1,000,000 Smile by SUPER GiRLS

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is 1,000,000 Smile by SUPER GIRLS, which has debuted at number 5 on the Japanese Jpop Oricon charts.

SUPER GIRLS are a twelve member all girl group from Japan signed to the famous Avex Trax label. The group made their stage debut in 2010 and released their first single in 2011.

This is the group's 4th single and is old fashioned candy pop that is very upbeat and happy.

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Golden Week 2012 in Japan

Golden Week in Japan is fast approaching. The end of April through around May 5th is called “Golden Week” in Japan and is based around a period of Japanese national holidays. Golden Week in 2012 is based on two separate holidays of 3 and 4 days. The first is from Saturday, April 28 through to Monday, April 30 and then Thursday, May 3 through to Sunday, May 6.

Tonjiru Pork Soup Recipe

This Month’s Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe is Tonjiru, which is a Japanese soup made with pork and vegetables, flavoured with miso.

This is one of my favourite Japanese soups along with Miso Soup. It contains mainly root vegetables and is a real comfort food.

Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake based on a batter containing a variety of ingredients and cooked on a hot plate. The name “okonomiyaki” is derived from the Japanese word “okonomi” meaning “what you like” or “what you want” and “yaki” meaning “grilled” or “cooked”. The history of okonomiyaki goes back about 500 years. It was originally made by spreading a thin layer of flour paste on a hot plate then adding miso for flavouring and rolling into a thin pancake. Later toppings such as chopped green onion and sliced dried fish were added and miso paste replaced by a special sauce. In modern okonomiyaki, a wide variety of ingredients are used such as shrimp, squid, octopus, pork, cabbage and vegetables. The finished pancake is served with a special sauce, mayonnaise and seasonings such as green powdered seaweed (aonori) and dried fish flakes (katsuobushi).

Speed Up by Kara

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is Speed Up by Kara, which has debuted at number 2 on the Japanese Jpop Oricon charts.

Kara is a girl group from Korea formed in 2007. The current five-member band made their debut in Japan in 2010 and have had a string of hits.

Read more about KARA

This is the group's 6th single in Japan and is very upbeat and sexy.

Usuzumi Sakura Cherry Blossom

Usuzumi Sakura is one of the oldest cherry blossom trees in Japan and is said to have been planted in 487 AD. It can be found in Neo village, which is located amongst the beautiful mountains of Gifu Prefecture.

The tree is said to be one of the three largest cherry blossom trees in Japan and is reported to be the oldest cherry blossom tree in Japan. This unique cherry blossom initially sprouts pale pink flowers, which become white in full bloom. The tree has been appointed as a National Natural Monument of Japan and is one of the great places to visit in Gifu Prefecture.