Home made remedies

In Japan:

If you have fever or flu: place something cold around your neck and prepare a cup of hot sake mixed to raw egg... Yummy.

If you have a sorethroat: prepare a cup of Japanese tea (cannot be Darjeeling ot Jasmine), add a teaspoon of salt and rinse your throat. Be careful not to vomit as it defeats the purpose...

Domestic and International Affairs: latest news from Asia

N. Korea Reportedly Seeking Corporate Sponsors for Next Missile Launch
With its economy crippled by years of international sanctions, North Korea has devised an ingenious plan to fill its government coffers: tagging the sides of its Taepodong missile with corporate logos.

Officials have reportedly approached a number of well-known international companies about the plan, with mixed results. A spokesperson for Starbucks Japan who spoke to The Negi on condition of anonymity pointed out that, due to the rocket’s altitude when cruising over the major markets of Kansai and Kanto, it is unlikely that the logo would be visible to the naked eye. Coca-Cola Corp. seemed warmer to the idea, with a spokesperson saying, “This may be the last surface on earth we do not now have advertisements on.” The sponsorship opportunity was greeted most enthusiastically by McDonald’s Corp, which unveiled a mock-up of its planned ad that reads: “The end is near! Beat the heat of nuclear Armageddon with a McFlurry. Now in Oreo™ flavor!”

Gov’t: Economy on Rebound as Chihuahua Sales, Teen Prostitution Rise
Recently released figures from the finance ministry suggest that the recession has bottomed out and that Japan’s fiscal health is improving. The report cited a rise in three key economic indicators: the median number of occupied seats in Starbucks, the sale of Chihuahuas, and the average monthly income of teen prostitutes. The spike in all three market sectors indicates that Japanese consumers have begun pouring money back into the economy.

Some analysts, however, warn that while the income levels of teen prostitutes are returning to pre-recession levels, it is not yet certain that the money is being funneled back into the economy in the form of brand-name handbags, nail art and choux cream pastries.

“Let’s not forget the lost generation of young girls who missed out on their earning prime during the recession,” a finance ministry spokesman said. “The economy is coming back, but too late for some women who have aged out of their teens during the downturn.”

POVERINE....

From Metropolis #801

I particularly like 'it's fluenced by Yoga and Tai chi chuan. It's sometimes like shiatsu, sometimes like streach [...] Here, You'll find the ellements essential to the well-being of body and soul'.

On Kotto Dori, the biggest sign on the street! If I was to spend that much on advertising my shop, I'll make sure the spelling is right...

Latest News: gov't checks for husbands, stop to public affection and stop to saying 'ehhtooo'!

Japanese Husbands to Receive “Secret” Gov’t Stimulus Checks

Fearful that large sums of its kyufukin stimulus money is sitting idle in savings accounts, the government has devised a plan to distribute the funds to married Japanese men without their wives’ knowledge. Politicians hope that this money will immediately be pumped back into the economy in the form of alcohol sales, pachinko losses and sex workers.
The plan was formulated after a finance ministry study revealed that women, who generally run family finances, intended to spend the stimulus money on “bills, savings and aromatherapy instruction.” 
When interviewed by The Negi, passersby at Shinagawa in Tokyo appeared to wholeheartedly support the plan. “Oh, I’ll probably use a little bit [of the money] each day so I can get some extra pork topping on my ramen,” said one middle-aged corporate worker. “Maybe buy some nihonshu that’s not in a carton. Oh, and definitely a nice present for my Miko. She’s the hardest working girl at the kyabakura.”

Gov’t Asks Int’l Couples to Limit Public displays of affection to Check Spread of Swine Flu
As the number of newly diagnosed swine flu cases dwindles, health officials are optimistic that Japan has averted a full-blown pandemic. Credit is being given to a rapid medical response, warming seasonal temperatures, and near-zero levels of physical intimacy among the population.
Fears, however, are now centered on a surge in new cases among non-Japanese who make physical contact with others. The health ministry has released a special set of recommendations for international couples who, against social norms, hug and even kiss their partners and family members.
“We ask those foreigners in relationships with local Japanese to please refrain from hand-holding, kissing and hugging,” said government spokesman Eichi Niida. “For the sake of public health, please refrain from displaying affection; instead, please bury your feelings deep inside. Likewise, we call on Japanese couples to refrain from their semi-annual hug and to limit interaction with their children to a slight bow and grunt (if you are not already doing so).”

Gov’t To Reduce CO2 Emissions by Limiting Use of Phrase “Ehhhhhtoooo…”
As part of an environmental initiative being trumpeted as the “Green New Deal,” the government has come up with a daring new plan: requiring Japanese speakers to limit their use of “Ehhhtoooo…” to less than one second in duration. The new statute, which will also cap the use of the filler at twice per sentence, is based on a research study which revealed that the average Japanese person employs the phrase for as long as 3-4 seconds, and that it comprises as much as 60 percent of overall speech.
Environment Minister Anone Oguchi clarified the regulations at a press conference in Nagatacho. “As with the success of our Cool Biz initiative, we hope we can lower the unnecessary release of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere by limiting the amount to which citizens, particularly elderly government-employed men like myself, pollute the air with our unnecessary vocal noises.”

From Metropolis#793

Aperetif on a Sunday night

On the roofs of Tokyo at dusk. Sweet Spring.

Royal Shopping: Kinokuniya

Last Sunday night we quickly drove to the nearest grocery shop to buy a few things for dinner. At least that was the intention. We drove to the Kinokuniya International Supermarket that recently opened in the basement of the new AO building in Aoyama, one of Tokyo coolest. Generally one of us waits in the car while the other goes in (to avoid parking or fines) but we saw the underground parking on the side of the building and drove in. As only in Japan happens, a high tech automatic elevator took the car away and we walked inside the little Italian cafe part of the supermarket, just in case one needs an aperetif before or after the shopping...
Kinokuniya was founded in 1953 as a grocery store and developed into one of the classiest and priecest international supermarket in Japan. Japanese selected food as well as ingredients to cook Italian, Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican and French food abound on the shelves. The vegatables and the fruit look so perfect you would think they were picked up in the garden of Eden. Belgian chocolate, Norwegian brown waffles, shortbread as well as delicate Japanese mochi are among the varieties of superior quality goodies one can find just next to the Boulangerie-Patisserie area where all sorts of bread, scones and croissant are baked daily. Next to a very well stocked wine cellar you could stop and indulge in good cheeses from France and Italy, cured meat from Denmark, Germany and Italy, foie gras and other similar delicatessen. For coffee lovers, fresh beans from all over the world just next to the sushi stand.
We strolled around as if we were in Alice's Wonderland, buying premium Sukiyaki beef and broth, tofu, leeks and mushroom for dinner, Thai noodles, curries and Tapioca pudding for another soon-to-be dinner, pate de campagne and baguette as appetizers and Blue Mountain coffee beans from Jamaica.
A Japanese man in uniform took our bags, provided us with a paid ticket for the parking and asked us to follow him. Two minutes later the car was magically lifted by the elevator from the underground parking and we were on our way, almost feeling pampered. Royal shopping in Tokyo!

Amanatto - Candied beans

Today one of my colleagues asked me if I am interested in Japanese traditional candies. I thought to myself that I was not interested in traditional candies rather peckish enough to try one of them. Of course I said I was very interested indeed and I got a few candies to taste.

Now, the main ingredient is a simple, not pretentious little bean. And yet the final result turns out to be the best candy one could ever taste, delicious and so delicately made! How the Japanese can elevate simplicity to its highest...

AMANATTO RECIPE:
Best if started from dried beans that you cook yourself to control the consistency of the beans. You want them cooked but not mushy, picking out any floaty skins, beans without skins and cracked beans. Canned beans are usually too mushy and have all sorts of preservatives in them. Frozen edamame works really well - just make sure you get shelled ones!
Special Equipment: heavy, baking sheet(s) lined with parchment/Silpat
4 c cooked beans (edamame, black bean, azuki, lima, etc.)
3 c water
4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c sugar (preferably superfine)

1. Dissolve water, sugar & salt in heavy pot over medium heat. Bring to simmer.
2. Add cooked beans to pot. Simmer for 1.5 hours.
3. Drain beans.
4. Toss drained beans in superfine sugar. Coat very well.
5. Spread sugared beans on prepared baking pan(s).
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, stirring beans halfway through.
7. Turn off oven, crack door open & keep beans in oven until completely cool. If you live in a dry area, you can skip this step and just remove the pans from oven and cool completely on the pans. 8. Store in airtight container.

Amanatto were developed by Hosoda Yasubei during the Bunkyu years (1861–1863) in the Edo period. He opened a wagashi store in Tokyo: Eitaro. This store continues to operate and I've got to find it!

Kanamara Matsuri or... Penis Festival

The Kanamara Matsuri (?????), also called Festival of the Steel Phallus, or in layman's term "Penis festival", is an annual Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan in spring. The penis forms the central theme of the event that's reflected everywhere; in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decoration, a parade of mikoshis, etc.
- The Kanamara Matsuri is centered around a local penis-venerating shrine, once popular among prostitutes who wished to pray for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Today, the festival is used to raise money for HIV research. There's also a legend of a demon that hid inside a young girl and castrated two young men on their wedding nights before a blacksmith fashioned an iron phallus that was used to break the demon's teeth, leading to the enshrinement of the item.
- Other attractions include locals carving penises out of daikon (radish), children and young women sitting astride penis-shaped seesaws for good luck and fertility blessings, as well as a seated banquet in the compound of Wakamiya Hachimangu shrine where the phallic radishes are auctioned. All are welcome to take part in the festival's parade and banquet, which includes dancing and karaoke singing. Many revelers, Japanese and foreigners alike, turn out in kimono, Edo period attire or drag for this two-day event of phallic fun which is also attended by many of the area's community leaders and civic dignitaries.

When trying to reserve a room in English...

To Elisa
Thank you for inquiring.
This is Aura Tachibana reservation charge.Your inquiry was accepted.I will report with the telephone or mail later.
Indeed excuse me, please contact the following where to make contact when it is disconnected even if two has passed since mail was received by any chance.

...

Five Reasons for Japan’s Leaders to Get Drunk

Anyone who has seen the video of Japan’s finance minister at last weekend’s Group of Seven meeting in Rome may be having similar thoughts. Nakagawa resigned yesterday even after insisting he wasn’t drunk. It was cold meds, he claimed (...)
Of course, if I were in charge of this rapidly shrinking economy -- at an annual 12.7 percent pace last quarter alone --I’d be tempted to hit the bar, too. The high won’t last very long,mind you. Japanese data of late are way too sobering. Talk about an economic hangover.
Here are five reasons why Japanese leaders might be excused for drinking in excess these days.
1. Things will get far worse. You know an export-driven economy is in trouble when exports plunged an unprecedented 13.9percent last quarter. The collapse in demand for Corolla cars and Bravia televisions comes as the G-7 says the global slump will last for much of 2009. It’s probably more like 2010, too. Big losses are forecast at Toyota Motor Corp., Sony Corp.and Hitachi Ltd., all of which are firing thousands of workers.That will accelerate the drop in household spending and deepen the recession. The current quarter could be even uglier.
2. Leadership is nowhere to be found. Nakagawa’s wobbly,droopy-eyed performance became an Internet hit and made Japan thebutt of jokes. More importantly, though, his replacement,Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano, recently castdoubts on whether Japan will get its act together by April, when the Group of 20 nations meets in London. Call it a two-month do-nothing binge.
3. Even party bigwigs are turning on you. Media are in atizzy over Junichiro Koizumi’s public rebuke of Aso’s bungling. Apro-reform prime minister who served from 2001 to 2006, Koizumi is credited with shaking up Japan’s business world and privatizing the massive postal system, which also housed the nation’s biggest savings bank. Koizumi recently spoke for many of Japan’s 127 million people when he attacked Aso for what he called “appalling” and“laughable” blunders. He suggested that their party, the ruling LDP, may lose this year’s election. Let’s face it, the LDP deserves to lose badly. The party serves only itself, not Japan’s people and certainly not the investors looking for opportunities in this $4.4 trillion economy.
5. The yen will rise no matter what happens. For 10 years now, Japan’s ultra-low interest rates funded borrowings that weremoved overseas into higher-yielding markets. Japanese companies and investors, hungry for fatter returns, ventured overseas. Allthat money is now coming back to Japan. The dollar’s weakness is exacerbating the problem. That’s a crisis for an economy that lives and dies byexchange rates. There’s nothing the Finance Ministry or Bank of Japan can do about it. That’s why Japan isn’t intervening incurrency markets to cap the yen. Whether Aso’s LDP hangs on to power -- which is highlydoubtful -- or Ozawa’s Democratic Party of Japan grabs the reins,the yen will strengthen. A strong currency is normally a sign of confidence in an economy. In Japan’s case, it’s a contrarian indicator of growth prospects in a world fast losing altitude.
Nightcap, anyone? It may help leaders in Tokyo deal with Japan’s un-happy hour.
(Commentary by William Pesek)

Oshogatsu

New Year (shogatsu or oshogatsu) is the most important holiday in Japan. Most businesses shut down from January 1 to January 3, and families typically gather to spend the days together. Homes and entrance gates are decorated with ornaments made of pine, bamboo and plum trees, and clothes and houses are cleaned.
January 9. After a long week off work this year the Japanese (and the gaijin living in Japan) are back at work. You would assume they are all rested and ready for work... Nope...

I have had a bad stomachache from yesterday. The medicines don't work. I will go to the doctor, then i will try to login from my home. Sorry.

X called in. He has a stomach ache. He'll take P off a.m to goto a doctor. thank you.

Hi Team, X will take urgent p off today. Thanks.

And the day after:

Sorry. I have still a stomachache. I will go to big hospital this morning, then go to the office. Thanks.

X will be late for 40mins due to family issue. thank you.

X doesn't feel well. He will be in the office around 9am.