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Panda Post Box

Panda Post Box

Panda Post Box

One of the most popular attractions in Tokyo’s Taito city is the giant panda exhibit in Ueno Zoo. Celebrating the arrival of its two newest inhabitants, named Ri Ri and Shin Shin, a specially adorned post box was set up by the zoo entrance. Any letters posted here will be marked with a special cancellation stamp “bearing” the image of a giant panda or of Takamori Saigo, a famous 19th century political figure whose statue is another prominent feature of Ueno Park. It is not surprising if people who love pandas use the box to mail letters to themselves.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Shibuya Changing

Sentaa-gai, or Center Town as it is rendered in English, is the name of a famous commercial thoroughfare in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, which has become a Mecca for Tokyo youth. Last autumn, however, one of the street’s official name was changed to “Basketball Street.” The new moniker aims to reduce the street’s negative image by associating it with a popular sport. From the 1980s, Sentaa-gai’s environment had increasingly deteriorated, earning it a reputation as a place to obtain illegal drugs or where youth gangs congregated. The street subsequently became known as a hangout for equally disrespectable characters, such as dark-skinned ganguro girls known for their garish cosmetics and lurid costumes, and similarly flashy young males referred to as “Center Guys.” It is hoped the street’s new name will aid in efforts to make it a more wholesome place to visit.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Japan’s Largest “non-Japanese” Neighborhood

The streets, featuring stately rows of old western-style houses amidst the greenery, may seem a bit incongruous in Japan, and at first glance the neighborhood might even be mistaken for a recently built theme park. But these houses are the real thing. Referred to in Japan as “Ijinkan” (foreigners houses), they were constructed as residences for westerners from the mid 19th century from the “Bakumatsu” (late Edo era) to the Meiji and Taisho eras. Many such houses were constructed in the cities of Hakodate in Hokkaido, Yokohama in Kanagawa, Kobe in Hyogo and Nagasaki, but due to fires and natural calamities most of them have vanished. The one exception is Kobe, where some 40 houses remain. Nearly all of them were once foreign consuls in use by diplomats for offices or residents. Presently they serve as a window on the west, and they attract many sightseers from both within and outside of Japan.

<History of Kobe’s Ijinkan>

In 1858, Japan’s ruling Tokugawa government concluded a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States, and similar treaties with four European nations. Japan agreed to end over two centuries of self-imposed national isolation by opening five seaports to trade. The ports were Hakodate, Niigata, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagasaki. The treaties stipulated that foreign nationals would be confined to living in designated areas. The district in one such port, Kobe, was close to the seacoast. However, the facilities there did not proceed as planned, and foreigners began building their homes further inland, such as the slopes of Mt. Rokko, which we will be introducing here. The district is somewhat apart from Kobe’s central commercial and industrial zones, and was fortunately spared from air raids on Kobe during World War II. As such, the neighborhood preserves a rare view of upscale life in prewar Kobe.

A colonial style house (right) built by and continuously lived in by an Englishman. The houses on the left had previously been apartments occupied by foreigners but they have now been combined and are used as a tourist attraction, displaying French art and furnishings.

This was built in 1903 as the residence of U.S. consul general Hunter Sharp. It is presently called “Moegi no Yakata.”

This house was the residence of German businessman Gottfried Thomas. In the backdrop is an expansive view of the hills of Kobe. It is now known as “Kazamidori no Yakata.”

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Japan’s Sake Factory Visits

January, the coldest month of the year in Japan, has traditionally been the time when fresh brews of sake are finished. Sake, which has gained great popularity even outside Japan in recent years, is made from rice which is harvested in autumn, brewed, fermented, and completed just in time to greet the New Year. For sake brewing, water is very important, which along with rice composes 80% of the final product, so areas blessed with superior quality groundwater such as Fushimi, Kyoto Prefecture and Nada, Hyogo Prefecture produce around 50% of Japan’s sake.

Sake has a very deep time-honored connection to the Shinto religion in Japan. In Shinto wedding ceremonies, the wedding vows are enacted by the couple drinking sake together, and in Shinto festivals this sacred alcohol of sake is offered to worshipers. In this way, sake has become indispensable in the daily life and at turning points of one’s life since ancient times.

Sake can be enjoyed both chilled and hot, which is relatively rare for alcohol. Enjoying a warmed cup of fresh sake during the cold winter is something to look forward to. Sake also perfectly complements the subtle flavors of Japanese cuisine as one would expect, but since it draws out the flavor of food so well, the number of restaurants in cities such as New York and Paris which offer Japanese sake has been increasing. In 2006 a sake division was established in England’s traditional International Wine and Spirit Competition, and its degree of recognition is increasing little by little. Particularly a type of sake called “daiginjoshu” which has a flavor similar to white wine is gaining popularity.

The storehouses used to preserve sake brews are called “sakagura.” When visiting a sake brewing town in Japan one can witness the scene of these storehouses lined up along the streets. Various sake brewers are assembled in Nada ward and the flavors vary depending on the maker. You can enjoy walking from brewer to brewer searching for your favorite sake.

For strolling around Fushimi, located in Kyoto Prefecture, we recommend the “Sunrise Tour” in English aimed at foreigners, called “Fushimi Inari Shrine and Sake Tasting Tour.” It includes tours of sake brewing facilities, sake tasting, and a tour of the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Ｔour starts from the stroll through the sake brewery streets, then to the Gekkeikan Sake Museum. There, visitors can view tools used in sake brewing and related historical objects, sample water used in sake production, and take an exclusive tour of the sake brewing facility itself. Here, you can participate in sake tasting, so why don’t you try finding your favorite sake?

Ｎｅｘｔ, visit Fushimi Inari Shrine famous for its path lined with thousands of red torii gates. Shinto shrines’ gods are known for granting wishes, and it is said that the Fushimi Inari shrine answers requests of prosperous sales in particular.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Study rooms in Tokyo

<Hideaway in the City>

Enter the lonely building, and ride the elevator, which smells of mildew, up to the third floor, and suddenly you’re in another world. This chic interior with wood paneling at this shop makes use of an air purifier to generate negative ions, creating a roomy and comfortable space. With its invitingly cozy stuffed furniture, this room is where company staff members who work in the city go to study foreign languages or prepare for qualification examinations. Named the “Study Café,” it is one of three such establishments in the greater Tokyo area. So far it has attracted over 600 members. Most of them visit to engage in self-study, but the cafes have also hosted various types of seminars and social events.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Lighter Ordinance in Japan

<Lighter Ordinance>

After a fire damaged several buildings at a shopping street in Yokohama last August, the cause was determined to be a cigarette lighter. Now more lighters are being designed as “CR” (child resistant), with a lockable two-step mechanism. Unfortunately children playing with lighters has been the source of many fires. Some 600 million disposable lighters are sold in Japan each year. To prevent mishaps that lead to fires, from September 27, 2011, manufacturers have been required to adopt a CR function, and sales of the so-called 100-yen disposable lighters not equipped with this function will be banned. A similar law went into force in the United States in 1994.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前
Kabukicho paintings

Kabukicho Museum?

Kabukicho paintings

<Before a Scrawl Appears, Post a Picture!>

Beneath an elevated railway trestle in the Kabukicho entertainment area of Shinjuku, some 20 colorful art works have been posted, memorializing the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of last March 11. Called the “Great Shinjuku Gird,” their purpose is also to discourage graffiti. The works were created with the cooperation of students at a nearby art academy. Under the combined theme of “Sky and Life,” they reflect the hope and courage of earthquake survivors. The works stand 1.5 meters high by 88 centimeters wide and are evenly spaced at intervals along a 44-meter long corridor. The chief of Shinjuku Police Department was quoted as saying, “It is important not to disregard small violations of the law, like graffiti. So [these pictures] also serve as symbols of a safe and secure neighborhood.”

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

It’s Godzilla!!

<It’s Godzilla!!>

Godzilla, the huge, fire-breathing monster created by Toei Studios, has descended on Tokyo’s Ginza shopping street! But unlike the real thing this lizard stands only about one meter in height. It’s been glaring at passers-by every day since it was erected in 1995. Perhaps because people who see it don’t tremble in fear, his facial expression seems a little bit lonely. If Godzilla could occasionally roar or emit flames from his mouth, he might get more attention.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Manekineko: Lucky Charm in Japan

manekineko

<Beckoning Cats at Gotokuji>

When Ii Naotaka, a nobleman of the Edo era (1603-1868) was returning from a falcon hunting expedition, he saw a beckoning cat at the gate of the Gotokuji temple (now in Tokyo’s Setagaya City), and stopped in for a rest. Just then, a huge thunderstorm began, and Ii, who was happy to have found shelter from the rain, is said to have made a generous donation to the temple. From this legend, the temple became associated with the beckoning cat. Actually, however, it was the Imado Shrine in Tokyo’s Taito Ward that seems to have begun selling cats as iconic figures. When the cat’s right paw is raised, it beckons money; if its left paw is raised, it is summoning people.

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前

Japanese soy sauce factory

With its iconic bottle featuring a red capped dispenser, Kikkoman is synonymous worldwide as the image of Japanese soy sauce. Indeed, with its roots as manufacturer of soy sauce from 1661, Kikkoman is just as renown within Japan and has been the purveyor of soy sauce for the Imperial Family for over 100 years. Their factory in Noda city in Chiba Prefecture holds six tours daily where visitors can learn more about the process of making this famous fermented condiment.

Noda has historically been a town famous for making soy sauce. The reason is because of its ideal location. Situation at the junction of the Tone and Edo rivers, Noda had easy access to good quality soy beans, wheat and salt as well as a reliable water route transport to the markets in the capital of Edo, present-day Tokyo.

The Kikkoman soy sauce factory tour lasts approximately one hour and begins with a short video of how soy sauce is produced. It is a video worth watching carefully because it shows close-ups of how the process works. The tour itself does not give access to many of the rooms where production occurs. This is inevitable because fermentation is a process that requires facilities to be sealed off to control temperature and humidity. The tour itself consists of walking through the facilities and looking at a variety of panels depicting the process. Real samples of the various stages of soy bean fermenting are on display to look at and also to smell as well.

The one room that visitors can have a long look at is the stage of pressing the liquid from the fermented mash. Factory workers oversee the production line where the mash is laid over beige cloth of over 30 meters in length. This mesh material is still the preferred choice to separate the liquid from the solid. 

 

The highlight of the Kikkoman factory has to be a visit to Mame Café, its small cafeteria for visitors. There are free samples of tofu on little platters to be tasted with three types of soy sauce: regular, light-colored, and low-sodium.

Other foods are available for purchase. My recommendation is the soy sauce soft cream is made either with soymilk for a lighter taste or with cream for a richer flavor. The soy sauce gives it a light brown color and a caramel-like accent. There is a hint of saltiness but it complements the sweetness of the ice cream very well.

The small dish of cold noodles is refreshing as is the warm bowl of vegetable stew. The adventurous will have fun roasting their own rice crackers and brushing them over with a thick soy sauce.

The tour ends with each visitor given a bag with information pamphlets and a bottle of the original Kikkoman soy sauce.

Also on the Noda Kikkoman factory premise is the “Goyogura,” (Imperial storage house) the historical brewery that has been making soy sauce for Japan’s Imperial Family since 1908. The building on site was originally constructed in 1939 but at another location in Noda. In 2009, Kikkoman decided to take apart the structure and relocate it using the same material but reinforced and repainted. The Goyokura at Kikkoman is a “working museum.” The soy sauce for the Imperial Household is still produced in the traditional way here and it is a museum exhibiting the historical brewing techniques, tools and equipment used. Visitors can actually see the royal soy sauce fermenting in large cedar vats lacquered in a vibrant red. To control the temperature and humidity for fermentation, there is a mechanism to open and close the roof of the storage space. Only the finest domestic soy beans, wheat and salt are used. Starting in 2012, a limited quantity of Goyokura soy sauce will actually be available for purchase to the public.      

Making Soy Sauce:

  • The first step is to process the raw materials. Soy beans are soaked in water for an extended time, steamed at a high temperature and then drained. Wheat is roasted and then crushed by rollers the shell sorted out.
  • Lactic acid bacteria, enzymes and a type of fungus called aspergillus are added to the mixture. Every manufacturer uses its original fungus to create their special flavor. A specific Kikkoman aspergillus has been used since the company was founded. This mixture is then spread out onto large trays for three days with the temperature and humidity of the room carefully controlled. This produces a fermented liquid called shoyu koji.
  • The shoyu koji is then mixed with salt water to become moromi, a mash which is fermented and aged in huge metal tanks for months.
  • The final step is pressing the moromi to become finished soy sauce. The mixture is placed on long strips of cheese cloth where gravity makes the liquid drip down. Then the mixture is pressed down by machines for 10 hours to drain all the liquid from the mash.
  • This liquid is called raw soy sauce. For several days, inside huge storage tanks, the liquid is naturally separated into sediments at the bottom, oil on top and soy sauce in between. Then the clear soy sauce is heated to be pasteurized and stop fermentation of the enzymes. The taste, color and aroma of the final product are adjusted before bottling.

The Noda Kikkoman Factory Tour

Tours are held six times a day and free.

To make a reservation, call 04-7123-5123
(Reservations should be made in Japanese. Weekends are booked months in advance but there are usually spots available for weekday tours.  At the main factory and at Goyogura, there are English-language pamphlets and displays.

 

Kikkoman Noda Factory

110 Noda, Noda City, Chiba Prefecture

278-0037

http://www.kikkoman.com/soysaucemuseum/index.shtml

(The factory is a 3-min walk from Noda-shi Station on the Tobu Noda Line.)

 

投稿者:Ryoji 投稿日時:前