. Some of them may feel more comfortable with its western style.
However, my impression towards Kabukicho has slightly changed today. I went to a club called Black Swan Lake where I saw a "New Half" transsexual show. It's similar to New Half show at Pattaya. There were many female customers, though I may be the only non-Japanese customer. I do think it would be a good sightseeing spot.
I took the best seat right in front of the stage. The setting of the stage was very cool, even it was small, but it could move up and down, as well as those concert stage. The dancers' costumes such as double faced jacket, contemporary kimono and many interesting props, are beautifully made. The funniest thing was a customer was invited on the stage and surprisingly he could dance Latin dance. The spotlight also went on him afterwards.
Since I couldn't take any photos during the show, the club manager made a trick to say that was my birthday. So after the show, I could go on the stage for taking a photo with the dancers. The Japanese are always generous! I chatted with some dancers. They were very interesting too. In fact, some dancers were not transsexual. Though I heard that there were two shows a day and the second one may include more lady boys. Also one says the show there changes every three months.
This blog is a part of the official JNTO Hong Kong Campaign
Monday, 10 January 2011
Homemade Nabe
Handmade chicken meatball with shiso
This is always good to have hot pot (nabe) to keep us warm.
Friday, 7 January 2011
"Rice cake" yaki
It supposed to be a nabe (hot pot) party, but end up I was too busy making Takoyaki. We had about 4 rounds Takoyaki with different ingredients. I really like Japanese rice cake and we attempt to make tokoyaki without Toko (octopus), instead we put diced mochi (もち, Japanese rice cake), cheese and meitaiko (明太子) into the batter. It turns out great! I'm thinking to make one with curry next time.
First we put a spoon of batter and then ingredients. Then another spoon of batter on the top.
Wait for a while and turn it around.
You can use it to play 3 in a row in order to make the dumpling into a perfect ball shape. (joke)
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Boxed meal at Nikko
What! One of them costs 157,500yen!
Yay! That's too expensive. No wonder it's time to back Tokyo.
Time Machine @ Nikko
Old style restaurant
Hint for New Year resolution?
Leaving the shrine and down to this stairs, I saw this broad by Rotary International, a world wide organization providing humanitarian service and encouraging high ethical standards.
Members of this organization use the principals of the 4 way-test to review their thoughts.
It may be a simple way to improve oneself to be a better person.
日光東照宮 - 陽明門
Nikkō Tōshō-gū (日光東照宮) is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture. It is known as Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A heavily decorated gate
This blog is a part of the official JNTO Hong Kong Campaign
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