Hello World :) I'm a staff of XO Japan. I'm posting interesting information from Japan from native Japanese point of view! I think you guys might like it ;) If you want me to go somewhere and report about that, plz tell me via Twitter or Facebook fan page! I'll go!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Lost in Akihabara(秋葉原)

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(on the Akihabara station)


Today, I went to Akihabara for the first time of my life. I went there to look for and buy microphone adapter for iPhone and audio mixer. Finally I could buy audio mixer.

(Electrical parts market)

Akihabara is the place known that there are lots of electrical store and many Otaku. I didn't see many Otaku or cosplay guys today but there are some. There are also many anime goods shops.


(in front of the computer game shop)


I was really stranger there. And I didn't know which way to go or which shop to go. It might be very fun on weekend because there held some event in Akihabara on weekend. I think I should go again there on weekend and I definitely will do.

(on the street)

(bending machines. left:Gachagacha(ガチャガチャ) right: juice bending machine selling coffee and ramen)

(Cafe in Akihabara. I ate lunch here.)


(left: Yodobashi-Akiba(electrical store) right: Akihabara station)


You can see more photos that I took while I'm walking with my iPhone from Here.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

3 Tips for Finding Good Takoyaki Shop

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(http://www.flickr.com/photos/fukagawa/436417893/ via CreativeCommons)


Takoyaki(たこ焼き) is one of the most popular food among Japanese people. It is a ball-like pancake and there's cut octopus inside the ball.

You can eat everywhere in Japan. We often eat it when there held festival. But the most famous place for Takoyaki(たこ焼き) is Osaka. Takoyaki(たこ焼き) is sometimes called "soul food" of people in Osaka.

The professional of Takoyaki(たこ焼きのプロ) tells you 3 tips to find delicious Takoyaki shop.


#1 Is the shop neat and tidy?


Takoyaki shop has several equipment in the shop. If the equipments are set on particular place, it's good because it might mean that the cook has particular cooking style.


#2 Simple is the best!





http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0220/14/photo02.html

Some shop have catch-phrase like "Best in the world" "Crispy and delicous!". Those shops are actually not good shop. The shop that has simple word is good. when the shop's name is like  "Yamachan(山ちゃん)" or "Umai-ya(うまい屋)", those shops might be good.
Don't be deceived by the detailed words! Simple is the best!

#3 Cook is cheerful when cooking.


If the cook is making Takoyaki(たこ焼き) cheerfully, it's good sign. The cook of great Takoyaki is making Takoyaki with all their heart needless to say their skills.

Source(Japanese): http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0220/14/

You might be able to eat good Takoyaki here in Tokyo too. It's located in Harajuku. Shio-negi-mayo(塩ねぎマヨ) is good taste!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Tsukiji(築地)

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Yesterday, I went to Tsukiji the town known for delicious and fresh food market.
There're lots of old(or traditional) seafood shop and sushi shop and so on.

While I was walking around the market in Tsukiji, I took the video. Though it's without speaking in English, you might enjoy what Tsukjiji is like.






If you are planning to come to Tsukiji and going to eat Sushi, this web site will help you!


Question for 20s people: Which Cup Noodle do you like?

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The research targeting 20s business persons and questioning "Which cup noodle do you like?".


Cup noodle is one of the most famous junk food in Japan. And you might even know that name and  its package. 


Which products do you think Japanese 20s business persons like? Here is the ranking of this research.


[Male]


#5 European Curry with Cheese Noodle(欧風チーズカレー味)



  • combination of Cheese and noodle is really good.(24-year-old sales person in advertising company)
  • I originally like cheese. so when this noodle came out, I think I would like it! (24-year-old financial staff in motor industry company)



#4 Salt Soup Noodle(塩味)



  • Simple is the best.(25-year-old sales person in advertising company)

#3 Curry Soup Noodle(カレー味)

  • I rarely eat curry soup noodle. But this noodle is really good. (24-year-old financial staff in electric products company)
  • Its curry soup is rich in flavor. (25-year-old researcher in information-related company)
#2 Soy Sauce Soup Noodle(しょうゆ味)

  • Soy sauce soup is basic amongst ramen(ラーメン). You cannot mistake in taste if you eat this. (26-year-old R&D in textile industry)
  • I have been eating this taste since I was child. I feel comfortable when eating this. (24-year-old system engineer in IT company)
# Seafood Soup Noodle(シーフード味)

  • tastes non-fatty. combination of soup and noodle is really good.(24-year-old system engineer in software company)
  • I feel relax when I eat this with mayonnaise. I don't know why. (23-year-old sales person in financial company)
  • You cannot eat this kind of taste in ramen shops around Japan. So I like this. (27-year-old sales person in precision equipment manufacturer)



[Female]

#5 Miso Soup Noodle(みそ味)

  • I feel comfortable when I want to have miso soup. (26-year-old system engineer in telecom industry)
  • It's good when I eat this soup with rice. (25-year-old secretary in real estate industry)
#4 Curry Soup Noodle(カレー味)

  • Sometimes I really want to eat this. I like it because the taste is like "this-is-the-CUPNOODLE". (23-year-old medical service person)
  • Combination of curry and ramen is without any rivals! (23-year-old in travel agency)
#3 Salt Soup Noodle(塩味)

  • If you put Umeboshi(梅干) in it, it tastes really good! (23-year-old in financial company)
  • Taste non-fatty, and the taste of pepper is really nice! (25-year-old in travel agency)

#2 Soy Sauce Soup(しょうゆ味)

  • The flavor of soy sauce makes me hungry! (24-year-old sales person in financial company)
  • After I finished eating noodle, I can enjoy eating more with putting some rice in the soup.(23-year-old financial staff in trading company)
#1 Seafood Soup Noodle(シーフード味)

  • There are lots of seafood and vegetables in it and saltiness of the soup is really good. (26-year-old accommodation and works)
  • Full of tastes of saltiness and seafood. (25-year-old secretary)
  • I like to eat this with mayonnaise.(24-year-old financial staff)




I'm really surprised that the seafood noodle become great when it's eaten with "mayonnaise". I will try it someday!!!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Decoration is on the boom.

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Every Japanese girls like to decorate anything. They decorate chocolate for Valentine's day, Cellphone, nails, and so on. The new wave of the decoration is "Ice cream".

The ice cream decorated with strawberries, whipped cream, and sauce. Using lots of "pink" and "white". Probably the Japanese girls who see these decorated ice cream will say "Kawaii !!" loudly.

You can enjoy either seeing and eating at the same time. The pictures below are some of them.







http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0219/19/photo05.html

Concept of Kawaii might be defined as all the things the girls like. Boys like me, can't understand what the girls are thinking LOL. 

Interview at "Wild Blue Angel" in Daikanyama, Tokyo

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(Mr Idee is taking the video, and Kaoru is interviewing with the owner of the shop)


Yesterday, on 18th of February, we had an interview with the owner of the shop called "Wild Blue Angel". The shop is full of '70s clothes and goods because the owner was learning fashion when the '70s fashion was popular. Also, the owner is collecting several goods that he really like and thinks it great.

The shop was once an old house. But he renovated or remake the old house. The shop has good atmosphere. There're several kinds of goods from belt to jacket.





You can see the video from below! See and enjoy!




Detail Info about "Wild Blue Angel"
Place: 14-6 Daikanyamacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (東京都渋谷区代官山町14-6)
  TEL: 03-5489-4560
    Website(Japanese): http://www.wildblueangel.jp/aboutus/wildblueangel_daikanyama.html
Shop URL: http://bit.ly/bKKUdr



(I did live broadcasting from the shop!! The cable was bothersome!)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Wasabi has Antiaging effects

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(from Flickr by stu_spivack)

Have you ever tried Wasabi(わさび: spice often used when eating for Sushi)? Not hot spice, but spicy. Not similar to other spice like chili. It's really Japanese-taste spice.


Professor Miwa from Chubu University(in Aichi prefecture) found that the component of Wasabi has effects of antiaging and preventing sick like cancer or diabetes. This result of research will be published on PLoS ONE, source says. This research found that Wasabi reduce oxidative stress which is induced by such as smoking.


Let's try Wasabi and be healthy!! Go to Sushi bar now LOL!! But be careful using too much is dangerous..


Interesting thing is that we have Wasabi ice cream in Japan. I've never had it but it is popular! So if you have chance to come to Japan and go to Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, you should try it! (see the map!)


Running Sushi in Your Home!!

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http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0216/8/photo00.html


One Sushi shop in Aichi, is providing a service that helps you to have running sushi party at office or the event.



To see below pictures, you can easily understand how to have running sushi at office.




http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0216/8/photo07.html
Cups for Ocha(お茶: Japanese green tea) and Shoyu(醤油: Soy sauce) and Gari(ガリ: Pickled ginger) and chopstics is prepared.

http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0216/8/photo09.html
Professional chef of sushi is slicing Maguro(マグロ: Tuna). There're other kinds of fish there.


http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0216/8/photo11.html


Company detail
Sushidokoro Kaku(寿司処 角)
2-93-1 Takane-machi, Seto-City, Aichi-Prefecture
Open from 11:00 to 15:00 and from 16:00 to 22:00
Telephone: 0561-85-3339

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Sakura Cream Frappuccino coming out!

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http://news.walkerplus.com/2010/0215/3/photo00.html

Sakura(桜) is Cherry Blossom and is a symbol of Spring in Japan. We do Hanami(花見) on Spring which is drinking and eating outside with seeing cherry blossom kind of picnic thing. It is a traditional event from Edo period (江戸時代) often done by higher class people in old Japan.
This spring, Starbucks Japan released Sakura Cream Frappuccino. It takes a year to make this frappuccino. This Japanese original frappuccino must be delicious! You should taste this Japanese original Starbucks frappucino!

You can buy some cute goods at Starbucks in Japan ;)

Free Tour around Harajuku and Akihabara

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Japan National Tourism Organization is now giving some campaign to show around Harajuku (Japanese fashion center) and Akihabara(Japanese Otaku culture center).

It is all free and gives tour guide in English, Chinese, and Korean.

The registration of tour guide around Harajuku has ended but you can just go Harajuku and join the tour. This tour event is lasted until 19th of February. It starts at 2p.m. and ends 3:30p.m. Detailed infomation is below.

http://www.tenkai-japan.com/2010/02/13/harajuku-walking-tour-2010/

Tour guide around Akihabara is done by only English. And this tour guide is held on 27th of February. You can find more information form below.

http://www.akihabara-tour.com/en/
If you have time and chance to visit here around Tokyo, you should take this tour because it's free!!

Valentine's day of Otaku guys.

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In Japan, on St. Valentine's day, usually girls gives chocolates to boys. So there are a lot of chocolate maker open its shops around Japan. Even in a supermarket, expanded chocolate area is appeared. Girls make chocolate for boys as a message of love and thankfulness.

Boys are usually eager to get some chocolate from girls as many as they could because boys thinks that it means they are loved by as many people as the number of chocolates.

What did so-called Otaku guys do on this day? The answer is they are dating with game character.

The name of the game is "Love Plus(ラブプラス)". It is a simulation game played on Nintendo DS. With this, you can date with girl as if the girl is in front of you.

They made chocolate on their own. And felt they were so happy the Valentine's day of this year. Below pictures are what the Otaku guys did.














Monday, February 15, 2010

Japanese Comedian in Vancouver

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http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//100212/483/olysj14302122117/

Did you guys see this picture on Yahoo! News?
Yo Oizumi (wikipedia) is kind of a comedian or actor based in Sapporo. He is in Vancouver to report what's going on there. He is really famous actor in Japan. Here is another pictures of him in Vancouver.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/insidears/archives/52204763.html
He is holding a band with words Hisshou (必勝: meaning victory) and Hinomaru(日の丸: symbol of Japanese flag).