NIPPON no Mame-Chishiki

 Napolitan is a spaghetti dish that originated in Japan. The version of Napolitan that we know today first became popular after World War II. It is said that the original version was meatball spaghetti, which was eaten by American soldiers from the occupation forces, and that it was first made at the New Grand Hotel (Yokohama City), where Douglas MacArthur and other officers were staying. The characteristic of the Japanese-born spaghetti "Napolitan" is that the pasta is boiled until it is soft right down to the core, giving it a chewy texture. After the end of World War II, in the 1960s, "kitchen cars" appeared, which demonstrated cooking and served it for free in order to improve the nutrition of the Japanese people. The kitchen cars, which provided nutritional guidance, travelled around the country, introducing recipes for spaghetti, pancakes, doughnuts and more. Of the dishes introduced in this way, the spaghetti napolitan quickly spread throughout the country be...

Hikifuda (pulling tickets) were advertising leaflets produced for promotional purposes from the Edo period to the Taisho period. The word "hiki" means to attract customers, and the word "fuda" means a piece of paper. At the beginning of the Edo period, hikifuda were simple one- or two-color prints, but as commercial activity became more active in the latter half of the Edo period, colorful prints such as ukiyoe also appeared. Printing methods also evolved with the times, including woodblock printing, lithography, copperplate printing, and the earliest forms of movable type printing, and the number of flyers also increased. As commerce became more active, "sales slogans" - the forerunners of "catch copy" - began to be created, and a style of advertising that appealed through words and visuals was born. The Japanese word for flyer is "chirashi", which comes from the Japanese word "makichirashi", which means to scatter fliers aro...

It is said that the first person to drink beer in Japan was either the 8th Shogun of the Edo period, Tokugawa Yoshimune, or the doctor Sugita Gempaku, who was active at the same time. In 1724, a delegation from the Netherlands sent beer to the Shogun Yoshimune, as recorded in the annals of the time. The beer also made its way into the hands of the general public, and was drunk by Sugita Gempaku. Although the shogun Yoshimune did not leave any comments on the beer, Sugita Gempaku did. According to his comments, he thought the beer was "exceptionally bad" and "had no taste", and that it was not delicious. Later, in the late Edo period, beer began to be imported from the Netherlands and America. In addition, in the Meiji period, Japan's first brewery, "Japan Brewery", was established. During the Meiji era, beer production began in Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido and other places, and at one time there were over 100 breweries, causing a boom in local and craft beer...

 Sumo is one of Japan's traditional martial arts and fighting techniques, and its origins lie in rituals and festivals at shrines. The earliest record of sumo in Japan appears in the Kojiki, a book of Japanese mythology, and tells of a battle between the gods Takeminakata and Takemikazuchi. It is written that sumo between human beings was held in 23 BC. From the Nara period, there was also a sumo event called Sumahino-sechie, in which sumo was performed in the imperial court in front of the emperor. Sumo only became a form of entertainment in the Edo period. There are said to be three types of sumo: professional sumo, known as "osumo"; amateur sumo, which is performed by students and corporate teams; and sumo performed as an offering at shrines and festivals. As all of these forms of sumo originated as Shinto rituals performed for the gods, they place more importance on etiquette and manners than other sports. The ritual of the sumo wrestlers clapping their hands together...

 The word "Ghibli" refers to the wind that blows over the Sahara Desert, and it is also the name of an Italian airplane. The name was chosen by director Hayao Miyazaki, who loves airplanes. Studio Ghibli was established in 1984 following the success of the animated film "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind", and has since produced many hit films, including "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Princess Mononoke". Last year, in 2024, Studio Ghibli became the first Japanese company to be awarded the Palme d'Or Honorary Award at the Cannes Film Festival, alongside film director George Lucas, and this also made headlines in Japan. In Japan, Studio Ghibli's works have long been popular anime, but in places like America, the stories were changed without permission, or the films were drastically shortened and shown without permission, and pirated copies were also circulating, so the reputation was not very good. However, from around 2020, the films began to ...

 Awamori is one of the representative liquors of Okinawa. It is a type of shochu made from rice, and its origins are in Thailand in Southeast Asia. Awamori   It is a drink unique to Okinawa that has been passed down since the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and is the oldest distilled spirit in Japan. Awamori differs from ordinary shochu in that it is made using Thai indica rice and black koji. https://okinawa-awamori.or.jp/ When awamori is aged, the harshness of the alcohol mellows and it becomes more delicious. This is called koshū (or kōshū / old sake). Awamori continues to mature even after it has been bottled, so you can buy it from a shop and then let it mature at home. In the past, there were times when awamori that had been shipped outside Okinawa Prefecture was returned because it had not sold, but because everyone in Okinawa knew that awamori became more delicious as it matured, they happily accepted the returns. Nowadays, as more people have learned about the aging proc...

Convenience stores originally came about in America. It is said that the prototype of the convenience store was a shop that sold ice in Texas in 1927, about 100 years ago, which was open for longer than usual during the busy summer season, the store was open from 7am to 11pm, and it is said that this is the prototype of the convenience store. This store was named "Seven-Eleven" after its opening hours, and it was developed into a chain store. Around the same time, in Ohio, a shop called Lawson Milk, which sold milk, began selling bread and other daily necessities, and began expanding as a chain. As you can tell from the names, these shops came to Japan and became the forerunners of the current Seven-Eleven and Lawson. LAWSON Family Mart Seven Eleven Daily Yamazaki   It is said that the first convenience store in Japan was opened in Tajimi Station, Gifu Prefecture, in 1962. After that, in 1973, FamilyMart, the first convenience store in Japan, opened in Saitama Prefecture, and...

 Yakisoba can be made with just a single iron plate, and is a food that is popular in homes, shops, and food stalls. Yakisoba The origins of yakisoba are not certain, but it is said that it began around 1918 in the Asakusa area of Tokyo, about 100 years ago. At this time, the new seasoning "Worcestershire sauce" appeared, and in addition to yakisoba, "noseyaki" (the precursor to okonomiyaki) and other dishes were also born. In addition, cheap meals called "issen yoshoku" (one-sen Western food) became popular. At the time, it seems that anything seasoned with Worcestershire sauce was considered to be "Western food". Japanese 'Worcester sauce'  Yakisoba became as popular as it is now around 1955, when Chinese noodle factories started to appear all over Japan. At that time, Nissin Foods released a bagged Chinese noodle product called "Nissin Yakisoba", which became a hit. Later, Toyo Suisan released a product called "Yakisoba ...

 Sata Andagi is a deep-fried Okinawan doughnut. Sata means "sugar", Anda means "oil", and Agi means "fry". In other words, it means "something made by frying sugar in oil". As the name suggests, sata andagi uses a lot of sugar. Sata Andagi Sata andagi is a snack with a crispy outer layer and a chewy inner texture that is very filling. It is fried slowly so it keeps for a long time, and it is made in large quantities at once. Sata Andagi is made by mixing flour, baking powder, eggs and sugar to make the dough, but these days, there are also special mixes on sale that are popular. There are also doughs that have been kneaded with ingredients such as pumpkin, sweet potato and turmeric. There is also a square doughnut called "Sangwachi gwashi", which means "March cake", made from the same ingredients. This is also a traditional Okinawan confectionery that is popular. Sangwachi gwashi It is said that the way the surface of the sata...

Taketori Monogatari is a story written in the early Heian period is said to be the oldest story in Japan. It is also called "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" and is one of the stories that everyone in Japan knows. The early Heian period was when the Japanese syllabary "hiragana" was created. The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter is also one of the earliest stories written in hiragana. The author of The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter is unknown, but it is said that he was an intellectual who studied academics and Buddhism, and had a talent for waka poetry it is thought that he was a nobleman who could obtain valuable paper. Specifically, there are theories that he was Sugawara no Michizane or Ki no Tsurayuki. Sugawara no Michizane Ki no Tsurayuki By the way, at the end of the story, Kaguya-hime returns to the moon, but there is actually an epilogue after that. The Mikado, who fell in love with Kaguya-hime, receives a letter and the elixir of life from her, but thinking "What...

Japanese kara-age is a popular menu item for everyone from children to adults, and you can eat it in a variety of places, including home cooking, bento boxes, restaurants, and local gourmet food. Kara-Age   There is a similar dish to kara-age called "tatsuta-age", but tatsuta-age is seasoned with mirin and soy sauce, then coated with potato starch and deep fried, whereas kara-age is seasoned with nothing and then coated with flour and deep fried. The method of deep frying food without coating it in batter, like karaage, was widely eaten during the Edo period when cooking oil became widely available.   Deep fried flounder The Edo-period cookbook "Nanban Ryōri Sho" (Western-style cookbook) says "For any kind of fish, cut it down the middle, coat it in wheat flour, deep fry it, and sprinkle it with clove powder and garlic before eating ." "Nanban Ryōri Sho" (Western-style cookbook) https://kokusho.nijl.ac.jp/biblio/100306940/1?ln=ja   As you can see...

Kaidanbanashi is a general term for ghost stories, which have been handed down since ancient times in the rakugo performance genre, and which deal with ghosts, spirits, and other supernatural phenomena. The genre became popular from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period. Rakugo is a form of entertainment in which a single performer sits in front of an audience and tells amusing stories, with a focus on laughter. There are also "humanity stories" that depict the love between family members and couples, but ghost stories are also one of the most popular rakugo genres. The stage, called a 'kouza', is decorated with a backdrop, and sounds and music are played to create a sense of fear. Props such as people dressed as fireballs or ghosts, and puppets, also make an appearance, making it a performance that is almost like a play. Kaidan Botan Doro (Ghost Story: Peony Lantern), written by Sanyutei Encho, who is considered to be the biggest star in the history of Japane...

  Takuan 'Takuan' is a pickle made by pickling daikon in rice bran and salt. It is a very common pickle that everyone in Japan knows about. 'Takuan' was invented by a Buddhist priest called 'Takuan Osho' in the Edo period, and it became popular throughout Japan. Takuan Osho It is eaten as a side dish with rice or used as a garnish for bento boxes. Takuan is a food with a good nutritional balance, and it is also rich in nutrients such as vitamin B1, which metabolizes the carbohydrates in rice and converts them into energy, and vitamin C. Also, because takuan is crunchy, you need to chew it well, but this act of chewing also has a number of health benefits, such as preventing a sudden rise in blood sugar levels and activating the brain. Takuan is also a good food for those who are concerned about their health or are on a diet. By the way, takuan was also taken to Taiwan and South Korea during the war, and it has now become established as a part of their food cultu...

 Curry udon was first made in 1904 at a soba noodle restaurant called "Sanchouan" in Shinjuku, Tokyo.was first created. https://housefoods.jp/recipe/rcp_00024437.html Sanchoan is located near Waseda University, and as soon as curry udon appeared on the menu, it became a popular dish with the students. Sanchoan / It closed in 2019. Now, more than 100 years after its creation, curry udon has evolved in a variety of ways. There are now spicy curry udon dishes that use a generous amount of authentic spices, mild curry udon dishes that use coconut milk, and high-class curry udon dishes that use carefully selected ingredients. There are also more and more curry udon noodle specialty shops opening. In Nagoya, "kishimen" is famous, but it seems that curry kishimen, rather than curry udon, is the popular menu item. If you come to Japan, please try curry udon as well as curry rice.This udon is very delicious. Do not eat curry udon while wearing white clothes, as the soup wil...

 Natto is a Japanese fermented food made from soybeans. In the old days, steamed soybeans were placed in straw and fermented using the natural bacillus natto bacteria that adhered to the straw. Each piece of rice straw contains 10 million natto bacillus bacteria. The natto bacillus that lives in rice straw does not die even in 100°C hot water. The Japanese of old used this to make natto. In the past, Japanese people used to eat natto in miso soup.(Utagawa Toyokuni) A person selling natto The more you stir natto, the better it tastes. According to an experiment conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the umami (savoury) amino acids and sweetening components of natto increase the more you stir it. 【Amount of amino acids】 Stirring 100 times → 1.5 times Stirring 200 times → 2.5 times Stirring 300 times or more → No change from 200 times 【Amount of sweetening components】 Stir 100 times → 2.3 times Stir 200 times → 3.3 times Stir 400 times → 4.2 times W...

Korokke (croquette)   became popular in Japanese households around the end of the Taisho period and the beginning of the Showa period, at the same time as Western-style food became more widespread. At that time, tonkatsu (pork cutlet) and curry rice also appeared, and together with korokke, they are known as the "three major Western-style foods of the Taisho period". Korokke (croquette)  is popular not only as a meal, but also as a quick snack. This is because in 1927, a butcher's shop in Tokyo called "Choushiya" began selling korokke as a popular and convenient side dish. Choushiya 〒104-0061 Choshi Building, 3-11-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo   Since then, Korokke (croquette)  have become a standard side dish, to the extent that people think of them as a meat shop specialty. The prefecture in Japan that eats the most croquettes is Kyoto Prefecture, and other prefectures such as Nara, Wakayama, Osaka and Shiga are also always in the top 10. The Kinki region is a regi...

♨ Today we're going to talk about the hot spring symbol. The hot spring symbol is a half-circle that resembles a bath, with three wispy wisps of steam rising up from it. In Japan, it is also used as a map symbol. The origins of the hot spring symbol date back to the Edo period, 1661. The symbol appears in documents written by the Edo shogunate. The hot spring symbol as a map symbol first appeared in the Meiji period, when Japan began to modernize and make maps. The first onsen marks had straight lines for the steam, and did not have the wavy lines that we are used to seeing today. However, a few years later, the marks changed to have wavy steam, like the ones we know today. However, a few years after that, for the reason that they were "easy to draw", the marks changed back to having straight lines, and the onsen marks continued to have straight lines for the steam through the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods. The current version of the hot spring symbol, with its wavy ste...

 Today we're going to talk about tsukumogami.   In Japanese, the word "tsukumo" refers to the number 99, which is one short of 100, and is used to mean "a very long time" or "a very large number". Tsukumogami is one of the legends that has been passed down in Japan. It is a yokai (monster) that is said to be a spirit that inhabits old tools that have been used for a long time and does evil things, and it appears in the picture scroll "Tsukumogami Emaki" written in the Muromachi period. During the Muromachi period, people in Japan believed that furniture, trays, bowls and other tools and furnishings would become yokai after 100 years of use, and so people would throw many of these tools out on the street before the beginning of spring. All of these discarded tools became angry and turned into yokai called tsukumogami, who then staged a revolt on the night of Setsubun. The monsters attack and annoy people, but they are disciplined by the monks....

Mitsuba is a plant that grows wild all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and is used as an herb in Japan.Mitsuba means 'three leaves' in Japanese, and as the name suggests, it has three leaves. There are only about 20 vegetables that are native to Japan, such as wasabi and sansho, and mitsuba is one of them. Chawan mushi(steamed egg custard)  Mitsuba is a flavorful vegetable with a refreshing aroma, it is used in a wide range of dishes, including Osuimono (clear soup), Chawan mushi(steamed egg custard), ozoni (soup with rice cakes) and rice bowls. It has been cultivated since the Edo period, but it also grows wild. The best time to eat wild mitsuba is from March to June. You can find wild mitsuba growing along streams and rivers where there is clean water. After mitsuba has been planted in a home garden, it sometimes grows wild without anyone noticing despite its delicate image, it is a wild plant with a strong vitality that can be found growing in many places. On the other...

 Tonkatsu is a Japanese Western-style dish that originated in the Taisho era. Nowadays, it is generally deep-fried, but originally it was a meat dish that was cooked by grilling it, like pork saute.   The first restaurant to serve tonkatsu as a deep-fried dish was the Western-style restaurant "Rengatei" in Ginza, Tokyo. (3-5-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo) Because tonkatsu, like pork saute, takes a long time to cook, they came up with the current method of breading and deep frying to make it quicker. After that, dishes like katsu curry, which combines tonkatsu and curry, and katsudon, which combines tonkatsu and rice, were invented one after another, and Japan's Western-style food culture blossomed from the Taisho period to the Meiji period. The origin of the name "tonkatsu" is "ton" means pork, and "katsu" is a word that has changed in Japan from the French word "côtelette". In Japan, "katsu" means a dish in which meat or fish ...