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.

Umeboshi

Umeboshi is a preserved food. It is that a salted the fruits of Japanese apricot, Ume. We often eat Umeboshi. It is very healthy food and taste is super sour.
When we see Umeboshi and we just imagine the taste, our saliva exudes naturally in our mouth.The fruit is green and we call it Ao ume. After the flowers bloom, the fruits are gathered and we mainly make Umeboshi and Ume shu. After Ume is salted and stained by red labiates, Shiso, it is soaked in the sun and dried.
Ume shu is one of Japanese liquor. It is very sweet fruit liquor. There are two types for drink. One type is mixed with water and another one is Ume shu on the rock. I love Ume shu.
Umeboshi is traditional food. It was used as a fork medicine for a long time ago. It is included in disinfectant and antibacterial effect. When I have stomachache after eating something, I sometimes eat Umeboshi.
We often put Umeboshi in the middle of the white rice for the lunch box to not go bad soon. It is called “Hinomaru Bento”. Hinomaru is name of Japanese national flag. When we take the lid off, lunch box seems to be Japanese flag. The real reason to put Umeboshi in the rice is for antibacterial effect. Also we can use it in other food as special taste. The sourness of Umeboshi gets an accent of the taste. Japanese love Umeboshi and we will eat it forever.

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).

Kodomono-hi (Tangono-Sekku) - Children's Day

Today is Kodomono-hi and national holiday in Japan. Kodomono-hi is traditional event for children, especially boys.

As Hina-Matsuri (March 3) the parents celebrate growth of their sons. Kabuto (Japanese helmet) is decorated in the house. And Koi-Nobori are hung out. Koi-Nobori is like flag that is shaped a carp (Koi). When Koi-Nobori wave in the blue sky, They seem to swim up a river.
As traditional custom, the parents measure son's height each year marking on the pillar. They can check their growth by the mark. There is a children's song of this custom. However, I don't know if this custom continues.

Since I am a woman, I don' t have special memories. However, I eat Japanese special sweets "Kashiwa (Oak) mochi". Mochi (rice cake) with anko (azuki beans paste) is wrapped in Oak leaf.
I enjoy eating it every year.

I hope all children will grow up healthfully in future.

Culture of Other Countries

I have enjoyed two Italian cultures, painting and film, yesterday.

Especially Tokyo have a lot of art museums, concert halls, galleries, etc. Many festivals or special exhibitions for culture of other countries are held here. We can always enjoy these events.

The National Art Center was opened last year in Roppongi. This museum is designed by a Japanese famous and international architect, Kisho Kurokawa (He was died last year.). I went there to see the exhibition of Modigliani. The museum is so modern and space is so wide and the furniture of natural materials is used. I liked it. And the exhibition was so nice. A lot of people enjoyed this exhibition.

Post card of my favorite picture

I went to Italian Film Festival 2008 in the afternoon. We can 11 Italian films for 6 days in the festival. Some Film festivals like this are often held, too. We can see almost Hollywood films anytime. Also we can frequently see popular some films of other countries in movie theater nowadays. I saw a Italian film, "Centotiodi" that my friends recommended. It was so interesting and I thought it was philosophical film. And I could know the Italian people, life and culture. (Every audiences were given a packet of dry spaghetti of Barilla. What spaghetti will I cook ?)

Anyway, Japanese people can always enjoy different cultures.

Takenoko

Now Takenoko is in season. It is eaten in some Asian countries and so delicious. Boiled Takenoko is moderately tough to eat. Takenoko Gohan (Rice) makes me feel spring. Takenoko has strong and special scum (Aku). We have to eliminate the scum before eating. However, we can buy Takenoko without scum easily at supermarkets.
Bamboo (Take) is so familiar plant in our life for long time. Taketori Monogatari is the old story that was written in the beginning of 10 century.We have used Take as furniture materials, cups, toys, skewers, musical instrument, canteen etc.
Takesumi ( Take charcoal ) has various effects for purification of the air and water, elimination of humidity or deodorant. Takesumi emits minus ions.We can often see Bamboo forest (Chikurin). Since the roots is very strong that they can break through the asphalt of the streets near the forest. I like Bamboo forest in summer. Because it is so cool in Bamboo forest and atmosphere get quite. We feel relaxed.
Bamboo grass (Sasa) is a kind of Take and has very thin branches. Sasa leaves were used as wrapping tools for food at old time. And children made a boat of leaf and they float the boat on stream or river. Sasa is essential for Panda to live. (Only a panda in Japan, Ling Ling was died for senility the day before yesterday.) We use Sasa at Tanabata day , the Star Festival. (July 7)
Anyway, take is essential plant for our life.