Soybeans originally come from a plant which is native to Asia, origination in China. In Japanese, the word for soybean is 大豆 (daizu), or big bean. And gosh, you can definitely say that soy is big in Japan.

The soybean was first domesticated in Northern China way back in the old days- 1100BCE. Japan’s first use of soy was actually as fertilizer for their other crops.

But enough about that. You want to know the things that affect you, right? To do that, we’ll have to look at and go over the foods that are made from soy. Of course, I’ll be focusing specifically on the Japanese uses.

Tofu

The most well-known soy product in the world would probably be tofu. To make tofu, soybeans are ground with water into a milk and then are boiled and pressed (along with certain thickening agents) into the the square shape that is known and loved, especially by tofugu.

Tofu can be prepared in many different ways, whether it’s fried, boiled, or just eaten as is. I think that lot of people who don’t like tofu just haven’t had it prepared the right way.

Good tofu foods are all over the place in Japanese cooking! Tofu is cut thinly and deep fried to make aburaage which is used in soups and nabe and oden. Mapo tofu (in Japanese pronounced mabodoufu), although it is technically chinese food, is made of tofu that is mixed with ground beef or pork and mapo sauce.

Hiyayakko is tofu that is chilled and eaten with toppings like sauce, vegetables, or meat.

My favorite way to eat tofu is fried up with kimchi and over rice! Yum!

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce, known as shouyu in Japan, comes from fermenting soybeans!

To make soy sauce, you mix your soybeans with flour and salt. Then you let your crushed soybean mixture mold and ferment for a few months before you strain out the non-moldy part of the sauce, which has become a brown, almost alcoholic, salty liquid. I remember my host family checking up on their homemade soy sauce, very proud of their mold in a paint bucket which would soon be a flowing fountain of flavor.

Soy sauce can be used as a condiment or spice for almost any Japanese food. You can even put it on other soy products (Soyception!). People eat soy sauce on almost anything, from sushi to fried egg. One of my favorite ways to eat vegetables is the way that my host family did- steamed or boiled and then with soy sauce on it. Although mayonnaise is a new (and less healthy) favorite alternative, I’ll just take some shouuyu on my broccoli and call it good!

Most people in the West tend to drown their white rice in soy sauce, and although rice is sometimes eaten that way in Japan (shoyu-kake-gohan), it’s best to not do that every time you have white rice in Japan as it’s not the norm and will probably lead to hypertension down the line. Remember, a little bit goes a long way.

Miso

To make miso, we ferment the soy yet again! This time you’re fermenting the paste of cooked, mashed soybeans, and you’re supposed to remove the mold as time goes on. The paste turns slowly from yellow to brown.

Miso is mostly known in America for miso soup, but can actually be used in a variety of dishes as a flavor agent. In fact, miso (along with soy sauce) is one of the five essential flavors as known in Japan, (the others being sugar, salt, and vinegar). Gotta get that umami in, people.

Miso soup is prepared by boiling water and mixing miso with dashi stock. From there, you can add whatever you want to it. Popular additions are wakame seaweed (you almost never have miso soup without wakame), tofu, and green onions. I’ve had miso soup with clams, potatoes, gobo, mountain vegetables, daikon, and many other vegetables. When you add pork, potatoes, and carrots into miso soup, it becomes its own dish called tonjiru.

Miso soup is normally prepared every morning and eaten with breakfast, and then the leftovers with dinner. It’s easy and cheap to prepare, but also very tasty and can have a lot of variety. Miso, miso! The wonder food!

Natto

Oh natto. What a terrible life you live, hated by so many, both Japanese and foreigners alike. Why do they hate you so much, when you carry so much wisdom and history? Is it your fermented rotten smell? Is it the way you froth with slime when you are mixed with chopsticks? Or is it your knack of having little strings of goop fall and stick to the chin when you are eaten? Well, I’ll never know, because I love you too much to care.

Natto is made yet again by fermenting the soybeans, but this time they are fermented whole. See, we’re working up in the world! Beans are being mutilated less and less! Special bacteria (actually called “Bacillus natto“) are added in the fermenting process (which only lasts about a day this time.)

Natto should NOT be eaten as is. That is the mistake that I see a lot of my non-Japanese friends make when they eat natto for the first time. My favorite and the classic way to eat natto is over rice. You can also mix different things into natto as well. When you buy natto it comes in little styrofoam packages, and most packages you buy come with tiny plastic pouches of liquid that you’re supposed to mix in. Usually it’s just some form of dashi and soy sauce along with a little bit of mustard, but sometimes you can get specialty flavors. I’ve had ume natto twice, and I have to say that it was maybe one of the best things that I’ve ever eaten. You can also mix in raw egg, daikon oroshi (grated daikon radish), green onions, and many other things.

I’ve seen some people put natto on toast with cheese, and natto spaghetti is a popular favorite. However, one of the worst mistakes I’ve ever made was to mix natto with shirataki noodles. Don’t get me wrong, I love them separately, but it was a very slimy regret.

Remember, it took me three tries to get myself to like natto, so don’t stop on your first try thinking you don’t like it. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Do natto stop! Hee hee!

Edamame

Edamame is pretty much one of the most simple and true-to-form ways of eating soy. Still in the pods, soybeans are steamed and salted.

Edamame is popularly eaten as otsumami, which are snacks that you eat while drinking beer. Edamame is usually served as an appetizer at Japanese restaurants that are not in Japan, so chances are you’ve seen and tried this soy-related dish. Even places that can’t get their sushi right probably serve edamame.

Heads up! Edamame is eaten by popping out the beans straight into one’s mouth! Don’t eat the skins! Also don’t pop out every bean and assemble them on the table before eating them. And I know that the skins are salty, but it’s not too attractive to suck on them or chew them either. I mean, if you want to then you can, but I won’t like you as much.

Soy Milk

Soy milk isn’t only drunk by people who are lactose-intolerant or vegan. Soy milk can be drunk just because it tastes good, is low-calorie, and in some places it’s cheaper than cow’s milk. Soy milk is made by soaking, cooking, and draining the beans in water. After that, the mealy bean mush that is left over is strained and made into okara (we’ll get to that one).

Having consumed a lot of soy milk in the US, I’ve found Japanese soy milk to be much richer in texture and to have more elements of actual soy in the taste. It seems to be a lot more fresh, too. I guess it’s not sitting and waiting on the shelf for its niche demographic to come by and pick it up.

Other than just drinking, you can use soy milk for cooking or baking. In fact, on the back of the most popular Japanese soy milk brand, there’s a recipe for a soy milk cake. Happpy birtthdayyy tooo youuuu…

Okara

Okara is kind of a chunky tofu byproduct that occurs when making soymilk, as stated above! It doesn’t have a lot of flavor on its own, but people have found a lot of good ways to use it. On top of that it’s cheap and has a ton of fiber.

Okara is usually mixed with vegetables and eaten as a side dish called Unohana. Unohana is a pretty standard side dish which comes in fancy Japanese traditional meals, and is a popular side dish for bentos as well. You can buy little frozen pre-made packs to shove in your kid’s obento before they run out the door nourished by their morning natto and miso soup

Kinako

Kinako, no, not kinoko (mushroom), is a flour that is made by grinding dried soybeans and is a popular ingredient in traditionally prepared Japanese confections, or wagashi.

When I first encountered kinako, it was in the form of a kinako-flavored kit-kat bar. I had no idea what it was, and assumed that it was brown sugar flavored based on the image on the pack (not to mention the taste!). After I found out that it was, I could definitely taste the soy in it.

Kinako is used in a lot of different wagashi, mostly as something to roll it in. I’ve had kinako-covered mochi and other rice snacks. Because it’s a flour, kinako can be sort of dry, but has a very low-key sweetness that is usual among Japanese sweets.

So, are you blown away by how much soy is hidden into the Japanese diet? Maybe soy is one of the many elements that contribute to the long lifespan of the Japanese people (and maybe the reason it’s going down is the fact that young people are hating poor natto). Whatever it does though, it’s apparent that soy is a major staple of traditional Japanese food. Try adding it to your diet to begin feeling its health benefits! Heck, you can even make veggie burgers out of okara, if you wanted to! The easiest thing you can possibly do is to go buy a block of tofu, plop it on a plate, soak out a little moisture, then top it with grated ginger and soy sauce. From there, enjoy! It’s one of the simplest soy-related meals out there and it tastes really good too.

So, what’s your favorite soy food? Any of these you didn’t realize were made of soy? Let me know in the comments!

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Bonus Wallpapers!

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A lot of people think that taiko ensembles are the traditional way of playing taiko, but in fact, the modern taiko group is a recent phenomenon, although for centuries traditional Japanese ensembles that include percussion, flutes and traditional local songs have always been around. So what exactly is taiko and why did I and thousands of others end up playing it as a hobby? Let’s dondokodon right into it!

What Exactly Is Taiko?

If you translate the word “taiko”, it  doesn’t mean any old drum. Taiko is a specific type of drum that is made from hollowing out a tree (sometimes cheaper ones can be made from barrels) and covering it with cow skin by either tacking the skin on or stretching it with ropes or bolts. Real, good quality taiko drums are extremely expensive. Not only do the wood, tacks, skin, and intricately designed handles cost money, but creating a drum is a labor intensive process that drives up the price of the drum.

Taiko has only really taken off in the past fifty years as a musical and performance phenomenon in the west as of late, but originally taiko were used for the purpose of scaring off enemies in battle. Taiko also has a religious history as it was, and still is, used in temples as a way to call out gods in religious ceremonies. The high school I went to in Japan as an exchange student was right next to a temple, so sometimes we would hear the beating of taiko flow through the window during and after class.

Taiko performance groups are actually referred to as kumi-daiko, or literally, group taiko. Kumi-daiko has turned taiko into an art, a sport, a musical phenomenon, and a hobby and passion. There are now thousands of kumi-daiko groups throughout the world who all share the passion of hitting huge cylinders with sticks. And it’s pretty cool, honestly.

Kodo is a Japanese taiko group that has helped popularize taiko in both Japan and abroad. The above video shows various styles of taiko, feel free to skip around it and get a feel of the tone.

TaikoProject is an American group which aims to modernize and adapt taiko to make it more accessible and fun for a wide audience.

So, what do you think? Are you loving taiko yet?

Types of Drums And Terminology

I think that the coolest thing about watching or playing taiko in person is the feeling of the vibrations of the drums resonating through your whole body. But if there was only one type or one size, the whole sensation would be a little different. Actually, there is a range of different sounds and pitches that can make up sound the whole ensemble. Even non-drums can be paired up with taiko drums for an even more wagaku music sensation.

Byou-uchi-daiko

Byou-uchi-daiko are drums that you normally would think of if you say taiko. They’re the ones that are barreled out and have the skin attached with round black tacks.

Oodaiko translates to big taiko. And honestly, it’s exactly what you’d think it is: a huge taiko. Sometimes there are bachi (taiko drumsticks) that are made in the shape of baseball bats just to hit the oodaiko. This is why taiko players have to stay in shape.

Chuudaiko, sometimes called nagadodaiko, are medium-sized taiko drums. They’re the most common. Think, if taiko drums were US coins, they’d probably be quarters. If they were yen, they’d be 100 yen coins: not too big, extremely common, and extremely useful. Chuudaiko can also be pretty easily placed on stands to be played sideways or just be played flat on the ground. Like all other byou-uchi-daiko, they can’t be tuned after they’re put together, but having a lot of differently-pitched drums all blend together.

Hiradaiko is basically just a thin chuudaiko.

So what about if you want taiko that you can tune? It turns out that there is another way to stretch the skin across the drum, and that’s the shime-daiko.

Tsuke-shime-daiko

Tsuke-shime-daiko are taiko that have the skin stretched over and attached with either ropest, and, more recently, bolts keeping them tigh. Tsuke-shime-daiko tend to have a less powerful sound, but with a high pitch, they are able to be heard over the booming bass of the byou-uchi-daiko.

Shimedaiko is the standard small tsuke-shime-daiko. It’s typically used as a metronome, but can also be used in pieces as a main drum as well.

Okedodaiko are long shimedaiko. They can be played propped on stands or hung over one’s shoulder with a strap.

kozutsumi is a small handheld taiko traditionally used in kabuki.

Those are the drums, but what about other parts of the kumi-daiko group?

Bachi

Just like you can’t have an orchestra with bow-less violins, we can’t have a taiko group without something to hit the taiko with. Bachi are the drumsticks that you use when you play taiko. They can be made of virtually any wood. Popular woods used for bachi include oak, magnolia, maple, bamboo, and  cypress. The type of wood that the bachi are made of can completely change the way the drum sounds.

Other instruments

Fue is a tradtitional flute made out of bamboo. Fue are used a lot in bon dance music and other festival-centered music.

Chanchiki, or more formally known as the atarigane, is an instrument that looks like a mix between a bell and a frying pan. You put the little hammer in the middle and slide it within the instrument, giving it the naming sound: *chan chi ki*

Other instruments and drum variations can be used, but these are the main ones. I’d have to say that my favorite might be the chanchiki, possibly for how cool its nickname is.

Kuchishouka

Until recently, taiko sheet music did not exist. One of the most interesting points about taiko is that pieces were traditionally passed down orally, not through written transcription or music. The way of orally “singing” the pieces is called kuchishouka (sometimes kuchishouga).

Don, doro, tsu, tsuku, ka, kara, and su are the basic translations of the beats that my group uses. Don is one hit in the middle of the drum. Doro (sometimes doko) is right left in succession, double time of don. Tsu and tsuku are subdued versions of don and doro. Ka is when you hit the rim of the drum making a wood on wood sound. Kara is one after another in succession. Therefore, when teaching a piece or even practicing a piece at a time when there are no drums, you can just sing the piece with these as the lyrics. For example, a piece I would be playing might look like this in kuchishouka:

Don doron don don ka ka kara kara don don kara kara don don kara kara su don don ka ka.

Recently, a lot of famous taiko masters have been getting old, so pieces are being transcribed more and more often. The ways that they are transcribed differ from person to person though, so there’s no way that one person could possibly learn every taiko piece, giving each piece a special and unique feeling.

If You’re Interested

Although actual taiko drums are very expensive, there’s a way of making your own practice drums out of tires and and clear packing tape. If you’re crafty and have a lot of time on your hands, try it and share your results with the rest of the eager world!

You can also feel free to learn from books and videos- taiko is an art form where you don’t need a master anymore, especially with the internet. Try looking up if there are any taiko groups in your local area and see if there are ways to get involved!

I’m sure you’ve been waiting for me to mention Taiko no Tastujin, the taiko arcade game that is in every shopping center in Japan. That’s my only experience with taiko!, you’re saying. I’m really good at that game, so I must be good at taiko!, you’re saying. Well, there are good taiko players who are bad at the game and bad taiko players who are good at the game. It’s a fun way to learn the basics of the don’s and the ka’s at any rate, but don’t expect it to make you a master. After all, with the video game, you won’t learn any form or technique.

After a long week, there’s nothing more satisfying than playing taiko with an ensemble. The movement of your body, the concentration on the beat, and the feeling of being connected with your taiko group is an experience like no other. Next time you’re watching a performance, maybe you’ll know a bit more about taiko and appreciate it a little more. Maybe you’ll even want to try it yourself. No matter what, as both a historical and contemporary idea, taiko will still be pretty darn cool when you see it.

Have you ever played taiko? Have you seen a group perform? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

It’s definitely possible though. Personally, I went from having no Japanese experience at all to being fluent in less than five years. It’s mostly due to the extended time that I spent as an exchange student, but even if you spend time in Japan, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll become fluent. I also know people who have learned to speak Japanese very very well who have had nothing but their computer and their motivation.

However, there are various things that you can do to help you learn how to speak conversational Japanese. Mind you, these take some hard work and dedication as well as commitment and motivation. 

What is Fluency?

There is no real agreed on definition of fluency, but people seem to mix it up with mastery. In my eyes, there is no real such thing as one hundred percent language mastery- as one changes setting or subject, there are a million words that one must learn in order to be able to understand or express the ideas being discussed.

I consider fluency the ability to converse about any everyday subject without stumbling over words or thinking about what is being said. Fluency is a state when you are comfortable enough with the language that it is hardwired into your brain as if it had always been there. Fluency means being able to express yourself in a comfortable way. This doesn’t mean that you know every word about every subject, but instead that you are able to converse comfortably about everyday subjects without problems.

Immersion

I know it’s not possible for everyone, but if you have a will or a way, immersion is the best possible way to learn how to speak fluently in conversational Japanese. Being surrounded by people who only speak Japanese will do wonders. To get to Japan for immersion, you could go as an exchange student, through a study abroad program, through JET, or just go with a friend or friend of a friend.

If you can’t do a physical immersion, organizing your own small immersions can be good. Decide to only listen to Japanese music and watch Japanese TV shows for a day, a week, or a year. Have a Japanese-speaking friend only speak Japanese to you. Get together with some friends studying Japanese and cook and eat a meal together using no English. Any little bit helps, as long as you’re all committed to the goal of practicing the language.

Warning- Embarrassment Goes Out the Window

No shame is allowed. None. Are you embarrassed that people will laugh at you? Too bad, laugh at yourself first. Are you worried that you sound stupid? Well, you probably will until you get more practice. How badly to you want to be able to speak well? If you want it at all, you have to take all of those inhibitions and put them through a grinder, pressing them into a fine powder before letting them flow through the wind, to a place far, far away.

Talk To Native Speakers

In order to get better at riding a bike, you’d ride a bike. To get better at baking a sponge cake, you would bake a lot of sponge cakes. So, to get better at speaking Japanese, you should speak more Japanese.

Actually Talk To People

Again, you have to really try yourself to actually go and talk to people in Japanese. Again, if you don’t practice, you won’t get better. No matter what level you are at, as long as you actively practice, you’ll improve.

Also avoid getting stuck in the English rut. That’s the undesirable comfort zone of when you’re so used to speaking English with a native Japanese speaker that speaking English on both ends is awkward.

Listen actively, Speak Bravely

Look again at your inhibitions? Are they flying in the wind with the rainbow pinwheel? If they are, your mouth is now free be brave. Go forth and make many a mistakes while remembering these following tips:

What’s that?

If you don’t know what a word means, you can always just ask.

I know that in the beginning phases, there are too many unknown words to really ask for one. Also a lot of the time you can get the basic meaning of a sentence from context, but if there’s something that you don’t know that is critical, ask. If someone starts looking it up in a dictionary, tell them that you want an explanation, or “説明して”

However, using a dictionary can be very helpful as well. Although phones and electronic dictionaries are fast, sometimes a paper dictionary is useful in that you can highlight and bookmark pages. Sometimes starring or virtual bookmarking just isn’t enough.

The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

In order to pick up pronunciation or an accent, directly imitating the speech of a native speaker you know can be helpful.

I know that when I spend too much time with any of my friends, I pick up their speech habits. When it’s with my Japanese friends, I pick them up even more quickly. Just remember to pick up the speech habits of someone who is the same gender and around the same ages as you- I know that it’s your life and you make your own choices, but Japanese society is less likely to take you seriously if you speak Japanese like a girl as a 30 year old man.

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

When you make a speech mistake, repeat yourself with the correct way to say your mistake.

For example, one day I was with my friend and I gave her a cute acorn that I had picked up on the ground. When I gave it to her, I wanted to tell her to try not to lose it, (なくさないようにね）but instead told her “なかないように”, which means “Try not to cry.” I realized my silly mistake, and started to try to find the right words. With my friend’s help, I managed to get it right, and then repeated it a few times. I don’t think I’ll make that mistake ever again.

Is This Normal?

When you’re unsure if a phrase or word is used properly, ask if it is.

A lot of the time when someone is learning a new language conversationally, they will have something specific that they will want to say in the other language that they will look up in a dictionary or translate word by word. Sometimes direct translation works, but a lot of the time it sounds robotic or forced. However, if it makes sense, the person who you’re talking is not very likely to correct you. You know how awkward it would be to point out weird speech habits of a non-native speaker of your own language. So just casually ask if the wording is odd or technical before you store it into your daily vocabulary cave along with all the other lions, tigers, and bears.

The best go to phrase that I use is  ”Xっていうのが普通？” or ” X使う？”

The Guessing Game

If you don’t know exactly what the word is, but kind of know the sounds, just go at it. You’ll probably have the real word repeated to you.

For a long time, I’d heard the word the phrase “置いとく” which means “to set down for now.” But I never really got it right at first. I’m sure that I said a mixture of different variations of oitoitoku, okitoku, oitoitete, and anything else under the sun. But every time, the meaning was understood and I was one step closer to saying it right.

Aizuchi

Learn how to actually be an active listener through Sarah’s article about aizuchi, or Japanese interjections. Even if you don’t speak fluently, you can trick people into thinking that your nihongo is super jouzu with your “a, sou?’”s and your “haihaihai”‘s.

No Native Speakers?

It’s virtually impossible to become fluent in a spoken language if you’re not speaking it with people. But, if you happen to be in an area or situation where there is no one to speak Japanese with, you can absorb a lot to prepare yourself for a time when you can use the language on your own. If learning how to speak Japanese is you goal, I would recommend dramas and real-person TV shows over anime.

With language exchanges, although skype exists, sometimes it can get creepy if you’re just exchanging addresses with strangers who will undoubtedly be as awkward as you on camera. Be careful, kids!

I hope this will help those who are on their way to Japanese fluency! You can do it! Just don’t give up!

If you have anything you’d like to add, experiences to share, or questions for me, leave them in the comments!

So why are people getting so excited about tape? What can it do other than stick things together? Well if you’re using washi tape as a thing to make things stick together, then you’re using it wrong. At about $5 a roll when bought in other , you’re also wasting a ton of money. Washi tape can be used for any sort of crafting, decorating, or art.

But first of all, what does washi mean? What makes it different than other tapes? Well, washi tape is modeled after designs on traditional Japanese paper, and that’s where it got the name washi.

What is Washi- Japanese Paper

Washi is made of up the Japanese characters 和 (wa) which means harmony and is often used to symbolize Japan, and 紙 (shi) which means paper. So put them together, and it means dancing bear. Just kidding, it means Japanese paper. Unlike western paper which is made from tree pulp, washi is made from Japanese shrubs. Washi can be made of almost any plant, but is typically made from ganpi, kozo, mitsumata, or sometimes hemp. Washi is known in the west for the beautiful designs that are printed or painted on it, and its differences from other papers through its light weight and textured feel.

Washi is also great for many different kinds of crafts, one of the reasons being that the plant pieces in the pulp separate randomly, meaning no grain in the paper. That means that you can tear it in any direction and it will basically do what you want it to. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, take a piece of notebook paper and tear it one way and then another way. There’s going to be only one way it really tears nicely. Because washi is flexible and strong, it’s perfect for multi usage as well.

Whether you’re using it for clothes or for crafts, washi has a multitude of functions. I mean, it’s been around for so long it’s almost expected. But how long exactly has washi been used?

It’s Been Around Since When?

Washi has been used in Japan for over 1,000 years. Paper itself was invented in China in the first century and was introduced to Japan 600 years later, where it was used by Buddhist monks to write religious scripts. Japan then proceeded to perfect the paper-making art- centuries before the west even had paper. (They had parchment, or stretched out sheep skin.)

The Paper-making Process

The process of making washi is extremely complicated. First, one has to grow the plant that will be used. Yes, just like everything else in the world, even paper comes from the ground. The primary plants used in washi making include a family of shub called ganpi, a type of paper mulberry called kozo, and a plant native to Japan called mitsumata.

The shrubs are steamed and have water poured over them to clean off. Then, has the outer layers are stripped off of the stems until there is only white bark called shirokawa left on it. From there, the bark is bleached and then cooked. The black particles are picked out by hand before the fibers are pounded with a wooden mallet. Then the pulp is ready for sheet formation, which is a whole work in itself.

After the pulp is mixed with water, it can be made into washi in various methods, usually being moved back and forth through a bamboo screen with a frame, as seen in the video above. It is then pressed and dried, either through artificial means or the natural sunbath.

Then designs can be painted onto it. Washi today is most known for the elegant designs painted on it, in traditional Japanese colors as well as lots of gold.

Washi is sometimes associated with chiyogami, a more inexpensive type of  paper that has complex Japanese-style patterns, often used as origami paper.

A lot of places that make washi paper today will let you tour them/ try making your own washi if you’re studying abroad or have connections. It’s such a unique little gem of Japanese culture, after all.

What About Making it Sticky?- The Tape Phenomenon

In 2006, a masking tape company, Kamoi Kakoshi, received a package in the mail. Said package contained a book of art made with masking tape that was originally purely intended for use as a tool, not an art supply. The artists who sent in the book asked the company to create a line of masking tape purely for art purposes and with a variety of colors and designs. Kamoi Kakoshi obliged, and named their new brand “mt” which stands for “masking tape”. From then on, the tape became popular in Japan by both schoolgirls and interior designers alike, where it slowly caught on in other countries and is continuing to rise in popularity.

The term Washi tape has really only been used in the west. In Japan it’s just called making tape (マスキングテープ). Although the tape isn’t always made outright from washi, the washi-like patterns and texture is what gets it its name. What started out as a couple of special edition artist masking tapes has now caught on to a global pinterest-fueled deal. New brands are starting to jump on the washi-wagon, even scotch tape is selling their own line of washi tape (I have to admit that most of my washi tape collection is from a bulk pack of scotch brand tape that I got as a birthday present.)

What You Can Do With It

Why has the washi tape phenomenon sprouted into a multicolored sticky flower the past few years? I think that it’s because of this generation’s creative energy and idealistic world vision. When crafting with washi tape, the idea is that you can stick it on anything mundane to make it fun and aesthetically pleasing. Personally, I have washi tape all over my computer, my phone, my desk, my notebooks, my daily schedule, and even my ukulele. Most things done with washi tape are innovative and inventive, but not too useful in the long run.

However, a useful quality of washi is its ability to be removed without leaving a sticky or gluey layer of yuck. You can easily write a message on it and stick it on a book your friend lent you as a little thank you, or stick it on a calendar to write events that might change to a different date.

There are various buzzfeed articles, pinterest pins, and blogs directly related to how to craft with washi. Here are some of my favorite ideas!

Card decorating is a fun, simple and useful way to use washi tape in order to add a personal touch to a gift.

Washi tape nails have started to become popular recently because of the cute customizable designs and the stickiness of the tape. Make sure you look up a tutorial before sticking tape on your fingers though.

Of course, just sticking tape onto whatever works well too, but something like a keyboard with lots of buttons and room for variety is extra fun.

With washi tape, the world is your canvas! Go forth and stick it on whatever you can, whether it be your table, your wall, or your child. It will then be art.

Now How Do I Get This Stuff?

Are you dying for washi tape now? If you aren’t, that’s fine. If you are, you are in luck! Try your local craft store first. You’ll have a better chance if it’s an independently owned store. After that, you can order tape shipped from Japan from sites like amazon or rakuten. After that, typing “washi tape” onto etsy will yield you with bunches of results.

What Will It Stick On Next?

So where is washi tape going? Will it become the next puffy paint? I think that because of its lack of mess, usability, and reliance on the creativity and not the skill of the person using it, it just might be. With washi paper and washi tape, Japan seems to be leading the world in terms colorful artistic movements.

Had you heard of washi tape before this article? Do you own any yourself? What have you done with it? Let me know in the comments!

Bonus Wallpapers!

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Why Am I Getting All This Stuff?

So why do people tend to give all this free stuff away? In Japan, reciprocity through gift-giving is much more prevalent than other cultures and people give gifts for many occasions. However, it’s not all just from the goodness of their hearts. When one gets a gift, one is usually expected to give a gift of equal or greater value back (unless what you receive is an orei, or a gift of appreciation for a favor).

If you study abroad in Japan as an foreigner, you are often received as a special guest and are thus showered with gifts. A lot of the time, local places will give out freebies to travelers in order to promote their town or business. These kinds of gifts are fine to just accept with gratitude. Be showered with gifts!

So when are occasions that you would receive gifts? There are a couple of major gift-giving seasons, as well as some situational times when you are expected to give things to people.

The New Year 御歳暮 (Oseibo)

Oseibo is what you call the time when you give customary gifts to all of your friends. Oseibo happens in mid to late December. When I was an exchange student living with a host family, I thought oseibo was the coolest thing. My host family had a deliveryman or a family friend at the door at least a few times a day, and we got all kinds of things, from boxes of apples and oranges (I ate so many mikan that month) to azuki and wagashi sweets, to soaps. The most interesting thing that my host family received was a box full of ice and hotate, otherwise known in English as scallops.

Oseibo are a great way to let the people you know just how much you care about them. Remember though- to some, the extravagance of the Oseibo is equal to your love/respect of the person you’re giving it to.

The Mid-Year 御中元 (Ochuugen)

Ochuugen is the mid-year version of Oseibo. Ochuugen is given in usually July or August. It’s kind of the same deal as Oseibo. Give some, get some.

With Oseibo and Ochuugen, one can deliver the gifts directly to the house if they want to. I think it’s a little more personable, and it gives you an excuse to see your relatives. But can get so troublesome, sometimes even impossible because of distance. More convenient is the system of going to a department store or the internet, picking a package, and having it delivered directly to the house of the person you’re giving the gift to. It’s kind of like flower delivery.

Oseibo and Ochuugen seem to be a fading tradition. Most people under 50 are unlikely to regularly give or get either unless it’s from direct family. Companies will give Oseibo and Ochuugen to other companies, but most tend to not give Oseibo or Ochuugen directly to other people or families in recent years. The reason that my host family received so many was probably due to the fact that my host father was an entrepreneur and an owner of multiple businesses, so I was lucky to have those boxes upon boxes of mikan to snack on all winter break, as well as the scallops to adorn my miso soup.

Apart from the traditional gift-giving seasons, there are a couple of modern holidays as well as some year-round traditions to bring a smile to one’s face with material goods.

Valentine’s Day

In my last article about chocolate, I touched on Valentine’s day and how people give chocolate to their friends and significant others.

The pressure to give chocolate to people during Valentine’s day has skyrocketed in the last few decades. What started out as a simple tradition brought from the west by chocolate companies has now turned into a stressful night-before of baking or buying chocolate. A young woman nowadays is obligated to give chocolate to all of her male co-workers and higher-ups. But hey, chocolate is worth it, right?

Temiyage 手土産

When going to someone’s house, never arrive empty-handed! In Japan, it’s considered very rude to not to bring a gift when making a house call (usually food of some sort will suffice). During my exchange student days, my host mother would send me to my friends houses with cakes, donuts, cookies, or candies. Usually whatever you bring will be eaten at some point during your visit and shared with you, so don’t bring things you hate and just want to get rid of.

Traditional Japanese sweets are also very nice to bring, such as dorayaki or daifuku. This ranking of most popular temiyage shows a variety of both Japanese and western sweets.

Omiyage お土産

When going on vacation, have you ever felt the urge to bring a slice of your experience back for your friends and family back home? In Japan, that urge is followed by the social obligation to actually go through the motions and be very tourist-y as you buy mountains of local products.

Hosting Japanese exchange students over the years, I have always noticed that they all go through the same patterns. They have their lists of people to buy omiyage for, and search the local tourist store with scrutiny, looking for something unique to give to their friends or family.

I’ve also been in the opposite position where I’ve had to give omiyage to host families and friends in Japan. I’ve found that from the US, things like T-shirts, books, and candies are fairly standard, but it’s the local products which are bound to impress.

How to Give and Receive Let’s Nihongo!

In Japanese, there are some particular set phrases that are used when giving and receiving gifts. Here you go!

The Giver’s Words

First off, let’s learn some body language. When giving a gift, how do you give it? Do you just hold out one hand, look away, and silently push the goods into the person’s face? Well, I guess you could. But in Japan, there are certain set ways that one gives their precious gifts. Make sure that you give the present with both hands. The receiver should also accept the gift with both hands. But before you take it out and start to push it into the hands of the person you are giving to, say one of these phrases:

つまらない物ですが… (Tsumaranai mono desu ga…)

This is the most formal of the expressions of giving, literally translating to “It’s a boring thing, but.” Normally, when you buy a present for someone, you put a lot of thought into what would make them happy. Tanaka-san has always been saying that he loves fruit, so you buy him the most expensive, fine quality peaches at their ripest point. But still, if Tanaka-san is a super-superior to you and to whom you must show respect, this well-chosen gift becomes a “boring item.”

大したものじゃないんですが…(Taishita mono janain desu ga..)

A little more informal, this phrase translates to “It’s not much, but…”. This phrase is good for plain politeness.

これ、どうぞ (Kore, douzo.)

Kore, douzo would probably translate to “This is for you.” You probably wouldn’t use this for an expensive gift like oseibo or ochuugen.

これ、あげるよ (Kore, ageru yo.)

Friends allowed only! Translating to “I’m giving this to you,” kore ageru yo is good to use among people who you are really friendly with. Mika sees that Moe really likes the cat plushie in her room, and Moe feels like she just has too many plushies. She picks up her neko-chan and hands it to Mika, brightly saying “Ageru yo!”

The Receiver’s Words

Whoa. Someone is giving you something. In Japan, it’s customary to first off refuse it a couple of times. The person will usually keep on insisting, even if they have to force it into your unwilling hands. The degree of refusal someone uses depends on person to person, and also seems to be changing as the nation’s youth is becoming more brazen. But you should still be modest, at least in polite company, and refuse at least once.

遠慮なくいただきます (Enryo naku itadakimasu.)

Once someone has thrown that out at you enough, you can finally “Receive gratefully without hesitation”.

開けてもいい（ですか)？(Akete mo ii [desu ka]?)

In Japan, you should ask to open something if you want to open the present in their presence. Sometimes it can be embarrassing for the giver for many reasons, including that they might think the receiver will fake happiness or gratitude.

Now that you know these, you should be able to get along in the gift ridden Japanese society. Remember, when in doubt, bring something. When receiving something, be grateful and think of how to return the favor if possible.

What’s your experience with gifts in Japan? What’s the most interesting thing you’ve received? Or your favorite omiyage? Share in the comments!

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How Did Chocolate Start?

Chocolate was first consumed by various civilizations in South America who would take the cacao beans to make a warm drink called ”chocolatl”, which means “warm liquid”. When Hernando Cortez encountered the Aztecs, he brought it back to Spain where sugar was added along with other spices. The first solid chocolate was sold in 1847 in England, and milk chocolate was conceived in Sweden about 30 years later.

Chocolate has taken over the world since, and is known for its addicting, love-inspiring wonder. It took a while for it to get to Japan, however.

“Give Me Chocolate!”- The Reception

Japan had a few encounters with chocolate before they ended their isolation period. One of the few groups of people allowed into the country were Dutch, and sometimes brought the chocolate drink that had become popular among high-end people in Europe.  The first solid bar of chocolate sold in Japan is said to have been in the Meiji era, and was marketed as チョコレート , but with the kanji 貯古齢糖. Interestingly, those kanji individually mean “save”, “old”, “age”, and “sugar”. I think it kind of fits.

Chocolate started really being consumed during the occupation, when American soldiers would often throw candy to groups of Japanese children. Because of this, at this time one of the first English phrases that was learned and used by Japanese children was “Give me chocolate!”

So chocolate as it is today became mass produced after the occupation time. That means it is much newer to Japan than compared to the Americas or Europe. So what has been done in that little time?

So What’s The Spin?

There’s just something about Japanese chocolate that makes it unique. Is it the fact that each bite-sized piece is individually pre-cut or wrapped? Is it the fact that milk chocolate sometimes has a little bit of hazelnut flavor added to it? Is it the fact that it has a more creamy, melty, chocolatey taste? Who knows.

One of the biggest selling points of Japanese chocolate, though, is the sheer variety of flavors. Technically, many of them don’t actually count as chocolate because they don’t have cacao in them. However, popular definition deems them still chocolate, and the multitude of types and flavors is awe-inspiring.

One thing that Japan likes doing with any sort of product or marketing is regional limited editions. One fantastic example of this is Kit Kat, where there have been over 200 and counting various flavors. Ever wanted to try a wasabi-flavored Kit Kat? What about strawberry shortcake? Soy sauce? My favorite is the sweet-potato flavored one. Back in my exchange student days, I would buy a sweet potato flavored Kit Kat bar almost every day in the fall from the convenience store attached to the train station near my school. I was addicted.

Another delicious regional chocolate is Meltykiss. Meltykiss usually appears around winter, and is a delicious melty, rich, creamy chocolate. Think like the inside of a truffle. Meltykiss also comes in a good variety of flavors including green tea, strawberry, and milk tea.

Other delicious spins include chocoballs (literally just balls of chocolate), Koala no march, and the ever-famous Pocky. Which one is your favorite?

The Big Five

In Japan, there are five distinct mainstream snack brands: Lotte, Meiji, Morinaga, Ezaki Glico, and Fujiya. All have their own gimmicks and different delicious types of chocolates. Think of them like the Hershey’s, Nestle’s, and Mars of Japan.

In this clip from the TV show Gaki no Tsukai, the members of the show do a blind test of different kinds of chocolate bars. They have a hard time distinguishing between them. Would you?

Which Japanese chocolate brand is your favorite? Mine is kind of a tie between Meiji (after all, according to their commercials, chocolate IS Meiji) and Dars.

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day

In Japan, Valentine’s Day has sort of turned into “chocolate day”. When the holiday first became popular, it was known as a day when girls confessed their love to a boy by giving him chocolate. But somewhere throughout the past thirty years or so, girls must have said “why don’t we get any chocolate?”, and now chocolate is given to everyone and by everyone. I mean, think of it in this example: Nao made homemade namachoco for her friends Naho and Rumi, but it would be rude to just give it to those two, so she has to make enough for all of her female classmates. And then, what about her best friends in other classes? And club-mates?

To mend this problem of chocolate-hoarding, often on Valentine’s day you’ll see girls walking around with a big bag full of chocolates to give to every single person who is her friend (those chocolates are called tomo-choko [friend-chocolate]) and anyone she feels obligated to give chocolate to (giri-choko [obligation-chocolate]). To read more about this, check out Koichi’s old post about Valentine’s Day in Japan.

Other than plain chocolate, making chocolate truffles, cookies, or decoration chocolates are all well-received and can be fun to make. On the Valentine’s Day that I spent in Japan, I remember eating chocolate throughout the day, kind of like how I did in America, but this time it was mostly home-made and hand-wrapped.

If you know that you’re receiving tomo-choko, consider yourself lucky! Especially if you didn’t give anything back. But don’t worry if you forgot, you can always repay the person who gave you chocolate by giving them a present back a month later on White Day, March 14th.

Japanese Chocolate Creativity

Anything in the world is just a canvas for art, right? Well it is to these creative chocolate artists:

Want to prank someone into thinking that you’re giving them sushi, takoyaki, or much-loved natto? Well, there’s chocolate for that. Imagine their face when they open up the natto wrapper to find, ew, chocolate instead of their favorite food of smelly fermented soybeans.

Or make an iPhone out of chocolate!

These adorable girls can teach you how to make a chocolate cake in a rice cooker. Ghana seems to be the chocolate of choice when it comes to cooking and baking.

As you can see, chocolate is loved and used in Japan just as much as the rest of the world. What other kinds of creative ways do you think people can use chocolate in?

Can’t Get Enough?

If this post has left you drooling for chocolate (I scream, you scream, we all scream for chocolate ice cream!), here’s a few Japanese chocolate-inspired songs to curb (or inflame) your desire for chocolate, so you can even think about chocolate when you’re out and about!

Chocolate Disco by Perfume

Bitter Chocolate by SCANDAL

So what is Japan’s relationship with chocolate? I’d say that Japan is just as crazy about chocolate as any other country. Although their consumption rates are lower than most European countries and the US, when you take into account how much later it was introduced to the country, they could be catching up! Better chocolate than never!

So what do you think of Japanese chocolate? Or chocolate in general? Let me know in the comments!

Bonus Wallpapers

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