It’s All About Food Technology

Those who love Japanese food, raise your hand! I am sure that a lot of people would agree with me when I say that Japanese food is one of the best cuisines in the world. Light and yet tasty at the same time, Japan’s cuisine is known all over the world.

I suppose that is why a lot of attention has been placed on how the Japanese go about cooking and manufacturing food. Recently, a report was released by Research and Markets. Titled “Japan’s Innovative Food Manufacturing & Processing Technology 2008,” this report highlights the juxtaposition of world class cuisine and technology. Perhaps this report would be of interest to those in the culinary sector or even to the average curious person.

What is contained in the report? Marketwatch provides some info:

1. Food Technologies
Production/processing, freezing, sterilization, inspection, quality control/freshness control, cooking, mixing, heating, separation, analysis, taste recognition, measurement, washing, detection technologies, etc.
Some specific examples of articles featured:
- Shirako Kamaboko-ten explores potential of nano-bubble water
- Kumamoto University develops a revolutionary ultra-fast freezing technology
- K Pack uses electricity to sterilize salad dressing
All articles feature excellent examples of advanced technology.

2. Food Ingredients & Additives
This section introduces excellent new food ingredients and additives, such as:
- SPM-rich milk ceramide developed by Snow Brand Milk Products
- Functional food material with anti-allergy effect developed by Nippon Meat Packers
- Pine fiber from Matsutani Chemical Industry with fat lowering function

3. Food Processing Equipment
An introduction to food processing equipment including dough sheet cutters, peeling equipment, sushi makers, machines for making Chinese-style dumplings, wrapping machines, noodle/pasta making equipment, milling devices, flour milling machines, heat sterilizing systems and pulverizers.

It seems like a lot of the information leans towards the manufacturing industry, doesn’t it? Still, the fact that this aspect has been studied so thoroughly speaks well of both the food and technology of The Land of the Rising Sun.

Mt. Fuji Skate For Charity

Acts of charity are always considered news worthy and this item is no different. A young British adventurer is planning a considerable feat that would benefit charity. He plans to skate down Mt. Fuji with the aim of helping The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths.

Mt. Fuji, as you might already know, is the most popular peak in Japan. It is visited by countless tourists from all over the world as well as the locals. Year in and year out, people come in droves to experience this majestic mountain for themselves. James Langridge, however, is not only coming for his own sake.

Japan Today reports:

Langridge arrives with the aim of skateboarding down Mt Fuji for charity. This will be his first trip to Japan, so his knowledge of the mountain is limited to online articles, images from Google Earth and advice from people who have visited.

Langridge plans to get an early start, and he’s been assembling a team that’s randomly come together since he first put word out. “Some of the Outdoor Japan people [who took part in the first descent] have said they might join me. A few people have also contacted me over the internet expressing interest — one from Hawaii, one from Baltimore, and one from Sweden,” he says. “People can contact me by email if they want to join in.”

I admire this guy’s sense of adventure as well as intent. I hope that he succeeds!

“Profound Truths” About The Japanese Culture (Part 3)

Here is the last installment of this mini-series. I found a couple more interesting points in the Russian Bear’s post and here they are.

Sushi in Kyoto on Shijo street, next to the river are to die for. That is the sushi heaven. Whatever you do, don’t eat the sea urchin roe in the raw; it will make you puke. However, the rest of the food is delicious, not spicy, and looks quite healthy.

I have never been to these places but I do know for a fact that sushi abounds in Japan. You can even go to 711 and buy great sushi and sashimi for a good price – can you believe that? Of course, I would probably be under fire for saying that 711 sushi and sashimi is great but I just had to say that. It is really amazing!

The Japanese don’t only drive, but also walk on the left. It is hard, but important to remember, or else you will run into people all the time.

The reason I picked this point is more because I wanted to emphasize the fact that the Japanese will not drive unless they need to. Even company CEOs would take the public transportation to work on a daily basis. The reasoning is that they do not want to spend money when there is a perfectly reasonable option. I guess that is why they are successful in general.

We sure could learn a lot from the Japanese culture, couldn’t we?

Photo courtesy of jad_23

“Profound Truths” About The Japanese Culture (Part 2)

We had “toilet talk” in the previous post. What does the Russian Bear have for us today? Some other “profound truths” about the Japanese culture. Here goes.

You need a small towel with you at all times to wipe off the sweat from your face and neck. That and a hand fan are pretty much a necessity. You can get away with napkins, but you need to go to Starbucks to get napkins, because the Japanese has a prejudice against paper napkins, and you won’t get them at most places, even where you buy ice cream.

I think that this is not something unique to Japan – at least the wiping off of sweat from your face. It is more of a foreigner being used to colder temperatures and finding himself in warmer conditions. I don’t really understand this much, though, as I have always thought that Japan is colder than other Asian (southeast at least) countries. Perhaps it depends on which area you are in? The lack of paper towels, I have an explanation for – the Japanese are very conscious about the environment and using paper towels for everything when you can use washable (reusable) towels is something that is embedded in their way of thinking.

Everything is about half of the American size: cars, fire trucks, benches, seats, meal portions. Overweight Japanese are a true rarity.

Very true. Even other Asians who tend to have more weight on them are surprised at how lean the Japanese are. It has a lot to do with their diet and they health conscious lifestyle. Try going to a public bath – where you have to go in in your birthday clothes – and you will know what I mean.

“Profound Truths” About The Japanese Culture

Each culture has its own peculiarities and the Japanese culture is not an exemption. I am sure that many Japanese do not see these things as peculiar. However, it is quite interesting is how people from other cultures perceive these as idiosyncrasies. I ran across a blog called The Russian Bear’s Diaries. He wrote a post called “Ten Profounds Truths About the Japanese Culture.” Let us take a look at some of those truths.

The Japanese have a thing about their toilets. First, there are a lot of them, unlike in major US or Russian cities. They are all free. Most toilets in decent places have seat wormers; some also have built-in bidets, which will wash and spray your bottom at a push of a button. Wasteful? Not at all. Like Europeans, the Japanese figure that if you wash only the certain parts of your body often and on demand, you’re less likely to take many showers a day and conserve water. However, besides the luxurious warm toilets, they also have the squat toilets, if you prefer that. The trick is to figure out in which direction to sit on those, because they are located with your side to the door.

I have tried those squat toilets and let me tell you, they provide quite an interesting experience! I’d prefer to stick with the “modern” ones. Still, the idea that there are toilets plentiful wherever you go is a comforting one, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.

(to be continued)

Maid Cafes Enter The U.S.

Remember the post we had a while back on maid cafes in Japan? I thought that the idea was novel and quirky at the same time. Well, those of you who are in the United States and who are not about to visit Japan in the near future will have the chance to visit one of these maid cafes. A firm has introduced the American version of maid cafes in California, with the aim of sharing the experience across the oceans.

Japan Times reports:

Royal/T maid cafe, shop and art space debuts the “cosplay” (costume play) restaurant idea to U.S. audiences hungry for a taste of the latest in Japanese trends.

Launched this spring, Royal/T in Culver City, Calif., offers not only the maid cafe experience made popular in Akihabara, Tokyo, but imports and introduces “Japanese cool” in the form of art, music, fashion and cuisine.

Susan Hancock, owner of Royal/T, fell in love with Japanese artists like Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara while a collector in New York and wanted to create a space to exhibit her passion for modern Japan.

There are certain differences from the original cosplays in Japan though:

While the cafe certainly caters to the anime and cosplay niche market, the venue equally emphasizes the art space and shop, thus veering from traditional genre cafes in Japan. And, unlike its Tokyo counterparts, Royal/T downplays the fetish aspect that Americans sometimes associate with cosplay restaurants.

Indeed, maids at this cafe will not blow on customers’ food or call them “master.” They will, however, eagerly chat about their favorite anime show and discuss the art collection.

Fun!

Japan C – All Things Japanese

There is some good news for people in Manhattan (and its surrounding areas) who have an affinity for Japan, its people, and its culture. Come the 16th of August, there will be a festival of contemporary Japanese culture in midtown Manhattan. Dubbed Japan C, this festival will run till the 1st of November. The specific venue will be the Felissimo Design House – a legend in itself.

So what can you expect from Japan C? Dexigner describes the event as:

Spanning home and fashion accessories to gadgets, food, beauty and pop-culture products, Japan C will be part design exhibition, part bazaar, part trade fair, highlighting over 70 diverse Japanese firms who will be presenting and demonstrating their wares.

Discover the benefits of skin creams made from fermented rice by leading sake makers, or join the Japanese fad for collectible ‘keitai’ cell phone straps.

Featuring robots of every shape, size and color, alongside all manner of zakka knickknacks, everything from kawaii anime characters, fine stationery and contemporary furniture to high-tech rice cookers promising the perfect bowl of rice, Japan C will represent all that Japan is today: Cool, Cute, Clever and Creative.

And how about the purpose of the festival? Aside from the obvious aim of introducing the culture of Japan to the residents of Manhattan, the festival specifically aims to attract buyers, manufacturers, and distributors. You can say that there is a business slant to the festival but the general public is encouraged to attend as well.

If I were anywhere near Manhattan, you bet I’d be there.

20th Century Boys

Manga is something that many people outside of Japan have come to love and the 20th Century Boys is a manga series that has captured the interest of countless people. This manga was created by Naoki Urawasa and is, in fact, a science fiction mystery. 20th Century Boys has won many awards, including:

-2001 Kodansha Manga Award in the General category
-an Excellence Prize at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival
-the 2003 Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category.

At the end of this month, on August 30, manga fans in Japan will be treated to the movie version of 20th Century Boys. Considered to have a big budget, the movie is adapted from the original manga
series described previously. Lunapark reports:

“20th Century Boys” will come out as a three part trilogy and cost a reported $60 million to make. The film stars Toshiaki Karasawa, Toyokawa, Etsushi, Takako Tokiwa. The film also features a large cast of supporting actors that will total over 300 by the conclusion of the trilogy.

The movie itself deals with a doomsday scenario, with a group of men battling the devil himself to prevent the end of the world. More specifically, a group of boys in the 1960’s wrote the “Book of Prophecy,” envisioning a doomsday scenario with the boys fighting evil forces to save the world. Years later, their predictions start to come to fruition and those boys, who are now adults, band together to fight the mysterious cult figure known as “Friend.” The movie takes place over a 40 year period and has been filmed in many locations throughout the world.

Hiroshima Remembered

The younger generation may not remember Hiroshima and what occurred there decades ago but those of us who are old enough to remember would know the significance of this place. On the 6th of August 63 years ago, this southwestern Japanese city was bombed by the United States. The atomic bomb brought on a disaster that lasted for many years after.

Today, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda attended a memorial ceremony to remember those that perished and suffered due to the bombing. Though it has been more than half a century since then, we cannot afford to forget what happened. It is a lesson that all people of the world should learn.

As such, Hiroshima mayor Tadatoshi Akiba is calling for the support of the United States on a proposed ban on nuclear weapons. According to the Associated Press:

Hiroshima’s mayor on Wednesday urged the next U.S. president to support a proposed ban on nuclear weapons, as Japan marked the 63rd anniversary of the atomic blast that obliterated this city and killed 140,000 people.

In a ceremony, Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba also announced the launch of a two-year study to gauge the psychological toll of the Aug. 6, 1945, attack in the closing days of World War II.
Japan submitted a resolution in the U.N. last year calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Akiba said that 170 nations supported the resolution, while the U.S. was one of only three countries to oppose it.

“We can only hope that the U.S. president elected this November will listen conscientiously to the majority,” Akiba told a crowd of 45,000 gathered beneath at the spot where the bomb detonated.
A moment of silence was observed at 8:15 a.m., the time of the blast. An estimated 140,000 people were killed instantly or died within a few months after the bombing. Japan’s official death toll of nearly 260,000 includes injured who have died in the decades since.

Regrets have been expressed. Ideologies have changed. Hopefully, something like this would never happen again.

Wingtip: Segway Killer

Toyota Motor of Japan announced a new gadget yesterday and it is said to be the Segway killer. The Segway was introduced some years ago and has become a popular means of transporting one’s self around easily.

The Winglet, as the new electronic scooter is called, can be controlled by shifting your body weight. By doing so, the rider can go forward, backward, and turn left or right.

So just how fast can the Winglet go? A smooth 6 kilometers per hour. I don’t know if people like me would like to go that fast, though. What I like about the Winglet is its cool design, as compared to the Segway.

Wired.com gives more information on the Winglet:

Called the Winglet because of its fleet nature, it is the first gadget to duplicate the celebrated, and often mocked, navigation system of Dean Kamen’s Segway Transporter: self-balancing through gyroscopic sensors detecting the gentle directional tilts of a rider.

According to Toyota, they will begin testing three different models at a few Japanese airports later this year, as well as some popular malls. The feedback received from customers will help determine whether Toyota will mass-market the gadget for sales everywhere else.

Come to think of it, though, the Winglet would not stand a chance if it were to be pitted against the Segway in a race. The Segway looks sturdier and IS probably sturdier. So why do they call it the Segway killer? I honestly don’t know – perhaps it has more features. Has anyone tried this?