Christmas Dinner in Kumamoto, Japan, 2008

Posted on December 27, 2008 by Jay

First, a shot of the finished product:

It was a tasty meal and served its job well: filling the Viajeros to the bursting point. Let’s walk back through the preparation. The hardest part is related to living in Japan: whole chickens are just not common here. I suppose the reason is that Japanese kitchens are small with small ovens (ours is not that big), and food is mostly prepared to be eaten with chopsticks (no need for knives and forks). However, you cannot coax the same flavor out of cut up chicken as you can from a whole bird.

Our local supermarket, Yume Mart, is a relatively new kid in town, having bought out the former Nikko Nikko Do. Nikko Nikko Do was a local outfit and very accomodating. Yume Mart is an arm of Yume Town and is a bigger company with corporate offices outside Kumamoto. They don’t play as well. I went in to get some tomato sauce, you know, to make some meat sauce for pasta. No tomato sauce at Yume Mart! The manager steered me to the ketchup! Is there anything more basic than tomato sauce? But I digress a bit…

Anyway, Yume Mart, like most Japanese supermarkets, does not sell whole chickens. When Mrs. Viajero went to order a whole chicken, she was told they do not sell whole chickens. After some grilling by the Mrs., they relented and promised to have one for us.

I had a bit of sticker shock when I went to pick it up. ¥2111 is about $23! It was a good-sized bird at 2155 grams (just over 2 kilograms; sorry, I don’t do pounds, ounces, or any other Imperial-ness anymore), but come on! Okay, bird is home. Let’s get it ready. I usually prep all the vegetables, etc. first and do the poultry last to cut down on the chances for contamination. I wash all the veggies and drain them. Any peeling and cutting is next. My mashed potatoes are a hit, so I get a bag or two of russets (they are really small here). And you got to have lots of onions.

The other important veggies are celery and carrots, and I add some broccoli just for variety.

If you’ve noticed that there are more vegetables above than there are below, score yourself 10 points! I fill up about 1/2 of a large pot with onions, celery, and carrots for the chicken stock (I wrote a bit about this before) I start boiling while dinner is going on.

I rinse the chicken well and dry it off. I cut off the bits that the supermarket leaves on, like the neck and feet parts. Those go in the stock pot. I usually leave a stick of butter out in the morning, so it will be soft enough later when I need it. I take a big chunk of that and put it in a small bowl. To that I add the herbs and salt and pepper. I kind of blend it together as best I can with my fingers and squeeze off bits. Then I peel back the areas of the chicken skin that are big enough for a hand or even a few fingers to get in. I slide those herbed butter bits into as many places as I can; those yellow spots below are butter. Trussing is courtesy of The Joy of Cooking; that book is always handy on my holiday cooking table. Oh, yeah, I layer the veggies around the chicken.

I will cook the bird for about 15-20 minutes before adding the veggies next time. I don’t like them as soft as they came out this time. As you can see from the color and the sheen, the chicken juices and butter did not go to waste…

After the chicken comes out, I let it rest a bit.

While we’re waiting for the bird to cool down a bit, the potatoes I’ve been boiling (with some garlic, onion, and some kind of herbs) are usually about ready to mash. I use a hand masher and add some heavy milk and melted butter. They were especially tasty this time.

That’s about it. Note to self: grab another Viajero to take some shots at other times during the cooking process. Then I’ll have more to write about in future viajerations…

You pick ‘em blueberries in Aso, Kumamoto, Japan

Posted on August 25, 2008 by Jay

Kumamoto is noted for its high-quality agriculture. There are a variety of fruits and vegetables that are shipped from this area and promoted (at high prices) in the big cities like Tokyo. I saw a Kumamoto tomato fair about 5 years ago in Kobe, and my eyes popped out at the prices!

We are lucky here. Some places have certain times when you can pay a fee and go in and pick and eat and take home some yummy food.

In the summer, you can head up into the mountains and pick blueberries. My timing was a bit tardy in late July, as the fruit had lost a bit of its sweetness. I’ll have to try again this year. I understand June is the better month.

Like Ramen? Try Fukuoka’s Ichran!

Posted on June 26, 2008 by Jay

If you’re in Fukuoka, you shouldn’t have to go very far to find an Ichiran. You may have to look carefully, though because they’re not very big. Once you find one, walk in and look for the ticket machine, like the one above. As you can see, there aren’t many things to choose from, and there are photos for each of the items they sell. It all revolves around the ramen, so get one of those and anything you want to go with it.

Once you have your tickets, you may need to wait for a place to sit. Look at the panel of lights near the seats and wait for the same number of blue lights as your party, but be forewarned that if it’s too crowded, you may have to sit separately. As you’ll see, not sitting with your friends may not be a big deal. Once you get the blue light, go sit at your number.

Here’s your space for eating. It’s not big, but remember, the focus is on the noodles. As you can see, I’ve got my chopsticks ready.

If this is your first time, you can run through the checklist sitting in your spot. Chopsticks? Check. Glass of water? Check. Ticket? Check. Order form? Oh, yeah, mmmm, how should I have my ramen prepared today…?

The most important part of the meal is choosing how your noodles come out. This is all done on the form that is waiting for you when you sit down. If you have eaten ramen at many places, you will realize that this form is an incredible addition to a noodle shop! Virtually all ramen shops pride themselves on the food they make, and you mostly get what they prepare.

At Ichiran, you choose, in the following order, the strength of the broth; the fat content of the broth; optional sourness; the amount of garlic; what kind, if any, of green onion or leeks; optional slices of pork; the amount, if any, of their “special” spicy sauce; and how firm you want your noodles. The shop in Canal City has an added option with half a boiled egg.

There was an English version available at the Canal City shop. Your mileage may vary.

One final note is that the Canal City shop serves its ramen in beautiful rectangular bowls (is it a bowl if it isn’t round?) Take off the lid, and…

enjoy!

I understand there’s a shop in Kumamoto. That one is high on my list of restaurants to visit next…

Sometimes, you just want a burger…

Posted on June 5, 2008 by Jay

Having lived in Japan for most of the past 23 years, I appreciate how the founders of the Hard Rock Cafe felt. I know it’s not so healthy, but I don’t eat like this very often any more. The shot above is from the Hard Rock Cafe in Nagoya. Boy, was this burger good. Note to those who put together the menus: there is not enough salsa in the ramekin for the burger, AND the salsa is not spicy enough. Please add some heat to that salsa!

The World of Maya, Aztec, and Inca in Fukuoka, Japan

Posted on May 27, 2008 by Jay

If you’re in Japan, and you have never been (or have no plans to go) to any of the three major areas of Pre-Columbian culture, then you should check out this exhibit at the Fukuoka City Museum (time is running out!) The Mayan artifacts come from Guatemala and Campeche, Mexico, and they represent a decent collection for being outside of the Maya area. For the real deal, I recommend the Museums of Anthropology in Mexico City and Merida (and all the Mayan pyramids!) I haven’t been to the Peabody museum at Yale, which I understand has many of the goodies taken in the early part of the 20th C., but it’s on my list. The museum in Mexico City has a definitive collection of Aztec artifacts, and nothing beats walking through the ruins of the pyramids at Tenochtitlan. I have nothing but the Nazca exhibition to compare with the Inca display, but Peru is on my list of places to visit. The exhibition in Fukuoka is trying to do too much. It is hard to do justice to each culture in just one display. But, as I started this entry out, if this is all you can do, then go check it out.

Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion

Posted on May 27, 2008 by Jay

The circus is in town! The circus is in town! After seeing Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam (in Fukuoka), Alegria 2 (also in Fukuoka), and La Nouba (at DisneyWorld in Florida), I couldn’t miss the latest manifestation, Dralion now showing in Fukuoka. Dralion combines Asian, African, and European themes (the ‘Dra’ is for dragon, and ‘lion’ is, well, lion ). There are the usual suspects: clowns, trapeze, individual and choreographed acts of athleticism, rope (actually cloth) work, dance, and trampoline. Dralion uses some of the trampoline work that I saw in La Nouba, where they bounce to incredible heights all with precision timing–very cool stuff. There were three official clowns, and one ringer; the interplay between them all is quite fun to watch. The routine with the hair, etc. between two of them needs work; it was too predictable and tedious. The singers were great, as was the band. The woman representing the African portion of the show was incredibly talented; make sure to keep track of her when she’s on stage. This is a show to watch if you have a chance.

Japan’s Birthrate Drops in 2007

Posted on February 22, 2008 by Jay

The Daily Yomiuri (I can’t find a link for the news there online, hence this entry) reported the birth and death numbers in Japan for the year 2007. It seems that the birthrate here has returned to a decline after increasing in the year 2006:

Births	Birth Change	Deaths	Death Change
1,120,937	-1,341	1,119,492	+24,099

Riding Trains or the Subway in Tokyo: A Primer

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Jay

When I was up in Tokyo for the JALTCALL 2007 conference in June, 2007, I had my trusty Panasonic Lumix DX-10 at my side. I thought I would take some shots of my travels around the city. I didn’t have much time for that because I was busy going to presentations, and when I wasn’t doing that, I was lugging my bag around (note to self: take the rolling bag next time).

I did manage to take a few shots. I mostly got shots of the Tokyo Metro System, but I did get one of the the JR system in Tokyo.

I grew up in Southern California, so I was new to subway trains in 1985 when I went to both Mexico City and Japan for the first time. If you’re a subway train veteran, thanks for reading this far. You’re free to go. Since I walk to work now, I still have to acclimate myself whenever I head into the big city (we do have a street car here in Kumamoto! )

Basically, you want to find your stop on the map above all the ticket machines, look at the price to get there, put your money in, and get your change and ticket.

Follow the crowds to the wicket, go through the section with a green arrow, and remember to take your ticket out as you walk through (you’ll need it again to get out of your station).

Look around and up, and find your train line. Make sure you check the direction and stay on that side (I still have a tendency to move to the side dodging people and forget which side to be on), so you don’t head off the other way or on another line. I almost got on another line on the way home the last day. Hey, it was Shinjuku station, and there are at least 20 tracks!

Head out of the train at your stop, and look for the signs that show you what is near each exit.

It is important to go out the right exit, or you could have a really long walk to get around to the other side of the station. As you leave the station, have your ticket ready. You need it to get back out; it will not come back to you when you exit.

If you get stuck, there are lots of maps in different scales to help you get your bearings.

You can also ask any of the workers on the platform or the windows. Remember, everyone wants to help you get where you want to go. Just smile, and say the name of where you want to go.

One huge difference I noticed this trip (it’s been at least four years since I spent any time in Tokyo) was the change in the signs on the trains. They are all electronic now, so the signs change as the trains move down the line, with the present and next stop in big ol’ letters. That made it harder for me to miss a stop.

Another tip is to not ride during peak times. This worked out for me every ride except Saturday night getting on the Yamanote loop line. I just kept walking until I saw a little space on one of the cars. I exhaled to get as small as I could, and I pushed my way on. Two more people got on after me, so maybe you get the idea of how crowded it can get. I understand some of the train lines use the conductors to push people on during the heaviest times of the day. Fun, fun, fun!

[Editor's Note: This entry was originally written June 14, 2007. It has be redone (now with photos! )]

The Center Exam: 2008

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Jay

Well, the exam season is under way for this year. Although there are some exams that come much earlier, the season officially starts with Japan’s Center Exam. Most prospective college students take this exam as a kind of benchmark (if you are aware of the U.S. system, think SAT or ACT on steroids) of their achievement from their high school studies (or in the case of those who don’t get in the first time, high school studies plus a year or two). The Exam is actually a series of ten exams held over two days. On the first day, Saturday, there is a series of five tests aimed at social studies and the humanities. The day is capped with an English listening exam where everyone listens to a customized player with an IC card prerecorded with 30 minutes of conversations. The second day of exams is all about math and science.

For all the students who come and all the tests that are administered, everything runs quite smoothly. For those of us administering and proctoring, we have at least two meetings beforehand (one just for the listening exam) where the procedures are explained and people can ask questions. On test days, we are required to show up 45 minutes before anything happens, given a pep talk, and our watches synchronized (my new Casio MR-G performed beautifully as it is synced to a radio signal here in Japan). Each room has a team of an administrator and two or more proctors, plus a person to distribute, count and check the finished scan sheets after each exam. It is two full days, from 8:00 in the morning until after 7:00 or 6:00 in the evening.

The students then take exams for each of the colleges (more accurately the departments) they are considering. Those scores are combined with the relevant Center Exam scores, and those with the highest scores are offered a spot starting in April. Some who are offered a slot at more than one school can then take their pick. Any slots which are passed on are open for a second round of testing at those colleges. If any part of this sounds confusing, just think test, test, test, test, and test. Rinse, repeat. As the number of 18-year olds falls each year, it is becoming easier to get into college. The economic fundamental of supply and demand is taking an interesting twist here. Perhaps more on that later.

Nazca Exhibition in Kumamoto

Posted on January 10, 2008 by Jay

Last month we got a chance to go to the Nazca display at the Kumamoto Prefecture Museum of Art (one of my students reminded me about it; thanks Yoko!) I have to say that it was very interesting. The first section moved through a bit of the history and geography of the area, and there’s an illustrative timeline to give some perspective. This site has a good rundown on the details.

The artifacts on display were simply amazing. I guess because of the climate (the area looks awfully dry), many of the items were well preserved. Several items were more than 2,000 years old and were in excellent condition. There is a well-kept mummy that you have to see to believe.

The end of the display is dedicated to the huge line drawings in the desert floor. This area of Peru is a World Heritage site, so it’s on my list of places to visit. Unfortunately, people are doing great harm to the area with cars and motorcyles. I hope that kind of activity is stopped ASAP.

The Nazca display continues until January 27th. Get your tickets and go now!

El Viajero

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