Purikura: Japanese Photo Booths & Purikura Online

I recently stumbled across Punykura and Puricute - websites that allows you to try out the fun of purikura online.

Anyone that has visited Japan will probably have spotted the brightly coloured purikura photo booths usually found in games centres. Purikura or プラクラ takes its name from the english 'print club' and is

Itsumo Japan's 'Must See' Guide to: Nikko

Nikko is one of my favourite places in Japan. Yes it's full of tourists and it's definitely not a hidden gem but the town, nestled high in the mountains and filled with gift shops, has a real charm, like an English seaside town. The surrounding mountain countryside is beautiful and the Daiya River that runs through the town is a vivid azure blue. And all the tourists, both native and foreign, are there for a reason, there are a lot of interesting and historical sites to see. Here are my 7 'Must See' sights in Nikko plus some suggestion for where to stay and where to eat ...

1.  Nikko Sannai 日光山内

Photo: Japan-Guide

Of course you can't visit Nikko without seeing its famous shrines and temples. Centred around Tōshōgū, a mausoleum built to house the remains of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the UNESCO World Heritage Site also includes Taiyuin-byō, the final resting place of Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu, Rinnō-ji

Liza Dalby: The First Western Geisha

Liza Dalby
Photo: www.lizadalby.com

I have long been a fan of Liza Dalby's books. They are entertaining and interesting as well as very informative and have provided me with great inspiration in my study of Japanese and Japanese culture. I first encountered her books when, enchanted by the story of Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha,  I read Geisha in the hope of discovering the real flower and willow world. At college, while writing an essay about kimono, Dalby's book Kimono: Fashioning Culture proved invaluable. Later her fictional biography of Murasaki Shikibu inspired me to take on the sizeable task of reading the classic The Tale of Genji. By the time that her fourth book, East Wind Melts the Ice, was published I was a confirmed fan and snapped it up.

Dalby first visited Japan as a teenager in the 1960s. She stayed for a year with a family in Saga City on the southern island of Kyūshu becoming the first foreign student of Saga University. At the time she knew only basic Japanese and though she eventually became fluent, the experience must have been a difficult one. It was whilst living in Saga that she heard a shamisen (a traditional three-stringed Japanese instrument) being played and fell in love with its enchanting sound. Her host family organised lessons with a local

Christmas break is over!

First of all, apologies for not posting anything for a few months. Gomen nasai m(_ _)m

Apart from working on a couple of other projects Christmas tends to takeover all of my time from about mid-November. I absolutely love Christmas, it's my favourite time of year. For the rest of the year I think about Japan almost constantly but during the lead up to Christmas I become a bit more patriotic and dream of a traditional Victorian Christmas, hope for heavy snowfall and watch all my favourite Christmas films.

Japan Matsuri 2011 Photo Competition

Firstly apologies for leaving it so long before posting anything. I have been working on another project which, along with studying for my Japanese classes, is taking up most of my time.

Secondly last month I was very proud that one of my photographs won 3rd prize in the Japan Matsuri Photography competition.

JDrama: Blood Types & Romance Themes

All images: Fuji TV

Ketsuekigata Betsu Onna ga Kekkon Suru Houhou

血液型別オンナが結婚する方法

www.fujitv.co.jp/ketsueki-kekkon

Director: Hayama Hiroki, Sato Genka & Tsuzuki Junichi

Writer: Nezu Rika & Kawashima Sumino

Fuji TV

2009

When I watched this 4-part JDrama recently it raised a couple of interesting thoughts about Japanese culture that I wanted to write about. I often watch Japanese films and dramas (or dorama/ドラマ as they are known in Japan) not only because they are entertaining but to help my Japanese studies. Hearing the vocabulary and grammer that I have learnt used by native speakers is very useful and I feel

Recipe: Grilled Mochi with Cheese & Nori

All photos: Itsumo Japan

These grilled mochi are warming, very filling and act as wonderful comfort food. They make a delicious lunch on a cold day.
Before I tried this recipe I was dubious about how well cheese, a distinctly western ingredient, would go with the very Japanese flavours of nori and shoyu but it really works. I used a mature cheddar which tasted great with the salty shoyu dipping sauce.




I found that hard, vacuum-packed mochi were readily available at my local oriental supermarket in different sizes, I used the large square kind.

Recipe: Autumn Ume & Fig Cake

All photos: Itsumo Japan

Though fresh ume are in season in Japan during June, July and August I think that the soused fruits that you find at the bottom of a bottle of umeshu have a sweet and sour taste that fits well with the spices and flavours of autumn. Figs are in season both here and in Japan and nuts always say autumn to me. The cake makes a delicious teatime treat when served with tea or coffee, for an extra Japanese touch it could also be served with green tea.

This recipe is inspired by the Choya website's suggestion to chop up leftover ume and add them to desserts such as a loaf-style sponge cake. I chose the other ingredients to compliment their unique flavour and to create a seasonal cake. The recipe is adapted from one containing mixed peel and glacé cherries.