Category Archives: Cultural Resources

Contained within this category are news summaries and commentaries, cultural experiences, and explanations on Japanese culture.

Futenma Military Base: Prime Minister Hatoyama Calls for a meeting with Barack Obama

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It has been nearly 65 years since the end of World War II, but old alliances and agreements remain in place. One is the bilateral security treaty between Japan and the United States, which currently states that America’s military base, Futenma, will be moved sometime early next year to another spot in Okinawa. While the U.S. expects this to happen, Japanese politicians look like they’re trying to get something otherwise.

As to exactly what Japan’s stance is towards the United States and the relocation of Futenma military base it has not yet been formally announced. Prime Minister Hatoyama made a statement last night requesting that he meet with Barack Obama. Each newspaper had a slightly different take on the situation, and what could possibly be said at a meeting between the Japanese Prime Minister and Barack Obama.

Asahi “The Government’s Policy for Futenma will be communicated to America before the COP meeting” The Asahi, along with the Yomiuri and the Nikkei, reported on the general comments made by the prime minister. He addressed that he would like to meet directly with Barack Obama before the COP meeting on climate change to talk about Futenma. “If I could meet with the president at COP I’d be grateful. Obviously before this I’d have to explain our government’s stance, and I’d also like the opportunity of getting understanding from America.”

While the Asahi reported on the less decisive comments made by the Prime Minister, they also highlighted some stronger opinions. “Now is the time to finally say to America our stance on the issue.” “It’s not that simple as you know, we have an alliance with America, and the expectations of the people of Okinawa are elsewhere.”

Nikkei “Futenma: before COP a policy will be announced” The Nikkei also reported that the Prime Minister would like to talk with President Barack Obama, and would like American understanding for Japanese sentiment in Okinawa.

However the language used by the Nikkei was softer than the Asahi’s, and less decisive. “I would like to bring to life a policy that would decrease the weight of the Okinawan people.” The Nikkei left out the fact that America’s alliance and the Okinawa people’s thoughts are two different things.

Yomiru “The policy for Futenma will need to be decided before the COP15 summit” The Yomiuri, while mentioning the general comments made by the prime minister along with the Nikkei and Asahi, focused on comments made by others within the DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan).

The Chief Cabinet Secretary claimed “The issue in Okinawa is trying to reduce the danger and noise produced by an American base.” And lastly Ozawa-san, the Chief Secretary of the Party, said “with every new ruling party comes a new way of doing things, and a new way of forming alliances.”

Fugu: A (Sometimes) Deadly Delicacy

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After 11 people were poisoned by pufferfish in Toyama last week, I thought I would take some time to talk about the full fugu (河豚 – blowfish, pufferfish) dinner in Japan.

My host mother just recently returned from such a meal, thankfully unharmed. What can you expect at such a pricey dinner? The full fugu experience can cost upwards of $200, so here is a guide to make sure you know what you’re getting into.

Tessa (てっさ): Fugu sashimi
Raw fugu sashimi (刺身) is a delicacy, and is displayed like a work of art. The meat is sliced so thin that you can see the plate underneath.
Karaage (空揚げ): Fried
Karaage is a term for all manner of fried foods, but here we have fried fugu. The taste of fugu has been compared to frog’s legs, so frying doesn’t seem like a bad match!
Yaki-fugu (焼き河豚): Grilled fugu
Nothing like fugu over an open flame. As long as it isn’t full of deadly neurotoxin.
Nabe (なべ): Stew or hotpot
As covered in my nabemono post, many different kinds of foods can be served in a hotpot, and fugu is no exception. This is the dish that did people in last week, by the way. At the end when there is only broth left, you can add cooked rice (gohan – ご飯) and egg (tamago – 卵) to make a kind of fugu risotto. Tasty!
Hire (ひれ): Fin
In one of the more bizarre ways to eat fugu, you can make a flavored sake known as hire-zake (ひれ酒) with the grilled fin of a fugu. It is all served hot, and after drinking the sake, eating the fin is optional.
Shirako (白子): Fish sperm
And here we have the only kind of fugu that I have personally sampled. Shirako (literally, “white children”) is the soft roe or milt of various fish, though pictured here is that of fugu. I’ve also seen it translated as “sperm sack.” Charming. The taste was actually not terrible, though I had no idea what I was eating at the time. I can still hear my host father trying to explain to me what it was in English while dining at a very fancy restaurant. His cries of “It’s SPERM!” echoed off the walls. Slightly embarassing.

Strong Yen – Japanese Reactions to their Inflated Currency

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The Japanese economy has had some bad news in past weeks. The index that measures new housing starts in Japan went down 27.1% in October. The historic news that JAL is lowering their retirement payouts still rocks the news, along with institutions posting historic unbalanced budgets, including JTB and the Bank of Japan.

Usually at the forefront of bad economic news are the effects felt from a strong yen. In an export driven economy with the dollar weakening and the yen strengthening, Japanese exports continue to become more expensive when compared with their competition. The newspapers this morning reported on the yen strengthening and the reactions to it.

Asahi Prime Minister Hatoyama exclaims “We must do something quickly” The Prime Minister, in an interview with the Asahi newspaper, answered questions about the Dubai economic summit he recently attended. When asked about the weakening stock market and the strengthening yen, he responded by talking about the weak dollar and its effects: “I’ve held meetings previously in Japan about this, but basically my thoughts have not changed. There’s been a strong movement of buying another currency in the face of the weakening dollar; in fact I think only the yen has really experienced such strong appreciation. Something must be done quickly in order to keep Japan the second strongest economy in the world.”

Nikkei “From the first Itoyokado starts its 20-50% off sale” In light of the strengthening yen, Itoyokado from December 1st to December 3rd has decided to drop its prices 20-50%. According to the Nikkei, because the Yen’s getting stronger, Itoyokado anticipates that they can buy groceries such as fruit and pork at a lower price.

For example, American made pork will go on sale for 34% off, to 84 yen per 100 grams. Salmon imported from Chile will be 25% off, to 88 yen per 100 grams.

Yomiuri “Stock Market and Strengthening Yen Policy Announced” Prime Minister Hatoyama announced a plan to combat a volatile market on September 29th, according to the Yomiuri. Just like the Asahi the Yomiuri also mentioned the prime minister’s concern about rising stock prices and a falling yen, but they noted the specifics of how the plan will combat these two things has yet to be determined.

Thanksgiving in Japan – Celebrating and Enjoying the Holiday

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Thanksgiving is one of those holidays you’d expect to be an American only holiday. After all, according to our elementary school education it celebrates American pilgrims and Native Americans coming together to celebrate, eat, and give thanks. Why would a country like Japan, whose history starts 1,000 years before America, celebrate Thanksgiving?

Surprisingly, Japan does celebrate Thanksgiving. Not surprisingly, the official holiday, called Thanksgiving Labor Day, was started after the American Occupation in 1948. Thanksgiving in Japan is an opportunity for unions and other workers to celebrate their hard worked days of labor through parades, parties, and well an actual day off.

As an American living in Japan though it wasn’t easy to celebrate the holiday. Although the Japanese do have an official holiday to commemorate Thanksgiving, no traditional American “Thanksgiving” foods are served in people’s households. It’s also extremely difficult to find a prepared turkey, and only select foreign grocery stores in Tokyo carry them. Once you’ve found a turkey though, in my mind you basically have two options for celebrating Thanksgiving in Japan:

The first way to celebrate Thanksgiving in Japan is to have an actual party at your house, a potluck of traditional thanksgiving foods. Don’t be surprised though if people show up with California rolls, seaweed salad, shrimp chips, and other traditional Japanese foods. It’s always fun in Japan to do a potluck because not only do the Japanese attend but its highly possible Australians, British, Singaporeans, Chinese, and other multicultural friends will all come to your Thanksgiving feast. The greatest part about having a multicultural thanksgiving is most people say “This is my first Thanksgiving,” so you feel like you’re almost experiencing it yourself for the first time.

The second option for celebrating Thanksgiving in Japan (which in my opinion isn’t as fun as the first), is to go to your local American Club or other select restaurant that offers Thanksgiving dinner. Basically anywhere in Asia where American ex-pats live select restaurants will prepare a Thanksgiving feast. For anywhere from 30-100 or so dollars you can get a traditional Thanksgiving meal buffet style, just don’t be surprised if you have to order in Japanese.

Thanksgiving in Japan is a memorable experience, one that if you’re in Japan during Thanksgiving my recommendation is to host your own party or attend a local buffet. I’m sure there are other options for celebrating Thanksgiving in Japan, and please feel free to add commentary to this article about that or ask other questions.

Ryouri o tsukurimashou! Sweet Potatoes

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(For more information on where these recipes came from and more Japanese cooking vocabulary, check out my previous posts for Yellowtail Teriyaki, Cashew Chicken, Roast Chinjao, and Tonkatsu!)

Did you read about Fall foods in Japan yet? If you have, you’ll notice that the first food listed is sweet potatoes. Have you ever wondered how to make them into a dessert, Japanese style? Read on and learn how!

スイートポテト – Sweet Potatoes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

English Japanese
400 g sweet potatoes (0.88 lb or 14.1 oz) さつまいも　４００ｇ
32 g butter (about 2.5 Tbsp) バター　３２ｇ
60 g granulated sugar (about 1/3 cup) グラニュー糖　６０ｇ
4 Tbsp whole milk 牛乳　大さじ４
Dash of salt 塩　少々
2 egg yolks (divided) 卵黄　１個分＋１個分
1 Tbsp dark rum ラム酒　大さじ１
A little bit of water 水　少々

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut into rounds 3 cm in width. Place the sliced potatoes into a bowl of water as you cut them, then drain when ready to proceed to the next step.

Fill a saucepan with plenty of water, then put in the potatoes and heat until the water is boiling. When they can be easily pierced with a chopstick or fork, remove from heat and drain the hot water.

While the potatoes are still hot in the drained saucepan, quickly crush them until they are broken up into small pieces. Add the 32 g of butter and mix well. Then add the 4 Tbsp of milk, 60 g granulated sugar, and salt, then heat on low heat. While stirring constantly, let the moisture evaporate, and mash until the potatoes become smooth.

Quickly cool the potatoes by placing the hot saucepan into a bowl of ice water. When they have cooled a bit, add one of the egg yolks and 1 Tbsp rum, then mix well.

Lay down some parchment paper on a flat surface like a counter or table. Divide the sweet potato dough into four equal sections and place on the paper. Form each into a football-like shape by wrapping them in the parchment, then using a dish towel on the outside of the wrapper to manipulate the hot dough.

In a small bowl, put in the other egg yolk and add a little water, then mix. Place the football-shaped sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then lightly brush the tops with the egg mixture.

Put the baking sheet on the top rack in the oven, which should be between 180-200°C (356-392°F). For two potato shapes, bake for 15-20 minutes. For 4, bake for 20-25 minutes. When the tops dry out after baking, take the potatoes out of the oven and brush with the egg mixture once more. Then put them back in the oven for 2-3 minutes. When the tops have browned, they are ready to be taken out of the oven and served.

(Note: Japanese dessert sweet potatoes are often served with a bit of honey on top.)

Vocabulary:

Japanese Romaji Meaning
はかり hakari Scale (ie. Cooking scale)
ピーラー piiraa Vegetable peeler
オーブン oobun Oven
オーブンシート oobun shiito Parchment paper
ふきん fukin Dish towel; dish rag
ハケ hake Brush (here, refers to a cooking or pastry brush)
バター bataa Butter
牛乳 gyuunyuu Milk
卵黄 ranou Egg yolk(s)
たっぷり tappuri Fully; amply; generously
細かい komakai Small; fine
つぶす tsubusu To crush; smash; mash
氷水 koori mizu Ice water
敷く shiku To spread; lay out
生地 kiji Dough
溶きほぐす toki-hogusu To scramble (an egg)
表面 hyoumen The surface; face; ouside; exterior
上段 joudan The upper row, tier, step, or rack

Poison Blowfish: A Deadly Dinner in Japan Puts 11 in the Hospital

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Sushi is a delicacy in Japan, and probably the most famous Japanese food in America. Whenever anyone hears sushi, they think of raw fish, and how adventurous (and healthy) it must be to eat fish uncooked. No one ever thinks it might be dangerous.

The one exception to this is blowfish. To anyone who’s ever lived in Japan or thought about going there, blowfish is famous for its borderline poisonous properties. All restaurants that carry blowfish need special chefs to prepare the fish just right, and if it’s not prepared correctly it can potentially be poisonous. Everyone tries blowfish because of the potential danger and of course unique taste, but no expects to actually get poisoned.

Both the Yomiuri and the Asahi reported on the Blowfish (fugu in Japanese) poisoning incident:

Asahi: “Toyama: poisoned while eating blowfish nabe, 2 people in critical condition” On the evening of the 23rd, 11 people were eating blowfish nabe at Kozushi, a sushi restaurant in Toyama Prefecture. 9 of those people exhibited symptoms of poison and were rushed to the hospital, and 2 people were rendered unconscious.

According to the Asahi, there were about 21 people eating blowfish nabe that night. 11 people were admitted to a nearby medical facility, with symptoms such as having trouble breathing. The cause of people’s sickness was that the part of the blowfish that is poisonous was not completely removed, according to the poison control center at the facility. The sushi chef who prepared the blowfish did have his sushi license.

Yomiuri: “Toyama: 2 people rendered unconscious by poisonous blowfish nabe” Compared with the Asahi, the Yomiuri dramatized the incident of the poisoning blowfish. They said the 11 people emitting symptoms of poison were rushed to 3 nearby hospitals. The symptoms of poison were not only shortness of breath, but also people’s mouths and faces going numb.

The Yomiuri also mentioned that the blowfish prepared that morning was from a different fish market than what is usually purchased. The Yomiuri, along with the Asahi, pointed out that the sushi chef who prepared the blowfish did have his license.

Nikkei: Swine Flu’s dismal statistics The Nikkei did not report on the poison blowfish incident this morning but instead ran a headline about the swine flu in Japan and its dismal statistics. According to the Nikkei, when looking at the ministry of Health and Human Welfare’s website, “1 in 14 people in Japan have been infected with the swine flu.” In regards to deaths, they said “1 in 14,000 will be killed by the swine flu.”

Japanese News and Culture Blog Roundup: 10/22/09-10/28/09

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An Englishman in Osaka

Kurama Fire Festival 10/24/09: Kurama in flames
Coverage of the Kurama Fire Festival (Kurama no hi matsuri – 鞍馬の火祭り) which was held on 10/22. People with huge lit torches parade through the streets on the way to the Yuki-jinja Shrine. More pictures and information can be found here.

GaijinSmash.net

10/28/09: Cultural differences, again
Humorous article on the differences between how celebrity gossip is covered/prosecuted in Japan and in the US. Answers the all-important question: “What’s wrong with being naked?” (quite a lot, apparently). Written by a former JET teacher who is now married and living in Japan.

Japan Probe

Japanese Mascots 10/25/09: Japanese mascots hold summit in Hikone
Many towns and cities in Japan have their own mascots used to promote tourism. What do you think New York’s mascot would be? I can think of a few unsettling examples, but a big apple would probably be the most kid-friendly.

Japanese Pod 101

Soba Package 10/26/09: Learn Japanese Kanji – Everyday Kanji (Food Packaging)
Another very useful post from Japanese Pod 101. Venture into Japanese grocery stores without fear!

Néojaponisme

Japan Peace Sign 10/26/09: Contributing factors to the popularity of the “Peace” sign in Japanese photography
This is something I’ve often wondered myself. The best explanation I got while in Japan was, “It’s just something you do in pictures.” This post gives some much more detailed theories as to the origins of the practice.

Pink Tentacle

stereoview_19 10/28/09: Animated stereoviews of old Japan
Really cool colorized 3-D images from Meiji-era Japan. The animation makes me a little dizzy, though…

10/26/09: ‘Tele Scouter’ retinal-display translation glasses
The concept is awesome: glasses that display translations for foreign languages as you hear them (via a built-in microphone). However the reality is not quite up to par since machine translation technology is simply not advanced enough. However the glasses, which are set to go on the market in 2010, could still be used in other situations to display text for workers.

Japanese Fall/Winter Stew: Nabemono

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Sukiyaki

Nabe (or nabemono 鍋物, なべ物), is a type of Japanese one-pot dish where a big pot is heated in the middle of the table, and the diners cook the food themselves. Nabe is usually served during the colder fall and winter months when families and friends gather together and share a big stew.

There are several different varieties depending on the ingredients added, and where in Japan the recipe originated. One of the most well-known types in the US is sukiyaki (すき焼き), which consists of thinly sliced beef along with many vegetables and tofu and is boiled in a teriyaki-like sauce of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. The ingredients are then dipped in beaten raw eggs before being eaten. At the end, udon or soba noodles can be added to soak up the flavorful broth.

Shabu-shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ, literally meaning “swish swish”) is very similar to sukiyaki, though the broth is more savory than sweet. The broth may just be water, or else lightly flavored with konbu (seaweed). Ingredients are then dipped in ponzu (see below) or sesame sauce.

Oden (おでん) is another variety where food can be added at any time instead of only at the beginning. Ingredients in addition to the ones below may include boiled eggs, carrots, potatoes, green onions, and more.

Common Nabemono Ingredients:

Daikon Daikon (ダイコン)
A large, mild radish native to East Asia. It can be eaten raw, cooked, pickled, or grated.
Ponzu Ponzu (ポン酢)
A tart, citrus-based sauce used for dipping ingredients in shabu-shabu or other dishes. It is made with mirin, rice vinegar, katsuobushi, konbu, and citrus juice (such as yuzu [like a grapefruit], sudachi, daidai [a bitter orange], kabosu, or lemon).
Katsuobushi Katsuobushi (かつおぶし)
Dried, fermented, and smoked flakes of skipjack tuna, also known as bonito. It’s often used to make dashi (fish stock), and as a topping for many Japanese foods.
Konbu Konbu (昆布)
Edible kelp seaweed often used to make dashi soup stock in Japan. It can be pickled, dried, and even made into tea (which tastes like the ocean to me).
Tsukune Tsukune (つくね)
Fish or meat balls (if meat, usually chicken). The fish balls I’ve had have been gray and sometimes disturbingly crunchy (bones, fins, and eyes are all included). They are often featured in some miso soups as well.
Tofu Tofu (豆腐)
Often seared or grilled, but sometimes just boiled raw in the pot.
Hakusai Hakusai (白菜)
Chinese cabbage.
Shungiku Shungiku (春菊)
Edible crysanthemum greens. It’s often used in Cantonese cuisine, but is popular in Japan as well.
Shiitake Shiitake (椎茸)
Common Japanese mushroom used in many dishes. Can be dried, sauteed, or boiled. Usually only the caps are used.
Enokitake Enokitake (エノキタケ)
Also known as enoki, these are available fresh or canned.
Soba Soba (そば)
A type of thin buckwheat-flour noodle. They are often served chilled in summer and hot in winter. Can be made into many different kinds of soup.
Udon Udon (うどん)
A type of thick wheat-flour noodle. Like soba, these are often served cold in summer and hot in winter. Can be a part of many kinds of soup dishes, depending on the toppings.
Kamaboko Kamaboko (蒲鉾)
Processed fish cakes made from varieties of whitefish and additives like MSG. Spiral-shaped loaves are often called “naruto” after the Japanese city which has a well-known whirlpool. The white fish paste is called surimi (擂り身), and is also present in fake crab in the US.
Chikuwa Chikuwa (竹輪)
Another surimi product made with salt, sugar, starch, and egg whites along with the fish.
Konnyaku Konnyaku (こんにゃく)
A mottled gray, firm gelatin-like substance which is mostly flavorless. The blocks can be cut into thin noodles and used in oden or sukiyaki. The gel itself is made from plants.

Japanese News and Culture Blog Roundup: 10/15/09-10/21/09

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Tokyo Times

takurazuka 10/21/09: Takarazuka in Tokyo
The Takarazuka Revue is an all-female musical theater group in Japan that puts on popular adaptations of shows like Guys and Dolls and The Sound of Music. It has appeared in the press again lately since the current first lady of Japan, Miyuku Hatoyama, was once a performing member in the 1960s. I personally heard about it lately since my host mom in Japan saw a performance last week. All male roles are also played by females, often done up like David Bowie-esque makeup. Pictured here is one of their “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney” shows. Yes, Phoenix Wright has come to stage! My host mom said the show she saw was extremely over-the-top, but still fun. For more information on this group, check out this link.

Pink Tentacle

saya_in_takashimaya 10/21/09: Video: Sick robot exhibits symptoms of H1N1
A robot that shows symptoms of H1N1 was recently displayed at an expo in Tokyo as a training aid for emergency workers. Without treatment, the patient will eventually “die” and stop breathing. Also featured this week was a female humanoid robot named Saya who worked reception at a Takashimaya department store in Tokyo. Pictures of her are slightly creepy (uncanny valley, anyone?), though she was apparently a hit with shoppers and tourists. At least her appearance isn’t as upsetting as this little guy from two years ago. CB2 will haunt my dreams forever, though all these advances in robotics are still certainly impressive!

Japan Probe

antler_ceremony_nara 10/16/09: Nara’s deer lose their antlers
I guess I should have realized this earlier, but it was still a little shocking to think of the famous deer of Nara having their antlers sawed off on a yearly basis. However, the deer have no feeling in their antlers by the time of the ceremony, and they are usually naturally shed each year after mating season anyway. The 300-year-old ceremony is performed for the safety of both the deer and the tourists who flock to Nara to feed them “shika sembei” biscuits.

Ozawa “Buddies Up” with the American Ambassador

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Ichiro Ozawa was the main candidate for The Democratic Party of Japan, leading up to the election in September. Then leading up the summer he was rocked by a scandal that put his secretary potentially embezzling funds that he shouldn’t have been embezzling. He resigned, and the now current Prime Minister, Hatoyama, took over the Democratic Party of Japan, and ended up winning the prize of Prime Minister. The election was historic for Japan, in its 50 year history since WWII this was the first time the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) had taken the reigns of power from the Liberal Democratic Party, or (LDP).

Nevertheless, Ozawa-san has managed to hold onto power, both behind the scenes and as now the Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Japan. Each newspaper had a different take on Ozawa-san this morning and his meeting with the American ambassador to Japan, John Roos.

Asahi “We should be frank with each other.” The Asahi painted the meeting with the American Ambassador, John Roos, as a tough yet honest discussion. Sources within the DPJ, according to the Asahi, claimed that Ozawa exchanged opinions with the Ambassador about trade frictions during the LDP era. Ozawa-san said to the ambassador, “If America has an issues, I want you to clearly state them. Japan should also frankly state their opinions in return.”

Yomiuri “Over a drink, let’s talk about the past election.” The Yomiuri’s interpretation of the meeting between Ozawa and Roos was one of friendship, not one of frank speaking. They also had a different take on what Ozawa-san said to John Roos when he asked “If America has an issues, I would appreciate if you could you say them.” The Yomuri used “言ってもらいたい instead of the more direct form,　言ってほしい.

In the Yomiuri not just the language was different, but also what they talked about was apparently friendlier. Ozawa said “Even when I meet the American Ambassador, I can’t really say political things.” Ozawa then went on to say “I commend the majority the Democratic Party in the US has obtained. I also have experience with running a campaign, let’s grab a drink sometime and discuss it.”

Nikkei “A new strand of the virus hospitalizes 445 people.” The Nikkei actually didn’t report on the meeting between the American Ambassador and Ozawa. This could partly be reflective of their lack of support for the new administration…

They instead talked about the Swine Flu, and the surprising impact it has had in the past week. 445 people were hospitalized, and a staggering 8,534 schools were closed due to the threat of flu. Over 50% of those schools were elementary, where as about 25% were middle schools.