Japanese Things 1-3 Flashcards
(12 cards)
It may seem rotten, but it is safe and healthy.
A popular breakfast in Japan includes natto. Natto is fermented soybeans. It has a particular smell and a slimy texture. It might look scary, but it is safe to eat.
In the past, natto was popular only in Eastern Japan and was often hated in Kansai. However, it became popular all over Japan in the 90s (nineties) as a healthy food.
Natto is made from soybeans and has isoflavones, which are said to help balance female hormones. It also has proteins and vitamins. They say natto is also good for high blood pressure.
It’s comfort food for the Japanese.
Miso soup is the most common side dish. It goes with lots of Japanese foods. It is made using a soybean paste called miso. We grow up with miso soup, so it is our comfort food.
The soup is made with miso and fish or seaweed stock. You will typically find tofu and vegetables in the soup, but just about anything can go in it.
There are different types of miso. Some are dark red and others are pale yellow. Miso is also an important seasoning for many Japanese dishes.
It’s a beef hot pot.
Sukiyaki is one of the most popular Japanese hot pots. It is also popular among the non-Japanese. It is especially popular in the winter. Ingredients such as slice of beef, tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables are cooked in a pot with soy sauce, stock, and sugar.
Normally, sukiyaki is cooked on a portable stove on the family table. Everyone shares from the same pot. It is a dish to have with family and friends.
Another famous hot pot is shabushabu. In this kind, thin slices of beef are boiled. A tofu hot pot called yudofu is also popular. The Western fondu is also popular in Japan these days.
Japanese noodles.
Buckwheat noodles and white wheat noodles are noodles unique to Japan. They are eaten in daily life. We eat them in soup made from seaweed and fish stock. Fried tofu, meat, and deep-fried shrimp are often used as toppings. In the summer, we dip cold noodles in a dipping sauce.
Buckwheat noodles are called soba and white wheat noodles are called udon in Japanese. Soba is grey and looks a little like spaghetti. Udon is white and is thicker than soba.
In Japan there are also white noodles called kishimen. This looks like fettuccini. Somen is white and looks like capellini.
An old capital of Japan.
Kyoto is an old capital of Japan. The Emperor lived in Kyoto until the 19th (nineteenth) century. Then, he moved to Tokyo.
There are two reasons for Kyoto’s old culture. Kyoto became the capital in the eighth century and was the center of Japanese culture for a very long time. Also, Kyoto was not targeted for bombing during the Second World War, so we can still enjoy the many old buildings, gardens and art work.
Kyoto is a big city and has many modern buildings too. But if you spend some time there, you will see many beautiful historic sites.
The Japanese knights.
Samurai means Japanese warriors. The samurai were given a special status between the 12th (twelfth) and 19th (nineteenth) centuries. They were like today’s politicians, military, and police, all combined. You could call them “Japanese knights.”
Bushido was a system of thinking and behavior for the samurai. It is translated as “the way of the samurai.” It teaches martial arts and mental discipline. You can compare it to the knighthood of the West.
The samurai were given the highest status in the class system of the Edo period between the 17th (seventeenth) and 19th (nineteenth) centuries. They were allowed to have surnames and swords.
It’s the world’s shortest form of poetry.
Haiku is a traditional poetic form of Japan. It is said to be the world’s shortest form of poetry. A haiku has only 17 (seventeen) syllables. The sounds are arranged in a rhythm of five, seven, and five. This grouping is pleasant to the Japanese ear.
A formal haiku must have a seasonal word. For example, the word sakura, or cherry blossom, is often used as the seasonal word for spring. It is important for a haiku poet to create a nice image of a season.
In the 19th (nineteenth) and 20th (twentieth) centuries, haiku influenced poets in the West, such as Yeats and Eliot.
It influenced the Impressionists.
The art of ukiyoe woodblock prints became very popular in the 17th (seventeenth) and 18th (eighteenth) centuries in Kansai and Tokyo. When people in the West think of traditional Japanese art, most think of ukiyoe.
Most ukiyoe are pictures of people and things from the “world of entertainment and pleasure.” Landscape pictures are also famous. You’ve probably seen some of the pictures of Mount Fuji by Hokusai Katsushika. He made 36 (thrity-six) different scenes of Mount Fuji.
The ukiyoe style is often non-realistic. This is different from the realistic style of Western paintings. This non-realistic style of ukiyoe influenced Impressionists such as Van Gogh and Monet in the 19th (nineteenth) century.
It’s a colorful, dynamic theater.
Kabuki is a from of classical Japanese theater. It is a spectacle of action, song, and dance. It uses many tricks such as a revolving stage and a trapdoor. Overall, it is more colorful and more dynamic than noh or bunraku.
Kabuki became popular entertainment for the masses from the 17th (seventeenth) to the 18th (eighteenth) century. It is still very popular. In Tokyo’s Kabuki Theater, shows are performed throughout the year.
The actors are all male. Female characters are played by men. The actors wear very colorful costumes and heavy makeup. You may have seen portraits of kabuki actors in some of the famous ukiyoe works.
It’s the art of comical storytelling.
Rakugo is a one-person comedy show. It is a classical form of storytelling and is still very popular. The storyteller wears a kimono and sits on a cushion on stage. He plays many people in conversation. To do each role, he changes his voice and the direction of his face.
The storytellers also mimic movements in a skillful and funny way. A fan and a towel are the only props they use. Wordplay is part of the fun.
This art of storytelling started three to four centuries ago. There are special rakugo theaters called yose. There, you can see shows throughout the year.
It’s the national sport of Japan.
Sumo is a match between two sumo wrestlers. It is the national sport of Japan. The present style of sumo wrestling started about 300 (three hundred) years ago.
A wrestler wins when he drives his opponent out of the ring or when a part of the opponent’s body touches the ground. Because of the sport’s long history, there are many formalities before and after a match.
Professional sumo is a very popular sport to watch. There are six annual tournaments held at different cities. These tournaments are broadcast nationwide. Strong wrestlers are given special ranks. The highest rank is yokozuna. There are some foreginers who became yokozuna.
Enjoy the advanced features.
Many Japanese buildings have Western toilets. Most Japanese houses have Western toilets with heated seats and bidets. Some older buildings still have the old squat type toilets.
Inside the toilet bowl is a nozzle for washing the bottom and for bidet. When you press a button, the nozzle moves and water shoots upward. This may feel strange at first.
An advanced model will automatically open and close the toilet cover for you. Some types also have dryers and massaging fountains for your bottom.
