Of Tea

My name is Michelle Mego, and I have a tea obsession.

I seem to remember hearing somewhere that admitting you have a problem is first step to getting over it. But I'd just like to challenge that commonly held belief. Admitting you have a problem by no means if the first step to getting over it. The first step is realizing that your problem is actually a problem. I've admitted I have tea addiction since I came to Japan, and it's really the strangest thing because I didn't even like tea in the States. However, I'm not ashamed of it. I love tea. I drink so much tea it isn't even funny. I think I keep the tea companies in business. Lipton, Kirin, and the other tea companies just look at me and go "Well boys, even if everyone else stops drinking tea, at least this lady will keep us in business."

You know, the other day, I drank a liter. That's right, a LITER of lemon tea in a couple hours. Do you know what I discovered at that time? Lemon tea is still delicious after drinking a liter of it. But do you know what else? Tea's a diuretic. I was so sick after that time, and that's when I vowed to myself that I will control my addiction. I will not be ashamed of downing large portions of tea, but I will prevent myself from becoming sick over drinking tea.

And now I'm beginning to wonder why on earth I deprived myself of this deliciousness for so long. 20 years of my life I went without tea. And from years 20-21, I have learned the joy and benefits of drinking it.

I suppose this is all besides the point though, so in classic form, I'll provide some info on tea. I'm sure everyone that reads this blog is an intelligent human being and has already learned the pleasure that comes out of tea-drinking, but just in case you haven't heard of one or two kinds, I feel as if it is my duty to share it with you. (I know, maybe I should work a tea company. I'm a great sales rep when I feel like it.)

Tea is taken very seriously in Japan. Certain regions, and even cities are known for specific types of tea. It's customary to serve certain types at certain times of the year or at certain occasions. Some take some getting used to, but they're all delicious. If they're from Japan, they're called Nihoncha （日本茶）, or Japanese Tea in general. Although, they're sometimes also referred to as Ryokucha（緑茶）, this word refers more to green tea, since it is literally the characters for "green" and "tea." This list isn't limited to just Nihoncha, but it is a basic summary of teas that you'll find here. Here are just a few.

1. All fruit tea - Japan has a wealth of this. I can't even imagine why we don't get it so much in the States. Let's get kids hooked on tea instead of soda and other ridiculously unhealthy drinks. It's better, and delicious. So far, I've seen and tried lemon, apple, and muscat. There's also yuzu, and acerola lemon which I haven't gotten the chance to try yet.
2. Mugicha（麦茶） - This is barley tea. I admit, the first I had it, I was a bit surprised, but I've really grown to like it. Also, thanks to this wonderful tea, I've learned how to drink beer. I still don't like beer, but I'll continue to drink mugicha, and eventually in time I'll get there. Although this is normally served cold in the summer, I have seen it served hot in the winter as well. It's pretty refreshing actually, so I'd recommend it.
3. All green tea/Ryokucha (緑茶)- There are so many types of this. I could write a post just on green tea (ocha). This comes in a variety of ways, starting with tea leaves, to tea powder, and so on. The types of green tea are so specific that there are words for tea which is grown in a mountain's shade and always remains in a sort of mist, to green tea leaves which are harvested in the sun. It's extremely specialized. I recommend trying them all because they all taste different.
4. Oolong - This is served sometimes at restaurants, and particularly at nomihoudai (all-you-can-drink) institutions. Often, you're given a choice for your first drink: beer or oolong. I always choose oolong.
5. Koucha - Of course we have the black teas. This is quite popular abroad, so I don't feel the need to go into them here.

Here's a basic list of the types of green tea if you're curious. These are either called ocha (お茶), or ryokucha (緑茶), or sometimes nihoncha (日本茶).

1. Matcha (抹茶) - I think this is what most people of think of when they hear "green tea." It is the powdered form, which is vigorously whisked with a tea whisk (chasen 茶筅). Different schools of tea, masters of tea, and regions each have their preferred type. This is what is used in the tea ceremony. Well-made matcha is characterized by its even green color on top. There should not be powder on the bottom of the bowl, and the top should also have a nice layer of foam. Matcha is grown in the shade, and it has been found to have numerous antioxidants. It's now being put in a variety of things like sweets as well. Slightly bitter, it is very relaxing to drink. It is also fairly expensive depending on the quality.
2. Sencha （煎茶）- Sencha is different than matcha in the respect that the leaves are not actually in the tea. I would say a fair amount of what is commonly drunk today is sencha rather than macha. This tea, because it does not have the leaves, is a clear green color. It is grown in the full sun. Sencha is normally hot in the winter, but cool in the summer. You will find the majority of people drinking this in their homes.
3. Gyokuro （玉露）- This is slightly different than sencha in that it's grown in the shade for 20 days. This is translated approximately I guess as jewel dew, or something along those lines. Gyokuro is pretty expensive, so I've never tried it, at least, I don't remember trying it, and I'm pretty sure it's one of those things that you'd remember.
4. Kabusecha (冠茶)- This one is a little more difficult. It's like "covered tea." From what I understand, it's basically gyokuro in that it's shaded, but it's only shaded for 1 week before its harvested. Apparently it leads to a milder taste.

The list goes on, but I'm going to stop here because I'm getting into teas that I've never heard of.

Michelle

Of Japanese Delicacies

It's rained for the past three days, and it's beginning to affect my mood. Since it's supposed to rain all next week as well, I'm beginning to wonder if we're entering the rainy season. It's supposed to be in June and July, but it seems to be a little early this year. In a way, it'd be good to get it over now. At the same time though, the weather is fairly nice, so it'd be wonderful to enjoy the cool weather without getting soaked. I really need to learn that whole bike with one hand and hold the umbrella with the other thing. Although illegal, it is exceptionally convenient and looks pretty impressive. Since I can't even manage to bike safely with two hands though, I'll have to continue to learn that first though. I managed to get a lot done: paper written, speech planned, kanji and grammar studied. I'd actually planned to have a drink or two today after working so hard as well. I had my drink nice and cold, and it was going to be delicious, but since the rain was ruining my otherwise cheerful mood, I decided I'd put it off to another day.

I actually need to get back to studying, but I decided first to enlighten everyone on some Japanese delicacies.

1. Nattou （納豆）- These are literally fermented soy beans. It's characterized by its smell, which I feel is closest to something along the lines of tire grease, if there is such a thing. It's also very sticky, and clumps together. Despite this, nattou is delicious. Normally eaten in the Kantou region, where it is found often as a breakfast-type food, nattou has gained due popularity. It tastes like beans, really really delicious beans, and everyone should enjoy them. It's especially good with kimchi or tabasco. The most fun part of eating it is that you get to whip it up with mustard and some other stuff like what was previously mentioned. Pictures can be found here and here.
2. Umeboshi （梅干し) - Pickled plums are another favorite, especially in the Kantou region. Served sometimes with a little salt, they are extremely refreshing, if a little sour. They can be served on their own, in the ball form, or a raisin-like form, or they also be used to make umeshu （梅酒), which is pickled plum alcohol. A picture is here.
3. Tsukemono （漬け物 ）- This is just pickled foods. Kyoto is famous for them, and actually they are deemed Kyouzuke here for that reason. They come in a variety of types: everything from eggplant on. 
4. Uni （ウニ）- Sea urchin. I had this recently actually at Tai's house. To be honest, I eat most of these Tai's house, except for tsukemono. He doesn't seem to be too fond of that one. I can't really describe uni. The only thing it tastes like is uni. It can be eaten either as sashimi or sushi though. It looks like this though.
5. Tofu （豆腐）- Kyoto is known for its tofu. We have more tofu shops than anywhere else in Japan I think. It also come cooked in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, I'm still not really fond of it, not due to its taste, but its texture.
6. Fugu （ふぐ）- Blowfish/Pufferfish. I still haven't tried this one actually. There's actually a season for this, so I haven't been able to try it yet. Since it is potentially lethal though, it must be prepared carefully by extremely skilled and licensed chefs.

And actually, not a delicacy, but something worth adding as a recent personal favorite is

1. Ochazuke （お茶漬け）- This is something else that I had at Tai's the previous weekend, but I'd just like to add it to the list of absolutely delicious food in the world. It's a relatively simple dish. You fill a bowl with hot white rice, pour in some green tea, and top with nori (seaweed), nattou, fish, or other simple spices. You have to eat it quickly so that the rice does not absorb all of the tea and become soggy, but it's a great meal, and it's really healthy for you. This isn't a completely standard recipe, but I found one that you might enjoy abroad here.

Take care all.

Michelle

Of Clean Water and a Budget Package

Good news. I'm well-rested and able to properly explain it now. I need to do some research, but this is what I have so far.

Japan released about 10,000 metric tons of radioactive water from its Fukushima Daiichi Plant. The radiation levels despite being much higher than the legal limit, are still relatively fine. TEPCO believes that most of the radiation occurred from hydrogen explosions. Iodine-131, which has a half-life of 8 days, was found in the water. Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 were both found. Their levels are far lower, but they have much longer half-lives. 27,000 tons of water was used to cool down the reactor. This water unfortunately became highly toxic.

Areva SA, a French nuclear company, has offered to clean Japan's water. Since the French have roughly 70% of their power come from nuclear plants, they are considered extremely experienced in this.  Areva SA has stated that they clean the water at 50 tons per hour. Tomihisa Oota, a Japanese chemist, has developed a process that is apparently fast though. Through a special mineral powder that collects radiation from the water, his method can clean 1,000 tons of water per hour. During a sample, he had managed to clean water in 10 minutes. If cleaning facilities are built, then this process even with thousands of tons of water would not take much longer, he believes.

Japan has also created a budget package to for relief efforts. It totals $48.5 billion (4 trillion yen) in all, and it was crated without issuing more Japanese government bonds. More of these will likely follow though, since as I stated before, it's been estimated that the damage is around $310 billion. The spending will go toward disaster relief, waste disposal, public works, infrastructure, loans, tax grants to local governments, and employment support. In order to finance this, they had to reinstate high tolls, tap into reserves for pension payouts, and cut in lawmakers' salaries. Considering Japan's population is rapidly aging, this has been a somewhat risky move, but Japan does not want to raise the national debt any higher (right now it's about $10 trillion US). Overall, it's a step in the right direction, but whether it will remain enough is still to be seen.

Sources:
Japan Discloses Data on Radioactive Water Release (WSJ)
Japanese Scientist Develops Powder That Can Clean Fukushima Daiichi Radioactive Water Faster than Areva (WSJ)

化学者が「福島原発の汚染水を浄化できる粉末を開発」 (WSJ)

Japan approves $48.5 billion quake relief spending (Reuters)

Of Life

It's already midnight and I need to get to sleep soon, but I thought I'd make a quick update first. Classes are going well, and I'm learning a lot. The JLPT is in 3 months so I seriously need to crack down on the studying.

Tai's busy with job hunting. He's been going to seminars, interviews, and continuing his job search every day. I hope he'll be successful.

Speaking of him, his gift still hasn't come. I'm beginning to wonder if customs got a hold of it to be honest...I hope not. It was a mess dealing with them last time.

My work on my senior thesis project is coming along. I'm currently trying to find an advisor, and running into some problems with that. We'll see how it goes. No worries though. This is something I want to do, and I'll find a way to make it work. I feel as if it will be a culmination of my time in school, in Japan, and life goals in general, so it needs to be done. This just proves that anything worth doing is difficult, so I'll just work harder to make it possible.

I've received some wonderful care packages recently. Normally I advise against such things since I honestly don't need anything, but it was nice and I really appreciate them. From my loving parents, I have received makeup as well as some other essentials. Makeup in Japan is often laced with a bleaching agent since Japanese women (and many other women in this part of the world) like to have white skin. I'm not comfortable with that idea since I view it as extremely dangerous and unhealthy so I really do appreciate the care package. My grandmother also sent me some candy the other day. Thanks to all of you!

By the way, did everyone hear? They've apparently developed a powder that can collect the radiation from the water. The question is what to do with that powder then. I was watching a show in Tokyo about it and they were talking about shooting it in dry-ice-encased missiles down to the sea floor. If it's true, they think that the ice will not disintegrate at the depth. Obviously they're still searching, but it's an idea.

It's late now, and I'm starting to get stuck between English and Japanese, so I'm going to go to bed. To be honest, I'm not too sure which language is which when I'm tired now.

Bye all!

Michelle

Of a Trip to Tokyo

I got back from Tokyo last night around 10 by Shinkansen. It was a wonderful trip. I got to see Tai and his family, and we got to spend some quality time together, the first in 4 months to be honest. It was great, and I can't express how happy I am that I was able to take the trip.

Things in Tokyo were actually relatively normal considering all that's happened. I actually didn't go into any supermarkets or konbini so I can't tell you the status of those. However, it seemed like the food supply was restored, especially considering we ate things like sushi and clam miso soup which I'm pretty sure was not ok before. You do notice some change in what's provided though. There's more things from the Kansai and southern areas of Japan. Produce from the Fukushima and other severely affected areas is not really seen.

Honestly, the biggest difference is the continue prevalence of the 自粛 (jishuku) mood (refer to previous posts for a definition). People are keeping power off in a city where most things run on power. Lights are off, and A/C is off as well despite the fact that it's getting warmer and therefore more humid in Japan. People are just opening windows instead. Shops are still continuing to close early. Trains are running normally though. The biggest problem is when the weather gets warmer and people are forced to use power in order to keep cool in the worst of the Tokyo summer. For example, with regard to the jishuku mood, Tai and I were at a vending machine, and the lights came on inside. We spent a couple minutes trying to turn them off because it's unnecessary power that can be better spent elsewhere. Eventually, they turned off on their own. But here in Japan, where electricity used to be taken as a common item, the difference to it today is rather startling.

I experienced my first earthquake. It was a M3. It was fascinating to watch the earth shift left and right. You're standing on it, and you know, the earth shouldn't move. And here I am watching the car bounce around on its wheels, and the fence at his grandmother's house sway, and feeling this kind of weird not-weightless parsay, but a definite feeling of unsteadiness. Earthquakes here have also become commonplace, but yet are a little more untrusted now. People are nervous that there will be another large one, so they're not sure how to respond when the little buzzer goes off on the TV or their phone warning them that an earthquake is approaching. If you know you're safe, you can enjoy it. You can watch the earth move and just be amazed at what's happening beneath your feet. But if you don't know if you'll be safe, they could easily be terrifying. For my brief time experiencing one, it was a positive experience, but for those that endured the big quake, I can't even begin to imagine how they must have felt. I truly wish them the best.

Tai and I spent our time going to the river and playing some catch with the football, which was more of Tai teaching how to throw and catch and me failing miserably, but it was still fun. I'm pretty sure I can get throwing down, catching with take some more time.

We also watched some movies, which were fantastic. We went to Rikkyo University's baseball game as well, and it was a blast. Japanese baseball games are tons of fun. People shout things like "NAME かっこいい！ (NAME, you're cool/hot!)" to cheer on their players while catcalling the other team with phrases like "可笑しい！ (You're strange/weird/funny!)" There's also lots of songs, and just general fun for the team and fans. I have a feeling baseball was like in this in the past, but somewhere it lost that spirit in the States. It really was fun though, and I recommend anyone to go to a game here in Japan if they get the chance cause they'll love it.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip to Tokyo.

Michelle

Of Suzumebachi

Before we begin the main topic of this post, I just wanted to link a little something here for everyone to appreciate back home. It's about the contaminated food, specifically milk that people are worried about overseas. According to this article, it'd take you 58,000 glasses of milk to reach the level that would be considered harmful. Last time I checked, even people who love milk don't drink 58,000 glasses in a rapid period. Here's the article for you to enjoy: Radioactive Milk.

And now onto the main event: Suzumebachi. Suzumebachi are one of those terrifying things in Japan that Japan doesn't want to admit exist to anyone outside of Japan. This is because "terrifying" does not even begin to describe them. Suzumebachi is Japanese for "sparrow hornet." These hornets are several inches long with a wingspan to match. In comparison, make a fist. The hornet is about the length of that.

The suzumebachi are particularly aggressive, especially toward lawnmowers, and other loud noise. They will attack bikers and other people passing too close to the nest though. Unfortunately, since they're hornets, the nest is the trees where you can't see it. You only know you're close to the nest when you start seeing suzumebachi.

Being stung by one will require you to go to the hospital. Since the venom deals with the nervous system, it's fairly dangerous. If you get stung just a few times, you can die. Every year, there are dozens of people who die from them.

Perhaps the worst part of all of this is that the suzumebachi does not live necessarily in a remote area away from people. Of course they're in the forests, but they also live in the cities. For some reason, they really seem to like the area around Ritsumeikan University. I remember the first time I saw one, my friend stopped me and told me about them. The second time, I was walking to the bank with a friend, and I stopped and stared at the largest hornet I had ever seen in my life. These things just hover in the air, looking ridiculously threatening. In my opinion, you should never be able to the see the stinger of a hornet. When you can, you know it's going to be bad.

They also live in Tokyo and other major cities around Japan. Basically, if you find a nest, you call someone to get rid of it. It's not a good idea to take it down yourself.

These hornets became pretty famous recently due to videos that have been circulated around the web. 30 hornets went and destroyed a nest of 30,000 bees. If you're a beekeeper, these things are your worst enemy. Because I believe that everyone should have equal access to appreciate the terror, here's the video: 30 hornets vs 30,000 bees.

However, if you're a beekeeper who keeps Japanese honey bees, you're better off. These bees have developed a strategy to take out the hornets. Literally, they can withstand a higher body temperature, so they'll swarm the hornet and overheat it until it dies. The video is HERE. So, this begs the question, why not keep Japanese honey bees instead? The answer to this is that Japanese honey bees do not produce as much honey, so it's more profitable to keep the others.

If you're feeling adventurous, here are some pictures:
Suzumebachi

Nest

Wiki's Suzumebachi Page (Japanese Only)

One Japanese bug down. At least one more to go. If you want a sneak peek, check out Mukade. In the meantime, I'm off to Tokyo tomorrow! Take care all!

Michelle

Of Sakura Season

First off, some quick news. The nuclear reactor was updated to the same status as Chernobyl the other day. Apparently it qualifies as a 7 now because of a long, sustained release of radiation with significant damage. But honestly, nothing has really changed. It was a level 5 before. But really, nothing has changed within the past couple days, so don't worry.

Secondly, I have some pictures to share with you all of the sakura. This blog is about more than just earthquakes and tsunamis and nuclear reactors after all. This year the sakura have had mixed reviews. In some ways, people are so appreciative. They only last about a week or two and then they're gone. It's this fleeting beauty amongst everything else, so it's appreciated all the more, especially in light of recent events. On the other hand though, due to the continued 自粛 (jishuku) mood, people still feel guilty about appreciating anything.

Needless to say though, people are still trying to enjoy the season though. The weather is getting warmer, and the sakura (cherry blossoms) mark the start of spring. So, in order for everyone to understand how this works, I'll explain.

The sakura begin to bloom when the weather just starts getting warmer. For all purposes, it's still fairly cool in the morning and at night. But people will go alone or as couples, school groups, company groups, families, etc. to enjoy the sakura together in parks.  The cherry blossoms since they only bloom for a short time should be enjoyed to the fullest, so people make sure to spend a decent amount of time outside to properly appreciate them.

Of course, no celebration is complete without alcohol, especially here in Japan. So, we all went to 花見 (hanami), or flower-viewing to go appreciate them. You can do this just in a park, or you can go to a shrine such as this one. We were at 平野神社 (Hirano Jinjya) for this picture. There were chairs and tables, benches, and these large platforms to enjoy the cherry blossoms. I drank 甘酒 (amazake), sweet sake, while my friends drank everything from Chu-Hi's to beer to hot sake. 

Of course, sakura during the day are also beautiful. This is Ritsumeikan University's Kinugasa Campus (立命館大学衣笠キャンパス) in full bloom. We've had a pretty strong wind recently, so the petals have been billowing around. There's actually a world for the falling petals, it's called 花吹雪 (hana-fubuki), which means "blowing flowers" or "falling flowers." The petals are getting in everything too. You walk into class and you, your books, your hair, and your food are covered in them. It's kind of cool, and definitely beautiful, but it's amazing to see them falling.

I have to get back to studying. I have a kanji test before I leave for Tokyo, so I need to actually make sure I can write them. Take care everyone!

Michelle

Of an "Aftershock"

Japan has been experiencing hundreds of aftershocks since the big quake. Many of them are strong, rivaling what we could call simply another earthquake. Today's hit near Iwaki city which is in Fukushima prefecture, registering at a 7.1. For those up in Touhoku, it's impossible to imagine what they could be going through. Power is being restored, but these quakes keep knocking it out. Some people, sick of being in the evacuation centers, are trying to return to their homes. When they do so though, they're finding even simple life is difficult. Without electricity and running water, they can't really cook their food or a number of other things. I read an article the other day which was talking about a woman who is living in her house, and she talks about how much things have changed. She also mentioned how little luxuries like clean underwear are provided at the evacuation centers, but not necessarily in her home anymore since she's unable to do laundry. People are worrying about health issues.

I watched the news today when the aftershock hit, and I have to say it looked a bit end-of-the-world-ish. The sky was dark, even though it was still fairly early in the evening. It looked like the camera honestly was being shaken by someone. It's hard to imagine the entire ground moving while buildings sway on top. It was lightning and promptly began pouring. I'm honestly wondering how much these plates have moved. A tsunami warning was given, but it's only a meter, so it should be lifted soon if it hasn't been already. I admit, I haven't checked since I live on a plateau between mountains and a 1 meter really shouldn't do that much damage.

I think some schools were planning to resume school today in Miyagi prefecture, but I'm not sure if they did or not.

The evacuation zone was extended to 30 km. No worries, it's still far away, and I think that a significant number of people had already evacuated.

The nuclear reactors were not hurt in the quake. They remain in their current state.

Classes were good today. I had Comprehensive as well as Listening & Speaking. We just talked about hanami, earthquakes, and the nuclear situation. It was more interesting than learning about what we were supposed to learning about. And since my class was only 4 today, it was easily manipulated.

In good news, I'm going to Tokyo this Friday! I'll get to see Tai and his family, and just overall have a good time. I bought my Shinkansen ticket the other day. I'm so excited.

Source:
Japan expands nuclear evacuation zone as new quake hits (Reuters)

Of Sushi

Another bright and sunny day here in Kyoto. Spring has finally arrived, and it's beautiful. With that in mind, classes started the other day. Things are going well so far. I'm in B class. They go from F to A, A being the highest before you're put into seiki level, which is when you can take classes in Japanese with Japanese students. As is, I can take classes in English with them, but not their normal Japanese classes. Not gonna' lie, understanding is fine, so I may sneak into a couple this semester anyway if I get the chance. As is, right now I'm taking a Comprehensive Japanese class, a Listening & Speaking class, a Writing course, as well as International Organizations (which focuses on NGOs, etc.), Political Economies of East Asia (comparing Japan, China, Korea), possibly a Women's Studies course which is focused on women in war (I know. Not my specialty, but interesting), and last but not least, hopefully a International Management course (which looks at the logistics and marketing strategies of an international corporation). Overall, a pretty decent schedule if I do say so myself.

To answer a quick question that was posted in comments, classes will continue as normal. Kansai is in fact so fine that nothing will change whatsoever with regard to classes. We may take in some more students though who are refugees. Therefore, no worries with class schedules changing unless something major strikes Kansai. The rest of Japan is obviously a bit more affected. According to Tai, Rikkyo University is only taking in two international students this semester because the rest cancelled due to fears of going to Tokyo. I'd like to say that I'm personally proud of those students and especially one of them since he is also from Miami.

What people aren't understanding abroad is that Japan is quite a big country. The problem is that it's normally compared to California. People therefore get a little nervous because California is only 1 state in a country of 50 of them. However, Japan is also relatively the same size as Italy. Because Italy is a country and not a state (by the American English definition of course), people suddenly become much calmer. Therefore, I'd like to propose comparing Japan to Italy in size for the rest of time.

Due to the belief that Japan is a small country, people are refusing to buy fish from Japan. I understand as much as the next person that when you hear about radioactive materials being dumped into the ocean, the last thing you want to do is go eat fish. Most of Japan's fishing is done farther away from the coast though. This is due to past overfishing problems. But Michelle, you might say, fish swim. They can swim close to the coast. And yes, they can. I don't deny it. But if you're concerned about that, then don't eat fish that live close to shore. Those that live out in deeper waters should of course be checked, but if they make it into your markets, they are safe. Japan's economy depends on exports. They will be responsible in this.

In order to prevent more radiation from escaping to the ocean though, TEPCO has installed steel barriers and silt fences. Although I'm not sure about the effectiveness of this, we can only trust them for now.

I love me a good plate of sushi and honestly, if I can eat it here, then you can eat it thousands of miles away. Furthermore, most sushi restaurants abroad are actually switching to fish from other places. Even Japan is not necessarily making sushi from locally caught fish at times. If you're eating salmon sushi for example, it much more likely that it will be from Norway, and your tuna will likely be from Spain. The term sushi (寿司) refers to fish that is offered with vinegared rice. It is a preparation style, and in no way requires the fish to be harvested from Japanese waters. The only requirement of that fish is that it must be of an exceptionally high quality to serve raw. If it is not, you could end up making your customers sick. 

So, this begs the question, which is sushi? In the West, it often refers to what is called makizushi (巻寿司) here in Japan. This is the rolled sushi. It is rice, fish, and sometimes vegetables wrapped with rice in a piece of nori (海苔) or seaweed. A second of type of sushi is nigirizushi (握り寿司). This is hand-formed sushi which is a bit of rice, some wasabi, and fish or something on top. There is also oshizushi (押し寿司), which is literally "pressed sushi." This is specialty in Osaka, where a block-type sushi is formed. There is also inarizushi (稲荷寿司), which is a wrapper made of fried tofu filled with sushi rice. It was believed to be a favorite of the god Inari. I actually find this to be quite sweet, and normally reserve it as a dessert-type sushi for this reason. Second to last, we have chirashizushi (ちらし寿司), which is literally a "scattered sushi." This is when the fish is put on top of rice in a bowl. Lastly, there is narezushi (熟れ寿司), which I actually haven't had yet, but it's been fermented. Considering that Kyoto is known for it's fermented foods, I'll have to check it out.

So, now that we got cleared up. Please don't put your local sushi restaurant out of business. Go support them. It's delicious, and you should at enjoy it when you know its safe.

Oh, and before I go, I'd just like to state that I want a subscription to NIKKEI Shinbun so bad. Because I currently don't have a subscription, their newest articles right now are locked. I have to figure out the cost of it, but I think it'd be nice.

Sources:

Grab Your Chopsticks and Geiger Counters (WSJ)

TEPCO Installs Barrier to Prevent Sea Contamination (WSJ)

Of Jishuku

Well-rested and English working properly again, I feel as if I can write a blog post to everyone now. In a brief update about last night's 7.4 quake, I'd like to note that no significant damage occurred. Only 2 people are known to have died, and a few injured. The Fukushima Daiichi Plant is as stable as it was before the earthquake. Workers were briefly evacuated due to tsunami concerns, but that tsunami warning was lifted, so they went back to fixing the reactor. And before you comment on hearing that there was a tsunami, please understand that it was a meter high. That's nothing. It's like a wave. So, continuing on with things that not overblown in the US news. After doing some silicone gel work, it seems like the leak was slowed and possibly stopped the other day. Not sure on this though because I admit I've been a tad busy as of late.

The lack of food in the Touhoku region is still continuing to hurt the residents there. It's a shame that they've survived through all this only to have to face possible starvation. The government and other groups are distributing food of course, but having the food and having the manpower to distribute the food are different. Japan can get through this, but it's going to take an army of volunteers to do it.

The yen is slowly falling. In a way, this is good. It means that Japanese products will become cheaper for consumers abroad, but at the same time, this is a problem because it's somewhat indicative of a future recession.

Other countries have banned or are checking Japanese products carefully. Although it is understandable, the bans are a shame. The last thing Japan needs right now is for people not to buy its exports. The answer is rather simple in this case. Don't buy things from the area directly near the plant. Kansai and further south are fine. That means things like Kobe beef are safe.

Tourists to Japan are still few. So the Japanese economy is suffering in this way as well.

Actually, the point of this post is to talk about something called jishuku (自粛), or self-restraint. Something amazing has happened to Japan since the quake. In a country which quite frankly prefers expensive goods over cheap ones and brand names over non-brand names, the practice of jishuku was rarer earlier this year. For example, let's look at a fairly common brand name in the States, which is Coach. Coach sells purses, bags, wallets, etc. It's a fine leather maker shop, and it's pretty well-respected in my opinion. In the US, Coach is also considered ridiculously expensive, and for good reason. If you sold bags at the same price in Japan as what you sell in them in the US though, people would not buy them because they would be too cheap for a brand name. That means brand name goods are tripled normally in cost. So if a bag costs $100 in the US, it will cost $300 in Japan. Levi jeans are another good example. I think you can buy them for $20 in the States. The cheapest that I've found them in Japan is $150, and that's the absolute cheapest. I've seen them go for as high as $300. So, what does this have to do with jishuku?

People prided themselves in the past on having luxury goods. It's the same the world round I suppose, but it was definitely theme here in Japan. However, since the earthquake, the practice of jishuku has come back in full force. Watching the TV, hearing the news, and looking at refugees who continue to stream into safer areas, the majority of people have decided to engage in the practice of jishuku. They just don't feel as if they deserve to enjoy a luxury product at the moment when some people don't even have houses, let alone food. In some ways, this has really helped Japan. Japan was supposed to suffer from planned rolling blackouts through April, but because people were conserving so much power, that idea was able to be cancelled. In the summer when energy use increases, we'll see if they're reinstated, but for now, this is definitely a positive. However, the cabinet ministers are urging people not to engage in jishuku when it comes to commodities. Japan needs money to rebuild and it can't do that when people aren't spending money. This of course is a double-edged sword though. If you tell people not to restrain themselves, will they start using goods that they should conserve, like food, water, electricity, gas, etc. If that's true, then it's dangerous to say to stop the feeling of self-restraint. Personally though, I'm for the idea. The economy needs to be boosted, and if you can emphasize still conserving on necessary goods while not necessarily conserving on luxury goods, maybe it would help things out.

Sources:
China concerned at Japan's prolonged nuclear crisis (Reuters)
「自粛ムードやめよう」閣僚から発言相次ぐ (朝日新聞)

Another Earthquake

I don't want to write about these anymore. They're depressing. But I'll uphold my duty and write about it because otherwise who knows what will appear overseas. Plus, this is a sort of catalogue of my time in Japan, so I should at least catalogue correctly I suppose. Another earthquake just hit Japan. The Japanese news says that it was a 6, about 74 miles from Fukushima. Reuters says it was a 7.4 at the epicenter. There's a tsunami warning, but it looks like it's only around .5 m in the Tokyo and Touhoku areas. Near the reactor though it's closer to 2 m. No worries. Obviously, I still remain nothing of an expert on the topic of earthquakes and tsunami prevention, but the Fukushima Daiichi Plant is on a hill. So things should be ok. I was skyping Tai when it hit. The camera was shaking pretty bad in Tokyo where it registered at a 3, but otherwise it seems like things are ok. The only worry is that it really was a long earthquake. Like it seemed like it went on for a couple minutes. I don't know what's the earthquakes here recently, but the earth should never shake for a couple minutes, get stronger, and then weaken in strength. It's just wild.

Don't be worried though. To be honest, we expected this. The chance of us having another M7 earthquake this month was about 50% or so.

Is there any other news? I'm not sure. It's almost 1 am and I'm exhausted.

Japan is trying to get back on its feet, but these earthquakes are making it more difficult. I urge everyone to continue to donate in order to help those affected.

Still felt nothing in Kyoto. Everything continues to be safe here. Though I almost wish that it would hit here rather than continuing to hit those who are already affected and struggling to return to normal.

Miami apparently cancelled their trip to Japan. They do something called PacRim every year where they go to China, Korea, Japan, but they're not coming to Japan this summer. It's normally only a week that they spend here but it's a shame. In order to fully appreciate the business world, especially in this region, one needs to understand how Japan influences and is influenced by the surrounding countries. They still continue to support us who are studying abroad. No problems there. I understand they don't want to necessarily assure the safety of a large group in an area which has had so many natural disasters recently, but it's a shame. Japan is being hurt by the lack of tourists. Normally, Kyoto would be teeming with tourists who want to see the cherry blossoms. But there are significantly less than normal. Sure it makes the commutes easier, but it's depressing in a sort of way. Japan needs the tourism in order to boost its economy. But taking care of tourists right night would also be a mess. So who knows what the right decision is.

Is my English bad right now? I feel like it is. My grandpa just skyped me and I swear I almost spoke to him in Japanese...That's amazing honestly because my Japanese speaking continues to be at the top of the lousy scale.

Had classes today. It was nice to start class again, but more on that in another post. I'm going to class again tomorrow. Luckily they don't start till later (round 4). Sure the current earthquake will be the topic of conversation there. If you have questions, comment in the posts. I'll do my best to answer them and prevent more unfounded panic. More soon.

Michelle

Of the Loan

So I really don't want to focus on the nuclear situation this post, but I'll mention it just to keep you all updated. It definitely looks like this will be a process of months to get this plant under control in Fukushima. To try to find all the leak, TEPCO resorted to using bath salts the other day to produce a milky color in the water that could then be traced. The superabsorbent polymer method did not work. I'm not sure when things will be under control. I have a quick revision to my last post. I had mentioned that three mega-banks were going to give a loan to TEPCO. This loan is extremely risky, even for them. The amount that they're loaning is equal to their consolidated net profit. This was actually in that NIKKEI article, but I had to learn the word 匹敵する(hitteki suru) first.

Radiation levels in the ocean have risen significantly. Fish must now be checked in order to be sold.

I attended the Ritsumeikan Entrance Ceremony yesterday. The first half was full of serious speeches. The second was more light-hearted with music, interviews, and club recruiting. It was interesting. I managed to get a high-five from one of the football players.

I also went to 花見 (hanami), flower-viewing, tonight. The cherry blossoms 桜 (sakura) are blooming, so it's really beautiful. It was nice to just spend time with friends, make new friends, and for a little bit just appreciate the beauty around us. It's a stark contrast with the news that we're being surrounded with every day. On campus, the main topic is still the earthquake and what we can do to help. Everyone is checking on their friends, making sure they're ok. What we're finding is that often our friends our ok, but their families and homes are not. However, order remains. And the most common phrase you'll here now is 無事でよかった (buji de yokatta), I'm glad that you're safe.

I have to go to class tomorrow to figure out my classes. The semester starts Thursday.

I'm off now to get some sleep and prepare for a new day. Everyone take care!

Michelle

Leak Source Found

The source of the leak or possibly one of the sources of the leak that has led to contaminated water has been found at the Fukushima Plant. Apparently there's a crack in a concrete pit in the No. 2 reactor. They already tried pouring concrete into the pit in an attempt to seal the crack, but this was not successful. So TEPCO has turned to water-absorbent polymers instead. Although this isn't my forte, from what I understand, there's two type of superabsorbent polymers: low and high density. Essentially they link with the hydrogen molecules in water to form a bond. They can hold anything from 50 to 500 times their own weight, acting as a sort of preventative gel or film against further leakage. They've been used in feminine sanitary napkins, baby diapers, disposable bed liners, candles, surgical pads, etc. So far, there's been no word if this has been successful.

Prime Minister Kan  is under intense pressure recently to resign and call a snap election. He's been accused by TEPCO and news media for traveling to the affected area too quickly which apparently halted the restabilization effort. Then, he's been accused by everyone for not going and helping the evacuees. Finally, people have become irritated for his disappearance altogether from the political scene. This is just my personal and humble opinion, but I think maybe the Japanese are being a little hard on him. My friend, Jazmin, and I are really debating whether they know how long a prime minister is supposed to stay in office. They seem to get rid of them every two months or so. At the same time though, I do understand where people are coming from. If I didn't know better, Iwould think that Edano, the Cabinet Secretary, was the Prime Minister. He's on the news every couple hours giving a press conference. I really hope he's getting his sleep because without him I don't know what Japan will do.

Produce continues to be stopped from Fukushima, and the little that gets through people will not buy. Farmers are asked to pour their milk into pits because it can't be shipped to the public. I'm not sure what they're doing with the produce. The ground and water is becoming more contaminated. Other farmers in Japan are worried. Overseas, it seems like there's a backlash going on against Japanese produce, and farmers whose food is safe are being hurt. In Japan, people are having to prove that their produce to safe, so apparently, according to Reuters at least, there have been some farmers who have bought Geiger counters (I haven't heard about this anywhere else though.)

Actually, one of the main problems that has come up from this disaster is what to do with the bodies. The death toll has reached 28,000. If they burn the bodies outside, then they are afraid that the contamination will get into the air. If they bury them, it could further contaminate the soil. It's Buddhist tradition to burn the bodies, and to bury the ashes in the family grave. But right now, there's not enough wood or flammable materials to burn all of them. Mass graves have been dug, but whether these will be permanent or not is unsure.

Three mega banks, one of which is Mitsuo Sumitomo, are planning to loan 2 trillion yen (about 23 billion US dollars ) to TEPCO in order to rebuild, restabilize, and compensate all those who have been affected. This is necessary in order for TEPCO not collapse and further affect eastern and northern Japan.

In other news, the cherry blossoms have started blooming. Despite all of the destruction that's occurred, they're beautiful, and since they last for a few days, people are trying to enjoy them. Normally by this time, there would be big friend and company parties but they seem a little toned down this year.

Sources:
Japan says it may take months to end radiation leaks (Reuters)
東電へ2兆円融資、銀行団も背水の陣 (NIKKEI)