Karaoke

Karaoke is originating in Japan. However, not everyone sings.

And the place to sing is limited a karaoke studio, pub, or home, not the roadside.

Moreover, karaoke in Japan is a little expensive leisure. In many karaoke studios, we need to pay entrance fee per hour and order something to drink. After that it is all you can sing until time limit. There are also many Philippine songs.

But karaoke service is also evolving. There is a karaoke service that can be absorbed alone was appear. It’s called ‘Hitori Karaoke’.

Champon

Don’t you think Champon is a Korean cuisine? Certainly Korean-made Champon is sold at the super market in the Philippines. There might also be TV commercials about it.

But, Champon is traditional Japanese food. The birthplace is Nagasaki where famous for A-bomb survivors.  “Champon” is Japanese meaning “Mixture.” It is common to have thick noodles, mixed chicken roe soup and pork soup, plenty of fried vegetables, fish paste, cloud ear mushroom and so on.

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Nagasaki Champon. The meat like Adobo pork is also Nagasaki cuisine.

In recent years, Koreans adjusted it to Korean style and sold it. Therefore Korean Champon is pretty spicy, but the original Champon is a dish featuring sweetness of vegetables.

You can enjoy the Champon in a restaurant chain named Ringer Hut in Japan.

No geepney, No tricycle

There is no geepney and tricycle in Japan. Alternative transportation is train, route bus, and taxi. Needless to say, taxi fares are higher than trains and buses. Incidentally, Japanese taxi has a automaticaly door.

Perhaps if you will live in Japan, you need to walk longer than in the Philippines. Because trains and buses have routes and places for getting on and off.

By the way, there are substantial trains and bus networks at near urban areas, but it is not in the countryside. If you consider to live in the countryside in the future, please check the necessary transportation. You may need to depend on someone’s driving.

Racial descrimination?

When you live in Japan, you may feel alienation and discrimination. Sometimes a Japanese who is meeting for the first time will observe you from top to bottom. But that is probably just curiosity.

Today, international exchanges are increasing, but some Japanese are not used to foreigners yet, because Japan is almost a single racial country. Chinese, Korean, Mongolian are close in appearance to the Japanese, but Filipino people are a little noticeable. Most Japanese do not feel discrimination against Filipinos.

However, some elderly people mainly have stereotypes that “young Filipino women are working in pubs”. Because it is difficult for Filipinos to obtain working visas in Japan yet, it has been easier for entertainers. So many Filipino women came to Japan as dancer or singer and then worked as a hostess in a pub.

From such a background, if you are a young woman, you may get sexual harassment from elderly men who have not been able to renew their recognition, so let’s avoid it well.

Religion

I heard that there are overwhelmingly more Christians in the Philippines except for Mindanao island. On the other hand, in Japan the majority are Buddhists. However, the religious mind of many people is mild. They are conscious of their own religion only during rituals such as funerals.

There are devout Cristian also in Japan, but it is a few percent. About 400 years ago, many missionaries came to Japan and worked hard in their mission, but there were not much results. One of the reasons is that the regime banned Christianity at the time. They feared that European countries will colonize Japan using Christianity.

Other reason may be from the thought of animism from ancient times.Ancient Japanese people were thinking that God would stay in all things. It is called “god of eight million（八百万ã®ç¥žï¼šYaoyorozu no kami）.” Perhaps it may be close to the expression “nature is a complex god” sensuously.

For example, The monster named Godzilla was born as a symbol of antithesis against nuclear weapons development competition or counterattack by the great nature, during the Cold War. Thus, its name starts with “God.”

The animation movie “Princess Mononoke” is also based on a similar background. Or it may be symbolized by characters of Dragon Ball. Many characters called God appeared in that manga. Unfortunately, I do not know if it is the same in English version though.

Also, the Emperor was worshiped as a god, before the end of the Pacific War. By the way, the emperor’s ancestor is the main character in Japanese mythology.

However, Japanese like to enjoy events in other countries and religions with original arrange. For example, Christmas has penetrated as “a day when lovers should spend a romantic time”, rather than spending time with their families, or “as a day to eat cakes and chicken”. In addition, Halloween is positioned as “a day when adults and children disguise themselves and they go downtown.”

Autumn taste

These foods are delicious in Japanese autumn.

Nashi（梨）

梨Nashi is one of the representative fruits in Japan.

Nashi is kind of Pear. It has high water content and sweet than European Pear.

Nashi is e ective for preventation of constipation.
You can buy a Nashi at supermarket, It’s about Â¥100 – Â¥300.

Kaki（柿）

柿Persimmon is called Kaki in japan. Kaki is fruits of east asia. Especially Japanese Kaki is very sweet and tasty, and rich in nutrition.

Recent years, seedless kind of Kaki are sold.
You can buy a Kaki at supermarket, It’s about Â¥100 – Â¥300.

Kuri（栗）

æ —Chestnuts is called Kuri in Japan. Also called Marron in French.

Kuri is a delicious tree nuts in autumn. We generally eat steamed Kuri. However many of the kuri sold at stores are made in China.

So I recommend Japanese food called “Kuri-gohan”. It’s rice cooked with Kuri.

You can buy seasonings with Kuri at the supermarket.

Sanma（秋刀魚）

秋刀魚Sanma is called Paci c saury or Saury pike in English.

Most common cooking is grilled with salt. We eat it with radish paste and soy sauce. The body is delicious but bitterness of the internal organs is best.

However, don’t you grill it yourself. Because, when you grill raw fish, a lot of smoke comes out like a fire. If you want to eat Sanma at your home, you should buy a grilled Sanma, and warm it via microwave, then eat with warm rice.

You can buy a Sanma at supermarket, It’s about Â¥150 – Â¥300.

By the way, the act of dismantling the body of the Sanma is a good practice of using chopsticks.

Autumn

Autumn may be the hardest for Filipinos who came to Japan for the first time since spring. Because they will not be accustomed to cold except for people around Baguio.

For example, hot and cold days will be mixed in the latter half of September. An effective ways to cold is to wear warm clothes.

But autumn is an important period. If summer suddenly changes to winter, no Filipino who just came to Japan can survive.

Let’s prepare for the winter using the grace period of autumn.

Seasons in Japan

The seasons in Japan are divided into 4: spring, summer, autumn  and winter. If the rainy season is also counted, it is 5. Were the seasons of the Philippines only “hot summer” and “not hot summer”?

In Japan, the progress of the season is different depending on the region, because the national land is long in the north and south. Each season of Tokyo is roughly as follows.

  • Spring: March to May
  • Rainyu: June
  • Summer: July to September
  • Autumn: October to November
  • Winter: December to February

There are many hot days in summer in Tokyo than Cebu. The main reason is the heat island phenomenon. Cause, Many paved roads hold heat, An enormous number of air conditioner outdoor units discharge hot air, Tall building blocks the cold wind from the sea, Etc. Moreover, Japan has high humidity, so even at the same temperature we feel hotter.

Winter in the southernmost Okinawa Prefecture is milder than Tokyo. But it will be colder than the Philippines, because it is north of Luzon Island.

Rice eater

According to one theory, Filipino will die without rice. Japanese people are also Rice Eater like Filipino. There are various ways to eat rice in Japan. But it is different from Philippine style.

The easiest rice dish is ãŠã«ãŽã‚Š(Onigiri). Onigiri is a rice ball, like the Philippine Puso. You can buy it at every convenience store and supermarket.

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Many onigili are wrapped in blacky seaweed, and you can eat seaweed together.

Moreover, valious side dish in it. Typical side dishes are follows.

  • Umeboshi(梅干㗠↠Salted plum)
  • Konbu(昆布↠Seasoned kelp)
  • Salmon(鮭↠Grilled salmon)
  • Ikura(イクラ ↠Salmon egg pickled in soy sauce)
  • Tunamayo(ツナマヨ  ↠Tuna flakes with mayonnaise)
  • Tarako(ãŸã‚‰ã“ ↠Grilled egg of Alaska pollock)
  • Karashi mentaiko(è¾›å­æ˜Žå¤ªå­ ↠Pickled egg of Alaska pollock in spicy seasoning)
  • Tenmusu(天む㙠↠Tenpura of shrimp)

Generally Onigiri is cheaper than other rice dishes. Moreever, onigiri will be discounted from 9PM at the many supermarket.