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20
May 11

Nanpa: A Special Kind of Flirting in Japan

Last week we discussed goukon, group dating, in Japan. To continue in the same vein, this week we’ll discuss “nanpa,” sometimes called “nampa.” Nanpa roughly translates to “soft school” but more accurately means “talking to girls.” That “soft school” meaning is a comparison to men who pursue the traditional “hard” studies of academics and sports as opposed to men who’d rather study the art of wooing women.

Nanpa refers to young Japanese men in their teens, twenties, and sometimes thirties who hit on young women in public, usually on the streets where a lot of pedestrians walk. The men tend to dress sleekly in what’s perhaps known as a “metrosexual” look in the West (but this look is far more common and accepted in Japan). The young men who nanpa usually take the “art form” seriously and may shadow a more experienced young man for a time, read up on nanpa techniques, and spend time preparing before he starts hitting on women.

Many women are turned off by nanpa but still others will gladly take a guy up on his offer for coffee, karaoke, or tea. Young women visiting the country should be aware, though, that if ever asked to join a fancily-dressed man on the street for tea, he’s asking you out on a date. Some men may even expect a one-night stand if the date goes well–but that’s not to say that they all do. And, while some nanpa men are enjoying their youth and playing around, still others are looking for “the one,” so a date that goes well may lead to future dates.

In a country in which seriousness is valued and individuality isn’t as important as it may be in the West, nanpa is the art of those “bad boy” rebels, which some women find appealing.

The female equivalent of nanpa–in which women try to pick up men–is gyakunan, although this is far less common in Japan, especially outside of bars and singles clubs. Nevertheless, some men in Japan may find themselves pursued on the streets by go-getter women as well.

Do nanpa and gyakunan sound appealing to you? Why or why not? Would you rather hit on others or be hit on?

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13
May 11

Goukon: Japanese Group Dating

In Japan, a country in which professional matchmaking (called “omiai“) is still a viable method of meeting your fiance(e) (although a much less often used method than in the past), goukon is a popular method of meeting potential boyfriends or girlfriends. Goukon, which roughly translates to “get together party,” is like a group blind date. A single man and a single woman–friends or potential dating partners themselves–will arrange a meeting between a handful of single friends of their gender. (The goukon organizers are of course along for the ride, looking for a match themselves.)

The average group for a goukon may include between four or five people of each gender, although you can find goukon with fewer or more people. However, a total of eight to ten people is big enough to lessen the embarrassment and awkwardness of meeting new people but also small enough to allow these people to get to know one another.

A goukon usually takes place at a public, noisy place like an izakaya (a sort of bar), a location that’s welcoming for conversation over a few drinks. No one is particularly paired with anyone else although there should be an equal number of men and women so no one’s left out. The group is often seated with a man between every woman (placed randomly) so that everyone can get to know potential partners. After a self-introduction to the entire group, the individuals may focus more on getting to know the people next to them.

The groups of men and women may take frequent breaks to pull each other aside and discuss whom they find the most attractive and personable; they may also text each other during the meeting to share their thoughts without the others knowing. The people in the goukan can ask for phone numbers or e-mail addresses of the people who sparked their interest (if polite, they may want to mask which man or woman they’re particularly interested in and ask for everyone’s phone number and e-mail) and may get to know each other better later. They can also ask each other to help arrange a new goukan with some new people swapped into the group.

Have you ever been on a group date? Would you prefer a group date to a blind date where it’s just one-on-one? Why or why not?

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6
May 11

Yakitori: Skewered Meat

During the Edo era, which lasted from 1604 to 1868, yakitori became a delicacy made with the meat of pricey wild birds, like quails, ducks, and pigeons. Over time, the dish spread to the commoners, who ate sparrow meat and eventually chicken.

Yakitori literally means “grilled bird,” but you’ll find the term referring to variety of skewered, grilled meats and vegetables–although the proper generic term for skewered meats and vegetables is kushiyaki. However, since chicken is one of the most popular yakitori ingredients, the label is often appropriate.

Yakitori make great snack and appetizer foods and they can also constitute a light meal. You’ll find them for sale at festivals, in restaurants, in pubs, and in small food carts lining the streets. You can also purchase small indoor electric grills to make the dish yourself at home, although traditionally they’re grilled with charcoal. Pieces of meat and/or vegetables are slid on a thin bamboo stick and the food is places directly on the grill and rotated a few times. Traditionally, you can choose from shio (salt) alone on the food or tare sauce (a sauce made from soy sauce, sake, and sugar).

There are many varieties of chicken yakitori. Toriniku is the basic white chicken meat variety and mune is the dark meat choice, but you’ll also find types such as nankotsu (chicken cartilage–made soft), hatsu (chicken heart), shiro (chicken intestines), rebaa (chicken liver), and sunagimo (chicken gizzard). Chicken skin is torikawa, chicken tail is bonjiri, chicken wings is tebasaki, and chicken meatballs is tsukune.

The other common varieties of yakitori/kushiyaki include garlic (ninniku), enoki mushrooms (enokimaki), pork belly (butabara), Japanese scallion (ikada), ox tongue (gyuutan), fried tofu (atsuage tofu), green pepper (piman), and aspargus and bacon (asuparabeekon). You can have a yakitori with only one meat or vegetable or you can mix it up and sample a number of what’s available.

Have you ever eaten yakitori? Would you be willing to try something like chicken cartilage? Why or why not?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Muroran_Yakitori.jpg
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22
Apr 11

Akihabara: Electronic and Geek Wonderland

This week we’re taking a look at another famous part of Tokyo: Akihabara, the best place to find the latest electronics and computers. Not only will you find electronics, but you’ll also find anime DVDs, video games, manga and anime merchandise. This makes Akihabara a favorite place for anime fans to meet up and buy goods. The kind of merchandise you’ll find there have earned the area the nickname “Denki Gai,” or “Electric Town.”

Although they exist throughout Japan, maid cafes and other themed cafes are a popular mainstay in Akihabara. These cafes are watered-down versions of host and hostess clubs and cater to people with specific interests. The classic maid cafe features women in short-skirted maid outfits, whereas a foreign butler cafe may be filled with men from outside of Japan who call every lady guest their “princess.”

Don’t confuse Akihabara with the actual Akihabara nearby. This may be confusing, but the Akihabara “Electric Town” is actually called Soto-Kanda and is part of the Chiyoda ward. It’s called Akihabara because the train station that lets out into the area is called Akihabara. The actual Akihabara is in the nearby Taitou prefecture.

Akihabara “Electronic Town” is the site of a 2008 massacre in which a murderer drove a truck into a crowd and then jumped out of the truck to stab people with a dagger, killing a total of seven people and wounding ten others. In a country in which violent crime is extremely low (and guns are prohibited), the incident shocked the nation. The murderer, Tomohiro Kato, was tried and sentenced to death for the crimes. The pedestrian crossing in which the murders took place was closed until January 2011, when it opened only on a trial basis until June.

Have you ever been to Akihabara? Would you be interested in seeing what you can find for sale there? Did you hear about the Akihabara Massacre in 2008?

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16
Apr 11

Traditional Japanese Ghost Stories, Part 2

This week we’ll take another look at a famous Japanese ghost story. Look over last week’s entry and compare the two–you’ll find some similarities. This week is the tale of Banchou Sarayashiki, another ghost story with its origins in a kabuki play, this one from the 18th century. (It is likely, however, that the tale appeared as a folk story before it first appeared on stage.) Again, you’ll find a number of versions of the tale.

Banchou Sarayashiki begins with a beautiful servant woman named Okiku who’s indentured to a samurai named Aoyama Tessan. Aoyama seeks to have Okiku as his lover, but she always refuses his advances, so Aoyama schemes to force her to be his own. He hides (in some versions, pays a thief to steal) one of his family’s sacred ten plates (as in the serving dish), for which Okiku is responsible for caring. According to his family law, a servant losing or breaking one of these plates is a crime punishable by death. Okiku panics and counts the plates over and over but only finds nine each time she counts. Aoyama offers Okiku sanctuary from death if she agrees to become his lover, but she still refuses, so he kills her by pushing her down a well.

Okiku returns as a ghost from the well to haunt the samurai, always counting to nine and shrieking at the end of her count. At last her soul is laid to rest when a stranger (a neighbor or an exorcist, depending on the version) shouts “Ten!” at the end of her counting to make her think she’s found the tenth plate.

In some versions, Okiku actually does break the tenth plate knowingly. In this version, she’s in love with Aoyama, but as she’s a servant and he’s a lord, he’s engaged to another. Okiku’s decision to break the plate is to test Aoyama’s love for her, to see if he’s willing to enforce the rule of killing any servant responsible for the loss of one of the plates. Aoyama does kill her by pushing her down the well in this version, even after hearing that it was a test of his love–but he’s angry that she would go so far to test him. In this version, though, Aoyama is not horrified by her ghost. When he meets the ghost and sees her counting one through nine, he’s overcome with guilt and with her beauty and so he kills himself through seppuku (“harakiri”) and joins her.

What similarities and differences between Banchou Sarayashiki and Yotsuya Kaidan can you list? Which story do you prefer? Of the two mentioned Banchou Sarayashiki versions, do you prefer the one in which Okiku loves Aoyama or the one in which she spurns him?

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8
Apr 11

Traditional Japanese Ghost Stories, Part 1

Bloody Mary, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow… How many ghost stories from Western culture can you name? In Japan, where cultural beliefs born from the Shinto religion dictate that everyone and every thing–even inanimate objects–have spirits, there are quite a few common-knowledge ghost stories. This week we’ll review one of the most famous Japanese ghost stories.

Yotsuya Kaidan: Originally a kabuki play from the early 19th century, Yotsuya Kaidan features a ghost woman named Oiwa out for revenge. The tale goes that an impoverished master-less samurai named Tamiya Iemon falls in love with a lovely woman named Oiwa. Oiwa’s father thinks Iemon is not good enough for his daughter, and in a fit of rage, Iemon kills Oiwa’s father with his sword, unbeknownst to Oiwa. He consoles Oiwa and promises to help her find her father’s killer. They marry and Oiwa becomes pregnant, but Iemon soon becomes bored with his lovely bride.

Iemon falls in love with another woman–a wealthy woman named Oume–and eventually woos her. When told by Oume’s grandfather that if he weren’t married, he could have Oume and all of her wealth and prospects, Iemon decides to kill his pregnant wife by poisoning her food. (In some versions, Oume is less attractive than Oiwa and it is she who orders Oiwa’s food poisoned so Oiwa will become deformed and Oume will have an easier time wooing Iemon.)

Iemon continues to poison Oiwa’s food and watches coldly as she suffers, becomes disfigured and nearly dies. Thinking she’s dead, Iemon leaves to tell Oume, but Oiwa is only unconscious, although she suffers a miscarriage. (In some versions, she’s already given birth and the baby is fine.) Iemon pretends to be happy that she survives, only to push her off a cliff when he takes her on a walk shortly thereafter.

The night before Iemon’s inevitable wedding to Oume, he’s haunted by the disfigured ghost of Oiwa. He sees her face in the dim light of his lantern and he thinks he hears the word “Betrayal!” but he brushes it off. During his wedding to Oume the next day, he lifts up his new bride’s veil only to see the disfigured face of Oiwa, who shrieks “Betrayal!” at him. Scared out of his mind, Iemon unsheathes his samurai sword and beheads the apparition… Only to see the head of his bride Oume roll to the floor.

Hearing ghostly laughter, Iemon runs from the wedding and hides in the disheveled shack he shared with Oiwa. He hears a knocking at the door and sees Oiwa when he answers, so he beheads the ghost–only to discover that it was Oume’s grandfather whom he killed.

Driven mad, Iemon runs to the cliff where he shoved Oiwa off the ledge. Hearing laughter, he almost jumps but stops. Witnesses recount that despite the samurai having a change of heart, they saw a ghastly woman push the man off the cliff before vanishing into thin air.

In the future we may review more Japanese ghost stories. Do you want to learn about more ghost stories? Have you heard a different variation of the legend of Oiwa and Iemon?

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1
Apr 11

Japanese Host and Hostess Clubs

If you’re familiar with geisha culture–and not the Western stereotype that a geisha is a Japanese prostitute–you know that formally entertaining a guest is an integral part of Japanese culture. There’s a proper Japanese way to interact with guests and your host even in a casual or business setting. The geisha culture is similar to basic Japanese host-guest interactions but is somewhat set apart because guests pay for the hosting ability of the geisha. The aim of the geisha is to make her (paying) guest feel special and doted upon, even if she’s never met the guest before.

While the geisha still exist in small numbers, the more prevalent modern example of hosting of this type is the hostess club or the host club. The goal of a hostess or host club is somewhat similar to that of the geisha. The guests at these establishments pay the club and select a host or hostess (or two or three) to entertain them. The host or hostess puts aside his or her own feelings and makes the guest feel loved and lavish attention on them. They engage in conversations that appeal to the guests and they may even pour alcohol, much like a geisha would.

However, the geisha is a nationally cherished Japanese performer and is often an expert in a traditional Japanese art. She also wears an elaborate traditional costume. Modern hosts and hostesses dress up–sometimes in a thematic outfit, depending on the establishment, but usually in stylish eveningwear–but they only receive basic training from the establishment. While geisha can train for years as teenagers and go on to entertain their whole lives, hosts and hostesses normally only look at the job as a way to earn pretty good money. Most hosts and hostesses are between the ages of 18 and 25 and are asked to retire from the profession after that. They need to be attractive as well. Geisha are beautiful in their own way, but being a stunning beauty is not absolutely required.

Another great difference is the host club. While the hostess club is somewhat more reminiscent of the traditional geisha culture, in that women are paid to entertain male guests, host clubs are just the opposite: male hosts being paid to entertain female guests.

Attending a host or hostess club can be pricey, so be prepared to spend the equivalent of hundreds of dollars–mostly on drinks, but there may be a minimum charge. The hosts or hostesses will continue throughout the night to encourage you to spend more money at the clubs, so be cautious. The more money you spend, the more attention you’ll get.

Have you ever been to a host or hostess club? Would attending such a club interest you? Why or why not?

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24
Mar 11

Dealing with an Emergency in Japan

In the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent earthquakes and nuclear power plant issues, the world has gotten a glimpse into the way that the Japanese deal with significant disasters. The fact that there have been no widespread reports of looting or violence in the chaos may be indicative of the type of society that Japan is: one in which the greater good of the many is put before individual needs. Don’t forget to keep those donations going!

The fact that Japan has experienced such devastation lately has gotten me thinking that we could review some helpful tips for dealing with an emergency in Japan. While the emergency may not be as catastrophic as an earthquake or tsunami, knowing these phrases in the language and learning a few key tips can help you get help fast should an accident, illness, or other disaster cause an emergency when you’re in Japan. (Read here for more information on explaining what illnesses you have in Japanese.)

Dialing 119 or 110

Instead of dialing 911 in the event of an emergency, commit this to memory: 119. It shouldn’t be too difficult to remember, since it’s the reverse of the American emergency number. However, it’s important to remember that 119 will only get you the Medical and Fire emergency number. For a Police emergency, dial 110. If you’re At Sea at the time (which may not be as rare an occasion as you may think, since Japan’s made up of islands), dial 118 for any emergency.

If the Japanese words fail you–which is likely if you’re panicked–you can try to speak English with the operator. Speak slowly and simply. The operator may have to transfer you to someone more fluent and it helps if you can express some of the emergency in Japanese to get help on the way as quickly as possible. If you’re in the Tokyo area, you can dial 03-3501-0110 to reach an English-speaking emergency police operator. Input the number in your cell phone directory.

Like with 911, 119, 110 and other emergency numbers should only be called in the event of a true emergency.

Helpful Emergency Phrases

Review the illness phrases taught here. Other emergency phrases that may come in handy include:

Help me! Tasukete!
Hide! Kakurete!
Run! Hashire!
Watch out! Kiotsukete!
There’s a pickpocket! Suri da!
There’s a thief! Dorobou!
There’s a groper (molester)! Chikan da!
There’s a fire! Kaji da!
There’s an earthquake! Jishin da!
There’s a flood! Kouzui da!
There’s a tsunami! Tsunami da!
There’s a storm! Arashi da!
Call an ambulance! Kyuukyuusha wo yonde!
Call the police! Keisatsu wo yonde!
Please take me to the police station. Keisatsu ni tsurette itte kudasai.
Please, somebody catch him or her! Dareka tsukamaete!
I need first aid. Ookyuu teate o shite kudasai.
Please come right now. Sugu ni kite kudasai.
There’s a fight. Kenka desu.
There’s a car accident. Koutsu jiko desu.
This is an emergency. Kyuukyuu desu.

Have you ever experienced an emergency? What do you think would happen if you had an emergency in a foreign country and weren’t familiar with the necessary emergency numbers and phrases?

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11
Mar 11

Tsukemono: Pickled Foods

When discussing Japanese food in the past, we’ve mentioned foods like umeboshi (pickled “plums,” as they’re often called, although the fruit is actually closer to an apricot). Pickled foods are seen frequently in Japanese cuisine. The word for pickled foods is tsukemono.

When you order a Japanese meal set, you’ll often be served a small plate of Japanese pickles. These will not taste or look like the Western pickles to which you are accustomed, as they are usually not pickled in distilled vinegar. They’re softer and smaller than the typical Western pickle and are sometimes made by soaking in a mixture that may include sake, miso, soy sauce, rice bran, mustard, sugar, spices and occasionally, vinegar. However, much of the time, they’re simply placed in a special pressurized container called a tsukemonoki along with some salt. The tsukemonoki uses tsukemonoishi (weight stones) to press upon the vegetables or fruit. The process takes at least ten hours. Juices come out of the produce and the tsukemono pickles in its own juices.

Besides the basic pickled cucumbers to which we in the West are accustomed, the most popular tsukemono include umeboshi, takuan (pickled daikon radishes), beni shoga (ginger pickled with the brine from umeboshi), shibazuke (pickled eggplants), oshinko (pickled Chinese cabbage), and acaharazuke (pickled turnips). You may even find certain types of fish pickled (this is usually called kasuzuke, but you can find kasuzuke made with just vegetables as well, as it refers to the method of pickling in sake lees [yeast]).

Tsukemono can be served as a side dish or they can be thrown together as a salad or within a meal. They also make popular items in rice and onigiri to give the plain rice a touch of flavor. They’re easy to buy in Japanese grocery stores, but they’re also simple enough to make in homes if you have a tsukemonoki. If you don’t have a tsukemonoki, you can try to make your own in a tight container as well by applying pressure to the vegetables.

Have you ever eaten tsukemono? Do you like tsukemono more or less than Western pickles? Would you like to try making tsukemono yourself?

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4
Mar 11

Ginza: Glitz and Glamor

We’re taking a look at another area of Tokyo today: Ginza. Ginza is part of Chuo, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. Ginza is an upscale area of Tokyo, famous for department stores, restaurants, and other high-end boutiques and shops. The Apple Store and the Sony Store are among the most often visited stores in the area.

Ginza is a great place for window shopping, as you’ll find high-end international brands like Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dior, as well as high-end Japanese department stores like Wako, Seibu, Matsuzakaya, and Mitsukoshi. However, be careful when spending money and remember the exchange rate. (A basic rule of thumb is to remember 100 yen equals $1, but the amount can actually vary quite a bit. At present 100 yen equals $1.22.) Many of the items for sale are rather expensive, although you’re likely to find something that’s more affordable.

Restaurants are rather high-end as well. Be careful to peruse menus before you sit down and remember the old adage if there’s no price on the menu: “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Sushi restaurants in Ginza can be especially expensive, with an average of a 20,000 to 70,000 yen bill ($243 to $850) per visit, depending on the number in your party. However, if you like the nightclub scene, you may be in paradise. Just be aware that the cover charge may be pricey. If you want to spend just a little less but still enjoy an elegant dining experience, try the coffee shops or tea houses in the area.

Don’t forget to take a look at the Kabuki-za in Ginza, one of the rare all-kabuki theaters in Japan. It was built in 1889.

Although this is largely true throughout Tokyo, most people who walk around in Ginza dress up in fashionable clothing. You’ll stand out in Japan as a foreigner, but you’ll especially turn heads if you wear typical comfortable tourist clothing.

Have you ever been to Ginza? Would you be interested in going to Ginza? Would you buy anything?

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