Japanese souvenir suggestions 2: KitKat limited editions

Chocolate bar KitKat can be bought worldwide, not only in Japan. I know that, but it is probably only Japan where you can enjoy a great variety of flavors, including some strange ones.

Family bag containing 15 mini KitKat bars bars

Since 2000, Nestle Japan has introduced over 200 flavors. Several kinds are at any supermarkets and convenience stores all year around, but many are seasonal or regional flavors that are sold only for a limited time or certain cities or regions.

Seasonal flavors available now are "KitKat Otona no Amasa White (otona no amasa: lit. sweetness for adults)" less sweet white chocolate and "Otona no Amasa Strawberry." Until stocks last. Hurry up!


By the way, in the Japanese confectionery industry, "otona no (for adults) "  usually means "no sweet" or "a little bitter" than the children-oriented sweets. Don't expect anything other that!

You might think that white chocolate, strawberry and green tea flavors are nothing special. Yes, I agree. But regional limited editions are very "original." You can even say "strange." They reflect special food products of each district, which include Yatsuhashi (traditional cinnamon flavored cookies of Kyoto), strawberry cheese cake (Yokohama), wasabi (Shizuoka), apple (Nagano),  azuki (sweetened red bean, Tokai & Hokuriku Regions), purpose sweet potato (Okinawa), citrus fruits  (Shikoku island), powdered hot chilli pepper (Nagano). But what temps me most is pudding flavor (Kobe)! 

KitKat Kobe Purin (pudding) 

Ah! I almost forgot to tell you this! Nestle Japan opened last month a fancy KitKat store in the basement of Seibu Ikebukuro Department store. At this KitKat Chocolatory store, you can find very rare (and a little expensive)  items such as cream cheese flavor created under the supervision of renowned Japanese patissier Yasumasa Takagi (sorry I don't know him).

This cream cheese KitKat (photo below) released on Feb. 3, is 420 yen, containing 4 bars.

I'm sure this will be a great gift for your friends and family, because you cannot get it nowhere else in the world but this KitKat Chocolatory!

Cream cheese flavored KitKat available only at KitKat Chocolatory

ここからは日本語で。

キットカットはもともとイギリス生まれのお菓子ですよね。でも、知っていました？日本には期間限定や地方限定味のキットカットがたくさんあって、２０００年以降に発売されたのは、なんと２００種類！

もともと：　originally
お菓子 　（おかし）: treats, sweets, snacks
限定　（げんてい）　limited
期間　（きかん）　time, season
地方　（ちよう）　　region
以降　（いこう）　since
発売　（はつばい）　to put on the market
種類　（しゅるい）　kind

現在の期間限定商品は「オトナの甘さ　ホワイト」と「オトナの甘さ　ストロベリー」です。在庫がなくなったら販売終了なので、興味がある人は急いで！

現在　（げんざい）　at present
商品　（しょうひん）　products
在庫　（ざいこ）　stocks
販売　（はんばい）　　sales
終了　（しゅうりょう）　finish
興味　（きょうみ）　interest
急ぐ　（いそぐ）　hurry

ご当地ものは、変なものがたくさんありますよ。りんご味、柑橘味、わさび味、紫芋味、などなど。旅行に行ったら探してみてね。友だちへの良いお土産になりますよ。

ご当地　（ごとうち）　
変な　（へんな）　　strange
柑橘　（かんきつ）　citrus fruits
紫芋  （むらさきいも）　purple sweet potate
旅行　（りょこう）　trip
探す　（さがす）　to look for
お土産　（おみやげ）　gift

先月は池袋の西武デパートの地下にキットカットの専門店ができました。世界初だそうです。

池袋　（いけぶくろ）　name of a town in Tokyo
西武デパート　（せいぶデパート）　Seibu Department store
地下　（ちか）　basement floor
専門店　（せんもんてん）　store specializing in certain items

その店、キットカットショコラトリーでしか買えない商品がチーズケーキ味。普通のものよりちょっと高めですが、ここでしか売っていないので、キットカットファンの友だちや家族には喜ばれると思いますよ！

普通　（ふつう）　ordinary
喜ばれる　（よろこばれる）　be pleased

Souvenir suggestions: disposable toe warmer!

Hi everyone!

I don't know whether disposable body warmer are available anywhere in the world, but I had never found such things in Europe. Do you know what I'm talking about? Often called by a brand name "Hokkairo" (not Hokkaido!) here,  they are small pouches containing iron powder, salt and some water that heat up when exposed to Oxygen in the air.

In Japan these disposable body pads are very popular, almost indispensable items for many women sensitive to cold. I usually don't use them, but last weekend when east Japan was hit by an unexpectedly heavy snowfall, I really thought they are great inventions...

In the Tokyo metropolitan area it snows twice or three times every year, but not much -- normally 5 centimeters at most. But this time, don't be surprised,  27 centimeters of snow accumulated in the center of the capital. In general, densely populated areas like Tokyo are relatively warm; therefore, it does not snow so heavily.

This is the photo I took from my place. I'm living in Yokohama, about 30 min. away by train from Tokyo. My little container garden on the balcony was totally covered with snow. It kept snowing after I took this photo so you can imagine it was like...

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency it was the third heaviest snowfall since World War II. Weather forecasters repeatedly warned people to stay home if possible, but unfortunately I had to go out in the midst of the violent winter storm, as I had bought a theater ticket for that day.

The temperature stayed very low and I was so reluctant to go outside. But I suddenly remembered that I had bought some "disposable toe warmer!" They are a pair of thin adhesive pads you can stick to your socks and keep you warm for 8 hours.

    
 If you are looking for a nice souvenir for your family or friends from snow countries, I would strongly recommend this toe warmer. You can find them at any drugstores and maybe at convenience stores as well. The one shown in the photo is 500 yen, containing five pairs. Pretty reasonable, isn't it?

さて、ここからは日本語で。

先週末、東日本は珍しく大雪でした。例年は、２，３回、５センチ程度降るだけなのですが、今回は東京の中心部で２７センチ！

東日本　（ひがしにほん）　east Japan
珍しく　（めずらしく）　　rarely
例年　（れいねん） the average year
～程度　（ていど）　　about
降る　（ふる）　 to fall

私の家の窓から写真を撮ってみました。私は横浜に住んでいます。渋谷から電車で３０分ぐらいのところです。バルコニーの私の植物たちも真っ白・・・。

窓　（まど）　　window
撮る　（とる）　to take (photos)
横浜　（よこはま）　Yokohama City
渋谷　（しぶや）　Shibuya

気象庁によると、この積雪量は戦後３番目だそうです。テレビでは不必要な外出はしないようにと呼びかけていましたが、私は演劇のチケットが買ってあったので、出かけましたよ。寒かったー！

気象庁　（きしょうちょう）　Japan Meteorological Agency
積雪量　（せきせつりょう）
戦後　（せんご）　after the war (normally WWII)
不必要 （ふひつよう）　unnecessary
呼びかける　（よびかける）　to warn
演劇　（えんげき）　theatrical play

そのときに、使い捨てカイロが買ってあったのを思い出しました！使い捨てカイロとは、中に鉄の粉と、塩と少量の水が入っている小さい袋で、空気中の酸素に触れると発熱するのです。

使い捨てカイロ　（つかいすて）　disposable body heater
鉄　（てつ）　iron
粉　（こな）　powder
塩　（しお）　salt
少量　（しょうりょう）　little
袋　（ふくろ）　pouch
酸素　（さんそ）　Oxygen
触れる　（ふれる）　to touch (but in this case "to be exposed")
発熱する　（はつねつ）　to heat up

私が持っていたのはつま先に靴下の上から貼るタイプ。８時間温かさが持続します。持っててよかった！コンビニやドラッグストアに売っています。日本のお土産にどうですか？

つま先　（つまさき）　toe
靴下　（くつした）　socks
貼る　（はる）　to stick
温かさ  （あたたかさ）　warmness
持続　（じぞく）　maintain
お土産　（おみやげ）　souvenir

Useful Japanese expressions ②： o-kaikei onegaishimasu (check please!)

OK, suppose you are at a restaurant. You finish the meal and want to leave, but no one brings you the check. What should you do?

The first thing you should do is find a waiter/waitress and raise your hand. If you fail to get their attention, you can call them out "Sumimasen! (excuse me!)." Don't be shy. Many people from the "Western world" says making a loud shout to call a waiter is bad manners, but don't worry, it is quite normal here. I do too, not too loud though.

When the waiter comes, let's ask for the bill. The phrase for that is...

お会計、お願いします。　O-kaikei onegaishimasu.  (May I have the check please?)

Kaikei is "check" and o is an honorific suffix. Onegaishimasu means "please."

Onegaishimasu is such a convenient expression when you order food or ask for service. For example,

ハンバーガー　お願いします。　Hamba-ga- onegaishimasu.　(One hamburger, please.)
お茶　お願いします。　　Ocha onegaishimasu.  (Can I have some tea please?)
東京駅まで　お願いします。　Tokyo eki made onegaishimasu. (To Tokyo Station, please)

When you leave the restaurant,  let's say to the restaurant people:

ごちそう様でした。　Gochiso-sama deshita. （Thank you for the meal.) 

We use this phrase at home too, after every meal to thank the person who cooked.

Useful Japanese expressions ①： Kore kudasai

As everyone knows, whether you can enjoy the life in a foreign country depends on your communication skills.

If you live here, learning Japanese is definitely important, because I'm sorry to say this but Japanese are internationally known for being bad at English and it is unfortunately true. Even if you are just a tourist, knowing some Japanese words and expressions will help you a lot during your visit.

Japanese are basically shy but interested in communicating with foreigners. Trust me, that's true! Some foreign people complain that Japan is xenophobic. If they really think so, I have to say I'm sorry because they have had some bad experiences, but the truth is many Japanese (especially those living in the countryside) have never interacted with non-Japanese and don't know what to do when they are spoken to in English or some foreign languages. They just feel tense. If you speak even a little bit of Japanese, they will smile at you. Do you feel like learning Japanese now?

So...today's useful expression is

これ　ください。　（Kore kudasai.）

I was living in Paris for three years for my husband's work, but when I arrived there I could not even count numbers in French. For the first several months my husband and I survived with only three phrases  "ça s'il vous plait (This one please)" "C'est tout (that's all)." and  "Je prends ... (I'll have...)"

Kore means "this,"  and kudasai means "geve me." Wherever you are --- at a restaurant, a cafe or a shop --- you only have to say "Kore kudasai" pointing at whatever you want. 

You can replace kore with different nouns, such as 水　(mizu, water) and メニュー　（menyu, nemu).

水　ください　　Mizu kudasai (water, please)
メニュー　ください　　Menyu kudasai (menu please)  
コーヒー　ください　　Kohi kudasai (coffee please)

Japanese chocolate snacks you should try ② Kinoko no Yama & Takenoko no Sato

Kinoko no Yama (lit. mushroom mountain) and Takenoko no Sato (lit. bamboo shoot village) by Meiji company are long-sellers that I have enjoyed since I was a child.

Unlike many treats I used to love but don't feel like eating any more, these two have always been my favorite.

Kinoko no Yama is a mushroom-shaped crunchy cookie and Takeno no Sato is a bamboo shoot-shaped biscuit cookie covered with two layers of chocolate. Both taste great, but I personally like bamboo shoots better than mushrooms.  It is hard to explain why, but I find the combination of mouth melting chocolate and crispy cookies so delicious.

This is the package of Takenoko no Sato (above), which has been on the market since 1979. It sells for 194 yen at convenience stores and little bit cheaper at supermarkets.

One package has about about 32 tiny bit-sized cookies (77grams, 426 kcal).

Last year Meiji released the new versions: "Otona no Kinoko no Yama" and "Otona no Takenoko no Sato."  "Otona no" means  "for adults."  What is different from the standard ones?

Well, the package are more chick and they say the chocolate is less sweet and better quality, though I honestly didn't find such a big difference. I should have compared the two versions at the same time to recognize the difference, because I don't have a keen sense of taste.

Here is the TV ad that was running last autumn, featuring Jun Matsumoto, a member of very popular boy idol group Arashi.　In this ad, Matsu-jun is grown-up Peter Pan driving a car. Tinkerbell says "You look so grown-up today," and Peter replies, "Listen, nowadays even Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato grow up. There's no fighting against the trend of the times."

You are right, Peter. In Japan where the birth-rate is declining, developing products appealing to adults is an important survival strategy for any companies. Good for me!

By the way, the cookie & cream version, bitter chocolate-flavored cookies coated with white chocolate, is also very yummy. I really like it. Must try!

はい、ここからは日本語で。

「きのこの山」と「たけのこの里」は、私が子どものころから大好きなお菓子です。両方好きですが、「たけのこの里」のほうが好きかな。

きのこ 　mushrooms
たけのこ　　bamboo shoot
里　 さと　　　village
お菓子　　おかし　　treat
両方　　りょうほう　　both

たけのこの里は、お菓子メーカーの明治が1979年に発売しました。それ以来日本ではずっと人気なんですよ。

明治　　めいじ　　name of the company
発売　　はつばい　　put on sale
それ以来　　（それ）いらい　　since then
ずっと　＝　いつも
人気　　にんき　　popular

箱を開けると、小さいたけのこの形のクッキーが３２から３５個入っています。かわいいでしょ。

箱　　はこ　　box
開ける　　あける　　to open
形　　かたち　　shape
個　　こ　　piece

去年の秋には「大人のきのこの山」「大人のたけのこの里」が出ましたよ。

去年　　きょねん　　last year
大人　　おとな　　adults
出る　　でる　　to be released

アイドルグループ嵐の松本潤さんがコマーシャルに出ていました。大人になったピーターパンを演じていました。

嵐　　あらし　　name of the boy idol group
松本潤　　まつもと　じゅん　　member of Arashi
演じる　　えんじる　　to play a role

「大人のたけのこの里」は、甘さ控えめで、ちょっと高級なチョコレートを使っているそうです。

甘さ　　あまさ　　sweetness
控え目　　ひかえめ　　mild
高級　　こうきゅう　　high quality　　

そうそう、クッキー＆クリームバージョンもありますよ。チョコレートクッキーにホワイトチョコレートの組み合わせです。　これもおいしい。試してみて！

組み合わせ　　くみあわせ　　combination
試す　　ためす　　to try

Best restaurants you can eat dry-aged meat in Tokyo

Look! This is the best steak I've ever had! Yes, it was dry-aged meat! I had never had a chance to eat the dry-aged beef, but finally I had it at  Wakanui Grill Dining Tokyo.

The photo above is the 500 grams of rib eye steak (5,600 yen) my husband and I shared. Actually, the waitress who came to our table recommended having 1kg of rib steak to us, saying, "If you want to have aged meat, trust me, the bigger the tastier. I always recommend 1 kg to a group of two or three people. Don't worry, it may look pretty big, but many people eat it up with no problem." 

Are you serious? After great consideration, we ordered 500 grams of rib and 250 grams of grass-fed Heifer fillet (3,200 yen, photo below). At this restaurant, the meats are all from New Zealand. 

A waiter cut the thick steak in two for us. Look at the beautiful rosy color! It is over 5 centimeters thick.

Both the rib and the fillet were delicious, but 750 grams of meat was too much for two midagers. I asked for a doggy bag (they nicely wrapped my leftover meat), and next day I made sandwiches with the thin-sliced aged meat, which was unbelievably tasty!!

Dry-aged meat is not cheap, but worth the price.  If you feel like eating a thick tender steak full of flavor on special occasions,  don't hesitate, choose dry-aged meat!  

Unfortunately, unlike in the U.S. and Australia, dry-aged beef is not yet too common in Japan, as this meat-aging technique is relatively new here. So don't expect to be able to eat dry-aged meat anywhere in Tokyo.

Restaurants you can eat dry-aged meat

 

Wanukai Grill Dining Tokyo

Address:  2-23-14 Hibashi Azabu, Minato-ku Tokyo (it is in the basement. Don't miss the entrance)
telephone: 03-3568-3466
Open daily, 11:30a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch, 6-11p.m. for dinner.
Nearest station: subway Azabu-Juban station (close to Roppongi)
For more information, check their website here (English).

La Boucherie du Buppa 

 

 
They offer not only beef but a great variety of wild meats, such as ducks, turtledove, dear, wild boars and even bears!!!!  

Address: 1-1-1 Yutenji, Meguro-ku, Tokyo  
telephone: 03-3793-9090
Open 6 p.m.-2 a.m. (Tue.-Sat.), 6 p.m.-12 a.m. (Sun), Closed Mon.
Nearest station: Nakameguro on Tokyu Toyoko Line and subway Hibiya Line
website: http://dubuppa.com/ (Japanese only)

 

LB6 Wine Bar ad Grill

Located in Roppongi, Tokyo's famous night life district, and open till 3 a.m.!  
Address:  4-11-13 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
telephone: 03-3478-0222
Open daily, 5 p.m.-3 a.m.
Nearest station: Roppongi
website: http://www.lb6.jp/ (all in Japanese but you can see the atmosphere) 

LB7

Address: 7-11-4 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Telephone: 050-5869-8768
Open daily, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
Nearest station: Hiroo

LB8

Address: 16-2 Daikanyama-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Telephone: 050-5872-2567
Open daily, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 a.m.
Nearest station: Daikanyama

Bistro 熟肉　Nareniku

 

If you are looking for a dry-aged beef restaurant in Shinjuku area...
Address: 7th floor of Shinjuku Youth Bldg., 4-1-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Telephone: 03-5363-5201
Open daily, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., 5-11:30 p.m. (Mon.-Sat.), 5-10:30 p.m. (Sun. & holidays)
Nearest station: Shinjuku

Specialita di Carne Chicciano

 

Fancy Italian.  The price is also fancy.
Address: B1 fl. Akasaka Nakamura Bldg. 3-13-13 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo
Telephone: 03-3568-1129
Open 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. (Mon.-Fri),  6-11 p.m. (Mon. -Sat. & holidays), closed Sun.
Nearest Station: Akasaka on the subway Chiyoda Line
website: http://www.m-onecafe.jp/chicciano/index.html (Japanese only)

ここからは日本語で。
From here I'll write in Japanese.

初めて熟成肉を食べました。場所は麻布十番のワヌカイ。
見て！この厚み。そして、この色。

初めて　　はじめて　　for the first time
熟成肉　　じゅくせいにく　(dry) aged meat
場所　　ばしょ　　place
麻布十番　　あざぶじゅうばん　　name of the area in Tokyo

店の女の子は「2人だったら、1キロをお勧めします」と言ったけど、フィレも食べたかったから、リブ５００グラム、フィレ２５０グラムを注文しました。

勧める　　すすめる　　to recommend
注文する　　ちゅうもんする　　to order

でも、もう若くないから、すぐにお腹がいっぱいになって、残りは持ち帰りました。翌日サンドイッチにしたけど、本当においしかったですよ！

お腹　　おなか　stomach
残り　　のこり　 leftovers
持ち帰る　　もちかえる　　to take something home
翌日　　よくじつ　　next day
本当に　　ほんとうに　　really
　
熟成肉は日本に紹介されてまだ数年なので、食べられる店は限られていますし、値段も高いです。でも試す価値はあるので、機会があればぜひ。

紹介する　　しょうかいする　　to introduce
数年　　すうねん　　several years
限られる　　かぎられる　　to be limited
値段　　ねだん　　price
試す　　ためす　　to try
価値　　かち　　worth
機会　　きかい　　chance

Let's go to temples and shrines ②： Izumo Taisha

Hi everyone! みなさん、こんにちは！

What do you do when looking for a new love? Go to a singles bar? (Do they still exist?) Ask your friends to introduce someone? Become a member of  a marriage agency?

In Japan it has been a trend that girls pray for fateful encounters at Izumo Taisha, one of the oldest and most important shrines, located in Shimane Prefecture.

Why do they go down all the way to Shimane, far west in the Honshu Island, taking 1.5 hours by plane from Tokyo? Because Izumo Taisha is dedicated to Okuninushi no Mikoto, the deity who establishes good relationship over people, and naive women believe that the deities will bring them Prince Charming by visiting the shrine. 

I went to Izumo province for the first time in my life last year-end, not because I'm looking for a romance, but because 2013 was the important year for the ancient shrine.

The shrine needs to be renovated every 60 years, and the "goshintai" or a holy object in which the spirit of deity resides is moved out to the shrine building. Goshintai can be mirrors, swards, jewels, etc. depending on the shrine, but no one, except for a handful of shrine priests, knows what the goshintai of Izumo Taisha is.  It has been a big mystery for centuries. When it moves out from the shrine, priests carry it, hiding with big white cloths.

Anyway, when we visited, it was very cold and quiet, as people are usually busy preparing for the new year. If you like the serenity, year-end would be a good season for tourism, if you don't mind the coldness. 

As you already know, this type of gate, called torii, is the symbol of shrine and marks entrance to holy precincts. 23.5 meters high, this torii is generally known as "O-torii (big torii)". 

 Going down the path, you'll reach the haiden, a prayer hall (photo below). At most shrines, you first bow twice and clap your hands twice, make a wish or pray and then, bow again (only once), while you have to clap your hands  four times at Izumo Taisha.

The huge shimenawa (rice straw rope), weighing 4.4 tons, is a symbol of Izumo Taisha. Shimenawa marks god's territory, and can be seen at any shrines but this size is exceptional and rare.  

Then, advance to "honden (本殿）," or the main hall built in the oldest architectural style in Japan known as Taisha Zukuri style, and designated as the national treasure. Unfortunately, it is surrounded by wooden fences and you can't get close to it.

I took this photo from the back. The roof was completely renewed last year, and the enormous scissor-shaped finial on the roof called "chigi" was replaced with the new one. The removed chigi is displayed at the nearby shrine museum, where you can see how big it is (photo below).
  

Today the hall is 24 meters high, but when it was constructed, according to some records, it was 48 meters high, perching on the huge pillars. People were all suspicious until the evidence was found. In 2001, the base parts of the pillars that supported the hall were excavated at the precinct of the shrine. 

The original shrine was probably like the photo below. This scale model is displayed at the museum, as well as the excavated pillars.  

After visiting the shrine, why not have luch at Izumo soba, the local specialty?

How to get to Izumo Taisha:
At JR Izumo-shi Station, take a Ichihata bus bound for Taisha or Hinomisaki at bus stop No.1, and get off at Seimonmae or Izumo Taisha. Takes about 25-30 minutes from the train station. The bus comes every 30 minutes.

ここからは日本語で、簡単に。
From here, I'll write in Japanese.

出雲大社は最近縁結びの神様として注目されています。出会いを求める若い女の子たちが多く訪れます。
出雲大社　（いずもたいしゃ）　Izumo Taisha shrine
縁結び　（えんぶすび）　match-making
神様　（かみさま）　　god, deity
注目する　（ちゅうもくする）　to pay attention to～
出会い（であい）　encounter
求める　（求める）　to seek
若い　（わかい）　young
訪れる　（おとずれる）　to visit

出雲大社は最も古い神社の一つで、去年は60年に一度の改築の年でした。
最も（もっとも）　most
改築　（かいちく）　renovation

ご神体とよばれる「なにか」を社の外に出す儀式が行われて、大きな話題になりました。
ご神体（ごしんたい）　　holy obect
社（やしろ）　　shrine building
儀式　（ぎしき）　ritual
話題　（わだい）　topic of conversation

昔の出雲大社は高い柱の上に建てられていたそうです。
昔　（むかし）　ancient time
柱　（はしら）　pillers

みんな信じていませんでしたが、2001年に柱の土台部分が見つかって、本当だとわかりました。
土台　（どだい）　foundation
部分　（ぶぶん）　parts

出雲大社でお参りするには、二回お辞儀をして、4回手を叩き、最後に1回お辞儀をします。他の神社では手を叩くのは2回だけです。まちがえないでね。
お参り　（おまいり）　pray
お辞儀　（おじぎ）　bow
手を叩く　（たたく）　to clap hands
最後　（さいご）　at last
　
行く価値のあるすばらしい神社です。ぜひ機会があったら、行ってみてください！
価値　（かち）　value  (行く価値がある：worth visiting)
機会　（きかい）　opportunity