According to my trusty Frommer's Japan guide, a not-to-be-missed travel experience in Japan is taking a bath in a communal onsen (Japanese: 温泉, English: hot spring). This experience is daunting for most non-Japanese like me, as it involves bathing butt naked with a bunch
Pea shoots (Chinese & Japanese: 豆苗) are a micro-green that can be eaten stir-fried with garlic or added to clear soup. Supermarkets here sell pea shoots (along with other micro-greens) in a soilless tray for JPY99 (~US$0.66). One tray is sufficient for one serving. What&
Miso (Japanese: 味噌) is Japanese for fermented soybean paste. It is commonly-used in Japanese cooking, for example in miso soup. Given its strong umami (Japanese: 旨味), miso can also be used in other ways, such as to make pasta sauce or to marinate fish. The ingredients to make miso
I recently watched a two-part documentary produced by CNA Insider called No Screen, No Life. CNA Insider is a Channel News Asia ("CNA") program that produces good long-form investigative videos on current affairs and topics. These videos are uploaded to CNA Insider's YouTube channel.
"Less alcohol and more vegetables", advised the doctor as he scanned the dietary questionnaire I submitted before my health consult last November. The medical report that followed one month later confirmed a niggling suspicion: I had gotten complacent in managing my cholesterol levels. This wake-up call has
I recently went to the Kodomo Shizen park (Japanese: 子供自然公園, English: Children's Nature Park) in Yokohama (Japanese: 横浜) to participate in an outdoor yaki-imo (Japanese: 焼き芋, English: baked/roasted sweet potato) event. The event has been held from November to March for the past four years, and
Daniel Pink is an American author who was recently interviewed by Nicolai Tangen on the latter's In Good Company podcast. The interview was about 40 minutes long, and I have listened to it twice. Prior to this, I had never heard of Daniel Pink. But with books having
According to Wikipedia, a Mexican Standoff is "a confrontation where no strategy exists that allows any party to achieve victory. Anyone initiating aggression might trigger their own demise." Based on my observations, there is a passive Mexican Standoff in the district I live in between the owner of
Twice a month, the Japanese language group I participate in runs a reading club. I was encouraged by Mr. Otake - my Japanese teacher - to participate in this club as it would benefit my learning. He added that the level of Japanese used would be much higher, though I should not
Kentucky Fried Chicken ("KFC") first came to Japan in 1970, around the same time as McDonald's. The KFC Holdings Japan Ltd. ("KFC Holdings Japan") company owns and operates the country's KFC business ("KFC Japan"). KFC Japan launched its Kentucky for
Last month, I went for a medical examination organised by the district I live in. The district organises medical checkups for the early detection of lifestyle-related diseases. Residents are recommended to do a checkup once a year. The only way to make an appointment is via the internet - quite
Bonsai (Japanese: 盆栽, lit: "planted in a container") is the Japanese art of growing and shaping plants in a container. Because the plant is always growing, I guess bonsai is an art that is never complete. Everyday, you theoretically get a newer version of the original art piece.