Z Reflections

Despite many healthy choices there are plenty of bags of chips to be found here in Japan just like in America. There are not as many types of chips and the bags are small. But with a name like O'Zack I have to recommend this brand. They are actually pretty good too even if I am biased.

Peace,
-Zackary

After answering the question about tableware Shannon Lynch from Twitter asked me about proper manners for eating sushi.

As I said recently do not ever each sushi with a fork. Shannon asked if you should always eat a piece of sushi in one bite. Many people do this and it is the easiest way. If you have more control with chopsticks you can eat half and then the other half. If you drop half of the piece it does make you look silly but being Japan no one laughs or stares. Asking for a knife to cut the pieces in half is not a good idea either. Generally the pieces are a decent size so that you can eat it all in one bite. Like in American they also have a container for soy sauce.

If you have small rolls you should eat them with chopsticks. If you have the longer wrapped rolls you can pick these up with your hands and eat them. You will not find California rolls and if you ask Japanese people about them they will smile or maybe laugh.

Speaking of eating with your hands there is a different sushi experience all together. In very expensive places in Tokyo where they have the Best sushi available you eat everything with your hands. At those prices you should be able to do anything you want!

In general sushi in Japan is cheaper then in America and everything is fresh. There are many more types of sushi and the chefs are masters of their realm so treat them with extra respect. If you ask they will make alterations. Wabsabi makes me sick so I always ask for it to be removed.

Peace,
-Z

Shannon Lynch, a friend from Twitter asked me, "After chopsticks what do the Japanese use most?"

After chopsticks Japanese people use soup spoons the most. For some soups you use chopsticks to eat the main part of the soup and then drink the rest.

In Chicago I knew how to use chopsticks but was just an amateur. In Japan I use chopsticks almost every day and have become more advanced. For example you can pull things apart such as meat with chopsticks. This is difficult at first but you get used to it pretty quick. The children take a chopstick in each hand and use them to pull things apart. This actually works great but if adults did this it would be considered bad behavior. Speaking of bad behavior your chopsticks should never cross each other. And never ever stick your chopsticks in something straight up. This is associated with funerals and so you never want to to do that.

The Japanese love Italian food and many places have chopsticks as well as western silverware. When I went to a French restaurant a couple of weeks ago they only had western silverware. If you are going to be spreading butter on something you need a knife.

On a side note many Japanese people have asked me if Americans eat sushi with a fork. I always say that American are able to use chopsticks and would not eat sushi with a fork. If you see someone doing this, please slap them for me! And yes, the sushi here is amazing.

Keep those questions coming, I am always happy to answer whatever I can.

Peace,
-Z

Writing back food is not my forte, especially in Japan. Here's how it goes - People order me food, I ask what it is in Japanese and they tell me. Then I have them repeat it and I think, oh yeah I'll remember that. Sure. Later I talk to a friend and describe what I had. The friend says the correct Japanese phrase. Then I have them repeat it and I think, oh yeah I'll remember that. Sure.

This food explains general types of Japanese food and has lovely pictures. I looked through it and thought, oh yeah I'll remember that. Sure.

Good Morning My Loyal Readers!

What do the Japanese have for breakfast? Most people have a Big Mac because there’s nothing like grease and fat to get you going. Oh wait, that’s the American mindset. Sorry about that I am still waking up. At times Japan has little in common with the Western world. But like everywhere on earth a McDonalds is never far away. In Chicago there was a 24 hour McDonald’s two blocks from my apartment. In Nagoya there is a 24 hour McDonald’s two blocks from my apartment. So some Japanese people have an egg McMuffin and bad coffee for breakfast.

The traditional Japanese breakfast is rice, miso soup, baked fish and green tea. Really, fish in the morning? I speak the truth. At first I thought it was crazy but now not so much. Many people I’ve spoken to like fish in the morning but don’t have time to indulge. That’s their excuse and I’ve made it my own.

When I have time in the morning I do eat rice but refer Earl Grey tea. Each morning at school there is hot green tea on my desk when I arrive. For a short time in the summer everyone drinks cold green tea. Summers are brutal here and the humidity can easily reach 80 percent.

My vacation starts tomorrow so I can get up at a respectable time like 9:00 and cook fish. Even I can’t have a pastry filled with cream everyday!

My day job is being an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher to a Japanese Teacher) in the public schools teaching of course English. I should maybe write about that in a blog you think?

I also teach business classes and one-to-one classes and work with a few companies. One of them had their holiday parties tonight and that was fun. The restaurant looked great as it was bathed in red and artistic lighting. When you are at a party the artistic part sets a great vibe. Unfortunately if you want to take video it can be challenging. So no video for my loyal readers but please enjoy the pictures.

Sunday night and it is cool outside but toasty warm in my apartment with the red curtains.

This year my company's Bounenkai (End of the Year Party) was at a popular restaurant chain in Japan called Yamachan. Unlike like year I had no problems finding the restaurant. Yamachan is easy to recognize because they have a big chicken sign. Getting off the train I was rushing to be on-time as the Japanese are often punctual. Then I slowed down and started laughing to myself because it was a gaijin (foreigners) party after all. Taking a nice slow walk I still got there before about 90% of the people.

They had delicious chicken wings and other things (something was a form of potato, something else was like a hush puppy back home but not) were yummy. A little bit of drinking took place. Okay we are talking about young foreigners in Japan, I think they may have run out. The waiters came by to clear the tables and when we asked for more food they said dinner was finished. As often happens in Japan more food came out ten minutes later. I know there was chicken but I can't remember if it was with noodles or something else. It probably was chicken I think. . .all I remember for sure is that I was hungry and it was good.

In the pictures you will see me with my boss (in the white shirt) who has been very helpful and loyal to me this school year. My friend Carl who looks the most natural I think with those silly expressions. We work together at my second school and he helps to keep me sane. The Japanese girls you see in the pictures also work at our company and deserve medals for dealing with sometimes crazy gaijin.

People at the party were from: America, Scotland, Australia, England, New Zealand, Hungrary, the Philippines, and an Eastern European country whose name I forget. The girl with the red hair is from that country and I forget her name too. Our party included people from several different regions in Japan so I got to meet fun new people. After stretching out our two hour dinner most of us moved on to the Hub, a popular English Pub nearby.

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Hello.

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To my great surprise they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here. They do celebrate Independent Day with gusto. Wow you should see the futuristic fire works! Or, um maybe I am making that up.

Christmas

In the Western World Christmas is often the main holiday of the year. Families gather, presents are opened, arguments break out, too much food is eaten, random hugging breaks out, and most people hope for at least some snow. I personally hope for nice big snowdrifts so heavy all you can see is the glorious snow. There are all kinds of advantages to not having a car.

Everyone goes to work in Japan and most people don’t celebrate at all. There are a few stores that have Christmas decorations but they are boring. If I see anything good I will take some pictures and put them up. Some people do talk about exchanging presents and the Japanese do love to shop. Many girls I have talked to think that Christmas is a great time to receive an expensive gift. Another time I will talk about shopping but for now let me say that finding luxury items in Japan is as easy as finding a McDonald’s.

Throughout Japan you will find Christian churches here and there. Two blocks behind my apartment is a decent sized Catholic Church. There are foreign missionaries from many different denominations walking the streets. Most of them seem to be wearing white shirts, ties, nondescript slacks and are just a bit to friendly. To be fair one of my friends here is a missionary and has a wonderful and relaxed demeanor. When we talk he is always kind and listens carefully.

New Years (shogatsu or oshogatsu)

This is the holiday that everyone gets excited about. If you haven’t seen your family throughout the year you see them during New Years.

They never use the world vacation, they always say holiday. This is confusing at first as people say, “I had a holiday yesterday and went to see my parents.” You worked yesterday and knew there was no national holiday. Also, I have problems getting anyone to say or understand what a weekend is in the American sense of the word. People say, “I worked on Saturday but had a holiday on Sunday.” I never knew how much I liked the word vacation until I came here. Tradition says that you should go to a temple within the first week of the New Year. When you go to the temple you pull hard on the cord to ring the bell twice. Then you donate yen to the temple, bow to the Buddha, and clap your hands twice. Temples use the money to keep afloat throughout the year. What Japanese people think while they are doing this I don’t know. I wish for peace and feel the solemn weight of time. In Japan most people visit their families and go to a temple together. For many families it is a time-honored tradition to visit the same temple each year.

Larger temples are open until Midnight and with long lines. Last year I waited for over an hour but it was worth it to bring the bell and clap twice. I don’t know why they clap twice or why I like it so much but it is great fun. Many temples ring a large bell at exactly midnight. The one I went collected donations to ring the big bell. There was a good mix of Western and Japanese people. Some people rang the bell with a gently touch while others flexed strong muscles and made the bell sound like thunder. Yes, the thunder people I saw were westerns. One guy looked liked a professional line backer and had arms of steel.

As I have mentioned explaining food is not my gift so I am pasting this information from Japan-Guide.com
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On New Year's eve, toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles), symbolizing longevity, are served.
Various kinds of special dishes are served during shogatsu. They include osechi ryori, otoso (sweetened rice wine) and ozoni (a soup with mochi).

(There are pictures but it won't let me post them. I will figure out the picture problem this weekend.)
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You can buy expensive pre-made items like this although most people make them at home. Some people buy them to give as gifts. One of the business classes I taught told me about Oschi Ryori you can get at the store for over 10,000 yen ($100). After learning this I often reminded them of my address if they wanted to drop off a present.

Take care, ^^^^Z

People ask me if Chicago is the automotive capital of America. I am sad that they get Detroit and Chicago confused as Detroit is not such a nice place. They do have a new beautiful airport. I never know what to say the main industry in Chicago is. Generally I talk about the financial markets and banks. Some days I feel like a goodwill ambassador for Chicago as I tell people about the wonders of the city. I was always proud to live in Chicago and I have never loved it more.

The Internet isn't working here at school today for some unknown reason. I am reminded of an Onion (a satirical newspaper) article entitled, "Lack of Internet leads to employees actually working." Without the Internet one does need to something to do. I guess in a worse can scenario that would be work.

The Internet just came back but I have a class.

Take care.

--Z