Senbei + green tea = wonderful!

Senbei is called “rice cookies” in English. Have you tried them?

They are made with rice: normally rice is pounded and rolled to make a shape. And it’s baked or fried. There are many kinds of flavor such as soy sauce, sugar, shrimp, and so on.

Senbei is hard, so it’s said it’s a good work out for a jaw. When children get used to chew foods, parents have them try to eat senbei. Children have to chew many times to swallow – it’s good for their chewing habit and a jaw.

Senbei is loved by people as a snack for green tea. It’s so good.

Nomi Hodai – Hallelujah!!

There is popular and very interesting drinking system in Japan which is called “Nomi Hodai”.

Nomi Hodai means you can have free refills alcohol as much as you want.

Japanese style bar where sells alcohol and foods usually have Nomi Hodai system.

They set time which is usually 2 hours and customers can drink as much as you want during 2 hours. The alcohol menu is also limited but of course beer is in it. The price depends on bars but usually \1200 (aprox:$10.22) per each person.

Can the bar gain benefit?

Yes, of course they can.

Not every customers drink alcohol, the alcohol in Nomi Hodai menu is relatively cheap and 2 hours is not a lot for drinking. They also order foods for drinking so as total, the system goes well.

But this is Japan, may be it does not work in America…

Do you know Japanese people make bread with rice?

I think a bread maker is common all over the world now. But do you know that some bread makers in Japan can make bread with rice?

It wasn’t so famous in Japan before, but it’s been getting popular now because of developing of bread makers.

It’s easy to make bread with rice: you just add rice in ingredients of normal bread (but it depends on the recipe and the bread maker). Start the bread machine and the bread maker does everything!

The taste of the bread is very good. Actually bread with rice is moist and bouncy/elastic.

By the way, bread with rice is called “Gopan,” or “Kome-pan” in Japan.

The first calculator in Japan called Soroban

Soroban is considered as the first calculator in Japan. It’s a bar and normally 33 X 6 cm. It has beads and people slide the beads to calculate. Soroban calculates based on the decimal system.

As its benefits, it fosters a sense of numbers, helps understanding of calculation process, develops mental calculation, and so on. Many parents have children to learn soroban.

When I was a student, classmates who learn soroban had an amazing speed (to me) to calculate numbers even without using a pen & a note. They can calculate numbers in their mind! I thought “I wish my parents had me go to a soloban school.”

Wanna go drinking by your car? You need replacement driver service.

If you want to go to drink tonight by your car, you would need replacement driving service.

It is illegal to drink and drive in Japan as other countries.

To reduce drunk-driven accidents, the penalty for drink and drive is very stiff.

But you really need to go to the place you would drink with your car such as in case of the place is far away from near station or you commute by your car and cannot leave your car at your company.

In that case, replacement driver service is useful.

The service company come with 2 persons and 1 for drive your car and the other drives company’s car. After dropping you at your house, they park your car in your garage and leave with company’s car.

The cost depends on where you live but usually, 1.8mile costs about 2000yen ($17.02 )

One of Japanese traditions for children – Shichi-Go-San

Shichi-Go-San is one of traditional celebrations for children’s growth in Japan. In the celebration, children’s well-being is prayed.

By the way “Shichi-Go-San” means “7-5-3.” It’s a cerebration for 3 and 5 year-old boys, and 3 and 7 year-old girls.

On the day of the cerebration, children dress up kimono and go to a shrine with parents/family to have a ritual.

It is nice to watch snowing outside from warm living room!

There are 4 seasons in Japan and it snows in many areas.

Snow accumulates or not depends on the area you live but anyways, it is nice to see snowing while you are in warm room.

When it snows, “YUKIMI SHOJI” is useful to enjoy the view of snow accumulates on garden.

YUKIMI SHOJI is a paper door which bottom can be pulled up then you can see outside from it.

To enjoy the snow view, YUKIMI SHOJI is made.

“YUKI” means snow and “MI” means see, and “SHOJI” means paper door.