Impressions of daily life in Japan
Winter is in full swing in Japan and it is cold! While the average daily maximum temperature for the Nagoya region in January is 9°C (according to the Japan Meteorological Agency), this year has been particularly cold with many days where the temperature doesn't go above 3 or 4° C. Japanese homes, unlike Belgian ones,... Continue Reading →
Anyone who has lived in the Toyota City center or has visited Toyota City will know the characteristic sound of 'The Mochi Mobile'. It's a little van that drives around the city while blasting it's characteristic song from a megaphone. This is what it sounds like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyjU2aurzHQ&feature=youtu.be I've heard the wildest theories about the significance... Continue Reading →
For New Years Eve dinner we decided to make 'yosenabe', a simmered dish containing many different ingredients. It was a first so I was a little worried how it would turn out. But overall I'm very happy with the result. Real wholesome winter food!
Since Starbucks has been fueling my JLPT (see previous post) cramming efforts for a few days now, it seemed like the right time to write something about Starbucks in Japan. In Belgium I wouldn't be caught dead in a Starbucks since there are so many nice and locally owned coffee bars. Besides, there are only... Continue Reading →
Today, November 11th, is Pocky Day. And it's even more special because the year is 2011. Pocky is a kind of candy. It's a stick-shaped biscuit, traditionally covered in chocolate. But these days there are many different kinds of Pocky. One of the most popular kinds is the vividly pink-coloured strawberry taste Pocky. The reason... Continue Reading →
When wandering around the Osu Kannon neighbourhood in Nagoya one summer afternoon, we were lucky enough to stumble unto a 'mochi making ceremony' at a temple (mochitsuki in Japanese). Mochi are sweet rice cakes. The rice is first steamed and then placed into a mortar. One or two people with mallets pound the rice until... Continue Reading →
The Japans 