Student life in Japan

Walking at night in Japan - Silent streets

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Here's a video I made of me walking at night in Japan. If you watch the video you'll understand everything haha.
Japan is considered a very safe place and you can walk around like this at night. But, you should be smart and think for yourself. I hear a lot of crime news on television. The crime rate is low but its there. So even if people say it's safe just always be careful, you never know what will happen.
And now Enjoy folks. Watch in HD fullscreen for best effect.

Quick update | What's been happening lately

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 11:09:00 +0000

A quick update of whats been happening lately and why I disappeared for like months ＼(>o<)ノ

So thats how it is folks.
By the way I tried adding subtitles this time. And I think I will continue with all my future videos.

First Snow of 2013 in Saitama

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 11:19:00 +0000

On January 15 this year it snowed a LOT here. I believe it was the first 雪(yuki)Snow around the Kanto region, and the first snow of the year. It was really good timing for me, I was just about reviving my blog and youtube channel then.

First is the video enjoy ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ.
This snow was perfect for building snowman, kind of fluffy but if you give pressure it easily sticks together.

You could call this a light 吹雪(fu-buki)Blizzard. I had to pull out my umbrella-blade and set up an anti snow barrier.

The snow got really thick and deep. It kept snowing all day. Well in the 朝(asa)Morning it was 雨(ame)Rain but then it turned in to heavy 雪 at around mid afternoon （゜◇゜）.

Did some calligraphy on the snow with my umbrella-blade.

A smooth criminal had written my name on the snow *gasp* ヽ(ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ. It is scary to find your name written on the snow you know.

And this is Mr.雪だるま(yuki-daruma)Snowman or スノーマン(sunooman)Snowman Katakana version. Made with materials I found around me. Pretty good if I-do-say-so-myself （￣ー￣）.
You would guess Mr. 雪だるま melted away in peace right. But unfortunately 3 Elementary school children found him and they kicked and punched the shape out of him (T_T). Kids these days (︶︹︺)... use boring methods!ヽ(≧Д≦)ノ .

The next day most of the snow had turned into slush and ice. I've observed that in Japan it snows heavily in one go and becomes like Siberia, but the snow melts away very fast. They don't stay and harden like they do in Mongolia.
Here some kind people had left some umbrella-blades for people who are unarmed. I believe they're free to take.

That's it folks. (￣▽￣)ノ.

Trip to Tokyo Tower nightview

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:55:00 +0000

Went to see 東京タワー(tou-kyou-tawaー)Tokyo Tower in December last year. It was my first time even though I've been here for quite some time now (^_^;). Been wanting to go there but never had my chance until now. Didn't really stay for long though.

Some information about 東京タワー.
Basically Tokyo Tower is a 大きい(oo-kii)Big アンテナ(antena)Antenna. Constructed in 1958(pretty old) and standing 333 meters tall it is the 2nd tallest building in Japan. Tokyo Sky Tree is now the tallest building at 634 meters. It has 2 展望台(ten-bou-dai)Observation decks, and a lot of souvenir shops at the bottom and apparently a wax museum which I didn't see
More detailed information at wiki and Tokyo Towers official page they have a nice introduction video so check it out (beware of their mascot characters ヽ(ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ)

Located at Minato-ku in Tokyo

View Larger Map

Getting closer to the タワー. Has a very nice orange yellowish lighting.

Going through some dark alleys.

Imagine that being ゴジラ(gojira)Godzilla peeking. I'd make millions with this picture ψ(｀∇´)ψ

And finally smack dab right at the bottom. You know that feeling when something looks so small from afar and when you get close you get overwhelmed by the size.

View from the 1st 展望台 at 150 meters. I love views from high places. Look at the building at the bottom right area, it'll come again later on. Night shots are hard on the iPhone 4S camera app. Think I'll try out different camera apps later.

I didn't notice the reflections after I took this photo at the time (>_<) sorry.

Tokyo Sky Tower is in this photo. It's the pointy thing in the middle area. I got carried away seeing things myself and didn't take a lot of photos （ ; ; ）. I will come back and focus on taking photos for you guys next time.

In Japan they have shrines at 333 meters in the sky w(°ｏ°)w

From here on it's from the 2nd 展望台 at 250 meters it's the tallest point you can go. Buildings look much more smaller. 頂上(chyou-jyou)the Top or summit.

The colorful bridge you see afar is the Rainbow Bridge Tokyo. Will take a closer look at it someday

There's the building I mentioned earlier. Hope you get a better feeling of the different views.

The white line of lights you see in the middle is I think Illumination lights. This was before Christmas and New Years so Illuminations are everywhere.

Found the glass floor, but as you can see the lights ruined the experience. Felt like I was just standing on a plastic table with lights under it. o(>< )o

Here you can leave a bag with a camera on the street unattended （￣ー￣）.

That's it for the 東京タワー photos. Now just photos I took on the way

Big blue eye bulging on the wall of the 地下鉄(chi-ka-te-tsu)Subway with a shadowy figure in the middle. Creepy yet interesting. 気味の悪い(ki-mi-no-waru-i)Creepy.

Some of the subway lines under Tokyo have these guard walls to prevent people from falling on to the rails and becoming ..... (ノдヽ)

And that is it folks thanks for dropping by.

それじゃ(sorejya)See ya (￣▽￣)ノ

My New Year in Japan 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:39:00 +0000

Got this from this site here. They had some other great 2013 pictures

First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR!! to everyone. 14 days late but, better late than never right.
So it's already 2013 now the year of the Snake. 2012 is long gone with the end of the world with it ^.^
How was 2012 year of the Dragon for everyone. Was it great ＼（＾＾）／ or not so great (︶︹︺)

2012 for me was.... now that I look back was definitely a good year. I didn't accomplish any of my New Years Resolutions I set at the start of 2012. BUT I did made some important decisions and entered into University safely. And I believe that I made the right decisions -thanks to people dear to me- that will make my future better and brighter. I would personally call 2012 the year of Enlightenment.
2012 was a good year ^.^ could have been better but still a good year.

I think that New Years is a perfect time to reflect on oneself thoroughly. Just find the biggest blank piece of paper you can find and remember all the things that you did in 2012 and write them down or draw or whatever. How does it look?

Alright on we go. I spent New Years with my Host family. It was awesome.

This is a homemade dish with そば(soba)Buckwheat noodles. And on New Years Eve it would be called
年越しそば(toshi-ko-shi-soba)Year-crossing noodles. You have to eat 年越しそば on the night of December 31st and before January 1st or else it will lose it's meaning. The meaning(has many versions) of 年越しそば is, Life is long and slender like the soba. The dish itself can be anything, as long as it has soba in it.

Had some crab after eating 年越しそば. I don't think there's any special meaning to eating crab on New Years eve. I think it's more like a special occasion meal. 蟹(kani)Crab, you'll need armor-piercing teeth or scissors.

This is called　田作り(ta-zuku-ri) is a shortened version of 田を作る(ta-wo-tsuku-ru)Means to make rice fields. They're dried sardines cooked with sweetened soy sauce. In old times dried sardines were used to fertilize rice fields, thus it was named 田作り to make rice. Eating this will wish for good harvest in the upcoming year. It had a slightly sweet and fishy taste at the same time. Very crunchy they're kind of like a snack.

We went to our local shrine to do 鐘撞き(kane-tsu-ki)Bell striking, gong the big bell to welcome the coming year and say goodbye to the current. This is December 31st before midnight.

The name of our local Shrine. Let me guess, you just tried to read it from left to right o.O , you read it in reverse. I think it's read as 専念寺(sen-nen-ji) it might be wrong though. Most of the writing in Shrines and just old Japanese writing in general are read from right to left.

A very big area to pray. I think its the 拝殿(hai-den) of the shrine. Where you pray or make a wish

A small graveyard at the shrine. Very glad that there weren't any spooks around.

The early morning of January 1st. We went to a different shrine nearby to do 初詣(hatsu-moude) which is first trip of the year to a Shrine to pray and buy new protective charms. This is a small shrine so they didn't sell anything so we just made our prayers.

This is called 手水や(te-mizu-ya). Before you do your praying you have to purify your hands with the pure holy water here. Just scoop some holy water with the "tool" >.> . The water is freezing cold. Imagine pouring cold water on your hands in the cold. You'll have nice red hands ^^.

And this is the 拝殿(hai-den) where you throw in your offerings(coins) and make a wish like world domination.

The guardian lions of the Shrine. They be watching you. Do anything suspicious and they'll pounce you ^^.

This is were you burn your old charms of the previous year. Don't collect your old charms your supposed to give them back to the shrines or burn them here.

This my friends is おせち料理(osechi-ryou-ri) the Japanese New Years food that you eat on 元旦(gan-tan)First day of the year. They are works of art in their own sense. Made with extreme care. These are all homemade by our friend. They said that people who can actually make おせち料理 are decreasing because it's hard to make and you can just buy them in stores now.

All the dishes and ingredients of the おせち料理 has a meaning like good health or prosperity. But unfortunately I don't know them yet. But I found this Link. You can get a general understanding of おせち料理 here. I just love the eggrolls.

SNAAAAKE!. 2013

After gorging on おせち料理 we steadily wait for the first 日の出(hi-no-de)Sunrise of the Year. I tried to see the first 日の出 coming up straight from the horizon from a tower near home 2 times and failed thanks to clouds blocking the view ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ. This time we did a thorough scan of the weather and got clouds on our radar so we settled to watch it from home >.<.

And that is how I spent my New Year transition from 2012 to 2013.
Whether 2013 will be a great year or not is mostly dependent on us so lets do our best people.

Reviving my blog. I come back!

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 17:22:00 +0000

Commencing revival sequence....

Yo~~~ Everyone!.

Looked at my last post "Sakura Cherry blossom spring in Japan".... I haven't made a single post since April 10th ...｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･ . It's been 8 whole months. The Void ends now!! I'm reviving my blog!! ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

It's already 2013!! A lot of events have happened in the 8 month void. I need to do a lot of catching up. And also need to refresh my blogs looks and setup some other things. I'm also thinking of maybe moving my blog to Wordpress, it might be good for a new start, but not sure yet. Aah there's so much to share about. Can't wait to get active again. I hope there are still some readers left ^^;

My next post is going to be about the above picture. I'm guessing people can guess what it'll be about. So until the next post お楽しみ～(o-tano-shimi~)Look forward.

じゃね～(jyane~)See ya.

Sakura - Cherry Blossom Spring in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:53:00 +0000

It's already April now and 桜(sakura)Cherry blossom's are blooming all over Japan. 春(haru)Spring is finally here and Tis the start of a new elementary/middle/high school, university, work year. As all of you may already know a school year or work year in Japan starts from April (in Mongolia a school year starts in September).
花見(hanami)Flower Viewing is a traditional Japanese custom of enjoying and appreciating the beauty of flowers(mostly sakura's). It is done every spring when the Sakura's are in full bloom. 花見 can be considered a once in a year event because all the 桜 bloom at around the same period and last for about a week until falling.

It'd be a shame if I missed 花見 season, so when I got the chance I immediately dashed to 上野(ue-no)Ueno+公園(kou-en)Park=Ueno Park near Ueno station.
And as expected it was full of people.

After wandering around a few minutes I finally caught the scent of the 桜's and found them (this is actually my first time here). People eating lovely bento's all around.

And to the main stream surrounded by 桜's. These 桜's are called 染井吉野(some-i-yoshi-no)Somei-Yoshino and is the most popular type of 桜 tree.

You know it's kinda hard to take pictures in the middle of a moving crowd.

桜's with the sky as background. I'm really helpless without any zoom. Digital zoom is not even worth using. With this view this would be a very relaxing place for a nap(adding to my to-do list).

Was a very nice hot sunny day thank goodness for the shade. 晴れの日(ha-re-no-hi)Clear day(with no clouds).

Almost like a tunnel of 桜's.

Trying to use the sun to my advantage.

Found a hidden cameraman from NHK.

People were having picnics everywhere with their friends and family's. Since Hanami is at the same period of a new work or school year many company's do welcoming party's for their new employees and do Hanami events. Some of the areas seemed to be reserved. I think this was the best area. Ooo~h How I wanted to jump in and take a nap

Enjoy the 桜 view, and don't mind the alien aircraft in the background ^^

The road to Ueno 動物園(dou-butsu-en)Zoo. I will definitely check it out in the future. They have Panda-ren's there!.

The 桜's were in full bloom all around. 満開(man-kai)Full Bloom.

People taking snaps of the 桜. I thought there would be more people with big cameras. I think smartphone's are taking over.

Found this 桜 petal that had fallen on my wrist.

桜 trees are really pretty, but when you look at them in a large number they're even more prettier.

More people enjoying their picnic. I've noticed that almost everyone was drinking beer or wine even though its daytime but I think they enjoy 花見 better with some beer or sake. For me it would be soda or Ramune ^^.

桜 plus tiki totem. Interesting combination don't you think?

Tokyo Sky Tree in the distance.The new tallest tower of Japan opening in May 22 to the public. Automatically on my to-go lists.

Going down to a small lake I spotted. But first I have to pierce through that defense-line. I'll use the Going-Through-Yui tactic.

Success!

桜 trees on the other side too.

Ducks enjoying 花見 and the free food.

Very interesting tree. Reminded me of Pocahontas(disney).

That tree in a way goes well with the 桜 tree.

Finally found a tree that I could reach and get a close-up shot. Having said that it was still tall that I had to raise my arms straight up and take the shot almost blindly, I could barely see the screen.

Oops too close ^.^';

3 is the way to go!.

I noticed that 桜's are always in 5+ groups like this. This was at a perfect spot not too tall.

Interesting bus BUS!.

Finished a lap around Ueno Park and going back. This concludes our 花見 trip through Ueno Park.

See Ya.

A preview of the next post I'm going to make. Sakura Road near my school.

Back into action....Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:13:00 +0000

Crap I can't believe I haven't made a single post since March 15th. Im very sorry for my readers forgive me. But I have been putting some videos on my Youtube channel. If you haven't seen them then drop by. Also I have been occasionally tweeting. Uuuuaaah The last few months have been really tough. I'm going to start posting again very soon.

So till then じゃーねー(jyaーneー)

Mochi Tsuki - Japanese Rice Cake Making

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:28:00 +0000

Back in January we made and ate Mochi or Japanese Rice cake at our school. Was a fun event and perfect opportunity to show you guys how Mochi or rice cake is made.

With the 餅(mochi)=Rice Cake we made, we made these mochi balls with あんこ(anko)=Bean Paste inside and covered with 黄粉(kina-ko)=Soybean flour. This is a popular mochi snack in Japan called 蕨餅(warabi-mochi)=Bracken Mochi. Usually they're square shaped but round ones are easier to make ^^

Ok first let's have a look at our tools. This is our Main two-hand mace which we will use to make the 餅(mochi). It is called 杵(kine)=Pestle.
Specifications: Lvl-5; Damage points-25-30; Dps-5.8; Attack speed-2.7sec Weight~3kg

Would anyone be interested if I made a video of me hopping around and whacking stuff with this >.>

This is our Anti-Ballistic Mortar. It is called 臼(usu)=Mortar. We smash the 餅(mochi) in this. You have to moisten it with water first. This one is a wooden version, there are also big stone versions.

Mochi are not made by the same rice we cook everyday. They're made by a special more sticky rice which apparently can be cooked in a normal rice cooker and looks exactly like normal rice

Getting ready for some epic-mochi-pounding-action. This is the traditional way of Mochi making and is called 餅つき(mochi-tsuki)=Mochi-Pounding.

To explain it in a simple way to make 餅(mochi) or Rice Cake you would just mash it in to a pulp using the pestle and mortar. It's just like making mashed potatoes...only with rice and in a bigger scale.

You have to have strength and skill in maces to make Mochi. Also you need a partner.
To make Mochi:
First you gently mash all the cooked Rice by pressing down with your pestle. If you strike them without mashing the rice to a certain degree first there will be angry rice flying everywhere. So press and mash them first. After mashing all the rice to a whole pulp,this is were the fun part starts. You mash the pulp further this time by striking with full force. The pulp tends to stick to the mortar so after each swing your partner will have to dip their hand in water and quickly turn the pulp. Continue to do this seamlessly until your Rice becomes like mashed potatoes. Be careful not to whack your partner and give him a flat hand.
It's best to show you, so here is a video compilation of Mochi Tsuki Japanese Rice Cake making.

And that be it. Enjoy whacking.

THuNDeR CLaP

Japanese Festivals - Setsubun

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:21:00 +0000

Last Friday or February 3rd was 節分の日(setsu-bun no hi) in Japan. A traditional ceremony(not holiday) that happens right before 立春(rish-shyun)=First day of Spring which is February 4th. The kanji's 節分(setsu-bun) literally means "seasonal division", it is derived from "季節(ki-setsu)=Season を(wo) 分ける(wa-keru)=Split" which as a sentence literally means "Split the Season". 季節+分ける＝節分(setsu-bun) see? ^.^

You can technically say that 節分 is the Eve of Spring. A few activities or rituals are performed on this day one of them is 豆撒き(mame-ma-ki)=Bean throwing. It is said that on the day the season changes 邪気(jya-ki)=Evil arises and 鬼(oni)=Demons bring bad luck. But thanks to BEAN...'s yes, BEAN...'s the most powerful tool to exorcise evil spirits people could ward off bad luck and demons by throwing BEAN...'s at the 鬼. Nowadays people would wear 鬼 masks and become the 鬼 and other people would throw BEANS...'s at them. Beans are also thrown around the house if the person feels an evil presence. When throwing the BEAN...'s one would yell 鬼は外！福は内！which means Demons Out! Luck In! 福(fuku)=Luck, Fortune.
Here is a very funny and cute video of Mame maki I found on Youtube. I hope they don't mind me sharing it ^.^;

I did something similar back when I was an exchange student with my host family only there were no demons we only cleansed the house.
Another thing you do on 節分 is scoop beans from a bowl until you scoop the exact number of beans as your age and eat it. Brings good luck. But I think people aged 30+ just pick the beans instead of scooping.

Here is a good video of 節分 I found on Youtube >>portal<<
More about 節分 on wiki >>here<<

A certain someone costume playing as an 鬼. Soon to be bombarded by BEAN...'s

Out With 鬼! and In with Fortune!

A Famous Japanese Drink Ramune

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:49:00 +0000

I was just checking around the local stores nearby and found THIS!

It is called ラムネ(ra-mu-ne) and is famous for it's unique bottle design. First introduced in the 19th century and became a very popular drink nationwide in Japan. Due to its unique alien like bottle design it was particularly popular among young ones. It's popularity has decreased in modern times but it has become an iconic symbol of summer in Japan and is widely consumed during the warm days.
*Required level to drink 5+*

I took this on the iPhone 4S camera with HDR enabled. Turned out quite good If I do say so myself ^.^
You can find Ramune being sold in small local snack stores around Japan. The local store in which I bought mine was run by an old couple, was very friendly and the old man still had the salesman spirit telling me this and that is very tasty and good.

Inspection of the bottle. Not very visible but there is a glass ball inside plugging the bottle. Subdue it, and you may drink it.

The pink thing is the Ramune specialized bottle opener tool. Now all you have to do is give it a good iron palm strike to open it.

Here is How to open Ramune.
Ramune tastes pretty good. Kinda like Mitsuya Cider or you can say it tastes like carbonated lemonade. There seems to be Ramune with different flavors but I haven't seen any yet.

This alien like bottle design is what caught many curious eyes. Invented by Hiram-Codd and dubbed Codd-neck bottle. Wiki link > here <
I like the design too. The glass ball rattling inside and the feeling of wanting to take it out makes it fun in a way.

Those two dents that looks like eyes have a very important role. You need it to stop the glass ball from clogging up the bottle when you drink

Like this. You have to skillfully stop the glass ball on the dent to keep the drink flowing into your mouth. Drinking Ramune for the first time is like a mini puzzle game.

Yes! Thanks to high-tech modern screw cap technology you can take out the glass ball with ease! ^.^ . The first time I saw Ramune and the glass ball I thought of breaking the glass ^.^'' .

And here it is "The Glass Ball"...My precious......

Oh so bright and shiny... This is also taken with HDR enabled. Sun hidden behind glass ball

From the same position as the above picture letting the sun peak out just a little bit and focusing on the light made a big difference to the photo. Experimenting with photography is fun.
*Photography skills increased by 50pts*

Ramune also makes appearances in Anime's.

This is how I knew about Ramune in the first place hahaha.

*Puts glass ball inside mouth and disappears*

Student in Japan Vlog:1 Local street Bridge and a Phone booth

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:29:00 +0000

Alright From Yesterdays yesterdays yesterday I have decided to start video blogging or vlog for short. Don't worry I will not quit this blog.
When I take a video and want to upload it to Youtube I use up a lot of time trying to edit it and garnish it with some kind of background music. Because of this I end up shoving it down in my to-do list which is why I take a long time to update my Youtube channel. But no more!. From yesterdays yesterdays yesterday I will be uploading videos RAW no frying no burning and no garnishes. Of course from time to time I will add edited videos.

And so here is my first Vlog update with bridges, local streets and a phone booth.
Video taken by Iphone 4S=awesome.

Very easy potato salad recipe perfect for students

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

This time I'm going to roughly show you how to make Potato salad great for fellow students. When life gives you a lot of potatoes and carrots you should make this. It's very easy to make and you can make a batch of it and save to eat for later.

Here is what we're going to make. This batch I made lasted 4 days. I ate it daily little by little with lunch and dinner. Although this is a salad it has good amounts of protein thanks to the eggs, ham, and potatoes. It is recommended for people with a hefty appetite and little time.

Here are the Ingredients:
Potatoes- 5
Carrot- 1 big one
Eggs(boiled)- 4
Round onion- 1
Ham sausage or bologna sausage that you can dice- about half of the one shown above.
Mayonnaise- I have no Idea ~_~. Believe in your inner voice.

Some optional ingredients are canned green peas and pickles. I recommend adding pickles I didn't add this time because I couldn't find them ^.^;
The quantity of the ingredients are up to you depending on how much you want to make. But I think Potatoes-50% Carrots-25% Eggs-10% Ham-10% Onion-5% is best.

Before you start boil the eggs first, boil for about 12 minutes. After boiling them put into cold water and cool them.

First you slice & dice all the vegetables to1x1cm cubes. After that boil all the vegetables for about 30 minutes to cook them, stirring them time to time. You can add a pinch of salt, it gives them more flavor.

After cooling the eggs slice them in to small cubes. First slice the egg in half and then into small cubes. And slice them don't chop them.
Slice the onions and ham into small cubes too (forgot to take pic).

Put all the ingredients into a big bowl. This is where you add all the spice and sauces.

Add the mayonnaise and while your at it you might as well should draw a face ^w^ and take a picture. Note I added more mayonnaise after taking this picture. You can also add sugar to give it a sweet taste. After everything's in the bowl mix mix and mix GENTLY.

After mixing it should look something like this. And your done. This isn't a proper recipe but I hope you understood it all ^-^

This potato salad is very common in Mongolia and is called "Capital salad".

Also a great addition to your bento.

I love this salad! over.

A&W Root Beer

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Interesting find.

Was running around in a big store and found a very interesting and nostalgic drink. A&W Root Beer. A very strange drink that caught my eyes when I was 3 years younger. I always thought it was beer and never bothered with it until one day it somehow landed in my hands and I looked at the back of the can. No alcohol.

It was 130 Yen. And this is Original Made in USA with everything written in English. Caffeine free Low Sodium..etc
Tasted..... peculiarly strange.

The what's in this can contents label translation.

Day in Japan 19: Christmas card making event

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:51:00 +0000

With our teacher me and a few classmates went to a Christmas card making event for foreign students.

This is Parco a chain of department stores that is mostly found near stations all around Japan. There are a wide variety of retailer stores in Parco, mostly clothe retailers. I've never seen a Parco that had Imax before. Somewhere in this building there is an Imax cinema. And somewhere in this building we are going to make Christmas cards.

Immediately we went to the 9/8th floor. We arrived there a bit early so we had some time to peek around.

I was thirsty and asked our teacher if there's a vending machine nearby. He said there is a free all-you-can-drink place right around the corner. With delight I went there and this is what I get. I should have guessed it.

At least the vending machines were right beside the water fountain. I got meself drink #4.

The control panel of these vending machines were different from the normal ones. After inspecting it a bit I found out that it's for making the usage easy for disabled people. For example someone with a wheelchair who wants one of the drinks on top may not be able to reach the buttons, thus it has the buttons 1-10 on a lower level. Coin insertion has been made very easy too. Just drop you coins in the turquoise box. Pull down the yellowish lever and it will dispense your change. And I think if there is change left in the change box that you haven't taken then the green lamp will lit up to notify you.

The covers also open and close automatically.

Santa had sent his paper elf clone to help us. On the right he had written us our schedule for the day.

Our materials. Stickers, colored ropes, tape, colored paper, a white beard, markers, glue, polka-dots scissors...etc. This brings back some memories of my childhood. I loved to make stuff like this.

First time me seeing a blue glue. . . it rhymes!. In the background you are seeing an origami Santa. It was pre-made by one of the students.

Our little secret room on the 9/8th floor somewhere inside Parco. Besides us there were a lot of other foreign students. There were 5 Japanese high school students who were helping out. I forgot to take a photo of the cards we made >.< I was kinda happy with the card I made hehe.

Us all. There were students from Malaysia, Indonesia, Inner Mongolia, New Zealand, China, Iran, Japan, Thailand, and Mongolia. That's 8 countries for you.

After the event we waited for the Japanese students to clean up (we helped). We agreed have dinner together and to just chat. And while waiting I noticed these boards with information and pictures of Russia.

Found a Russian cookbook!. Mmm Кулебяка(kulebyaka) very nostalgic and tasty too. Used to eat Russian food sometimes back in Mongolia. Russian food is pretty common in Mongolia although lately Korean food has become very popular. Which reminds me through all my trips around Japan I haven't seen a single Russian restaurant or cafe here.

When I was small I always wanted to try ringing these bells. And when I spotted this I couldn't resist. I should have made a video....maybe next time. That is not me you are seeing in the bell >.>

And down the elevator we go, off to Saizeriya. They said it's an Italian family restaurant. Will be my first time going there.

Meat sauce Doria my order. Tasty and very hot at first I almost burned my tongue. These "Doria" dishes are very popular here. There are even bento versions of it. Find out more about Doria and it's history of arriving in Japan here

Rice dish with lots of Seafood. For some reason this reminded me of this scene from Mr.Bean. Start video from 1:17.

Black Spaghetti!! It's a Black Spaghetti!!. I asked how it tasted and he said it's very good. I'll have to try it later when I get the chance. Can you imagine what color his tongue turned after eating.

Overall I liked Saizeriya It's quite cheap and tastes pretty good. I'll have to make a post on it soon.

Japanese words of the day:

クリスマス(kurisumasu)=Christmas

自動販売機(ji-dou-han-bai-ki)=Vending machine

のり(nori)=Glue

青い(ao-i)=Blue

材料(zai-ryou)=Material

料理(ryou-ri)=Food

料理本(ryou-ri-hon)=Recipe book

ドリア(doria)=Doria

～階(~kai)= ~Floor. Ex:9/8th Floor

Piroshkii!!!

Mcdonalds Chicken Tatsuta Burger

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:31:00 +0000

On this times Mcdonalds new limited time burgers we have the Chicken Tatsuta Burger.

The box is very similar to the Big Mac box. The Chicken Tatsuta burger is apparently a returning favorite burger. So it's technically not new, but It was my first time eating it.

Check out the CM

And here it is the Chicken Tatsuta burger. Soy sauce and ginger coated chicken deepfried with thinly sliced cabbage and creamy tasty mayonnaise(i like). Plus the new 和風おろし(wa-fuu-oroshi) sauce. I don't know exactly how to translate it but I can explain it somehow.
和風 means Japanese-Style. So if I say "和風Toilet" it will mean "Japanese-Style Toilet". 和風+"any word"=Japanese-Style "any word". I hope you get it ^^ (I'm not sure if you can use it with any word though especially toilet.But if it's a noun then I think tis ok)
There is an explanation to the kanjis to but I'll explain it later when I get another chance.

The Oroshi(not orochi) sauce is a kind of paste sauce, made by grating radish.

Take a few bites and Enjoy. It tasted quite good. The chicken was delicious and the creamy mayonnaise sauce made it more tasty. The Wa-fuu-oroshi sauce like it's name really gave it a Japanese taste.
I wasn't really sure to put this. If you don't want to see bitten burger photos then tell me in the comments or if you want to see photos like this then tell me.

Daily Japanese words:
ハンバーガー(hanbaagaa)=Hamburger
和風(wa-fuu)=Japanese-Style
おろし(oroshi)=Grated radish sauce (not really sure about this one people. there are more meanings I think)
卸(oroshi)=Wholesale
マヨネーズ(mayoneezu)= Mayonnaise
チキン(chikin)=Chicken (katakana version)
鶏(niwatori)=Chicken (japanese version)

There's a new burger coming to near Mcdonalds very soon. So stay tuned folks especially burger fans.

Day in Japan 18: Koppe(roll) bread and lighting

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:32:00 +0000

This rounds post is technically not "a day", it's more like "days" ^.^' . Haven't been taking photos a lot lately Hmm I think I should change the series title.

Today's morning パン(pan) with peanut butter cream. . . I think ~_~ . It tasted like peanut butter.

The local street I pass by everyday this time from the other side. Straight up ahead is the station. A very sunny Sunday it may look warm but it's actually very chilly. The local shops are always closed on Sundays.

At the same position as the above photo. Leveling up my photography skills. Learned something interesting, focusing on darker areas makes the area with plenty of light too bright to see anything. Like in this photo, you can't see the clouds in the sky because of the bright light. But you can see well the store on the left part

Focusing on bright areas with plenty of light coming on the other hand makes all the other surrounding dark. Now you can see the clouds well, but you can't see the stores on the left. I'm guessing this has to do with Aperture. I need to study more ^.^"

My bento. Left over from the day before. I know, not visually appealing, but it tastes good so XP. Need to level up my bento making skills more.

This is the コッペパン(koppe-pan)=roll bread. It may look like a plain loaf of bread but you don't know whats inside. There's a whole series of these breads with different flavors.

This is the blueberry jam and margarine flavored version. As you can see it has plenty of blueberry jam and margarine which is what makes these so awesome!. And the fact that these cost only 98Yen doubles the awesomeness. There are 4 more other flavors as far as I know. I'll be sure to share them with you.

Restores 1856 Ep. Special effects: makes you want to eat one more.

Our local Department store is having a samX tneserP elaS. Tis the season to be jolly.

Dinner is Gyuudon with spring onion topping. I will make a "rough" recipe post for this soon. So stay (looney) tuned

Japanese words of the day(s):

ピーナッツバター(pi-nattsubata-)=Peanut butter

光(hikari)=Light

闇(yami)=Darkness

弁当(bentoo)=Japanese lunch

コッペ(koppe)=A roll (I think this word is mostly used with "pan" as a set.)

ブルーベリー(buru-beri-)=Blueberry

マーガリン(ma-garin)=Margarine

牛丼(gyuudon)=Gyuudon

"Runs to store for more koppe pan"

Day in Japan 17: Christmas nearing

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 09:26:00 +0000

It's already December!! Christmas is just down the street and 2012 is only a few blocks away. Oh boy, one of the downsides of living alone in a foreign country is that you can't really celebrate the holidays to the fullest. But of course if you have friends then it's a different story. It's very important to make friends!!

It's that season again where Christmas trees pop out everywhere. Last year there were Huge trees popping up in Mongolia see here

Christmas decorations at the station I pass by all the time. Lumine by the way is a very big department store here. And I've always spotted one near big busy stations.

キミのクリスマスはどんな?(kimi-no-kurisumasu-wa-donna?)=How is your Christmas?
My Christmas is. . . going to be pretty average. I think I'll buy me self a slice of cake ^_^

I think Santa picked the wrong time to visit. Everyone is wide awake.

The wishes of Zoe and Leo. And How is your Christmas? by the way

This is my usual morning breakfast. Miso soup, Natto with rice, and hand-made bread from my local bread shop. the brown Inarizushi is leftover from yesterdays dinner ^.^

Strawberry jam in the middle and custard in the inside. Love these. I always look forward to getting up in the morning because of these ^.^

In the morning, on my way to school. This is the station were I change trains to school. I forgot my umbrella this day.

The sun is M.I.A. Notice the black dots closer look on the next picture

That black thing that looks like a fly on the window is, I think someone skygliding as it was descending gradually.

My bento lunch. Dumplings and rice. You might think this is a sad and average bento, but you don't know what's under the rice. (Hmm I need to buy a new bento box).

From my window. Small but beautiful sunset. Now in Japan the sun is setting at around 5'o'clock it becomes completely dark at 6'o'clock.

Japanese words of the day:
クリスマス(kurisumasu)=Christmas
デコレーション(decore-shyon)=Decoration (katakana version)
飾り(kazari)=Decoration
パン(pan)=bread or pastry
行方不明(yuku-e-fu-mei)=Missing, M.I.A
餃子(gyou-za)=Dumplings
いなりずし(inarizushi)=Inari-sushi
苺(ichigo)=Strawberry Mmmm

Ba HumBug!! No no I'm Just kidding hehe
Scroooge!

Cheap, Healthy and Easy to make dish Mabo Tofu

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 04:01:00 +0000

I'm going to show you a cheap, delicious, and very easy to make dish. Perfect for students in Japan who have a big appetite. And of course if you can find the ingredients it's perfect for students anywhere in the world ^.^

Here is the freshly cooked dish. It's called マーボ豆腐(ma-bo-tou-fu) the Japanese version of Mapo doufu. The best thing about マーボ豆腐 is it uses a minimum amount of meat which is expensive in Japan (especially when comparing to Mongolia). And since it uses tofu it has good amounts of protein, perfect for growing students who live alone.

Ingredients :
50grams of minced beef or pork meat. I think chicken breast will also do nicely.
200grams of tofu
1/4 of an onion
1 garlic clove. *Optional
Oil
And the most important ingredient. . . Chemical X (see below)

The マーボ豆腐 sauce. It's a sauce in a box. This can be easily found in grocery stores in Japan. Notice the 2's in the bottom right corner. ２人前(futari-mae)=for 2 personsｘ２袋入り(ni-fukuro-iri)=2 bags inserted. meaning it has two pieces of for 2 person sauces. Price:186 Yen
Before you start cooking remember to set up your rice cooker

Ok, first let's neatly slice the tofu .

Slice the tofu into 1.5cm cubicles. You don't have to be precise so just dice them(unless your trying to impress someone).

Prepare! the onion. Cut them into small pieces like in the picture . (again i have no idea why this got in portrait)

Add oil by preference and heat on medium. Usually adding enough to cover the surface of the frying pan is good.

After heating it up add the minced meat. And fry them on medium heat until they're cooked, NOT burnt.
The white things you see in this picture is garlic and some onions that got mixed. Be careful frying garlic as they get burnt really fast.

This is the sauce inside the box. For 2 persons

After the meat is cooked stop the heat for a bit to add the tofu sauce. Also add around 30ml of water. I added more water to make the sauce more, careful though if you add too much water it'll lessen the taste of the sauce. Yeah, it doesn't look good in this state.

Cook on medium high until it starts to boil up, add tofu cubicles and fry on medium heat until the sauce gets a bit thicker. Stir gently while frying you don't want the tofu to turn in to a pulp.

And Finished. Now all you have to do is put it on top of your rice or where ever you want.
Before eating don't forget to say
いただきます(itadakimasu)=I'm going to eat (not sure exactly how to translate this)

and after eating ごちそうさまでした(gochisousamadeshita)=Thanks for the food (i think)

Japanese words of the day:
マーボ豆腐(ma-bo-tou-fu)=Mapo tofu
玉ねぎ(tama-negi)=Onion (the round ones)
油(abura)=Oil
ひき肉(hiki-niku)=Minced meat
にんにく(ninniku)=Garlic
フライパン(furaipan)=Fry pan

Kanade!!

Day in Japan 16: Soyjoy ?

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:46:00 +0000

This is the street that I walk by everyday to get to the station and back home (note:right now I'm facing away from the station). There are a lot of local stores around here like the bread shop, flower shop, karaoke barber, weapon shop etc. Local shops really give away a different feeling or atmosphere from big-shot-company-chain-shops(can't find a word for it). I don't really know what the time on the road means, but guessing from 7:30-8:30 going this direction is prohibited.

Been meaning to try this out ever since I saw it, very tempting. SoyJoy the healthy little soy snack bar with real fruit for the dieting sister or girl you know very well. There were a lot of different fruit flavors to choose from like plume, banana and strawberry. But I remembered my aunt saying that blueberry has lot's of healthy factors.

It had a fair amount of blueberries in it which I didn't expect ^.^ . Tasted very good, like a little dried blueberry pie. When your teeth randomly hits the blueberries it gives you a little joyful feeling(soyJoy?).
Restores 571 Ep(energy points), Additional effects: makes you feel full for about 1 and half hours.
Note: effects may vary

The station platform which I wait for my train home. I love the train tracks here that go all the way to out of sight. Can you see it?. 3 minutes after this photo and it became full of people.

At the more darker part of the station. Check out the filtered version here it looks better. It says 立入禁止(tachi-iri-kin-shi)=do not enter in the middle. Would you dare to enter and walk the path to darkness?

Dinner is Tonkatsu(pork cutlet) bento that has potato salad, weenier,noodles, and rice with dried plume and pink ginger topping. Bought from a supermarket, you can find lots of similar bentos in conbini too.

I love Japanese breads or pastry. Breads like this you can easily buy at conbini's or supermarkets.
This one's りんご(ringo)デ二ッシュ(denishyu) 110yen.

It actually has a decent amount of apples in it!. It's awesome. Great for filling that whee bit of space after a meal. Restores 1617 Ep

At night walking to the combini to buy some life support goods. This is my local street I have to give a tour someday.

Japanese words of the day:
地元(ji-moto)=Local
ダイエット(daietto)=Diet
エネルギーポイント(enerugii-pointo)=Energy point
立入禁止(tachi-iri-kin-shi)=Do not enter, Entry prohibited
駅(eki)=Train station
豚カツ(ton-katsu)=Pork cutlet
梅干(ume-boshi)=Pickled plume (tastes very sour)
紅しょうが(beni-shyouga)=Pickled ginger (pink for some reason)
りんごデニッシュ(ringo-denissyu)=Apple denish (I have no idea what denish means, maybe Danish?)
闇(yami)=Darkness

Drive.

Day in Japan 15: Pink Pepsi

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:00:00 +0000

Here's something you don't see everyday

As you may know Japan has a lot of strange and weird products like this Pink Pepsi here. After hearing that it was strawberry and milk flavored I had to try it out.

If i'm not mistaken this is the exact pink of pink panther.

When your buying a drink that says it has fruit in it search for these kanji 果汁(ka-jyuu)=fruitjuice. It's the concentration of fruit in it. On this occasion it is 無果汁(mu-ka-jyuu)=no fruitjuice meaning it's 0%. Hmm I guess strawberry flavor doesn't mean they'll actually put in real strawberries -_-

Notice the small dots in the middle. It's meant for easy peeling of the plastic label. Most bottled drinks have them although I did see some without them

After drinking your supposed to peel of the label and throw it away as plastic garbage. And then recycle the bottle.

Ok, As for the taste of Pink Pepsi, it had a slight strawberry lolipop-ish taste. I had no idea where the milk taste was. And it was highly carbonated. Not very good, would drink it once in a while though.

Japanese words or the day:
ペプシ(pepushi)=Pepsi
ピンク(pinku)=Pink
ミルク(miruku)=Milk (katakana version)
牛乳(gyuu-nyuu)=Milk
イチゴ(ichigo)=Strawberry
果汁(ka-jyuu)=Fruit juice level
ペットボトル(pettobotoru)=Plastic bottle (I don't know why the call it pet bottles)
再利用(sai-ri-you)=Recycle or reuse
リサイクル(risaikuru)=Recycle (katakana version)

Fizzy!

Day in Japan 14: Mcdonalds KBQ burger

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:50:00 +0000

Being a hamburger fan I had to check out the new KBQ burger at McDonalds. McDonalds in Japan sometimes comes up with these interesting burgers for a limited time. I always try them out, although I think I missed a few. Does Mcdonalds do this in your area too?

Let's have a look at the CM(commercial)

(gives you temporary taekwondo skills)

The actual burger. KBQ stands for Korean Barbie Q, but I guess everyone already knows that. They had two versions of the burger single patty and double patty. Double patty versions are always better!(especially in Japan!). It tasted pretty good with a Korean-ish sweet chili flavor, and a slight tangy garlic taste. The brown sauce on the top is the main one which gave the Korean taste. On the site it says it's "Bulgogi sauce" McD jp site.

Restores small amount of energy.

Japanese words of the Day:
マクドナルド(makudonarudo)=Mcdonalds
ケービキューバーガー(keebikyuu-baagaa)=KBQ burger
ソース(soosu)=Sauce
ダブル(daburu)=Double
おいしい(oishii)=Tasty, good taste.
コマーシャル(komaashyaru)= Commercial

EnD

Day in Japan 13: 2nd start

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 09:11:00 +0000

Going to continue my day in japan posts.

So first let's start with Lunch shall we. There's Chicken croquette, cabbage salad with mayonnaise, clam soup(i think) and rice. Oomori(大盛り) rice to be exact. This costed 350Yen, it's supposed to be 410Yen because of the Oomori rice but I had a coupon -60 yen.

Standing on the station platform waiting for my train. Was a nice warm day I was going out'n'about in my t-shirt. Walking around in t-shirts is unthinkable back in Mongolia.

Ok I have no Idea why this is coming up in portrait I changed it to landscape before uploading it. Anyway stopped by the store to buy dinner. This frozen pizza was on sale 250Yen so thought I try it out.

Basically it's just a round flat bread with cheese strips on top and pepper. No resemblance to a pizza

After heating up. Still no resemblance to a pizza. Note when heating: don't heat in a microwave the crusts turn to stone form. Well it said on the back to heat in an oven but... I got lazy ^^;. The taste was not bad kinda tasted like one of them naan breads with cheese.

And an uninvited guest appears. We, after saying "eeew" "aaah" "woof" gave him the boot, with a broom.

Japanese words of the day:
大盛(oo-mori)=Meaning large, but only used for foods as in small, medium and large. {One of my favorite words}
ご飯(go-han)=Cooked rice also means food.
米(kome)=Uncooked rice
晩ご飯(ban-go-han)=Evening food or dinner
ピザ(piza)=Pizza
ゴキブリ(gokiburi)=Cockroach XP

Ooverr

Alien Registration Certificate in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:52:00 +0000

When you enter Japan at the immigration they should give you this note. Don't throw it away(yet) keep it with you. On the backside everything is written in Japanese.

If your staying in Japan for more than 90 days whether your a tourist or a student like me then you have to go and register yourself for something called, be ready this one's a twister
外国人登録証明書(gai-koku-jin-tou-roku-shyou-mei-shyo)=Alien Registration Certificate within 90 days of arriving in Japan.

Basically it's a card verifying that you're a legitimate Alien and that you've registered your existence=sonzai(存在) in Japan. It is very important that you register and get this card. As you need this card for many things Ex: getting a cellphone, opening a bank account, getting a part-time job...etc most actions that need self identification.

To register you need to go to the 市役所(shi-yaku-shyo)=City hall of where your living of staying. In my case(a student) my school took me to the office and did all the talking, I only filled out the registration form(be sure to know the address of where your living). I think every school will take you to register. If they don't then don't worry it's fairly simple. And the people there are kind and will do whatever they can to make it easy for you. You just have to make the first move and ask "I want to register for Gaikokujin touroku shyoumeishyo"~ "外国人登録したいです"(gai-koku-jin-tou-roku-shitai-desu) And they should understand and take you from there.
If they don't then show them the note you got at the immigration check in(above picture) they'll have to understand this way.

Requirements are: Two 3x4 pictures, your passport, if your a student your school card(card verifying you are a student of "oo" school) your school should provide this.

After registration they should give you a paper like this showing when to pick up your card. It takes about two weeks or so. And be sure to go and get it on time or else you may have to do it all over again I think.
Also to note until you get your registration card take your passport with you when your strolling out'n'about.

And this is what it should look like. Be careful not to lose it and take it with you at all times. Cops may ask you to show it at any moment and if your caught without one then it's one night in "the room" for you(at least that's what I heard). Of course if you have your passport then all's well.

Found Wiki page for it -_-" well for more detailed info and other info jump here Wiki

Over

First weeks passed (TV food)

noreply@blogger.com (Munkhjapan) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:43:00 +0000

It's been more than a week since I arrived in Japan and all the paperwork stuff has mostly ended. By the end of next week I'll be settled in nice and snug. Will be sharing all things happening.

Until then how about we talk about some food, frozen food to be exact ^_^. Frozen food's an excellent fast source of energy for students like me. I find them relatively cheap, easy to make, tastes good and has portion.

Japanese frozen food's have a lot of variety there were tons in the store I forgot to take pictures(wonder if it's allowed). But don't worry I'll be eating lot's of frozen stuff from here on so I'll be sure to post them. Tonight on the menu is Ebi-Pirafu=Shrimp ... . I don't know what Pirafu means but this is basically fried rice.
Price: 263Yen (50% sale price) so original price is 526Yen

The backside has all the information you need to cook it. The instructions are pretty easy to understand even if your kanji knowledge is small like mine, but being young and starving helps a lot ~_~. Can you figure out how to cook this? I'll write the instructions on a later food post. ^_^

In to the bowl~y. Can you see the ancient frozen fossil's of aliens?

After close scientific tests and analyzing, it's thawing point is 500 watts
Taste: Very good.
Recharges you by 30%. If I ate the whole 500g bag then it would likely recharge 65%. The above pic is only 250g.

ITADAKIMA~~SU