GADLING TAKE 5: Week of 4-25-2008

by Catherine Bodry on

We celebrated Earth Day here at Gadling with a contest, an ode, and a ticket out of hell. Not bad.

Also this week:

That’s all! Have a fabulous weekend.

Big in Japan: 5 mistakes made by first-timers in Japan

by Matthew Firestone on

One of the main questions that ex-pats in Japan are often asked is simply this: “Why Japan?”

And, truth be told, most of us just shrug our shoulders and give some sort of trite answer like: “The food here sure is delicious!” Or, depending on the temperament of the audience: “The women here sure are beautiful!”

You get the picture….

As for me, I’ve always argued that the real appeal of Japan is simply that it’s an incredibly interesting country to explore. Even after living here for more than five years, and spending literally thousands of hours jumping over the linguistic hurdles of Japanese grammar, I still suffer from a fair bit of culture shock on a day-to-day basis.

You see, I guess that’s really the gist of why Japan is so appealing to foreigners like myself. No matter how hard you try to assimilate, there will always be more challenges to overcome, especially if you want to penetrate the heart of one the world’s most closed societies. Simply put, life in Japan is anything but boring.

Of course, there are dozens of cultural landmines that must be dodged on a daily basis here. And on that note, I present to you today five mistakes made by first-timers in Japan.

1) There is no word for no.

Japanese has something of a steep learning curve (to say the least!). Of course, one thing you’d better learn if you want to survive here is that there is no word for no. Yes can mean no, maybe most likely means no, but saying no directly pretty much informs those around you that you have about as much social grace as a bovine.

2) Be mindful of your footwear.

The Japanese don’t take kindly to foreigners who forget to take off their shoes when entering private spaces. Use the slippers – that’s why they’re there – though be mindful that no two pairs of slippers are created equal. After all, the Japanese especially don’t take kindly to foreigners who walk through the kitchen in toilet slippers.

3) Go easy on the ramen.

I love ramen. You probably love ramen. And yes, the ramen in Japan is damned near the food of the gods. But seriously, after eating the stuff three times a day for a week on end, your gastrointestinal system will start to hate you. Assuming you haven’t figured out what toilet slippers look like, this can quickly become a serious problem.

4) Learn how to use chopsticks.

At your local cheap Chinese restaurant in North America, there’s a good chance that a fork and knife are always on hand. However, this doesn’t mean that this convenient culinary option is readily available in Japan. Although you might not be the most dexterous diner in the restaurant, you’ll look like an overgrown child until you indulge in the fine art of Zen chopstick mastery.

5) Don’t date club girls.

If there is one bit of advice that I can impart to you now, it’s to never date club girls. Yes, women in Japan are beautiful, and yes, they do tend to be attracted to foreigners. However, keep in mind that just because they have a cute and smiling face, doesn’t mean that they’re all-together innocent. If a girl you meet in a club speaks fluent English, is decked out in designer labels, and keeps reaching for your wallet, steer clear! Chances are that she’s been around the block a few dozen times, which means you’re just moments from getting fleeced. Trust me – she’s not the one you want to bring home to meet mom!

As this list can go on and on and on, feel free to chime in with your own words of wisdom for new arrivals in Japan!

Bigger in Japan

by Aaron Hotfelder on

The Japanese diet has historically been one of the healthiest in the world, consisting mainly of rice, vegetables, and fish. But the increase in “Western”-style fast-food joints has forced many Japanese to loosen their belts several notches.

Statistics from Japan’s government show that, on average, Japanese males are ten percent heavier than they were only ten years ago, and the women are packing it on almost as much.

This news has driven the Japanese government to require employers to reduce the number of overweight employees by ten percent by 2012 and 25 percent by 2015. Men whose waistlines exceed 34 inches will be considered overweight, while the limit for women is a downright husky 35 inches.

More here.

“Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel: Asia potpourri

by Jamie Rhein on

Location: Tokyo and Kobe Japan; Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Penang, Malaysia. (This episode was a repeat of a previous season. I missed this one the first time, so I was happy to catch it.)

Episode Rating: 4 Sheep Testicles (out of 4) using Aaron’s system that certainly works well for this episode–if you trade sheep for pig.

Summary: After watching this episode, it might seem like there is nothing but bizarre food in Asia. I can attest that the eating is among the finest. I’ve been to all three countries and promise there’s food to suit most people’s palate. Being an adventurous eater helps. What Andrew Zimmern honed in on is foods that are thought to give power. Feeling a bit blah? There’s nothing like some frog meat.

In Japan, frog sashimi is a real health pick me up. Sashimi is usually raw seafood–unless it’s frog. Chase it down with some lizard sake and you’re good to go. The lizard was leaning out of the glass like a garnish one might see at a Halloween party. Even more macabre, but maybe that’s just me, is eating the frog’s beating heart. Zimmern proclaimed it “not bad…not a lot of flavor.” To eat a beating heart, I’d need a bit more than “not bad.” See the YouTube video for the full effect.

Suppon, a soft-shelled turtle has been eaten in Japan for 450 years. In Japan, turtle is mega power food. It gives men extra get up and go, if you know what I mean. For women, it’s supposed to do wonders for the skin. The soup version looked tasty, if one ignored the detail of Zimmern gnawing on the turtle leg. Watching the turtle bleed beforehand, though, was a big ick. Zimmern downed some turtle blood mixed with rice wine before he dug into the soup. I’d like my rice wine plain, thank you.

Another bizarre dish Zimmern tackled was fugu, poisonous blowfish. I’d pass on it. First of all, 100 people a year die from eating fugu when it’s not prepared correctly. Secondly, even when it’s prepared correctly, there’s enough poison in it to make your mouth numb. See Matthew’s post that gives more specifics.

The detail about Kobe beef was interesting–those are some happy cows, and I got a kick out of the yakitori contest when Zimmern and a Japanese pal had dueling moments of eating chicken part skewers. Evidently, not all chicken parts are tasty. “I’d rather be tied naked to an ant hill than eat the rest of this,” Zimmern declared.

Once Zimmern left Japan for Thailand, it was market browsing past ant larvae, grubs, beetles, grilled frog on a stick and a host of other taste treats. I have eaten bird’s nest soup, however, and thought it not bad–for swallow nests. Zimmern went shopping and pointed out that swallows’ nests cost up to $1,000 for a package of 12 of the finest.

Outside Chiang Mai, Zimmern ate street food which were hits and misses. One miss was some sort of red sausage that was a mix of pork and organ meats. A real gag with that one. He also downed spirulina, a drink made from live algae that’s supposedly one of the healthiest foods. It’s gotta be good for you. It’s green. Plus, he said it smelled like the bottom of an aquarium. You can get it in pill form if you want.

Although visiting a hill tribe in Thailand is a wonderful experience, the bat eating is something I’d do without. Those fruit bats, when stir fried, look like fruit bats stir fried–perfect for that Halloween party with the lizard sake chaser.

When Zimmern hit Penang, an island of Malaysia, I had flashbacks to some awesome meals. Sambal, the sauce made from shrimp paste is good–I wouldn’t eat buckets of it, but it’s good. Zimmern ate the fiery version and in between fanning his hands in front of his face, asked, “Is their steam coming out of my ears?” Penang is also a wonderful place to spend time. One thing I appreciated about this segment was the inclusion of Indian food. Indian food in Malaysia (and Singapore) is superb. I ate Indian food in Georgetown myself.

The food that Zimmern spit out was durian, the smelliest fruit on earth. It’s so smelly it’s not allowed on public transportation in Malaysia or Singapore.

Although this episode was a repeat, it was a good one for a trip around high points of places I’ve been. Next week, Zimmern’s back with a new episode. Stay tuned for India.

For Gadling recaps of this season:

Big in Japan: Cherry blossoms in outer space?!?!

by Matthew Firestone on

The cherry blossoms (sakura; ??????, ??) have come and gone here in Tokyo, which means that spring fever is now in full effect. Of course, if you missed your chance to pen haikus about Japan’s most famous flower, fear not as cherry trees may soon be blooming in the final frontier, namely outer space!

While modern Japan is seemingly unconnected to the whims and nuances of the natural world, the Japanese still retain a tremendous amount of love and respect for the humble cherry blossom. So, what better way to inject a boost of patriotism into the country’s declining space program then by sending Japan’s most enduring symbol to the farthest reaches of mankind!

According to a recent announcement by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the organization is sending seeds to its laboratory at the International Space Station, which is currently in orbit above the Earth.

The official aim of this experiment is to observe how the seeds are affected by microgravity, though a few papers in Japan have already hinted at the future possibility of space tourism. Indeed, who could think of a better hanami (?????) or cherry blossom-viewing party than one that takes place in zero gravity!

According to officials at JAXA, this summer school children will pick about 200 fallen cherry tree seeds, including ones from three so-called “ancient trees,” which have been designated by the Japanese government as national treasures, and are regarded as producing some of the country’s most beautiful blooms.

One of the ancient trees is a Takizakura (滝桜) or “cascade cherry blossom”, which blooms annually for three weeks in the tiny rural town of Miharu, and attracts heaving crowds that number several hundreds of thousands.

If all goes according to the plan, the cherry tree seeds will be sent into orbit at a highly-publicized launch later this year. According to Ms.Yuko Otake, a spokeswoman for JAXA, “Scientific observation is one reason [for the launch]. But we also want the seeds to travel in space on our behalf as few ordinary people can go now.”

In Miharu, a small town that rarely sees much fuss and commotion outside of the cherry blossom season, there is already an incredible amount of anticipation regarding the event. According to town official Sadafumi Hirata: “We are very proud that our tree was selected among many cherry blossoms that represent Japan.” Even more excitement came from the lucky kids who will get to pick the seeds this summer for lift off in October.

Again, if all goes according to plan, the seeds will remain in outer space for six months, and then will be brought back to earth for planting. So, with a little luck, Japan may soon have its first extraterrestrial cherry tree in the years to come!

** All photos were taken by yours truly at Tokyo’s famous Shinjuku-gyoen **