NIPPON no Mame-Chishiki

 For Japanese people, curry and rice is almost like a national dish. Even at home, people make curry from curry roux or use ready-made products. The curry served in the food service industry is also delicious. Japanese curry and rice evolved from the curry that originated in Britain.  The first person to introduce the name "curry" as a dish in Japan was Yukichi Fukuzawa,the name appears in a dictionary he published at the end of the Edo period, which translates English and Chinese into Japanese. The first recipe for curry rice was published in the Meiji era. The recipe appears in a book called "Western Cooking Guide" published in 1872. , it introduced ingredients that are completely different from those used today, such as leeks, ginger, sea bream and red frogs. Western Cooking Guide Nowadays, Japanese curry has evolved in its own unique way, and is now starting to spread from Japan to other countries. https://gogocurry.com/ In recent years, retort-pouch curry produ...

 Today we're going to talk about Shigaraki ware. https://www.593touki.jp/ Shigaraki ware is pottery made in Shigaraki, Koga City, Shiga Prefecture and is known for its raccoon dog figurines. The clay found in Shigaraki is coarse and firm, and when fired it turns a warm reddish brown. Its simplicity is said to evoke a sense of wabi-sabi, and it was also a favorite of many tea masters, including Sen no Rikyu.   Shigaraki ware can be used to make everything from small everyday items such as small plates, tea bowls and teacups to large vases and objects that are taller than a person. In front of the Shigaraki Station on the Shigaraki Kogen Railway Co. there is a huge tanuki (raccoon dog) ceramic statue that is 5.3 meters tall and 6.6 meters around and has become a symbol of the town. https://www.e-shigaraki.org/   This tanuki is wearing a costume, but it is said that six times a year, it changes its clothes based on design ideas chosen in contests and other events it seems th...

 Maneki Neko are cute figurines that beckon customers with their front paws, and are said to bring good luck and prosperity to the business they are placed in. In Japan, cats have long been considered to be good luck charms because they protect crops from mice.   The one with its right hand raised is said to bring money, so it is good for improving your financial fortune. and the one with its left hand raised is said to bring in customers, so it is said to bring in a thousand customers and prosperity in business,  and the benefits of each are different. Incidentally, the one with both hands raised means "given up" and is not very popular. The beckoning cat figurine became popular in the Edo period, but the original origin is not well known. There are several theories, but the Tokyo Imado Shrine, Goutokuji Temple, Jishoin Temple, and Seihoji Temple, each of which claims to be the birthplace of the beckoning cat. There are three main production areas for traditional beckoni...

 Today, continuing from yesterday, I would like to introduce some traditional Japanese patterns. Kikkou and Mokkou Kikkou and Mokkou : In Japan, a hexagonal pattern is called "kikkou". This pattern is based on the shell of a turtle. The pattern that looks like a flower is called "mokkou". Both of these patterns have been used for a very long time. Yabane Yabane : This is a design based on the "arrow wing" (or "vane" in archery) attached to an arrow. It is a pattern that evokes the image of an arrow flying straight ahead, and is considered to be a lucky design.   Bun no ji tsunagi Bun no ji tsunagi : This pattern is made up of the characters for "Bun" (meaning "literature" or "text") connected together. It was designed by Katsushika Hokusai. There are many patterns in Japan that use characters as their motif.   Matsunami Matsunami : One of the patterns conceived by Katsushika Hokusai. Pine trees are always green and ...

 Today I will introduce traditional Japanese patterns. (Also posted on pixabay.) Asanoha (hemp leaves) Asanoha (hemp leaves)：In Japan, hemp leaves were an important fiber. Before the advent of silk and cotton, clothing was made from hemp leaves. Hemp is strong and grows quickly, and so it became a lucky charm in Japan. There are also family crests that use hemp leaves. (There are various versions of traditional Japanese patterns.   Sayagata Sayagata：A traditional pattern made up of the auspicious Chinese character "万" (man) repeated many times. The character "万" represents a large number, so it also has the meaning of wishing for things to continue for a long time, such as business prosperity and a long life. (There are various versions of traditional Japanese patterns.   Kagome Kagome：This is a pattern made from bamboo baskets. The pattern of stars arranged in a line is said to be something that demons hate, and it is often used on yukata and other garments. It has...

 The movie "Innocence" is an animated film released in 2004 by director Mamoru Oshii, and is a sequel to the animated film "Ghost in the Shell" released in 1995. I really like this movie, and I've watched it many times. It's now my bedtime background music. I can't drink much alcohol, so it's my bedtime background music instead of alcohol. (I also listen to lectures by the writer and Showa history researcher, Kazutoshi Hando, such as "Lessons on Showa History" as a substitute for bedtime alcohol). This movie is not of the "saving humanity from crisis" type. This movie is about Batou and Togusa, who belong to Public Security Section 9, a department of a huge police organization, and the story is about them solving a case. The story begins with an accident involving the runaway HADALY, a pet android. Normally, this kind of incident would be handled by the local police station, but the Section 9 chief (the old man) is very fixated on...

 Sushi in Japan has a history of over 1000 years, but the type of sushi we eat today is a new type of sushi called "edomae" sushi, which was invented around 200 years ago. Utagawa Kuniyoshi "Striped Female Benkei and Pine Sushi" Ajinomoto Food Culture Center Collection During the Heian period (1000 years ago), sushi was a preserved food made by fermenting rice and fish together. At that time, when eating sushi, the rice was removed and only the fermented fish was eaten. By the Muromachi period (500 years ago), however, the time required for fermentation was shortened, and sushi that was eaten with the rice was born. This is called "nare-sushi" and is still eaten today. There are two types of "nare-sushi" depending on the fermentation time ① "Haya-nare" (2-3 days), which has a short fermentation time ② "Hon-nare" (2-3 months), which has a long fermentation time "Haya-nare" (2-3 days fermentation time) The "Hon-na...

 Yomogi(Mugwort) is a herb that is often used in Japan. In Japan, mugwort is called yomogi In Japan, there are rice cakes, sweets, daifuku, etc. that use mugwort. It is also an herb that is used in the French liquor "absinthe".   In Japan, it has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times, and it has effects such as pain relief and diarrhea relief. It is also used in Japanese folk medicine called "OKYU (moxibustion)". The mugwort used in moxibustion is called "moxa". Thirty-Two Daily Scenes: 'Looks Hot', Mannerisms of a Housewife from the Bunka Period https://museumcollection.tokyo/works/6239636/ Mugwort grows wild all over Japan and is used for a variety of things. One of these is food. Mugwort-flavored sweets and rice cakes have a refreshing aroma. It is also often eaten as tempura. In Japan, the best time to eat mugwort is from March to May. If you come to Japan during this season, try some tempura made with mugwort. It's a delicious ...

 Kotatsu is a heating appliance that everyone in Japan knows about. It is commonly used in homes. https://kaden.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/column/ohkawara/1007815.html The kotatsu that is widely used in Japan today uses electricity. The first electric kotatsu appeared in 1957. It was released by the Japanese electrical manufacturer Toshiba. Because electric kotatsu don't use fire, there was no risk of fire, and because they weren't expensive, they became a big hit all over Japan. https://x.gd/7urrQ   After that, various rival companies started selling kotatsu. Even now, there are various types, such as single-person kotatsu, large-family kotatsu, and tall table-type kotatsu, and they are an essential heating appliance in the winter in Japan. eight views of snow landscape - Seiran / Utagawa Kuniyoshi  The kotatsu originally started out as a wooden frame (small turret) built on top of an irori (hearth) and covered with a futon. The irori is a hearth built in the center of the...

 Today we're talking about Hokusai's daughter "Katsushika Ōi". "Ōi" is the name she used when drawing pictures, called a "gago". Her real name was "Oei", but she was called "Ōi, Ōi" by Hokusai, so she became known as "Ōi". "Ōi" means "Hey" in Japanese. Three Women Playing Musical Instruments by Katsushika Ōi The year of her birth and the year of her death are both unknown. Her life is shrouded in mystery. There are only about 10 works that remain in her name, which is very few. However, it is estimated that there are many works that Ōi drew and published as Hokusai's works, as well as works that she drew together with Hokusai. Ōi was good at drawing women, which is called bijin-ga (portraits of beautiful women). Her father Hokusai even said, "Ōi is better at drawing women than I am." He also had an interest in Western-style painting and seems to have studied it. Ōi's most famous wo...