Recently in Culture Category

Yuko and I just finished watching a documentary called, Tokyo Girls. It details the lives of the hostess girls and what their lives are really like. It also brought a nice view of the concrete city to our tree stricken life here in Minnesota.

What is funny, is that some of the clubs shown in Osaka are just around the corner from where Yuko and I got married... Maybe I should check it out and bring back photos when Yuko and I and Daichi make a trip in late Febuary....

I personally thought the video gave the viewers (me) a glimpse into the life of the rich Japanese business man who has more money than they really know what to spend it on, but don't know what love is. Some of the customers really turn out to be mob bosses seeking friendship and maybe love in the ladies who are out to chase their money.... Man you see the cars these guys drive.

Take a candid journey into the world of four young Canadian women who work as well paid hostesses in exclusive Japanese nightclubs when the National Film

Lured by adventure and easy money, these modern-day geisha find themselves caught up in the mizu shobai - the complex "floating water world" of Tokyo clubs and bars. Drawn by fast money, some women become consumed by the lavish lifestyle and forget why they came. One hostess calls it "losing the plot."

"I couldn't believe that they were paying me to drink and party and just sit around and talk to people. I thought it was fabulous." Jamie was making a thousand dollars a night when she started working in a hostess club in Japan. Little did she realize that she would eventually flee for safety to a remote Thai Island.

Hilary is a hostess in a Tokyo nightclub to pay off her student debts. Nancy came to Japan to study butoh - a contemporary dance form. Dhana was offered a million dollars to marry one of her clients.

With a pulsating visual style, Tokyo Girls captures the raw energy of urban Japan and its fascination with the new. Shot in Canada, Osaka and Tokyo, this is a riveting inside look at the impact of the "economy geisha."

Tokyo Girls was directed by Penelope Buitenhaus and produced by Gillian Darling Kovanic for the National Film Board.

I thought this would be appropriate since it is Obon week. I took this picture at Todai-ji temple. It scares me.

Dave Marquis

This is one of my favorite dishes! We got this yaki soba at United Noodles. It is an instant noodle that you make by boiling water in a fry pan and adding the dried noodles and then when the noodles are soft and the water is gone you fry then with the sauce that is included. Then to finish it off you sprinkle the green leaves (condiments) over the top.

This is a tipical dinner and Yuko has made for me. I love it! It is pork with a soy sauce type suace. Now I know that sounds strange, the last sentence, but it is the best that I can do to describe it. Ayways, it was delicious!!!

I've added 2 new phrases that are going to be important to the Gaijin. I like to us the first on my wife...Sorry!!!! Well I just learned it and I was excitted to try it our.

shikata ga nai

daikoku bashira

Nils over at Alive in Kyoto got the oppertunity to attent the Gion Matsuri. I wish I could have gone. Well maybe I will get the chance as the in-laws live about 30-45 minutes by train from Kyoto.

Head on over to Alive in Kyoto to catch up on this wonderful festival.
alive in kyoto

I found this web page about 2 years ago. It has captured my imagination for some reason. I guess I have a yearning to take a long walk around an island. It would defenatly give me some time to think about things as well as where I want to go in this one life that we all have.

It seems to me that it would be a luxery these days to be able to take this long spiritual walk, or hike if you would rather see it that way. Either way you see it, the journey is going to last for 1300 Kilometer or 808 miles believe it or not! I don't know about you, but my knees might be a little weak to take this kind of treatment. Oh I forgot, this is about letting go of the pain and suffering that we are all caught up in.

Don Weiss, the author and henro, (pilgrim or 遍路) made this journey twice, once in the winter and once in the spring. It is traditional to walk the around the island by one's self in the winter and with a companion in the spring.

I have read in many places that most Westerners can not eat umeboshi. I however love these sour little red tasty treats. They are especially tasty in the morning with my gohan.

Marco Mancini

After doing a little 'netsurfing, as my wife says, I ran across this site that has some cool receipes and info on how to make your own umeboshi. If I had access to some ume I certainly would try to make my own choya. Oh whatch out for the engrish.

Umeboshi is also made using the red shiso plant. The red shiso is alos a tasty and healthy topping for rice. It also contains a lot of salt that is left over in the bottom of the shaker for some reason. Well anyways, please try it next time you have white Japanese rice!

You know when you have been missing Japanese resturants when you feel the need to see a representation of the item that you are ordering here in the states. I don't know that number of times that I have wondered what I was really ordering. I think resturants here should take the clue and get onboard with the plastic food. Check out Kristen's Japan: Video Saturdays. Kristen is really going all out with the videos on her blog. I am now feeling like I need to keep up with the Jones!