1/29/2010

Midorimushi Euglena

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Euglena (midorimushi) for food

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


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Explanation




Midorimushi, the little green insect, is now researched in Japan for its power as food and bio-fuel.


yuugurena ユーグレナ Euglena


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quote
Euglena is a genus of unicellular protists, of the class Euglenoidea of the phylum Euglenozoa (also known as Euglenophyta). They are single-celled organisms. Currently, over 1000 species of Euglena have been described.
Some Euglena are considered to have both plant and animal features.



A Euglena is a protist that can both eat food as animals by heterotrophy; and can photosynthesize, like plants, by autotrophy.
Euglena can survive in fresh and salt water. In low moisture conditions, a Euglena forms a protective wall around itself and lies dormant as a spore until environmental conditions improve. Euglena can also survive in the dark by storing paramylon granules in pyernoid bodies within the chloroplast.

Euglena is rich in nutrients and contains paramylon. Currently there is one Euglena product already in the market. The product contains Euglena, royal jelly, condroitin, and brewers yeast. The product is advertised as a dietary supplement, an antioxidant, and as a colon cleanser. Researchers are now looking into other possible uses of Euglena such as the application of the protists' paramylon as cosmetics, biodegradable film, and pharmaceuticals.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !



. . . CLICK here for Photos !



みどりむし サプリ supplement medicine with Euglena
midorimushi sapuri
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

バイオザイム -BIOZYME-


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Food with Euglena ミドリムシ 食品

It lowers fat and cholesterol and is good for your health!
天然の食料ミドリムシ

In a powder preparation it can be placed over white rice and eaten as a kind of chazuke, with hot green tea poured over the mix.




midorimushi beeguru みどりむしベーグル Euglena bagel





midorimushi kukkii みどりむしクッキ cookies from Euglena





midorimushi no tsukudani みどりむしの佃煮 tsukudani
Midorimushi boiled with soy sauce and sugar


. . . . . types of tsukudani offered so far

みどりむし舞昆海苔佃 tsukudani boiled with maikon nori
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


舞昆じゃこ山椒 and shako

赤富士明太子舞昆 and mentaiko

一口椎茸舞昆 and shiitake

 舞昆しじみ貝 and shijimi clams

http://www.muryouou.com/midorimusi/


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



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HAIKU and SENRYU



midorimushi -
the pond in Ueno
full of life

Watching some researchers taking out water with bristling midorimushi from the pond in Ueno, bringing it to their laboratory nearby and making new experiments for food products.

Gabi Greve, January 2010

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Related words

***** WKD Reference

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1/20/2010

Doggy Bag

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Doggy Bag

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


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Explanation


doggii baggu ドッギーバッグ  doggy bag
(レストランの)食べ残しを持ち帰る容器[袋]


It is quite mottainai to leave food on your plate, but to ask for a bag to carry it back home is not very popular either.

Only very few restaurants offer this kind of service.


Here is a new approach to it, in Japanese



doggybag japan
http://doggybag-committee.com/controller/index.php

名称 : ドギーバッグ普及委員会
事務局所在地 : 〒107-0062 東京都港区南青山4-17-33 n-OM1ビル 2F
電話 : 03-5484-6049
理事長 : 山本 啓一郎



Take a look at the products, some are really
CUTE !
http://doggybag-committee.com/controller/f_productlist.php






FOOD ACTION NIPPON

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This is a campaign in Tokyo.
You have to bring 15 pet bottle covers and get a doggy bag, where restaurants which participate will let you take home your leftovers.


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quote
Doggy bags slowly infiltrate Japanese dining scene
By Mayumi Saito

Diners do not flinch at the generally big portions served in U.S. restaurants. It’s not necessarily because they can finish but know that they can take leftovers home. If you ask for the same option at Japanese restaurants, however, most would refuse, citing the lack of boxes ready and fear of food poisoning.

Consider the agriculture ministry’s 2001 report that the customers’ leftovers constituted 58% of food waste at restaurants nationwide. In fiscal 2007, 11 million tons of food were reportedly discarded from the entire food industry, one of the highest figures among the industrial countries, despite Japan’s lowest self-sufficiency rate.
snip
“Doggy bags are taken for granted in the U.S. and many parts of Asia. We wanted to spread the custom in Japan, too. People in this country used to take leftovers home after weddings just a few decades ago,” Miyazawa says.

Like-minded people founded non-profit organizations DoggyBag Committee in Tokyo in March and Doggybag Promotion Business Cooperatives in Saitama Prefecture in April last year. ReacJapan Co promoted their doggy bags together with the former group at events and festivals in Tokyo neighborhoods and beyond.

Thanks to their campaign efforts, now more than 200 restaurants carry reusable doggy bags and so do over 250 stores across the country. Large supermarket chain Ito Yokado Co’s 107 stores just started carrying the Reac Japan’s boxes in January, and the design company has shipped 85,000 boxes so far since their launch.
source : www.japantoday.com


Reference




Can doggy bags save the world?
The Japan Times Online
March 21, 2010



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Worldwide use


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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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1/08/2010

Shashin keeki cake

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Cake with a photo (shashin keeki)

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


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Explanation

A bakery in Tokyo offers this special service.

shashin keeki 写真ケーキ edible photo cake

CLICK for more photos

On a "paper" made by some kind of gelatine the chef uses a special "copy maschine", a cake decorating printer, where the ink is made from oficcialy approved edible colors.
He has the permission of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to make these cakes.

You bring a photo and he will make a delious cake with lots of whipped cream and strawberries, and on top the sweet copy of your photo.


CLICK for more photos


It takes about four days preparations. The colors might get a bit off, but they sure look delicious !

It can be anything, from a birthday party to the photo of your child's first painting ...


The baker also uses photos from your pet to make

doobutsu keeki どうぶつケーキ cakes with animal photos

ハナビシ Hanabishi
東京・練馬大泉 Tokyo, Nerima


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Edible Photo Cake

. . . CLICK here for Photos !
and more reference


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



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HAIKU and SENRYU




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Related words

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

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1/01/2010

JANUARY NEWS

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JANUARY ... ichigatsu 一月



The great festival of Ebisu "Ebessan"
胡子大祭(えべっさん)
God of the Fishermen



New Year Food 2010


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.............. January 1, 2010


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.............. January 1, 2009

This year, UDON are eaten to "pass over into the new year" (toshikoshi udon 年越しうどん). Some are only decorated with red carrot pieces, pickles salted plums (umeboshi) and some green for the "pines on the gates" (kadomatsu) decoration of a home.
CLICK here for PHOTOS !

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Food safety in Japan
A panel of the Cabinet Office on Nov. 25 made public a report on a scandal involving the reselling of contaminated rice for human consumption, which had surfaced in September 2008. The report said officials of the farm ministry lacked a sense of responsibility for their role in ensuring the safety of food for people.
As a result, the ministry has disciplined 25 high-ranking officials. The government now should strive to restore people's trust in food safety by taking concrete action. The nation has seen a series of food safety-related scandals since January 2008, including contaminated "gyoza" dumplings imported from China and falsified labels for eel and other products from China that made them look like they originated in Japan.
The rice, contaminated with pesticide residues and mold toxin, was part of accumulated "minimum access" stocks imported from China, Vietnam and other countries under 1994 world trade rules. The farm ministry sold the rice on the condition that it be used for non-edible purposes only. But Mikasa Foods in Osaka and a few other companies resold the rice, knowing it would be used for human consumption. About 390 entities bought the rice and some of them, including shochu liquor and snack makers, had to recall their products.
source :  Japan Times


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.............. January 3, 2009

WAGOKORO 和憩 Culture Space

will hold a Festival of Traditional Japanese Things, including serving Japanese food on January 25 in Suita, Osaka.

wagaku 和学 Japanese Learning
source: wagokoro.sarashi.com
source: wagokoro Japanese Food of the Season


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.............. January 7, 2009


Tsukiji Bluefin Tuna First Auction
The battle over a bluefin tuna that sold for ¥9.63 million at the first auction of the year at Tokyo's Tsukiji market, the highest price fetched in eight years, ended when the Japanese and Chinese bidders agreed to share the fish, market participants said Thursday.
Ricky Cheng Wai-tao (left), manager of a Hong Kong sushi chain, celebrates with rival bidder Yosuke Imada (center) Monday at Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo after they agreed to jointly buy a tuna for .63 million, the highest price in eight years, in the first auction of the year.
Yosuke Imada, the 63-year-old manager of the prestigious sushi restaurant Kyubey in Tokyo's Ginza district, and Ricky Cheng Wai-tao, the 41-year-old Chinese manager of the Itamae Sushi chain in Hong Kong and elsewhere, each took half of the fish, which was caught off Oma, Aomori Prefecture.
The tuna was cut in two at the market immediately after Monday's bidding, with one half transported to Hong Kong and the other to Ginza.
One piece of "otoro" sushi, using the fattest portion of the fish, costs around ¥1,100 in Hong Kong restaurants and ¥2,000 in Ginza.
Yukitaka Yamaguchi, 46, a longtime middleman for Imada who also started to work with Cheng last year, found himself in a quandary after both asked him to buy the top fish "at any cost" in the auction.
Summoning both of them to a hotel bar in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, on the eve of the auction, Yamaguchi suggested they jointly purchase the fish.
The two accepted the plan because Imada wanted to avoid an unnecessary battle that would drive up the cost ...
source : Japan Times, Januray 7, 2009. Kyodo News

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Collagen Nabe コラーゲン鍋 Hodgepodge with collagen
A new fad with the ladies for a beautiful tsuru tsuru skin.
Now FamilyMart Co. has started selling collagen nabe at its 7300 outlets across Japan on Nov. 18.
The merit of collagen eaten as food to improve the skin contidion is discussed by the scientists.
Reference

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.............. January 11, 2009

Tsukiji to reopen tuna auctions to public after tourism ban

The famed Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo will allow tourists to resume watching its early-morning tuna auctions from Jan. 19 after a monthlong ban instituted in mid-December ends on Jan. 17, Tokyo government officials said Saturday.
Although the gigantic fish market in Chuo Ward run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has established a worldwide reputation through its own promotions, it put a 34-day ban in place on Dec. 15 to keep away "ill-mannered tourists" — most of them from abroad.
The market also cited hygiene risks and interference from curious onlookers attempting to touch the tuna and take flash photos — nuisances often raised by the auctioneers.
The ban also came in conjunction with the busy tuna trade before the New Year holidays.
According to the metro government, more than 500 tourists come to watch the tuna auctions at 5:30 each morning, and more than 90 percent of the visitors are from overseas.
source : Japan Times
WASHOKU : Tsukiji, the big fish market in Tokyo
築地市場, Tsukiji shijoo



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.............. January 27, 2009

Consumers warm to ginger in drinks, soups
Kyodo News

Long used as a spice in cooking, "shoga" (ginger) is now being added to caramel, cocoa, vegetable juice and "happoshu" beerlike drinks.

Kuracie Foods Ltd., a Tokyo-based sweets and ice cream manufacturer, marketed a new product called Ginger Cube in September. Each pack consists of eight caramel cubes containing condensed ginger extract. People consuming the entire pack ingest 15 grams of ginger, which boosts body warmth, the company claims.

The sugary taste of caramel and the spiciness of ginger blend in the mouth so that even men who are not fond of sweets like the product and do not tire of it, said Minori Tsuda, who is in charge of developing the product.

Major beer maker Asahi Breweries Ltd. has released Ginger Draft, a combination of ginger and happoshu that the company says keeps the bitter taste of beer at bay while providing a refreshing, hot and spicy aftertaste.

Takayuki Fukutomi, the company official in charge of the new drink, is targeting Ginger Draft at young people who are already familiar with ginger in cocktails.

Also on the market are Shoga Cocoa produced by Bourbon Corp. of Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, and Hachimitsu Shoga Aojiru (honey ginger green juice) made by Kirin Yakult NextStage Co. based in Tokyo.

Nagatanien Co., a Tokyo-based food product maker, began marketing a cup of soup called Hieshirazu san no Shoga Series (ginger series of soups to warm people up) in 2007.
The product captured the hearts of young women plagued by poor circulation. Total sales amounted to about ¥400 million in the initial year.

The company now has a "ginger section" that grows ginger and researches its effects. The section also provides information on its research and recipes.
source :  Japan Times


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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 ... SEASONAL DISHES SAIJIKI


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12/27/2009

Somurie ... Sommelier

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Wine steward (somurie)

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


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Explanation

The sommelier (somurie ソムリエ ) is a wine steward who helps you choose a wine in a restaurant or an expensive wine shop.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


quote
A sommelier or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching. The role is more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.
The principal work of a sommelier is in the area of procurement, storage, wine cellar rotation, and to provide expert service to customers.

Etymology
The modern word is French. It derives from Middle French where it referred to a court official charged with transportation of supplies. This use of the term dates to a period when pack animals would be used to transport supplies. The Middle French probably finds its origin in Old Provençal where a saumalier was a pack animal driver.
Sauma referred to a pack animal or the load of a pack animal. In Late Latin, sagma referred to a packsaddle.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


shoochuu adobaisaa 焼酎アドバイザー adviser for shochu (liquor)


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quote
Sake tastings and sake symposiums
by a certified sake sommelier!

Ad Blankestijn

The author of this site, Ad Blankestijn, is an officially licensed Master Sake Sommelier and Sake Instructor. Both licenses were obtained from the Sake Service Institute in Tokyo.

Ad Blankestijn is active in promoting sake and spreading knowledge about sake in various ways, for example by giving sake workshops and doing tastings in both Europe and Japan. Ad also works as Director Overseas Marketing and Sales for the Daishichi Sake Brewery, which provides him with first-hand knowledge “from the source.” But it goes without saying that he does his sommelier work from a neutral and independent stance.

With much more information about Japanese culture:
source : www.japannavigator.com


Sake Serving Institute (in Japanese)
日本酒サービス研究会
. . www.sakejapan.com/


Sake Sommelier Association
http://www.sakesommelierassociation.com/


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In Japan, it has become fashionable to name any
connoisseur of food a "sommelier" of some kind.


The popular comedian Tamura Atsushi Tamura 田村淳
has become a vegetable sommelier and started a trend of male sommeliers of all kinds.

. . . CLICK here for Tamura Photos !



fuudo somurie フードソムリエ - food sommelier
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kita no fuudo somurie 北のフードソムリエ
Food Sommelier from Hokkaido



haabu somurie ハーブのソムリエ sommelier for herbs
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
ハーブソムリエ



kani sumurie カニソムリエ connoisseur for crabs
Especially in the town of Hamasaka 浜坂, Hyogo pref.
They have a group of ladies, the
somurie gyaru ソムリエ・ギャル sommelier girls
A haul of crab and firefly squid is the largest in Japan. Female crab is especailly delicious.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



. WASHOKU
Miso sommelier Toyoko Miyoko  
 



raamen somurie ラーメンソムリエ
sommelier for ramen soup

. . . CLICK here for Photos !




soba no sumurie ソバのソムリエ
sommelier for buckwheat noodles
sobarie 「ソバリエ」, Edo sobarie 江戸ソバリエ
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



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CLICK for  more photos

yasai somurie 野菜ソムリエ vegetable sommelier
With many books available on the market, just click on the thumbnail.
Vegeta magazine . bejiita (ベジータ)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


- quote
When kids see red over eating greens
How do you get children to eat more vegetables?
The Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association organized courses in Tokyo recently for youngsters aged 5 to 9 in which trained chefs tried to help them overcome their yuck instinct.
- source : Japan Times June 2014


日本野菜ソムリエ協会 - Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association
- source : www.vege-fru.com


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Seminar for winter vegetables sommelier
Vege-Fru Power
Vege-Fru Life
The teacher is Shimada Naoko 島田尚子(しまだ なおこ)
at
J.S. BURGERS CAFE 青山店 in Aoyama, Tokyo
http://jsb-cafe.jp/news/20081205.html



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furuutsu somurie フルーツソムリエ fruits sommelier


and melon adviser メロンアドバイサー


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Nihonn somurie kyookai
日本ソムリエ協会
Japan Sommelier Assosiation
(for wine)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Nihon bejitaburu to furuutsu maisutaa kyookai
日本ベジタブル&フルーツマイスター協会
Japan Vegetable and Fruit Meister Association
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

You can take a course of becoming a fruit and vegetable sommelier, since 2001.

http://www.vege-fru.com/




Vegetable Sommelier Store Ef since 2004
Setagaya Ward, Tokyo
Veggie & Fruit EF:
Ef: JUICE plus
Farmer’s Market in Tokyo
Manager : Nomura Tomokazu
http://www.efagri.co.jp/

エフの産地 
エフオリジナルジュース
http://www.efagri.co.jp/html/item.html#tone



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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way





The Cow Sommelier
牛ソムリエ

source : jun1.blog



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onsen somurei kyokai 温泉ソムリエ協会
connoisseur of hot springs

Photos !




CLICK for more photos

oto no somurie 音のソムリエ sommelier for sound
Japanese version of a disc jockey
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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The sommelier Tomoda Akiko ソムリエの友田晶子 has rated this Daruma Sake.



. 達磨正宗
Daruma Masamune Sake
 



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HAIKU and SENRYU





ソムリエの腕のナプキン花の冷 
somurie no ude no napukin hana no hie   

the napkin
at the arm of the sommelier -
cold spell in the cherry blossoms season

Imano Kimiko 今野紀美子
http://sky.geocities.jp/himatu2008/ikku.htm


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Christmas dinner ...
the sommelier brings
the wrong bottle


Gabi Greve, Christmas 2009



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Related words

***** WASHOKU :
YASAI . Vegetable SAIJIKI



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12/26/2009

Futsukayoi Hangover

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Hangover (futsukayoi)

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


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Explanation

futsukayoi, futsuka-yoi ふつかよい【二日酔い/ 宿酔 】
hangover
"still feeling drunk on the second day"



My neighbours always suggest some umeboshi as a remedy.

CLICK for more funny photos


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quote
A hangover (veisalgia) or delayed alcohol-induced headache describes the sum of unpleasant physiological effects following heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover include headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, lethargy, dysphoria, diarrhea and thirst. A hangover may also induce psychological symptoms including heightened feelings of depression and anxiety.

Hypoglycemia, dehydration, acetaldehyde intoxication, and vitamin B12 deficiency are all theorized causes of hangover symptoms. Hangovers symptoms may persist for several days after alcohol was last consumed.

There is debate about whether a hangover might be prevented or at least mitigated, along with much folk medicine and simple quackery.

Check the most common remedies HERE
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


illustration by Robert Seymour


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Traditional Japanese remedies for hangover


. WASHOKU
Dried salted plums (umeboshi 梅干)

The caring housewife always keeps them handy when her husband came home late the night befor. It contains a lot of organic acid, which eases the stomach pains and nausea. It also contains sodium and potassium.
If the umeboshi is eaten before you start to drink, it is even better, since it will slow the absorption of alcohol.




. WASHOKU
Persimmon (kaki 柿)

They are used all over Asia to work their wonders on the next day. The catalase which they contain flushes the acetaldehyde out of the system. Potassium gets rid of the other alcoholic toxines and the persimmons add an extra amount of vitamin C to keep you fresh.



WASHOKU
Venus clams (hamaguri 蛤 (はまぐり)

. WASHOKU
corbicula (shijimi 蜆)

WASHOKU
Shijimijiru 蜆汁, しじみ汁 miso soup with corbicula clams

. WASHOKU
littleneck clam (asari 浅蜊 )


They are a familiar ingredient in the Morning Misu Soup. Their high concentration of glycogen, calcium and iron counteract the headache and heal the damaged cells. The other minerals and the amino acid of the miso soup itself is also healing and good for an irritated stomach.



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Click for more red photos suika スイカ / 西瓜 watermelon
This is an ancient Chinese remedy, containing the antioxidizing aminoacid citrulline, which helps increase blood circulation and improves the liver function.
The company San Koa Suikatoo サン・コア西瓜糖 from Kumamoto put this substance in its "watermelon sugar remedy"
suika no chikara すいかの力 "power of the watermelon"





ninniku shotto ニンニクショット garlic shot
drinks with a high amount of vitamin B1, C and glucose. The vitamin B produces the same strong smell as the garlic. Garlic extract is also used, although it seems better to eat the garlic BEFORE drinking.






CLICK for more medicine ukon ウコン tumeric
kurkuma. Curcuma domestica
This is the YELLOW that turns the Indian curry into a delicious dish.
It is mostly grown in Okinawa and contained in many popular medicines. It can also be used for other medical purposes, like perventing cancer and depression and more. It soothes the upset stomach.
Ukon-medicines also contain other ingredients like fruit-extracts and herbs to combat hangover. In Okinawa, a lot of awamori schnaps is consumed.



supootsu dorinku スポーツドリンク Sports drinks
with many minerals are a modern treat, bringing magnesium and potassium back to the system.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




. WASHOKU
Honey (hachimitsu 蜂蜜 / はちみつ)

Another natural remedy is a spoonful of honey before going to bed, if you are still in control of what you are doing.



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Worldwide use

Kater, Brummschädel


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Things found on the way


Biiru ... Beer Bier

Jizake, local ricewine brands

Sake 酒 Rice wine (ricewine) Reiswein 

Shoochuu 焼酎 (しょうちゅう) Shochu, strong liquor



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HAIKU and SENRYU


二日酔ひものかは花のあるあひだ
futsukayoi mono kawa hana no aru aida


酔うて寝ん撫子咲ける石の上
youte nen nadeshiko sakeru ishi no ue


MORE - hokku about sake and a hangover by
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .



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二日酔朝日ぞ匂ふ山桜
futsukayoi asahi zo niou yamazakura

hangover -
the morning sunshine smells
of wild cherry blossoms


or ?

the morning sun
smells of my hangover -
wild cherry blossoms

Shiinomoto Saimaro 椎本才麿 (1656 - 1738, January 2)

He was born in Yamato as Hachirozaemon 八郎左衛門 and also used the haiku name 才丸.
He learned haiku from Ihara Saikaku.


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. Hangover Haiku  


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ukon no hana 鬱金の花 (うこんのはな) tumeric flowers

kigo for early autumn

. WKD : Tumeric, Kurkuma  


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

. WASHOKU
Food as Medicine (yakuzen 薬膳)
 


Drinks (nomimono) SAIJIKI
- #futsukayoi #hangover -
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12/08/2009

Presents for all seasons

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Presents for all seasons

To give presents and acknowledge one's duty to others is an important factor in traditional Japanese society. Give and take are very closely related and if you get something, you have to give something back (o-kaeshi お返し), for your neighbour, friend, on the workplace or from a family member.
Giving a small gift is a great way to express your gratitude toward the other person.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


For a wedding people bring nicely decorated envelops with a money gift. And when the wedding ceremony is over, they get a little present back, usually a piece of ceramics for keeps ... (some end up at the recycle stores lately! ).
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


If you move to a new home, you give a little present to your neighbours, sice you moved "near" SOBA 側, some buckwheat noodles (hikkoshi soba 引越し蕎麦) are not uncommon.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Twice a year there are "official" times for giving gifts to all that have been helpful to you during the past six months.
In former times you had to carry the present yourself, combined with a short polite visit to the receiver.
Nowadays, this is easier. Many department stores and shopping malls offer seasonal presents and send them for you, including a small greeting card.
Local post offices have long magazines with offers for local specialities to be send around.

Many gifts are seasonal and a lot include food items. In summer, beer is a most welcome gift. But washing powder is also appreciated.


CLICK for more photos
oseibo, o-seibo 歳暮 present for the end of the year
Usually given from December 20 till the end of the year. This present does not need a revanche present.
It started off as a gift from the sub-family (bunke 分家) to the main family (honke 本家)to give an offering for the family altar in the main family home and was an opportunity for the families to get together and celebrate.
Geschenk zum Jahresende



CLICK for more photos
ochuugen, o-chuugen お中元 present for midsummer
chuugen is an idea from Chinese Taoism, where the year has been divided into three parts.
It overlaps with the Buddhist ancestor festival of O-Bon.
Geschenk zur Jahresmitte

Chugen, chuugen 中元 -
giving mid-year money or presents



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CLICK for more photos

omiyage, o-miyage お土産 local souvenir

This is usually something to eat or drink which you bring back from a trip. You can thus share the "taste" of your destination with the less favorite one's who could not go with you. Especially important is a little souvenir for the people at your work place. If a Japanese travels abroad, he will fill his coffers with souvenirs for the ones back home.
In Japan, all travel destinations have their local souveniers and many stores sell them along the access roads to temples and shrines (sandoo 参道 ) and of course at the station.
At Tokyo station, you can buy these souvenirs from all of Japan (just in case you forgot to buy some on your trip).
It could be local senbei or manju or pickled vegetables.
You can even buy life crab along the ports of the Sea of Japan and have them shipped on ice to your relatives, friends or other people with obligations.
Reisemitbringsel


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barentain dii バレンタイン St. Valentine present
The custom to give some chocolates has been introduced from America. You can buy a variety of things at the sweets stores or make some chocolates at home.
Not only do you give sweets to your beloved friend, but also "duty chocolate, obligatory cocolate" (giri choko ギリチョコ / 義理チョコ) to all male members of your working surroundings. GIRI 義理 is the word for "doing your duty" and CHOKO of course, short for Chocolade.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


But this is not the end to Valentine's day in Japan. On March 14 now the male receivers have to give back (remember, o-kashi).

howaito dii ホワイトデイ "white day" present
The reverse present is usually a piece of white chocolate.
This day was invented in Japan in 1978 to promote business and has been well accepted by the young consumers, now even in Korea, Taiwan and China.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
"Weisser Tag"


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If someone brings a present to your home or comes visiting, he brings a gift and hands it over with the words

tsumaranai mono desu ga "It is really just a trivial thing!" even if it is a melon for 100 Dollars worth. You are not supposed to open it in front of your visitor.
To visit without a gift is bad manners, tebura (手ぶら) "empty handed".

The gift is usually placed in a bag, best the paper bag from the store where you bought it.

Some expensive gifts, like melons for 100 dollars, are not eaten by yourself but often given away soon to the next one in line of your obligatory gift receivers list. These are some kind of "merry go round" presents.


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Visiting, obligatory visiting
and sending greeting cards


For many occasions it is customary to visit or send cards, some of these visits are kigo called
xyz MIMAI 見舞.


kigo for mid-summer

. mizu mimai 水見舞 (みずみまい)
visiting after a water damage

lit. "water visit", after a typhoon


also given as a kigo for mid-autumn

. aki demizu 秋出水 (あきでみず) autumn floods  
mizu mimai 水見舞(みずみまい)"inquiry after the water situation"


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kigo for late summer

shochuu mimai 暑中見舞 (しょちゅうみまい)
visiting in the greatest heat

doyoo mimai 土用見舞(どようみまい)visiting on the dog days
natsu mimai 夏見舞(なつみまい)visiting in summer

. . . CLICK here for 暑中見舞いはがき postcard Photos !


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kigo for mid-winter

. susu mimai 煤見舞(すすみまい)
visit during the cleaning season
 


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kigo for late winter

. kan mimai 寒見舞 (かんみまい)
visiting in the cold season

... kanchuu mimai 寒中見舞(かんちゅうみまい)
yuki mimai 雪見舞 (ゆきみまい) "snow visit"
visiting a friend during the snow season 


. . . CLICK here for 寒中見舞い postcard Photos !

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kigo for all winter

. kaji mimai 火事見舞
visiting someone after a fire damage
 
Usually with a good gift of money.



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Worldwide use

Kleine Geschenke erhalten die Freundschaft!


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Things found on the way



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HAIKU and SENRYU



どら焼も虎焼きもきてお中元
dorayaki mo torayaki mo kite o-chuugen

I got Dorayaki
and also some Torayaki -
presents for mid-year


Iijima Haruko 飯島晴子 (1921 - 2000)


This is a play with words of DORA and TORA (Tiger).



torayaki 虎焼き Dorayaki in form of a little tiger

. WASHOKU
Dorayaki sweets
  



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Related KIGO

barentain dii / Valentine’s Day


Chugen, chuugen 中元 -
giving mid-year money or presents



howaito dii / White Day


Seibo, seiboo 歳暮 -
giving Year End money or presents



Otoshidama, o-toshidama お年玉 Money Presents for the New Year





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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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12/07/2009

Dorayaki

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Dorayaki (dorayaki)

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


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Explanation

Dorayaki is a favorite snack (o-yatsu, oyatsu) of many Japanese, young and old. Literally it means
"fried on a metal gong"
bean-jam pancake

CLICK for more photos

In Japanese, dora 銅鑼 is a gong and its shape is similar to that of the sweet cake.

Legend tells that the first Dorayaki were made when Benkei forgot his gong when leaving the home of a farmer,who had hid him in the barn. The man later used the metal gong to fry his pancakes, thus the name Dorayaki.
(It remains to wonder wheather farmers at that age were making this kind of pancake ...?? )
Benkei and Yoshitsune


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quote
Dorayaki (どら焼き, どらやき, 銅鑼焼き, ドラ焼き) is a type of Japanese confection which consists of two small pancake-like patties made from castella wrapped around a filling of sweet red bean paste.
It originally only had one layer, and the current shape was invented in 1914 by the Ueno Usagiya うさぎや.

CLICK for more photos

In Kansai area, such as Osaka or Nara, this sweet is often called mikasa(三笠焼き). The word originally means triple straw hat, but also an alternative name of Mount Wakakusa 若草山, a low hill with gentle slope located in Nara. Many local people picture the shape of this hill while eating a mikasa. In Nara, a larger mikasa of about 30 cm in diameter is famous.

7 - Abe no Nakamaro 安倍仲麿
. Mount Mikasa 三笠 - Wakakusayama 若草山.
. Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Poems 小倉百人一首 .


The Japanese manga and anime character Doraemon loves dorayaki, and it has been a plot device several times throughout the series. This is a kind of pun, though his name comes not from "dorayaki" but from the word "doraneko" (stray cat.) Since 2000, the company Bunmeido 文明堂 has been selling a limited version of dorayaki called Doraemon Dorayaki every year around March and September.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !



上野松坂屋 Ueno Matsuzakaya


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The company Marukyo in Tottori
(Marukyoo 丸京製菓 )


Baked Wheat Cake



They have succeeded to sell their dorayaki to many parts of the world.
The cakes are baked in a huge bakery and shipped worldwide. They are also available in many stores in Japan, where daily delivery is a must.

English Reference

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Dorayaki with different patterns


source : press.hamazo.tv/e904840.html

original Logo dorayaki オリジナルロゴのどら焼き


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Dorayaki with different fillings


bataa dorayaki バター どら焼き with buttercream and red bean paste
batadora
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



goshiki dorayaki 五色どらやき dorayaki in five colors
originally from Osaka, Akanemaku Honpo 茜丸本舗
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



CLICK faor more photos
haato dorayaki ハートどら焼き Dorayaki in form of a heart
heartdora
The perfect gift for lovers !
also with honey flavor or vanilla flavor



hoshi no dorayaki 星のどら焼き Dorayaki in form of a star
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



ichigo dorayaki 苺どら焼き with strawberrry filling
itigodora / いちごどらやき
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


kuri dorayaki 栗どら焼き with chestnut cream filling
Kuri Iri Dorayaki
kuridora. Sometimes a whole chestnut is embedded in the cream.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



. macha - green tea paste  
in the form of a tengu long-nosed goblin, from Mt. Takao
天狗焼き Tengu Yaki



mochidora, mochi dora 餅どらやき with a mochi inside
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



CLICK for more photos
namadora, nama dora 生どら "raw dora"
nama dorayaki 生どら焼き
... with green powdertea 抹茶生どら焼き
... with sour cream サワークリーム生どら焼き
... with sesame flavor ごま風味生どら焼き
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



purin dora ぷりんどら dorayaki waffle with pudding
Yufuin, Oita, Kyushu



tokudai dorayaki 特大どらやき extra large dorayaki
bigdora
With a diameter of 30 cm and weights 2 kg. A present for a wedding or birthdayparty.
You can even order a special inscription made from white chocolate on the front side.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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tsubuan dorayaki, tsubu-an dorayaki つぶあんどらやき
with rough red bean paste

CLICK for original LINK

どらやき 「石山の秋月」 ishiyama no shuugetsu
"Full autumn moon at Mount Ishiyama"

Ishiyama and the famous temple Ishiyamadera
and another haiku sweet
Tabashiru たばしる



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Worldwide use

mit süßem Bohnenmus gefüllte Castilla
Kastella mit Füllungen

kasutera カステラ Kastella, Castella
chiffon cake, sponge cake

Kasutera is a corruption of pão de Castella or Castile bread (Castile is a province of Spain). It was introduced by the Portugese missionaries via Nagasaki.

カステラと聖書の厚み春深し
kasutera to seisho no atsumi haru fukashi

Castella cake
and the thickness of the bible -
spring deepens

Tr. Gabi Greve

Iwabuchi Kiyoko 岩淵喜代子


. WKD : The Bible and Haiku .

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Things found on the way





Doraemon Daruma ドラえもん だるま


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HAIKU and SENRYU


CLICK for more english reference


どら焼も虎焼きもきてお中元
dorayaki mo torayaki mo kite o-chuugen

I got Dorayaki
and also some Torayaki -
presents for mid-year


Iijima Haruko 飯島晴子 (1921 - 2000)


This is a play with words of DORA and TORA (Tiger).


torayaki 虎焼き Dorayaki in form of a little tiger

. . . CLICK here for Photos !



chuugen 中元 "Middle third of the year"
Joogen, Chuugen and Kagen in the Asian calendar.


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quote
Bang your gong for dorayaki, Doraemon's favorite snack
Pancake sandwich
By MAKIKO ITOH

Traditional Japanese confections, or wagashi, can take a little getting used to for Western palates: The sticky-gooey texture of mochi (pounded rice) and the sweet an (bean paste) filling that are often used are quite different from most European-style cakes and cookies. But one snack that may suit the wagashi beginner is dorayaki.

A dorayaki is a palm-size treat comprising a sweet filling sandwiched between two round cakes that are similar to American pancakes.

Out of favor for some years like all wagashi, dorayaki have become quite trendy again as part of an overall wave of nostalgia for foods from the Showa Era (1926-1989). Manga and anime fans may know it best as the favorite snack of Doraemon, the blue robotic cat with the magical pocket.

The name "dorayaki" comes from the Japanese word for "gong": dora. This is usually believed to be simply due to its resemblance to the circular metal percussive disk, albeit in miniature. (The yaki part of the name means "cooked on dry heat.") But there is another, more romantic theory for its origin that involves a legendary hero called Saito no Musashibo Benkei, sidekick of Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

The story goes that once when he was seriously injured, Benkei was taken care of by an elderly couple who served him a little round cake cooked on the surface of a gong, thus creating the first dorayaki.

Although the origins of the dorayaki are believed to be ancient, it only took its current form in the early part of the 20th century. During the Edo Period (1603-1867) a dorayaki was a folded-up cake, like an omelette or pasty rather than a round sandwich, and the dough was much thinner.

It was first made as a sandwich using fluffy cakelike pancakes in 1914 by a confectionery in Ueno, Tokyo, called Usagiya (Rabbit House), whose owner took the idea from another confection that has its roots in Europe, the kasutera or castella cake. Like kasutera, the batter used to make a dorayaki pancake has some very Japanese ingredients in it, such as mirin (sweet rice wine) and even a touch of soy sauce. The main sweetening ingredient is usually honey, although sugar is used sometimes too.

While the usual dorayaki filling is tsubu-an (sweetened and mashed adzuki bean), in recent years all kinds of different fillings have become popular. One of these alternatives is called a nama (fresh or raw) dorayaki, referring to the use of fresh cream — in this case, whipped cream with some tsubu-an mixed in. Other fillings include chocolate cream, sweet potato cream and chestnut cream — the type that comes on top of a Mont Blanc cake, another only-in-Japan confection.

Making your own dorayaki with the filling of your choice is quite easy, especially if you use one of the instant pancake mixes that are so popular in Japan. Just add a couple of tablespoons of honey, a tablespoon of mirin and a drop of soy sauce to the batter. Cook on a nonstick surface such as an electric griddle, and fill when cooked with any sweet, spreadable filling. My favorite is Nutella with sliced strawberries, for an intriguing East-meets-West snack.
source : Japan Times, October 2012


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Related words

. Snacking , a snack (oyatsu, o-yatsu 御八つ) .

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI

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12/05/2009

Dentoo yasai traditional vegetables

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Dentoo yasai 伝統野菜 Traditional Vegetables
Dento Yasai, heritage vegetables
heirloom vegetables

Traditionelle Gemüsesorten

CLICK for more photos


They have been grown in Japan for a long time and have taken on a special taste of the earth of each region. They were the source of inspiration for the regional cuisine.


Edo Yasai, Edo dentoo yasai 江戸伝統野菜
Traditional vegetables of Edo



Higo yasai 肥後野菜 vegetables from Higo Kyushu


Kaga yasai 加賀野菜 Vegetables from Ishikawa prefecture Kanazawa (former Kaga)


Kyooyasai, kyoyasai, kyosai 京野菜 / 京菜 Vegetables from Kyoto.
Gemüse aus Kyoto, Kyoto-Gemüse


Naniwa yasai なにわ野菜
local vegetables from Naniwa (Osaka area)

浪花野菜


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CLICK for more photos

Aichi prefecture traditional vegetables
愛知の伝統野菜
http://www.pref.aichi.jp/engei/dentoyasai/list/index.html
Traditional Vegetables from Aichi prefecture
backup




Mino Traditional Vegetables : Red Hot Pepper
飛騨美濃伝統野菜・中津川市下野産の唐辛子


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Okayama no dentoo yasai 岡山の伝統野菜

おたふくシュンギク O-Tafuku spring chrysanthemum
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

黒西瓜
衣川茄子
足守牛蒡
宇戸川牛蒡
日指牛蒡
雄町芹
備前黒皮南瓜
鶴海茄子
万善かぶら
土居分小菜
茂平瓜


http://portal.oy-ja.or.jp/dentou/dentou.htm


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Sendai dentoo yasai 仙台伝統野菜
Miyagi prefecture

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

amarume negi 仙台余目ネギ twisted leek
bashoosai 仙台芭蕉菜 "Basho bananaleaf" (Brassica rapa)
. . . . .the leaf looks like a banana leaf
hakusai 仙台白菜 cabbage
karatori imo からとり芋 karatori yam
magari negi 仙台曲がりねぎ twisted leek
naganasu long eggplant 仙台長なす
yukina 仙台ゆきな / 仙台雪菜 "snow leaf" leafy vegetable



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Yamato yasai 大和伝統野菜 from Nara



. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Worldwide use

Heritage Vegetables


Traditional Chinese vegetables


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Things found on the way



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HAIKU and SENRYU




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Related words

***** WASHOKU :
YASAI . Vegetable SAIJIKI



. WASHOKU
New Types of Vegetables (shin yasai)


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