In this article, I answer one of the maximum question of the foreigner who stays in Japan. The question that I answer is Otooshi. I think that this Otooshi isn't published in the dictionary and the guide book too. And the foreigner who faces this Otooshi might be surprised, and the foreigner will say that I was cheated by the Japanese. hahaha
I will clear up the misunderstanding in this article today.

At first, I say that Otooshi is a custom of Japan in complete, and this custom doesn't specially treat the foreigner, because here is Japan. So please enjoy it as one of the difference culture when you face this Otooshi.

Well, you have already noticed that this Otooshi is food by photo above. Yes, Otooshi is one of menu in Japanese-style bar that is called "Izakaya" in Japanese language, and Japanese-style restaurant.

Izakaya is a kind of a restaurant and bar. People enjoy the dish with alchol here. The Japanese who hates alcohol is few. Therefore, a lot of Izakaya is in Japan, and there are not a town or a village without Izakaya.
The feature of Izakaya is available for enjoy dish and alchol by anyone, and the taste shows the region well. Izakaya is this one of the big food cultures in Japan. To my regret, Michelin is overlooking this Izakaya of Japan though the guide book of the restaurant of Michelin is wonderful.

Well, Otooshi is a menu of the Izakaya or Japanese food restaurant such as sushi.

However, Otooshi appears without the customer's order. Therefore, if the customer is a foreigner, the customer might be surprised!
"What is this dish? Is it free?"
and after check, the customer will be angry!
"Why do I pay the Otooshi fee? I didn't order it!"

Do you have such an experience?

I explain the system of Otooshi at Izakaya or restaurant in Japan.

1: The customer enters Izakaya, and the customer orders only alcohol first. (It is a Japanese custom to order only alcohol first.)

2: The customer thinks about the order for the dish until the first alcohol and Otooshi come.

3: Alcohol appears with Otooshi soon.

4: The customer orders the dish to the clerk who brought alcohol and Otooshi.

5: And, "Cheers!", and drink with eating Otooshi.

Otooshi is offered to the customer who ordered alcohol without fail, and, Otooshi is only the first order for alcohol. And Otooshi gives the customer enjoying food until the main dish comes.

The price of Otooshi is 500 yen on the average. If you order one beer first, beer and Otooshi come soon, and total price of their is 1000yen (500yen of beer and 500yen of Otooshi). The price of beer is 500 yen on the average at standard restaurant in Japan.

Otooshi in a high restaurant is 1000 yen or more, and on the other hand, Otooshi of a cheap restaurant might be 300 yen. However, there is no Japanese customer who is the worry about the price of this Otooshi. The Japanese is leaving all of this Otooshi to the manager in the restaurant. And Otooshi is this big income source of the restaurant, because Otooshi is small dish though I introduce some Otooshi to the following. A Japanese customer knows this. It is important for the customer and also manager that the restaurant prosper. A Japanese customer worries about the taste rather than the price.

I introduce some Otooshi. The customer doesn't know what Otooshi offered first. Moreover, Otooshi changes by the day. Therefore, Otooshi is one enjoyment for the customer. Otooshi in the photograph above is composed of 3 things. In most exclusive restaurants, Otooshi decorated with 2 or 3 things is offered. Of course, the price might be high. A Japanese food culture values the taste and externals.

In popular Izakaya, this Otooshi is offered with the first beer. People enjoy this Otooshi until the main dish comes. Moreover, the taste of this Otooshi is not simple. The Japanese worries about the taste very much. The customer doesn't come to a restaurant of Otooshi not delicious. The taste of Otooshi is very important for the restaurant. The Japanese says, "As for a delicious restaurant of Otooshi, the dish is delicious."

How is Otooshi? You learnt Otooshi of Japan today, and you will be not perplexed in the restaurant in Japan. I do not understand why such a custom is in Japan. However, I like this custom, because I can wait for the main dish by Otooshi, and I can check the level of the cook in the restaurant, etc.

The amount of Otooshi is a little, please eat little by little with alcohol, and enjoy with the taste. It's how to eat Japanese food.

Generally, the restaurant where Otooshi is offered is Izakaya, Sushi restaurant, Soba restaurant, Udon restaurant, Tempura restaurant, etc. Ramen restaurant doesn't offer an Otooshi if you order a alchol.

Please enjoy Japan!

Thank you.

People all over the world likes holiday. The Japanese likes holiday very much too. This section introduces holiday of Japan.

Usual Holiday
At first, most Japanese has two holidays in a week. Usually, it is saturday and sunday, however the modern people's work is various, so a day of the holiday is variously by person.

And there are national holiday too. I inroduce it.

National Holiday
January 1 : New Year Day
January Second Monday : Coming-of-Age Day
February 11 : National Foundation Day
March 20 or 21 : Vernal Equinox Day
April 29 : Day of Showa
May 3 : Constitution Day
May 4 : Greenery Day
May 5 : Children's Day
July Third Monday : Ocean Day
September Third Monday : Respect-for-the-Aged Day
September 23 : Autumnal Equinox Day
October Second Monday : Health & Sports Day
November 3 : Culture Day
November 23 : Labor Thanksgiving Day
December 3 : The Emperor's Birthday

Traditional Holiday
And the Japanese takes holidays traditionally for a long term at the New Year (January 1, 2, 3) and Bon Festival (August 13, 14, 15).

And the holidays above makes long-term holiday by the combination, and an official long-term holiday is three of the following.

New Year Holiday : 7 days - 10 days
Golden Week : 7 days - 10 days
Bon Holiday : 5 days - 7 days

*The days of holiday above is avarage and it is deffirent by person and company.

And Golden Week this yaer (2010), pelase see the calender above.

National Holiday : April 29, May 3, 4, 5
Usual Holiday : May 1(sat), May 2(sun), May 8(sat), May 9(sun).

A lot of people takes a holiday April 30, so at least, Golden Week's holiday is 7 days from April 29 to May 5, and 11 days for person who take a holiday at May 6 and 7 too.

7 days or 11 days as holiday is very good for us in this season.

It is May 3 today. Japan is just holiday. I introduce a part of the Golden Week of Japan. Please enjoy.

The weather of Japan of this time is comparatively good. And this nice weather is called "Satsuki Bare". Satsuki means May in old Japanese language, and bare means fine day. Sky is blue, good season.

The Japanese whole country is comparatively fine though it is rain sometimes. The temperature is also good, and humidity is low, and the outside is very fresh.

*In temperature information, a red figure is the highest temperature, and blue is the lowest.

A lot of flowers bloom at this season. The flower in the photo is Sakura (cherry blossoms). Sakura in Tohoku and Hokkaido bloom in this Golden Week though sakura in south Japan like Okinawa bloom in february.

The photo above is in Kakunoda in Akita Prefecture, just good season for Sakura now. A lot of tourists visit here for this holiday too.

Kakunodate : http://www.deens.net/k-en-b-japan14.shtml

Japanese likes to travel very much. There are not people who doesn't go to the outside in this season. Therefore, Japan is a race large movement at this time, a lot of sightseeing spots are crowded.

Tokyo Disneyland is also crowded.

The road is also crowded by car. The distance of congestion is 50km or more in various places, this is an event of customary Japan every year. The foreigner who comes to Japan at this time get sick and tired.

*Advice for foreigner in this time
There are a lot of Japanese who lives in the area in Tokyo in Japan. The road where people goes from Tokyo to the outside is crowded on May 3, 4. And the road is crowded with people who return to Tokyo on May 4 and 5. So you should move opposite to the people in Tokyo, and you can travel comfortably at this time when the weather is good.

Of course, the railway such as Shinkansen is also crowded.

Moreover, there are a lot of Japanese who travel to the foreign country, too. The foreigner might be surprised in the airport. What happend?

However, this Golden Week is very wonderful for the Japanese. It is valuable time in usual busy person. Moreover, the how to make things enjoyable and exciting is each person. I like to spend it peacefully in the Onsen (hot spring), if I can do, I want to go to the distant Onsen and I don't know. In Japan, there is an Onsen like the number of stars. And after taking a Onsen, I eat very delicious dish in my room in Onsen hotel. Japanese feels great happy at that time.

With beautiful scenery. This is Chikuma in Nagano Prefecture. You might understand the goodness of the weather of Japan in May from this photo. Really good season. Japan enters the rainy season in June. Therefore, the Japanese enjoys this May. Golden Week is good for this season.

Old times and Japan's holiday were few. The word of "Karou-shi (death from overwork)" was one of the symbolical words of Japan. Therefore, the government has increased holiday. They try to increase holiday further now. However, in Japan, I am feeling that holiday has increased, Saturday, Sunday, and big holiday. It is good. If you have chance to ask for Japanese, ask it "Which do you want money and holiday?" Probably, the Japanese will answer as holiday.

By the way, how about the world? France is a country of a yearning all over the world. Because there are very long holiday in France. The holiday is called a vacation (vacances), and they take the long holiday for one month or more. I wanted to born in France! hahaha

Besides, there is interesting holiday in Japan in August. The holiday is called Bon holiday and almost Japanese takes a holiday for 5 or 7 days. This holiday is a religious-based culture. And, it might be mysterious for the foreigner. I introduce it here in those days. To the enjoyment.

Thank you.

This topic is Children's Day. There is Children's Day in a lot of countries of the world now.

June 1 : International Children's Day (The World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva established it in 1925)

November 20 : Universal Children's Day (The United Nations established it in 1954)

And, the day is variously in the world now.
For example,
(April 4)
Taiwan
(April 23)
Turkey
(May 5)
Japan
North Korea
(June 1)
Ukraine
China
Poland
Russia
Germany
(october 12)
Brasil
(November 14)
India
(November 20)
Egypt
Canada

The day of Children's Day is really variously. Moreover, the way to celebrate might be various, and, how to celebrate exactly shows the culture. I introduce the culture of Children's Day in Japan in this time. Please enjoy!

At first, in Japan, the day is May 5, and this ivent Children's Day had been held from old times. However, this event in old times was for boys only. The adult prayed for the healthy boy's growth. But no problem for girl, because the day that adult prays for the girl's growth is other days. The girl's day is March 3 and that is called "Hina Matsuri". I had introduced the "Hina Matsuri" in other article. Please see it.

Hina Matsuri : http://deens-japan.com/archives/16.html

However, the boy's day May 5 was national holiday though the girl's day March 3 was not national holiday, so Japanese Government made May 5 Children's Day formally in 1948. And, the boy and the girl are congratulated toghter on this day.

And the culture from old has been succeeded to now on the day of the Children's Day in Japan. I think it is interesting for foreigner very much, so I introduced it.

"The Koi Nobori" is an important item at Children's Day. The photo above is a standard of Koi Nobori, and Koi Nobori is a big carp-shaped strreamer made of paper or cloth. It is belived that carp are vigorous enough to swim up Koi Nobori at "Tango-no-sekku" (formerly the Boy's Festival, now Children's Day) with the wish that their boys and girls will grow up strong and healthy.
Blue is children, and Red is mother, and Black is farther. However, present Koi Nobori is colorful.
Moreover, Koi Nobori was originally decorated in the garden of the house where the children existed. But recentry, the house where Koi Nobori is decorated is few, because Koi Nobori is very tall, very expensive, and it is May 5 only. Space that stores KoiNobori is not in the house because many of modern Japanese live in the city.

However, the city and the town decorate big KoiNobori.

Koi Nobori of 5000 or more is decorated here. Here is Gunma Prefecture Tatebayashi City in Japan. The number of KoiNobori of Tatebayashi City is top of Japans, and most famous in Japan, so many many tourist visit here every year. This Koi Nobori of Tatebayashi City is decolated from March 25 to May 10 in 2010.

Official Site (Japanese) : http://www.utyututuji.jp/topic_koinobori/topic_koinobori.html

Koi Nobori is decorated in the Japanese whole country in the beginning of May from the end of April. Tourist can see this Koi Nobori somewhere. If you come to Japan in this season, Koi Nobori is good tourist spot.

PS:
Koi Nobori symbolize strength ans success in life because Chinese legends say carp become dragons when they swim up whitewater rapids.

In the Edo period, families of samurai began celebrating May 5 as the day for boys. Today, families with boys display miniature samurai armor, helmets and dolls representing famous feudal generals and other heroes because they would like their sons to grow as storng as warriors.

PS:
The doll for girls is decolated at March 3 (Hina Matsuri) and that is called Ohina-sama.

Hina Matsuri : http://deens-japan.com/archives/16.html

This is the best also for foreigner's souvenir though this is a doll for the boys. The price is various. The doll in the photo above might be about 50000 yen. A small doll is several thousand yen. Moreover, this is sold at the season of Children's Day where, but in off season, this is sold only in the specialty store. If you like Japan, this doll might be the highest ornament in your house.

Children's Day, the doll is decorated like this. The Katana (sword) is decorated too.

PS:
The Katana (sword) in the photo is imitation. The possession of the Katana (sword) is limited in Japan now.

Samurai style is boy's yearning. Boys plays at Katana (sword) fighting always, and they breaks the thing in the house with Katana, so their mother is angry!!! Is it same in your country? hahaha

I must say one, this is one of Gogatsu Ningyo (Samurai doll for the Boy's Festival), and he who in photo above has name, his name is "Momo-taro". This is a fairy tale of Japan hero. "Momo" means a peach. He was born from the peach, so he is said "Momo-taro". Momo-taro is hero in Japan.

He is Momo-taro too. Gogatsu Ningyo has variously style.

(Easy story of Momo-taro)
He was in the peach when he was baby, and the peach had gone down the river, at that time, an elderly couple who did not have the children picked up the peach, and a baby showed up in the peach. The elderly couple named Momo-taro because he was born from momo (peach). Momo-taro was importantly raised.
Momo-taro to have grown up wanted to repay the kindness to the elderly couple. And repaying the kindness that he chose is to conquer the ogre.

(Easy story of Momo-taro)
On the way, the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant (bird) became Momo-taro's friends. And after the hardship, they conquered the ogre!

This is easy story though Momo-taro's story is longer and more complicated story. Anyway, Momo-taro is hero and all Japanese people knows this story. Therefor, Momo-taro is one of boy's yearning.

Children's Day, the event and the festival for the children are held in various parts of Japan. When the event appears to your travel, you are lucky. Please pay attention to the event when you come to Japan at this time of the year. It becomes a valuable experience of the culture for you.

By the way, I introduce traditional Japanese food at Children's Day. The photo above is the traditional food. It is called "Kashiwa-mochi" and "Timaki". Please look at the following.

This is sweet called "Kashiwa-mochi" and made from rice. A white part is Mochi made from rice and brown is sweet bean paste called "An" in Japanese, and green is leaf called "Kashiwa". People can eat this leaf with Mochi, but I don't like to eat this leaf. However, children and adult likes this sweet excluding the leaf.

This is a traditional food but this is not sweet. This is made from rice too, and has salt taste. Green is a leaf called "Sasa" and people can't eat this Sasa leaf. Take care. However, this Timaki is not usually sold, it is only a celebration like this Children's Day. If you come to Japan at that time, it is sold anywhere like super market. Please try to buy and eat. It is not expensive.

Children's Day is soon also this year, and children are looking forward very much!

How is Japanese Children's Day? I think that this culture is diffrent to your culture very much. And Japanese culture is also very diffrent to near country like China, North Korea, etc. So if we have chance to know the diffrence, it is enjoyment for us very much.

And about Japan, the feature is that old traditional culture or custom remains with modern. In fact, this appealing is for Japanese too. And Japan is smal island, and single race, however, the culture is different in each region. Food, language, custom, and scenic view, etc.
Do you know how to say "Thank you" in Japan? In Tokyo, it is "Arigatou", but In Osaka and Kyoto, it is "Okini". And one more, "How much?", in Tokyo, it is "Ikura?", in Sapporo, it is "Nanbo?". This is only part.
Even the Japanese cannot occasionally talk mutually. This is true! If I have chance, I introduce it.

Anyway, if you come to Japan, please enjoy!

Thank you!

There is a big traditional event called "Hina Matsuri" in Japan on March 3 every year. She in the photograph is not a Geisha or Maiko. She is a leading part of this festival and called "Ohina-sama". I introduce this festival in this section.

Hina Matusri (Doll Festival) is a festival for girls held on March 3. It is also called "Momo no Sekku" (Peach Festival). People display hina dolls (photo above) on a tiered stand at home and wish for the sound growth and happiness of their daughter. This event originally began in the Edo era and is referred to as Hina Masturi because families of girls display a set of dolls representing the emperor, empress their servants, miniature furniture, and so forth, on a five or seven-tiered stand. Ancient people transferred their sins onto the dolls and threw them in rivers.

The set of this doll is very expensive. The price of the set such as photo above is 100,000 ~ 500,000 yen or more. The set of this doll is decorated during March, and after that it was put away in closet. And this is by family who has girl, a family who has boy only does not do this event. Boy's event is May. I introduce it in May.

The set of Ohina-sama is very expensive and space is necessary in house, and Ohina-sama is used only once a year, so recentry small Ohina-sama is popular too. However there is no family who has girl doesn't decorate Ohina-sama in Japan.

In the shop, the set of this doll is sold. This shop is a shopping mall. There is a shop of the doll specialty, too. A big doll is sold in the specialty shop.

The girl puts on a traditional kimono (clothes). This is the enjoyment for the girl. The kimono for children is sold for 10,000 - 20,000 yen on avelage. However, the child's growth is early. This year's kimono will not be used next year. Therefore, the rental of the kimono is popular.

The dog and the cat in Japan must also put on the kimono. haha

A man in Japan is weak to the woman who put on the kimono. If you love Japanese man, approach putting on the kimono.

This dish is called "Chirashi-zushi", and a kind of the sushi. The Japanese eats this at evening of Hina Matsuri. The child and the adult like this very much.

This is a traditional sweets called "Sakura-mochi" and this is eaten well by people at this season. Mochi is made by rice, and this is wrapped in the leaf of Sakura (cherry blossoms). People can eat the leaf though I don't like.

*The leaf for the dish is specially processed. Never eat the leaf without the procession.

The children likes this cake better than Sakura-mochi. Children are permitted a lot of cakes on this day. Of course, the boy can also eat with the girl. So this event is big enjoyment for children.

How is this event? It is also good for coming to Japan this season, and if you can enter to Japanese family, this is an amazing experience for you. And a traditional Japanese doll is very good for souvenir though very expensive. And this is not sold at an airport, so go to downtown in the city.

Valentine's Day

February 14 was Valentine's Day. Has your love grown this time?
Valentine's Day is a big event also in Japan. However, it is a little different from Europe and America at the Valentine's Day of Japan. I introduce the Valentine's Day and another Ivent "White Day".

Valentine's Day in Japan, this is an ivent that a girl and woman declare her love for a boy and a man. They declares her love by presenting a chocolate to a boy and a man. So in Japan, a girl and a woman presents a chocolate for boy and a man. On the other hand, a boy and a man never presents to a girl and a woman at Valentine's Day. Because it is another day. I tell it by the following.

A lot of chocolates are sold in the shop. The price of the chocolate for Valentine is various. The cheapest chocolate is 10 yen. The highest chocolate is 100,000 yen or more. The average of the number of chocolates that one woman presents is called 8 chocolates. And, the average price of the chocolate for true love is 1768 yen, and the average price of the chocolate for obligation is 617 yen. (This data is as 2006.)
And this obligation is said "Giri" in Japanese, so a obligation chocolate is called "Giri-choco" in Japan. Office is completely filled up by the Giri-choco at Valentines's Day. But this year, it was sunday, so it was not so big.

About me in this day, I got 5 chocolates. And it is secret that the true love were included in those chocolates. hahaha
I met 3 people in the central of Sapporo at 6 o'clock of the evening at Valentines's Day. The 3 people are my girlfriend and co-workers. And we went to my favorite restaurant and pub, and I got the present while eating. It was good time for us very much. Do you want to know after that? It is secret! hahaha
I introduce the restaurant by the following.
And, there is popularly a handmade chocolate recently. The photograph above is a handmade chocolate. A handmade chocolate means the big her love.

White Day

"White Day" is a Japanese coinage that refers to the day when men give gifts to a girl and a woman in return for the chocolate of Valentine's Day, and this is March 14, and this is big ivent too. Recently, a man's present is various though the basis is cookie (biscuit). After Valentine's Day, various cookies are sold in a shop. The reason to present a cookie is a mystery.

If a woman gets a cookie with a big and beautiful flower, the love is true! And a man and a woman fall in love.

If you are woman, and you have Japanese boyfriend, please present him the chocolate. You will get the cookie from him on March 14. However, it is not understood whether you get a big flower.

(Mini Information)
Izakaya

There is a lot of kinds of restaurants in Japan. The Michelin Guide of France is the evidence. I go to the kind of restaurant often called "Izakaya". I go to Izakaya in the photograph above 2 or 3 a week after work. The name of Izakaya in the photograph is called Yukiyanagaki.
The Izakaya offers a cheap, delicious dish and alcohol. Especially, my favorite dish is "Yakitori". Yakitori is skewered chichen and pork dipped in a special sauce or seasoned with salt and then grilled. It is one of the most popular foods that people munch on while drinking at cheap drinking places or street booths.

This dish is a menu of Yukiyanagi. The piece of meat on skewer is called Yakitori. And, this restaurant makes a lot of dishes besides Yakitori. This restaurant is really delicious. I go here 2 or 3 a week. The cost of one person is 3000 - 5000 yen on the average usually. Izakaya is a cheap restaurant. You can eat a delicious dish by a low price. So please use it when you come to Japan. The menu of Izakaya such as the meat dish, the fish dishes, and the vegetarian dishes is various.

"Yukiyanagi"
1F No.3-Tiger-billding 3-1 North-24 West-4 Kita-ku Sapporo Japan
TEL: 011-746-3777
Open: 17:30PM - 01:00AM