New Year!

あけましておめでとうございます！
New Year Countdown celebrations were held at Zojoji Temple, Tokyo last night where they released silver balloons with notes of hope inside.

Here's a video with 5 minutes leading to countdown.

Tokyo women prefer to be 'cute'

Image by Kanebo Cosmetics Inc

 According to a lifestyle survey conducted by Kanebo released on Tuesday, Tokyo women prefer to be “cute” rather than sophisticated or anything else. This is the first ever South East Asian study on lifestyles and attitudes on women in Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei and Seoul.

Happi mentioned that around 33% of Tokyo respondents wanted to appear cute, a standout figure compared to women elsewhere. In Beijing women want to look “elegant,” Shanghai women “lady-like,” Taipei “refined” and almost 45% of women in Seoul strive to look “sophisticated.”

The survey was part of a bigger study of examining women's expectations of work, their aims for five years' time, their personal aspirations, attitudes about beauty and make-up preferences.

Kobe Luminarie 神戸ルミナリエ

The annual illumination Kobe Luminarie has just commenced and will be running until 13th December. It started in 1995 commemorating 6000 victims of the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in January 1995.

What started as just a small festival has grown into an annual one with more than 5000 visitors. This year’s theme for the lights is 「光の心情」meaning “The heart in the light” (roughly). It is an Italian designed tunnel and lights are expected to be lit for several hours everyday. Kobe Luminarie is among the first ever illuminations in Japan, starting a trend in other parts of Japan now.

Here are a few pictures I took from a few years back.

'Granny' maids

Photo from AFP-Yonhap News

Japan has been known for some quite strange maid cafes with young girls serving tea dressed in aprons and frills. However according to Korea Herald, a new trend in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district is a café which now boasts of a disciplinary housekeeper from anime series Heidi, Girl of the Alps (intro video below). So customers go in and are scolded for not sitting properly or having the right manners. This is part of the Festival Tokyo 2010. This is an interesting change in trend in Japan as it reinforces there is always something ‘new’ to be explored. Maybe even a longing to be scolded?

The ‘maids’ range from real-life grannies to young girls who are dressed as grannies who even wear fake wrinkles and dye their hair.

Facebook and Japan

It’s interesting how Facebook is not as popular in Japan than in western countries. The act of connecting with people on social networks has accelerated in recent years. Whilst Twitter successfully launched into the Japanese market in 2009, Facebook is comparatively still struggling. Even though Japan has the third highest usage of the internet in the world, according to Japan Real Time, Japanese people have the fewest digital friends on social networks with an average of just 29 friends compared to the rest of the world and mostly use Mixi, a popular Japanese social networking site. Facebook headquarters in California launched a cross-platform feature since September that will allow users of Facebook and Mixi to share links hoping to raise popularity.

Another feature of the Mixi site is that all users are able to track those who have been looking at their profile which may be due to privacy concerns. Tailoring Facebook to a specific culture may take time and effort.

Calorie count

Japanese mobile phones recently have an extra application – count calories of food snapshots you take. According to Yahoo News, the software is developed by Japan's NTT Communications evaluates the colour and shapes of food, then compares it with a database and counts the calories. There are about 100,000 different sorts of food stored on the server. However where there are a several plates of food in a meal, an individual snapshot of each one is required.

For Japan being a health-conscious nation especially among girls, this is a big asset and valuable resource to their dieting. I remember my host mother counting how many calories I was allowed to take a day and made sure even the salad dressing for my salad had the lowest calorie possible.

The application also enables friends to share information about their calorie intake so that they might encourage one another or just compare their diets.

Technology and music

It’s really amazing how Japan is leading the way in terms of technology by introducing robots and virtual characters into the music scene. Miku Hatsune is a prime example of an artifically-generated holographic pop star created by Crypton Future Media holding concerts. She has many real life fans and performs live concerts. Below is a video.




There is also HRP-4C who is a humanoid robot who sings and dances. See video below. There is a hint that pop music is changing slightly due to technological advances.

JLPT

It’s been a while since my last entry. Now that uni exams are over, I’m starting to study for the Japanese Proficiency Exam attempting level 1 for the 3rd time which is in early December. This Japanese Language Proficiency Exam is an internationally recognised exam to measure Japanese abilities and the certificate is useful when working in Japan. However unlike previous years, this year, they have renewed the exam and it is aimed more at measuring practical skills. So this means incorporating a lot more everyday Japanese in comprehension, listening and grammar. The passing level every year has been around 70% and every time I just miss the mark, but supposedly this year they have lowered it so hopefully will pass it.

In the past I remember there were a lot of old grammar points I had to learn which were hardly used by Japanese people. When I asked my host family to explain them, they had no clue. Since this exam is completely multiple choice, I wonder exactly how much Japanese proficiency they can measure. Of course this exam can’t measure everything and has its limits, but I find it also very helpful. On the good side, it helps my keep up with my Japanese and reminds me of some structures which I have learnt in the past and have easily forgotten. I think for the past few years, somehow I have always looked forward to this exam at the end of the year which gives me a break from everything else. Once I pass this though, I will have to find another thing to study – maybe another language.

haiku

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry and is a non-rhymed verse genre in the form of five, seven, five sounds (not necessarily syllables). On Wikihow, it explains that haiku contains usually a season and a ‘kireji’ which is a cutting word which gives makes a contrast or comparison within the poem. One of the classic Haiku Zen poets was Matsuo Basho. His poetry focused on the Zen way of thinking and reflected his observation on simple things. Basho said that ‘Haiku is simply what is happening in this place at this time.’

Some examples of his work:
An old pond
A frog jumps in -
Splash!

On a withered branch
A crow has alighted:
Nightfall in autumn.

The rest of the world has also picked up on haiku and there are many haiku in English contests now. The Mainichi Daily News has a haiku section which publishes haiku every day and runs an annual Haiku contest. Last year’s winner of the contest was Scott Mason and his haiku was:

alfresco
the sommelier decants
a red sunset
— Scott Mason (U. S. A.)

Bear attacks

This year there have been an increase of bear attacks in Japan and believed to be due to shortage of food in the mountains.

According to Belfast Telegraph, there has been around 84 attacks killing 4 people from April to September this year compared to 64 attacks last year.

I’ve heard stories of bears searching for food in autumn particularly eating kaki (persimmon) from people’s gardens but there seems to be a lot more bears roaming around for food now. I'm also very surprised there are a lot of reports of bear sightings in Ishikawa Prefecture where I stayed during exchange.

Here’s a video of a bear caught in Ishikawa Prefecture: (warning: contains a dead bear)

Smell-O-Vision?

The Smell-O-Vision device developed by Japanese researchers is a gadget that releases aromas according to the images on the TV or computer screen. Creators believe this will revolutionise the way people watch TV.

The Japanese team adapted a printer to squirt four scents instead of the colour ink used in printers. Leading researcher Kenichi Okada of Keio University Tokyo said the scent from the ink jet lasts only for two human breaths and is still in its early stages of development.

This reminds me of the 4D movies in Disneyland where there is also the sense of touch incorporated when watching. Now when smell is incorporated we would be not only looking at mouth-watering dishes on Masterchef, but also smell the food as if we were really there. Bringing aroma into entertainment is not new: as early as the 1950s there was Aroma-Rama and its updated version Smell-O-Vision was designed to release smell through air conditioners in the cinema, trying to attract people to keep coming back. However that failed to hold.

It will sort of be like the Food Lion billboard which releases aromas of black pepper and charcoal from 7-10am in June, but only in our lounge rooms we will experience continuously a variety of smells.

Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport began to use its new fourth international runway on Wednesday. The internationalisation of the airport is a significant move as it is much more closer to the heart of Tokyo than Narita Airport. The structural innovation of the airport is also quite impressive with most of the floor and ceiling glass so that there is maximum exposure to light.

Haneda is Japan’s largest domestic airport, and flying into Haneda makes easier to connect to domestic flights. Japan’s other regional attractions such Hokkaido and Okinawa also become much more accessible through the new service at Haneda Airport.

The introduction of this terminal also has gotten local businesses excited, where according to Daily Yomiuri, it has given hope to many Tokyo bathhouses anticipating floods of foreign visitors. The Ota public bathhouse association has already made posters in four foreign languages to help foreigners who are not familiar with Japanese bathing customs.

Christianity in Japan

The passing of my grandma yesterday has left me pondering about the meaning of life as well as why there are such a small percentage of Christians in Japan (thought to be around 0.5%). The history of Christianity in Japan dates back to 1500s, however according to the OMF site, Christian was banned in Japan in 1626 since there were so many Japanese Christians being persecuted and elements of Buddhist and Shinto elements were introduced into Christian worship.

I found it very difficult to find a church when I was in Japan, and it took at least a month to find a Baptist church which was in the city (Kanazawa Baptist Church). Congregations are normally very small (around 30 people) but I found it so comforting that I could worship with them! However compared to Australia, there is definitely a lack of resources in Japan in terms of study materials, support groups, evangelism and much help is needed.

Most Japanese people are atheists and only older generation are Buddhists. Japan is a country with strong traditions and culture which tends to be hard for them to take Christianity as it is. It is difficult to start a conversation and talk about Christianity, however the interesting thing is most weddings in Japan now are conducted in Western style: meaning: bible reading, prayer, hymns except the sermon. Please pray for a breakthrough in Japan!

Kanji - Chinese Characters

Japan has been borrowing Chinese characters called kanji as well as using the other two simpler writing systems: katakana and hiragana. Recent reports have been concerned about the loss of writing kanji because of the rise of technology, especially computers and mobile phones. What this means is that with technology all three writing Japanese systems are combined into one, so that users easily forget how to write kanji because it is just a press of the button away. I remember the mobile phone was especially convenient in changing hiragana into kanji without needing to recall what the character was. Judith Evans from the South China Morning Post says part of the reason why characters are difficult to enter into computers and mobile phones ‘…are innate to the character-based writing systems themselves’.

However recent iPhone applications have tried to bring the focus back on learning kanji, allowing users to draw characters onto the screen.

Mos Burgers

I really love Mos Burgers and they are really different to McDonald’s. When I first when to Japan, it was definitely near the top of my ‘to try’ list. They are Asian-fied burgers which are made after you order and can take about 10-15 minutes to make. I remember trying the teriyaki flavoured burger which is one of the classic ones. Recent flavours are crazy and are designed specifically for the Japanese tastebuds. For example, they now have rice burgers which means instead of using bread, it’s replaced with rice, barley and millet which holds it in the shape of a burger. On the Japanese website, if you click on each burger, they show you what it actually inside the burger and how many calories each burger has (which is typical thing on all Japanese food labels). There are also international stores opened in Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, etc and can’t wait for this to open in Australia (if it ever will!).

The Way of the Tea

The tea ceremony is one of the distinctive traits of Japan. The word 茶道 literally means ‘the way of the tea’. It is linked to peace, tranquillity, and even samurais. It was started by Sen no Rikyū who intended the tea ceremony to be free from social and political trappings. The tea room door was only two and a half feet square, so guests had to crawl inside, which is an act of humbling themselves before the ceremony started.

The Japanese tea ceremony continues to thrive today and I had the privilege of learning how to perform the tea ceremony. Of course, there are many different types of ways, but the precision required is crucial to the whole ceremony. Every day I practised tea ceremony, but still easily made mistakes such as walking the wrong number of steps or using the wrong hand to get a bowl. There are also certain rules being the guest, where there is a certain way to hold the bowl of green tea, eat sweets, and have to comment on the painting on the wall. The beauty of the tea ceremony though is that it is completed in silence and whispers are hardly heard. This allows everyone to appreciate and enjoy the ceremony – looking at the performer make the tea, listening to the boiling water in the kettle, the shuffle of feet, etc. It also is a symbol that you forget all of the things clouding your mind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity the ceremony brings.

Some ceremonies nowadays are even outdoors and these coming weeks in Tokyo, there is the 2010 Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony for both foreigners and locals to enjoy.

Game shows

Japan is known for their crazy game shows which are full of crazy ideas and humiliation.

Below is a really classic one where teams try and eat marshmallows whilst their face is strapped to a rubber band.



Americans have also attempted to adapt Japanese game shows by mixing the most common elements of Japanese game shows and getting Americans to compete in Japan - 'I Survived a Japanese Game Show'. However, the atmosphere is definately very different and doesn't have the same aura as Japanese people competing in game shows so has been axed this year.

Have included just some parts of Episode 2.

How English is changing Japan

In August, major Japanese companies announced they would be adopting English as their official and has created mixed reactions in the Japanese community.

The influence of English in Japan has been quite temperamental. Japan has adopted many phrases from the English language in day-to-day conversations termed as ‘Japlish’, however problems with English education in Japan have also been deep-rooted.

During exchange in Japan, when stuck with words in Japanese, I could easily use English words and pronounce them in a Japanese accent to express myself. Although most Japanese people deny they know how to speak English, many English expressions slip through conversations unnoticed. Words like Ma-ku-do-na-ru-do stand for McDonald’s and su-pe-rin-gu for spelling.

The English language is continually seeping into Japan, following closely behind Chinese influence. Back in the eighth century, the early part of Heian period was described as the peak of Japanese culture. The Chinese language was perceived as the best vehicle for literary expression in poetry and prose.

However, Japanese women found it hard to express their deep feelings in Chinese, so developed kana, simplifying basic Chinese characters. This saw the formation of the Japanese language, and the Heian period produced famous literary works including Tale of Genji and the Pillow Book, which detailed cultural activities.

The adoption of English in Japan has also vigorously increased. Besides from ‘Japlish’ expressions, recent announcements by two major Japanese companies have revealed they would be adopting English as their official in-house language by 2012. This is the mark of a dramatic change in Japan and has caused ripples in the Japanese community. It has raised fears and questions of Japan’s ability to master the English language.

Rakuten Inc, Japan’s largest online shopping mall and Fast Retailing Co, operator of a casual clothing chain have explained this is the best method of surviving globally. Recognising English as a universal language, Rakuten have put pressure on its employees to master the language in two years. The headquarters in Tokyo have begun implementing English labels on menus in its cafeterias and floor directories.

I find it hard to see how the Japanese community can reconcile such a decision by the companies even though this means the potential of expanding businesses internationally. The requirement of speaking fluent English in Japan working for a Japanese company is a heavy blow to the cultural pride built since the Heian period.

The prospect of mastering English in two years is daunting. The average Japanese student would have spent at least 10 years of their life studying English and still would not be fluent. This is because they acquire only textbook English, where grammar points are learnt for tests and university entrance examinations.

A recent proposal by the Meiji University was the ‘Cool Japan Summer program’, seeking to promote Japan internationally. However to be in line with the rest of the world, more focus should be put on improving the quality of English teaching methods in Japan rather than drawing people into the country. Realistically, the actual process of mastering English in Japan is difficult. Whilst English is taught as a subject in most schools, English education has turned out to be fruitless as students are poorly coached.

Learning the English language and being fluent at it also poses a threat of making Japanese inferior to English. ‘Japlish’ comparatively is harmless, as it is all about playing around with English and incorporating some of it into Japanese with the fusion creating a tinge of sophistication.

There is great comfort some English words are already used in Japanese conversations. Instead of mastering the English language, perhaps ‘Japlish’ will suffice. In the words of McDonald’s Japan Co, ‘I-em-ra-bin-it-to’ (I’m loving it). This will protect the cultural integrity of the country.

This was submitted as part of an assignment.

GPS glasses

Engineers from the Nakajima Laboratory at the University of Electro-Communications developed a prototype of GPS glasses with integrated LEDs around the frame of the glasses. The LEDs, which are visible in users’ peripheral field of vision, change colour and placement in order to user the direction they should be walking in. This proposes a more convenient way of finding direction as it differs from the current GPS devices on smartphones which requires users to look down.

This was exhibited at this year’s Wireless Japan 2010, but is still a prototype and yet to be available.

Below is a video which explains it a bit more.

Centenarians in Japan

Picture of Chiyono Hasegawa, currently Japan's oldest person

Japanese people are renowned for their healthy diet consisting mainly of rice, fish and seaweed, and this has contributed to longevity.

Reports in July of finding the oldest living male in Tokyo dead for the past 30 years sent ripples in the Japanese community as ward officials were updating the centenarians list ahead of Japan’s Respect for the Elderly Day (September 18). Across Japan, there were a number of elderly people who were not living in the stated address in the resident registry.

On Monday, according to the latest survey, the oldest person is Chiyono Hasegawa, 113, of Kiyama, Saga Prefecture and the oldest male is the same as last year—Jirouemon Kimura, 113, of Kyotango, Kyoto Prefecture, who was born April 19, 1897.

According to Japan Today, the number of centenarians in Japan have reached around 44,000 this year which is a big difference since 1963, when the survey began and centenarians only totalled 153.

Japan's gaming industry

The Japanese gaming industry is in decline. Twenty years ago, Nintendo’s Mario and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog was born in Japan and dominated video games. According to an article in the International Herald Tribune, the West have now overtaken Japan’s video designers. Now Japanese gaming industry are asking whether they should learn from the West and make games more appealing to them.

The West’s dominance in the video games industry was evident in this year’s Tokyo Game Show (September 18-19) and has continued to thrive. Part of the reasoning for Japan’s decline from Japanese video designers’ perspectives is that Japanese games are repetitive and have no diversity or originality. So rather than thinking of new ideas and presenting them in a different way, Japanese video games have continued to update existing games and have tried to make them better, presenting them in the same way.

Japanese video designers are realising now they are not just designing games for a niche audience, but a global one. Since the gaming industry is continually changing, and Japan’s domestic market is shrinking, there is a need to alter games and sell more games overseas. Thus, designers will be looking to get some inspiration from the West so as to save Japan video game market from further decline.

Virtual girlfriends

Virtual romance is an interesting phenomenon. News last year of a man marrying his virtual girlfriend in Japan was very bizarre to me and probably to most people.

However Love Plus, Japan’s popular dating game is catching on since its release last September. It is a dating game which enables players to already be in a relationship with a virtual girl with the goal of building a long-term relationship with her. It is particularly different from other games as one fan comments “it’s fun because the relationship continues forever”.

Players communicate with their virtual girlfriends through voice recognition technology with attempts to make players feel they are sharing their lives with a girlfriend.

Last month in MX, there was some news about encouraging Love Plus players to visit Atami (which is near Tokyo) and go on a holiday with their virtual girlfriends. According to Yahoo News, Atami had a campaign from July to August with specially barcoded areas which enabled men to take photos with their smartphones and bring their virtual girlfriends to life. The local hotel also had barcoded areas which allowed men to see their virtual girlfriends in kimonos.

This is a really bizarre game as it attempts to blur the line between fantasy and reality. Although Love Plus is only available in Japan, it may be mainstream a few years down the track and it raises a lot of questions regarding its feasibility and morality. What it clearly does prove however is that there is the possibility in Japan of replacing romance with technology.

Maccas and Nintendo DS

In March last year, McDonald’s Japan Co started to train part-time employees using a Nintendo DS program called ‘eSmart’. There was a distribution of 2 handhelds per branch in Japan.

The following June, Tokyo branches of McDonald’s launched a service which enables customers to use their Nintendo DS gaming system to access a broad variety of information including games and discount coupons whilst in premises. According to CEO McDonald’s Japan Eiko Harada, he wanted McDonald’s to offer more than just food and beverages to families, but increased convenience for other services as well.

Last Saturday, McDonald’s Japan announced there will be new in-store services across Japan so will extend access to information such as Pokemon titles and characters as well as other games. Once again, this proves Japan is well ahead of the rest of the world and has thought of this strategy to attract more customers. According to the Daily Yomiuri, since June 2009’s trial, the number of customers at participating restaurants have increased by 2-4 per cent. Gradually other stores in Japan will be picking up this tactic and will be years later that Australia will actually pick this up.

Canberra-Nara candle festival

Today in Canberra, it is the 2010 Canberra Nara Candle Festival, celebrating the 17th anniversary of the sister-cities’ relationship. It will be held in the Canberra-Nara Peace Park.

Canberra’s sister links with Nara have been mainly forged through regular educational and sporting exchanges.

The event will consist of lighting 2000 candles and lanterns to celebrate peace. This festival consists of entertainment including Japanese Taiko drums and indigenous Australian music. The festival started eight years ago and is based on a traditional festival in Nara called Tokae.

Although the festival was cancelled, it will be expecting a crowd of at least 10,000 as shown in previous years. According to the Canberra Government’s website, this festival celebrates the similarities and differences between the two cities. Both cities are close to the natural environment with Nara famous for their deers and Canberra for kangaroos (not sure about this?).

Nara is a city dating back to more than 1300 years when it was Japan’s first permanent capital and is well known for its arts and architecture. Canberra on the other hand is the modern capital of Australia and is rated as one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Australia. So the forging of friendship and the strengthening of cultural relationship are emphasised as major themes today.

The festival will be held from 3pm to 9pm today in Lennox Gardens, Canberra.

Maple viewing

Now is the beginning of the season of maple viewing in Japan and is one of the most colourful and brightest times of the year. Besides from cherry blossom viewing which occurs in April, autumn is the best season and there are plenty of good places to do some maple viewing.

The maple tree is so popular that the form of art associated with it is called ‘maple art’ and still continues today. The name given for centuries for this type of art in Japan is of course ‘bonsai’.

I am really ashamed to admit that I was given a maple bonsai to take care of but after a while of not watering it, it died - definitely am not a good bonsai keeper.

A website suggested the Japanese maple is a ‘symbol of grace personified… represents elegance and a sense of tastefulness’. For me, it is the colours which are attractive. The initial green colour gradually turns orange, then peaks at a bright red. Maple viewing is normally near the mountains of Japan.

Japanese maples have also been celebrated in Japanese poetry, especially in the "waka" or "tanka" style court poetry that originated from the seventh to the thirteenth century. Maple leaves were a source of inspiration and is a topic still widely used today in poetry.

AKB48

Japan has been renowned for quirky and innovative things from crazy game-shows to technology. AKB48, an all-female idol group is revolutionising pop culture by being “a mass-production, mass-marketing, mass presence affair” according to Japan Times.

Starting in 2005, producer Yasushi Akimoto formed the group with the intention of having 16 members each in teams A, K and B. The girls ranging from 14 to 24 were selected out of 7,924 contestants in an audition, according to AKB48's website.

At least one of the teams performs daily in Akihabara at the exclusive AKB48 Theatre, whilst the other members are busy at promotions or events.

This band has really emphasised on exposure as a key to success. Akimoto’s concept of ‘meeting real idols daily’ has worked as there are many opportunities for AKB48 to connect with fans. There are also strong connections to Japanese advertisers which boost the band’s image.

The size of this group is also big and raises the question of whether it is manageable. The emergence of large bands are becoming popular also in Korea and whether this trend will also be picked up in other parts of Asia – only time will tell.

Here's one of their songs:

iButterfly

Just found this awesome application Japan developed called iButterfly. Not sure when it would be available in Australia, but it enables iPhone owners to capture virtual butterflies at real locations using their phone’s camera to get store promotions.

It was developed last year in Japan by Dentsu, Japanese communications and advertising giant. This application is another great step to boost digital advertising. The application includes releasing butterflies at specific times and locations. Users would then see the butterflies by pointing their iPhone’s camera at those locations and can ‘catch’ the virtual butterflies by flicking their phones. These butterflies then become electronic coupons which can be redeemed at certain shops or receive updates.

For more details, check this video:

Gap year?

A few days ago there was an article on the Sydney University website which talked about a research that revealed how a gap year can clarify what you want to do for uni. Professor Andrew Martin concluded that “gap year can be useful for those students who are uncertain in their post-school plans or who are less academically motivated upon completing school”. Now that statement seems rather generalised since who is actually really certain about their post-school plans? There are some who are set on what they want to do, but there are also definitely people who are still uncertain even when they are studying at uni. They may change subjects each semester and still are not satisfied with their choices. There are also those who are not necessarily “academically unmotivated” who want to take a gap year.

The psychology of gap year intentions is very interesting. For me, it was the reverse of what the research concluded. What I want to highlight is how a gap year can impact on your tertiary studies instead of agreeing intentions of clarifying future choices is the reason for taking a gap year. I went on exchange with a clear intention of studying architecture at uni. Coincidentally, my second host family members were all architects and designed shrines. There were some occasions where I went to their building sites and saw their drawing plans. I realised it wasn’t really for me. Indeed the gap year did clarify my uni choices and have now chosen a combination of media and law which is completely different. But this also highlights even if there is certainty in post-school plans, a gap year can make you even more certain about what you don’t want to do and want to do. Of course, gap year intentions vary from person to person but it does shape you and gets you ready for uni.

Although I don’t agree with the “less academically motivated” part of the research, but what a gap year can do is let you take some time off. Once uni starts, it takes a while to get back into the pattern of study as well as adapting to uni life.

A gap year does not necessarily erase all uncertainties but rather opens more options. I still retain a deep interest in architecture and love taking photos of castles, shrines, temples and buildings in Japan and wonder if that “uncertainty” is still lingering inside me.

Intelligent toilets

I am always fascinated by the technical toilets in Japan with the heated seats, water jets with pressure controls, background music, hot-air bottom dryers. They are considered a ‘normal’ part of Japan, but to foreigners it is absolutely amazing to be able to see these technologically advanced toilets and marvel at its complexity.

Last month, Japan’s housing company Daiwa House launched the company’s latest model called “Intelligent Toilet”. With the elderly in mind, it provides urine analysis and takes the users’ bloods pressure and body temperature. The “Intelligent Toilet” then sends the data automatically to your personal computer.

Although it is not yet for sale, the latest model boasts in its capability of storing up to five different people’s data. This presents a great advancement in Japanese toilets and would promote a more health-conscious culture.

The development of toilets in Japan has continued to grow and most Japanese homes now have the ‘basic’ high-tech toilets. These are also extended to schools, shopping centres as well as to overseas markets including United States and China targeting mainly airports and hotels.

Food review

Gumshara - A hidden gem

Neatly tucked away in Chinatown’s Eating World Food Court, the place boasts of the aroma of pork bone soup (tonkotsu). The long queue and the chaotic shouts of the chef taking orders echoes the busy, cosy ramen stands in Japan.

The shop is simple, decorated with red curtains, with an open small kitchen where the chef serves the ramen one bowl at a time. Although the wait is long, it is worth it. Opening early last year, the shop has already attracted many customers with its famous soup base.

There is a cardboard menu explaining how their soup is made, using ‘100% Australian pork’, and guarantees the richness of the soup comes from the pork bones ‘which is essential to maintain smooth skin’.

The normal ramen flavours are there: miso, salt (shio), tonkotsu, bbq pork (chashuu), hakata as well as additional ones: tomato, garlic and other rice dishes and gyoza (dumplings). Beside some of the flavours on the menu, there are the words ‘thick soup’ attached to it. This refers to the thick soup base made daily from 120kg of pork bones which is boiled until the tendons and marrows are broken down and enriches the soup with collagen.

When you order your ramen, they try to adjust to your preferences: they ask if you would like it ‘less thick or less salty’ and if you would like to include a soft-boiled seasoned egg.

Meanwhile the chef constantly takes out boiled portions of ramen with nets in both hands and appears to be dancing when he flicks them dry on the ground. This creates a springy effect on the ramen. The soup is poured into the bowls through a net as well and is very ‘thick’.

The ramen comes within minutes after your order and is generous in portion. Although the whole shop emphasises ‘thick soup’, the thickness of the soup doesn’t hit you until you drink it. The richness of the soup is indescribable and differs from most other Sydney ramen places. Although the food court is a crowded and squishy, it is a great winter meal which gets you coming back for it again and again.

Gumshara is located in the Eating World Food Court Chinatown, Shop 209, 25-29 Dixon Street

Rush to hire foreigners

The traditional practice of Japanese companies sending staff for overseas positions is facing a major turning point. According to Japan Times, plans to increase the recruitment in major Japanese corporations of foreigners mainly from China, Malaysia and Taiwan, is seen as a strategic move for Japan to bolster their international competitiveness.

Some of the corporations rushing to hire more Asians include Lawson Inc, Fast Retailing Co (operator of Uniqlo) and Rakuten Inc. A boost of foreign nationals by up to 50 percent next year is quite surprising. Lawson Inc, a major convenience store chain, for example aims to recruit foreign graduates from Japanese universities. In 2008, Lawson hired 10 non-Japanese staff members where they were “striving to change the mindset of employees and imbue them with a sense of internationalism”. This will continue to go ahead with the intention of further expanding stores in Asia. What remains questionable is whether these entry-level jobs in Japan really require a degree. It may even sound like a cheap way of expanding Japanese chain stores in Asia by employing foreigners to build a “flexible organisation”.

Rakuten, Japan’s largest online shopping mall, announced earlier this year plans to expand by having a joint venture with China’s popular search engine Baidu Inc. There is potential of attracting more customers in Asian countries to a ‘B2B2C’ (business to business and business to consumer) marketplace. This joint venture will start later this year and aims to provide merchandise to consumers at competitive prices. Rakuten will also boost foreign recruits, specifically Chinese, as a strategy to provide services meeting Chinese needs.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Japanese culture and arts blog! This blog will be about current themes or issues related to Japan. The following is one of my favourite clips about Japanese sushi which shouldn't be taken too seriously.





Check out my article on sushi on upstart or below.

The origins of sushi

Sushi has replaced the lunchtime order of salad. Rolled-up rice with a sliver of filling has been adopted by Australians and commonly associated with traditional Japanese cuisine.

I’ve always loved sushi and have spent many nights at places like Sushi Train choosing what I want from the conveyor belt.

When I went on exchange to Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, the first question I asked my host mother was, ‘So, are we going to eat sushi tonight?’ I will never forget the strange look on her face. She said they hardly eat sushi at home.

I was puzzled by the response. I thought sushi was the main type of food in Japan but we ended up eating sashimi every night, which is just raw fish. Where were the California rolls and canned tuna sushi?

The origins of sushi trace back to China where caught fish had to be preserved. Cleaned raw fish was kept in rice so that natural fermentation would occur. This would take months and the rice would then be discarded after the process was complete. The fermented fish would later be eaten with new rice.

It was only during the Heian Period that the Japanese picked up this idea, and discovered the process of fermentation could be accelerated with the use of vinegar. Sushi started to develop into a cuisine rather than just a means to preserve fish.

In Edo (now Tokyo), fresh fish slices were used to cover small batches of rice, which were then pressed together, forming nigiri-zushi.

Wasabi (horse radish) is a common condiment normally eaten with sushi and sashimi to kill germs and prevent food poisoning from raw fish. Soy sauce further enhances the fresh flavour of the raw fish.

There are certain etiquettes for eating sushi that don’t require chopsticks. The traditional way to eat nigiri-zushi (which already has wasabi in it) is to use your hands and simply dip the raw fish side in soy sauce with the rice facing upwards, eating the sushi in one mouthful.

California rolls and teriyaki beef sushi may be popular in Australia but you won’t find them in Japan.

Salmon, kingfish and tuna are the most common raw fish sold at Sydney fish markets, but in Japan there are hundreds of sushi combinations. Just within Ishikawa Prefecture there are more than 30 types of fish available throughout the seasons.

The most prized raw fish used in sushi is the southern bluefin tuna, which can sell up to $100,000 at auctions in Japan. About 98 per cent of tuna caught in Australia are anchored off to Port Lincoln, South Australia and then fattened and sold to Japan.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society has listed the southern bluefin tuna as ‘critically endangered’ as a result of overfishing.

Australia agreed to cut its southern bluefin tuna catch by 30 per cent last year following a major international agreement. However, in March the Australian government announced that it would not vote for the global ban on bluefin tuna trade.

Nevertheless, due to the continual shortage of bluefin tuna, Japan has turned to other alternatives for sashimi and sushi, including raw horse meat. There have also been indications that Australia exports horse meat to Japan.

Sushi is connected to the notion of a healthy diet, especially because of omega 3’s from fish and some variations being low in calories. Japan has the lowest rate of obesity in the industrialised world and medical experts claim this is due to their diet.

Sushi continues to rise in popularity in Australia yet it is completely different to sushi in Japan, a delicacy that should be enjoyed in a specific way so that you can savour the flavours of the fresh fish a little longer.

The initial idea of fermentation has grown into an enormous industry, where sushi is continually being reinvented and increasingly adapted by many countries.

Although I did not end up eating sushi every night in Kanazawa, at sushi trains and sushi-yas, I learnt to appreciate and savour the taste of sushi. I now eat sushi in one mouthful. It is worth a try.