When you hear the word 'campaign', what comes to mind? A political campaign? A military campaign?
To give you some idea of its use in Japan, a cafe near the station is currently having a 'walnut campaign'.
I don't think those walnuts are planning an insurrection or striving to be elected to public office. It just means the cafe is temporarily selling products featuring walnut. 'Campaign' is often used when products are on special, or a particular range is being highlighted.
Even though I have seen this use of the English word 'campaign' many times, I still laugh every time I walk past that sign.
Monday 29 November 2010
Saturday 27 November 2010
Vegemite
Yes!! I finally found Vegemite in Nagoya. (If you care, in the import food store near Maruei in Sakae.) My breakfasts have just been improved 150%. ^_^
It's perfect timing 'cos I was planning a one-off lesson on 'Australia' next week. Boy, are my students in for a treat. And so am I.
I always get a kick out of seeing students' horrified reactions to our national treasure. ^_^
It's perfect timing 'cos I was planning a one-off lesson on 'Australia' next week. Boy, are my students in for a treat. And so am I.
I always get a kick out of seeing students' horrified reactions to our national treasure. ^_^
Thursday 25 November 2010
Date and time
Dates in Japan are usually printed month, day. Or year, month, day.
This is the exact opposite of Australia, which is day, month, year. And different again from America, the most commonly used standard online. So in any given week I am presented with dates in any of the three formats. It wasn't so bad when I had been living in Japan for a solid period of time, but this year I've been moving all over the place and I can't keep them straight any more.
What tips me over into the realm of confusion is that in Japan, the year is sometimes given in 'Japanese era' time. In Japan, they use the usual 1995, 2000, 2010, etc. They also use years that correspond to how long the current emperor has been reigning. Our current era is the Heisei period, which began in 1989, and this year, 2010, is Heisei 22.
The Heisei year isn't used so often. It may be used on special occasions or official documents. I had to use it when applying for a bank account. The roadworks on my street announced its expected end date in Heisei format. Every time I see a date in Heisei format I think 'now is that this year or next year?' I can never remember the Heisei year (I know that's pretty sad, considering it is only one number and only changes once a year).
The not-very-exciting point of this is that today I was cooking some vegetables and I saw the expiry date, 11 3 21. I immediately thought 'it's in Heisei format! Arggh, it expired November 3rd'.
'Hang on, is this year Heisei 21 or 22? I'd better check the Internet!'
'Oh, there's no way they expired last year. Obviously they expire in March next year.'
'Duh, Japanese dates are year-month-day.'
(Those are some long life veggies.)
This is the exact opposite of Australia, which is day, month, year. And different again from America, the most commonly used standard online. So in any given week I am presented with dates in any of the three formats. It wasn't so bad when I had been living in Japan for a solid period of time, but this year I've been moving all over the place and I can't keep them straight any more.
What tips me over into the realm of confusion is that in Japan, the year is sometimes given in 'Japanese era' time. In Japan, they use the usual 1995, 2000, 2010, etc. They also use years that correspond to how long the current emperor has been reigning. Our current era is the Heisei period, which began in 1989, and this year, 2010, is Heisei 22.
The Heisei year isn't used so often. It may be used on special occasions or official documents. I had to use it when applying for a bank account. The roadworks on my street announced its expected end date in Heisei format. Every time I see a date in Heisei format I think 'now is that this year or next year?' I can never remember the Heisei year (I know that's pretty sad, considering it is only one number and only changes once a year).
The not-very-exciting point of this is that today I was cooking some vegetables and I saw the expiry date, 11 3 21. I immediately thought 'it's in Heisei format! Arggh, it expired November 3rd'.
'Hang on, is this year Heisei 21 or 22? I'd better check the Internet!'
'Oh, there's no way they expired last year. Obviously they expire in March next year.'
'Duh, Japanese dates are year-month-day.'
(Those are some long life veggies.)
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Kouyou in Nagoya
Recently I posted about kouyou, or autumn leaves. Now here are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks, taken around Nagoya.
The first two are from an ordinary park in my neighbourhood; the latter two are from Higashiyama Park. I don't have any specific recommendations for kouyou spots, because anywhere with trees is beautiful. Even ordinary city streets may become beautiful when they are lined with gingko trees (they turn yellow).
Two large parks in Nagoya are: around Atsuta shrine and Higashiyama Park. Or head into Gifu prefecture, which is a natural wonderland.
Truthfully, I didn't like Higashiyama Park so much for kouyou; the trees are mostly on the far sides of the park, and you may have to walk quite a bit (around the zoo or to get to the Botanic Gardens) to get to the best part. There were posters all around Nagoya advertising the red momiji (Japanese maples) in Higashiyama Park but I didn't find them.
The first two are from an ordinary park in my neighbourhood; the latter two are from Higashiyama Park. I don't have any specific recommendations for kouyou spots, because anywhere with trees is beautiful. Even ordinary city streets may become beautiful when they are lined with gingko trees (they turn yellow).
Two large parks in Nagoya are: around Atsuta shrine and Higashiyama Park. Or head into Gifu prefecture, which is a natural wonderland.
Truthfully, I didn't like Higashiyama Park so much for kouyou; the trees are mostly on the far sides of the park, and you may have to walk quite a bit (around the zoo or to get to the Botanic Gardens) to get to the best part. There were posters all around Nagoya advertising the red momiji (Japanese maples) in Higashiyama Park but I didn't find them.
Sunday 21 November 2010
Weather
If you want to travel to Japan, I think any time is good. ^_^ All times of year have their advantage. The following applies to the main tourist destinations, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto and Osaka. Obviously things are different in the far north, far south, mountainous regions, etc.
In terms of pure nice weather, I think May and October are the best. April and November are a bit cooler but you can see cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, respectively. June isn't too bad regarding temperature, but it is the rainy season. Personally, I love July and August, but most people think it's too hot. Not great weather for very active, energetic sightseeing, anyway.
Right now we're enjoying the last of the pleasant, clear, but not cold weather. I would call it 't-shirt weather' - I was wearing a t-shirt all day today - but I was the only person doing so. In a place with thousands of people, I didn't see a single Japanese people in short sleeves. I think I've mentioned before that Japanese people tend to dress according to the season. Or perhaps they just feel the cold more.
Winter (December - February)
Gets rather cold. You may get the odd day of snow, but generally, Tokyo is not freezing. Good season for hitting the mountains and doing winter sports. You can enjoy winter hotpots. Also a good time to see Mt Fuji (the air is clearer so visibility is better). The weeks leading up to New Year become popular for big, drunken company 'year-end' parties. The New Year week isn't the best for travelling, as it's a holiday week in Japan.
Spring (March - May)
Spring is mostly cool and rainy. March is generally pretty cold and (if I remember correctly??) the trees haven't fully started to become green again. Cherry blossom season usually starts in late March or early April, and even the most unremarkable suburban areas become temporarily ablaze with beauty. May is a nice time of year, weather-wise. The first week of May is 'Golden Week', where most people have holidays, so it may be an inconvenient time to travel.
Summer (June - August)
June is the rainy season, which is humid. July and August are consistently hot and humid. This is a good time of year for summer festivals, including fireworks. Lots of people in yukata, and beer gardens opening around the place. I like summer in Japan, but most people find it oppressive.
Autumn (September - November)
In terms of weather, autumn is probably the most comfortable. Cooler than summer, warmer than winter, less rainy than spring. In November, you can also see beautiful autumn leaves. From late November, the landscapes start to look less beautiful as many trees have lost their leaves, or are in the middle of doing so.
In terms of pure nice weather, I think May and October are the best. April and November are a bit cooler but you can see cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, respectively. June isn't too bad regarding temperature, but it is the rainy season. Personally, I love July and August, but most people think it's too hot. Not great weather for very active, energetic sightseeing, anyway.
Right now we're enjoying the last of the pleasant, clear, but not cold weather. I would call it 't-shirt weather' - I was wearing a t-shirt all day today - but I was the only person doing so. In a place with thousands of people, I didn't see a single Japanese people in short sleeves. I think I've mentioned before that Japanese people tend to dress according to the season. Or perhaps they just feel the cold more.
Winter (December - February)
Gets rather cold. You may get the odd day of snow, but generally, Tokyo is not freezing. Good season for hitting the mountains and doing winter sports. You can enjoy winter hotpots. Also a good time to see Mt Fuji (the air is clearer so visibility is better). The weeks leading up to New Year become popular for big, drunken company 'year-end' parties. The New Year week isn't the best for travelling, as it's a holiday week in Japan.
Spring (March - May)
Spring is mostly cool and rainy. March is generally pretty cold and (if I remember correctly??) the trees haven't fully started to become green again. Cherry blossom season usually starts in late March or early April, and even the most unremarkable suburban areas become temporarily ablaze with beauty. May is a nice time of year, weather-wise. The first week of May is 'Golden Week', where most people have holidays, so it may be an inconvenient time to travel.
Summer (June - August)
June is the rainy season, which is humid. July and August are consistently hot and humid. This is a good time of year for summer festivals, including fireworks. Lots of people in yukata, and beer gardens opening around the place. I like summer in Japan, but most people find it oppressive.
Autumn (September - November)
In terms of weather, autumn is probably the most comfortable. Cooler than summer, warmer than winter, less rainy than spring. In November, you can also see beautiful autumn leaves. From late November, the landscapes start to look less beautiful as many trees have lost their leaves, or are in the middle of doing so.
Saturday 20 November 2010
Random pictures
Living in Japan, on a regular basis I see things that make me smile. I don't think most of them are actually intended to be funny, but from time to time, I shall post a few of them.
If you wanna throw out your garbage, you'd better put some thought into it.
Those deer in Nara are gonna Kick Your Ass.
This mobile phone strap is Snoopy pinioned to a ball of takoyaki.
This was given away free with bottles of soda.
It seems a weird juxtaposition to me.
Are we supposed to imagine that Snoopy will make a delicious topping?
Wednesday 17 November 2010
Heeee?!!
One thing you'll quickly notice in Japan is that when people are surprised, they make a sound like 'hehhhh?!' The younger or more outgoing the person, the louder, longer and more dramatic this sound is.
It's very fun to say. I've picked up the habit myself.
The thing that amuses me, especially with young girls, is that their 'Heeeee' usually sounds so very excessively surprised, far more than the news warrants.
This week I got some prime 'heeeee' reactions from students for such startling revelations as:
-I don't really like omu-rice
-I don't like fish eggs
-I don't like shopping
You can see they are pretty easily shocked. Hahaha.
It's very fun to say. I've picked up the habit myself.
The thing that amuses me, especially with young girls, is that their 'Heeeee' usually sounds so very excessively surprised, far more than the news warrants.
This week I got some prime 'heeeee' reactions from students for such startling revelations as:
-I don't really like omu-rice
-I don't like fish eggs
-I don't like shopping
You can see they are pretty easily shocked. Hahaha.
Friday 12 November 2010
Kouyou
Autumn leaves, Nagano city
In Nagoya - and, I assume, Kyoto, Tokyo, Yokohama, etc - it's just now getting to prime kouyou (autumn leaf viewing) time. Kouyou is not quite as celebrated as hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in spring, but it's still important. Stores everywhere put up autumnal decor of coloured maple leaves, and people flock to gardens, parks, mountains and other natural spots to see the beauty of the changing leaves, which is quite lovely.
[Update: I went to Tokyo a month after writing this, and it seems that kouyou in Nagoya is earlier than in Tokyo. While the deciduous trees were almost completely bare in Nagoya, in Tokyo some of the slower trees, like gingko, still had touches of green.]
(The kanji for kouyou (紅葉) means 'deep red leaves'. Actually, the 'kou' ('deep red') in 'kouyou' is the same character in koucha (what we would call ordinary 'black tea', and a standard drink at restaurants here). Since black tea is actually a deep red colour, this would make more sense, right?)
In Yokohama, if you want to see kouyou without going far, I recommend a good stroll down Nihon-odori, from Kannai station - the gingko trees are resplendent in yellow - and down to Yamashita Park along the harbourfront. Sankei-en is a good spot too, and great if you're wanting a more traditional Japanese-style garden.
If you're in Japan yourself, why not make the most of the generally bright, clear weather at this time of year, and go find some nature?
I've not taken many kouyou shots this year, so here are a few from Yokohama.
Nihon-odori. It may not look so great in this shot, but there are a lot of trees on this street, and the leaves were absolutely pouring off them. This was in early December.
Yamashita Park.
Sankei-en Park. It was overcast so I took it in 'antique' mode. ^_^
Thursday 11 November 2010
Pocky Day
Happy Pocky Day!
What is Pocky Day?
It's November 11th, 11 / 11. Because the elevens look like Pocky sticks! What a good opportunity to randomly sell more snacks. Pocky are little biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate or strawberry or... well, there are far too many toppings to list.
Incidentally, it's also Remembrance Day, but obviously that pales in significance.
What is Pocky Day?
It's November 11th, 11 / 11. Because the elevens look like Pocky sticks! What a good opportunity to randomly sell more snacks. Pocky are little biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate or strawberry or... well, there are far too many toppings to list.
Incidentally, it's also Remembrance Day, but obviously that pales in significance.
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Japanese Pet Peeve: Taking trains
Wow, I'm getting quite a nice little collection of these 'Japanese pet peeves', aren't I. Hahaha. I suppose when I was in the honeymoon period of living here, I didn't have so many, but now more things are getting on my nerves.
Japanese trains are very good and in general I like commuting by train. Spending so much time doing so, however, means that I naturally have some small pet peeves regarding them.
The 'get on the bloody train!!' phenomenon
When waiting for a train, Japanese commuter stand in line on the platform, and board in a fairly orderly fashion. As you're getting on, the 'doors are closing' sound is blaring warningly, and there's always someone just in front of you who feels they have all the time in the world, and casually step on, deciding to stop right in the doorway so nobody can get on behind them. I know the train is crowded, but while there is a line behind you and only a few seconds for us all to get on, please push right into the crowd so that we don't risk getting shut in the doors.*
*(Incidentally, I have only gotten stuck in a train door once, and that had more to do with how much alcohol I'd consumed, rather than slow fellow passengers.)
The 'just one more' phenomenon
Once everyone has got on, and everyone has manoeuvred themselves into a position on the train where they're not inappropriately touching anyone else, and you've gotten the coveted spot immediately next to the door, the 'doors are closing' sound will sound... and sound... and sound... and at the last second someone else will leap on, forcing everyone into one another. If the 'doors are closing' sound lasts particularly long, this may be three or four people. This happens every time without fail.
The 'changing platforms phalanx'
When you change trains, there's sometimes an escalator that only goes one way. In my current commute, people going down onto the platform must take the stairs, while people going up can take the stairs or escalator.
What happens is that you have about 1000 people, who came off the previous train, all trying to get down this narrow staircase at the same time, forming an impenetrable phalanx of human bodies, creating a logjam. Meanwhile you can *hear* the 8:11 train pulling up, you can see it only metres away, but there's no way you're gonna get to it in time.
Hahaha... it sounds annoying, but truthfully, by the time you've gotten down and walked the length of the platform, the 8:13 train is pulling in. That's a good thing about Japanese trains. I just can't believe there are so many passengers though, that they can run trains *every two minutes*, yet each one of these trains is wall-to-wall people.
Japanese trains are very good and in general I like commuting by train. Spending so much time doing so, however, means that I naturally have some small pet peeves regarding them.
The 'get on the bloody train!!' phenomenon
When waiting for a train, Japanese commuter stand in line on the platform, and board in a fairly orderly fashion. As you're getting on, the 'doors are closing' sound is blaring warningly, and there's always someone just in front of you who feels they have all the time in the world, and casually step on, deciding to stop right in the doorway so nobody can get on behind them. I know the train is crowded, but while there is a line behind you and only a few seconds for us all to get on, please push right into the crowd so that we don't risk getting shut in the doors.*
*(Incidentally, I have only gotten stuck in a train door once, and that had more to do with how much alcohol I'd consumed, rather than slow fellow passengers.)
The 'just one more' phenomenon
Once everyone has got on, and everyone has manoeuvred themselves into a position on the train where they're not inappropriately touching anyone else, and you've gotten the coveted spot immediately next to the door, the 'doors are closing' sound will sound... and sound... and sound... and at the last second someone else will leap on, forcing everyone into one another. If the 'doors are closing' sound lasts particularly long, this may be three or four people. This happens every time without fail.
The 'changing platforms phalanx'
When you change trains, there's sometimes an escalator that only goes one way. In my current commute, people going down onto the platform must take the stairs, while people going up can take the stairs or escalator.
What happens is that you have about 1000 people, who came off the previous train, all trying to get down this narrow staircase at the same time, forming an impenetrable phalanx of human bodies, creating a logjam. Meanwhile you can *hear* the 8:11 train pulling up, you can see it only metres away, but there's no way you're gonna get to it in time.
Hahaha... it sounds annoying, but truthfully, by the time you've gotten down and walked the length of the platform, the 8:13 train is pulling in. That's a good thing about Japanese trains. I just can't believe there are so many passengers though, that they can run trains *every two minutes*, yet each one of these trains is wall-to-wall people.
Sunday 7 November 2010
Food Spotlight: Yakiniku
Yakiniku, ah!
A-ah, yakiniku, ah!
Yakiniku, ah!
(See this page for origin of this haiku, which I have so masterfully adapted.)
When it comes to delicious food in Japan, I can't think of anything that makes me happier than yakiniku. It's a good social meal, and every time I finish it I come away saying 'ahh, ureshii' (I'm so happy). ^_^
Yakiniku (焼肉, literally 'grilled meat') actually originates from Korea, and is also called Korean barbecue. It's quite popular in Japan. When you go to a yakiniku restaurant, there will be a grill on your table, usually a charcoal barbecue. You can then order a variety of meats or vegetables to barbecue on the grill.
My favourite yakiniku restaurant is 'An An' 安安. This is a chain; I used to go to the one near Kawasaki station - if you exit La Zona and go down the street past Muza, it's near a Lawson, I think). I favour 'An An' because it's the cheapest I've found, and alcohol is pretty cheap too.
This becomes a consideration because yakiniku is not a cheap eat. If you're with another budget-minded person, you can keep the costs down. However, I have never been to yakiniku with a Japanese person who has ever said, 'well, dish _x_ costs _y_, so we probably shouldn't get two of them'. Everyone I've been to yakiniku with has ordered with reckless abandon. ^_^
Your menu will have a variety of different meats and cuts. Some types of meat can be quite fatty (this seems to suit Japanese tastes), and there are also types of offal. Beef and pork are common, and you can usually find some kind of seafood. One dish of meat is usually pretty small - with perhaps 6-8 small, thin slices of meat to fry - so you can sample a few different sorts. Usually you'll put a few different things on at once, wait for them to cook, then dip them in a sauce, the most common being soy sauce-based.
SO GOOD!!
Since you are slowly cooking a few bits at a time, you can savour each item, and it lends itself to a long meal. That's why it's a good social opportunity. ^_^
For those of you who don't like fatty meat or offal, here are my personal recommendations:
It's nice later in the meal to have some bibimbap (a Korean rice dish with kimchi and other Korean vegetables), spicy soups, or plain white rice. This is one reason it's good to go to yakiniku with a larger group, so you can sample more things without breaking the bank.
Another reason I particularly like yakiniku is that Japanese cuisine tends not to have much red meat in it. After weeks of eating noodles, seafood and rice balls, sometimes you just crave a good barbecue. ^_^
If you are a vegetarian, however, there probably won't be much to excite you. You can order vegetables and fry them (although you'll be frying them on the same grill that's covered in juices from the meat), also salads and rice are available.
I've just been to yakiniku tonight, so I'm feeling very contented with life. ^_^
A-ah, yakiniku, ah!
Yakiniku, ah!
When it comes to delicious food in Japan, I can't think of anything that makes me happier than yakiniku. It's a good social meal, and every time I finish it I come away saying 'ahh, ureshii' (I'm so happy). ^_^
Yakiniku (焼肉, literally 'grilled meat') actually originates from Korea, and is also called Korean barbecue. It's quite popular in Japan. When you go to a yakiniku restaurant, there will be a grill on your table, usually a charcoal barbecue. You can then order a variety of meats or vegetables to barbecue on the grill.
My favourite yakiniku restaurant is 'An An' 安安. This is a chain; I used to go to the one near Kawasaki station - if you exit La Zona and go down the street past Muza, it's near a Lawson, I think). I favour 'An An' because it's the cheapest I've found, and alcohol is pretty cheap too.
This becomes a consideration because yakiniku is not a cheap eat. If you're with another budget-minded person, you can keep the costs down. However, I have never been to yakiniku with a Japanese person who has ever said, 'well, dish _x_ costs _y_, so we probably shouldn't get two of them'. Everyone I've been to yakiniku with has ordered with reckless abandon. ^_^
Your menu will have a variety of different meats and cuts. Some types of meat can be quite fatty (this seems to suit Japanese tastes), and there are also types of offal. Beef and pork are common, and you can usually find some kind of seafood. One dish of meat is usually pretty small - with perhaps 6-8 small, thin slices of meat to fry - so you can sample a few different sorts. Usually you'll put a few different things on at once, wait for them to cook, then dip them in a sauce, the most common being soy sauce-based.
SO GOOD!!
In this picture you can see: a dish of meat waiting to be cooked (almost empty ^_^), a dish of Korean-style vegetables (salad), the grill in action, and a lemon sawa (a cold alcoholic beverage is an important accompaniment ^_^). In front of me are a couple of small dishes; one has sauce and is to dip the cooked meat; the other is for personal helpings of salad etc.
For those of you who don't like fatty meat or offal, here are my personal recommendations:
- karubi (galbi) - short ribs? but doesn't have bones
- ro-su (roast) - loin, tends to be less fatty than most
- harami - meat around diaphragm - though it could be considered 'offal', it tastes good, not like other offal
- ton (tounge) - usually eaten with lemon juice, this is actually pretty good, if you cook it really dark ^_^
- vegetables. For example, onions, piman (green peppers), cabbage, carrots, corn, mushrooms. Since they usually aren't really marinated, they will get burnt rather black before they cook properly, but they make a nice bit of variety to having only meat.
- salad. Again, a cold salad - I recommend Korean vegetables - can help refresh you when you're eating nothing but grilled meat.
It's nice later in the meal to have some bibimbap (a Korean rice dish with kimchi and other Korean vegetables), spicy soups, or plain white rice. This is one reason it's good to go to yakiniku with a larger group, so you can sample more things without breaking the bank.
Another reason I particularly like yakiniku is that Japanese cuisine tends not to have much red meat in it. After weeks of eating noodles, seafood and rice balls, sometimes you just crave a good barbecue. ^_^
If you are a vegetarian, however, there probably won't be much to excite you. You can order vegetables and fry them (although you'll be frying them on the same grill that's covered in juices from the meat), also salads and rice are available.
I've just been to yakiniku tonight, so I'm feeling very contented with life. ^_^
Apples
As I was eating an apple the other day (from the 'apple festival' ^_^), a friend commented it was funny to see me just biting into the apple like that. She said that in Japan, it's very rare to just bite into apples. They peel them and cut them up. Apparently this is partly due to concern about the potential of pesticides in the skin.
Wow... and I always liked apples because they were so low-maintenance.
Incidentally, quite a few people here also do this with grapes, peeling each individual grape. When I hear of this, I get Diana Krall's voice in my head... 'peel me a grape...'
Wow... and I always liked apples because they were so low-maintenance.
Incidentally, quite a few people here also do this with grapes, peeling each individual grape. When I hear of this, I get Diana Krall's voice in my head... 'peel me a grape...'
Saturday 6 November 2010
This blog
For anyone who's found this blog recently, just a word of introduction: I'm an Australian and I've lived in Japan for over two years; mostly in Yokohama, but I'm currently in Nagoya. I've also spent a lot of time in Kawasaki and Tokyo.
Right now, most of my posts are about Japan in general, but I aim to post a bit more about Nagoya and other towns in the region, as I explore them.
If you have any questions or requests for posts, feel free to comment any time. Cheers. ^_^
Right now, most of my posts are about Japan in general, but I aim to post a bit more about Nagoya and other towns in the region, as I explore them.
If you have any questions or requests for posts, feel free to comment any time. Cheers. ^_^
Friday 5 November 2010
In search of a good cappuccino
I like coffee; in particular, cappuccinos. This is one area in which Japan does not really shine. In Australia, virtually every restaurant, cafe and fast food place now sells espresso coffee made from beans and with a coffee machine. In Japan, it's very common for even coffee shops not to have a coffee machine, but to only sell 'black coffee', 'coffee au lait', etc.
This post is totally subjective and many people may disagree, but for anyone with similar tastes, here are my recommendations and opinions regarding coffee in Japan. ^_^
Franchises
There are a bunch of chain cafes in Japan which sell average-priced cappuccinos. I would rank them in this order, from best to worst:
Good:
1) Starbucks
2) Excelsior
3) Tully's
4) Krispy Kreme
Of the above, Starbucks is the easiest to find, which is why I frequently seek out Starbucks everywhere I go. In Australia I was all 'no, I want to support local business', etc, but in Japan, there is no better alternative to Starbucks.
I would put 'Cafe Colorado' in the 'good' category too, but their coffee is much more expensive, so I didn't list it here at all.
Mediocre:
5) Cafe de crie
6) Beck's Coffee Shop
7) Doutor
8) Various bakeries and pastry shops like Choco-cro, drink bars like at Jonathan's or Gusto
What these ones have in common is that they are cheaper in price, not topped with chocolate (it's either cinnamon or nothing), the foam is less creamy/smooth and more foamy/bubbly, and the coffee either tastes like it's come from a vending machine (drink bars) or is very weak, like drinking warm milk (Doutour).
I have found one-off cafes with good, reasonably-priced coffee. Examples are 'Bubby's Pies' in Sakuragicho, Yokohama, and 'Cesari' in Osu Kannon, Nagoya. However, generally, if you don't go to a franchise, the coffee is either disgusting or expensive. Many non-franchise cafes and restaurants have cappuccinos for 500 yen or more. I've seen cappuccinos for 750 yen at some places. That's so much! And these are not necessarily amazing, exclusive cafes in ritzy locations; sometimes they're in some generic department store basement.
Other coffees
Moving away from cappuccinos, I have tried a variety of other coffees in Japan. In general, I have disliked all hot coffees I've ever had, period. They are strong and bitter and taste nasty. I really think Japanese tastes are very different from mine. I always think this when I go to Kaldi Coffee. This is a great specialty store which has lots of cool imported products (I go there for Tim Tams and curry pastes ^_^), also selling coffee. They're always giving out free samples of coffee, which are so mouth-puckeringly awful I can't keep the grimace off my face, yet there's always a line of people waiting for them.
Anyway, if it comes to hot coffee, I make mine at home with a plunger. I use cheap Maxim's ground coffee - only about 250 yen (AU $3) for a 200g bag, yet tastes just fine.
I like Japanese-style iced coffee, which is just black coffee in a glass with ice in it. To this you can add creamer and gum syrup (liquid sugar which is stronger and dissolves more easily). I find I can more easily get iced coffee to suit my taste regarding strength/sweetness, than I can with hot coffee.
If you order 'set meals' in Japan, you are frequently given a choice of drinks: hot or iced coffee, hot or iced (black) tea. Usually no choice of espresso drinks with milk.
Vending machines
I asked my co-workers if there was anywhere on the campus I could buy hot coffee (I wasn't expecting cappuccinos, but anything). They looked each other, unsure. "Well, it's early October," said one, "so the vending machines haven't stocked hot coffee yet..."
In Australia it would be absolutely unthinkable to have a university campus without hot, coffee-machine coffee. I'm sure mine had at least four places you could get cappuccinos and fresh-made espresso-style coffee. However, in Japan, many places don't have them.
In Japan, you can buy cans or bottles of hot *or* cold coffee from vending machines. Most vending machines only stock hot drinks in the colder months of the year. I can say that all hot and cold coffees I've had from vending machines have been disgusting; very sugary and tasting of chemicals.
One thing I have gotten into, though, are cold cafe lattes, found in convenience stores and so on. My favourite brand is 'Mt Rainier', especially the 'espresso' type (there's also 'non-sugar', 'no-fat' and 'normal' cafe latte flavours). They're sold in cups with straws, and the labels look like Starbucks labels (for a while I thought I was buying Starbucks drinks). They're much cheaper than buying espresso coffee from cafes - about 140 yen per cup - and I get one every day. *love* I wish I could get easy access to nice, hot coffee for the colder months, but I will continue to enjoy these drinks as long as I am here. ^_^
Caffeine
While on the subject of coffee, I'll also point out that decaf coffee is a rarity here. The only place I've seen it is at Starbucks, and you can't get decaf cappuccinos etc, only decaf blend coffee.
I don't know if this is true, but my personal theory is that Japanese people are less susceptible to caffeine. After all, Japanese people drink tea - lots of tea - from a young age. Cold, hot, green, black, oolong - even children drink tea quite a lot. I think cold tea is considerably more popular a beverage than soda. At Japanese restaurants, tea is often served with the meal rather than water. And I have never heard a Japanese person say 'oh, I won't have this tea because it's late and I won't sleep'.
Therefore, my theory is that after a lifetime of tea consumption, Japanese people are pretty resilient against the effects of caffeine, so they don't feel the need to seek out caffeine-free beverages.
This post is totally subjective and many people may disagree, but for anyone with similar tastes, here are my recommendations and opinions regarding coffee in Japan. ^_^
Franchises
There are a bunch of chain cafes in Japan which sell average-priced cappuccinos. I would rank them in this order, from best to worst:
Good:
1) Starbucks
2) Excelsior
3) Tully's
4) Krispy Kreme
Of the above, Starbucks is the easiest to find, which is why I frequently seek out Starbucks everywhere I go. In Australia I was all 'no, I want to support local business', etc, but in Japan, there is no better alternative to Starbucks.
I would put 'Cafe Colorado' in the 'good' category too, but their coffee is much more expensive, so I didn't list it here at all.
Mediocre:
5) Cafe de crie
6) Beck's Coffee Shop
7) Doutor
8) Various bakeries and pastry shops like Choco-cro, drink bars like at Jonathan's or Gusto
What these ones have in common is that they are cheaper in price, not topped with chocolate (it's either cinnamon or nothing), the foam is less creamy/smooth and more foamy/bubbly, and the coffee either tastes like it's come from a vending machine (drink bars) or is very weak, like drinking warm milk (Doutour).
I have found one-off cafes with good, reasonably-priced coffee. Examples are 'Bubby's Pies' in Sakuragicho, Yokohama, and 'Cesari' in Osu Kannon, Nagoya. However, generally, if you don't go to a franchise, the coffee is either disgusting or expensive. Many non-franchise cafes and restaurants have cappuccinos for 500 yen or more. I've seen cappuccinos for 750 yen at some places. That's so much! And these are not necessarily amazing, exclusive cafes in ritzy locations; sometimes they're in some generic department store basement.
Other coffees
Moving away from cappuccinos, I have tried a variety of other coffees in Japan. In general, I have disliked all hot coffees I've ever had, period. They are strong and bitter and taste nasty. I really think Japanese tastes are very different from mine. I always think this when I go to Kaldi Coffee. This is a great specialty store which has lots of cool imported products (I go there for Tim Tams and curry pastes ^_^), also selling coffee. They're always giving out free samples of coffee, which are so mouth-puckeringly awful I can't keep the grimace off my face, yet there's always a line of people waiting for them.
Anyway, if it comes to hot coffee, I make mine at home with a plunger. I use cheap Maxim's ground coffee - only about 250 yen (AU $3) for a 200g bag, yet tastes just fine.
I like Japanese-style iced coffee, which is just black coffee in a glass with ice in it. To this you can add creamer and gum syrup (liquid sugar which is stronger and dissolves more easily). I find I can more easily get iced coffee to suit my taste regarding strength/sweetness, than I can with hot coffee.
Japanese-style iced coffee, with a 'cake set'. Yum! ^_^
If you order 'set meals' in Japan, you are frequently given a choice of drinks: hot or iced coffee, hot or iced (black) tea. Usually no choice of espresso drinks with milk.
Vending machines
I asked my co-workers if there was anywhere on the campus I could buy hot coffee (I wasn't expecting cappuccinos, but anything). They looked each other, unsure. "Well, it's early October," said one, "so the vending machines haven't stocked hot coffee yet..."
In Australia it would be absolutely unthinkable to have a university campus without hot, coffee-machine coffee. I'm sure mine had at least four places you could get cappuccinos and fresh-made espresso-style coffee. However, in Japan, many places don't have them.
In Japan, you can buy cans or bottles of hot *or* cold coffee from vending machines. Most vending machines only stock hot drinks in the colder months of the year. I can say that all hot and cold coffees I've had from vending machines have been disgusting; very sugary and tasting of chemicals.
One thing I have gotten into, though, are cold cafe lattes, found in convenience stores and so on. My favourite brand is 'Mt Rainier', especially the 'espresso' type (there's also 'non-sugar', 'no-fat' and 'normal' cafe latte flavours). They're sold in cups with straws, and the labels look like Starbucks labels (for a while I thought I was buying Starbucks drinks). They're much cheaper than buying espresso coffee from cafes - about 140 yen per cup - and I get one every day. *love* I wish I could get easy access to nice, hot coffee for the colder months, but I will continue to enjoy these drinks as long as I am here. ^_^
Caffeine
While on the subject of coffee, I'll also point out that decaf coffee is a rarity here. The only place I've seen it is at Starbucks, and you can't get decaf cappuccinos etc, only decaf blend coffee.
Therefore, my theory is that after a lifetime of tea consumption, Japanese people are pretty resilient against the effects of caffeine, so they don't feel the need to seek out caffeine-free beverages.
Thursday 4 November 2010
A Day in: Kobe
A couple of weeks ago I visited Kobe for the first time. Kobe is the sixth-largest city in Japan - smaller than Tokyo, Nagoya and Yokohama, but larger than Kawasaki. Kobe is known as a fairly pleasant city to live in, quite modern, with a harbour and some foreign influence. In these respects, it's not unlike Yokohama.
When I went to Kobe, I did a lot of walking! First, from Sannomiya station (20 minutes from Osaka), I went to Kitanocho, an area with lots of historical foreign residences. It was all built up and down hills, with the mountains immediately behind, creating a nice natural backdrop. The area itself was lovely, and full of little cafes, snack and souvenir shops.
There were lots of great department stores in this area, with interesting novelty stores and funky layouts and decor, like little canals. I stopped at a cafe for coffee and cheesecake; their specialty of the house was a unique 'Denmark-style cheesecake'. I don't know what the Danish would have thought of this thing, but it came out with *hot melted cheese* all over it. Underneath it was a kind of generic, Japanese-style spongy cheesecake. It wasn't bad, per se, but rather unexpected.
I enjoyed my day in Kobe. And I did feel like Kobe was Yokohama's western cousin. In both cities, you have:
Actually, I liked Kobe very much, and I thought that if I wanted to try living in a new place in Japan, I'd probably choose Kobe. It seemed much livelier than Nagoya, and I found lots of nice cafes, bakeries and patisseries, as well as many department stores, some open spaces, and nice restaurants.
When I went to Kobe, I did a lot of walking! First, from Sannomiya station (20 minutes from Osaka), I went to Kitanocho, an area with lots of historical foreign residences. It was all built up and down hills, with the mountains immediately behind, creating a nice natural backdrop. The area itself was lovely, and full of little cafes, snack and souvenir shops.
This is a Starbucks with class ^_^
After exploring Kitanocho (no, I didn't go to the Starbucks, but I found a nice French restaurant/cafe on the same street), I went back down to Sannomiya station. Checking the maps, it seemed like only a 400m walk from the station to the Chinatown/harbour area, so I decided not to take the train. Of course, after walking for 400m, I soon found a sign telling me the harbour was 1.2km away. This kind of confusion happens to me often in Japan. Am I really so bad at reading maps and signs, or are they just toying with me? Hahaha...
Anyway, I still walked down to Chinatown, past a floral clock and a park. The Chinatown was mostly concentrated on one street, but it was pretty cool. They had stalls selling shumai (dumplings), nikuman (steamed meat buns) karaage (deep-fried chicken), harumaki (spring rolls) and other treats. Om nom nom. I enjoyed some freshly prepared shumai.
Finally I made it to Meriken Park, a park overlooking the harbour. In this park is a memorial for the great Kobe earthquake of 1995. I just sat and watched some dudes riding stunt bikes.
I made my way on to Harborland, which had nice views. This complex reminded me of Darling Harbour in Sydney, or possibly Decks in Odaiba, Tokyo.
Kobe harbour
There were lots of great department stores in this area, with interesting novelty stores and funky layouts and decor, like little canals. I stopped at a cafe for coffee and cheesecake; their specialty of the house was a unique 'Denmark-style cheesecake'. I don't know what the Danish would have thought of this thing, but it came out with *hot melted cheese* all over it. Underneath it was a kind of generic, Japanese-style spongy cheesecake. It wasn't bad, per se, but rather unexpected.
I enjoyed my day in Kobe. And I did feel like Kobe was Yokohama's western cousin. In both cities, you have:
- the area with cool little cafes, former foreign residential areas with European architecture' (in Yokohama: Motomachi/Yamate; in Kobe: Kitanocho)
- the harbourside, with nice places to sit, and lots of shops (in Yokohama: Minato Mirai, in Kobe: Harborland and Meriken Park)
- the 'bigger neighbour' city which is an easy train ride away (Yokohama has Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka)
- Chinatown (the Yokohama one is much bigger, but the Kobe one has more emphasis on street stalls selling hot snacks, which was nice ^_^)
- a generally bright, modern feel with lots of shiny, tall buildings
Actually, I liked Kobe very much, and I thought that if I wanted to try living in a new place in Japan, I'd probably choose Kobe. It seemed much livelier than Nagoya, and I found lots of nice cafes, bakeries and patisseries, as well as many department stores, some open spaces, and nice restaurants.
Wednesday 3 November 2010
Travelling Alone
I've travelled quite a bit in Japan, both with myself, and with other people. Everyone has different travel styles. In my case, I think that any destination can be fun if you are with fun people, but if I'm travelling alone, I'm more careful to go to interesting places that will be fun to explore even by myself. As an example, I loved visiting Izu peninsula with my friends, but if I went by myself, I think I'd be less interested.
That said, here's my list of cities/regions I have been to that I think would be interesting to visit even by myself, and places I would prefer to go with someone else. I don't mean to say that, say, Tokyo wouldn't be more fun with other people, or that you couldn't enjoy Nagano by yourself. This is purely subjective. For example, I don't really care to go to festivals or hot springs by myself, whereas I'm quite happy wandering around shopping streets or pretty natural areas alone.
By yourself:
Tokyo
Yokohama
Enoshima (good day trip from Tokyo/Yokohama)
Kawasaki
Hakone
Kyoto
Osaka
Kobe
Nara
Hiroshima / Miyajima
With other people:
Sapporo Snow Festival (note: I went here by myself, and it was *really good*, definitely worth a visit even if you're travelling by yourself; but a festival is really the kind of place where it's more fun with friends)
Izu peninsula (good weekend trip from Tokyo/Yokohama)
Okinawa
Nagano
Niigata
Nikko
Mt Fuji
Gifu, seeing ukai etc
That said, here's my list of cities/regions I have been to that I think would be interesting to visit even by myself, and places I would prefer to go with someone else. I don't mean to say that, say, Tokyo wouldn't be more fun with other people, or that you couldn't enjoy Nagano by yourself. This is purely subjective. For example, I don't really care to go to festivals or hot springs by myself, whereas I'm quite happy wandering around shopping streets or pretty natural areas alone.
By yourself:
Tokyo
Yokohama
Enoshima (good day trip from Tokyo/Yokohama)
Kawasaki
Hakone
Kyoto
Osaka
Kobe
Nara
Hiroshima / Miyajima
With other people:
Sapporo Snow Festival (note: I went here by myself, and it was *really good*, definitely worth a visit even if you're travelling by yourself; but a festival is really the kind of place where it's more fun with friends)
Izu peninsula (good weekend trip from Tokyo/Yokohama)
Okinawa
Nagano
Niigata
Nikko
Mt Fuji
Gifu, seeing ukai etc
Nagoya City Spotlight: Osu Kannon shopping area
I'm feeling pretty chuffed because I finally found a lively area of Nagoya with the kind of 'shopping street' atmosphere I like. It's the Osu Kannon shopping area. This is the kind of place where I actually enjoy shopping - a few streets of shopping arcades, with random clothing, electronics stores, and a variety of food.
A variety of food!! People tell me food in Nagoya is good. Is it? It might be good if you like eating ramen, tempura or katsu for *every* meal. I like these things too, but at my university, noodles and donburi are all there is, so when I eat out, I want something different. I was chuffed to find good pizza restaurants, cafes with light meals, a kebab place, fresh-made, delicious hamburgers, tacos, Brazilian food, as well as Japanese restaurants.
Also, as someone who is very fond of coffee, it's a blessing to go somewhere and be able to buy reasonably-priced cappuccinos without having to make a beeline for Starbucks every time. Actually, there is a Starbucks, near Kamimaezu station, but I could find cappuccinos that *weren't* 500 yen each.
There were two places attracting particularly long lines of customers. One was a taiyaki stall near Osu Kannon shrine; the other was a pizza restaurant called Cesari. Though the pizza looked delicious, I couldn't be bothered lining up so long for it, but I did go into the cafe side for a cappuccino (okay, I may have had two). The 'panini set' and 'cake set' deals were pretty good (I got cake and coffee for 600 yen), and the cappuccino was the best I've had in Japan, let alone Nagoya. They also had a deal where if you drink your cappuccino standing at the counter, Italian-style, it's only 200 yen (as opposed to the usual 400). Their desserts looked pretty appealing too.
I am labouring this place a bit because it's so much better value than most cafes I've seen, and I really did like the coffee. Also, the huge queue for the pizza - a queue that never got smaller over several hours - speaks for itself.
Anyway, I'm not saying the Osu Kannon shopping area is wildly exciting and must-see - it's just a few shopping streets - but it's certainly my favourite place in Nagoya so far. The clothes shopping is a bit cheaper than in Sakae, and you can see a nice shrine. If you're in the area and would like to go there yourself, take the subway to Kamimaezu or Osu Kannon stations. ^_^
A variety of food!! People tell me food in Nagoya is good. Is it? It might be good if you like eating ramen, tempura or katsu for *every* meal. I like these things too, but at my university, noodles and donburi are all there is, so when I eat out, I want something different. I was chuffed to find good pizza restaurants, cafes with light meals, a kebab place, fresh-made, delicious hamburgers, tacos, Brazilian food, as well as Japanese restaurants.
Also, as someone who is very fond of coffee, it's a blessing to go somewhere and be able to buy reasonably-priced cappuccinos without having to make a beeline for Starbucks every time. Actually, there is a Starbucks, near Kamimaezu station, but I could find cappuccinos that *weren't* 500 yen each.
There were two places attracting particularly long lines of customers. One was a taiyaki stall near Osu Kannon shrine; the other was a pizza restaurant called Cesari. Though the pizza looked delicious, I couldn't be bothered lining up so long for it, but I did go into the cafe side for a cappuccino (okay, I may have had two). The 'panini set' and 'cake set' deals were pretty good (I got cake and coffee for 600 yen), and the cappuccino was the best I've had in Japan, let alone Nagoya. They also had a deal where if you drink your cappuccino standing at the counter, Italian-style, it's only 200 yen (as opposed to the usual 400). Their desserts looked pretty appealing too.
I am labouring this place a bit because it's so much better value than most cafes I've seen, and I really did like the coffee. Also, the huge queue for the pizza - a queue that never got smaller over several hours - speaks for itself.
Anyway, I'm not saying the Osu Kannon shopping area is wildly exciting and must-see - it's just a few shopping streets - but it's certainly my favourite place in Nagoya so far. The clothes shopping is a bit cheaper than in Sakae, and you can see a nice shrine. If you're in the area and would like to go there yourself, take the subway to Kamimaezu or Osu Kannon stations. ^_^
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Bargains, bargains
Was looking at my local supermarket's catalogue. The section on meat was labelled 'meat fair' (in Japanese characters), and the apples for sale were not just apples for sale, no, they were an 'apple festival'.
If an 'apple festival' means paying ￥498 (AU $6) for a bag of five apples, I don't see much call for celebration. In fact, the same apples were being sold last week at ￥498 for six apples. Perhaps the catalogue is not intended to show this week's bargains, but rather steer you away from the bum deals.
If an 'apple festival' means paying ￥498 (AU $6) for a bag of five apples, I don't see much call for celebration. In fact, the same apples were being sold last week at ￥498 for six apples. Perhaps the catalogue is not intended to show this week's bargains, but rather steer you away from the bum deals.
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