You that New York city is called "The Big Apple", but did you know Tokyo city is called "The Big Orange"?
From an unverified source: Tokyo city is called "The Big Orange" or also called "The Big Mikan" because of the web like pattern streets (like the one you can find covering the orange pulps), sometimes with no name or numbers. Sometimes a single route will eventually becomes two route out of nowhere. When people ask for direction on the streets, the answer you will get are usually the name of shops or places close to the direction. So do you know why Tokyo City is called "The Big Orange"? Please share with us at our facebook page :-)
Soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) are available everywhere in
Japan. It is eaten either steeped in a hot broth with various ingredients or
cold with a soy-based dipping sauce. Soba noodles are very popular and
inexpensive in Japan, especially during summer season.
Unlike pasta or other type of noodles around the world, most Japanese noodles, including soba, are
rinsed in cold running water. This not only cools them down
but gets rid of excess starch, which adversely affects the flavor of the
noodles.
The most popular Soba noodles is serve cold. You eat Soba noodles by dipping into a properly made sauce or Soba Tsuyu, with plenty
of spicy condiments or Yakumi. The Tsuyu is made of a strong mixture of Dashi, sweetened soy sauce (also called "Satōjōyu") and Mirin. Wasabi and Spring onions, and sometime raw Quail egg are often mixed into the Tsuyu.
It is typically eaten with chopsticks, you picks up a small amount of Soba noodles from the tray and swirls it in the cold Tsuyu before eating it. and in Japan, it is considered acceptable to slurp the noodles noisily. This is especially common with hot noodles, as drawing up the noodles quickly into the mouth helps cool them.
On New Year's Eve there is a custom to eat "Toshikoshi-soba”
(Year-crossing noodles). Because soba is fine and long, people eat them to wish
for a long life. Another interesting fact about Soba is it also means "Next
to". There is a Japanese custom called "Hikkoshi-soba” (Moving-in
noodles). People, who have just moved into a new neighbourhood, give their new
neighbours Soba noodles while introducing themselves.
Soba Noodles differ in different part of Japan and shops. There are different types of Soba noodles and it is serve with different kind of ingredients. You have to try it out yourself to know which Soba noodles you would prefer to eat. Next time you are in Japan or any Japanese restaurants, give it a try, but if you are already a Soba noodles lover, then Enjoy :-)
Koi or Nishikigoi (in Japanese), are a popular fish around the
world, and are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor Koi ponds or water
gardens. Koi varieties are distinguished by coloration, scalation and
patterning. Some of the major colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue, and
cream.
Japanese Koi fish are specifically bred for both coloration
and form. Most popular in Japan are the Kohaku, a pure white fish with
persimmon-red patches arranged in a stepping stone pattern. Koi fish are beatiful, their patterns and colors make them amazing fish to see. People can spend hours just relaxing and watching these
beautiful and colorful fish swim in the pond.
In Japan, Koi are known for their masculine and positive qualities. They are the official symbol for the Japan Children's Day on May 5th, which is also a festival in Japan. During this festival families hang a Koi Fish windsocks or Koino Bori (see below) for every member they have in their household. Another Japanese believes is that Koi fish symbolise strength for overcoming life's difficulties. Other than that Koi fish is a part of Japanese culture that can be found in some homes or parks around the world.
Feeling hot during Summer time in Japan? Get yourself a cup of flavoured Ice to cool yourself down. In Japan this is called "Kakigori", the Japanese version of a Snow Cone except in a cup and you eat it with a spoon. Kakigori comes in different flavoured such as Green Tea, Grape, Blueberry, Peach, Lemon, Cherry and so on. It is also popular to add sweetened condensed milk to it or sometimes red beans, fruits or Mochi to enhance the taste.
Kakigori can be found almost anywhere in Japan during the summer time. Street vendors selling it are usually around especially during a festivals, at the train stations, a street fairs and other popular places where a lot of people gather or visit. So if you are visiting Japan in the Summer time make sure you try one Kakigori, it's cool & delicious :-)
Daruma Doll is named after an ancient Zen Master, Bodidharma, who lost the use of his arms and legs after sitting nine years meditating in a cave (according to Japan story). The Daruma Doll is a symbol of his self-discipline and positive outlook in Japan.
Daruma Doll comes with both eyes blank. When you buy one or received one as a gift, you should paint one eye and make a wish or determine to do something. Then paint the other eye when your wish comes true or something you set out to do is completed. Daruma Doll have a weighted bottom and rounded shape that forces it balance itself back after being knocked over. The lesson here is to never give up and get up from any misfortune. Daruma Doll can also be use for bringing in luck.
Daruma Doll is a great gift for friends and family from Japan. It is also good for decoration and you can buy it from any Temple or any Japanese gift shop all over Japan. It comes in different sizes, design and colours. Make sure you get the right one for yourself or your friends. I'm not sure what's the meaning, but you can always ask before you buy one.
JapaneseAmulets or Omamori (in Japanese) arecommonly sold at a Shinto Shrine or a Buddhist Temple. The Amulets serve to provide various forms of luck or protection. The Japanese Amulet covering is usually made of cloth with pieces of papers or pieces of wood with prayers written on them. This is supposed to bring good luck or protection to the owner and is also used to ward off bad luck. Well this is good as a souvenir for family and friends for well wishing.
Various kind of Japanese Amulets from different parts of Japan
Japanese Amulets provide blessings and protection, or may have a specific focus, and this is some of its function:
Yaku Yoke- Avoidance of evil
Kaiun- Open luck
Anzan- Protection for pregnant women and safe delivery.
Gakugyo Joju- For students' education and passing of examination.
En Musubi- Acquisition of a mate and marriage. For singles and couples to ensure love and marriage.
Kotsu Anzen- Traffic safety. Protection for drivers and travelers of all sorts.
Kanai Anzen- For good health.
Shobai Hanjo- Prosperity in business. Success in business and matters of money.
So choose wisely which one to get for your own good :-)
Matcha deciding which one to get.
The Japanese Amulets should never be opened in order to avoid losing its power. Old Japanese Amulets are usually returned to the same shrine or temple where it was obtain so it can be disposed properly once it served it’s purposed (in some believes). This is commonly done after New Year. This way the shrine or temple visitor has a fresh start for the New Year with a new Omamori. And also if a shrine or a temple visitor cannot find a Japanese Amulets for their needs, they can make a request from the priest or monk to have one made special for their needs.
One advice, please do not throw the old amulets into the rubbish bin or trash, have some respect. Just burn it properly. A Japanese Amulet usually cost around 200 Yen to 1000 Yen (around B$3 to B$15) depending on it's purpose, and remember one thing if you buy a Japanese Amulets, it is considered as a donation to the temple or shrine. Share the photos of the Japanese Amulets you got or received as a gift from friends and family with us at our Facebook page. We would like to hear your story :-)
Unlike a normal Valentine’s Day, In Japan, it is only the women who give presents (mainly chocolates) to men. Japanese women are believed to be shy to express their love. (Well I don’t know about now) Therefore, Valentine's Day is an opportunity for women express their feelings.
But wait there is a different meaning with the chocolates the women give to men. Chocolates given to men whom women don't feel special love are called "giri (obligation)-choco (chocolate)" in Japan usually to co-workers and bosses. Women tend to give special gifts with chocolates to those men whom they love and this is called "honmei choco” (prospective winner). Nowadays many young Japanese girls tend to exchange chocolate gifts with their female friends. These chocolates are called "tomo choco" (Friends).
Not so fast Men....... a month later on March 14th men are supposed to return gifts to women. This is called "White Day". This is only found commonly in Japan. On this day men who received gifts of chocolate have the chance to return the favour by giving the women who gave them the gifts of chocolate a more expensive box of chocolate or sweets, or other gifts priced slightly higher than the chocolate the women gave them. The gifts that men buy are in white boxes (well it’s called "White Day") and come with separate shopping bags to put them in. Well it’s really up to the men whether or not he will return the gifts to the women, depending on their feelings.
But..... it is said that this custom is created by chocolate companies to boost their sales, and yes it is very successful. Now the chocolate companies in Japan sell more than half of their annual sales during the week before Valentine's Day :-) Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone.
Matcha means Green Tea (powder form), that's where the inspiration of the mascot came from. And why Matcha as mascot if you ask, well because most Japanese people likes to drink green tea or mix green tea to many foods or drinks such as Mochi, Soba, Sweets and even Ice-cream (to name a few). So green tea is very important in Japan & drinking green tea gives you good health. In a way Matcha (Mascot) is here to wish all our Online Friends a very good health and thank you for visiting Online Tomodachi Blog.
Special thanks to the talented Ms.Masa for creating and drawing Matcha for Online Tomodachi :-)
Every time there is a full moon everyone always look up in the sky and say "Wow! Look at the full moon". Some would ask can you see the Rabbit on the moon? And one time a Japanese Friend of mine she say, "Hey, you know the Rabbit is making rice cake on the moon" :-) Hmm.... Interesting, tell me about it from Her Japanese point of view. Oh ya the Full moon photo below was taken this year during the Moon eclipse at December 10, 2011 using my SLR Camera with a 400mm Telescopic lens zoom. Can you see a Rabbit?
Back to what my Japanese friend's version of the rabbit on the moon, She say just look at the moon and you can see a Rabbit pounding rice cake, it's a Japanese Folks Tale (not sure about story, Google it up :-p). After that she told me if she can go to the moon she want to find the rabbit (Just like she wanted to ride a Giant Turtle). Well if you observe the moon photo below, you can see a Rabbit pounding a rice cake.
For some people, this is how the Rabbit look like below during the full moon.
Anyone know the full story, Japanese version? Share with us at our Facebook page, Thank you :-)
If you stay in a typical Japan Hotel, don't expect the washroom to be big & spacey. But it is very well equipped and comes with a very advance technology toilet. At some Hotel you can even hear what's on your TV through the washroom speaker, and you have a telephone in there. My advice test out everything in the washroom first before you do your business in there, make sure of that. I almost embarrassed myself by calling the hotel staff for not knowing how to use the toilet, but luckily i figured it out :-)
Here are some things you can find in a washroom, well just leave your shampoo, body wash at home. Good products and good Hotel Souvenir :-)
Here we are, the modern toilet, or called the "Super Toilet". The feature set commonly found on this type of toilet sit or wash-lets are Anuswashing, bidet washing, seat warming, blow dryer, massage options, water jet adjustments, automatic lid opening, wireless control panel, automatic flushing and and deodorisation. Well not on all model, it depends. When your in Japan check out it's function, it should be fun for anyone who are going to use it for the first time :-)
Watch the video below from Youtube
Do you have any pictures, videos or Japan toilet experiences to share? Please share with us in our Facebook page. Thank you.
This QB House is found in a subway station in Tokyo
Want to have a haircut in Tokyo, but you do not want to wait too long just to get your hair done. Visit any QB House quick hair cut shop in Tokyo. It can be done in 10 MINUTES for the price of 1000 Yen(about B$16.00 Brunei Dollars). You will see at the top left-hand side of the photos something like a traffic light, that is the waiting time or to see if any seats are available. To find out how can you have a quick haircut, look at their instruction below:
Oh ya, want your Hair Stylist to cut your hair to the style you want, bring a picture, it will be much easier than trying to communicate with them on how you want it. If i'm not mistaken you can keep the comb that is is to style your hair as a souvenir. Anybody have any experience getting their hair done here? Share with us at our Facebook Page. Thank you.
Convenience store or Japanese like to call "Konbini" are found everywhere in Japan. Sometimes you can find the same store in the same street just in the opposite side. They are even at subway station, inside a hotel, almost every corner of the streets. Convenience indeed :-)
I remember when i was in Japan in 2009, one of my friend, Miss F, want to go to Lawson Convenience Store close by the hotel, but she told my other friend, Mr. V, she want to go 7 Eleven and when Mr. V bring her to find a 7 Eleven store, and after walking a long way & found one she say "no not this one". Apparently she calls all convenience store in Japan 7 Eleven. Mr. V goes "get your convenience store name correct".
What can you buy at the store? Let's see i bought food & drinks mostly, an Umbrella. Well food & drinks is the main reason i go to the convenience store. What i know is the store mostly sell different type of meals, snacks and sweets, such as Onigiri(rice balls), sandwiches, bread, Obento(lunch boxes), instant noodles and hot foods like fried chicken and Corn dog, and many more. You can also request the staff to heat up your food using a microwave oven, and hot water is available for your instant noodles too.
The stores also sell all kinds of hot and cold beverages including soda, sport drinks, coffee, tea, water, juice, milk & vitamin drinks. They also sell alcoholic beverages including beer, Chuhai, Sake and Wine. Every time i visit Japan i always buy my favourite "Kirin Afternoon Milk Tea". Look for it, it's very nice.
The convenience store also sell other things such as household products, batteries, blank CDs, Disposable cameras, Toys, body care products, cosmetics, stationery, newspapers, magazines and comics (to name a few). Oh ya want to look for a rubbish bin, just go to any convenience store, you can always find one there.
Convenience stores in Japan also offer different services, but not in all. This is what i know from personal experience during my visit there in Japan. They have:
-Photocopyingservice.
-Courier and postal service. -Fax service. -Automated teller machines (ATM).
-Payment service for utilities & other bills and taxes. -Pre-paid cards for cellular phones. -Ticket service for concerts, theme parks, airlines.
-Digital Camera print
-Toilets (FOC)
Most of my Convenience Store photos are taken at night, why? Because it's the only shop i can find open late in Japan to buy some stuffs, well it's 24 hours, so very convenience. Any of you can't sleep after midnight in Japan, go have a walk and visit the closest convenience store. It is easy to find one, the sign board are always brightly lid. I've so far visited Lawson, FamilyMart,Circle K Sunkus, & Am/Pm. Any photos of Japan Convenience Store you have, share with us at our Facebook page.
Watch the video below link from Youtube about inside a Japan Convenience Store.
You will never go thirsty in Japan. Drinks' vending machine are everywhere, trust me it's everywhere, you can find them at every street corners, every train stations, every shopping centers and so on. The drinks in the vending machine can be paid with coins, cash, and even possible with mobile phones. It can even give you back your change. After buying your drinks the vending machine usually display a cute message saying “thank you”.
There are also a next-generation Japan's vending machines on the street with hopes of increasing sales through better advertising. There is a camera with sensors embedded on the vending machine which will recognise your gender and age. This will allow the vending machine to recommend a suitable beverage depending on the buyer profile. For example if the machine detects you are a male user, it will recommend sports drink, and if it detects you are a female user it will recommend tea. You can even click on the screen and interact with the drink that you’re about to buy.
The vending machine also has a system to display advertising when it is not in use. It also can provide recommendations appropriate to the time of day, temperature and season. For example, if it's a hot day, it will recommend you a cold drink and if it’s a cold day, it will recommend a hot drink. Or you can be like most user, just buy the drinks you want or looks attractive. Next time when your in Japan look for any Vending machines and test it's functions, it will be fun.
