Hello again from Japan, where the law that governs private ownership of weapons is known as the Swords and Firearms Control Law.
I do love the food here in Japan. But while sushi, sashimi and udon noodles may be what you think of when you think of Japanese food, people here eat many different things. First of all, many Chinese dishes have been folded into Japanese food life for so long it’s impossible to separate the two, with items like fried rice (chahan) and chow mein noodles (yakisoba, really good with kim chee in it) being the staples. The Japanese eat a lot more meat these days than they used to, although a steak here is often really a “hamburg steak” or steak made from hamburger meat. In addition to steak, the Japanese have a fun dish called Shabu Shabu, thinly-sliced meat which you boil in a pot in front of you, then eat. Yakiniku, or Korean-style barbecue, is also very popular. Ramen is a Japanese twist on noodle dishes eaten in China, and each corner of Japan is famous for a different type of ramen. The batter-fried shrimp and vegetables known as Tempura is heavenly, although it it’s not really Japanese — it originated in Portugal. The Japanese also adapt Western foods and come up with something original. One of my favorite dishes is Omurice, fried rice with ketchup with a thin omelette over it — it’s especially delicious tasty when my wife draws a heart shape with ketchup for me.
What’s your hobby? My hobby is studying English. When you come to Japan to teach ESL, or English as a Second Language, you have to be prepared to be immersed in a society where complex linguistic concepts aren’t expressed very often, and it can take actually take a toll on your language skills. When I first got here, I was confused by the other English teachers I met, who seemed to be speaking far too slowly and clearly, pronouncing letters in words that are usually reduced, like the “t” sounds in “party” or “button.” When I was a teacher, I’d go for months speaking almost no English except to my Japanese students, and after a while, my speech patterns would get pretty weird. It’s possible to lose the ability to recall difficult words, too — I once racked my brain for an hour to come up that word that means “something you can’t live without” (the word was “irreplaceable”). When you’re teaching English to kids or low-level adults in Japan, you end up doing a lot of “jiko shokai” (self-introductions), teaching them how to talk about themselves. Before long you’re saying things like “My hobby is anime” about yourself.
Have you gained some weight? If you’re a big person and come to Japan, be prepared to hear light-hearted comments about your weight, especially if you gain weight. Although it’s usually taboo to make mention of a person’s girth in the U.S., in Japan it’s quite common to start a conversation with a friend by asking him if he’s gained weight recently. It’s not fun, but you get used to it quickly enough, and the Japanese mean no harm in it — it’s just a kind of small talk, like talking about the weather.
We love to bring you cool things from Japan each and every day. Many of the delicious chocolate and snacks that we sell are only available in the cooler months, since they melt like nobody’s business in Japan’s humid summer. One of our favorite snacks is Melty Kiss, a yummy fudge square that, in addition to having one of the most bizarre names in Japan, tastes great. This year we’re overjoyed to announce that in addition to classic “Precious Cocoa” flavor, we’ve got Matcha Melty Kiss this year — a cube of velvety green tea wrapped with chocolate fudge. Yum!
Remember that 2005 calendar season is going on RIGHT NOW. Every day more and more of our unique calendars sells out and is removed from the J-List site automatically. We still have 180 amazingly rare anime, JPOP, traditional, swimsuit model or other calendar in stock for you, but the longer you wait, the greater the chance that the calendar you want will disappear before you can pick it up. These amazing large-format calendars are great because they’re only sold in Japan around the end of the year. When you’ve got one of these great items on your wall, you know you’ve got something special. Get 4 calendars and save 15% off, and get your mailing tubes free, too. Browse our selection right now by searching for the term “calendar.”
