Anti-Oxidation bottle for the Soy-Source.

**** 鰹節：KATSUO-BUSHI;dried bonito ****

You see something dancing on the OKONOMI-YAKI.They are KATSUO-BUSI very important Japanese food material.



It takes 6 months to make dried KATSUO-BUSHI.

Bonito are cut and boiled at 90 degree, smoked 20 days and stained for months.

**** ニャー：NYA；voice of cat ****

In Japanese, we describe the voice of cats as "ニャー" or "にゃあ" while it is described as "meow" in English.

I think "meow" is wrong to describe the voice of cats because cats must close their lips to pronounce "m" and they can not.

**** 甘納豆：AMA-NATTO; sweet beans ****

"NATTO" is infamous for its smell and texture. But AMA-NATTO is far from NATTO.

In Japanese, "AMA-I" means "sweet" and AMA-NATTO is just sweet beans. I don't know why it has "NATTO" in its name.

**** 金太郎飴：KINTARO-AME;KINTARO candy ****

Japanese are often said "they all seem to be same" or "they all like to do the same".


Yes, we know it. And we have the words for that kind of situation. "it's like the KINTARO-AME"

Here is the KINTARO(the name of children helo)-AME.

**** 酒粕：SAKE-KASU ****

KASU means actually "dust" and often used to insult people by asserting them as useless.

However, "SAKE-KASU" is very useful food or food material.

SAKE-KASU is the dust which is made when they squeeze SAKE or Japanese rice wine.



SAKE-KASU is made from rice and used like as the MISO (fermented soy beans). SAKE-KASU has much more functionality to keep the health and beauty. Famous cosmetique product "SK-II" is said to involve some extract of SAKE-KASU.

Here is the link to the Wikipedia in Japanese.

**** 鳴門の渦：NARUTO NO UZU;Vortex at NARUTO ****

We have in-land-sea "SETO-NAI-KAI" in west Japan. Because of the 5 hours time delay of the high-tide and low-tide by the AWAJI-SHIMA island, many vortex are made for a while every day.



Added on 1st/march/2020

I believe the NARUTO on RAMEN was named after the vortex of NARUTO.



Also I believe vaguely the MANGA of NARUTO is named after NARUTO.

**** 日本人の名前:Names of Japanese ****
Japanese government officially stated that Japanese should describe their names as "family name first". I think it is very reasonable.

Japanese have been describing their names "individual name first" in alphabet to meet western standard. I did not like it and I usually describe Japanese names as "<family name>, <individual name>".

We have 120,000 family names in Japan (some document says 300,000). I have the list of Japanese family names which has 100,000 items.

On the other hand, the number of Japanese individual name is not known. I think the number of Japanese individual names is much less than the number of family names (I'm sure but have no evidence). Japanese family names should be the "first name" to call each other.

Therefore, it is very natural for Japanese to call their family names each other.

For some historical reason, most of Japanese Family names are related to the geographical objects. As for the individual name, it is reflection of what the parents hope for their child.

If you have japanese friends, ask them for the meaning of their family name and individual name. It will make good queque to have good relation with the friends.

**** 蒙古斑：MOUKO-HAN;Mongolian Spot ****

Japanese babies and some of Chinese babies have blue spot on the back or hip.



It will disappear usually around age of ten. but some people have it until age of 20.

This spot sometimes cause problems when the parents show the baby to the western doctor who does not know about the Mongolian Spot. The doctors regards the spot as the evidence of the Child abuse.

**** Fruits Cakes ****
Foreign girls enjoy Japanese fruits cakes.

**** 立体駐車場：RITTAI-CHUSHAJO；Parking tower ****

As we have many cars to park in small area in the big cities in Japan, we have some tricks to park vertically. Take attention to the turn table in leaving.

start parking at 5:00
leave parking at 9:20

**** 軽自動車：KEI-JIDOUSHA；light weight car or K-car ****

After the WWII, Japanese government made a new "light weight" class of car to encourage the car makers could sell low price cars. At the moment, engine size was restricted less than 360 cc.

The "K:light weight" standard is revised sometime and now it is defined 660 cc engine, 3.4 m in length, 1.48 m in width and 2.0 m in height.

Here is the legend of 360 cc "SUBARU 360"(from Wikipedia).



Rear view (Wikipedia)


K-car itself is very useful for row cost commuting or carrying light things. And also K-car makes the base of re-modeling.

Here the old man equipped SUZUKI 1100 cc engine on K-car as "mid-ship". These re-modeled car is illegal to use on public road.



You can find K-car on the road by the yellow "number plate" (for personal use). Black "number plate" with yellow letters also mean K-car for business.

**** 素麺：そうめん；SOUMEN ****

RAMEN is already well known Japanese food (originated in China).

These days, SOBA(Buckwheat) and UDON are also known by foreign people.

But SOUMEN is not known to the world yet (I think).



As SOUMEN is white, it imagens clean and cool (in temperature) for Japanese. Japanese love to have SOUMEN in Summer. SOUMEN in hot broth is called "NYUMEN".

Find How they make the SOUMEN in Japan.

**** 原付：げんつき；GEN－TSUKI; bicycle with motor ****

It means just small bike with 50 cc engine or 650 W electric motor.

It's restricted in max speed at 30 km/h by law but actually you can ride on it at 60 km/h on flat road.



As one can get the licence automatically when one get driving licence, most of all Japanese can ride on it legally.

However, the makers like as HONDA, YAMAHA an SUZUKI are going to stop making these small bikes because these bikes have not international market. the makers want to move larger class bike.

Also, law is said to be change. when one got driving licence, one can ride on bikes of 125 cc. I'm afraid it is too dangerous for beginners to ride on 125 cc bike.

**** おぼろ昆布&とろろ昆布：OBORO-KOMBU & TORORO-KOMBU; Sea Weed Sheets ****

OBORO & TORORO KOMBU are eatable sheet made from seaweed like as NORI (black seaweed).



You can find the difference between OBORO and TORORO in this video. OBORO is hand made and TORORO is machine made.



Though western people do not recognize the value of seaweed, KOMBU is very important material of the Japanese food. Western people might call it as "kelp" which is different seaweed from NORI.

**** ウニ：UNI；Sea Urchin ****



This is made of ovaries of sea urchin.Some foreign people hate them because of the smell. I agree. Some cheep UNI are not good. These days, sea urchin fed with cabbage was found less smell.

**** ナポリタン スパゲティ：NAPORINTAN SUPAGETTI;Spaghetti Napolitan ****

Spaghetti is Italian food as a matter of course. However, "Spaghetti Napolitan" was invented in Japan and no Italian regards itas Italian food. They say there must not be "spaghetti with tomato taste".

I had been believing "spaghetti Napolitan" is the most major Italian food. And I like it.

**** 除雪車：JOSETSUSHA;Snow remover ****

In some area of Japan, we have much snow in winter.

Japan has several most heavy snow area with human being living.

Three odd foods which foreigner will not like.

I don't like second one and never eaten the forth one. I eat first one not so often and third one often.

羊羹：ようかん；YOUKAN Sweet jerry？

YOUKAN is something like sweet Jerry made from red beans and agar (I don't know the word "agar" which is translated by google).


Tasting in Paris served with Japanese green tea.

Tasting hot ”AMAZAKE" in Paris.

TAWASHI iｓa tool to clean the kiten goods or food by scrabing the surface of the goods. AWASHI is hard enough to scrab and and does not hurt the dishes or foods.



Here is how they make it.

IWO-JIMA is famous for the movie named "Letter from IWO-JIMA".

In 2004, it was re-named as IWO-TO officially by Japanese government.

Anyway, do you know this island is getting bigger day by day.

Watch this video from 4:30.



By the way, no one is allowed to enter this island without permission.

OTAMA-tone is a music instrument by MEIWA-DENKI.

"OTAMA" is shortened word of "OYAMA-JAKUSHI" which means tadpole.
And Tadpole is often used to mean the music note.



Description by the maker.



OTAMA-tone Deluxe:



And yes, I have small one.

活け締め：いけじめ："IKE-JIME"= Kill fish alive to keep them fresh

Poverty in Japan.

A case of "Homeless Girl".

You might already know "CIAO CHURU" because it is exported over sea from Japan.

I suspected it could include some kind of "drag" as cats fall crazy when ciao churu is fed. But the maker denied the drag story. They said "we just arrange the ingredients to fit the cats' taste".

大喜利：おおぎり；OHGIRI

OHGIRI is a traditional stage comedy show. The players compete each other how their answers are funny against the given subject.

In this movie, "IPPON!":modern style of OHGIRI is played in a TV show.

Here is the highlight from released IPPON! where the players are reuested to compose some words against the picture. Enjoy!

CHIHARA: draining off the whole water from the pool. 7 points
(name Not called)

NAKAOKA: "your fishing rod is moving!" 10 points

SHIBATA: "ah, if you don't have honney, I will order salmon" 10 points

BAKARIZUMU: "hey, then what's next!?" 10 points

WAKABAYASHI: "Yes, I requested the ambulance" 10 points

DAIKICHI: "It smells very good!" 10 points

DAIGO: "THE NIHON(JAPAN)" 0 point

KINOSHITA: "PANPARCE is good !", "ALSO MOOMIN-MAN is good too!" 10 points

HORIUCHI: "Welcome to Honney ONSEN(hot spring) !" 7 points

DAIKICHI: (Failed to translate) 10 points
(after HORIUCHI called)

KAWASHIMA: "Ride on me, she is waiting for you! " 6 points

BAKARIZUMU: "Oh, this is what I can do for crescent moon" 10 points

DATE: "Would you join our circle?" 10 points

HORIUCHI: "This restaurant doesn't serve even water" 10 points

TANAKA: SKIP (0 point: how to say "senior devorce" in Japanese-English)

BAKARIZUMU: "A-ha, your wisdom teeth is in trouble" 10 points

22 Seriously Weird Things That Only Exist In Japan

https://www.thetravel.com/22-serious...xist-in-japan/

Can you find who he is?

The temple officially stated "we have no model for this statue." while local people call him as "Steve Joubutsu(成仏：じょうぶつ;to become like Buddha)".

You can find the link to translated page for this temple here.

Correction: It is not a temple but a kind of "ZEN museum".

M-TechX to suction oil.

20 gram of M-tex suctions 1litter of oil.

**** Mystery Circle under the Sea ****

There are some Mystery Circles under the sea around AMAMI islands. What made them ?

Rice, rice baby: Japanese parents send relatives rice to hug in lieu of newborns



YOSHIMI-YA

Did you enjoyed opening ceremony of TOKYO Olympic ?

The Pictgram Man:



Gamarjobat is the name of the group who performed the Pictgram man.

**** 牛蒡：ごぼう；GOBOU ****

GOBOU is actually "grass roots". It is made from special grass.

In WW2, Japanese army served GOBOU to the prisoner of the war and they clamed for it because Japanese army abused them.

GOBOU is full of fiber and other nutrition without additional calorie.

**** 合気道：あいきどう;AIKI-DO ****

I don't know how AIKI-DO is known to the world but I think most foreign people are confused AIKI-DO with KARATE or some other "martial arts".

AIKI-DO is much different from other martial arts. It does not need physical force.

Here, some KARATE guys tried to learn AIKI-DO. These guys are trained KARATE guys for over ten years including the camera man.

The guy waring "YAWARGIDO" T-shirt is the AIKI-DO guy, who made KARATE guys down without force. He says "when I use force, the target will resist against it. I just stroke them.".



Here he shows a technique from "一教:いっきょう;learning step one".

Actual Performance starts at 1:00.

After all, the KARATE guys learn nothing in this movie. They are only wondering what is happening.

Here is next stage (added).

AIKI-DO guy tried to bring down his left arm and KARATE guys tried to stop it.

As we have in-land-sea "瀬戸内海：せとないかい；SETO inland-sea" in west Japan, there are many vortexes there made by the tidal flow.

**** 薙刀：なぎなた；NAGINATA ****

NAGINATA is actually "long sword" used by male and female soldiers.

**** 鰹節：かつおぶし；KATSUO－BUSHI ****

KATSUO－BUSHI is boiled, smoked, dried and fermented bonito (KATSUO).
AS it is the basic of the Japanese food, every "Japanese food chef" should know about it.

KATSUO-BUSHI is often served as films or flakes as shown in this movie.


What will happen when you give the KATSUO-BUSHI to cats?
Here is the first encounter of a kitten with KATSU-BUSHI.


But be careful when you give KATSUO-BUSHI to cats. As KATSUO-BUSHI has to much mineral, it could cause urinary stones.

here is how KATSU0-BUSHI is made. It takes half a year to complete these processes.

Secret Swimming Holes in Nara, Japan