Japanese Demystified

Japanese Demystified by Eriko Sato is a great self-teaching guide for learning Japanese. It is great for beginners to the language as well as challenging enough for the more experienced learner.

It begins with a review of Japanese writing systems, basic pronunciation, and everyday expressions. The book covers key grammar fundamentals such as particles, nouns, verb forms and honorifics. It will help you build your vocabulary with essential words and phrases. You can even test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement. It allows you to learn at your own pace and build the fundamentals to effectively learn Japanese.

Here are a few of the important things that I really like about this book

• Clear and straightforward explanations
• Lots of great examples
• Covers hiragana, katakana and kanji with phonetic transliterations
• Covers everyday topics as well as conversational expressions
• Quizzes help you to reinforce the language and new material

Read more about How to Learn Japanese

Onigiri Senbei (Japanese Rice Crackers)

Onigiri Senbei is a Japanese rice cracker that is shaped in a triangle like a Japanese onigiri. It is a tasty snack seasoned with soy sauce, sugar and nori (seaweed). It is one of the most popular rice crackers in Japan, and is so crunchy and crispy that it is addictive and you can’t stop eating them.



I highly recommend you try the classic Onigiri Senbei.

Here are a few pictures of the yummy snack.

 

Check out some other Japanese Snacks in this series below

Collon

Kinoko no Yama

Pocky

New Nintendo on the way

Japanese video game giant Nintendo has confirmed it will introduce a new games machine next year. At this stage no details of the new system have been released, but many believe it will offer hi-definition graphics and specs superior to arch-rivals Xbox 360 and PS3.

The Nintendo project dubbed “Project Café” is rumoured to include a controller with built in touch-screen.

All should be revealed at the giant E3 games show in Los Angeles on June 7 and should ignite a new round in the video game wars with its rivals.

The news comes as Nintendo’s all-conquering games console the Wii is starting to show its age. It was a game changer when released in 2006, and turned the gaming world on its head with the introduction of motion-sensing wireless gaming. The move also forced its rivals to develop motion-sensing technology of their own just released recently. A recent dip in sales for the Wii against Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Kinect and Sony’s PS3 has led to the new development.

Find Out How To Import Cars From Japan and Save $$$$$$$!

Healthy Nutritious Japanese Food

A little while back I wrote a post about healthy Japanese food. This included such well-known things as nori (seaweed), miso, natto, tofu and green tea. You can read the post here

Here are some more really healthy Japanese food that scientists have been raving about recently.

Shitake Mushrooms

Shitake mushrooms are powerful immunity boosters. A compound found in the mushrooms called lentinan, has been found to be a powerful immune strenghthener. Shitake mushrooms are also credited with having anti-cancerous properties, as they contain high levels of powerful antioxidants. They are highly nutritious and also provide good amounts of protein and fibre.

Kaiwaredaikon (watercress)

Kaiwaredaikon called watercress in the west has been used in Japanese cuisine for centuries. It is usually found in salads and toppings. It contains high levels of phytochemicals, known as isothiocyanates, that help fight free-radical damage in the body and help to reduce the risk of cancer. Kaiwaredaikon is also high in iron, folate, calcium, antioxidants and vitamins A and C.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

Japanese Banana Artist

Japanese artist Keisuke Yamada excels at carving sculptures out of bananas. He uses a toothpick and spoon to create the masterpieces and can spend up to 30 minutes on each piece before they go brown and he eats them.

Yamada, 23 has already made 11 pieces so far. The unique collection includes bananas with the faces of Elvis Presley and Davey Jones from Pirates of The Caribbean.

The artist, who calls himself a ‘perfectionist’, said “I started making them about two weeks ago and since posting pictures of them online they have really taken off,” the Daily Mail quoted Yamada as saying.

'It began when I peeled a banana and thought it might be interesting to carve a face into the fruit,” he added.

You can view many of his unique creations on the web.

Read more about some of the lighter and more interesting stories about Japan at Only in Japan

How to become an English Conversation Teacher

Collon

In the second of this series on Japanese Snacks, I would like to introduce the strangely named Japanese snack Collon.

Collon is a cream filled biscuit. It is the shape of a small tube and filled with delicious cream. Now, I know that it is oddly named but again trust me as it is very tasty. If you can get by the name then definitely give this Japanese snack a try. Collon is made by Glico, which is the biggest candy company in Japan.

Here are some pictures of the delicious Collon

You can read about more delicious Japanese snacks at Japanese Snacks

Fashion for Japan

Fashion for Japan is the latest fund raiser organized to help Japan. Supermodel Naomi Campbell is at the Cannes Film Festival to stage a Fashion for Relief show in aid of the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan.

Campbell has enlisted her A-list friends for the show, which will be held tonight at the historic Forkville market in Cannes. Designers have donated red carpet dresses for the show, while Dolce & Gabbana have made charity T-shirts. The event will be followed by an auction, which includes artworks by Tracey Emin and Dennis Hopper, and a customised Lotus Évora. It is being staged in collaboration with Vogue Italia and all funds raised will go to the Japanese Red Cross.

The supermodel said she was horrified by the images of the disaster and immediately resolved to help Japan. She said "The destruction caused by the earthquake is completely heartbreaking, it's so hard to even begin to comprehend the tragic loss the people of Japan are coping with. I felt very passionate to try and help in whatever way possible, to do our part and to support Japan at this time. I hope that the money raised from Fashion For Relief in Cannes will support those who need it most."

You can help support the relief effort by making a donation to the Red Cross Japan Disaster Appeal via their website https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

You can also help the relief effort by purchasung a book called 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake. With all revenue going to the Japan Red Cross to help support the survivors of the Japan earthquake & tsunami.
2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake

You can also buy a CD or MP3 download called Songs for Japan, which has just been released with proceeds from the sale of Songs for Japan to benefit the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Songs for Japan

NEFF The Snoop Japan Relief Tee in White,T-shirts for Men, Small,White

Is it Safe to Travel to Japan

Is it safe to travel to Japan. A lot of people have been asking me this question lately. The March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, along with fears of aftershocks and radiation from the Fukushima nuclear reactor has been deterring tourist from travelling to Japan. Japan was hurt badly by the disaster but Japan needs tourists to help it heal. Before the disaster, Japan was on a high and experiencing its most tourists on record in the first two months of the year. In March the figure fell drastically due to the disaster. Let’s get back to the key question here, is it safe to travel to Japan. Japan was hit hard by the disaster, but only 0.1 per cent of Japan was affected by the tsunami and the area that was affected is not a popular destination for tourists to Japan. Most tourists to Japan either visit the ski resorts in the north island of Hokkaido, which was not affected, or follow the “Golden Route” from Tokyo along the southeast coast to Hiroshima. The route include Hakone, Nagoya, and the traditional cities of Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Okayama. Most tourist attractions in Japan are now open, although some may have shortened opening hours to conserve power. All international airports are operating and this even includes Sendai Airport, which was damaged by the tsunami, and the bullet trains are all running as normal.

With all this occurring, tourists are still unsure whether or not to visit Japan mainly due to lack of information and not researching. The smart people who have done their research realize that Japan is pretty safe to visit.

This is my submission to the 2011 Special Edition of J-Festa

How to become an English Conversation Teacher

Melbourne Chefs get together for Japan

Some of Melbourne’s top chefs are getting together to help Japan. The reason is the disaster relief for the Japan earthquake and tsunami. A special dinner and auction has been organized on Sunday May 15th at Izakaya Den in Melbourne. Five chefs – Izakaya Den’s Yosuke Furukawa, with Yoshiki Tano of Yu-u, Kentaro Usami of Kenzan, PM24’s Philippe Mouchel and Mitsuru Yamakoshi, formerly of Daimonji and Kenzan . The chefs will prepare five courses with matched drinks, including Japanese beer, sake, shochu, umeshu and Victorian wine. Suppliers, Chefs and Staff are all donating goods and time, so 100 per cent of the ticket price will go to the Red Cross Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal. Anyone in Melbourne wishing to attend can make a booking through info@izakayaden.com.au

You can also help by making a donation at the Red Cross website
https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

Or help the relief effort by supporting the following

2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/04/246-aftershocks-stories-from-japan.html


Songs for Japan
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011/04/songs-for-japan.html

Most Popular Blog Posts for April 2011

April 2011 was another great month for Japan Australia Blog. We now have 34 followers and many new visitors to the Blog.

The following were the most popular blog posts for April 2011

Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe Yakisoba

Squinkies

Japanese Bento

How to Learn Japanese

Green Tea Antioxidant Wonder

Golden Week 2011 in Japan

Travel to Japan

Picture of the Week Children’s Day in Japan

Children's Day or kodomo-no-hi is a Japanese National Holiday during Golden Week which takes place on the 5th of May. While it is a holiday for children in general, it is primarily for boys (girls have a day of their own on the 3rd of March called (Hina Matsuri).

Children’s Day is a Japanese boy’s festival and is a day to pray for the healthy growth of boys. It is Japanese tradition for families with boys to display carp streamers (koinobori) outside their houses around this holiday. Carp are believed to symbolize successes in children’s lives. Samurai dolls called gogatsu ningyo (May Dolls) are also put on display in homes.

In my home because we have a son we display kabuto (Japanese military helmet worn by samurai). Many people have these as a seasonal decoration displayed during Children’s Day. Kabuto is displayed to express hope that each boy in the family will grow up healthy and strong. We bought quite an expensive one but really like having it displayed during Children’s Day.

You can see a picture of my kabuto below

This is my entry for this weeks edition of Show Me Japan

Read more about Golden Week here

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe Okonomiyaki (Savoury Japanese Pancake)

Okonomiyaki is a popular dish from Osaka and is basically a savoury pancake with ingredients of your choice along with egg, flour and cabbage as the basic ingredients.



Makes 1

Okonomi-yaki Sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp caster sugar

Ingredients
• 50g self raising flour
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup dashi
• a pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 cup thinly chopped cabbage
• 2 king prawns and/or thinly sliced pork

Toppings (if desired)
• aonori (green-seaweed) flakes
• dried bonito flakes
• Japanese mayonnaise

Method

1. To make Okonomi-yaki Sauce, mix ingredients together in bowl.
2. Place flour, milk, dashi and salt in a bowl and lightly stir.
3. Break an egg into the mixture and stir to combine.
4. Add spring onion and cabbage and mix.
5. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and swirl some oil over base.
6. Drop the egg mixture into the pan. Top with king prawns and/or pork.
7. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn over and cook for about 4-5 minutes until cooked through.
8. Brush the top with okonomi-yaki sauce, and if desired sprinkle with aonori and bonito flakes.
9. Serve with Japanese mayonnaise.

Note:
• You can buy already prepared okonomi-yaki sauce at most Asian Supermarkets.
• Other kinds of seafood and meat can be added to this dish and cheese is also a great addition.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

Some other Great Japanese Recipes that you might enjoy:

Yakisoba

Sukiyaki

Tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet)