Giving Gifts The Japanese Way

As most of us around the world prepare to give gifts in time for the holiday season, it is good to know about the precise way that gifts are given in Japan. Unlike places like the UK or US, where gifts are given casually, sometimes even wrapped in plain brown bags, newspaper ( I actually got some gifts wrapped this way from an English relative - needless to say it would probably elicit shock in Japan), or worse - unwrapped! In Japan, everything from the contents, to the presentation and wrapper, and especially the way a gift is given is an art and not to be taken lightly.

Here are some of the things to keep in mind:

1. Style is tantamount. The gift itself is of little importance, the ceremony surrounding it is very important.

2. Always wrap gifts. The selection of the wrapping paper is critical. Do not give anything wrapped in white as it symbolizes death. Do not use bright colors or bows to wrap the gift. It is better to have the hotel or the store wrap the gift to ensure that it is appropriate.

3. Do not surprise the recipient with the gift. Give your host some warning during the evening that you intend to give them a present.

4. Give the gift with both hands and accept gifts with hands.

5. Generally, gifts will not be opened in your presence. If your host insists that you open the gift do so gingerly. They take pride in gift wrapping, show that you appreciation the effort.

6. Do not give gifts in odd number or the number four, as odd numbers are bad luck and four sounds like the word for death in Japanese.

7. Gifts should be given at the end of a visit.

8. Do not admire anything belonging to your host too closely. The Japanese strive to please; you may be rewarded for your admiration.

9. Good gift ideas include top choice beef, fruit and alcohol such as brandy, quality whiskey and Bourbon along with excellent wines. They also appreciate gifts from high-end department stores like Saks and Neiman Marcus in America, and Harrods or Harvey Nichols in the UK.

10. The most popular gift giving occasions in Japan are “oseibo”, which falls at the end of the year and “O-chugen” which falls during the middle of the year. More on Oseibo in the next post!!

[tags]Gifts, gift giving, japanese gift etiquette[/tags]

More Thoughts On Unagi

After the last rather nostalgic post, I thought more about the simple dish of grilled Unagi and how nice it would be to perhaps try serving it at home. There’s a well-stocked Japanese supermarket down the road from where I live, so there really is no excuse as to why not?

Many westerners may find eel intimidating, but then again the English were fond of it jellied, which to me sounds much more un-appetizing than the Japanese version. The common way of serving it in Japan is my favourite way, grilled, with a sweet sauce, known as unagi no kaba-yaki (grilled eel). Add the “don”, and you’ll get what I was speaking about before, and indeed, what is pictured above (mouthwatering!) - hence, una-juu or una-don. Typically, a clear soup (suimono) made from unagi liver, called kimo-sui and is served on the side, but I have to admit that eel liver (or liver for that matter) is not my favourite thing, so I just stick to the main dish on rice.

Aside from its popular “yum” factor, Unagi is also known as a stamina-building health dish because it is rich in protein, calcium, vitamin A and E. So another excuse to eat it!

Short of ordering off the menu at the nearest Japanese restaurant, the next easiest option is to visit the freezer section of your local Japanese supermarket and purchase some of the frozen unagi you are likely to find there and serve it up with some fresh, hot rice, preferably served in a laquer box.

But if freshness is your thing, try this recipe below. I unearthed it at a forum, and it was translated from the Japanese:

How to make sauce of kabayaki

Materials
Sake : 100 CC
Sweet sake = MIRIN : 300CC
Sugar : 250g
Strong soy sauce :350CC

1.)Sake is mixed with mirin.
It is boiled.
An alcoholic ingredient is lost.
The head and the bone of an eel are burned. It is put into a pan.
2.)Sugar are put into a pan.
3.)Strong soy sauce is mixed and it is made to boil again.
4.)Low heat. It boils down from 15 minutes for 20 minutes.
5.)I remove its lye.
It filters and cools as quickly as possible.
I put sugar and coordinate sweetness.

[tags]Unagi, Japanese food, kabayaki recipe[/tags]

Tokyo Disneyland Christmas

When I was twelve years old (a long time ago!), my family and I spent one Christmas at Tokyo Disneyland. Japan was a favourite destination of my parents, so one year, we decided to try it for Christmas. I remember that we stayed at a hotel called the Akasaka Prince, and on Christmas day we spent the day at Tokyo Disneyland.

It was especially memorable not because of the fabulous rides or decorations at the park, but because we got the opening times wrong, and as we waited for the park to open, we all stood outside the park gates, freezing cold (it must have been negative 10 that morning) and miserable, when and old man selling boxes of steaming hot unagi on rice rolled his cart next to us and invited us to try his wares. At the time I had never tried grilled eel and would have probably refused under normal circumstances, but that Christmas morning, those boxes of hot eel on rice warmed us in more ways than one. One day, I hope to take my children there on Christmas day to try some of that boxed eel.

If you’re planning a trip this holiday season to Tokyo Disneyland, here are some events to look forward to:

Haunted Mansion “Holiday Nightmare”
September 4, 2006 through January 8, 2007
Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas has made some special touches to the Haunted Mansion. Get ready for a fun and scary mix of holidays during this special program.

“Christmas Fantasy”
November 7 through December 25
Pixie dust and fairy magic will make the Park into a Christmas fantasy this winter. Cinderella Castle will be festooned with beautiful decorations, twinkling Christmas trees will be everywhere and the Disney characters will be throwing a jolly Christmas parade! You won’t want to miss this heartwarming seasonal event.

“Harborside Christmas”
November 7 through December 25
The Park will continue its 5th Anniversary celebration with plenty of special Christmas entertainment programs during the holiday season. For a romantic touch, finish your day by watching the lighting of a giant Christmas tree on the waters of Mediterranean Harbor. Everyone can get into that special holiday mood with “Harborside Christmas” at Tokyo DisneySea.

[tags]Christmas, Holidays, Tokyo Disneyland[/tags]

Japanese Christmas: Fukubukuro

Literally translated as a “Lucky Bag” or “Fortune Bag”, the Fukubukuro is Japan’s version of the gift pack, or those food baskets given around the world at Christmastime and the New Year. Of course, as with all things Japanese, this time the humble gift pack or fruit basket has been taken to new heights, in true Japanese-style - bigger, better and well, just better. And, theres also an element of surprise, as the contents of the lucky bag are unknown.

Usually out for the New Year, the Fukubukuro is wonderfully varied and comes in all levels of price. You can pick up one for your beloved dog or splash out on one of the “luxury” Fukubukuros. As most shops have it (as a marketing and sales ploy in time for the January sales), all you have to decide on is the theme. The price range is usually uniform, but what’s fun is that could get lucky and buy a Fukubukuro for ¥10,000, only to find that the goods inside your bag is worth more than ¥100,000!!!

Here are some of last year’s faves to give you an idea:

Mitsukoshi - the famous Japanese institution is a veritable haven for some of the best Fukubukuros in the market. Yes, they’re on the pricey side, but oh so much fun! The quantities are limited for these quality (and admittedly quirky) bags, so expect some chaos when the shop put these on display:

“My Celeb” bag (¥52,500) Includes a night in a hotel and a ride in a Rolls Royce.
“Cha!” bags (¥10,500)- Includes Japanese tea delivered to your home once a month all year.
Dog-care bags (¥21,000)- Includes cake to be delivered on your pooch’s birthday, tickets for a canine beauty salon and a visit to a doggie hot spring resort.

Francfranc - Slick, modern and stylish, the Fukubukuros here cost a mere ¥3,150, and give you a great selection of goods from the interior design chain.

Muji - Cheap, cheerful and minimalist, Muji is the place to get like Fukubukuros ranging from just ¥2,000 for a variety of bags ranging from clothing to toys and accessories.

Celebrating Christmas in Japan

Christmas in Japan is celebrated differently to those of Christian countries because there is no religious undertone to the festivities; it’s all about enjoying the traditions associated with the holiday. Since it’s not a national holiday, the young still go to school and it’s a regular working day, but salarymen will stop by a bakery to buy a Christmas cake for his family. This cake is quite different from its European counterparts. Instead of the rich fruitcake topped icing or marzipan, it is simply a spongecake decorated with whipped cream, strawberries, and various seasonal fruits. There might be a fake Christmas tree made of metal and plastic in the living room - there being no market for real ones in the country - and the decorations will be a mixture of store-bought items and hand-folded origami. Because Christmas coincides with the winter bonus given to workers by their companies, parents get the chance to get expensive presents like cellphones for their family.

You might notice that in shoujo anime or manga, there will be a Christmas episode devoted to exploring the main character’s feelings for their partner. That’s because Christmas is a romantic event for the young Japanese. If New Year is the time to be with the family, Christmas is the day for young couples and romance. Hotels and restaurants arrange for special packages for lavish romantic dinners and other amusements like concerts. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony serves as the unofficial Christmas theme in Japan, and gets played regularly. Bounenkai figure in many a Japanese’s event calendars. These bounenkai are mainly drinking parties celebrated by companies and different interest groups to forget the problems they encountered during the year. Some people might find celebrating Christmas in Japan is too commercial, but the spirit of gaiety and fun for the season outweighs all these objections. Because in the end, Christmas is all about the spirit of happiness all over the world!

[tags]Christmas in Japan, Christmas Cake, Bounenkai[/tags]

Meet Arashi’s “King”

Matsumoto Jun is probably the most recognizable member of Arashi, a Johnny’s Entertainment boy group. What sets him apart from , he can not only sing and dance, he acts too. Not only was he the quiet and confident Sawada Shin in the live action remake of Gokusen, he will be reprising his role as Domyouji Tsukasa in the second season of the Hana Yori Dango drama which is currently in the works. His acting for both roles have made him popular and win recognition from the Television Drama Academy Awards. This is a quarterly list that the magazine Television compiles of the best performances on dramas showing in a season.

Jun began his career in 1996 at the age of thirteen, whn he underwent training for his media career. Three years after he debuted with Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, and Ohno as part of Arashi in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was his boyish charm that got fans flocking to his side, but it is his undeniable talent that keeps them entertained. Fondly called Matsujun by his fans, he is called King by the rest of Arashi. Besides television dramas, he has also acted on the big screen in Tokyo Tower (2004), a movie that featured him in a more revealing and sexier light. He has also taken to the stage, recently acting in Byakuya no Onna Kishi (Valkyrie). You can catch him regularly on Utawara Hot Hit 10, which he hosts with Matsuura Aya. He has also been hosting Arashi Jun Style on the radio since 2002. Matsujun will have a movie entitled Kiiroi Namida with the rest of Arashi for 2007, and no doubt next year he’ll have an even busier as his star continues to shine brighter.

[tags]hana yori dango, Matsumoto Jun, Johnny’s, Arashi, Japan, actor[/tags]