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.n bbbbb\
Japan Probe
 |
11/25/09: Japanese police seek arrest of US teenagers Four teenagers in Tokyo, who are all the children of US military personnel, will probably soon be arrested for clotheslining a woman on a moped in September and nearly killing her. The 23-year-old woman broke her neck and went through months of rehabilitation. |
 |
11/20/09: Anti-flu masks don’t work as well as advertised Wearing masks in Japan for illness is a common practice and equates to big bucks for mask manufacturers. However, it looks like some companies have been trying to capitalize on the swine flu scare by making promises that their products simply can’t deliver. A mask might be advertised as being 99.9% effective against viruses, but studies show that most are far less effective than claimed, especially since many will not fit the face exactly. But to most buyers, I’m sure some protection seems better than none at all. |
JetWit.com
WIT Life #58: 勤労感謝の日
Here is a post about celebrating Labor Thanksgiving in Japan. Where should you go on the holiday? Somewhere that exemplifies 「安・近・感」 (an/kin/kan). An = cheap, kin = close, and kan = feeling (as in, somewhere that gives you a sense of the fall season). Maybe an onsen (hot spring) just outside of town?
Pink Tentacle
 |
11/25/09: Photos: International Robot Exhibition 2009 Some may be cute and some may be creepy, but all are still pretty cool. See robots from all over the world demonstrate new industrial possibilities, or sit down with a robot clown (which looks like the head from the Jack In the Box commercials stuck on top of a teddy bear) for some stretching exercises. Pictured is one of my favorites called TOPIO, brought to you by TOSY of Vietnam. He is ripped, has cool shades, and is built to destroy you and your loved ones. At ping pong. |
F*cked Gaijin
11/24/09: Seifuku Syndrome
Coverage of an Asahi article about female students in Japan buying fake school uniforms to look “cool” and like they’ve had “proper upbringing” even if their school doesn’t require special clothing. The article also briefly mentions the phenomenon of people from abroad also buying uniforms as costumes to dress up like anime characters.
|
11/20/09: The Changing Face of Sushi in Japan Coverage of a Wall Street Journal article about the decline of traditional, family-owned sushi restaurants in Japan. Faster, cheaper, and more convenient eateries like kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) and chain restaurants are on the rise. As a result, the number of sushi masters, who must undergo almost ten years of training, are also decreasing. The article also talks about why there are few female sushi chefs: there can be a lot of physical labor involved in hauling fish from the market, and old inaccurate superstitions like women’s hands are warmer than men’s, and so are unsuitable for handling fish. |
(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.)
| 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 |
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.”
Japan Probe
|
11/18/09: Japanese Mortified By Obama’s Bow? Uhh…..no. Ah, the bow seen ’round the world. Some right-wing news sites interpreted Obama’s bow to Japan’s Emperor Akihito as a sign of submission. Others criticized his bow as being too deep, or too curved, or odd because it was sort of a handshake/bow combo. What’s remarkable is that most of this criticism is exclusively from America! Most US news stories have been quoting an unnamed Japan “scholar” who claims that Obama’s bow was “weak” and embarrassing. The Japanese media didn’t really seem to think anything of the encounter until they realized that the American press was going berserk. More posts and quotes about the infamous bow can be found here and here. |
11/15/09: Business Manners: Meishi Koukan
A post about a helpful video featuring the Japanese exchange of meishi (名刺 – business cards). There’s all sorts of etiquette associated with meishi, so the video is worth a look! Though it’s a little annoying that the narrator calls Japan the “ancient, mysterious land of the rising sun.” Does he really need to exoticize it into the “mystical East?” Anyway, it’s a little difficult to hear what everyone is saying the video, but here are the important phrases. “Hajimemashite” is a standard greeting in Japanese meaning something like “It’s nice to meet you.” It’s often followed by “(Douzo) Yoroshiku onegai shimasu” or “(Douzo) Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu” (itashimasu is the humble keigo form of shimasu). This set phrase is also a common greeting meaning “It’s nice to meet you,” but it literally means something like “Please look favorably upon me” or “Please be kind to me (in the future).” More meishi etiquette can be found here.
|
11/12/09: Fumiko’s Confession (a short animation) A great short animation called フミコの告白 (Fumiko’s Confession) with some pretty stunning art from a 5-person team of Japanese artists (a making-of post can be found here). There aren’t a whole lot of words, but the gist is that Fumiko declares her love for a boy (Takashi-kun), but he refuses, saying that he wants to focus on his baseball practice instead! At the end, she asks if she can make miso soup for him every day, but his answer is… |
Néojaponisme
11/16/09: Sakai Noriko and “Japanese” Morality
Here’s something about the Japanese music industry that I didn’t realize: if an artist is arrested or does something very embarrassing, their record label pulls all their songs from the shelves! When Sakai Noriko was arrested on drug charges in August, her label managed to remove most of her songs, but a few escaped unnoticed on iTunes. Soon one of her hits from 1995, “Aoi Usagi” (Blue Rabbit), became the #1 seller. The article argues that the Japanese public obviously isn’t as uptight as the record companies when it comes to the “morality” of their artists.
Pink Tentacle
11/16/09: Top 60 Japanese words/phrases of 2009
I always love reading the top words/phrases of the year since they tend to cover some huge parts of Japanese pop culture that were never widely reported in the Western press. Some of my favorites:
• Regime change (seiken koutai – 政権交代): Japan has its own historic election this year as the Democratic Party beat the LDP for the first time in 54 years. Prime Minister Hatoyama was nicknamed “The Alien” (uchuujin – 宇宙人) during the campaign for his “quirky hairstyle, prominent eyes, and eccentric manner.”
• Herbivorous men (soushoku danshi – 草食男子): This was covered in some US papers, but I still like learning the Japanese phrase. These “passive” rather than aggressive men became labeled as a trend, as decribed here.
• Eco-points (eko pointo – エコポイント): The Japanese government gives subsidies in the form of “eco-points” to consumers who purchase eco-friendly devices like special air conditioners, refrigerators, and TVs.
• New flu (shingata infuruenza – 新型インフルエンザ): Japan’s media name for the H1N1 virus, or Swine flu, which has infected about 6 million people in Japan so far.
• 1Q84 (ichi-kyu-hachi-yon – 1Q84): Parts 1 and 2 of Haruki Murakami’s new novel were released this year in Japan, selling out on the day of their release. Part 3 will be released next year, but who knows when there will be an English translation! The title 1Q84 is a play on Orwell’s 1984.
Tokyo Times
|
11/18/09: Shichi-Go-San silence? The Japanese holiday Shichi-Go-San (七五三 – 7-5-3) is celebrated throughout November, and marks the years that children turn 3, 5, or 7 years old along with wishes for good health and long life. More details about the history of the holiday can be found here. |
Japanese Pod 101
11/18/09: Learn Japanese Kanji – Everyday Kanji (Operating System)
One way to force yourself to practice Japanese would be to use a foreign computer or even to buy a Japanese copy of an operating system like Windows. Luckily, if you’re fairly familiar with the English version of the OS, it’s usually not too difficult to figure out what is meant in Japanese even if you can’t read it. But it’s still not a bad idea to know the kanji!
F*cked Gaijin
|
11/18/09: Endangered Kyoto Machiya Machiya, the traditional wooden houses/businesses prevalent in Kyoto, have been placed on this year’s World Monuments Fund (WMF) Watch List. They have been disappearing at a rate of about 2% per year due to urban redevelopment. |
11/16/09: Alcoholism in Japan
Coverage of a Reuters story about how alcoholism is not often seen as a disease in Japan. There are liquor vending machines all over the place, and when I lived in Kyoto I would regularly see salary men passed out on the sidewalks late at night. Drinking certainly seems to be a big part of work culture in Japan, though the proportion of alcoholics is still less than that of the US or Europe at 0.6%.
The Nihongo Dake Dinner is one of the few regular events in New York City designed to bring both Japanese and non-native Japanese speakers together. Currently run by Jon Hills for JETTANY (http://jetaany.org/), he’s also the founder of Hills Learning (http://hillslearning.com/default.aspx), a language school based in Grand Central, New York City.
The Nihongo Dake Dinners have always been a part of JETAANY, at least for JET’s who have been in New York City for the past few years. However since last year the dinners had stopped, with no one willing to take the reigns of organization. Then from June of this year the dinners began to take off again, with a dinner happening on average per month. They usually have regular attendance of about 20 people, which consists of half native Japanese and half non-native Japanese speakers.
The most recent Nihongo Dake Dinner took place at an Izakaya called Onya. There after speaking with the very knowledgeable and capable management staff they agreed to create a set menu of typical Japanese Izakaya dishes: deep fried tempura style food, along with edamame, oden, kara-age, etc. We also each were served a complimentary drink for “kanpai,” a very fun way to celebrate the end of 2009.
The best part of the night, as with most nights, is the intimacy felt by having a small group with a common goal: cultural exchange. Onya added to this by reserving an entire floor just for this event, which included our own bar, two waiters, and plenty of space to stand up and mingle. All in all a memorable night, but after 4 hours of speaking Japanese the organizer (myself) found it better to retire for the night than proceed to a nijikai of Karaoke. There’s always next year.
