PCM's previous Culture Features will be posted here. Comments allowed. (=
***note - Special Edition Feature cards that are posted here may or may not expire after the feature is over. Just check the thread (by clicking on the card you want). If the card is still there (& the thread is open!!) ...you can request it. If it isn't then it has already been retired & is not available anymore.***
It’s the staple amongst many of us “anime watchers” diets. It’s cheap, easy and delicious. It’s warm broth, its scrumptious aroma and inviting noodles are keeping most of us warm this winter while being easy on our piggy banks. What am I talking about? I’m talkin about ramen!!! I wanted to find out more about the elusive Asian noodle so I decided to do some cyber searching on the subject and here’s what I found out!
History of the Noodle
The origin of ramen noodles originated from China over 4000 years ago and reached the Japanese culture much later on. In fact, we had to wait up to 19th century, in the Meiji period, for ramen to become widely known in Japan. The Japanese dish was originally called “Lamen”, but will be later referred to as “Ramen”, since there is no distinction between the 'L' and 'R' sounds in the Japanese language and it was a more popular way to express the word.
After the Second World War came an intense food shortage in Japan, a turning point in the history of noodles. Ramen were perfect and greatly helped Japan, they were cheap and a great source of needed calories. A bit later, in 1958, Momofuku Ando, founder and chairman of Nissin Foods, invented the instant noodles, which are a lot closer to what we eat today. Named the greatest “made in Japan” invention of the 20th century, instant ramen became a Japanese cultural icon.
Each country's Ramen noodles reflect their own particular flavor preferences. Korean Ramen is highly spiced and often contains packets of black bean sauce. China makes Ramen in Szechuan flavors. Thailand makes very thin, delicate noodles with very hotly spiced packets. Japan prefers the flavor of seafood and mild spices. In the U.S. they are usually available with meat flavors, mushroom flavors or mild spices often referred to as “Oriental flavor”.
Today, 4000 years after the origin of the first noodles, ramen is known worldwide and are part of over 85 billion meals every year!!!!!!!!!
Ramen in Japanese Pop Culture
Ramen is nearly ubiquitous in Japanese popular culture and Japanese literary depictions of contemporary life in Japan. In some works, depicting characters with traits relatively infrequent in actual Japanese society, well-known characters are described as liking ramen to the point that it alone forms the bulk of their diet to the exclusion of nearly all other foods. Japanese writers often include a comedy or horror subplot where their main characters go out to eat or cook ramen. Ramen is also used as the object of comedy in many anime and manga such as Naruto, with characters typically getting splashed over the head by a bowl of ramen, or stepping on a bowl of ramen and falling, often taking down another helpless person.
Ramen found in Manga/Anime/Games:
In the anime and manga Naruto, the main character Uzumaki Naruto's favorite food is ramen, and he is seen frequently eating ramen in many episodes. His favorite ramen is one with a lot of barbecue pork. Naruto is also the name of sliced Kamaboko, a staple of Japanese ramen dishes.
The manga Kinnikuman features a character called Ramenman, a Chinese stereotype wrestler, who specializes in martial arts. He was so popular that he had his own spin-off manga series.
Ramen was considered the best food in the game Kingdom of Loathing before chow mein was introduced.
Ramen appears in the game Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which due to the mid-1960's setting is touted as the food of the future, as well as being one of the best foods in the game.
Ramen is featured in the series InuYasha, and is the favorite food of the title character, InuYasha.
In the Puffing Tom Arc of the popular manga One Piece, a Marine-Chef named Wanze uses ramen as a weapon and body armor.
In the anime and manga Great Teacher Onizuka (also known as GTO), the main character Onizuka practically lives off a diet of instant ramen due to being broke most of the time.
In the anime series Lupin the 3rd, the main characters eat ramen regularly, particularly when on a long mission and needing a quick lunch fix. Inspector Zenigata in particular eats ramen continuously (it's his favorite food), and it is a running joke in the series that when he tries to fix himself a bowl, BAD things happen.
Kicking off the beginning of spring’s culture time feature is what most of us who are fans of the anime/manga series, Welcome to the NHK! are far too familiar with, which could be called the new disorder of the 21st century caused by the innovations of technology in our homes, making us become more isolated, confined to our rooms that eventually turn us into a hikikomori. The word hikikomori in Japanese means “withdrawl.”I was introduced to this intriguing article from a friend about the subject.
Sake (酒) or o-sake (お酒), is the term for all alcoholic beverages in Japan. The character for sake is the same chinese character that is used for alcohol in China and in Korea. If you're in China it is pronounced Jiu, and in Korea it is called Ju. In America, and other parts of the world, the term sake is used to refer to the specific drink of sweet rice wine. This is actually incorrect. In Japan, this is called Nihonshu (日本酒), which means "Japanese sake".
Sake is 18–20% alcohol! However, it is usually diluted with water to about 15% before it is bottled and sold. It is also brewed differently than wine or beer. (Home brewing is illegal in Japan btw. =)
It can be served hot or chilled. Hot sake is usually drunk in the winter, and the cold variation is usually drunk in the summer, respectively. Fine quality sake looses it aroma and flavor when heated, so it is almost always drunk chilled.
These are some of the containers it is served in:
~Sakazuki (a flat, saucer-like cup)
~Choko (a small, cylindrical cup)
~Masu (a wooden, box-like cup)
The sake is sometimes served in a glass in a masu, or a masu on a saucer. It is poured then filled up past the inside container to overflow into the outside one. It is a show of generosity when both containers are filled.
The rice used for brewing sake is different than the rice usually eaten in Japan. It is called shuzo kotekimai, or "sake rice". "There are at least 80 types of sake rice in Japan. Among these, Yamadanishiki, Gohyakumangoku, Miyamanishiki and Omachi rice are very popular" (wikipedia). There are two main types of sake: futsū-shu and meishō-shu. (which stands for ordinary sake & special designation sake)
Tōji is the job title of a sake maker. The job is highly respected among the Japanese people. This job title was traditionally passed from father to son, but can now be learned at university.
Other types of sake you may have heard about~
(list copied from wikipedia)
~Amazake (甘酒) is a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. ~ Doburoku (濁酒) is the classic home-brew style of sake (remember though? home brewing is illegal in Japan ;). It is created by simply adding kōji mold to steamed rice and water and letting the mixture ferment. ~Jizake (地酒) is locally brewed sake, the equivalent of microbrewing beer. ~Kuroshu (黒酒) is sake made from unpolished rice (i.e., brown rice), and is more like Chinese rice wine. ~Teiseihaku-shu (低精白酒) is sake with a deliberately high rice-polishing ratio. It is generally held that the lower the rice polishing ratio (the percent weight after polishing), the better the potential of the sake. However, beginning around 2005, teiseihaku-shu has been produced as a specialty sake made with high rice-polishing ratios, usually around 80%, to produce sake with the characteristic flavor of rice itself. (interesting...)
Aside from being served straight, sake can be used as a mixer for cocktails, such as tamagozake, saketinis, nogasake, or the sake bomb. A sake bomb "is a beer cocktail made by pouring sake into a shot glass and dropping it into a glass of beer". (kanpai!)
Well there is also flavored sake. It can have many flavor notes, like apples, bananas, melons, flowers, herbs, spices, rice, chestnuts, chocolates, dry grapes, sherry, caramel sauce, etc.
For more on sake, or other asian alcohol, visit the sources below.
JaganshiHiei1987 said: Sake is on my list of things I want to try out, but I'm having a tough time finding some.
When I researching this I found some online dealers. But, I have no idea about their legitimacy.
Bugsquasher said: Sake is great, I find its taste heavily comparable to white wine.
People say you have to serve it warm but I like both warm and normal.
I read that the lower quality stuff is served warm & all of it is mostly served warm in the winter. The brewers work in the winter so it only makes sense that drinking it warm would be the most common way. However, heating it up makes the good stuff lose its flavor and aroma, so it is thought to be wasting it if it isn't drunk chilled.
As for myself, unfortunately I have never tried any kind of sake either. I don't really dig the Japanese cuisine, so I don't visit authentic restaurants any more. It would be worth the trip though. After the research I really want to try it!
Sake. Must be something familiar to Šnops. Schnops? Some hot and burning liquior xD :D
I will try it till I lay asleep somewhere, dead meat by that sake thing. :D
I can't help it... my drunktard inner thing. I come from Slovenia where alcohol was really cheap and still is even after the new law. :D
Arwenia said: Sake. Must be something familiar to Šnops. Schnops? Some hot and burning liquior xD :D
I will try it till I lay asleep somewhere, dead meat by that sake thing. :D
I can't help it... my drunktard inner thing. I come from Slovenia where alcohol was really cheap and still is even after the new law. :D
Schnaps is good XD I like butterscotch the best - then peach :D
Unfortunately I haven't gotten to try sake yet either...
Harajuku (原宿) is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan.
The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.
In order to experience the teenage culture at its most extreme, visit Harajuku on a Sunday, when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and engage in cosplay ("costume play"), dressed up in crazy costumes to resemble anime characters, punk musicians, etc.
Harajuku is also a fashion capital of the world, renowned for its unique street fashion. Harajuku street style is promoted in Japanese and international publications such as Kera, Tune, Gothic & Lolita Bible and Fruits. Many prominent designers and fashion ideas have sprung from Harajuku and incorporated themselves into other fashions throughout the world.
Harajuku is also a large shopping district that includes international brands, its own brands, and shops selling clothes young people can afford.
Harajuku is not only about teenage culture and shopping. Meiji Jingu, one of Tokyo's major shrines, is located just west of the railway tracks in a large green oasis shared with the spacious Yoyogi Park. Beautiful ukiyo-e paintings are exhibited in the small Ota Memorial Museum of Art, and the Nezu Museum has an impressive collection of various Asian art as well as a traditional Japanese garden.
Even though it's a tad bit late lol, don't forget to check the Nihonshu-do(SMV) to see if it's a sweet or dry sake. That along with the acidity should give a good general idea of what it will be.
Culture Time Feature: Japanese School Uniform (制服)
Avid anime watchers as ourselves never really think twice when we see our favorite anime characters running around in their school uniforms saving Tokyo from evil spirits and zombies alike. So where did these uniforms originated from in the first place?
Japan introduced school uniforms in the late 19th century. Today, school uniforms are common in many of the Japanese public and private school systems. The Japanese word for this type of uniform is seifuku (制服).
The Japanese junior- and senior-high-school uniform traditionally consists of a military style uniform for boys and a sailor outfit for girls. These uniforms are based on Meiji era formal military dress, themselves modeled on European-style naval uniforms. The sailor outfit replace the undivided hakama (andon bakama 行灯袴) designed by Utako Shimoda between 1920–30. While this style of uniform is still in use, many schools have moved to more Western-pattern school uniform styles. These uniforms consist of a white shirt, tie, blazer with school crest, and tailored trousers (often not of the same color as the blazer) for boys and a white blouse, tie, blazer with school crest, and tartan culottes or skirt for girls.
It is normal for uniforms to be worn outside of school areas, however this is going out of fashion and many students wear a casual dress. While not many public elementary schools in Japan require uniforms, many private schools and public schools run by the central government still do.
Various schools are known for their particular uniforms. Uniforms can have a nostalgic characteristic for former students, and is often associated with relatively carefree youth. Uniforms are sometimes modified by students as a means of exhibiting individualism, including lengthening or shortening the skirt, removing the ribbon, hiding patches or badges under the collar, etc. In past decades, brightly colored variants of the sailor outfit were also adopted by Japanese yankee and Bōsōzoku biker gangs.
Because school uniforms are a popular fetish item, second-hand sailor outfits and other items of school wear are brokered through underground establishments known as burusera, although changes to Japanese law have made such practices difficult. The pop group Onyanko Club had a provocative song called "Don't Strip Off the Sailor Suit!" Sailor outfits, along with other styles of school uniform, play an undeniably large role in otaku culture as evidenced by the large amount of anime, manga, and dōjinshi featuring characters in uniform, Sailor Moon being one of the most popular examples.
This month’s Culture Time Feature is on Kimchi! Some have you might have seen it at your local Asian Market and others have a jar on hand obediently waiting to be consumed, sitting in the fridge to accompany that bowl of ramen or white sticky rice as you faithfully watch anime. I guess the question is what exactly is Kimchi and how is it made and where did it originated from? Hopefully, after this feature, you’ll want to run out and buy a jar. Happy Kimchi eating!
Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish consisting of fermented chili peppers and vegetables, usually based on cabbage. It is suspected that the name kimchi originated from shimchae (salting of vegetable) which went through some phonetic changes: shimchae > dimchae > kimchae > kimchi.
The oldest references to kimchi can be found from 2600 to 3000 years ago. The first text-written evidence of its existence can be found in the first Chinese poetry book, Shi Jing (詩經). In this book, kimchi was referred to as jeo (菹). The term ji was used until the pre-modern terms chimchae (hanja: 沈菜, lit. soaked vegetables), dimchae, and timchae were adopted in the period of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The word then was modified into jimchi, and is currently kimchi.
Early kimchi was made of cabbage and beef stock only. Red chili, a New World vegetable not found in Korea before European contact with the Americas, was introduced to Korea from Japan after the Hideyoshi Invasions (1592-1598) and became a staple ingredient in kimchi. Red chili pepper flakes are now used as the main ingredient for spice and source of heat for many varieties of kimchi. In the twelfth century other spices, creating flavors such as sweet and sour, and colors, such as white and orange, were added.
Variety and Main Ingredients
Common ingredients include Chinese cabbage, radish, garlic, red pepper, spring onion, ginger, salt, and sugar. While kimchi is generally identified internationally as Chinese cabbage fermented with a mixture of red pepper, garlic, ginger, and salted fish sauce, several types of kimchi exists, including regional and seasonal variations. There are variants, including kkakdugi, based on radish and containing no cabbage. The Kimchi Field Museum in Seoul has documented 187 historic and current varieties of kimchi. Different types of kimchi were traditionally made at different times of the year, based on when various vegetables were in season and also to take advantage of hot and cold seasons before the era of refrigeration. Although the advent of modern refrigeration-including kimchi refrigerators specifically designed with precise controls to keep different varieties of kimchi at optimal temperatures at various stages of fermentation has made this seasonality unnecessary, Koreans continue to consume kimchi according to traditional seasonal preferences.
Nutrition and Health
Kimchi has been cited by Health Magazine as one of the world's five "healthiest foods", with the claim that it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion, and may even prevent cancer. The health properties of kimchi are due to a variety of factors. It is usually made with cabbage, onions, and garlic, all of which have well-known health benefits. It also has active and beneficial bacterial cultures, like yogurt. Lastly, kimchi contains liberal quantities of red chili peppers (gochugaru) which has been suggested to have health benefits as well.
Kimchi tasted terrible to me. When I was over in Japan my host family I was staying with wanted me to try it. Apparently back in the day, Japan named Kimchi an official Atlanta Olympic food. So my host family thought since I was from the American South East I was supposed to love the stuff. That was not the case. Haha.
RYOJI KAJI
[to Shinji] So, I understand you're living with Katsuragi.
SHINJI IKARI
Uh, yeah...
RYOJI KAJI
So, is she still so... wild in bed?
I don't like peppers, so I know I wouldn't like it. Maybe if they were left out. (but I think that might be a important ingredient) I always like trying new dishes though. Anyway, it's still cool to learn about.
I'm lucky to have a japanese friend who just loves to cook for me. I tasted kimchi and it was...interesting so to say. I'm not used to this kind of food xD But the snow crab she made for me was awesome, I think my tongue buds were singing .Now I know whats all the fuss about crabs in Japan
***The panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, lit. "black and white cat-foot"), also known as the giant panda to distinguish the [totally] unrelated red panda, is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. [The red loooking guys are subspecies that have a brown color in place of the black.] Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared feed.
The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Due to farming, deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.
While the dragon is seen within China as the country's national emblem, internationally the panda appears at least as commonly. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in international contexts, for example the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics.***
(from wikipedia)
The panda has been endangered for quite some time, but their numbers have been increasing in recent years. It is currently uncertain whether their status should be updated due to the varying results of population tests. There could be as many as 3,000 pandas living in the wild and captivity, but there also could be less than 2000.
History in China
(from wikipedia.org)
In the past, pandas were thought to be rare and noble creatures – the mother of Emperor Wen of Han was buried with a panda skull in her vault. The grandson of Emperor Taizong of Tang is said to have given Japan two pandas and a sheet of panda skin as a sign of goodwill. Unlike many other animals in Ancient China, pandas were rarely thought to have medical uses. The creature named mo (貘) mentioned in some ancient books has been interpreted as giant panda. The interpretation of the legendary fierce creature pixiu (貔貅) as referring to the giant panda is also common. The comparative obscurity of the giant panda throughout most of China's history is illustrated by the fact that, despite there being a number of depictions of bears in Chinese art starting from its most ancient times, and the bamboo being one of the favorite subjects for Chinese painters, there are no known pre-20th-century artistic representations of giant pandas[!!]
Pandas in Pop Culture
---in anime & manga
Pandas pop up anime sometimes, usually in media set in or around China.
Most people have at least seen Genma from Ranma 1/2 who turns into a giant panda when he's splashed with cold water.
Panda! Go, Panda! (Panda Kopanda) is a Japanese animated film, first released in 1972. It was written and created by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by Isao Takahata, predating Studio Ghibli.
Hakujaden is an anime film from 1958 featuring a panda.
Panda no Daibouken is an anime film from 1973.
Panda-Z: The Robonimation is an anime series (@ 5 min per ep x 30) parodying Mazinger-Z
Pandalian is an anime series from 2005 featuring panda characters.
Taotao Ehonkan Sekai Doubutsu Banashi is an anime series from 1983 featuring a panda.
Pandaman is a joke character created by the author, Eiichiro Oda. He is, so far, the most notable of Oda's joke characters, having appeared hidden in nearly every One Piece chapter, episode arc, movie, and such. He even has a theme song titled "Pandaman". He is also a playable character in One Piece: Grand Battle 2 for the Playstation. Also in One Piece: Pirates Carnival, not only is there a game to find him, but he is a captain in which his game is in a flaming mansion where you control where the flames go. In the Japanese version, however, this position was used by Blueno.
In the Gantz manga one of the recent additions to the alien-hunting cast is a baby panda named Hoi Hoi.
In a chapter of the manga Great Teacher Onizuka, main character Onizuka witnesses corrupt police officer Saejima illegally importing giant pandas into Japan. Saejima tries to convince Onizuka that the pandas are really advanced robot toys.
There is also character named Panda in the Hamtaro anime series.
---in media around the world
Franz Camenzind shot the first sequences of pandas in the wild for American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in about 1982. They were bought by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Natural History Unit for their weekly magazine show Nature. (wikipedia.org 1)
In the early 21st century Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ) featured pandas in two documentaries:
-Panda Nursery (2006) featured China's Wolong National Nature Reserve in the mountains in Sichuan Province
-& Growing Up: Giant Panda (2003) featured Chengdu Giant Panda Center in south-west China. (wikipedia.org 1)
Panda Hiiroo (Panda Hero) is a song from Megapoid Gumi Collection.
In the webcomic PvP a giant panda attacks a character, Brent, in what has become one of the longest running jokes in the comic.
In the web comic Radioactive Panda a giant panda can be seen wearing goggles fixing machinery, miniature versions of which are used to power devices.
In the popular series of Tekken action games on the Sony Playstation consoles there is a female panda character, a pet of the Xiaoyu character.
In "Homer vs. Dignity," an episode of The Simpsons, Homer dresses as a panda for Mr. Burns' pleasure and is subsequently mounted by a male panda at Springfield Zoo. In addition, Moe briefly runs a panda-smuggling operation from the back room of the bar. In a later episode, on a trip to China, Homer attempts to steal a panda cub, and is attacked by the mother.
In the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy the news team follow the story of a giant panda's pregnancy.
In an episode of South Park, a mascot named Sexual Harassment Panda inadvertently causes sexual harassment lawsuits to proliferate.
One of the artists of Blizzard Entertainment, Samwise Didier, is a huge fan of the panda, leading Blizzard to incorporate pandas in the Warcraft universe as Pandaren. Players can find references to Pandaren in World of Warcraft as well as play a Pandaren Hero in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.
Lynne Truss's book, "Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation", is a reference to a joke on poor punctuation: A panda walks into a cafe and orders a sandwich. After the panda has eaten his meal, he takes out a gun and shoots several holes in the ceiling. As the panda begins to leave, the waiter cries out, "What was that for?" in regard to the shootings. The panda tosses a wildlife guide to the waiter. The waiter reads the guide, and it says, "Panda. Black-and-white mammal native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.".
And I'm sure everyone's heard of Kung fu Panda, a 2008 computer-animated film starring Jack black as the voice of Po.
My 5 yr old nephew absolutely loved Panda! Go Panda! (Panda Kopanda). It is hard to keep is attention for very long, but he was totally glued to the screen. I thought it was okay. But, if you're looking for something to watch with the kiddies, this is a good one.
This month’s Culture Time Feature is on Hello Kitty! Yes, this shout out is for the female members out there whom have had secret and/or open obsessions for this little white kitty and all of her fury friends. It’s not too hard to be obsessed with anything Hello Kitty whether it may be an address book or a bedazzled iphone cover. She has captured many of a young girl’s hearts and older women alike with her lovely trademark. Background History on our favorite white kitty
Hello Kitty (ハローキティ) (full name Kitty White) is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States in 1976. The character is a staple of the kawaii segment of Japanese popular culture. The Hello Kitty trademark has spread globally; Sanrio earned over $1 billion annually in sales outside of Japan, as of 2003.
Originally aimed at pre-adolescent females, Hello Kitty's market has broadened to include grown up consumers. She can be found on a variety of products ranging from school supplies to fashion accessories and high-end consumer products. Several Hello Kitty TV series, targeted towards young children, have been produced. Hello Kitty is also the main character at the two Japanese Sanrio theme parks, Harmonyland and the indoor Sanrio Puroland.
Products and Jewelry
Originally aimed at the pre-adolescent female market, the Hello Kitty product range has expanded and goes all the way from dolls, stickers, greeting cards, clothes, accessories, school supplies and stationary to purses, toasters, televisions, other home appliances, massagers, and computer equipment. These products range from mass market items to high-end consumer products and rare collectibles.
In Spring 2005, Simmons Jewelry Co. and Sanrio announced a co-branded jewelry licensed partnership. “Kimora Lee Simmons for Hello Kitty” was launched exclusively at Neiman Marcus prices ranging from $300 to $5000 Designed by Kimora Lee Simmons and launched as the initial collection. The jewelry is all hand-made, consisting of diamonds, gemstones, semi-precious stones, 18K gold, Sterling silver, enamel and ceramic.
In Fall 2008, Simmons Jewelry Co. and Sanrio debuted a collection of fine jewelry and watches named “Hello Kitty® by Simmons Jewelry Co." The collection launched with Zales Corporation to further expand the reach of the brand, and it developed accessories to satisfy every Hello Kitty fan. The designs incorporate colorful gemstones and sterling silver to attract a youthful audience with retail prices starting at $50.
Down below is the Sanrio website where you can buy anything imaginable that is Hello Kitty! Please share and tell us what’s your favorite Hello Kitty obsession right now and where you got it or share your favorite websites with Hello Kitty merchandise!
Soooo cute!!! I <3 Hello Kitty. What a pleasant surprise! ^_^ I had her house & family & stuff when I was a little girl. c: Used to love going to Sanrio Store. Unfortunately, Idk where one is now. I'm scared to go to the site cuz I'll spend out of budget. lols
& haha xD I actually do have a bedazzled cellphone holder. 2 of them! & one has a matching purse
(Hello Kitty appears in local costumes if tourists visit 50+ sightseeing spots)
The governmental organization Japan Tourism Agency collaborated with the telecommunications company NEC BIGLOBE to offer a "Visit Japan with HELLO KITTY" iOS app for free on Sunday. Not only will the app guide tourists to various sightseeing spots in Japan, but it will also shoot photos of Hello Kitty at those spots, with a little help from augmented reality technology.
When a tourist takes the app to one of more than 50 particular locales, Hello Kitty will appear in the app in special local costumes for photo ops. Find and photograph enough of the Hello Kittys, and the app will reward you with a special wallpaper.
The app is available in English, Chinese, and Korean.
The "omiai" (or "miai" is a part of Japanese culture. If you watch Japanese dramas, you will probably have encountered the concept. Contrary to some misconceptions, the omiai is not an arranged marriage by parents. It is an arranged date between two consenting people looking for love and marriage. It is more serious than casual dating because both partners are supposed to be open to settling down. Most often parents arrange the omiai for their children and collect information on various bachelor/bachelorettes. This is especially true today when marrying for class or some other specific reason. However, that's not always the case. The person arranging the omiai is referred to as the nakodo. The nakodo can also be a friend, family member, or even an puro nakodo (pro match-maker like from an agency).
The attending couple does have a chance to check out the other before the date. The attendees will usually be handed pictures and descriptions about potential dates, or sometimes a book of profiles. After someone agrees on a person they want to meet, the nakodo is told and moves froward to arrange a meeting with the chosen person. This meeting is usually with both sets of parents of the potential bride and groom. Although, it can be with whoever the arrangers are or even be skipped altogether. The couple then goes on 3 dates to decide if they want to continue dating. Sometimes people go onto the 2nd and 3rd dates when there is no chemistry between them, just so that the match-maker can save face.
These omiai dates used to be the most common way for Japanese to date. It was a common goal to be married and starting a family by age 25 for male and females. In the past few decades however, this has changed. And, more and more people are waiting to settle down. consequently, match-making agencies are now thriving as many more people are putting love and marriage on hold until much later in life.
Chinese New Year is celebrated in China and in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Hong Kong,Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mauritius, Philippines, and also in various Chinatowns elsewhere.
As the Chinese use the Lunar calendar for their festivals the date of Chinese New Year changes from year to year. The date corresponds to the new moon (black moon) in either late January or February. Chinese New Year this year begins on 10 February 2013 which marks the start of the Year of the Snake. The year will be 4711 on the Chinese Calendar, although this is dated outside of China only according to the reign of the Yellow Emperor and is an estimate. (there are 3 main scholar date theories) Chinese New Year is the most important holiday and, at 15 days, the longest too. Since Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the lunar calendar, it is also called Lunar New Year. And, it is considered the beginning of spring, so it is also called the Spring Festival.
The exact origin is too old to be traced, but many explanations still exist. One idea is that the holiday originated when a beast named Nian (which means year in Chinese) came out the night before the new year and started to prey on the people in the villages. Of course, the people were very frightened by this monster and so a brave old man went up to the beast and said to him that instead of eating the people, he should eat the other beasts that frightened these people. Nian followed the old man's request and all of the beasts were chased into the forest. The old man rode away on Nian's back, and as it turns out, the man was an immortal god. The people of the village were very grateful to the old man for giving them a peaceful life. Before the old man left for good, he told the people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at the beginning of each new year because the color red scared the beast. They also set off firecrackers to scare away the horrible beast.
Another legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality.
There are many stories about the new year. Those are two of the main tales that are still told.
Activities
The Chinese believe that as they enter a new year, they should put behind them all things of the past. They clean their houses, pay off debts, purchase new clothes, paint their doors and window panes, and even get new haircuts. These activities symbolize new life and new beginnings.
Homes are decorated with flowers and paper decorations stating wishes of prosperity, good luck, happiness, good fortune, wealth, and longevity for the coming year. Decorations of the incoming zodiac animal are also displayed. Red and gold are very popular colors to decorate with. Red represents power happiness, vitality (and scares away beasts). Gold represents wealth and good fortune.
Exchanging gifts is an important tradition. One main gift given is small red envelopes filled with "lucky money" given to children by their family and friends. The money inside is used to buy holiday treats. These envelopes symbolize the giving of good fortune.
Food is also very important. Families and friends get together for large feasts. Before they eat, they place their food on alters and make offerings to the gods. The foods served at these feasts vary, but what is served is always a tradition for that family.
The dragon is another popular symbol for Chinese New Year. It is a symbol of strength, goodness, good luck, and supernatural forces. The dragon is said to be a mythical combination of many animals! During New Years, one of the main events is a large parade down the city streets. As part of this parade, people dress up in dragon costumes and dance down the streets.
The Eve of the New Year is the most strictly observed part of the holiday. It starts out with a late night feast with members of the family. Ancestors are honored and offerings are made to the gods. At the strike of midnight, the celebrating really begins. The sky is filled with fireworks and the streets are filled with people wishing each other a happy new year. The next morning, gifts are exchanged. During the remaining days of the celebration, time is spent visiting friends and wishing them luck in the new year. New Years Eve and the first three days of the new year are officially observed as a holiday. During this time the majority of businesses shut down. People return to work after, but the spirit of celebration lasts through the Festival of Lanterns on the 15th day of the new year.
White Day is a day that is marked in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day.
White Day in Japan
In Japan, Valentine's Day is typically observed by girls and women presenting chocolate gifts (either store-bought or handmade), usually to boys or men, as an expression of love, courtesy, or social obligation. Handmade chocolate is usually preferred by the recipient because of the perception of sincerity, effort, and emotion put into a home-made confection. On White Day, the reverse happens: men who received a honmei-choco ("chocolate of love") or giri-choco ("courtesy chocolate") on Valentine's Day are expected to return the favor by giving gifts. Traditionally, popular White Day gifts are cookies, jewellery, white chocolate, white lingerie, and marshmallows. Sometimes the term sanbai gaeshi (literally, "triple the return") is used to describe the generally recited rule that the return gift should be two to three times the cost of the Valentine's gift.
White Day in other Asian Countries
There are slightly different White Day tradition in other Asian countries. For example, in South Korea, boys or men give candies to girls or women, however, this is mostly between couples and lovers. In China, the tradition is opposite from its Japanese one. On Valentine's Day, boys or men give chocolate to girls or women and the opposite on the White Day. In Taiwan, the White Day tradition is not as big as in Japan.
Origin
White Day was first celebrated in 1978 in Japan. It was started by the National Confectionery Industry Association as an "answer day" to Valentine's Day on the grounds that men should pay back the women who gave them chocolate and other gifts on Valentine's Day. In 1977, a Fukuoka-based confectionery company, Ishimuramanseido, marketed marshmallows to men on March 14, calling it Marshmallow Day.
Soon thereafter, confectionery companies began marketing white chocolate. Now, men give both white and dark chocolate, as well as other edible and non-edible gifts, such as jewellery or objects of sentimental value, or white clothing like lingerie, to women from whom they received chocolate on Valentine's Day one month earlier. If the chocolate given to him was Giri choco, the man likewise may not be expressing actual romantic interest, but rather a social obligation.
Yōkai (ghost, phantom, strange apparition) are a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "mysterious" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them. Often they possess animal features (such as the Kappa, which is similar to a turtle, or the Tengu which has wings), other times they can appear mostly human, some look like inanimate objects and others have no discernible shape. Yōkai usually have a spiritual supernatural power, with shapeshifting being one of the most common. Yōkai that have the ability to shapeshift are called obake. There are a wide variety of yōkai in Japanese folklore. In general, yōkai is a broad term, and can be used to encompass virtually all monsters and supernatural beings, even including creatures from European folklore on occasion (e.g., the English bugbear is often included in Japanese folklore to the point that some mistakenly believe it originates from said folklore).
Synonyms to yōkai
Instead of yōkai, sometimes the word mononoke is used. It carries the meanings of "monster", "ghost" or "spirit", and the literal meaning is "the spirit of a thing" or "strange thing". This word is used to blame any unexplainable event on, and both inanimate objects and spirits of humans and other creatures can be called mononoke. Several anime have dealt with mononoke, perhaps most famously Princess Mononoke.
Yūrei are figures in Japanese folklore, analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, (yū), meaning "faint" or "dim" and (rei), meaning "soul" or "spirit." Alternative names include (Bōrei) meaning ruined or departed spirit, (Shiryō) meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing (Yōkai) or (Obake). Like their Chinese and Western counterparts, they are thought to be spirits kept from a peaceful afterlife.
Tsukumogami
---Ordinary household items that have come to life on the one-hundredth anniversary of their birthday.
This virtually unlimited classification includes:
Bakezōri (straw sandals)
Biwa-bokuboku (a lute)
Burabura (a paper lantern)
Karakasa (old umbrellas)
Kameosa (old sake jars)
Morinji-no-kama (tea kettles)
Mokumokuren (paper screens with eyes)
Tengu
A goblin from Japanese mythology that has several supernatural powers and skills in martial arts, the tengu were originally extremely dangerous demons and enemies of Buddhism, but over centuries, their behavior changed from a spirits of the damned to active defenders of Dharma.
Oni
One of the most well-known aspects of Japanese folklore is the oni, which is a sort of mountain-dwelling ogre, usually depicted with red, blue, brown or black skin, two horns on its head, a wide mouth filled with fangs, and wearing nothing but a tigerskin loincloth. It often carries an iron kanabo or a giant sword. Oni are mostly depicted as evil, but can occasionally be the embodiment of an ambivalent natural force. They are, like many obake, associated with the direction northeast.
Human transformations
There are a large number of yōkai who were originally ordinary human beings, transformed into something horrific and grotesque usually during an extremely emotional state. Women suffering from intense jealousy, for example, were thought to transform into the female oni represented by hannya masks. Other examples of human transformations or humanoid yōkai are:
Rokuro-kubi (humans able to elongate their necks during the night)
Ohaguro-bettari (a figure, usually female, that turns to reveal a face with only a blackened mouth)
Futakuchi-onna (a woman with a voracious extra mouth on the back of her head)
Dorotabō (the risen corpse of a farmer, who haunts his abused land)
Other
Some yōkai are extremely specific in their habits, for instance:
Azuki Arai (a yōkai who is always found washing azuki beans).
Akaname (only found in dirty bathrooms and spends its time licking the filth left by the untidy owners).
Ashiarai Yashiki (A gargantuan foot that appears in rooms and demands the terrified home owner washes it)
Tofu Kozo (a small monk who carries a plate with a block of tofu).
Famous Works and Authors
Lafcadio Hearn's collection of Japanese ghost stories entitled Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things includes stories of yūrei and yōkai such as Yuki-onna, and is one of the first Western publications of its kind. In Japan, yōkai are particularly prevalent in manga, anime and Japanese horror. Shigeru Mizuki, the manga creator of such series as GeGeGe no Kitaro and Kappa no Sanpei, keeps yōkai in the popular imagination. With the exception of four volumes of GeGeGe no Kitaro, however, Mizuki's works have yet to be translated into English. The same goes for Shiibashi Hiroshi, the manga creator of Nurarihyon no Mago and Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Makyou. They served as the stars in the 1960s Yokai Monsters film series, which was loosely remade in 2005 as Takashi Miike's The Great Yokai War.
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese waka[poem] by one hundred poets. Hyakunin isshu can be translated to "one hundred people, one poem [each]." It was compiled by Fujiwara no Teika in the Heian period while he lived in the Ogura district of Kyoto, Japan.
It can also refer to the card game of Uta-Garuta, which uses a deck composed of cards based on the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu most often played during New Year's.
The anime Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi., is a show based on liberal interpretations of various poems published in the Hyakunin Isshu from the viewpoint of a character based on Fujiwara no Teika.
Karuta is another card game utilizing the Hyakunin Isshu. If you've seen or read Chihayafuru anime/manga, then you are familiar with Kyogi Karuta, a competitive form of karuta played by opponents matching uta-garuta cards to the first phrases of each poem as read aloud by a speaker, according to rules set by the All Japan Karuta Association.
Compilation
One of Teika's diaries, the Meigetsuki, says that his son, Fujiwara no Tame'ie, asked him to arrange one hundred poems for Tame'ie's father-in-law, who was furnishing a residence near Mount Ogura; hence the full name of "Ogura Hyakunin Isshu". In order to decorate screens of the residence, Fujiwara no Teika produced the calligraphy poem sheets.
In his own lifetime, Teika was better known for other work. For example, in 1200 (Shōji 2), Teika prepared another anthology of one hundred poems for ex-Emperor Go-Toba. This was called the Shōji Hyakushu.
Other Hyakunin Isshu anthologies
Many other anthologies compiled along the same criteria—one hundred poems by one hundred poets—include the words hyakunin isshu, notably the World War II-era Aikoku Hyakunin Isshu, or One Hundred Patriotic Poems by One Hundred Poets. Also important is Kyōka Hyakunin Isshu, a series of parodies of the original Ogura collection.
Momotarō is a popular hero from Japanese folklore. His name literally means Peach Tarō, a common Japanese boy's name, which is often translated as Peach Boy. Momotarō is the title of various books, films and other works that portray the tale of this hero. Inuyama, Japan, holds a festival called the Momotaro Festival at the Momotaro Shrine on May 5 of every year.
Current Story
According to the present form of the tale (dating to the Edo period), Momotarō came to Earth inside a giant peach, which was found floating down a river by an old, childless woman who was washing clothes there. The woman and her husband discovered the child when they tried to open the peach to eat it. The child explained that he had been sent by Heaven to be their son. The couple named him Momotarō, from momo (peach) and tarō (eldest son in the family).
Years later, Momotarō left his parents to fight a band of marauding oni (demons or ogres) on a distant island. En route, Momotarō met and befriended a talking dog, monkey, and pheasant, who agreed to help him in his quest. At the island, Momotarō and his animal friends penetrated the demons' fort and beat the band of demons into surrendering. Momotarō and his new friends returned home with the demons' plundered treasure and the demon chief as a captive. Momotarō and his family lived comfortably from then on.
Momotarō is strongly associated with Okayama, and his tale may have its origins there. The demon island Onigashima of the story is sometimes associated with Megijima Island, an island in the Seto Inland Sea near Takamatsu, due to the vast manmade caves found on that island.
In the very old version of story written in 1753, an old woman who did not have any children brings home a giant peach floating in the stream. When the old woman ate a portion of the peach, she unexpectedly recovered her beauty and youth. Her husband was surprised to find a young, beautiful woman when he came back from work. He did not believe her when she explained that the magical peach restored her youth. He also ate a portion of the peach, and turned young too. A boy was born after they made passionate love that night. They named the boy ‘Taro’, which is a common name for the first sons in Japan. In 1887 (Meiji 20), the story had changed to the baby being born from the peach when it was decided to be published into Japanese textbooks. Influence of Western culture made Japanese society sensitive about sexual issues; therefore causing the government to have strict restraints on the contents of textbooks according to the changed societal norm. It is worth considering the meaning of peach in Japanese culture, which is the symbol of life, sexual relationship and fecundity because the shape of the peach resembles women’s buttocks.
There are a few variants to the story, depending on geographical region. Some say Momotaro floated by in a box, a white peach, or a red peach. Stories from Shikoku and Chugoku region muddy the distinction with characters from another folk story, the Monkey-Crab Battle that Momotaro took with him allies to Oni Island, namely a bee, a crab, a mill stone, a chestnut, and cow dung. In old days, all these animals and objects were believed to possess spirits and could move by their own will. The cow dung was sometimes given the honorific dono. This was to appease the cow dung spirit, so as it won't move to be under you when you stumble or take a step.
There are variances about the Momotaro’s process of growth; one is that he grew up to meet the expectation of the old couple to a fine boy. Another is that he grew up to be a strong but lazy person who just sleeps all day and does not do anything. It is possible that the Momotaro being a fine boy version is more famous to give lessons to children. Nowadays, Momotaro is one of the most famous characters in Japan, as an ideal model for young kids for his kind-heartedness, bravery, power, and care for his parents.
Grown up Momotaro goes on journey to defeat the demons (oni) when he hears about the demons of the Onigashima (ghost island). In some stories Momotaro volunteered to go help the people by repelling the demons, but in some stories he was forced by the townspeople or others to go on journey. However, regardless of the other variants, the ending of the story is the same. All the stories describe Momotaro defeating the Oni and live happily ever after with the old couple. It has the typical storyline of the good triumphing over the evil, one of the most common themes found in Asian folklore.
Momotarō's song
The popular children's song about Momotarō titled Momotarō-san no Uta (Momotarō's Song) was first published in 1911. One version of it is included below with romanization and translation.
Okoshi ni tsuketa kibidango (Those millet dumplings on your waist) お腰につけたきびだんご
Hitotsu watashi ni kudasai na? (Won't you give me one?) 一つ私に下さいな！
Agemashō, agemashō (I'll give you one, I'll give you one) あげましょう、あげましょう
Kore kara oni no seibatsu ni (From now, on a quest to conquer the ogres) これから鬼の征伐に
Tsuite kuru nara agemashō (If you come with me, I'll give one to you) ついてくるならあげましょう
Momotarou as depicted in World War II Cartoons
[Momotaro was an immensely popular figure during World War II, appearing in many wartime films and cartoons. Momotaro represented the Japanese government, citizens were animals and the United States was the oni, the demonic figure. Even though it is not directly mentioned, it is obvious that Onigashima was Pearl Harbor. It was used to convey the idea that Japan will fight against the wicked yet powerful United States and victory could only be achieved if the citizens supported the government. Also, the food and treasure that Momotaro and the animals earned after conquering the oni was supposed to reflect the glory that the powerful Japanese empire will have had after defeating the United States. One such movie was Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors.
Shinto (also kami-no-michi) is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and its people. It is a set of practices to establish a connection between present day and the ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records in the 8th century. These earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology.
Shinto today is a term that applies to public shrines for various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian Periods.
*The feature pic above is of Takachiho-gawara, a Sacred ground of the descent to earth of Ninigi-no-Mikoto (the grandson of Amaterasu).
The Fushimi Inari Shrine's main gate
-one of Japan's oldest shrines
Some Facts about Shinto
The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods") was adopted from Chinese characters: combining two kanji: "shin", meaning spirit or kami; and "tō", meaning a philosophical path or study (from the Chinese word dào).
Kami are defined in English as "spirits", "essences" or "deities": some human-like, some animistic, and others being associated with "natural" forces/objects in the world.
Kami and people are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity.
Statistics usually list some 80 to 90% of Japanese people as Shintoist, but most Japanese consider themselves non-religious and consider only 4 million people to be "actual" Shinto observers.
Many people who practice Shinto rituals also practice some Buddhist ones too.
Shinto does not require professing faith to be a believer or a practitioner thus a person who practices "any" manner of Shinto rituals may be counted.
Shinto is sometimes seen more as a way of life rather than a religion by the Japanese due to its long historical and cultural significance.
It is common for most "life" events to be handled by Shinto and "death" or "afterlife" events by Buddhism.
Shinto Creation Myth from the Kojiki
Recorded in the ca. 712 Kojiki the myth is a depiction of the creation of the Japanese Islands. There are many translations of the story with variations of complexity.
Izanagi-no-Mikoto (male) and Izanami-no-Mikoto (female) were called by all the myriad gods and asked to help each other to create a new land which was to become Japan. They were given a spear with which they stirred the water, and when removed water dripped from the end, an island was created in the great nothingness. They lived on this island, and created a palace and within was a large pole.
When they wished to bear offspring, they performed a ritual each rounding a pole, male to the left and female to the right, the female greeting the male first.
They had 2 children (islands) which turned out badly and they cast them out. They decided that the ritual had been done incorrectly the first time.
They repeated the ritual but according to the correct laws of nature, the male spoke first. They then gave birth to the 8 perfect islands of the Japanese archipelago.
After the islands, they gave birth to the other Kami. Izanami-no-Mikoto dies and Izanagi-no-Mikoto tries to revive her but his attempts to deny the laws of life and death have bad consequences.
The islands of Japan are to be considered a paradise as they were directly created by the gods for the people of Japan, and were ordained by the higher spirits to be created into the Japanese empire.
Shinto is the fundamental connection between the power and beauty of nature (the land) and the people of Japan. It is the manifestation of a path to understanding the institution of divine power.
