Eat, Sleep, Breathe, Travel

Hot drinks in Japan

Any coffee connoisseurs out there? Any going to Japan? When one thinks of hot drinks in Japan, one often thinks of tea first. But it turns out there’s actually a thriving coffee scene in Kyoto.

Over the last decade or so, a number of owner-operated coffee shops have opened up in Kyoto, which is known as the cultural center of Japan. These coffee shops are serious about their coffee, and serious about the interior design and atmosphere within their shops. Many have nice views and elaborate decor. One of the owners says that to survive in the new Kyoto coffee scene, you need to show a lot of originality. And delicious coffee.

For those more interested in tea, I came across this article about mastering the art of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. In it, I learned that a good loud slurp at the end of your bowl of tea is key to showing the host you were happy with it. A good tea ceremony guest also holds the tea bowl correctly and takes time to examine it. All traditional tea ceremony etiquette stems from the Zen Buddhist concepts of harmony, tranquility, respect and purity.

Sometimes tea—and coffee, for that matter—are much more than just a hot drink.

Photo: JoshBerglund19 via Flickr

How to eat around the world

A lot of people, myself included, like to try to fit in with the local culture while traveling. You know, pick up the local customs, speak a little of the language, behave according to the rules of local etiquette.

That’s why I found this article useful and entertaining. It describes 15 eating etiquette guidelines from around the world. Of course, not obeying these unspoken rules is always an option, and people always understand that a visitor may not be familiar with the customs of their culture. That said, behaving in the right way can really endear you to the locals. And there’s nothing like feeling endeared by a local. It’s very rewarding.

My two favorites from the list:

1. In Japan, don’t stick your chopsticks upright in your rice. This is good to know. I eat a lot of rice, and I’m sure there are times in my life when I’ve planted my chopsticks in the bowl like a flag, just for fun. Not a good idea. In Japan they do this at funerals, not at the dinner table.

2. In Italy, don’t ask for parmesan cheese. Interesting. I love parmesan cheese on pasta, and whenever I’m in an Italian restaurant at home I always pile it on. Good to know I shouldn’t do that in Italy.

There are 13 more in the post, some more surprising than others. Do you know of any more that aren't on the list?

Photo: shaggyshoo via Flickr (CC)

Best sushi in Tokyo

I love sushi. I eat it pretty often. The other day I had some homemade sushi at a friend’s house (and lived to tell about it). When I get myself to Japan someday, I look forward to eating sushi in its native country.

For any of you going on the EF College Break Japan trip, here’s an article about the five best sushi places in Tokyo. These places all look good for various reasons. One of them is right near Tokyo’s most famous fish market, and its stuff is so fresh that sometimes things like clams are still moving on the counter. I like that. That might make some people run away as fast as possible, but I like it.

Sushi has a pretty interesting origin story. It all started back in the 4th century B.C., when some southeast Asians began wrapping salted fish in rice to keep it well-preserved. After a couple months of fermentation, they’d throw out the rice and eat the fish. This process made it to Japan by the end of the 8th century A.D., but since the Japanese liked to eat rice with their fish, they didn’t throw the rice away after fermentation, they ate it. Finally, in the early 19th century, a Tokyo man named Hanaya Yohei started making a fast-food sushi that people could eat at the road side or in a theater. Hanaya’s sushi was basically the sushi we know today.

And I thank him for it.

Photo: ulterior epicure via Flickr (CC)

New museum for Japan's favorite animated robotic cat

There’s a new museum opening up in Tokyo dedicated to Japan’s most famous animated robotic cat from the future: Doraemon.

I actually feel a little bit out of the loop on this one—I have no idea who Doraemon is. I feel like I should. The article goes so far as to call Doraemon Japan’s cartoon cultural ambassador. It says the cartoon series is translated into more than 30 languages and is beloved all over the world. Somehow I have missed him. I know Hello Kitty, I don’t know Doraemon.

I suppose that gives me even more reason to go check out the new Doraemon museum. It’s opening in early September on the outskirts of Tokyo. It will exhibit 50,000 Doraemon-related items, including many original drawings and the desk and other tools used by the character’s creator Fujiko F. Fujio (who died in 1996).

For those who also don’t know who Doraemon is, he’s a blue robotic cat with no ears who travels back from the 22nd century to help out a kid named Nobita Nobi. Doraemon uses gadgets from the future to save the day, and the episodes usually teach kids a lesson. Sounds fun.

I’d like to see this museum someday. Anyone taking the EF College Break trip to Japan might do the same. In the meantime, I think I’ll spend some time getting to know Doraemon on Youtube.

Photo: Nguyễn Thùy Trang via Flickr (CC)

Rebuilding in Japan

Of course there’s been a lot of tough news from Japan the past few weeks since the earthquake. So I was happy when a coworker of mine passed along this optimistic story from last week.

The story is about a stretch of the Great Kanto Highway in Naka, Japan. The road was destroyed by the quake—as you can see from the “before” photos, it was severely cracked and damaged. I’m not a highway construction expert, but I would think such extensive damage would take a very long time to fix.

Amazingly, crews from a Japanese highway repair company were able to fix the road in just six days. News of the feat made its rounds in the online news media, and it’s easy to see why. The quick reconstruction is an amazing display of Japan’s resiliency and determination (not to mention efficiency), and it’s a welcome positive symbol of the country’s rebuilding process after the tragedy.

Of course, it will take a long time for things to get all the way back to normal in Japan. I’m pulling for as speedy a recovery as possible, and so are the folks at EF College Break. Japan is always a favorite for EFCB travelers—I know they can’t wait to get back there.

Photo: AP via jalopnik.com

Tokyo's quirkiest karaoke

I have mixed feelings about karaoke, depending on my mood. Some nights I just don’t feel like doing it, other nights I’m first to the stage. I once brought an entire bar full of people to tears with an emotional rendition of Puff the Magic Dragon.

In Tokyo, karaoke is king. People love it, and there are karaoke places all over. To do it, all you need is a microphone, music, and scrolling words, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little more flavor with your karaoke. This interesting article breaks down some of the more unique karaoke options in Tokyo. My two favorites:

The bathtub – One karaoke place has special theme rooms, ranging from a casino room to a Morocco room to a heaven room. In the Aqua Suite, you sing while sitting in a bathtub, which sounds fun.

In costume – Another place offers all kinds of costumes to rent while you sing. You can be a cheerleader, an air stewardess, a schoolgirl, or many more. For some reason, they only have costumes for girls, but guys can either bring their own or dress up as a girl.

The article also lists boat cruise karaoke, classy upscale karaoke, and anime-themed karaoke. You can’t go wrong, if you ask me. EF College Break can take you to Tokyo. But you have to take yourself to the microphone.

Photo: Sean P Scott via Flickr (CC)

Tokyo’s cat café scene

Cat people rejoice! And take a trip to Japan.

There’s a trend in Tokyo, and it’s an odd one. Cat cafés. According to this article, there are a number of places in Tokyo where you can get a coffee drink, read a magazine, hang out, and be surrounded by lounging cats.

The original cat café, called Neko no Mise, opened five years ago. Now there are about 100 of these cat cafés around the country, with more than 50 in Tokyo. The cafés are mostly frequented by people in their 20s and 30s, and they’re apparently popular date spots for young Tokyoites. Strangely, you have to pay to hang out in one of these places (average is about 1,000 Japanese yen per hour, or about 12 U.S. dollars). Now, I understand that people love cats, and I guess I can understand wanting to be near cats while you drink a coffee, but spending 12 dollars on the privilege seems questionable. On the other hand, one of my central life philosophies is “to each his own,” and that certainly applies in this case.

Check out the article, if you haven’t already. It’s entertaining. My favorite part was a quote from one visitor who actually didn’t particularly enjoy the cat café scene: "People just hanging out there with the cats but you're not allowed to wake them up or pick them up, they were just watching the cats and smiling and stuff... it was a little scary."

That said, if you love cats, and you’re going to Japan, I would think a cat café is a must-see.

 
Photo: NunoCardoso via Flickr (CC)

Tokyo’s new vending machines know what you want

Here’s something to keep an eye out for if you’re going to be taking a trip to Japan: mind-reading vending machines.

It’s the latest example of cool and weird technology put to good use in Japan. These camera-equipped vending machines see your face, determine how old you are, guess whether you’re male or female, and then suggest drinks it thinks you might like to buy. It offers as many as three or four recommendations.

So far there are only two of these machines in use (in the Shinagawa train station in Tokyo), but 500 more are on the way. I can't wait.

In the old are-robots-good-or-bad debate, I stand on the side of good. I like the idea of a vending machine telling me what I want to drink. Of course, I can choose to buy something else if I want, but it can’t hurt to get a few tips. Especially on those days when I'm feeling indecisive. Also, I imagine it's particularly helpful for foreigners trying to choose between a number of unfamiliar beverage choices.

Is it unnecessary technology? Maybe. But any time you can turn something as ordinary as buying a drink from a vending machine into an entertaining experience, you have my full support.

Now I just need to get to Tokyo.

Photo: mikeleeorg via Flickr (CC license)

Tokyo’s oddball theme parks

Everyone loves theme parks. Even though I tend to throw up on rollercoasters, I can appreciate how fun they are for people who don’t. And in Tokyo, I’ve just discovered that they have all kinds of eccentric theme parks, thanks to this article on CNN.com.

There’s Tobu Zoo, which is a combination zoo/water park/amusement park. Apparently this place has great roller coasters. Then there’s Tokyo Summerland, a huge indoor/outdoor water park built into the side of a mountain. The indoor part includes a fake beach and lagoon, and a giant wave pool that sometimes gets very, very, very crowded. And who can forget Asakusa Hanayashiki, Japan’s first theme park, built in 1853. This one’s full of rides and attractions, including the 60-meter-high Bee Tower.

But my favorite on the list has to be Sanrio Puroland, an amusement park dedicated entirely to Hello Kitty. I’m really not sure why, but I really get a kick out of Hello Kitty. This surreal indoor amusement park located just outside Tokyo has a Hello Kitty life-sized house (where every piece of furniture is modeled after Hello Kitty), a Sanrio character boat ride, and any number of Hello Kitty-related dance and music performances.

With so many theme park options in town, who needs Tokyo Disneyland?

Photo: peterhg via Flickr (CC license)

For the love of ramen

I love ramen. When I was in college, I ate a lot of ramen. Even today, there are always a couple of ramen packages floating around in my cupboard. In fact, I plan to eat ramen for lunch today (I'm going to throw in some leftover chicken from last night’s dinner and a cut-up carrot).

But I’ve never had the privilege of eating real Japanese ramen in Japan (I’ve yet to travel to Japan). I just came across this entertaining video about the ramen culture in Tokyo, and now my desire to taste authentic Japanese ramen is stronger than ever. As the video shows, Tokyo is teeming with ramen. And not just the food itself. In addition to ramen shops (where you can eat the tasty dish), there are ramen books, ramen magazines, ramen TV shows, and ramen movies (including 2008’s The Ramen Girl, starring the late Brittany Murphy).

I went onto Wikipedia to learn a little bit more about the noodle dish that has brought such joy to so many. Though ramen is a Japanese dish, it actually originated in China. There are many different types—with variations of the noodles, the soup broth, the meats and veggies thrown in—as well as a variety of regional styles. According to Wikipedia, the city of Sapporo is especially famous for its ramen, while Tokyo-style ramen is known for its slightly thin, curly noodles and its soy-flavored chicken broth.

As a lover of ramen, I look forward to the day that I will travel to Japan and sample all the local ramen offerings. Like many Americans, my personal ramen experience has been limited and pretty ordinary (though tasty). I would love the chance to experience ramen in the country that has made the dish famous.

In the meantime, maybe I'll try this recipe.

Photo: jamesjustin via Flickr (CC license)