I read an article about a housewife in
Japan. Her kitchen table is cluttered with tools not usually
associated with cooking; a pair of tweezers, a razor knife and
a digital camera. Her culinary style is just as unique. She
sculpts rice coloured with egg yolks into the shape of a
dinosaur, fashions its eye with sliced cheese and strips of
seaweed, Star-shaped pieces of okra adorn the belly. She said
she just wants her son to have fun when he goes to day care
centre on Saturdayscand she added she never makes the same
thing twice. Lots of mothers have their blog and they provide
a forum for to exchange esoteric tips such as how to dye egg
white blue etc etc. The trend has truck a chord with
stay-at-home mothers, many of whom retire early when they have
children, but still have plenty of creative energy to spare. I
have found millions of lunch-box blogscand I was so surprised
at their workscI donft think I have the skill as they doc
(Risa)
March 29th
I guess you might know the fiction writer,
Haruki Murakami. His [Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman], a
sometimes surreal collection of short stories is one of this
yearfs winner of the 11th annual Kiriyama Prize. The $30,000
award, to be divided between the three winners, Mr. Murakami,
Mr. Mortenson and Mr. Relin, was announced Tuesday by Pacific
Rim Voices, a nonprofit organization. Murakami, the fiction
winner, is known for such novels as [The Wind-Up Bird
Chronicle] and [Kafka On the Shore], but I havenft read lots
of his booksc I will try to read the prize-winning book this
time. (Risa)
March 28th
I will give you an excursion trip idea
today. Miyama, by car 90 minutes north of the centre of Kyoto
is a nostalgic old village. Rice paddies surrounded the
village and thatched-roof houses dot the nearby mountains. It
is a quiet and very peaceful village and resembles images
depicted in tales of old Japan. Unlike elsewhere, Miyama is
not crowded with guesthouses and restaurants. There are only a
couple of each and only a limited number of thatched houses
are open to the public. Why not visit this quiet village in
the mountains to sample Japan as it used to be? Spring is
coming here soon, so it will be a good chance to get out of
the bustling town. (Risa)
March 27th
Famous kabuki actors Ichikawa Danjuro,
Ichikawa Ebizo and other performers were given a warm
reception at the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris on Friday
as they launched a five-day show of kabuki in the French
capital. The troupe performed the play [Kanjincho], and the
audience applauded as they watched the bold gestures and stage
exit of the character Benkei, while shouts of [Naritaya!!!]
the name of the guild of actors to which Ichikawa Danjuro and
Ichikawa Ebizo belong, rang out in the hall decorated with
paintings by French artist Marc Chagall. During the
performance, subtitles were displayed in French on an
electronic screen above the stage, and a special platform was
placed on the stage for the actors. In the stage greeting,
Ichikawa Danjuro and eight other actors introduced themselves
in French. Danjuro also glared at the audience in a
performance accompanied with the explanation in French that
people who were glaed at wouldnft catch a cold for a year.
According to the news article, the French audiences enjoyed
the performance very much. I hope more people will get an
interest in Japanese cultures! (Risa)
March 26th
Did you have a lovely weekend? According to
the Kyoto Local Meteorological Observatory, the cherry
blossoms finally started to bloom yesterday. I guess it will
take about a week to see beautiful cherry blossoms here and
there, but I was very happy to hear the news. I canft believe
one year has already passed since I went to see the cherry
blossoms at Maruyama Park last yearc I am looking forward to
going there this year again. (Risa) (Risa)
March 23rd
When I went to a restaurant near my place
the other night, the chef talked about the Hozugawa River boat
ride. The opening ceremony, which announces the arrial of
spring in the Hozukyo Gorge, took place on March 10th in
Kameoka city. A gorgeously decorated boat, packed with
tourists left the port for the first time in three months. The
boat normally operates during the winter season. However, the
tour had been fully suspended since mid December of last year
while safety measures were being implemented after falling
stones caused an accident last August. Tourists, who were
eagerly awaiting the cruise, boarded the boat one after
another. The boat set out on a 16-kilometer river trio to
Arashiyama. The gorge was filled with the cheers and smiles of
the tourists as the boat splashed down the river. According to
the Hozugawa River tour boat business union, for the time
being, watchmen are being placed around the site where the
rock-fall accident occurred to secure the safety of tourists.
The number of cruises has returned to seven per day on
weekdays, which was the number before the accident happened.
If you are interested in this adventure trip, have a try!
(Risa)
March 22nd
It was a national holiday, Spring Equinox
Day in Japan yesterday. As it was a beautiful spring day, I
went for a walk in Kurama/Kibune area with a friend. I thought
it might be a bit chilly on the hill, but it wasnft. Actually
the temperature was perfect for a hike. After we had a quick
rest at a café at Kibune, we headed back to the town. Since I
wanted to enjoy the lovely sunshine, we sat and chatted by the
Kamo River. There were lots of kids playing in the river too.
They looked they had a wonderful time. Shall we take a train
or walk back? Of course, we walked back to the main area. It
was indeed a healthy day for me yesterday. I hope you also had
a great day! (Risa)
March 20th
Do you know what it is? One of my good
friends went on a business trip to Fukuoka last week, and he
brought me back the souvenir. How sweet he was!!! Thank you!!!
This is [Hiyoko], meaning baby chick in English. It was
originally born in a coal-mining town, Iizuka, and then it
became popular in Fukuoka city after 1957. Now, it is one of
Fukuokafs most popular souvenirs. They expanded their business
to Tokyo in the Olympic year 1964. Lots of Tokyoites believe
itfs originally from Tokyo and choose it as a souvenir when
they visit Fukuoka. I went to Tokyo on business yesterday and
bought the Tokyo Hiyoko. I will give it to my friend who gave
me the Fukuoka Hiyokocmaybe this weekend. I hope he loves
it!!! (Risa)
March 16th
Foreign visitors are welcome to experience
cultural program at Okitsu-an. The course lasts for about 2
hours and included various items. Although the 2 hour
experience is always slightly different, the basic activities
are generally the same. Here is an example plan. 10:00 welcome
drink, 10:20 kimono dressing or calligraphy, 10:40 incense
ceremony 11:00 tea ceremony 11:30 tea ceremony serving
experience or learn about classic Japanese toys 12:00 relax
and enjoy the atmosphere of the Okitsu-an. This plan is priced
at 18,000yen/person. The plan is available in the afternoon.
All instructions are in English. Tel for inquiry ;
81-75-411-8585 http://www.okitsu-kyoto.com (Risa)
March 15th
A few minutes walk north of Keifuku
Arashiyama Station, there is an area where some small shops
are gathered together. Towards the back stands [Kyouzan].
Though the shop is small, the owner, Mr. Yamaguchi, has a big
heart for cuisine and flavours. He has been working as a good
industry consultant for many years and is a cook himself. [I
wanted to make something delicious and healthy]. Using 100% of
domestic organic soy beans, he created an original ice cream
unlike any other. The results is ice cream thatfs sweet and
elastic. Tofu ice cream (250yen), Tofu and black bean ice
cream (350yen) etc. Please visit the shop if you have a chance
to do your sightseeing in Arashiyama area. (Risa)
Mach 14th
Kyoto Higashiyama Hana Touro 2007 has just
started on March 10th,, and it goes till 21st. About 2400
pathway lamps line the walking route that connects to the
Higashiyama foothills from Shoren-in in the north and
continues through Maruyama Park and Yasaka Shrine 4.6
kilometers into the south, ending at Kiyomizu Temple
Higashiyama is a retro-flavored area, and it is very popular
among tourists all year round. But, I recommend you to visit
this event and enjoy the fantastic scenery. The lamps at night
create a magical atmosphere throughout the area. There are so
many nice little shops and restaurants on you way, so you can
rest your tired legs from a long walk. The air on a spring
evening might be a bit chilly butcit will refresh you up!
Letfs go!!!!!!!!!! http://www.hanatouro.jp/@(Risa)
March 13th
I have found an interesting article. Shinich
Yano, head of a Stratedy research institute proclaims the
biggest difference is the attitude toward money beterrn
Tokyoites and Osakans. The former put priority on money for
appearancefs sake, whereas the latter regard it is terms of
material gain. Osakans have often been called stingy, but
actually their mindset refrects the seriousness toward which
they view money. Mr. Yano points out that Osakans may drive a
hard bargain in business, but it they enjoy a windfall by
winning the lottery, they will generously treat their friends.
[Suppose you and a few friends went to buy lottery tickets
together but only your ticket wins 100,000yen (US$850.00).
What would you do?] – 19% of Tokyoites replied [Keep the whole
amount myself], Among Osakans, the response was 11.7%. Another
71% of Tokyoites replied they whould share a little bit and
keep the rest. For those big-hearted Osakans, the figure was
76.7%. In terms of social niceties, Osakans showed a more
enlightened attitude toward public courtesy, saying they would
be willing to scoot over to let another person sit down beside
them on a train. ( 6.3%, as opposed to only 3.7% for
Tokyoites). The characteristic differences between the two
cities were already well pronounced even as far back as the
Edo period, when Tokyo was the traditional center of
government authority and the bureaucracy whereas Osaka was an
entrepreneurial society. Kyoto is located next to Osaka, so I
guess Kyoto people are more similar to Osakanscbut I guess we
are pretty different. Which city are you interested in?
(Risa)
March 12th
How was your weekend? I had a neat time with
good friends on Saturday and Sunday. One of my close friends,
Ayano came to stay at my place from Kobe on Saturday night. It
was a nice relaxing night. When we woke up in the morning, we
thought it was a beautiful warm day!!! It was indeed
beautifulcbut the air was freezing coldc We went to a café for
brunch at Demachiyanagi, and we were planning to walk back to
the main Sanjo/Shijo areacbut we gave up because it started to
snow. We took a train back instead. Ayanofs friend, Mari
joined us later on, and we headed to Kiyomizu-ji temple. We
have visited the temple many times, but we wanted to have a
stroll. As you see the photo below, the Ume (Japanese apricot)
trees are still in full bloom. We walked through the Maruyama
Park which is famous for the cherry blossoms on our way back.
The cherry trees are getting ready to bloom beautifullycI
thought. We had dinner at a nice restaurant in Kiyamachi area,
which is also popular for the cherry blossoms. The food and
drink was really beautiful there, and we enjoyed our dinner so
much. If you want me to plan your one-day trip plan in Kyoto,
please let me know. I am willing to be your tour planner!!!
(Risa)
March 9th
Spring is coming soon!!! The Mereorogical
Agency announced the expected cherry blossom date for cherry
trees on Wednesday this week. Cherry trees are expected to
bloom in Shizuoka as early as March 13, and in Takamatsu and
Matsuyama four days later, the earliest dates on record.
Agency officials said that an unusually warm winter has led to
the early blossoming of Yoshino cherry trees in western and
eastern Japan. They expect the cherry trees to come into
blossom in Kyoto March 28, a couple of days earlier than
average. However, officials added that the expected blossoming
datescould be delayed if temperatures are lower than
forecasts. The temperature is set to drop across Japan next
week again, with rain and even snow expected in some area. If
you are lucky to see the lovely cherry blossoms in Kyoto,
please fully enjoy the beauty!!! (Risa)
March 8th
Godairiki-san or Festival of the Five
Powerful Deities, took place on February 23rd at Daigo-ji
Temple in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto. 63 men and women aged between
18 and 67 participated in [Mochiage-chinakara Hono], an annual
contest in which people compete for how long they hold up huge
rice cakes called Kagami mochi. It is a memorial service in
which participants pray to the five great kings. The service
is said to have a history of about 1100 years. People
reportedly began the contest soon after the end of the World
War 2, believing that they could receive blessings, such as
health, by offering their strength to the five kings. Upon the
conch-shell horn signal, the contest started at noo.
Participants on a special stage in front of the main hall,
bent down deeply and, with clenched teeth, tried to lift up
the huge rice cakes, weighing 90 kg for women and 150 kg for
men. Onlookers gave the participants loud cheers and applause.
Maybe, you would like to try next year??? (Risa)
March 7th
Sankyu-en is a top tea seller in Kyoto since
1743. They have been growing tea in Uji ( a little southeast
of Kyoto) for 250 years. Uji tea has been regarded as the
finest in the land. To compliment their fine teas they
recently came up with a line of unique sweets which can be
enjoyed in a big old building with a great garden. Some people
stay in this shop for hours. It is a magical old-style space
worth experiencing. Sankyu-enfs recommended dessert is macha
pudding with a bowl of fine maccha tea. Eat the sweet pudding
and then chase it with the slightly bitter tea. Thatfs a great
combination. The Sankyu-en is located on the south side of
Ayakoji, west of Shinmachi. Itfs not hard to find the shop in
the downtown area. (Risa)
March 6th
Crème de la Crème is a popular sweet shop in
Kyoto. It is a part of a family-run sweet business that dates
back to 1872. Their old specialty was and still is baked
sweets made from soba buckwheat flour. In 1999, they decided
to try something new and opened Crème de la Crème as a choux
cream puff specialty shop. In 2005 they went a step further
and started offering choux cream puffs made with seasonal
Kyoto vegetables. Their spring specialty choux cream puffs are
flavoured with Kyoto bamboo shoots, or black beans or Kyoto
yams. Please have a try if you have a chance to come to Kyoto
this spring. http://www.cremedelacreme.co.jp/cafe.html
(Risa)
March 5th
Did you have a neat weekend? I had a good
rest after a very busy week. Do you know what day it was
yesterday? Yes? Hina Matsuri is annual ritual devoted to
protecting the health and happiness of young girls in the year
to come. I was born as the first child in my family and my
grandparents presented me with a grand –story Hina ningyo doll
set for Hina Matsuri when I was only 6 months old. Every year,
I looked forward to see the doll set around Hina Matsuri as a
child. Sadly, now that I am 28 years old, I donft remember
when I saw my doll set. It has been sleeping in a box in the
attic for many years. I donft know when I will get married or
when I will have a child...but I hope I can show the beautiful
doll set to my daughter in the future. (Risa)
March 1st
I went to Tokyo on a business trip
yesterday. I was surprised that there were soooooooooo many
people walking on a streetcI was such a country hick. As you
know, there arenft very tall buildings in Kyoto because of the
regulation lawcso I was a little stressed in the middle of
soaring skyscrapers. When I arrived back in Kyoto, I was kinda
relieved. I guess itfs interesting for you to visit the new
capital city TOKYO and the old one KYOTO and compare the
differences. Spring is nearly herecI hope lots of people come
to Kyoto in the lovely season!!! (Risa)
