Useful Japanese expressions 3： ijo desu (that's all)

Hi everyone! 

Imagine you are at an izakaya (dining bar), where you usually share all the dishes with everyone else in your party. (Don't worry, we don't share drinks!) You probably have to order at least four or five platters for a small group of two or three people, depending on your appetite. If you come in a big group, your order list surely gets long.

Ａt many chain izakaya they have menus full of photos, so you can order pointing at the pictures,

「これと、これと、これと、これ　ください」　( Kore to kore to kore to kore kudasai) = We'd like to have this, this, this and this, please.

If you suddenly notice your 生ビール（nama bi-ru, or draft beer) jog is already empty, you can say:

「それから、生ビール、もう一杯　お願いします」　(Sorekara, nama bi-ru mo ippai onegaishimasu) = And, I'll have another beer, please) 

Then, please finish your order with this phrase:

「以上です」　(ijo desu) = That's all.

Otherwise, your waiter would not  know whether he can leave right away or should stay for your new order.

This sentence is very useful and can be used everywhere. At the airport customs, you might be asked,「申告するものはありますか」 (shinkoku suru mono wa arimasuka?) =Anything to declare?

If you do, please declare. If they ask you 「他にありますか」　(hoka ni arimasuka?) = anything else?, you can simply answer "ijo desu."

As of Japanese izakaya, it is basically the place alcohol beverages are served, but they have soft drinks for non-drinkers. Since any izakaya has a wide variety of food, some people even bring  their small children to have meals, though it is not recommended.

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