Song of the Week: Eiko no Kakehashi - Yuzu

This week’s Song of the Week is Eiko no Kakehashi by a duo called Yuzu. The title “Eiko no Kakehashi” (栄光の架橋) means The Bridge of Glory.

Yuzu (ゆず) is a Japanese folk/pop rock duo who formed and made their debut in 1997 and released their first single in June 1998 with Summer Color (夏色). The duo comprises of vocalist/guitarist Yujin Kitagawa and vocalist/guitarist Koji Iwasawa.

Both members of Yuzu come from Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture. Yuzu started out as street musicians in High School and their move into the J-Pop music industry was a big success story. The original name of the band was “Lights”, but Kitagawa disliked the name, so they changed it to Yuzu (after the fruit).

Eiko no Kakehashi was released on July 22, 2004 and was a massive hit for the band becoming one of the most popular songs of 2004. It reached number 2 on the Oricon charts. The song was Yuzu’s 21st single and was used as the theme song for NHK’s transmission of the Athens Olympic Games that summer.

I really like their music and songs with their mainly lush acoustic and upbeat sound.

Here is a live performance of Eiko no Kakehashi by Yuzu

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Emblem Revealed

The new Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games emblems were revealed on Friday, July 24th, exactly five years to the day before the opening ceremony of the games.

The new emblems were unveiled in front of officials and athletes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku on Friday night.

The emblem was designed by Japanese artist Kenjiro Sano. The design is very modern looking and based on the letter “T” which stands for Tokyo, Tomorrow, and Team. Tokyo is of course the first letter of the host city, Tomorrow stands for “a better world and a brighter future”, and Team “Japan will unite as one team when the world comes together for Tokyo 2020”.

Kenjiro Sano, a graphics designer was chosen from an open call for submissions in which a total of 104 designers submitted proposals.

It is an interesting design and very modern looking compared to the original logo used during the bidding process. I like the colours of the emblem. The black of the central column represents diversity, the circle represents an inclusive world where everyone accepts each other. The red of the circle represents the power of every beating heart.

The IOC Vice President, John Coates said, “The emblem reflects the vibrant nature of Tokyo and the welcoming spirit of its citizens.”

What do you think of the new Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games emblems?

Song of the Week: Kona Yuki - Remioromen

This week’s Song of the Week is Kona Yuki by a group called Remioromen. The title “Kona Yuki” (粉雪) means powdery snow, which is what I’m dreaming of right now as I sit here in the 34C heat & humidity of the Japanese summer.

Remioromen (レミオロメン) is a Japanese rock band who formed in 2000 and made their debut in 2003 with the single Ameagari. The band is a three piece and comprises of vocalist/guitarist Ryota Fujimaki, bass guitarist Keisuke Maeda and drummer Osamu Jinguji.

Kona Yuki was released on November 16, 2005 and was a massive hit for the band becoming one of the best-selling singles of 2005. It reached number 2 on the Oricon charts. The video for the song also picked up “Best Pop Video Award” at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.

It is a great song and I hope you enjoy it.

Kona Yuki by Remioromen

Umi no Hi

Marine Day or “Umi no Hi” (海の日) in Japanese is an annual Japanese National Holiday held on the third Monday of July. It is also sometimes called Ocean Day or Sea Day.

This year Umi no Hi will be on July 20th.

Umi no Hi was established to appreciate and celebrate the ocean and to consider the importance of the ocean to Japan as an island nation.

History of Umi no Hi 

Umi no Hi was established on July 20th 1941 to commemorate the Meiji Emperor and his 1876 voyage in the Meiji Maru, an iron steamship constructed in Scotland. The voyage included a trip around the Tohoku region as well as a brief stop in Hakodate before returning to Yokohama on July 20th 1876. Umi no Hi was officially designated a national holiday in 1995, when it became the first holiday in the summer months. It was established as a holiday to express gratitude for the gifts of the sea, honour its importance and to pray for the prosperity of Japan as a maritime nation.

How is Umi no Hi Celebrated 

There are no particular traditions associated with Umi no Hi since it is quite a modern holiday in Japan. Many people take advantage of this holiday and the beautiful summer weather to visit the beach. You can also see special events held at aquariums and water parks around Japan to celebrate Marine Day.

How will you spend your Umi no Hi this year?

Image source

Song of the Week: Fragile - ELT

I have started a new weekly post series called 'Song of the Week' which will highlight one of my favourite J-POP songs from my time in Japan ranging from 1997 - 2015.

First song off the list is Fragile by a group called ELT (Every Little Things). ELT, a pop/rock duo made their debut in August 1996 and from the late 90's to early 00's were one of the biggest and most popular groups in Japan. They are one of the few groups from the mid 1990's that is still active in the music scene.

ELT were huge when I first arrived in Japan in 1997 and you could hear their songs everywhere. Originally formed as a trio, their keyboardist left the group in 2000 leaving the group as a duo. ELT comprises of Kaori Mochida as the singer and Ichiro Ito as the guitarist.

Fragile was their 18th single and was released on January 1, 2001. It was their fourth single to top the Oricon charts. The song was also the theme song for Fuji Television's drama 'Ainori' which was broadcasted from October 2000 to September 2001.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.

Fragile by Every Little Thing (ELT)

Expat Survival in Japan - HiFX Blog

I was recently asked to help contribute an article to the HiFX Project dedicated to helping the next generation of expats understand the issues people encounter in their first six months living abroad. As an expat Aussie living in Japan and having more than 12 years experience living and working in Japan, I jumped at the challenge to put pen to paper and share some tips on how I survived my first six months in Japan.

Here is a little excert from the article;

What were your first thoughts and feelings on arrival to your new country? 

I arrived to Japan via Osaka and was immediately blown away by the sheer size of the city and dazzled by all the neon lights and electric atmosphere. I remember feeling like I was on a completely different planet. I also remember feeling that my Japanese ability was inadequate as well because what I had learned at school was completely different.

If you are interested in reading more of the article, please head over to the HiFX Blog.

Waffnuts and Chounuts at Krispy Kreme Japan

This month Krispy Kreme Japan released a new line of interesting hybrid donuts called Waffnuts and Chounuts.

After the success of cronuts (the hybrid of croissant and donut) Krispy Kreme is banking on the success of these limited-edition pastry offerings in Japan.

The Waffnuts are a hybrid of Belgium waffle and donut, and are said to be light and crispy, while the Chounuts are a hybrid of chou cream (profiterole or cream puff) and donut.

The Waffnuts come in three different flavours, Strawberry, Green Tea and Almond and cost 240 yen. The Chounuts come in two different flavours, Lemon Cheese and Double Caramel and cost 210 yen.

Waffnuts Strawberry 

The Waffnuts Strawberry Donut features strawberry icing with freeze dried strawberries on top for a sweet and sour flavour.

Waffnuts Green Tea 

The Waffnuts Green Tea Donut features Uji matcha green tea powder in both the donut and icing and is topped with a white chocolate drizzle and chocolate cereal flakes. The matcha used in this donut is from the Uji region of Kyoto, which is famous for producing the finest matcha in all of Japan.

Waffnuts Almond 

The Waffnuts Almond Donut features almond frosting with dark chocolate drizzle and salted almonds.

Chounuts Lemon Cheese 

The Chounuts Lemon Cheese Donut is filled with cream cheese that has been infused with lemon rind and is topped with a white chocolate drizzle.

Chounuts Double Caramel 

The Chounuts Double Caramel Donut is filled with both caramel cream and a salted caramel sauce and is topped with dark chocolate.

The donuts are available from June 10th to July 21st in Japan.

The hybrid donuts look really interesting so we just had to give them a try.

The Taste Test 

We selected three donuts to test and they were Waffnuts Green Tea, Waffnuts Strawberry and Chounuts Lemon Cheese.

The Waffnuts Green Tea had a nice chewy texture from the Belgium waffle and good crunch from the chocolate cereal flakes on top. Unfortunately, the matcha flavour was not as bitter or strong as I would have hoped, especially coming from Uji. More matcha flavour please Krispy Kreme.

The Waffnuts Strawberry had a nice sweet taste from the strawberry icing and good sourness from the freeze dried strawberries on top. It was a great combination. Definitely our favourite of the three with a real authentic strawberry taste.

The Chounuts Lemon Cheese was light and fluffy like a good French Cruller donut and we loved the cream cheese infused with lemon rind filling. A winner in our book.

There you have it. We hope to try the other two on the list and report back soon. Stay posted and if you are in Japan, definitely give these a try!

Krispy Kreme Japan Website

Kodomo no Hi

Children’s Day or “Kodomo no Hi” (こどもの日) in Japanese is an annual Japanese National Holiday held on May 5. It is the fourth national holiday of “Golden Week”, a collection of four national holidays in the space of seven days.

The first national holiday of Golden Week is Showa no Hi on April 29, which honours the birthday of the former Showa Emperor. The second national holiday of Golden Week is Kenpou Kinenbi on May 3, which commemorates the promulgation of Japan’s constitution. The third holiday of Golden Week is Midori no Hi on May 4, which is dedicated to show appreciation to the environment and nature.

Children’s Day is a holiday for children in general, but is primarily for boys. The day is to celebrate boys, and it is a festival to pray for the healthy growth of boys. Girls have their own festival called Hina Matsuri on March 3.

The History of Kodomo no Hi 

Children’s Day dates back to the Nara period of Japan when it was known as Tango no Sekku. It was then a day to celebrate perseverance, strength and well-being of boys.

Tango no Sekku was renamed Kodomo no Hi in 1948 after the post-war constitution took effect.

Koinobori 

It is tradition for families with boys to hang up carp streamers called Koinobori outside their houses on flag poles around this holiday.

Traditionally, at the top of the pole is a large black carp known as magoi which represents the father. Below that, a red carp known as higoi which represents the mother, followed by a blue carp representing the first son. Additional carp are added for each subsequent son.

Carp in Japan are believed to symbolize strength and successes in children’s lives, and by displaying koinobori it is hoped that they will bring the boys of the family future success and luck.

Gogatsu Ningyo 

Samurai dolls called Gogatsu Ningyo are also displayed in homes. These samurai dolls symbolize strength, power and success, all traits of Japanese samurai warriors.

Some families also display samurai helmets called Kabuto or Samurai Armour all believed to represent courage and honour.

Kabuto for Kodomo no Hi

Special Food 

A popular food eaten during Children’s Day is Kashiwa Mochi, which is mochi wrapped in an oak leaf. The oak leaf represents prosperity and good fortune because the oak tree does not shed its old leaves until new ones have grown.

Kashiwa Mochi

Colonel Sanders Dressed for Kodomo no Hi in Japan

Midori no Hi

Greenery Day or “Midori no Hi” (みどりの日) in Japanese is an annual Japanese National Holiday held on May 4. It is the third national holiday of “Golden Week”, a collection of four national holidays in the space of seven days.

The first national holiday of Golden Week is Showa no Hi on April 29, which honours the birthday of the former Showa Emperor. The second national holiday of Golden Week is Kenpou Kinenbi on May 3, which commemorates the promulgation of Japan’s constitution.

The purpose of Midori no Hi is to show appreciation for the environment and nature.

The History of Midori no Hi 

From 1989 to 2006 Greenery Day was celebrated on April 29, the birthday of the former Showa Emperor. As mentioned above the day is dedicated to show appreciation to the environment and nature. The former Emperor loved plants and nature so this special day was established to honour his love for nature.

In 2007, Greenery Day was moved to May 4 with April 29 changed to Showa Day.

May 4 used to be a regular national holiday before Greenery Day due to a law which declares a day that falls between two national holidays is a national holiday. We really like this law!

Greenery Day is the perfect time to head outdoors and enjoy the beautiful spring weather and fresh green leaves of the season. 

Greenery Day at Gifu Park

Kenpou Kinenbi

Constitution Memorial Day or “Kenpou Kinenbi” (憲法記念日) in Japanese is an annual Japanese National Holiday held on May 3. It is the second national holiday of “Golden Week”, a collection of four national holidays in the space of seven days.

The first national holiday of Golden Week is Showa no Hi on April 29, which honours the birthday of the former Showa Emperor.

The purpose of the holiday is to commemorate the promulgation of the 1947 Constitution of Japan. The new Japanese constitution was put into effect on May 3, 1947.

The History of Kenpou Kinenbi 

Constitution Memorial Day was first celebrated in 1948 to reflect on the meaning of democracy in Japan and the Japanese government. The new constitution was created during the American occupation of Japan after World War II, with representatives from many countries contributing to the design of the new constitution and parliamentary form of government which was to follow.

This is the only day of the year that the National Diet Building is open to the public as well.

Showa no Hi

Showa Day or “Showa no Hi” (昭和の日) in Japanese is an annual Japanese National Holiday held on April 29. It honours the birthday of the former Showa Emperor, who reigned from 1926 to 1989. The purpose of the holiday is to encourage the Japanese people to reflect on this turbulent period of Japanese history.

It is the first holiday of the “Golden Week” period in Japan, a collection of four national holidays in the space of seven days. This is a popular holiday period with many people taking extended breaks and taking advantage of their time off to travel and enjoy the warmer spring weather.

The History of Showa no Hi 

The former Showa Emperor, Hirohito died on January 7, 1989 which led to the establishment of April 29 as Showa no Hi. The date used to be celebrated as “The Emperor’s Birthday” but this National Holiday was moved to the date of the new Tennō Emperor’s birthday (December 23). The new National Holiday was originally named “Greenery Day” because of the late Emperor’s love of nature, but in 2007, April 29 became Showa no Hi with Greenery Day moved to May 4.

Showa no Hi was created to encourage the public to reflect on the turbulent 63 year period of the Emperor’s reign. This was an important period of Japanese history which featured World War II, the post-war occupation and dismantling of Imperial rule and Japan’s rise to economic power.

Brooklyn Merry-Go-Round Donuts

Mister Donut Japan recently released another addition to their every growing Brooklyn series of hybrid sweets inspired by the hip, cool eateries of Brooklyn, New York.

The new donuts are called Brooklyn Merry-Go-Round and feature a donut which uses both cookie and bagel dough. It is certainly an interesting idea and got our attention.

The donuts went on sale from April 9th and cost 172 yen (USD$1.45).

There are four donuts that form part of the new line-up and they include Green Tea Brownie, Caramel Almond, Chocolate Nuts and Plain with Maple Flavoured Syrup.

The latest pastry offering is a further shot from their cannon to deal with the rising threat from convenience stores who have entered the donut market in Japan. The donuts follow on from their previous offering last month of pizza donuts called Pizza Cioccolata Donuts.

Here is a brief look at each of the four new Brooklyn Merry-Go-Round Donuts

Green Tea Brownie 

The Green Tea Brownie donut features a green tea chocolate donut topped with delicious chocolate brownie.

Green Tea Brownie

Caramel Almond 

The Caramel Almond donut features a caramel glazed donut with slices of almonds.

Caramel Almond

Chocolate Nuts 

The Chocolate Nuts donut features a chocolate and white chocolate donut with nuts.

Chocolate Nuts

Plain with Maple Flavoured Syrup 

The plain with maple favoured syrup donut is made to highlight the cookie and bagel dough with the flavour boosted with maple flavoured syrup.

Plain with Maple Flavoured Syrup

The Taste Test 

Japan Australia just had to give these a try so we headed straight for our local Mister Donut. We picked up a Green Tea Brownie, Caramel Almond and Chocolate Nuts as these to us sounded the best and tastiest.

The Green Tea Brownie donut was just right and not too sweet. We really liked the chewy texture from the bagel dough but also the crunchy texture from the cookie dough. It was a winner of a combination and definitely worth a try.

Green Tea Brownie

The Caramel Almond donut was a lot sweeter than the green tea brownie but it was a good level of sweetness. This was our favourite of the lot with the caramel and almond making a nice combination.

Caramel Almond

The Chocolate Nuts donut was the sweetest of all three we tasted. It was a little too sweet for us but we did like the extra level of crunchiness created by all the nuts. The icing was also really tasty with chocolate and white chocolate icing.

Chocolate Nuts

The Brooklyn Merry-Go-Round Donuts will be available for a limited time at Mister Donuts Japan. Hurry on in if you want to give these tasty treats a try.

Mister Donuts Japan Website

 

Easter Kit Kat in Japan

Kit Kat is a popular snack in Japan well known for its unique flavours and limited edition releases. You can pretty much find any flavour of Kit Kat here in Japan if you look hard enough. Each area seems to have its own regional variety and you can find limited seasonal releases for annual events and holidays such as Christmas, Halloween and the Cherry Blossom season.

Easter is not a major holiday in Japan but it has slowly been gaining in popularity in recent times. This year, Nestle Japan has launched a brand new version of Kit Kat just in time for Easter.

The Easter Kit Kat features a cute package with your typical Easter images like the Easter Bunny and an Easter Egg. It also features a fun play on words that is perfect for April in Japan. Nestle Japan has the slogan イースターでいいスタートを! (iisutaa de ii sutaato wo), which means “Have a good start with Easter” in Japanese. April is the start of the Japanese school and business year so it is a perfect slogan to run with this time of the year.

Cute Easter package

The new Kit Kats are apple pie and carrot flavour which is an interesting combination. Why apple pie and carrot you ask? Well, Nestle Japan came up with the combination after surveying Japanese chocolate fans and asking what flavours they would most like to see. Apple and Carrot topped the list, so the rest is history as they say in the classics.

We were very curious so had to go and check them out.

They went on sale from March 16 and will be available for a limited time. You can pick up a pack of 12 for 540 yen (USD$4.50).

The Taste Test 

Opening up the cute package you come across these even cuter individually wrapped Kit Kats. The Kit Kats themselves are also cute with different designs on them. There are thirteen different designs in total to feast your eyes over this Easter.

Easter Apple Pie & Carrot Kit Kat

Cute individually wrapped packages

 

Even the chocolate has a cute design

They also make a cool Easter gift with space on the back of each Kit Kat to write your Easter message. 

Write your own message for Easter

How do they taste? Well, I’ve heard some interesting answers on Twitter ranging from tastes like medicine to apple juice. They don’t taste that bad, but I wouldn’t say that they are one of my all-time favourites. The apple pie flavour is quite strong and doesn’t match up well with the chocolate in my opinion. Still they are worth a try if you are curious and want a new variety of Kit Kat to try.

Happy Easter from Japan!

Nestle Japan Images