- Tokyo News -

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quote
Helping Tokyo menus to get found in translation

One of the longtime complaints of English-speaking foreigners visiting restaurants in Japan is that few of them offer menus in English. Well, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is doing what it can to help eateries translate their menus into English and other languages, to help them become more hospitable to expats and tourists.



A website run by the metropolitan government's tourism division, named Restaurants with Multilingual Menus (www.menu-tokyo.jp/menu), lists 263 restaurants with menus in English, Korean, traditional and simplified Chinese, German and French. While this is far from comprehensive, you can search for eateries by area (such as Ginza, Tsukiji and Roppongi), type of cuisine (like sushi, noodles, eel and monja pan-fried snacks) and by language.

Takashi Kitajima, director of the tourism division at the metro government, says his office started offering translation assistance to restaurants in the capital in 2002, starting from such basics as how to explain the difference between nigiri (hand-formed sushi) and makimono (rolled sushi).

"We want to make the dining experience in Tokyo more enjoyable for foreigners," says Kitajima. "The truth is, not many restaurants in Tokyo have menus in languages other than Japanese, and not many restaurants welcome foreign visitors. It's not that they don't want business from foreigners. They just don't know what to do."

Thus the metro government has held numerous workshops around Tokyo over the years, through which thousands of establishments have received computer-based tutorials on how to create multilingual menus, Kitajima says.

Hidenori Kiba, owner of Erika, a German restaurant in Ikebukuro, who attended one of the workshops this month, says he found the program very helpful. While his restaurant has a Polish employee who speaks English and German, he hopes that the restaurant's now-fully-multilingual menu will also make it easier for Chinese and Korean customers to stop by.

On the other hand, three other Japanese-cuisine restaurants contacted by The Japan Times this week were surprisingly reluctant to share their views, saying bluntly that they were either busy serving customers or that whomever in charge was not available.

Kitajima acknowledges that more work needs to be done for foreigners to feel comfortable visiting restaurants in Tokyo, saying that the key is to "nurture a welcoming attitude."

He adds that he hopes to expand the program, noting that the somewhat shabby current website will soon be merged with another tourism-information portal run by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, and will go through a major revamp around June. Hopefully by then the metro government can increase the number of restaurants, fix the site's many dead links and make it more visible through searches. But as our quick phone calls to the eateries suggest, what's missing in the menus of many restaurants in Tokyo is probably not just foreign languages, but an all-embracing marketing mentality and a true sense of hospitality.

TOMOKO OTAKE
source : Japan Times




2011 Tokyo Ramen Show
“B-rank gourmet.”
source : Tokyo Metropolitan Gevernment


Justin ist auf seiner ersten Besichtigungsreise in Tokio. Andrew führt ihn auf der Tokyo Ramen Show 2011 (Komazawa-Park) herum.
„B-Klasse-Delikatessen“ (jap: B-Klasse-Gourmet)
source : Tokyo Metropolitan Gevernment - Deutsch


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. B Grade Gourmet .

. Dishes from Tokyo 東京 .


. WASHOKU - GENERAL INFORMATION .

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Oishi hanashi Okayama

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Oishii hanashi Okayama
おいしいおはなし 岡山


An event from February to March 13, 2012

本に出てくる食べものって、とびきりおいしそう！

Local coffeshops and restaurants have prepared special food, each one with respect to a children's book where the dish is mentioned.

There are 12 restaurants participating, so mothers with children can walk their way through picture books.

Take a look at the cafes and books and the dishes here

source : www.city.okayama.jp/bungaku






Okayama Bungaku Festival


おかやま文学フェスティバル２０１２
おいしいおはなし～本の世界の素敵なひと皿～



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HAIKU and SENRYU

はらぺこあおむし




a hungry worm
finds a sweet bite -
Okayama spring




Animal Tales, issued 10 January 2006, was the first set of commemorative stamps issued by the Royal Mail in Great Britain in 2006.


quote
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
is a children's picture book designed, illustrated and written by Eric Carle, first published by the World Publishing Company in 1969, later published by Penguin Putnam.

The book follows a caterpillar as it eats its way through a wide variety of foodstuffs before pupating and emerging as a butterfly. The winner of many children's literature awards and a major graphic design award, it has sold 30 million copies worldwide.

It features distinctive collage illustrations (Carle's third book, and a new style at the time), 'eaten' holes in the pages and simple text with educational themes – counting, the days of the week, foods, and a butterfly's life stages. There have been a large number of related books and other products, including educational tools, created in connection to the book.

Whilst the caterpillar's diet is fictional, rather than scientifically accurate, The Very Hungry Caterpillar introduces concepts of Lepidoptera life stages where transformations take place including the ultimate metamorphosis from 'hungry caterpillar' to 'beautiful butterfly', and the book has been endorsed by the Royal Entomological Society.
It has been described as "one of the greatest childhood classics of all time."

Synopsis
The book starts with an egg on a leaf, in the light of the moon.
The sun comes up and a tiny caterpillar emerges and looks for food.
On consecutive days, the caterpillar eats through a single red apple, two (green) pears, three (purple) plums, four strawberries, and five oranges, which takes us from Monday to Friday.
Saturday: the caterpillar eats its way through many different foods: chocolate cake, ice-cream, a pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, a lollipop, cherry pie, a sausage, a cupcake, and a slice of watermelon. The caterpillar gets stomach ache as a result of eating all this food.
Sunday: the caterpillar eats through a single leaf, which makes the caterpillar feel better.
The now big caterpillar forms a cocoon (since the titular character is not a moth larva, this is poetic license).
On the final pages the caterpillar is now a 'beautiful' butterfly.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !



Die kleine Raupe Nimmersatt
ist ein Bilderbuch des US-Kinderbuchautors und -Illustrators Eric Carle, das im Jahr 1969 erschien.
©　More in the German WIKIPEDIA !


Die kleine Raupe Nimmersatt
frisst sich seit nunmehr 40 Jahren durch die Kinderzimmer dieser Welt. Ihr Schöpfer Eric Carle liest den Kinderbuch-Klassiker vor.
"Und satt war sie noch immer nicht..."
LISTEN here
source : www.youtube.com



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Related words

***** WASHOKU - OKAYAMA



. Green Caterpillar, aomushi　青虫 .
leaf-eating caterpiller, namushi　菜虫
picking leaf-caterpillars 菜虫取る

kigo for all autumn


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Mindful Eating

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Mindful eating

This buzzword is suddenly sprouting in the Japanese media.




quote
Mindful Eating as Food for Thought
TRY this:
place a forkful of food in your mouth. It doesn’t matter what the food is, but make it something you love — let’s say it’s that first nibble from three hot, fragrant, perfectly cooked ravioli.

Now comes the hard part. Put the fork down. This could be a lot more challenging than you imagine, because that first bite was very good and another immediately beckons. You’re hungry.

Today’s experiment in eating, however, involves becoming aware of that reflexive urge to plow through your meal like Cookie Monster on a shortbread bender. Resist it. Leave the fork on the table. Chew slowly. Stop talking. Tune in to the texture of the pasta, the flavor of the cheese, the bright color of the sauce in the bowl, the aroma of the rising steam.

Continue this way throughout the course of a meal, and you’ll experience the third-eye-opening pleasures and frustrations of a practice known as mindful eating.

Eat more HERE
source : www.nytimes.com


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Mindfulness teachings from
Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung


マインドフル イーティング
mindful eating（意識して食べる, 賢く食べる）
mindless eating（無意識に食べる)

- more reference -


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HAIKU and SENRYU



source :　www.meditation-tips.org



mindful eating -
the Zen cook gets
an extra bite

. Gabi Greve .



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contribution from Larry
Circumstances arose one day which delayed preparation of the dinner of a Soto Zen master, Fugai [I don't know if this is Fuugai Ekun (ca. 1568-1654?) or Fuugai Hoonko (1779-1847)], and his followers. In haste the cook went to the garden with his curved knife and cut off the tops of green vegetables, chopping them together, and made soup, unaware that in his haste he had included a part of a snake in the vegetables.

The followers of Fugai thought they had never tasted such good soup. But when the master himself found the snakes head in his bowl, he summoned the cook.
"What is this?" he demanded, holding up the head of the snake.

"Oh, thank you master," replied the cook, taking the morsel and eating it quickly.

--from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones:
A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings,
compiled by Paul Reps
source : Zen Koans Database



'mindful eating' (headnote)

"Don't chew with your mouth open!"
"Don't talk with your mouth full!"
--Buddha's mom too, I bet!

or maybe she said,

"Don't chew with your mouth full!"
"Don't talk with your mouth open!"



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Related words

. Vegetarian Temple Food
(shoojin ryoori 精進料理) .

. Tenzo 典座 the Zen Cook .


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Eel catch problems

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Eel catch problems

Prices soar as eel catch continues downtrend

Prices for young eel have surged to their highest amid a string of extremely poor catches, and the government is looking for countermeasures, it was learned Monday.

Fishermen mainly go after wild glass eel caught at the headwaters of rivers so they can produce farm-raised eel to satisfy high summer demand for "unagi."

This is because the complete cycle for artificially breeding eel fry from eggs has not entered practical use yet. But catches for glass have plunged over 95 percent since peaking in 1963.

The eel-fishing season has suffered an unprecedented third consecutive year of bad hauls. The 2009 haul for glass eel was believed to be 24.7 tons, but that plunged to 9.2 tons in 2010 and 9.5 tons in 2011, according to the Fisheries Agency.

The catch so far this year has fallen to less than half of what it was in the previous year for the same time period, and this trend appears prevalent in almost all of the major fishing grounds in western Japan, agency and industry sources said.

Transaction prices for freshwater glass eel have tripled from last year's nationwide average of about ¥850,000 per kg, to ¥2 million to ¥2.5 million this year — about 10 times the ¥250,000 quoted in 2004.

Fisheries experts have voiced concern about the lack of regulations against overfishing. But agency officials said it is difficult to take effective measures because they do not know what is behind the drop in catches.

Ninety-nine percent of the unagi sold are farm-raised. Experts have attributed the drastic decline of the wild Japanese eel catch, for both glass and mature eel, in recent years to overfishing as well as dam construction and other environmental damage to rivers.

source : Japan Times, February 2012



. WKD : Eel (unagi 鰻) .


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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Wasara dishes

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Wasara dishes






ワインカップ wine cup
コーヒーカップ coffee cup
角皿・丸皿 plates and many more

The organic forms that can be accepted comfortably and the texture that gives a handcrafted feel are functional beauty rooted in the Japanese custom of holding dishes as we eat

source : www.wasara.jp



wasara
is a japanese company making disposable dishes from paper. these paper dishes are made from reed pulp and sugar cane waste making them a more eco-friendly option than standard paper plates.
separating themselves further from the average disposable dishes, wasara dishes boast a unique simplicity that is thoroughly japanese. the elegant shapes are subtle and specifically designed for holding in your hands, for events like cocktail parties.
source : www.designboom.com



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Things found on the way


'siwa' paper products by naoto fukasawa for onao

source : www.designboom.com


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Related words

***** - Tableware -

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Deco Nakajima

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Deco Nakajima 中島デコ Nakajima Deko





Eco Farm Stay

Brown's Field gives you the chance to do just that. Tucked away in Chiba Prefecture's Boso Peninsula, Brown's Field consists of a traditional Japanese farmhouse, the Rice Terrace café (open at weekends), a yurt, a couple of rice fields and lots of ducks, goats and cats.

The farm was founded in 1999 by essayist and Macrobiotic cooking teacher Deco Nakajima and her husband, writer/photographer Everett Kennedy Brown.

source : www.insidejapantours.com






More of her books on natural cooking :
source : www.amazon.co.jp

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quote
American photojournalist combines traditional with modern in daily life
Everett Brown's lifestyle is a reflection of his philosophy on life.

The American photojournalist, who has lived in Japan for 24 years, says that the Japanese people should re-create their traditions by fusing classical ideas with modern technologies or ideas to lead happy, comfortable lives.

"So many Japanese people are thinking just about the future, the future, the future. . . . I really feel that so much of the richness and the beauty and the strength of Japan is in the cultural heritage," said Brown.

The American photojournalist, who has lived in Japan for 24 years, says that the Japanese people should re-create their traditions by fusing classical ideas with modern technologies or ideas to lead happy, comfortable lives.

"So many Japanese people are thinking just about the future, the future, the future. . . . I really feel that so much of the richness and the beauty and the strength of Japan is in the cultural heritage," said Brown.

Incorporating modern elements into traditional ideas is the central theme of both his profession and his daily life.

Aside from his job as a photographer, he owns a farm called Brown's Field in Isumi, southeastern Chiba Prefecture, that comprises rice paddies, woods, a cafe serving food made from local organically grown products, a guest house converted from a Meiji-era barn and hand-crafted tree-houses. This year, he bought a large farmhouse and renovated it into a country inn named Jiji no Ie.

Brown, 53, of slight build and with long platinum hair, has for the past 10 years served as chief photographer at the Japan branch of the German-based European Pressphoto Agency. He plans to leave the company in November, however, to pursue personal projects.

"It's time for new challenges. It's time to focus on articulating stories that I feel I need to tell. My lifework is to explore and articulate the historical memories hidden in the Japanese landscape," he said.

While he has taken mostly news photos for EPA, his personal work is taking collodion (wet plate) photographs of people and landscapes using an antique camera that "dates from end of the Edo Period." Such a classical technology, he says, creates a "timeless" aspect to the photos he takes.

He bought the farmhouse partly because he and his wife wanted to create an "eco-village."

"When my wife and I first had a look at the house, it was like a calling — that we need to buy this house and make it into a country inn where people can enjoy the best of farm living," he said.

After purchasing the property, they found out that the farmhouse had previously served as a gathering place for villagers during the annual harvest festival.

"It was the role of this house to provide food and sake for the villagers," Brown said.

In recent years the festival was stopped due to lack of young people to carry the portable mikoshi (shrine). It is Brown's dream to eventually restore the village festival.

The inn and the Brown's Field farm now offer workshops and farming internships to let people experience sustainable, organic living based on traditional wisdom.
Brown's wife, Deco Nakajima,
a best-selling natural foods cookbook writer, specializes in a type of diet with a variety of fermented foods and home-grown products, such as genmai (unpolished rice), beans and vegetables. She offers cooking classes at Jiji no Ie.

Most of the rice and vegetables served at the inn are grown at Brown's Field.

"Growing rice is especially important in order to understand Japan," he said, "because until the Meiji Era, 90 percent of Japanese people were living agrarian lifestyles and much of the culture is based on agrarian sensibility.

"In order to more fully understand Japan, I felt that I needed to be able to grow my own rice, make my own miso, to more deeply experience the changes in the seasons. Farming is a way for me to understand the Japanese sensitivity toward nature and to become aware of the subtle changes in the seasons," he said, adding that he finds it very interesting how the seasons "are very subtly overlapped" in Japan.

"In the middle of winter, you have the plum blossoms. You are already getting a hint of spring. This is where Japanese aesthetics were born — in this overlapping of the seasons," he said.

Brown uses the term "shibu-modern" to explain the theme in his lifestyle and his design for his country inn.

"Shibu-modern is a way of integrating traditional aspects of living with modern technology and design to provide a deeply rich Japanese aesthetic experience. Shibui means traditional, rustic atmosphere. Shibu-modern is not just old and rustic, but it the aesthetic merging with modern design elements," said Brown.

Several examples of shibu-modern can be seen at Jiji no Ie. One example is the suikinkutsu — an underground ceramic urn in the inn's Japanese garden that makes a beautiful sound when water drips into it.

Brown said he wanted to re-create the aesthetic of an Edo Period tea house garden. He asked Yosuke Yamaguchi, an award-winning gardener from Nagasaki, to design the garden, to build the suikinkutsu as an aesthetic feature in the inn's garden.

Suikinkutsu became nearly forgotten after the Edo Period as their chambers got clogged with fallen leaves. "By using modern hydraulic technology, we can now flush the leaves clear," he explained.

Brown and his wife moved to Isumi from Tokyo's Setagaya Ward in 1999 with their five children, because they wanted enough space for their children to play and to grow up in a healthy environment.

"A friend said a house was available in Chiba. When we saw it, we just fell in love with it," he said, adding that originally, they weren't thinking of opening an inn at all.

However, they started having friends come over for tea, and then stay overnight, so they thought, "Why not create a cafe and inn where more people can enjoy this great traditional farm lifestyle?"

Brown said that in France and Italy, there are traditional farmhouses where people can stay and experience rural life, and he felt there was "a need for such inns in Japan, too," he said.

Brown was born in Washington, D.C., to parents of Welsh and Scottish descent. His father was a well-read Presbyterian minister. The family moved to North Carolina when Brown was 3, and then to Missouri.

Brown started taking photographs at age 11. Having met and being inspired by the famed photographer William Eugene Smith, who is known for his photographs from the early 1970s depicting victims of Minamata disease in Japan, he decided to become a photojournalist when he was 13. He started taking photographs professionally the following year, starting out with wedding photos and portraits, and then taking on photographic work for publishing companies.

While studying anthropology at a U.S. university, Brown went to study Buddhism in India as part of his course work for half a year, and traveled to 50 countries while still in his 20s.

He said India was where he initially encountered Japanese aesthetic sensibility. He went to a Zen temple in northern India's Bodh Gaya — a place where Buddha is said to have obtained enlightenment — and sat zazen on New Year's Day.

"By sitting, I found that I was able to see the world with much clearer eyes, and things had more detail, everything had more of an aesthetic quality. I felt that this sensitivity was very, very useful for my photography," he said, adding that he decided to go to Japan after he graduated from university — also because he was studying oriental medicine and wanted to study acupuncture in Japan.

Brown says his family had old ties with Japan. Eliphalet Brown (1816-1886) — his distant ancestor — came to Japan as a photographer for Commodore Matthew Perry of the U.S. Navy, when Perry came to open Japan on a black-hulled frigate in 1853.

Brown's father and uncle also traveled to Japan while serving in the U.S. Navy. "My house and my grandmother's house were full of Japanese pottery, lacquerware and carvings," Brown said.

"Life is just a continuous, unfolding journey," Brown said with a serene smile.

"There's always this feeling of achieving completeness, and then the journey begins again, and there are other areas of myself to explore. In terms of photography, in the past few years, my personal vision has come together in the collodion photographic process. It's taken a long time to integrate all the different experiences in my life into a distinct style and philosophy."


For information on Brown's Field and Jiji no Ie :

www.brownsfield-jp.com and
jijinoie.com.



source : Japan Times, August 2012



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Related words

***** . WKD : Main Index .


. WASHOKU - GENERAL INFORMATION .

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Net Super

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Net Super - Online Shopping




quote from Japan Times
ONLINE SUPERMARKETS
'Net super' trend food for thought
By HIROKO NAKATA

Despite the economy's prolonged doldrums and the dim outlook for conventional stores, the online supermarket business is a rare bright spot in retailing, experts said.

Following are questions and answers about the trend:

What do Internet supermarkets offer?
The services offered by online supermarkets in Japan are basically the same as those offered in Europe and the United States. Consumers place orders for food, drinks and other daily necessities on websites, and the supermarket chains deliver them to the home.

The stores' major customers are housewives in their 30s and 40s, which similar to the shopping demographic for regular supermarkets.

But online supermarkets are gaining increasing attention in part because senior citizens find it difficult to go to the supermarkets in their communities because of limited mobility.

It is estimated there are some 6 million seniors nationwide who have difficulty purchasing daily goods, according to a trade ministry report in May. Many people live in huge housing complexes built around the 1960s, when the economy was booming. Others live in remote areas in the mountains. Since young people tend to move out of these communities, so, apparently, do retail outlets.

"Online supermarkets have been growing rapidly due to the widening area for services and an increasing number of customers," said a survey released in February by marketing and consulting firm Fuji Keizai Co.

Patronage is expected to increase because some supermarkets now accept orders via fax or telephone for seniors not conversant in the use of online services.

Fuji Keizai expects the scale of the online market to expand to ¥90 billion in 2012, from an estimated ¥78.1 billion in 2011 and ¥56.9 billion in 2010.


How have Internet supermarkets evolved?
The latest trend may be exemplified by Radish Lawson, which debuted Oct. 11, combining the convenience store giant Lawson with the Radish Boya grocery delivery system.

The new service offers fresh vegetables provided by Radish Boya, which has built a reputation for offering organic vegetables and other additive-free foods.

Radish Boya has contracts with more than 2,000 farmers so that consumers can trace each item to allay any concerns they may have about the vegetables.

"Unlike many other online supermarkets that pick up products from their outlets, Radish Lawson harvests vegetables soon after receiving the orders," said Lawson spokesman Yuki Takemoto. Food can be delivered as early as three days after an order is received, he added.

Radish Lawson had 16,000 online members as of Oct. 17, Takemoto said.

The company expects sales to reach ¥10 billion in three years and ¥50 billion in five years, he said.

The online trend has been picked up by all the major supermarket chains. Ito-Yokado, Aeon, Seiyu, Daiei and Summit each have websites for food orders, while others, including Maruetsu, Tokyu and Kinokuniya, maintain online shops on Internet shopping mall operator Rakuten.

Customers usually pay ¥100 to ¥500 for each delivery, but much less or even zero for bulk purchases.

Customers can also place online orders with grocery delivery firms, including Oisix, Radish Boya and Pal System, which is run by the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union.

Although the delivery firms themselves are not supermarkets, they attract customers because many have strict standards of food safety. Delivery costs vary, with some charging ¥200 to ¥400 each time and others requiring an initial membership fee of around ¥5,000 and annual membership fee of around ¥1,000.

How are orders placed?
First one must determine if the supermarket of choice has a nearby outlet to handle online orders.
Usually, shoppers must register on the online supermarket's website.

Then it's merely a case of placing the order and designating the delivery time. Many grocery deliveries are on a weekly or bimonthly basis, and the timing may be less flexible.

Customers need to be careful because many supermarkets require payment even if an order is canceled. When an order is delivered, generally someone must be present to receive it. Some services require orders be placed no later than least three hours or half a day before the scheduled delivery time.


How do the services stay competitive?
Some lure customers by boasting their advantages and unique services. Ito-Yokado touts its huge lineup and network; it has about 30,000 items available and outlets that can take online orders nationwide.

Summit leaves deliveries at the buyer's doorstep if the customer isn't home. Its waterproof packages may be locked, and if cold items are involved, insulation is provided.

Daiei via its website offers customers appetizers and platter-style dishes for Christmas and other special occasions.


How did retailers expand online shopping?

"The impact Ito-Yokado had on the market's expansion was quite big," said Shigeru Yoshino, assistant manager in charge of food under Fuji Keizai's survey on internet supermarkets.

Until the major supermarket chain succeeded and logged profits in recent years, the domestic online retailing business was slumping. Other supermarkets started online services in the early 2000s, but they had trouble turning a profit due to delivery costs, Yoshino said.

Ito-Yokado found that once it had established repeat customers for fresh vegetables and prepared foods, all of which came with detailed product information, customers would increase and profits would follow, he said.

According to the survey by Fuji Keizai, other retailers followed suit and the overall online supermarket business grew by more than 35 percent in 2010.

source : www.japantimes.co.jp. October 2011



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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Nokisaki Business

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Nokisaki Business

***** Location: Japan
***** Season:
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation


quote
.. capitalized on the Nokisaki.com website set up by Tokyo-based Nokisaki Co., a firm that acts as an intermediary for landowners looking to rent vacant "nokisaki" (edge of the eaves) spaces at relatively low cost and tenants wishing to lease such areas by the hour, day or week. Unlike regular property leasing, the contracts concern only the right to use nokisaki spaces.

Nokisaki.com has grown increasingly popular since its launch in April 2008, indicating rising interest in the use of such small, open spaces.

The locations include squares in front of office buildings in business districts, spots around stores that are unused outside business hours, and even parking spots at people's homes that would otherwise be left vacant.

The number of contracts concluded on Nokisaki.com totals about 350 a month in the Tokyo and Osaka areas.
source : Japan Times, Januray 18, 2011

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軒先.com




http://www.nokisaki.com/



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Things found on the way


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HAIKU and SENRYU


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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Edo Favorite 100 Dishes

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100 Favorite Dishes of Edo
江戸料理百選

Copy the Japanese names and insert them . HERE .
to see the photos.


. Food vendors in Edo .

. yaozen 八百善 Yaozen restaurant in Asakusa .

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. . . . . Tofu (touhu)

arare toofu 霰豆腐 "tofu like hail stones"
あられとうふ
The tofu is cut in little cubes like a dice. It may be deep-fried.


asaji dengaku あさじでんがく covered with umeboshi soysauce paste
浅茅田楽 . see Konome Dengaku.


atsuyaki toofu 厚やき豆腐 Thick fried tofu.


bekkau toofu べっかう豆婦 "tortoise shell tofu"
べっかうとうふ
(bekkoo toofu べっこう豆腐)
Cut in triangles, fried to a tortoise shell color.


chawan mushi 茶碗むし / 茶碗蒸 "steamed in a tea bowl"
A favorite in the winter months.


chikuwa toofu 竹輪豆婦 Tofu with chikuwa tubes.
ちくわとうふ


ebi toofu 苗埋菽乳 Tofu with shrimps.
えびとうふ


fuwafuwa toofu ふはふは豆腐 soft ground tofu with an egg
ふはふはとうふ
The mixture is put in boiling water to form a ball, sesame added for flavor.
tamago fuwafuwa 玉子ふわふわ boiled egg with dashi and irizake 煎酒, made from boiled down sake (to about 80%), with pickled umeboshi plums, bonito shavings and a bit of salt. This irizake (iri-zake, sake o iru, to boil down ricewine) was used until soy sauce became more readily available as a flavoring.


ganseki toofu 巖石とうふ "Tofu like a rock"
がんせきとうふ
Placed in a clear broth.


gookan toofu 合歓とうふ "Silk tree tofu"
One mochi is placed on top of the tofu.


gutsuni toofu ぐつ煮とうふ gently simmered tofu
With Saikyo miso or red miso. Flavored with mountain pepper.
Served in an earthen pot to keep warm.


hanpen toofu ハンペン豆腐 Hampen made from yam, tofu, water and a bit of salt. Served in a clear hot broth. Also called "shiratama 白玉", white ball


hiryauzu - kaku hiryausu "flying dragon head"
ヒリャウヅ -方ヒレウズ / 飛竜子 / 飛竜頭 / 角飛龍頭
ひりゃうず - かくひりゃうず / 飛竜頭 豆腐
In Kanto it is called ganmodoki がんもどき.
In Kansai it is called hiryoozu ひりょうず.
Tofu with a lot of vegetables.



imokake toofu 薯蕷かけ豆腐 Tofu with thick sauce made from grated yam
いもかけとうふ
Served in a broth with katsuobushi.



ise toofu 五瀬豆腐 grind tofu, sea bream, yam and other ingredients, with an egg, simmered in a box, flavored with miso and sansho pepper.


ishiyaki toofu 石焼とうふ stone-fried tofu
Similar to sukiyaki, flavored with grated radish and raw soy sauce.



kamaboko toofu 肉ぼことうふ made in the form of small kamaboko
かまぼことうふ
Tofu and sesame are blended together and simmered into kamabako shape.



kaminari toofu 雷とうふ "Thunder tofu"
かみなりとうふ
Fast fried in sesame oil, so it makes a noise like thunder.


komon toofu 小もんとうふ tofu mixed with slightly grilled nori seaweed, wrapped like a bag
こもんとうふ
Served in hot broth.






konome dengaku, ko no me dengaku 木の芽田楽 Mountain pepper dengaku.
covered with miso paste.


koori toofu 玲瓏とうふ tofu in kanten jelly.
こおりとうふ
Served with a bit of Japanese mustard.
Sometimes brown sugar is added and the tofu eaten as a desert.


koozu yufoofu 高津湯とうふ Hot tofu a la Kozu
こうづゆとうふ
Kinugoshi tofu covered with a hot sauce of kuzu ankake. Also called
Nanzenji tofu 南禅寺豆腐



mino dengaku 簑でんがく "dengaku in a straw coat"
tamago dengaku 鶏卵でんがく egg dengaku
みのでんがく - たまごでんがく
The dengaku is flavored with hot pepper.
The egg dengaku is covered with soy sauce, an egg yolk and sprinkled with black poppy seeds.


misotsuke toofu 味曾漬とうふ Tofu with miso sauce.


mizore soba 霙蕎麦 "buckwheat dumplings in sleet"
みぞれそば
Oborodofu is boiled in dashi shooyu, then some sobakiri buckwheat dumplings are added. White leek, grated radish or wasabi for flavoring.



Ogasawara toofu 小笠原菽乳 Tofu simmered in arrowroot water (kuzuyu 葛湯)
おがさわらとうふ
Decorated with grated radish, thick arrowroot sauce and some katsuobushi.



osasa toofu, ozasa tofu 小竹葉とうふ fried tofu
おざさとうふ
Fried tofu is simmered in soysauce and mirin, a half-boiled egg added. Sesame adde extra flavor.
Cold it can also be used in a bento box.


rokujoo 腐軋 Rokujo Tofu
ろくじょう / 六浄豆腐
This tofu was first made in Kyoto, Rokujoo 京都六条.
It shows the theme of snow at the 88th night, before the first harvest of tea leaves.



Restaurant Dining in Edo



shin no udon toofu 真うどん豆腐 Tofu cut in thick pieces like udon noodles.
しんのうどんとうふ


shiran toofu 芝蘭菽乳 "white tofu"
しらんとうふ / ちーらん
White sesame seeds are ground finely, white miso added, white leek parts added. Heaped on hot tofu, with some grated radish.


sushini 酢烹 tofu cooked on a deep-fried sardine
すしに


tataki toofu 叩き豆腐 "beaten tofu"
たたきとうふ
Fried tofu is beaten (chopped) with a knife, an egg white added. The mixture is formed like a hamburger, wrapped in wheat flour and fried.
Best eaten cold.


toofumen 菽乳麺 somen noodles with tofu
とうふめん
Flavored with sesame oil.


tsutsumi age 包油煤 wrapped and fried tofu
つつみあげ



uzumaki toofu 渦まき豆腐 "whirl tofu"
うずまきとうふ
Rolled in a large seaweed leaf (Suizenji nori) 水前寺海菜, with some hardboiled egg-white and kanpyo.


uzumi toofu 埋豆腐 "burried tofu"
うづみとうふ
Flavored with mountain pepper, roasted sesame seeds, hot pepper powder, grated ginger and yuzu citron.
Miso is placed on the burried tofu and rice is placed on top of it.



yukige meshi 雪消飯 "snow-melt rice"
ゆきげめし
Short-cut udon-tofu covered with rice and grated radish. Served in a broth.



. WASHOKU
Tofu Dishes . Bean Curd 　


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. . . . . daikon 大根 large radish dishes




agedashi daikon 揚出大こん　Radish in hot broth
Radish fried in sesame oil, then served in a broth of soy sauce and garnished with mountain pepper


daikon mushi 大根蒸 broiled radish
だいこんむし
Made from dried kiriboshi daikon stripes. Sometimes fish is added to make a good broth.


daikon sanchuu ae 大こんさんちやう醤 radish mixew with other ingredients to a saladd
だいこんさんちゃうあえ
Kiriboshi radish stripes are used. Mixed with white sesame seeds, red miso paste and sake. A bit of wasabi is added before serving.


daikon shio zoosui 大根塩ざうすい rice gruel with radish and salt


daikon tooshunkin 大根都春錦 "radish parcel"
Peeled radish, wrapped in yuba, flavored with hot pepper or mountain pepper.


daikon yu namasu 大根湯なます
だいこんゆなます
Japanese style radish salad. Served cold.


Jooshuu Tatehayashi meibutsu daikon soba
上州館林名物大根蕎麦
じょうしゅうたてはやしめいぶつだいこんそば
Buckwheat noodles served with a lot of radish shavings.


Nooshuu meibutsu hoshi daikon meshi
濃洲名物干大根飯
Made from dried kiriboshi radish, a crunchy dish.



Rikyuu abe daikon 利休あへ大根り radish "a la Rikyu"
きゅうあへだいこん
Flavored with cinamon and sesame.
. Sen Rikyuu, Sen Rikyū 千利休 Sen Rikyu .


rinmaki oofurofuki daikon 林巻大風呂吹大根
radish cut like tree rings, boiled in dashi, served on a bed of miso paste, with a slice of yuzu on top.



sanshu awase daikon 三種合大根 radish with katsuobushi
さんしゅあわせだいこん

soomen daikon 素麺大根 radish like somen noodles.
そうめんだいこん
Cut in long strings, served with vinegar, as a mouth cleanser betewen other dishes.



. WASHOKU
Radish Dishes 　


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. . . . . gohan, meshi 飯 rice dishes





aonori zoosui 青苔雑炊 rice gruel with green nori seaweed
あおのりぞうすい


daikon meshi 大根飯 with radishes
..... Echizen no daikon meshi 越前国大根飯
with radishes from Echizen



hidara meshi 乾呉魚飯 rice with dried cod
ひだらめし
Mentioned in a cookbook from 1802. The fish filets are dried over a medium heat and then cut in small stripes. They are then mixed with the cooked rice.
names of the cooking heat in Edo
bunka 文火 （ぶんか） low heat/flame (yowabi 弱火)
bunbuka 文武火（ぶんぶか）medium heat/flame (chuubi 中火)
buka 武火（ぶか) high heat/flame (tsuyobi 強火)



hotarumeshi, hotaru meshi ホタル飯 "firefly rice"
ほたるめし / 蛍飯
During the hunger periods. 190 g rice was cooked with 4,300 g of starowort leaves (yomena) and mugwort (yomogi). The few white rice grains would look like fireflies in the green leaves mush.
((( Another way to make cooked rice last longer during a famine was putting more water into rice gruel, calling it "mirror rice" (kagami meshi 鏡飯) or omoyu おもゆ 重湯】). )))



kadame meshi 海帯めし rice with wakame kelp.
かだめめし
kadame 加太和布 is a special kelp harvested in Wakayama, Kishu, in Kada town 加太浦.


kakimeshi 牡蛎飯　　rice with oysters
Cooking oysters would prevent the outbreak of indigestion and food poisoning in times without refrigerator.


. kokerazushi こけらずし kokera sushi 　　


konnyaku meshi 蒟蒻飯 rice with konyak devil's tongue


konoha meshi 木の葉めし"rice with tree leaves"
このはめし
Fresh sprouts and buds were mixed in spring food.


kotori, shookin zoosui 小禽ざうすい
rice gruel with "little birds"


mana zoosui 菁蕪菜雑炊 rice gruel with leaves of turnip
まなぞうすい


namakai meshi 石明魚飯 rice with fish
なまかいめし


nankin gayu なんきん粥 kayu. rice gruel with pumpkin
Pumpkin and red beans were cooked with the rice. It was a very warming slightly sweet dish in winter.


nasubi zoosui 茄子ざうすい rice gruel with eggplants


nattoo modoki 賽淡鼓 "looking like fermented beans"
なっとうもどき
modoki was a way to prepare vegetable dishes "looking like" fish or meat. It was often done in temples.


negi meshi 葱めし rice with leek
Many other vegetables can be added, also sweet chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms. Served in a hot broth 達失汁.
leek was grown in the fields around Edo, see Edo Vegetables below.

negi zoosui 葱ざうすい gice gruel with leek

nira zoosui 韮ざうすい rice gruel with nira leek
にらざうすい

leek dishes are all typical winter dishes.



Rikyuu meshi 利休めし rice cooked "a la Rikyu"
Sen no Rikyu (千利休, 1522 – 1591) was the founder of the tea ceremony.
Rice is cooked with hoojicha tea, then dashi broth is added. Some green stems of rape (na no hana) are added as topping.
This is a typical dish of spring.


. sakurameshi 桜めし "cherryblossom rice" 　


shijimi meshi 蜆肉飯　 rice with corbilula clams


shiso meshi 紫蘇飯　 rice with perilla
しそめし

soba meshi 蕎麦飯 with buckwheat noodles


someii, somei-i 染飯 colored rice
そめいい
Already mentioned in 1553. It is colored with kuchinashi gardenia and becomes a bright yellow color. It was popular in the tea stalls along the 53 stations of the Tokaido road. Gardenia extract was like a medicine against weak feet and brought back energy.



taimeshi 道味魚飯 -鯛飯 rice with slices of sea bream
たいめし - たいめし


toofu zoosui 菽乳雑炊 rice gruel with tofu


yamabuki meshi 山吹めし "yellow rice"
yamabuki is the yellow color of the plant "yellow rose", the color of coins in the Edo period and the color of egg yolk.
A hard-boiled egg is placed on the rice, served with broth, some grated ginger and a bit of salt.


yudoofu modoki 賽湯菽乳 "looking like hot tofu"
ゆどうふもどき
「賽（ゆ）湯菽（どうふ）乳（もどき）
Hot rice gruel with arrowroot sauce, some grated ginger and mustard for flavoring.



Some of the ingredients mixed with rice have their own entry in this BLOG.

. WASHOKU
Rice Dishes (meshi, gohan) 　


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. . . . . tai 鯛 sea bream dishes




kakitaimushi, kaki tai mushi かき鯛むし
steamed sea bream with oysters
かきたいむし


makitai 巻鯛 "rolled sea bream"
まきたい


sarasa tai さらさ鯛 "chinz sea bream"
さらさたい


Satsuma meibutsu koro iridai 薩摩名物ころ煮鯛
ころいりだい
simmered sea bream a la Satsuma


Satsuma satootsuke tai さつま砂糖漬鯛
さつまさとうつけたい
sea bream pickled in brown sugar, a la Satsuma


Satsuma tai no atsumejiru 薩摩鯛のあつめ汁
Rice soup atsumejiru with sea bream, a la Satsuma


sugiyaki tai 杉やき鯛 sea bream served in a box made of cedar wood.
Fish is flavored with miso paste.


taimaru ageni 鯛丸あげ煮 whole fried sea bream
A small fish is used. Flavored with soy sauce.


taimeshi 道味魚飯 - 鯛飯 rice cooked with sea bream
たいめし - たいめし


tai no koo no mono sushi 鯛の香物酢
たいのこうのものすし
sea bream pickled with vinegar


tai no soborojiru 鯛のそぼろ汁
doosuma ・同すましそぼろ
たいのそぼろじる・どうすま
small pieces of sea bream in hot broth


tai no tororojiru 鯛の青淵汁
たいのとろろじる
Soup with grated jinenjo yam and sea bream


. WASHOKU
Sea Bream Dishes 　


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. . . . . tamago 卵 egg dishes




aemaze あえまぜ a kind of fish salad, with vegetables and egg
嚮食交
Sometimes sake was used for a dressing.


isona tamago いそなたまご "beach flavor eggs"
磯菜卵
After boiling half-soft in vinegar and irizake, they are sprinkeld with nori from Asakusa or wasabi.


matsukaze tamago 松風卵 egg a la "wind in the pines"
まつかぜたまご


Rikyuu tamago - Kurumi tamago 利休卵 / 胡桃卵
りきゅうたまご - くるみたまご
eggs "a la Rikyu" and walnut eggs
Simmered egg with ground sesame seeds (or ground walnut meat), flavored with soy sauce and sake.



shigure tamago 時雨卵 "winter drizzle eggs"
しぐれたまご
A kind of okonomiyaki omelette.


tamago dojoo たまごどじょう loach soup with egg
卵鰌魚
Yanagigawa nabe 柳川鍋（やながわなべ）


tamago hanpen 玉子半ぺん hampen with egg

tamago iridashi 玉子いり出し soup with egg

tamago kaiyaki 玉子貝焼 fried eggs with seashells


uzura tamago 鶉卵 quail eggs
うずらたまご

yosetamago 寄卵 eggs mixed with other ingredients
よせたまご


Food colored yellow with egg yolk was called yamabuki, for example
yamabuki kamaboko やまぶきかまぼこ yellow kamaboko fish paste.


. WASHOKU
Egg Dishes 　

tamago hyakuchin 「卵百珍」（たまごひゃくちん）
100 dishes with eggs
cookbook from 1785

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Illustrated Book
www.unizon.co.jp

. Reference : 江戸料理百選


江戸の料理本 Cooking Books from Edo
江戸料理レシピデータセット
『万宝料理秘密箱 卵百珍』の江戸料理レシピ
- source : codh.rois.ac.jp/edo-cooking -

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Books about the food culture of Edo



江戸食百珍 Edo Shoku Hyaku Chin


- - - - - external link
Banquets against Boredom
Eric C. Rath, University Kansasfae


*****************************
Things found on the way

. nattoo uri　納豆売り natto vendor in Edo .

. Doing Business in Edo　- 江戸の商売 .

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Edo, The City That Became Tokyo
. The town of Edo 江戸　大江戸 　


. Edo-Vegetables (Edo yasai 江戸東京野菜) 　


. Edo no takenoko 江戸の筍 bamboo shoots in Edo .


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Related words

***** . Miso culture in Japan (みそ or 味噌) . 　


. WASHOKU - Dishes from Tokyo


***** WASHOKU : General Information

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes
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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- #edofood #edoryori #edowashoku #washokuedo -
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Asian Food Regulation Information Service

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
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Asian Food Regulation Information Service

quote
Welcome to Asia's first comprehensive food regulation website.

This website aims to create a database for food regulations across Asia. It is a big task given the fact that a lot of the Food Acts, regulations and standards are not easily obtainable. Understanding food laws and related issues will not only enable companies to maintain regulatory compliance but also keep track of consumer related issues.

Our geographical area of coverage is from Pakistan to Japan, from Mongolia to Timor. Some countries within this area may have very limited or no food laws but are still listed in our menu bar. Over time, we believe, this will change and we shall be ready to list their food laws alongside their neighbours.

Where we are able and the regulations are in English, we shall provide the documents free of charge. For those laws and regulations that are not in English and need to be translated or are not easily accessible, we charge a fee.

As of January 2011, we have nearly 1000 documents listed on this website. Yet this is by no means comprehensive and we shall continue to upload documents as we grow. So in order to make this website a success, we need your feedback. Please see our SERVICES page for additional, specialised services we provide.

http://www.asianfoodreg.com/


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Asia - Japan

Withdrawal of 80 Food Additives from List of Existing Food Additives. - 18/05/2010

List of GM Products having undergone safety assessment and listed in the official Gazette - 12/05/2010

List of GM Products under consideration - 15/04/2010

Development of Imported Food Monitoring & Guidance Plan for FY 2010 - 29/03/2010

. . . . . and more about

Food Law Code / Regulations / Standards
Labelling / Additives

http://www.asianfoodreg.com/asia.php?id=10



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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Food Crisis

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
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Food Crisis Worldwide

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India
December 2010

Prices of onions had more than doubled in the past week due to a shortage caused by unusually heavy rain in growing areas.

The agriculture ministry on Monday banned exports until Jan 15, and will import onions from Pakistan, as retail prices jumped to 80 rupees ($1.77) per kg from 35 rupees per kg last week, media reported.

source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
December 21, 2010


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Sri Lanka
Oct 23, 2010 (LBO)

Sri Lanka coconut prices hit new highs amid trade protection

Sri Lanka's fresh coconut prices hit a new high at this week's auction in Colombo, compounded by state interventions that restrict trade and keep prices of substitutes at higher than global levels.

In Sri Lanka staple food supplies are insecure because of heavy state intervention in markets, and prices can also be more volatile as well as higher than the rest of the world.

The high volatility in coconut prices comes from state interventions that block market forces from working due to excessive agriculture protection.

Because of high import taxes even rice, a staple food, can shoot up above world market prices. Meanwhile the state also blocks access to close substitutes like wheat with high import duties.
Sri Lanka's poultry farmers have also been hit by high prices of maize, which is a key feed ingredient as imports have been blocked to 'help maize farmers.'

Protein prices including fish are now at record highs. Sri Lanka's city retail shops even ran out of chicken amid price controls a few months ago, a phenomenon not seen since the 1970s.

Coconut is another staple whose prices are high and volatile due to taxes on close substitutes.
source : www.lankabusinessonline.com



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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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Shufu Housewife

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
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Housewife (shufu)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

shufu 主婦 / 主夫 ... housewife, homemaker

This word is rather new, used since about 1880.

sengyoo shufu 専業主婦 "specialized housewife"
full-time housewife
she does not work outside the home.



Before the advent of modern times

okugata 奥方 the lady of the house
"the one in the back"
Madam


okusama 奥様 wife, first wife
Of a daimyo, aristocrat or high class family.


おくさま の 餠（もち）の形（かた）
okusama no mochi no kata
A "first wife", but only by name.


Today we say

Yamada san no okusama 山田さんの奥様　Mrs. Yamada


karisuma shufu カリスマ主婦 charisma housewife
A new word for a talented housewife, who saves money, cares for the family and maybe even handles the job of writing about it. Some are quite popular in Japanese TV.

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ryoosai kenboo 良妻賢母 good wife and wise mother



This ideal is painted in the magazine.


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主婦之友 Shufu no Tomo "Friend of the housewife"
One of the oldest magazines for the housewife, since 1917.
Since 1954 it is spelled 主婦の友




Shufu to Seikatsu 主婦と生活

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fujin 婦人 woman, lady , wife
Often used for a high-class woman.




婦人之友 Fujin no Tomo
Magazine for the Lady


Fujin Seikatsu 婦人生活


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Worldwide use

Hausfrau


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Things found on the way

Modern Japanese cuisine:
food, power and national identity
By Katarzyna Joanna Cwiertka

source : googlebooks


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HAIKU and SENRYU

Woman Haiku Poets 女性俳句の世界
Well, Takahama Kyoshi called their works
"kitchen haiku" !

. Kitchen Haiku 台所俳句 .


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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DECEMBER NEWS

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]

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December　。。。 juunigatsu 十二月

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December 18, 2010

Taiwan: Radium-Kagaya Grand Opening



Chairman of Radium-Kagaya. said:
“Radium-Kagaya is the first hotel with Japanese-style butler service introduced in Taiwan, and we hope to bring customers the top and authentic Japanese-style hotel experience. We have done a great job in the testing operation, and we believe the grand opening will increase the tourism business, bring back the prosperity of Beitou district and improve the overall tourism industry service standards.”


President of Japan Kagaya said:
"We decided to bring the traditional Japanese culture into the hot spring hotels in Taiwan. Most importantly, we would like to bring Kagaya’s true spirit of hospitality and butler service to the people of Taiwan. During the experience, we hope to promote cultural exchanges between Chinese and Japanese services. "

source : www.taiwannews.com.tw


I watched a special on TV about the training of the nakai personal room service . . . It was quite tough on the teaching side of Japan.


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December 05, 2010

Ministry Launches "Sato-Umi" Website
to Promote Sustainable Coastal Village and Fisheries Ecosystems

Japan's Ministry of the Environment launched a new website July 22, 2010, called Sato-Umi Net. The term "sato-umi" refers to coastal areas where the livelihoods of a community and nature coexist and intersect closely.
Sato means "home" and "umi" means ocean. The website supports activities to create harmonious interaction between people and the ocean, by explaining the concept and importance of sato-umi, as well as information on the topic, both domestic and international.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030439.html


. WASHOKU
Satoyama 里山


satoumi net 里海ネット



http://www.env.go.jp/water/heisa/satoumi/
http://www.env.go.jp/water/heisa/satoumi/en/index_e.html

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High Percentage of Food Waste
from Hotels in Food Service Industry in FY2009

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on August 6, 2010, an overview of the results by the Statistical Survey on Food Waste from the food service industry for fiscal 2009. According to the survey, waste per amount of food served (excluding beverages) was 3.2 percent for cafeterias and restaurants, 13.7 percent for wedding receptions, 10.7 percent for banquets and 14.8 percent for accommodations.
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030416.html



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December 30, 2009

11th Eco-Products 2009 Exhibition
「エコプロダクツ2009」

December 10th to 12th
http://eco-pro.com/eco2009/english/

. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Tokyo International Exhibition Center,
"Tokyo Big Sight," in Ariake, Tokyo
Reference


エコプロダクツ東北2009
http://www.e-products.jp/2009-1/index.html

Some products introduced


kattobashi カットバシ / カット箸 / かっとばし
chopsticks made from old baseball clubs
The naming is a play of words with KAT .. KATSU .. to win or meaning "a super homerun". From each baseball bat they make about 5 pairs of chopsticks. Since there are so many broken bats in Japan, this is quite a number after this kind of "re-use".
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Itoen, a Tea company 伊藤園 / 伊東園
http://www.itoen.co.jp/

Makes insoles out of the left-over tealeaves ! They are deodorizing and antibacterial in a natural way.
お茶殻入りインソール ochagara-iri insooru
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kaiketu/10001048/


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.......... December 05, 2008

New varieties of potato reaching marketplace
jagaimo　じゃがいも
At Koganezaki Farm at the foot of Mt. Iwaki in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture, workers have started harvesting many varieties of potatoes - red and purple spuds with skins that are either unusually bumpy or quite smooth.
The garden farm, which is operated by Koganezaki-farm, produces about 30 varieties of potato and sells them as a package containing five to 10 different types under the name of Tasting Potato, including such unfamiliar names as the Destroyer and Shadow Queen.

"Each type has a different taste, so we want consumers to select the appropriate variety depending on the dishes they are preparing," said Katsuko Nakamura, in charge of sales at the farm.

The Japanese potato market has long been dominated by two varieties - Danshaku and May Queen - in sharp contrast with other fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, apples and strawberries, for which new kinds are created all the time.

However, the situation has begun to change recently. Varieties called Cynthia, Chérie and Inka-no Mezame (or Inca's awakening, a seed potato from the Andes) are among the newcomers whose output has been increasing rapidly over the past several years. "A number of new varieties will be developed in the future," said Kimio Sasaki, who is responsible for overseeing operations at the farm.

The most promising of all is the Cynthia - an egg-shaped potato with a very smooth skin, thanks to the fine starch it contains. It is also easy to peel and quick to absorb seasonings, but does not become mushy when boiled. In March 2000, Kirin Agribio Co. and Koganezaki-farm jointly set up Japan Potato Corp., which sells seed potatoes including for the Cynthia and Chérie varieties.

Production of the Cynthia variety this fiscal year is estimated at about 3,000 metric tons, up 25% from a year earlier, and is expected to reach 4,500 tons next year, accounting for only a small percentage of total output. "We want Cynthia to grab about half the market shares from May Queen and Danshaku in 10 years," said Takao Aoki, chief executive officer of Japan Potato.
source : 　www.nni.nikkei.co.jp

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.......... December 07, 2008

Samurai Cooking


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.......... December 09, 2008

Drop of imported Australian beef of about 30%.
Family restaurants and expensive coffee shops are closing down, whereas McDonalds is gaining about 13%. ... We are in a recession all right!


Quote from the Japan Times
Ice maker fearing a global thaw
By KO HIRANO
MINANO, Saitama Pref. — Tetsuo Asami in Nagatoro
As many as 100,000 people from Japan and abroad visit Tetsuo Asami's shaved ice parlor every summer in Minano, a small town in the Chichibu region of Saitama Prefecture, seeking out his products that use naturally frozen ice and are known for their rich taste.
Although Asami, 58, is happy with the thriving business, the threat of global warming makes him unsure whether he will still be able to make natural ice a decade from now.

"I think our customers travel all the way to Chichibu for shaved ice because they sense that they may not be able to eat it in 10 years' time given rising temperatures and deterioration in the environment of the mountains" which generate nutritious water for natural ice, Asami said.
Running the 117-year-old family business, Asami is one of only four existing natural ice makers in Japan, down from some 100 around the 1930s. The three others operate in Tochigi Prefecture.

"Given the major climate change I have seen in recent years, such as warm winters, it has become increasingly difficult to make decent natural ice," Asami said, citing his family records that show average temperatures in January in Chichibu have risen 3.5 degrees over the past 40 years.
Records by Asami's father from 1960 to 1991 show that there were many days in winter when temperatures hit minus 12 to minus 15 at 6 a.m., allowing him to "harvest" ice in December and then once again in January every year.
But since Asami took over the business in 1992, he has seen only three days or so when local temperatures fell below minus 10, making it difficult for him to harvest ice twice a season.
The declining quantity of ice has forced Asami to halt the shipment of natural ice to bars, hotels and department stores in Tokyo. Today, he only serves shaved ice at his parlor from March through November.

Natural ice forms only when it becomes very cold. Snow, meanwhile, damages the taste of the ice. With its favorable climate, the Chichibu area has long been an ideal place for making ice, in which workers form ice in ponds after drawing water from mountain streams.
"I'm very worried about the future of natural ice-making if the climate continues to change at the current pace," Asami said.

Asami believes the leadership of the United States — the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter along with China — is vital if the world is to address global warming.
source : 　japantimes.co.jp/ December 10, 2008

WASHOKU : fresh clear water !



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Related words


JANUARY ... ichigatsu 一月

FEBRUARY ... nigatsu 二月

MARCH ... sangatsu 三月

APRIL ... shigatsu 四月

MAY ... gogatsu 五月

JUNE ... rokugatsu 六月

JULY ... shichigatsu 七月

AUGUST ... hachigatsu 八月

SEPTEMBER ... kugatsu 九月

OCOTBER ... juugatsu 十月

NOVEMBER ... juuichigatsu 十一月 　

DECEMBER ... juunigatsu 十二月 　



***** WASHOKU : General Information

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