It was the first time ....and Okonomiyaki!

Hi, thank you for reading this blog from all over the world!
The other day I had great time. Guess what??? I saw some people who read this blog. It was the first time to see somebody whom I know by the internet. Even Japanese people, I have never saw anyone. She sometimes left her comments on this blog from Cambodia . She came to Japan as a business trip. I saw her and her co-worker in Tokyo, and we had dinner together. I felt little nervous at first, but it was so fun. Just two hours meeting, but we talked a lot,as if we knew each other before. Hope they spent a good time in Japan, and they like here. I feel like I wanna to go Cambodia to see them and Angkor Wat. Anyway I have a long list where I want to go. hehehe!!!


Well at that time we ate Okonomiyaki in popular restaurant"Sometarou" Asakusa. So I will write about this food today!!!
Okonomiyaki is a kind of Japanese style pancake which is basically made of flour and cabbage. The word "okonomi" means as you like, and "yaki " means cook. , literally you just cook what you like. You can add whatever you like, for me I like to add cheeze, seafood, mochi (rice cake) etc .

Actually there are some way to make okonomiyaki , but the majorities are two ways from Osaka prefecture and Hiroshima.

My mother was grew up in Kobe which is next to Osaka, she would cook very often when I was a kid, so I love it , too. At home I cook by a frying pan or hotplate. When you go to the Okonomiyaki restaurant , you would be seated aroud the table with a teppan. I could find some recipe by internet. If you wanna eat, you can!!! it is very easy.

okonomiyaki recipe
about Osaka-style
tokyo foodpage
japan guide com

Sayonara samurai

For us, FIFA world cup was done early this morning. Many of Japanese were wishing "Miracle in Dortmund, Germany",it just finished. Even though Japanese football level is getting up, but still far away from world level.

I just wanted to write Thank you to Zico Japan, am looking forward to 2010 in South Africa.

Japan national football team

New taste

By the other post I introduced kit kat ujikintoki flavor. I found kit kat new taste in stores. It is suprising Nesle Japan's creative power. They are making new taste one in a few mouth- even though they are seasonal.　I wonder they are thinking about new ided always. Here we are.....


This is Azuki taste. Azuki is the name of one kind of beans, in Japan usually we use them for japanese sweets for example as Anko(sweet beans paste)Japanese people love these stuff. To be honest, I don't care for Anko so much. Anyway it is sounds interesting.


Wow, this is brandnew taste. Universal Studio Japan 5th anniversary version "Wishing upon a star" Sounds Romantic. I haven't tasted it either. It is designed like the Milky Way which is known as a Amanogawa in Japan. We have a traditional story of Amanogawa , I will post about it on someday soon.

Do you wanna try them???

ap bank

It is natural for me to be here, at times I have to think I am lucky to be born in this country, and on this time, although usually it is not so easy to think about these things. So many people who have power -like movie star, artist often start movement for something.

For example, Audrey Hepburn worked for UNICEF for Child Protection. The song "We Are The World " is famous for the charity.

Now there is a nonprofit financial iorganization named "ap bank" (it is not a bank formally, is a kind of loan supplier) which furnishes projects for various environmental safeguard such as a natural energy, energy saving in low interest, because it not only one time charity, make the activities keep to the future.

It was founded by Japanese very famous artists, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kobayashi , and Kazutoshi Sakurai.

Why am I writing about ap bank today? I mentioned before sometimes I am a BIG fan of Japanese pop group Mr.Children , Kazutoshi Sakurai is the vocalist of it.

"ap bank" has anounced they will have a live events "ap bank fes'06" this coming summer, which is held to let people know their activities through their music , and to make people have a prompt, trigger. Not only themself , but also many artists who are sympathized the idea will join the live festa. Needles to say, all profit will be used for the ap bank.Last year they did the same event " ap bank fes'05" which was so successful.



The other day I watched Mr.Sakurai's interview. He said he started thinking after he got a baby. For his kids and all kids he thought he had to do something which he can do.

Fortunately a few days ago I got a ticket of 60000 of that event. All artists are very famous here, it was so hard to get it. Of course I am so happy I will be able to listen their songs there.(Actually I was jumped with joy when I got a ticket.)But not only that I want to get something by going that event. I will write after the event.

National Diet

The other day I had a chance to go to the National Diet Building. Wow. Sounds interesting ? Or boring???? ;) I had to go nearby on my job, and I had a plenty of free time, actually I had to kill my time, Suddenely I hit on my short field trip to the National Diet Building.

In Japanese we call it "Kokkai gijido". I watched many times on TV , and saw from car window, but never been. There are HOUSE of Councillors and HOUSE of Representatives of the Diet Japan.

Basically it is said to open to everybody, so on weekdays everybody can join the on e hour visitor tour, A tour guide took the public gallery , the Emperor's room, the imperial family's room , Central hall, the front courtyard , and so on. In most of place they are not allow to take pictures. It was a not fun , but interesting.
To my surprise, there is a room which is locked , and never used before. Guess what for the room???? It is a bathroom for Emperor. He ocassionally comes to the National Diet Building , but he always stays there only 20-30minutes.So it has never been used.

theme restaurants

The post about "MOE" and "maid cafe" I wrote the other day was attentioned by more people than I thousht, I decided to introduce some more funny or interesting place to eat. They are actually theme restaurants like "Planet Halliwood", "Reinforest Cafe", and so on.

*NINJA restaurant Maybe as you know Ninja is a kind of spy long time ago. There is a restaurant which has a theme of "Ninja" in Tokyo. In fact, I never been there, but one of my friend used to work as a part time job. She said it is quite expensive, but so enjoyable.

*VAMPAIRE CAFE This cafe is thought as a Doracula castle. The seats' name is a little bit scarely like "VICTIM","CROSS","COFFIN" etc.

*ALCATRAZ E.R+According to the web, it is a colaboration of the famous prison Alcatraz and hospital. The name of menu are also creative, for example, "Nurse call course", "Emergency opelation."

*The Lockup I have been there. It is like a prison, when I went to there, policeman came to arrest me with cuffs, and it was fun to see the show.

Do you have somthing funny place to eat in your country as above?

SAMURAI BLUE 2006

Wow, I am so excited. I can't wait, too. Because of the FIFA world cup Germany. Tonight we will have hottest night to enjoy the our very first match versus Australia. As people in many countries, here in Japan many people have been looking forward the game.(To my pity, it is impossible for me although.) Many Japanese have been or will go to Germany, I read one article of some people who quit their job to go there. Wow.

As I wrote several times before, I like to watch sports. Tonight I won't be able to leave from TV absolutely. To be honest I am planning to watch the game by Huge screen in Saitama stadium. But after the game we will miss the final train to my room. we decided to give up. It is a pity.



This year they use the slogan "SAMURAI BLUE 2006". The other day I went to the park for supporters which called "Samurai blue park" . Like these photos. there are so many stuff which is concerned Japan team.


Less than 7 hours to kick off at Kaiserslautern's Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Germany. My heart is beating :)

Tsuyu started 3 days ago.

Tsuyu started 3 days ago. We have rainy season calld "Tsuyu(or sometimes Baiu)" in June in Japan. According to the wether forecast. it has started 3days ago. Gloomy day ... I never heard somebody who likes Tsuyu. Very humid and umconfortable. On avarage it will continue for 3weeks - 1month.
Only one good thing is to be able to enjoy many colored hydrangea.
In Hokkaido- nothern island in Japan - no rainy season. I wanna escape to Hokkaido.

I heard before hydrangea is mostly in Japan. Am I right????

the culture of MOE~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever heard the word "MOE"? It is a Japanese slung which shows affection to someting or someone cute. Now it is the popular word to many people especially young people, but at first the people who are called "Otaku" who are so addicted to the cartoon, game has start using the word "MOE".

Akihabada have been famous as a electrical town where you can find many PC shops, electrical shops. Now Akiba -sometimes to be shorten-is the center of Otaku and MOE culture.

There are some place called "Maid kissa" in Akihabara,which is the coffee shop and the waitresses disguise as a maid . As you get in those shops ,they would say "Welcome home, Master" with their sweet voice. In fact it is a big boom in Akihabara.
[maid]

Now the many kinds of shop clarks disguse as a maid besides coffee shop.
It was the first time to see those culture there, even though I knew by TV Show. It is chaos, I could find it I feel I am in another country. I know this place is known as a electrical town to foreigners, but there is another culture here, although for me it was weired!
[maid T-shirt]


[this sign said "maid is on duty today"]

Addition on 06/30/06
I just found the website of Butler cafe in shibuya , where all butler are foreiner we can talk and get service in English. Should I try???

Photos of wedding

As I mentioned before, I went to the my friend's wedding party. I was thinking for a while what I would dress on the day. At last I decide to put my kimono on. Recently not so many people wear kimono, many couple prefer the wedding at charch with wedding dress. But this time my friend had a very Japanese style wedding , I decided.

[backshit of bride]
It was Japanese style, she put on old hair style wig with wearing special kimono called Uchikake.







[Decent dishes in the wedding party]
Japanese cuisine. They uses special food have a feeling that something good is going to happen. The color of dish is so nice, isn't it?










[me in kimono]
This kimono is called Frisode which has long sleeves for unmarried woman.

Tsukiji fish market

Saturday morning very early,most poeple is sleeping. But here in Tsukij is busy and lively with smell of fish. Thanks for the instruction of junior of the popular sushi restaurant, I could know the finest shop in the market, some history and some tips.

After 2hours study tour of Tsukiji, we arrived the popular sushi restaurant called "Daiwazushi" which is one of my friend's reccomendation, there at least you have to wait 30minute to get your seats. Look at these pictures of Sushi.


ummm Yummy. I am happy and I think lucky , born in a country that has Sushi culture.

Yokohama baseball night

Last weekend, for me it was full of joy and excitement. although I have been too tired to write this blog....When I am exausted, to do something in English is quite tough.....

Anyway
I went to watching baseball game in Yokohama studium, where the base of Yokohama Baystars of Central League . We have two leasues here , each has six teams. Usually they only have games with the team from same league, but it has started inter-league game. So I could have a chance to see my favourite Hawks' game in Yokohama.Yeah ! I have been to the Yokohama studium. but it was not for baseball, for live concert of my favourite Japanese pop group Mr.children.

The day I went there is just anniversary of Yokohama port, I could see many small stand shops much more than usual. At 6 o'clock young actress Maki Horikita threw put the first pitch at that game. WOW, it was the first time!

During game as we had seaats in Baystars side, I was cheering Hawks in my haert. I have been to the baseball games twice in Tampa , FL. I thought the way of cheering is quite different. Especially in outfield bleachers. Many fan was singing thier cheering songs with their gestures. Sometimes using with Japanese drums. It was fun to see them, but what's more-, my american friends who were dancing , yelling , high fiving with everyone stood out so much among the crowd!!!!!!!!!!

The game was exciting to see it by the end, but at the end two umpires made different judges. A couple of fans came down to the ground with anger, because they couldn't satisfy a final judge which made baystars lost absolutely.

It is true , at last I feel weird , even I am fan of hawks. but including this I could enjoy with my friends:)