Akihabara “Electric City”

Akihabara is a paradise of Geeks, Otaku, fans of manga and video games.
With a futuristic architecture and a great atmosphere, akiba is a place to visit!

Story about akihabara…
In 1869  a big fire devastated a large part of Tokyo. In 1870, the authorities decided to create an open area on the northeast of the Imperial Palace to protect it from a new fire . they built a shrine dedicated to a deity to protect people against fire. Over time, this vast uninhabited area ends up being invaded by trees in autumn, dead leaves covered everywhere and that gave its name Akihabara (autumn leaf field).
The history of Akihabara really begins after the Second World War. The district was destroyed during the war, has become a black market for radio replacement parts. slowly, technology and electronics remained there, becoming an integral part of Akihabara, who earned its name of “Electric City” in the 1980s.
Spare parts of all kinds, electronics, computers … So many things that have made that area the lair of the beginning of Japanese geeks. In the early 1990s, with the popularization of some mangas Manga Shonen Jump (Dragon Ball, Slam Dunk), which allowed to Akihabara to become firmly the center of culture of Mangas.
Now Akihabara is an important commercial area, most shops there are dedicated in the sale of electronics, computers, accessories and gadgets including audio-visual entertainment like anime, manga and video games that are mostly located in the main street.

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Tama the kitty (chief of train station)

Tama is a cat of Kishi train station in the city of Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture in Japan.
Some years ago,the staff of Kishi station found a lovely cat that wandered in the railroad tracks, then they noticed that the cat was homeless and so they decided to adopt her.
Tama Chan is a cat known throughout the town as Master Tama. The staff have so much affection for cute Tama that they made a house for her in the station. Master Tama was known by many as the chief of station for some time, but more later they made a ceremony where the cat wore a suit, an event to make that official . 🙂 Tama is good worker! She is payed by cat food. 😀
Master Tama’s popularity was immediate and Wakayama Electric Railway elected the kitty their image (mascot) and she even has its own train, which is visited by thousands of tourists (fans). ^^

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Valentine’s day in japan

Japanese valentine is a special event that is celebrated very differently from Western countries.
Introduced in Japan in 1950 by a Japanese clothing company, Valentine’s Day is different from Europe, and it is only girls who usually give chocolates or cookies to boys.
Girls can give to the one they love, but also to their male co-workers and friends.
So we can give chocolates to people more or less close.
Honmei Choco: Is the chocolates that girls give to the person they love.
Tomo Choco: is chocolate given to friends.
Giri Choco: is chocolate given to colleagues or male friends.
A month later on March 14 is celebrated the White Day
It is the turn of boys who received chocolates to give back to girls a gift (small gift, flower, candy…) as thanks.
White Day was first celebrated in 1978 in Japan. It has been created by a Japanese company specializing in the manufacture of Marshmallow.

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The hanko and Inkan

The Hanko and Inkan are personal name stamp that replace the signature in Japan.
We can buy it everywhere but we can also make personal with our name.
In general, Japanese buy their seals in specialized stores,the official seal is more expensive than others.
We can have many seals,but the most important is the “Inkan” used to sign official certificates or documents, such as buying a property, a marriage,administrative papers etc ..
And there are those that serve the most ordinary situations, they are called “Hanko” used for minor things, such as signing of certain non-official documents , a delivery note or other less important things in daily life.
We can change the Hanko as it is not very important seal, but we can not change the Inkan because it is the official and personal one.

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Setsubun festival

Setsubun is a Japanese national festival that celebrates the arrival of spring according to the old lunar calendar.
It is celebrated on February 3 each year,as spring start February 4.
The symbol of “Setsubun” helps to get rid of all the bad things from the previous year and chase away evil spirits before the beginning of spring and start a new year under the best auspices. This custom dates back to the beginning of the Heian era (eighth century).
“Setsubun” is festive to rejoice, as the winter ends and spring arrives with promise of its abundant harvests .
The rite of “Setsubun” is to cast the demon, and away negative influences of the home. It usually takes place at night,(time the demon appears traditionally).
People launches soybeans shouting, “Out the devil, INSIDE happiness.”
it is customary to pick and eat the roasted soybeans as much as your age, plus one for the new year. (it is said this gives health and prevent from sickness in all the year).
Another tradition is to eat a long maki called “ehomaki” in one piece while facing in the year’s lucky direction, to be happy the rest of the year.
In 2015, the lucky direction is west-southwestern .

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Square watermelon

The round shaped watermelon is difficult to transport and take up more space,so farmers of Kagawa prefecture, south of the country, found a way to ease the transport of these large fruits.
No chemicals are used to carve watermelons. The fruit is just put in a plastic or glass  Mold during their maturation.
In this way, consumers can more easily enter the watermelon in the fridge!
Square watermelon is more practical, but much more expensive than a normal watermelon.

They are also some cute heart-shaped watermelons 😀

Heart-shaped

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Square-shaped

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The new mobile phone, Heart 401AB <3

Heart 401AB is a new mobile phone and lovely fashion accessory. This is a basic phone that has only function of phone for voice calls, without SMS function, camera or access to the Internet.
It has a small monochrome screen 0.6 inch and touchscreen that easier its function.
An application allows the user to transfer their contacts number list in the phone. You only have to rotate the two components of the heart to initiate a call.
This cute phone will be available soon on the market.

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Hello kitty

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Kitty chan was born in November 1, 1974 in London. Her parents are George and Mary White. She has a twin sister ‘Mimmy’, a cat Charmmy Kitty, and an hamster Sugar. And many friends from Sanrio world. 😀 Designed by Yuko Shimizu, an employee of Sanrio Group. 1 years after the creation of this Hello Kitty , Shimizu leaves Sanrio, the character is taken over by Mrs Yokenubo for five years. And then Yuko Yamaguchi takes over in 1980. In 1981, a first film called Kitty and Mimi’s New Umbrella is performed. In the 1990s a cartoon of 16 episodes was broadcast in Japan . In 40 years, Hello Kitty has come a long way and is now a real global phenomenon.

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LIVE MUSIC VIDEO BUMP OF CHICKEN feat HATSUNE MIKU ” RAY”

Nice song 😀

Tea Macha

In the eighth century, the Macha was introduced in Japan for the first time and spread as a healthy drink.
The Macha that exclusive for the nobles in the Heian period (794-1185), then for the Samurai and later for normal people.
In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), They began to cultivate the tea in Japan, since that,normal people started to enjoy drinking it too.
Then after they began to celebrate the tea ceremony.
The tea Macha is filed in a bowl with a bamboo spatula and some hot water is added, then mixed with a bamboo whisk.
Gradually the form of tea ceremony was perfected . It is said that the current one is similar to the old one.
To make Usucha, a light tea,2 spatula of macha is used.
To make Koicha the thick tea, double of the quantity is used.
Now the Macha is also used in candy, ice cream and meals …
They are 2 types of macha as drink.
And it is known all around the world 🙂

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