ゆるキャラ Yuru kyara

 There are a lot of cute anime character or mascot of products or baseball team. I recently like ゆるキャラ "yuru chara".  Yuru chara is abbreviation of Yurui Character and new Japanese word.

A adjective  original "Yurui" ゆるい means loose, gradual, slow, or easygoing. This meaning of "Yurui" for "yuru chara" is strange, unique and crude, but cute and funny. (It is very difficult to explain in English! )
Yuru chara is mainly a mascot to introduce the prefecture, city, place or event.
For example, "Hyikonyan" ひこにゃん is a mascot of Hikoneshi 彦根市 in Shiga prefecture. Sento-kun せんとくん is a mascot of ancient city, Nara prefecture. I didn't know how many kinds of Yuru chara, however, so many mascots in Japan. 

My favorite mascots are Oshinari-kun おしなりくん and Tomapi トマピー. And I found a funny mascot, nashite-kun ナシテ君. It is a mascot of a local TV station in Niigata prefecture. You might find your favorite mascot in site of yuru chara. ↓  

Yuru chara grand prix in 2011 site  　      

Heattech and Haramaki

I can endure the coldness by grace of two underwear this year. One is new material, heattech. Heattech is developed by UNIQLO, one of clothing makers. Clothing of heattech is very warm. It was sold few years ago and underwear or clothing of heattech became a big seller in Japan. I bought some heattech items this year.
In case of my room, it is very cold in winter. Especially the room isn't heated at night when I sleep. So the coldness is out of ordinary. However, when I wear heattech underwear, I can sleep well.

Another useful item is Haramaki 腹巻き. It is traditional thermal underwear and it has been used for men, especially for middle age or old men. It has not been cool  for a long time. However, young women use now as one of thermal underwear. It is colorful and fashionable. Normal haramaki is made of wool. However, since close of haramaki is innovated, we can wear it under clothing. When I go out wearing it in cold day, it is very warm. Of course, there is heattech haramaki and it is so useful.

New technology and traditional underwear is essential for me in this winter.             

LOFT and Tokyu Hands

LOFT and Tokyu Hands are two big shops in Tokyo and they are my favorite places. They have a lot of items that are necessary for my life. Furniture, items for interior, stationery, accessories and so on. I can stay in the shop for one hour.

I especially like stationery and sometimes go to see stationery there. Japanese stationery are always innovated, useful and unique. Also design is not only compact but stylish. I like to find new stationery that have been innovated.
Many types are made as one item. For example, when I want a black ball point pen. I can choose my favorite one in four or five types. Each function, design, or selling point is slightly different from other products. The types of each stationery are diverse.

Today I found a new type of stapler , "Harinacks" and ball point pen in LOFT. The stapler can be stapled without staple. And we can erase letters that are written by the ball point pen.

When you visit Tokyo, I recommend you go to LOFT or Tokyu Hands. You can find your favorite items.

Loft ロフト and Tokyu Hands 東急ハンズ

Kokuyo コクヨ is one of my favorite Japanese company.

Imabari Towel - Japan Brand

I love towel. I have a lot of my favorite towels. It has been hot in this summer. A small towel is essential for me in these day. I always bring small one when I go out to wipe my swear off.
There are towels that I love or not. Texture of towel is very important. I always use towel of my favorite texture.

I recently bought Imabari Towel. I have heard it is very soft and high quality towel. Imabari is one of city at Ehime prefecture in Shikoku and famous for place that manufacture towels. Imabari towels is that made in Imabari and a towel brand. I have wanted it. The texture is excellent!

I think that Japanese products or tools are so excellent and functional. We can be proud of craftsmanship.
I knew "Japan brand" project. Imabari towel is one of this project. There are many regional special products in Japan. The concept of this project is so nice that people who are interested in Japan or Japanese culture. This site is very interesting.

招き猫 (Maneki Neko)

Which do you like, dogs or cats ? We often ask someone a question about pets. I like dog better than cats. There are a lot of people that have pets and dogs and cats is so common for pets.

(I have no pets.)

Now cats (Neko 猫) is very popular. I heard a news in TV that some photo books about cats are sold well. I like kitten, however, I am a little bit scary about big cats.

Maneki neko　招き猫 is very cute and I like it. It is a traditional ornament for bringing customers in business or 商売繁盛 Shoubai Hanjou (this is a slogan that we use when we hope that business prospers)

We sometimes see it in shops or restaurants in Japan. Maneki (verb, Maneku 招く) means beckon. This is a cat for bring good luck.

Animals or pet sometimes heal in our life. Maneki neko isn't real animal. However, the look is so cute, it might bring fortune to us.

MUJI 無印良品

MUJI is a name of Japanese brand. I like its goods. Design is so simple and not expensive. We can buy various necessity for our life. Stationary, furniture, foods, or dresses etc. I like MUJI shops. There are a lot of shops in Tokyo.

There is a cafe in some MUJI shops and I sometimes go for a lunch at Meal MUJI in Yurakucho (有楽町). Meal MUJI is a cafe and I like this place and atmosphere in the cafe. There are some types of plate lunch and breads. I have favorite lunch there. A lot of plate seeing foods are displayed in the showcase. I can choose three type of a few portions of plates. Every foods seem to be so delicious. The cost of this lunch with a cup of drink is about 1,000 yen. Since it is spacious cafe, women who have their babies can eat close to baby buggy.

I like to see various MUJI goods there after lunch. I sometimes buy some attractive goods. It is one of my pleasures. New Meal MUJI is recently opened in Shinjuku (新宿).

There are shops in some countries. If you go there in your country, you might find your favorite goods. 　

Yukata

There are a lot of festivals in July and August around our city and town. Bon-Odori, firework (Hanabi) , Ennichi at shrine...
Yukata is a kind of kimono for summer season. Women wear it in these festival. Yukata is popular among young girls now. A lot of Yukata is sold in department store. As other use, it is used as nightwear at Japanese inn.
Now there are a lot of variation for design of texture, simple or modern design. Also we can enjoy color variation for Yukata and Obi. (Obi is used as a belt.)
When women who have long hair wear Kimono, they do up their hair. The posture is very cute and elegant with Yukata.

Please enjoy color variation for Yukata. (This is Uniqlo's web site for Yukata. Sorry for no English explanation.)

http://store.uniqlo.com/jp/store/feature/yukata/

UNIQLO

UNIQLO is Japanese casual wear brand and chain store. This brand becomes popular for about a decade in Japan.
It’s like GAP, American brand. The goods are very reasonable and cheaper than usual casual brands. Seasonable special sales or campaign are constantly held. Design of shirts, pants, jeans are very simple and each shirt has a lot of color variations. It is convenience for us to buy favorite ones without constraint. Reasonable price and simple design are good points for the shops. Since we wear away these shirts by frequent washing soon, we can renew them easily.
Sophisticated advertisement is remarkable. Famous Japanese actors or models are used in the advertisement. The shops are always crammed with the customers. I have a lot of shirts.
UNIQLO shops are opened in USA, some Asian and European cities. Does people in these cities like this Japanese brand ?

Rescue Robots

Now two disasters occurred in Asia. They are cyclone in Myanmar and big earthquake in China. We feel as if these disasters are our own affair. Both situations are so terrible.
Japan suffers some disasters all the year. They are some typhoons before summer and frequent earthquakes. Many structures, houses, buildings, or subways in our cities are constructed in order to prevent these buildings from collapsing. We can’t have still disappeared the damages of disasters in spite of our advance provision for disasters.
After big earthquake of Hanshin and Awaji in 1995 (About six thousand four hundred people are died), we have researched activity for rescue and prepared various systems or supply. For example, rescue dogs, telephone services or the routes of relief.
Some rescue robots are developed in Japan recently. These robots have the newest technology and they are very useful for finding the people under the debris. I found the web site for the robots. The Japan Journal
Japanese government offered the support for China. Chinese government accepted it. I don't know these robots are used this time. However, I hope Japan helps the victims and contribute to the world.

Furoshiki - Eco Bag

We have to think about reducing garbage and wastes for the universe. Eco bag is recently more popular in Japan. When we go shopping, we are given vinyl bag for putting things in after buying. Japanese consume a lot of these bags and it is a problem for environment. We buy and use Eco bags to reduce them and this action is thought as the sign of thinking of earth. When we go to supermarket or convenience store, we say "No vinyl bags" to clerk at the register. (However, I often think it is a trend. Because some people buy expensive these bags of brands and are satisfied. I doubt they are really thinking of environment.)

Anyway, it is important to do something for environment conservation. But there was a traditional custom in Japan. It is Furoshiki. Furoshiki is a square cloth and we used it as the material of wrapping. A Furoshiki has a lot of various ways to use. I bought a book of Furoshiki and large Furoshiki. It is very light and simple. Very convenient ! Only a cloth ! This is global Eco system. I found the website in English. http://furoshiki.com/home.php You can try Furoshiki Bag.

This is my Furoshiki. The design is Hyotan (Gourd).

Pocky and Kappaebisen

Many snacks and chocolate are sold in Japan. Pocky and Kappaebisen are the snacks name and they are very good seller about for 40 years.
Pocky is chocolate snake that is made by Japanese maker, Glico and Kappaebisen is fried snakes like potato chips that is made by Calbee (They are very big company.) Pocky and Kappaebisen are standard snacks in Japan and almost know them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocky http://www.calbee.co.jp/english/product.php
When I was child, these products were popular and two are very popular now, too.

Standard Pocky

Special version Pocky (Coconut and Brazilian Pydding) in season

Pocky has a lot of variations. Various special versions by each season or projects have been released.

I sometimes buy special versions and enjoy various tastes.

Standard Kappaebisen

Kappaebisen has a theme song and it has been standard. Almost Japanese have heard this melody in TV commercial. The phrase is “Yamerarenai Tomaranai, Kappaebisen” This means that we can’t stop eating Kappaebisen. Actually I can't stop eating it after I put a piece of Kappaebisen into my mouth once.
http://www.calbee.co.jp/kappaebisen/
If you open this site, you can hear this melody without Japanese phrase.

Do you have these long selling snacks in your country ?

Mama Chari (Utility Cycling) - Bicycle for mother

Japanese have one or two bicycles in a family. Depending of the family, each members have own bicycle.
We often use it for commuting from house to station or shopping. There are some parking lots for bicycle near each stations or shopping centers. A plenty of bicycles are always there. These parking lots are not enough to park all of bicycles. Since many bicycles that we can’t park are parked on the sidewalk, pedestrians can’t walk normally. And there is no space for wheelchair because of these bicycle.The holders throw away illegally or leave their bicycles for a long time. It is sometimes a social problem in Japan.
Especially Japanese mothers usually ride on the bicycle for taking a child to and from kindergarten and going to buy some foods for dinner. Therefore, we named the bicycle as “Mama chari” in Japanese. Almost of Japanese including men use bicycles of Mama chari type.This is not for road racing.
Basic Mama chari is provided a basket in front of the bicycle for putting in shopping bags. We can add the optional components depending on the purpose. Another basket on the back for putting in shopping bags. A chair with handles for small child on the back. When the child rides on, he or she must put a helmet on. And in case of two children, another small chair can be provided in front of mother. (Now bicycle driver can't ride on with more than two people.)
These optional goods are very helpful for the mothers. Sometimes they ride on it at rainy day wearing raincoat with hood for their children. They ride on Mama chari almost everyday, windy days or rainy days. Japanese mothers have a lot of vitality. Today they are riding on Mama chari with a lot of shopping bags and their child. And Mama chari is necessary for Japanese life.

This site is catalog of Bridgestone, one of Japanese wheel maker.
http://www.bscycle.co.jp/root/catalog/city.html

Curry Rice - Japanese Original Curry

What is most popular menu in Japan ? I think it is curry and rice. Adults and children love it so much. If Indians eat Japanese original curry, they will say it is not real curry. Certainly we can eat curry in Indian restaurant in Japan. However, it is different with curry that is made in our house. Real Indian curry is smoother and they eat it with Indian food, "Naan" like a baked pie sheet. The taste is spicier than Japanese curry. I love Indian curry, too.

We, Japanese eat with rice. Japanese curry sauce is more thickened and is put on rice. And Japanese pickles, "Rakkyo" or "Fukujin zuke" is essential item. And we distinguish the taste, sweet (Amakuchi), middle of hot (Chu kara), and very hot (karakuchi).

It is easy to cook it in our house. We can buy the solid cubic curry sauce in shopping store. We fry and boil a lot of vegetables. Main vegetables are carrot, potato and onion. Almost Japanese people put in meats or marine products in the curry. After all ingredients are boiled , we just put some solid cubic curry sauce into the pot. After waiting for 30 - 60 minutes sometimes stirring the curry sauce. It is ready to eat .

Curry Rice is so convenient and helpful menu for mothers. We can cook big volume of curry and eat for a few days. Curry rice is best food for family.

Moreover, there is more convenient way to eat it. It is an instant food like dry noodles. Curry sauce for one person is put in a tinfoil bag. It is OK to put the bag in hot water for 5 minutes. We are only ready for one cup of the rice and can eat delicious curry anytime. (The attached picture is instant curry of Nakamura-ya, that is long-standing and famous curry restaurant in Shinjuku.) But homemade curry is best.

I recommend you try to eat Japanese curry one time. You will definitely like it.

Mac

Why is this title “Mac”? You might think Mac is not Japanese company. Yes, It is American computer company as you know. Recently Japanese young people have i-pod series. I see a lot of people who are listning to the music by I- pod in town. I have I-pod Nano, too.
The style of these products is just Japanese taste. Japanese makers, SONY, CANNON, SHARP etc. have manufactured a lot of merchantable products until now. The features are very small size, light, simple design, high quality and technology. These concepts of Japanese makers were reasons to fascinate customers and make a hit with other countries people. Electric industry is one of symbol of our technology. However, I-Pod series are popular among Japanese people so far. And they will be a kind of threat for Japanese electric company.
Now I have an interested TV commercial and frequently see it in TV. This is updated Mac’s note PC, Macbook Air. The thickness is very thin. I thought it was SONY’s commercial at first. Also I thought instinctively Japanese people liked this PC.
I recently went to Apple Store in Ginza, a town in Tokyo. A lot of people were there as my expected and tried to touch keyboards. This Macbook Air will be popular in Japan in near future.
But, Japanese makers can’t accept the situation with their arms folded. They will innovate and generate new products considering Japanese nationality. I hope…..

Chocolate Battle

Plenty of ladies are flooded in chocolate shops around St. Valentine day ( I think that this is conspiracy of Japanese chocolate makers.)
The day is that women give chocolate box to boyfriend to confess their love in Japan. However, custom of St. Valentine day was changing some decades ago.
Working women gave some co-workers in their belonged section. Of course, they had no affection for co-workers. It is like an appreciated feeling for them. We call the chocolate “Giri - Choco”. “Giri”(義理） in Japanese means duty or obligation. Women have bought a lot of cheap chocolates for them.
Now the trend is changing again. A lot of women buy for themselves. However, the custom for giving to boyfriends is unchangeable anytime. Many special chocolate shops, not only Japanese makers but French, Italy, or Belgian famous makers and shops of famous chocolatairs are opened around only St. Valentain day. Many girls and women crowd in front of chowcases. Especially famous chocolates are so expensive. It isn’t price for a piece of chocolate. But it is true that there are a lot of kinds of delicious and high quality chocolates that we can’t buy as usual. (I love chocolates !)
So the shops frame a plan to attract women. They will buy sweet chocolates thinking someone this week. ( It might be themselves.) This is as if chocolate battle.

Nissan Gallery

I went to Nissan Gallery at Ginza. I saw this car and I liked it.

It was exhibited in Tokyo Motor Show 2007. I took some photos. This car is PIVO2.

I found web site of it. The movies is very cute.

http://www2.nissan.co.jp/MS/TOKYO2007/J/index.html

Click the second (コンセプトカー) from left and choose PIVO2.

Kotatsu

Kotatsu is a Japanese traditional electrical appliance for winter. I love it.
Kotatsu can’t heat whole room. It is a table and covered with large quilt or thin blanket. It is installed an electric heater under the table. We sit on the floor and put in our legs. Inside of Kotatsu is warm and very comfortable. In old Japanese style house, another Kotatu is used. This is “Hori-Gotatsu”. The floor under the table is dug and we can sit like on a chair.
It is useful for Japanese as a heater, because Japanese house is tiny and Japanese is small compared to Western people. I think Kotatsu is symbol for family ties. Family gathers around Kotatsu in order to talk about their daily life. And they eat Japanese small orange “Mican” or watch TV. Since each one is very close, we feel affinity and can take good communication with each member.

Yutampo

Yutampo is very useful and good tool for environment issue.It is foot warmer that is made by tin or plastic, when we sleep in cold winter.

The shape is ellipse.We put hot water in the Yutampo. After that it is put in cloths bag. Since we put Yutampo under the blanket before bedtime, the mat of bed (Futon) becomes warm.We can feel comfortable warmth and sleep well until morning.

Yutampo don't consume electricity. Therefore it is very convenient and effective for environment issue.I have used electrical blanket . However, it is unhealthy because our body becomes dry.Although Yutampo is old and simple tool, Yutampo is marvellous for our body and the earth.

Now many Yutampos are sold well this year. Especially it is popular for women and comes into fashion.I have used it for about 20 years. I can sleep well during winter for Yutampo.

I'd like to introduce Yutampo for everybody in the world.

Washlet

Main concept for some electrical appliances or commercial products in Japan is comfort and convenience. Dexterity and idea by Japanese engineers or craftsmen make new products.
Washlet will be just original products in Japan.Washlet is toilet seat and being popularized to public places and our each homes.
Seat is warm and instrument has nozzle for wash after defecating. Warm water is spouted from the nozzle. You might feel strange, but we are getting comfortable. At first foreign countries people is suppressed at this. However, they will say that Washlet is amazing and curious seat. I was unpleasant a little at first time. But now I am unpleasant for normal seat.Warm seat is very comfortable, especially in winter season. I recommend you use Washlet in Japan.

http://www.washlet.com/