Topic: Japan Discussion

Wow, NHK World has completely shuffled their lineup, so I'm going to be a bit confused for awhile.

Anywho, Journeys in Japan was on tonight (used to be Tokyo Fashion Express).

They went to Nagoya, and highlighted the city's relationship with Miso (various restaurants, how it's made, and history).

Sorry I wasn't more detailed (since I didn't know it would be on tonight, I didn't check to see what the episode was going to be about beforehand).

wait...
what do you mean by "catgirls"?

They have miso soup in sachets here which are just-add-water, but I've always wanted to make it proper. I've also wanted to make proper yakisoba, although I dunno if the ingredients available here are the real deal or not. There never seem to be any Japanese orientated supermarkets here; only Chinese and Korean

then again, I bet the best stuff is mostly homemade or family made rather than branded, just like every other cuisine

.......Truth!

He'd make a movie about you b/c you're a silly bird freak D: Unless Howl was too close to that. It'd be a movie about a bird freak who wants to be a catboi and he has to find his identity in the spirit realm where there are many freaks and then you meet the devil and make a deal then you turn into a catboi but one year from then you have to go to complete your side of the bargain then...! Watch the movie to find out.
@paperluigi...I mean catgirls...O___Ol|

So, Tokyo Eye is going to be on Tuesday nights now, instead of Wednesday afternoons.

This means I'll get to see it more now, but this also means they moved around Imagine-Nation (which used to be on Tuesday nights). It's my favorite show, so I hope it's still in a timeslot I can catch.

Tokyo Eye was on tonight! The subject was dining out on a budget (since travelers will have to cope with the strong Yen).

First, they higlighted Gyudon, a type of meat & rice bowl, that can be found inexpensively in many restaurants.

They then talked about family style restaurant chains, which often have a western design (again, which is helpful for western tourists), and aren't tough on the wallet.

They then highlighted a couple of public cafeterias. Found in the district (of Tokyo) that houses most of the country's central government buildings, they're both inexpensive, and an educational experience (as they often teach about native Japanese foods & cuisine). One even has an area nearby, that teaches about disaster prevention & preparedness.

They also showcased a budget restaurant, that has a 30 minute all you can drink offer, that only costs 299¥, and offers grilled chicken on a stick for only 60¥.

They ended out with a bar that's part liquor store. To curb costs, the customer chooses their drink & food (canned) off the shelf, and brings it up to the bar themselves to consume. During this segment, they also highlighted Hoitsu (Hoisu?), a Whiskey substitute that is much more affordable than the real thing.

@paperluigi - Do...Do you not know what a catgirl is?

I can already see the millions rolling in. ✰✰✰✰✰

well im majoring in japanese language and literature and going to study there. So i would say I like japan lol

BEGIN Japanology was on tonight! They covered something about Japanese culture I had no idea about, name seals.

Essentially ink stamps, name seals are used in lieu of signatures in Japan (any major document, such as a marriage certificate, requires one to officially sign).

They were introduced to Japan centuries ago from China, & the Japanese government quickly adopted their use. Samurais would try to make very unique & intimidating seals to represent them & their personality. After the Meiji Revolution, when all Japanese citizens were required to have surnames, the name seal business boomed. They continue to evolve with the times, as there are now electronic name seals, so you don't have to print every document you need officiated.

They're used often in offices, where workers have to stamp every paper they work on, and to sign into work. The stamp used at work will often differ from your home seal, as the day's date will be added to the stamp. On documents that many workers stamp, it's customary to tilt your stamp, to give the polite impression that you're bowing to the next person in line.

To thwart forgery, name seals are often custom made, that way no two stamps are the same (it also allows for a surprisingly great amount of artistic freedom with the characters).

The host also visited a toy store, where one can purchase name seals made for tourists (have western names). Oh, and there was an Angry Birds poster behind the host during this quick segment, lol.

Jibtv was on tonight! They showed a program called Barasu. It was one of those "how is it made/how does it work" programs.

The subject was a recent model in the Washlet Apricot series of "smart toilets", from Toto LTD.

The program was sponsored by East Japan Railway Company, so there was an advertisement for them after the program.

They had two shorter programs on today. Exclusive Gardens of Kyoto, & Fudoki.

On Exclusive Gardens of Kyoto, they highlighted the famous rock garden at Ryoan-Ji (a Buddhist temple).

On Fudoki, they highlighted a tradition held on the Oga peninsula, called Namahage. Held on New Year's Eve, young adult males dress up as ogres, demons, ect, and go around town scaring young children into obeying/respecting their parents (I've never seen kids so scared in my life O_O). Families also prepare a special stew for the occasion.

The only real facts about Japan that I know are that it is in Asia and they make awesome anime and games.

They had an hour long Itadakimatsu! Dining With the Chef special on tonight!

They went around showcasing thr various cuisine of the Hokkaido region (such as local sushi dishes, noodles, ect), and showed how to prepare them at home.

Itadakimatsu! Dining With the Chef was on tonight.

It was a repeat (the episode where they made a Nabe Hot Pot).

Journeys in Japan was on tonight!

They covered the unique local cuisine of Fukuoka (much of which has foreign influence, since the city was the gateway into & out of Japan, to & from China & Korea in the past), and visited some of the popular local markets.

Tokyo Eye was on tonight!

The host gave a countdown of his top ten favorite spicy foods that can be found in the city. Being a big city, most of his favorite spicy foods (available in Tokyo) don't originate in Japan.

His top 3 were Menkaito (from Japan), Chili (from U.S.A.), & Miso Soup (from Japan) with Tobasco sauce.

Other well known foods that made his list were Curry (from India) & Kimchi (from Korea).

The episode made me hungry, lol.

I always found it odd that the Japanese ate curry so often, since where I'm from (northern China) nobody uses curry powder in anything. Plus, nobody knows how to, and everyone should be advised to never order anything curried from a Chinese restaurant since it'll most likely be terrible. Which is weird, because China is a lot closer to places which use curry often in cuisine than Japan is. Maybe it was introduced by the Dutch when they colonised parts of Japan?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry

curry =/= curry powder

Curry powder, a commercially prepared mixture of spices, is largely a Western notion, dating to the 18th century.

^What's funny is that when I was younger, I had always thought curry was a traditionally Japanese dish (since I would regularly see it in anime), lol.

It wasn't until years later I learned it came from India.

Also, when did the Dutch colonize any part of Japan? I know they were one of the first (the first) western countries to initiate trade with Japan, but I don't remember ever hearing they colonized Japan.