Chika

地獄谷のサル – Monkeys in Onsen

by

地獄谷温泉のサル (2)

There is a park in Nagano Prefecture, Japan where you can watch Japanese monkeys taking a bath.  This is one specific type of monkey called a Snow Monkey.  The park is specially designed to keep these monkeys as wild as possible and to strictly control tourists.  For example visitors are not allowed to feed the monkeys so that monkeys won’t harass or try to follow tourists.  But for those who want closer contact, there is an inn nearby where monkeys may join you while you take a bath in onsen outside.

温泉 – Onsen

by

Collage 2017-01-30 15_35_39

Onsen or hot springs in Japan are natural spring that wells up from the underground or man-made bath that uses natural spring water.  The regulations in Japan to be qualified as an onsen are to have one of the followings.  1. The water has to be at least 25 Celsius degrees naturally before heating.  2. The water must contain certain levels of mineral as it wells up naturally.

2016 Anime Top 5

by

anime 2017 01

This year is almost over.  So I’d like to share with you some popular anime released in 2016.  According to the Japanese fan website www.anikore.jp, the following new anime were judged the best to appear in 2016:

  1) ERASED

   2) Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-

   3) Your Name

   4) A Silent Voice (this one is not yet available on DVD)

   5) New Game!

I only know first three anime, and they are all good.  My favorite is ERASED.  A Silent Voice DVD isn’t yet available.

しめ飾り – Shimekazari

by

shimekazari-0

Shimekazari is a decorated shimenawa.  Today many households just put up shimekazari like any other new year’s decoration; but traditionally its purpose was to attract the spirit of one particular Shinto deity: Toshigami-sama, (protector of health and good fortune), so that he would purify the house and keep bad luck and evil spirits away.

Shimekazari is usually suggested to be put up between 13th and 28th of December, and to be taken down on the 7th or 15th of January depending on the area of Japan.

Shell-less Hatching

by

A Japanese high school teacher, Yutaka Tahara figured out how to hatch a chicken in plastic wrap without a shell.  In high school students study the chicken embryo development, but the chickens die in the process.  Teacher Tanaka researched for 30 years how to hatch the chicken successfully.  It is fascinating!

KFC Christmas Dinner

by

44443

It’s almost that time again… it’s almost time for… KFC!!! lol

I mention this every Christmas season, so you may be tired of hearing it, but please let me say it again for the first timers.  In Japan KFC chicken is very typical and popular Christmas dinner for many households & Christmas parties.  KFC starts taking orders for the Christmas special as early as 11/1/16.  People form long lines in front of KFC stores on Christmas Eve because we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day.

kfc-2016

Christmas Special – BEG 1

by

cymera_20161207_141322

Only $49.99 for a BEG 1 (beginner classroom style course) for January, 2017.  

It’s $49.99/person for four 50-minute classes!  60% OFF!!!

Hurry!  Offer lasts while seats available.

Dates Time Max # of Seats
1/3, 10, 17, 24/17 7:10-8 pm 7
1/4, 11, 18, 25/17 6-6:50 pm 7

* Please click here for more details.

** No refund, you can exchange it for one private lesson (process due 12/31/16, expires on 2/1/17).

SCETA Japan Center

4500 Lehigh Rd, College Park, MD 20740

202-656-6085

mail@LearnJapan.co

和菓子 – Wagashi

by

wagashi

Wagashi means “traditional Japanese sweets” in Japanese and as the name is self-explanatory, all the traditional Japanese sweets are called “wagashi”.  They are often made with red mung bean paste, navy bean paste, rice, rice flour, etc.