Japan-a-lana

Nyanpire Valentine Cards Download

2012-02-01T21:53:00.001+09:00

I've been waiting a year to give these to you! I got them after Valentine's Day last year in a magazine. I wanted to wait until they were timely to post.　This is a scanned copy of the two cards. I'm sorry they are not better quality. If you would like the full size picture file, just email me at japan.alana@gmail.com . They are postcard sized.

Tea Packaging for Japan and America

2012-01-24T15:32:00.000+09:00

I'm very interested in how products are marketed and packaged in different countries. Regional varieties and fast food menus are really fascinating to me. Here are two Japanese teas packaged for the domestic and foreign market.

Japanese Packaging for Sokenbicha

American packaging for Sokenbicha

Japanese packaging for Tea's Tea. Note: It's called Tea's Tea New York. I choose the picture with the retro burger joint flight attendant (and tiny Statue of Liberty).

American packaging for Tea's Tea: Notice the flavors and the way it's described

Hello Kitty Red vs Blue

2012-01-23T22:30:00.002+09:00

Which side are you on? Here are some some red and blue things for sale at Cats say Nyan. Click on the captions to go to the store page.

HK Fairy Blue Glass (2 available): $5 each

HK Flip Flops: $5


Blue Set: $6

Tony the Tiger Tank: $5

HK Red Set: $3.50

Engrish T-shirt: $5

Cats say Nyan #94: Daruma Cat

2012-01-18T14:44:00.000+09:00

I found this little guy in the display of dragon figures for 2012. Two thousand eleven was the year of the tiger.

This cat is a dharma doll (daruma), which has become of popular symbol of the earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts. It has a round weighted bottom so that it springs back up. This embodies the spirit of endurance that has kept people going since 3/11. A good addition to my maneki neko collection.

Cream Puff, Pancake and Donut Games

2012-01-16T04:21:00.000+09:00

This is a "Russian roulette" cream puff game.

Take turns opening cream puffs. You don't want to get the one with wasabi inside.

Pancake stacking game

But too expensive: 2580 yen (more than 26 dollars)

Reversi Donut Game

Charity Bracelet

2012-01-14T01:33:00.000+09:00

Charity Bracelet for Tohoku, Japan

One bead has a map of Japan on it.

Cats say Nyan #93: Arcade Cats

2012-01-12T01:03:00.000+09:00

Nyan! Pillow Cat

Oh my God, this is so cute!!

Cats and Rabbits

BONUS: One Piece Halloween Bags

Awesome Parfait Shirt

2012-01-10T18:46:00.000+09:00

Here's my parfait shirt that I bought for 500 yen (about $5) at the Ofunato DokiDoki thrift store.

It has a bunch of random stuff on top of the parfait. At the bottom it says parfait=~~perfect~~ you. Haha!

Kamome no Tamago

2012-01-08T18:27:00.000+09:00

Kamome no Tamago means Seagull's Egg, but don't worry they aren't real. Kamome no Tamago are small cakes consisting of a white bean center (it's sweet), a thin layer or cake, and a frosting glaze. They are so delicious and are a famous souvenir from Iwate prefecture, where I live.

The factory where they are made was destroyed in the tsunami, but quickly they cleaned up the shop and got the equipment running again to make this popular treat. I bought these two boxes at a bakery in Rikuzentakata in November. The cake shop was set up in a pre-fab building as Rikuzentakata was largely destroyed in the tsunami, as well. I was excited to see different varieties. These are chocolate and apple. They were amazing! I bought chestnut ones in October in Kamaishi. They were very good.

I would like to try every flavor they have, so I have to keep a look out. Now they have special edition golden ones to celebrate Hiraizumi becoming a UNESCO world heritage site. They are 2500 yen a box (more than $25). That's too expensive for me (and they are still made with margarine) but you can buy them individually for 300 yen, so I will give one a try.

Cats say Nyan #92: Nyanpire Goods

2012-01-06T18:15:00.000+09:00

The latest Nyanpire goods. Have you seen all of the Nyanpire animation yet? There seem to be a few episodes that aren't subbed in English yet on YouTube. I just bought a Nyanpire mug actually, but I broke my camera so no pics for now!

Alcoholic Juice Box

2012-01-04T21:20:00.003+09:00

There is something really wrong about getting drunk on juice boxes.

This stuff was really strong (8%) and not that good.

Rilakkuma Luggage Tag

2011-12-23T00:12:00.000+09:00

I'm off to China for 9 days. I hope they like cats in China as much as they do in Japan. Pictures later!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

xoxo,
Japan-a-lana

Cats say Nyan #91: Christmas Card from a Talented Student

2011-12-22T00:07:00.000+09:00

This card was drawn by a sixth grade elementary student. She is hearing impaired, so she goes to a special school where she is the only student in her grade. She learns English through lip reading, phonetic spelling in katakana and Japanese sign language.

She is a very bright girl who also happens to be a talented artist. These are original characters that she drew. I thought she had copied something but she insisted she came up with them herself. I think we have a future manga artist on our hands!

Note the mouse peeking in the window.

He is carrying "nekojirashi" or foxtail, which is known as a great toy for cats.

White um Black Thunder

2011-12-21T00:01:00.001+09:00

This is Shiroi Black Thunder. Shiroi means white, so White Black Thunder. Huh? Stupid name. It is a regular Black Thunder bar: choco cookie and puffed rice but it is covered in white chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Honestly, it wasn't anything special. I prefer chocolate to white chocolate.

Cats say Nyan #90: Birthday Cats

2011-11-19T18:37:00.000+09:00

It was my birthday...in June. Yeah, super late with these. But still! Check out the awesome birthday cats I got. I also got a lot of other awesome presents, but these are just the cat ones! I'm so lucky to have such nice friends here! xoxo

This was made by my student who has the same birthday as me! I have met many birthday twins in Japan.

I asked for a cat for my birthday. How awesome are these drawings?!

What's in this Hello Kitty box?

A solar powered Hello Kitty watch. You don't get more Alana than that!

AWESOME!

Crazy cat post-its. Haha!

Super cute pencil case

His tail is the zipper pull!

Cats say Nyan #89: Kutsu Shita Nyanko Comic (Plus More!)

2011-11-16T18:15:00.000+09:00

Sorry, the picture quality is kinda crappy. I usually use a scanner, but I no longer have one at my disposal. Aghm. So, these will have to do! (The comic is at the end.)

The latest kutu sita nyanko goods. Note the tissue box cover in the center. Cute! This is the Music+London Series.

New video game with Sanrio Airu character mash-ups. Monster Hunter Airu x Sanrio My Melody and Kuromi

Moffy Web Comic: the rabbit is called Moffy and the cat is called Sora ("sky").

Finally the comic!

It's summer. It's hot. The sweat is soaking through Kutsu Shita's socks.

Kutsu Shita realizes that his paw is now like a stamp. He's really having a blast.

Kutsu Shita hear's someone, but then there is nothing. The last box says something about changing shoes before being sent/picked up. Please tell me if know what it says!

Cats say Nyan #88: Nyanpire on the Front Cover

2011-11-14T17:53:00.000+09:00

I was so excited to see Nyanpire fnally made the front cover of Ne~Ne~ magazine.

Nyanpire Ribbon! <3

Nyanpire summer toys for arcade games: shaved ice, watermelon, ice cream, takoyaki (octopus balls)

The latest Nyanpire goods. The rectangles in the center are noren (doorway curtains). Want!

Nyanpire The Animation news

Cats say Nyan #87: Nyanpire and Kutsu Shita Nyanko Stickers

2011-11-13T17:45:00.000+09:00

Thee are some stickers that came with Ne~ Ne~ magazine.

The sleeping Nyanpire is soooo cute!

Cats say Nyan #86: Nyanpire File

2011-11-12T17:33:00.000+09:00

This was a gift with purchase for Ne Ne magazine. So cute! It is a A5 file, so if you fold an A4 paper (about the same size as 81/2 x 11) you can fit it in. I keep this file in my purse with any important paper sfro work, bills, and papers I need to take home (like lists or recipes I joy down at work).

Japanese Security Seal

2011-11-11T18:24:00.001+09:00

Often things Japan strike me as so clever. It's when I stop and think, "Why don't they do it like that everywhere?" There are so many frustrating moments living in Japan as well, where you ask, "Why the hell do they do it like that?" So it is nice to celebrate the things that they are ahead of the curve on.

This is the plastic bag containing my Kumon correspondence workbook and CD. It has a security seal on the opening. Most packages in Japan are not sealed shut. They are often taped closed.

When you open the package, the seal separates leaving behind kanji. (Which I can't read.)

Now no one can pretend it was never opened.

Melon Pan Review: Yamazaki Big Chocolate Chip

2011-11-11T17:23:00.001+09:00

I bought this melon pan at a small grocery store. I knew it probably wasn't going to be good. But I bought it so I could blog about it! All the reviews can't be good, right? So, this is for you!

Price: 110 yen

Appearance: Looks yummy! This melon pan looks like a big chocolate chip cookie. The sugary topping looks nice, but as you can see in the picture below, the topping isn't put on with much care.

Quality: It never bodes well when the topping of the melon pan is separate from the actual bread. This means that is is just plain bread, not melon pan bread.

Taste: As you can see from the picture above, it was very dry. VERY dry. I doubled checked the expirt date, because it tasted so dry. It was far away from being expired. The topping was no consolation for the crappy bread which made up most of it.

Verdict: Do not buy this! It's regrettable. Usually any bread you get in the grocery store like this is tasty enough, this was not.

Score: 1 spinning cantaloupes out of 5

My　Japanese Secret Garden

2011-11-01T23:34:00.000+09:00

There is this small garden tucked in between restaurants and buildings near Omachi street in Ichinoseki. I like to go there sometimes for a peaceful moment. It is on my way home, so it is nice to get out of the car and walk around a little before going to my apartment. It is very small, so you don't very much exercise walking in there! But, I find it so peaceful to follow the stream down to the pond to watch the koi. Do you have a secret place like this? Some place you stop to clear your mind and relax?

Black Thunder Manju

2011-10-31T23:32:00.000+09:00

Black Thunder is a chocolate bar consisting of chocolate cookie and puffed rice covered in milk chocolate. It isn't too big and about 32 yen (like 40 cents) so I choose it quite often. There is also Big Thunder which is a waffle of chocolate cookie covered in milk chocolate. It sells for about 50 yen. Recently I've seen these Black Thunder Manju and was curious to try them although I didn't think it'd be very good.

A manju is a ball of sweet beans covered in a paper-thin layer of yeast bread. They are amazing!

This Black Thunder manju was chocolate cake on the outside.

I have to say that it tasted better than I thought it would but it still seemed to taste like chocolate mixed with traditional sweets: yeast-chocolate-beans. That's some kind of gooey chocolate and white stuff (?) inside. But the filling didn't taste chocolatey.

It reminded me of when my mom made fat-free brownies with prunes. They tasted good, but a little off...I don't think I'd buy one of these again.

Halloween is coming...

2011-09-30T17:07:00.003+09:00

Halloween Pokemon toys at the game center.

Halloween is coming. What are you going to be? I am reusing my Sailor Mars costume that I wore my last Halloween in Canada 3 years ago. So far the reactions have been much better than they were in Canada. I guess Japanese people have an even stronger sense of nostalgia regarding Sailor Moon than Canadians do.

Last year I was natto. I won best costume!

I am happy to say that I will have to take the costume in. I have lost (and gained and lost again) a lot of weight since the last time I wore it. I lost the nice big bow on the back though. :( I have a extra smaller one. I think I'll rig up a bigger bow. I have the correct red pumps and star earrings ready to go. Although the shoes (as they were before) are a little tight. I need to have them stretched or wear them around my kitchen a bunch. All I'm missing is the anime contact lenses and long black hair. I won't be getting either of these!

Last time I was Sailor Mars.

I have 3 Halloween parties to work for ECC Junior so my costume will get lots of wear. Then I will try to sell it at a recycle shop.

Gluten- Dairy- Free Chocolate Pudding Recipe for Japan

2011-09-27T15:29:00.001+09:00

I was supposed to bake scones at my special needs school, but I found out that one of the students is allergic to wheat, milk, buckwheat, beans, egg, and peanut. I know what it is like being a kid with allergies. Everyone is eating ice cream while you're gnawing on a marshmallow. So, I found a recipe for gluten-free, dairy-free pudding. This is my modified recipe. It is fast and easy to make in any country. I think even people who can eat scones, would like this recipe!

Chocolate Coconut Pudding

200 ml coconut milk*
100 ml water
½ package of jelly**
60 g cocoa powder***
80 g coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
60 ml sugar****

1. Put coconut milk and water in a pot. Heat on low.

2. Add jelly and stir.

3. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa.

4. Add sifted mixture to the pot. Stir quickly.

5. Add the sugar, vanilla, and coconut. Stir.

6. Pour into cups. Put them in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Yield: 6 servings

*Check import stores or fancier grocery stores. I got mine at Yamaya.

**Look in with the baking supplies for a small box of gelatin. There will be small packets inside. Yes, you really only need half a packet.

***Look in the coffee aisle. There will be some "hot chocolate" that is just pure cocoa.

*****The original recipe called for 2 Tablespoons, but it was VERY bitter. Experiment with this.