Arigatou Gozaimashita

The dream is over...

Geishas

Geisha (芸者, Geisha) or Geiko (芸妓, Geiko) are traditional, female Japanese entertainers, whose skills include performing various Japanese arts, such as classical music and dance. Contrary to popular belief, geishas are not prostitutes.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha

Shōchū

I do not know why it took me so long to talk about it here. Shōchū was certainly one of the best discoveries during this stay in Japan. But what is it?

"Shōchū (焼酎, Shōchū) is an alcoholic beverage of Japan, most commonly distilled from barley, sweet potato or rice. Typically it is 25% alcohol by volume, making it weaker than whiskey, but stronger than wine and sake."

http://www.theshochu.com/top.html



The key characteristics of Shōchū are irresistible: soft taste, low calories and no next-day-headache! And those few calories are converted to heat by the body and emitted. There have been well-publicized claims of medical benefits, including that it can be effective in preventing thrombosis, heart attacks, and diabetes. It is also a versatile drink that is suited to most styles of cuisine.It is the perfect drink!

Description

Serving Sizes

kCal

Calories in Bitter

Pint

187

Calories in Draught Mild

Pint

136

Calories in Gin & Tonic

Single

120

Calories in Red Wine

Glass

119

Calories in Regular Bitter

Pint

170

Calories in Vodka

Single

56

Calories in Whiskey

Single

72

Calories in White Wine - Dry

Glass

116

Calories in Shōchū

Single

20

On top of that, getting high on Shōchū (oh yeah you can definitely say "high") is one of the best experiences you can have in the Tokyo night, as it fills you with an intense energy that you do not know where comes from, but you gladly realize when it is there!

Shōchū recently became the focus of a consumer boom, and in 2003 shipments within Japan surpassed those of sake for the first time. However, this alcohol remains unknown outside Japan.

It has become better known as a result of one man who consumed it regularly. Shigechiyo Izumi, a Japanese citizen who up until recently held the world record for longest life span (120 years), made shōchū part of his daily dietary regimen. This fact was mentioned along with his record in the Guinness Book of World Records. Because of his intimate passion for shōchū, many have speculated that shōchū is healthy and can actually promote longevity. This even prompted some local Ryūkyū shōchū brewers to market a special Longevity Liquor shōchū bearing his likeness on the front label. Despite these claims, Izumi's personal physician strongly advised against drinking shōchū, as his kidneys were not strong enough to process shōchū in his advanced age. But Izumi went on to say: "Without shōchū there would be no pleasure in life. I would rather die than give up drinking."

And my friend Izumi, you could not be more correct!

Main Varieties

Rice shōchū

Rice shōchū (米焼酎, komejōchū) shares its base ingredient with sake. It has a fairly thick taste, and appears to have originally developed in regions too warm for sake production. ^[14]

Barley shōchū

Barley shōchū (麦焼酎, mugijōchū) is generally less distinctive than rice shōchū and easy to drink. However if cask-aged the taste can be quite sharp and strongly reminiscent of single-malt whisky.

Potato shōchū (my ichi-ban!)

Potato shōchū (芋焼酎, imojōchū) uses sweet potato, widely cultivated across southern Kyūshū since the Edo period, as its base ingredient.

It tends to have has a strong taste and a distinctive smell, sharply dividing drinkers into those who do and don't like it. More recently producers have made varieties whose aroma is somewhat
suppressed.

******************

Vinicius de Moraes, a famous Brazilian poet/composer/musician/bon-vivant once said: "Whiskey is like a dog in a bottle", making fun with the fact that both dog and whiskey are man's best friends. Well, I used to agree with him until I met shōchū...

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dch%C5%AB#cite_ref-japantimes_2-1

Japanese ID

And after a log time, I am back.
I have finally an Japanese ID... can't you notice my eyes starting to get a little Japanese by now?

By the way, that's my name in Japanese alphabet...

Where is Wally?

Pachinko

Pachinko (パチンコ, Pachinko) is a Japanese gaming device used for amusement and prizes. Although pachinko machines were originally strictly mechanical, modern pachinko machines are a cross between a pinball machine and a video slot machine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachinko

Today, the pachinko places are buildings full of all kind of electronic entertainment devices. Some of these places have up to 7 incredibly noisy floors packed with hundreds of people and cigarette smoke everywhere! Probably this is the closest to hell you can get. But who said hell was not fun?

Tokyo: the entertainment city!

Tokyo is the city that never sleeps!
In the most awesome city in the globe, having fun is not an issue. Bars, clubs, discos, pachinkos. The city is open 24h at full speed!
And the "entertainment buildings" are certainly a highlight. In these building you have a huge selection of activities such as game, ping-pong, billiard, mini-golf, mini-baseball, darts, karaoke. Everything in one place, selling booze and open until 5am. You know what happens next...

Some little images from Japan

Women-only train cars

According to a survey conducted in Tokyo last year, nearly 64 percent of Japanese women in their 20s and 30s said they've been groped on trains, subways or at transit stations in the city.
These subway gropers -- who lean, rub and pinch during the remarkably crowded rush hours -- are known in Japanese as "chikan."

The solution found by Japanese: women-only train cars! Oh these little perverts...

Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Geological instability causes around 1,000 tremors in the country each year, although many of these go undetected by the public.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3950315.stm

And after one month in Japan, I had my first earthquake experience this week: 6.8 on Richter scale.

At this time you realize how much Japanese are used to that. It is natural and part of their daily lives. As it is something you cannot prevent or predict, they make sure that buildings are constructed with all the security requirements to go trough an earthquake and they also keep people informed on how to behave in the case of a disaster.

But the little things are the best part...

Nikko

"The first temple in Nikko was founded more than 1,200 years ago along the shores of the Daiya River. However, in 1616, the dying Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu made it known that his final wish was for his successors to "Build a small shrine in Nikko and enshrine me as the God. I will be the guardian of peace keeping in Japan." As a result, Nikko became home of the mausoleums of the Tokugawa Shoguns, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Unlike most Japanese temples and shrines, the buildings here are extremely gaudy and ornate, with multicolored carvings and plenty of gold leaf, and show heavy Chinese influence. Some sense of dignity is restored by a magnificent forest of over 13,000 cedar trees, covering the entire area."


Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Nikko
More info: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html

Golden Week

Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク, Gōruden Wīku^?), also known as Ōgata renkyū (大型連休, Ōgata renkyū^?) or Ōgon shūkan (黄金週間, Ōgon shūkan^?), is a Japanese term applied to the period containing the following public holidays:

• April 29
  • Emperor's Birthday (天皇誕生日, Emperor's Birthday^?), until 1988
  • Greenery Day, or Nature Day (みどりの日, Midori no hi^?), from 1989 until 2006
  • Shōwa Day (昭和の日, Shōwa no hi^?), from 2007
• May 3
  • Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日, Kenpō kinenbi^?)
• May 4
  • holiday^† (国民の休日, Kokumin no kyūjitsu^?), from 1985 until 2006
  • Greenery Day, or Nature Day (みどりの日, Midori no hi^?) (from 2007)
• May 5
  • Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no hi^?), also customarily known as Boys' Day (端午の節句, Tango no sekku^?)

In other words, I am getting the road!
I will be back soon with loads of pictures....

Coffee Machines

Machines, machines, machines. In this technology-oriented country, there is a machine for every little thing: toilets, rice cooking, etc. But they are not simple machines. Those little toys always have the latest technology, and are really impressive to the eyes of non-Japanese people at a first glance.
The coffee machine I have at the office is one of them.
You can choose from a extensive list of hot, cold and frozen coffees, and the next thing you know, the machine is talking to you...

Special opening hours

Working late hours in Japan is part of the culture. As many Tokyoites leave the office late at night, services such as restaurants, pachinkos and stores follow this trend and are open till very late hours.
But when I say late hours, I mean very late hours...

The March to Work

One of the things that impressed me the most during my first days in Tokyo, was the number of people going to work at the same time at Shinagawa station.
Shinagawa station is located in the south of Tokyo and is a conglomerate of office buildings, including the one I work at.
Every day around 9AM, a legion of Tokyoites march in the same direction, all of them with one single objective in mind: work.
It is impossible to remain neutral to this amazing urban phenomenon, that is now part of my daily life.
On top of that, when you arrive to the office you are received by the most polite security guards on Earth, that are constantly saying "Good Morning" (Ohayou Gozaimasu), to every single individual that walks into the building.

To share this unique experience with you, I have worked on the video below. It lasts a bit more than 3 minutes, but I hope you will find it interesting.

Poor Shooting and Poor Editing: myself
Soundtrack: Herbie Hancock - The Chameleon Man

Toilet

Toilets in Japan are quite something. In this country where everything is about technology, even a regular visit to the toilet requires a minimum knowledge of systems and buttons.
The toilet in my flat is a good example.
You have at least 4 or 5 buttons to help you in daily tasks such as cleaning your butt, after the mission is accomplished.
At a first sight you think: "These people are crazy!". But after a couple of days you realize that these little things in Japan, really make your life easier.

So when you come to Japan, be prepared to press the right button!

He would understand me now...

Firts of all, I am sorry for posting non-english content. But this is so so beautiful, that it is worth copying and pasting into google translator.
It is a poem from Fernando Pessoa, one of the best, if not the best, portuguese-speaking poet of all times. It perfectly fits my approach to this japan experience:

Viajar! Perder países!
Ser outro constantemente,
Por a alma não ter raízes
De viver de ver somente!

Não pertencer nem a mim!
Ir em frente, ir a seguir
A ausência de ter um fim,
E a ânsia de o conseguir!

Viajar assim é viagem.
Mas faço-o sem ter de meu
Mais que o sonho da passagem.
O resto é só terra e céu.

Fernando Pessoa

Thanks lele, I got this from a orkut message you left to carol...

More to come, keep tuned.

Okonomiyaki

Japanese food is spread out all around the world. In every big city you can easily spot a Japanese restaurant. In these "samples of heaven" you may enjoy dishes like sushi, sashimi, yakitori, tempura, udon and a few other delicious little things coming from Japan.

But when you arrive in Japan you realize these dishes are just a small part of a rich cuisine, with a huge history and complex background. In Japan you may find a different side of the Japanese cuisine which can rarely be found outside the country.

And my #1 pick out of this "unknown side of the Japanese cuisine" is certainly the Okonomiyaki.

To avoid being too partial, I will quote wikipedia:

"Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, Okonomiyaki) is a Japanese dish consisting of a pan-fried batter cake and various ingredients. Okonomi means "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked" (cf. yakitori and yakisoba); thus, the name of this dish means "cook what you like". In Japan, okonomiyaki is mainly associated with Osaka, Kansai or Hiroshima areas, but is widely available throughout the country. Toppings and batters tend to vary according to region."

Also known as the "Japanese Pizza", Okonomiyaki the most non-Japanese looking dish of the Japanese cuisine. But certainly, one of the best gastronomical experiences you can have in life.

Thumbs up to Japanese culture! Again and again...

Wasei-go

First days and I cannot expect anything else than to struggle with the language.
At the same time, happy to realize that Japanese is not as difficult as it looks like. Well, writing is for Pros as they have two alphabets (hiragana and katacana) with 50 letters each plus more than 2000 chinese alphabets (kanji). Foreigners may also see Japanese written in Roman alphabet (rōmaji), but this is only used by Japanese to communicate with non-Japanese speakers (arigatou or sayonara for instance).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language

But speaking Japanese is something that you can aim with some practice. Well, at least basic expressions. With some time and study, you can start learning basic phrases to use on your daily life.

But then you have the little things...

And the first thing that came to my attention is how Japanese language appropriates international words based on their sound. This is called wasei-go. And man, it could not be funnier than that!

Below you will find a short list of wasei-go words. Although my favorite one is not included there. Whiskey ondarokasu! (no need to translate...)

Romaji (Japanese)	Origin	Meaning
afutāsābisu	after service	customer service, after service
aidoru	idol	(teen) idol, pop star
aisu	ice	ice cream
ankēto	enquête	questionnaire, survey
arukōru	alcohol, álcool	alcohol, alcoholic beverage
baiku	bike	a motorcycle, but not a bicycle
bakansu	vacances	holiday, vacation
birōdo	veludo	velvet
bīru	bier	beer
daburu	double	(noun and adjective) double
doraibā	driver	a screwdriver, motor vehicle driver
dorama	drama	TV drama
faito	fight	often used to mean "Do your best!"
furaidopoteto	fried potato	french fries (US), chips (UK)
furontogarasu	front glass	windshield (US), windscreen (UK)
gasorinsutando	gasoline stand	gas station (US), petrol station (UK)
iyā obu za kōchi	year of the coach	coach of the year
jīpan	jea(ns) + pan(ts)	jeans
jūsu	juice	refer to soda or energy drinks
kameraman	cameraman	photographer
kāmon	come on	invitation to join an activity or event.
kōhī	koffie	coffee
konkūru	concours	a contest, a competition
kurabu	club	a club or society
kurakushon	Klaxon	horn (on an automobile)
kurisutaru	crystal	shiny or clear
kyanpingukā	Camping-car	a recreational vehicle
manshon	mansion	modern concrete apartment
mēru	mail	e-mail
miruku	milk	milk, non-dairy creamer
mobairu	mobile	mobile communications
ōrai	alrigh(t)	alright, OK
oranda	Holanda	The Netherlands, Holland
resutoran	restaurant	restaurant
ronpari	Lon(don) + Paris	slang for Strabismus (crosseyed, wandering eye), derived from the image of one eye looking toward London, and the other eye looking toward Paris
sekkusu	sex	sexual intercourse
sūpā	super(market)	supermarket
taimuōbā	time over	when a time limit has been reached
torēnīngupantsu	training pants	sweat pants

For a complete list of wasei-go words, the good and old wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gairaigo_and_wasei-eigo_terms

The little parking places

As trains are crowded, people tend to think driving in Tokyo might be the best option. Drop it. Driving can be considered ok, but parking a car is not far from being a complete nightmare. On top of that, you may need to get a loan from the bank to recover your babe.

But one thing we must admit: when optimizing the space is the word of the day, Japanese are magicians . In Tokyo, parkings are the best example on how they know to do more with less.

Parking in Japan is art.

The little space in the trains

Japan's train system is amazingly efficient and organized. You can reach almost every corner of the country by train. In Tokyo, the metro and JR lines take you anywhere in the city. But during rush hours (usually in the morning), riding a train can be quite an experience and you might go through some priceless moments like the two below.

The little kids

Japan's birth rate is incredibly low today and population growth rate is close to zero. In 2007 birth rate has dropped to lower than 9%, alarming Japanese government and society.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Japanese_Birth_and_Death_rates.png

In this scenario, it is not easy to spot little kids on the streets as we see in other countries.
Japanese small kids are rare, but oh those little things are cute.