Japanese Miso Paste

Miso paste is a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting soybeans with a mould called koji and sea salt. The most common types of miso are red, white, barley and soybean. Miso was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monks in the 7th century, and has several well-known health benefits.

Red miso is a mixture of white rice, barley or soybeans fermented for one to three years. It contains the highest levels of protein. White or yellow miso contains a higher percentage of rice koji and less soybeans, is sweeter than red miso and contains a higher percentage of carbohydrates and a lower percentage of protein. It is only fermented for a few weeks and has a shorter shelf life than other varieties, usually up to two months refrigerated. Soybean miso is a reddish-brown, chunky miso, made only from soybeans with a fermentation period of at least a year.

Miso has many health benefits and a lot of these can be contributed to the koji mould. It is a probiotic, which is good for digestive relief and contains many B vitamins, including B12.

How Can I Use Miso Paste? 

Ai Deshita by Kanjani8

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is Ai Deshita by Kanjani8, which has debuted at number 1 on the Japanese J-pop Oricon charts.

Kanjani8 (関ジャニ∞) is a seven member boy band from the Kansai region of Japan. They are one of the many artists from the famous Johnny's Entertainment group, which includes Arashi.

The name Kanjani8 is broken up to mean Kan for Kansai, jani for Johnny's and 8 for the Kansai TV Channel 8.

Japanese Hair Washing Robot

Japanese giant Panasonic has come up with a robot that can wash and blow dry hair. The product due for release next year is aimed to help the elderly population in Japan, and is seen as being a great aid to the rapidly increasing ageing population.

The washing robot can replicate the dexterous touch of a human hand and Panasonic believes the robot could help replace human care-givers in Japan.

The robot has 24 robotic fingers and 2 motorised arms, and shampoos, massages the scalp and rinses in about three minutes. Conditioning and a blow-dry add another five minutes to the process. Panasonic hopes to export the robot to other ageing societies such as South Korea and China, in the future.

Your Eyes by Arashi

This week's Japanese Song of the Week is Your Eyes by Arashi, which has debuted at number 1 on the Japanese J-pop Oricon charts.

Arashi (嵐) which means storm in Japanese is a five member group from the famous Johnny's Entertainment group. Their musical style ranges from Pop to R&B and Hip-Hop with a bit of Rock thrown in for good measure.

The group debuted in 1999 and this is the group's 39th single. The song is very touching and typical of Arashi.

Dream Morning Musume

Dream Morning Musume (ドリーム モーニング娘) is a Japanese female pop group made up of 10 former members of the popular idol group Morning Musume. The group was formed in 2011 and managed by Up-Front Agency and produced by Morning Musume super producer Tsunku.

The group debuted in April 2011 with the release of their album Dreams 1, which ranked 10th in the Oricon Jpop Album charts.

Visiting The Tokyo Skytree

The new Tokyo Skytree offers unsurpassed views of Tokyo and is a must see on your next visit to the city. The Skytree opening last month was eagerly awaited and it has already gone on to become one of the biggest attractions in Japan. Tokyo is a city awash with modern skyscrapers, but they are all eclipsed by the Skytree, which at 634 meters dominates the city skyline.

The Skytree is the world’s tallest free standing tower and has two public observatories at 350 meters and 450 meters offering 360 degree views of the city. On a clear day you can see everything including the beautiful Mount Fuji.

Tamagoyaki Recipe (Japanese style Omelette)

This Month’s Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe is Tamagoyaki, which is a Japanese style sweet omelette. In Japan, it is usually served as a side dish to breakfast, but it is a great side dish for any meal.

Tamagoyaki Recipe