What is Andon? Making Andon, a Japanese lantern
Lantern making with a Japanese washi paper The andon is a lantern made of Japanese paper and framed with bamboo or wood lit by burning oil or a candle. It is believed to be originally used by the Buddhist monks during the Muromachi period (1392-1573) as portable lighting. In the Edo period (1600-1867), the andon was especially popular for […]
Japanese Food Going International: Sushi, Ramen, etc.
(The photo is Osechi Ryori*: Japanese New Year Feast) Japanese Food Going International: Sushi, Ramen, etc. The world as it concerns food in the 21st century is an extraordinary spectacle. On the one hand are the famine and food shortages among developing nations, on the other is gluttony and obesity. Heightened global interest in Japanese food […]
Percentage of total electricity generated in Japan by power source
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced on July 21 the draft of the new basic energy plan. The plan is to increase the ratio of renewable energy to the total amount of electricity generated in FY2030. The ratio of renewable energy The ratio of renewable energy will be increased to 36-38%, and […]
Urushi （うるし 漆）, Japanese Lacquer Wares
What is Urushi of Japan? Maki-e, Raden, Lacquer trees and their saps "Shikko" (漆工) is a genre of craft which uses sap from the Anacardiaceae family of trees. Lacquer trees mainly grow in South East Asian countries, and depending on the species of tree, there are three main different ingredients in their sap: urushiol, laccol […]
What is Mentaiko (Karashi Mentaiko)?
It is said that the opening of the Shinkansen or the bullet train service to Hakata or Fukuoka in Northern Kyushu, Japan was what made Karashi Mentaiko (spicy Alaska pollock roe), a local specialty of Hakata, well-known throughout the country of Japan. That is, the Shinkansen passengers having bought the Karashi Mentaiko sold as a […]
About Yakuza, Japanese Mafia, Organized Crime Syndicates in Japan
Yakaza on the verge of extinction by Ryoji Shimada, staff writer There are two yakuza movies "Yakuza to Kazoku" (Yakuza and its Family) and "Subarashiki Sekai" (Splendid World) that have been shown this year. They are both highly rated and seen by many people, but they all have one thing in common that the life […]
Working As an English Teacher in Japan: Inside Japan’s English Conversation Schools
The Truth About Japan’s English Conversation Schools By Erik Tielking This wasn’t supposed to happen. Nova Corporation, my employer for ten years in Japan, operated the nation’s largest chain of English conversation schools, or eikaiwa gakkō. It had been listed on the JASDAQ stock market since 2004. At its peak in 2005 it had 994 branches, […]
What is Shibaku? しばく
What is Shibaku? しばく It is a Kansai dialect and it might not be used in Tokyo or Kanto region. But this expression is commonly used in Kansai especially Osaka. "Shibakku" is often used to mean similar to "to hit" or "to beat". Tokyo people will say "Naguru" instead. It is popularly used as a […]
The TRUTH About MOM GENERATIONS in Japan
By D. McCaughan Diverse Values of Japanese Mothers Born in Between 1970-74 and 1980-84 We talked to mothers born in 1970-74 and 1980-84. Keep in mind that the latter basically don’t remember the bubble years. They are the generation that embraced the “loose sock” fashion, fell in love with purikura, a photo sticker booth, and […]
Kojiki: the Oldest History Book in Japan
Read Kojiki to Understand Japan and Japanese World's Longest Dynasty: Do you know that Japan is called "the only country in the world with a single dynasty"? This refers to the fact that there have been 126 generations of emperors, up to the present emperor, with one line of succession for 2,700 years. There is […]