Chopstick and Chopsticks rest: 箸と箸置き (Hashi to Hashi-Oki)

I went to Suntory Museum in Mid-Town Tower in Roppongi a few days ago.

http://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/sma/

http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/

I found a cute Chopstick shop during window shopping

For daily use to high end ones.. Variety of Chop Sticks.

High end ones made by  famous craftsmen

the highest value one I could find was 75,600JPY. (800USD)

Centre one is decorated with Swarovski

This was given to Lady Gaga as souvenir during her tour in Japan

 

In addition to Hashi, there are so many pretty Hashi-Okis.

Umm... Ukiyoe ones are nice for souvenir

I really liked Cherry Blossom and Dango on Stick ones.

I bought these four for my family

cannot wait to enjoy meal with these items....

 

Come to Midtown Tower!

you can dine, shop and enjoy arts here!

http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/

PS: I found a cool iPhone jacket in the other store 

Very Wahoo!









Sendai Tanabata Festival: 仙台七夕祭り (Sendai Tanabata Matsuri)

Sendai Tanabata Festival, August 07, is a month delay in the July 07 every year, be held over three days from August 06, 08.

The decorations are said to be from lowest to highest total of 3,000 throughout the individual parts of the city such as home decoration, such as stores and will color the city as "Tanabata".



This "Tanabata Festival" is counted in one of the biggest festivals in the three northeastern, more than two million visitors a year.



Tanabata decorations are made for large and small around the mall at the same time, such as municipalities around the city of Sendai.
Moreover, there is also suppliers to create a decorative Tanabata stations and airports, and companies such as the metropolitan area there may also have effects on the "Tanabata Festival" throughout the country, continues to be export all over the decoration of its luxury.

Kagurazaka: 神楽坂 (Kagurazaka Fun-Run)

It was fine whether last Tuesday and I ran to Kaguzrazaka, one of the the neighborhoods where you can find modern and antique atmosphere in Tokyo.

"Kagura" means Shinto Music and Dancing and "Saka" menas Hill (uphill).

In the alleys in Kagurazaka, you could find your self  "Time-Slipped" to Edo Era...

From Setagaya, ran thru Shibuya, Gaien, Akasaka, Yotsuya and Kagurazaka, and back to Shinjuku.

Please enjoy photos I took during 9 miles fun-run.

Aoyama Dori and Omote-Sando,

Then Gaien, a beautiful park

http://www.meijijingugaien.jp/

http://www.meijijingugaien.jp/english/

Then Imperial Palace in Akasaka,

Then The State Guest House,

Finally get to the destination, Kagurazaka

Cool! Very Edo!
Forget about your time.

You can get lost on your own initiative...^_^

There are many nice and neat modern restaurants in the alleys.

Too bad I did not have chance to see Geisha and Geiko,

But I wish I could have nice Sake and fine food with Geisha in this type of restaurants someday...

After taking a walk, I enjoyed Zenzai, Japanese traditional Sweet.

I had Green Tea Bavaroise and Sweet Beans.

in nice atmosphere Cafe.

Then I ran back to Shinjuku and took Bus and Cab back to residence... Cheater!

I heard  a footstep of Spring....

Okonomi-yaki: お好み焼 (Okonomi-Yaki)

Since it was raining last weekend, I cooked some Okonomi-Yaki for my family.

Some people say it is "Japanese Pancake" but it is not quite right. It look pancake but it tastes more heavy dish. It has variety of ingredients more than juts dough.

Hiroshima and Osaka are popular region for this popular food, "Okonomi-Yaki"
I would like to introduce recipe for Osaka style today.

(I will make Hiroshima Style later on)



Step 1: Make Stock

As usualmake Stock "Dashi" by Tangle and dried Bonito flaked. (refer to "Chinese Pork Nabe" in the old post) And put it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Step 2:  Make Dough

Go to Japanese Super market get Okonomiyaki Flour first ^_^

Then mix it with the Dashi with ratio of Flour 1 : Dashi 1.3.

Mix it little by little. and let it cool in the fridge if you have extra time.

 Step 3: Mix them

Mix dough with diced Cabbage. Do not make the dice too big, not too small. Mix them with Cabbage 1 : Dough 0.7. put shrimp, Squid as you like. Put Egg mandatory.

Do not mix too hard. Mix them gently and softly.

Step 4: Fry it

put it onto the pan and make shape with spoon. Make it like 15-18 cm and Put Sliced Pork Ribs. Once you make shape and put the slices, DO NOT Touch. let it cook with Mid-high temp.

Once you check the bottom and you see the bottom get barley colored, then you turn it.

↓

Step 5: Dinner is ready

You turn it once again. The side of Pork should be the front.

Put Okonomi-Yaki source (Go to Japanese Supermarket ^_^;:) , Mayo and seaweed fleak and dried Bonito flakes.



Step 6: If you want to try REAL thing,

Go to Osaka.

http://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/contents/wdu020/english/events_tourism/index.html

Hmmm.. it was Yummy....

Enjoy it!

Bonds for Japan: Kizuna NIPPON

With a feeling of mourning, 
We all  would like to thank supporters around the world.

Tokyo Tower: 東京タワー (Tokyo Tower)

Tokyo Tower; is the most famous sight seeing spot at Tokyo. Officially, it is 333 meters hight, but actually it is 325.1 meters and is 351 meters above sea level.

The tower made by "1958" as the radio tower. Then this was same as "Michael Jackson", "Madonna", etc,, were born.

In recent days, "Tokyo Sky Tree" was build, and then this will be the radio tower for Tokyo area.  As well as this is the most highest tower in this area (634 meters hight).

For Japanese people, the tokyo tower was the symbol to expand the economics from "World War 2" at the Showa age. And then, this is the same mind after "Tokyo Sky Tree" will open in near future.

There are many pictures on the internet you can see, so, we recommend a little bit different style; the night picture at the bottom of the tower.

It looks like red lattice and moon, enjoy!

The Great Buddha of Kamakura: 鎌倉大仏 (Kamakura Daibutsu)

Few days ago, I ran to The Great Buddha of Kamakura from my home (20km round trip) to check Great Buddha "Daibutsu" out.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is located in Ko-Toku-In Temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Although there are several theories, but The bronze statue probably dates from 1252, in the Kamakura Era, when the capital of Japan was placed in Kamakura.

Its Weight is 121 tonnes (270k lb) and the Height is 12.35m (43.8 ft)

It was covered by by Gilding when it was built but it is peeled now.
There are so many "Daibutsu"s in Japan but the original purpose (motive) for Daibutsu was for the rulers to demonstrate their power.



Here are some extra photo & video

Beautiful Fuji-San from Zushi Beach.

The Monument says, "Season of the Sun starts here"

Season of the Sun " Taiyo- no Kisetsu" is a Novel written in 1955 by the current Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara

 

A Famous local train Enoshima Railway "Enoden".

You should take it when you are in Kamakura.

It goes from Kamakura to  Fujisawa.

You can enjoy the nice view of the Ocean.



Japanese Lantern: 提灯 (Chochin)

In a sense, "提" means "down to the hand" and "灯" is a "light", which means the light that can carry.

It was lit a candle carry a flashlight in the past. But, in recent years, use a sheet of plastic instead of "bamboo higo" (like a stick) and the paper, and then, a light bulb is used instead of a candle.

 At present, except during the festival, to be used this way in everyday life is

not, in festivals and events are often used as a billboard.

And then this is high fashion, so, has been sold as souvenirs and interior.

There are various types of "提灯" are soled in Japan..

Doll Festival: ひな祭り (Hina-Matsuri)

On March 3rd, we have The Japanese Doll Festival (雛祭り, Hina-matsuri), or Girls' Day.
Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (雛人形, hina-ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian Era.

We usually celebrate girls' or daughters' health and growth through this festival.

Originally, There are 7 tiers.

1st, Top Platform, Emperor and Empress sit,

2nd, lady servants sit to serve Sake to Emperor

3rd, musicians sit to entertain the festival

4th, Ministers sit to provide Emperor "Lip Services" (may-be)

5th, Samurais sit to protect Emperor (but I assume they cannot complete their mission because they are drank)

6th, Tools and crafts for daily living

7th, Cars and baskets

But in modern age,

We have 3 tiers, 5 tiers or even just 1 tier (like the one I have) for more compact space.

Photo: Beautiful Hina-Doll in Shinjuku Keio Plaza Hotel:

Photo: Hina Doll in my house

Video: Hina Doll with Hina-Matsuri Song (with my Daughter singing)