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Tamagokaké gohan (egg on rice) has long been popular in Japan. Tamagokaké gohan is simple to prepare. Simply crack a raw egg over a bowl of freshly cooked rice and drizzle a little soy sauce on top. That’s all there is to it, and it’s a great treat. When eating, mix lightly and eat with chopsticks or a spoon. Although egg on rice is not served in restaurants, it has been a common way of eating eggs in Japanese households for a long time. You may be concerned about whether it is safe to eat eggs raw, but there is no problem with eggs sold in Japan. The expiration date

Food

May 8, 2023 Yuki

Instant Tonkotsu Ramen to Buy When You Go to 7-Eleven in Japan

In Japan, the birthplace of instant ramen, there are many kinds of instant ramen available. You may be wondering which one to buy. Therefore, I would like to introduce my special recommendation for instant ramen. It is Tonkotsu Ramen, which won first place in the high-end cup ramen category on a Japanese ranking website.* * https://ranking.net/rankings/best-luxury-cup-ramen (Japanese language only) Tonkotsu Ramen is famous in Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture. Ippudo (一風堂) and Ichiran (一蘭) are two nationally known chains of tonkotsu ramen that originated in Fukuoka, and both have a strong following. This instant noodle is a reproduction by Nissin Foods of Ippudo’s tonkotsu ramen. Despite being instant noodles, the quality is

Others

April 4, 2023 Yuki

Does Japan Still Got Pay Phones?

The song “Kyoto” by Phoebe Bridgers contains the following lyrics: You called me from a payphone They still got pay phones It cost a dollar a minute As a Japanese, I am surprised that Americans are surprised that there are pay phones. She talked about this lines in an interview with Rolling Stone: I totally made that up, I’ve never even Googled it. However, it is true that in 2023, there are still many pay phones in Japan. For example, from my home in the suburbs, I can see a pay phone. But I have never used it nor do I remember seeing anyone using it. Why do we still

Japanese Knife

March 24, 2023 Yuki

Aritsugu vs. Masamoto – About 2 Major Japanese Luxury Knife Brands

Both Aritsugu (有次) and Masamoto (正本) are well-known Japanese manufacturers of high-end kitchen knives. They are popular not only among professionals, but also as kitchen knives for home use among cooking enthusiasts. Both sell a wide variety of excellent quality kitchen knives, and they are not generally considered superior or inferior. In Japan, it is said that “Masamoto in the East and Aritsugu in the West,” with Masamoto being more popular in eastern Japan and Aritsugu being more popular in western Japan, including Kyoto. However, there are some chefs in Tokyo who love Aritsugu, and vice versa. It is important to note that both Aritsugu and Masamoto have multiple brands

Others

January 30, 2023 Yuki

Naoya Inoue Recognizes Casimero’s Strength

Boxing monster Naoya Inoue had dinner with his friend and two-weight world champion Hiroto Kyoguchi in January 2023. What the Monster talked about at that time is available on Kyoguchi’s Youtube channel. I would like to introduce some of the interesting things he said in that video. According to him, Naoya Inoue said, “I unified four organization champions in bantamweight, but I still don’t have confidence in myself. If I can unify the four organization champions in the super bantamweight division, I think I can probably have confidence in myself,” he said. Regarding the fight between Inoue and Stephen Fulton, Monster was concerned about the size difference versus him and

Food

September 18, 2022 Yuki

Do Japanese Eat Insects? How to Make Locust Tsukudani

In recent years, insect diets have been attracting a lot of attention. Do Japanese people eat insects on a daily basis? Around me, the answer is ” No”. It is rare to find entomophagy sold in supermarkets in Tokyo. In recent years, I have occasionally seen snacks containing crickets on sale, but they are not popular and often remain unsold. I, too, have no appetite for crickets. Famous Japanese Entomophagy However, it is true that Japan has a culture of eating insects. In the mountainous areas of Japan, eating bees is very popular. The most famous insect food in Japan is locust tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce and sugar).

Trip

September 9, 2022 Yuki

In Japan do I have to wear a mask?

In Japan, it is common to wear masks even in September 2022. There is no law in Japan requiring the wearing of masks, but there is an unspoken agreement. Are the Japanese still afraid of COVID-19? Partially yes. Japanese TV still reports daily that the number of COVID-19 cases is still high. Cases of sequelae and severe cases due to COVID-19 are frequently reported. But most of Japanese people have noticed: COVID-19 is not to be feared. Masks are not very effective in preventing infection. Vaccines do not prevent infection. Nevertheless, Japanese people still wear masks in public places. Why? This is because many people still wear masks, and those

Japanese Culture

August 15, 2022 Yuki

Japanese Reaction to PewDiePie’s Move to Japan

I would like to share my thoughts as a Japanese about PewDiePie’s family moving to Japan. PewDiePie’s Popularity in Japan PewDiePie is almost unknown in Japan. This is because most Japanese people cannot understand English. Japanese people also love YouTube, but they only watch content created by Japanese people. The only Japanese who know about PewDiePie are those who are interested in who the best YouTubers in the world are. I am one of them and have seen some of his Minecraft videos. His visit to Japan was partly covered as news in Japan. Some people expect him to convey the charms of Japan. An example of news in Japanese:

Japanese Knife

July 20, 2022 Yuki

Simple Japanese All-Purpose Knife – Higonokami

Popular outdoor knives in Japan were mainly products from outside Japan. Popular outdoor knives include Sweden’s Mora Knife and France’s Opinel knife. In recent years, however, there is a Japanese-made outdoor knife that has been attracting renewed attention. That is the Higonokami. Higonokami knives were used daily by elderly Japanese people as children for pencil sharpeners, crafts, and other purposes. However, since knives are now considered dangerous, they are rarely seen in modern Japan. In the meantime, the French magazine “PANORAMA” featured Higonokami knives in 2012, which brought Higonokami back into the spotlight worldwide. Not only do people collect these knives with nostalgia, but they are also reputed to be

Others

June 24, 2022 Yuki

Who will win, Mikuru Asakura or Mayweather?

An exhibition match between retired legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura will take place in the fall of 2022. Mikuru Asakura is well known in Japan, but is not well known worldwide. As a Japanese person, I will explain who Mikuru Asakura is and whether he has a chance to beat Mayweather. Why is Mikuru Asakura so popular in Japan? Mikuru Asakura is hugely popular among young Japanese men. This is the result of his many interesting videos on YouTube, which have attracted a large following. Particularly popular are the following videos (in Japanse). I sparred with a fight braggart I tried to punish a