Obon

It was so humid and hot summer day today. We're in the Obon Festival holidays, this is the main holidays for Japanese people.
Typical way to spend Obon holidays is to be with families. People go back to the hometown and also visit family graves to comfort the spirits of their ancestors as well. And, in this period, August 15th is included. It is the anniversary of the end of the Pacific War. Yes, it is the time to think about the families and ancestors.... and our own lifes etc...

Tonight, I went for a dinner with my father, hubby, and my sister and her family members. The restaurant (Izakaya) is located near the city station, on the local shopping street. This place always reminds me of my old time. I often go shopping etc in my childhood. The street has been changed. Some shops were not there anymore. And the new stores or building are seen. But, still good local atmosphere. It still bring me back to some memories.

It was so wonderful time tonight at that restaurant. The small bon dance festival takes place nearby. I could hear that sound. This sound makes me feed VERY SUMMER :-D

Japanese Fast food

August has rolled around already and it was very hot day today too.... I feel this summer is strange Last night, I suddenly heard a strange sound, something noisy. It started raining so heavily. But, it was just short time. Is it a squall ??? It reminds me of my trip to Bali..haha.

When I had to overwork, I sometimes use '' take out ''. Today's take out is,

This is Gyudon　（= bowl of rice topped with beef). I can say this is Japanese Fast food. There are many ''Gyudon'' restaurant chain. 2 big ones are also near my house.

My favorite is the oldest chain - YOSHINOYA.

Beef is the most expensive choices in meat. But, Gyudon is the reasonable choice for food, I can say. The price is JPY380 in Yoshinoya. And the newer and larger chains offer just JPY280 !!!!! Incredible price. Why ??? They use the imported beef from USA or AUST. And beefs are well sliced ^^  My favorite YOSHINOYA gyudon is more expensive but I believe the taste is better　:-D


Pls let me show you another famous chain - SUKIYA.

They offer many various menus of Gyudon (combination with Cheese or Kimuchi (Korean taste) or even with Italian Tomato source and so one). So fascinating !!!! And also other menus like Curry or Grilled eel Rice bowl are available.  I should admire this establishment in this point



 Gyudon is a kind of JAPANESE culture. Such companies activity are often picked up on the news. Each chains have been making the heated battle. And this summer, SUKIYA put up the big campaign and now offer only JPY250 for a original standard GYUDON.  I am sure it is really good deal. With JPY250 (= around $3 currently), we only buy 2 Rice bowls or 2 Breads.

Explore more Japanese fast foods here - this is interesting article !
 10 Japanese fast food that should be exported

Easy cooking of Japanese HOME taste !

It is the special extra holiday for me cause the office is closed :-D
It is rare to be off on the week day and I have something to go. But for my relaxing time, I finished them up in the morning (going to the hospital and bank). In the afternoon, I took 90 minutes Oil massage after shopping around in the department store.

The best floor I like in the department is FOOD section. We call '' Depa-Chika'' meaning the basement floor of a department store where the delicatessen sections are usually placed. The big department floors have 2 floors for food sections. Usually,1 floor has various shops of Sweet, bakery, and delicatessens etc. And the other sell the daily food stuffs with meat/fish/vegetables shops. I like to buy meat at meat shops and fish at fish shops if possible.. but unfortunately those local shopping stores are taken place by the super mkt.
But, when I go to the department store, I can find the small shops of fish/meat/vegetables at once on the same floor. It gave me the enjoyable time of shopping. Shopping should be fun always.. right ?

And what I shopped there is '' Beef'' :-D

Normally the sales unit is per 100gm at the meat shop. These are already sliced or cut for each menu ;
  
すき焼き　＝　Sukiyaki   (thin slices of beef cooked with vegetables at the table in soy sauce, sake and sugar)
焼肉　＝　thicker slices for BBQ
こま切れ　Komagire ＝ Hash. Usually the most reasonable one

Also, beef for stakes or minces are available.

Above picture is just one corner of a lot of types, reasonable products.
But, pls take a look this !

This is selected and branded beef - JPY1,575 per 100gm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The good beef Japanese people thing are marbled one,  fat and red part good balanced. This kind of beef is like melting in the mouse.
But, this is not highest one. The highest price one in this shop is JPY2500 per 100gm !
Who buy ??? 

And what I bought was,

The cheapest hash one - JPY298 per 100gm.
That is the best for '' Nikujyaga'' -(simmered) meat and potatoes. It is Japanese popular dish for home cooking.

Today, I got the very easy recipe. Normally we use the soup from dried bonito. But, this recipe does not need it. All seasonings we need are SUGAR, SOY SOURCE, JAPANESE SAKE.
The ingredients are sliced beef, Onion, Potatoes and carrot.

Here is the recipe.

1. stir-fry the sliced beef with a small amount of oil
2. put Sugar , Soy-source, and Sake : rough ratio  Suger:Soysourse:Sake = 1:2:1
3. put other vegetables and stir-fry
4. stew with sometime string up.

It is Typical Japanese taste. The potatoes are not soggy and very nice !!!!

Korean food stuffs

It has been really hot here. I feel Japan is becoming more like sothern country...
On the hot day, I want to eat something spicy. For me, Thai food must be perfect ! But, unfortunately, it is hard to cook and uncommon here. So, today, I picked up some Korean foods at the super mkt. Yes, Korean foods are popular and already common food stuffs I easily buy even at the local super mkt :-D

キムチ(ki-mu-chi = Korea's traditional fiery pickle) - JPY250 around
I can find several kinds of Kimuchi at the stores. Some are imported from Korea. This is common one the famous Japanese Tsukemono (Japanese pickle) company.

And also picked up another major Korean food.

The package says Korean Traditional Seaweed.   JPY100 per pack .
I love this seaweed. This is seaoned by sesami oil and salt. Good with RICE too !
I have ordered 1 box of this seaweed on the web once. It is much more reasonable price.

Korean food is already well-recoginized also in Japan. There are many Korean dinings. Korean BBQ is one of major ones. Korean food taste ONIGI with this seasoned seaweed is on sales at the convenience store.

Anyway, tonight, I put Kimuchi and Seaweed over TOFU with a seasoning soy sourse. It was good.

コンビニ＝convenience stores

The convenience store (call '' Konbini'' in Japan) didn't exist when I was a child. But, now I can not imagine the world without the convenience store. It has been increasing and developing. Today, i can say too many in Japan. It is not good for the company running the convenience stores. But for me, a customer, it means it gets more convenient... that is great thing.
And, too many stores means more competition in each shop/convenience store chain. So, the quality of food or sweet has been improving. The new items are released so often not to get us tired.

On Friday, I overworked and dropped at the convenience store to get a Bento for the dinner cause my hubby was out for a drink with his friends...  I feel so easy cause I don't have to take care of the dinner..hehe. What I bought today,

Pasta, Bread, coffee, sweet, drink and Tsumami (Tsumami means the snacks for alcohol drinks).

Around JPY1,200 in total

Tonight, I went to CIRCLE K . They have the best PASTA dishes in the taste, variety. And they often make a new item and naturally makes me feel to try it. The sweet corner was also tempting me. I bought a new item, Creamy baum roll. But, actually, the taste of that is so so....  My best sweet of convenience store is Roll Cake in SEVEN ELEVEN. So, Yammy, it may be better than the cake shop's one.

And, the drink I recently like is '' Hi Ball''. It is Whiskey and Soda (with Lemon). Not sweet and refreshing with a soda. It is a kind of traditional alc-drink also here. It used to be no so popular, but this year, it gets hot !

Too early Summer Sales

I feel the bargain sales starts earlier and earlier, year by year.... Because of colder weather in April/May, the clothing companies may have a problem in their sales and put the early sales for Summer items :-D

Some shops already offered 50% off. It was really tempting. But, I managed to narrow down to following 2 goodies today..hehe..

JPY1,480.- at 50% off

Brand/shop name : Globalwork in a big shopping mall

It is made in India, made by Indian cotton, so very light and looks cool.

Definately feel cool in this shirt in Summer. This is the important point to choose the summer clothes. You know, it is very hot and humid here in Japan.

Another item I selected out was,

JPY1,500.-

Brand/shop : Zazie   - company CABIN is now owned by UNIQLO's parent company.

The pic shows pink color, but actually it is more orange. The quality looks fine in this price.

This brand is in the same group of UNIQLO, but not casual line, a little more formal, elegant, Stylish. I can find many suitable items to the working places/offices. This T-Shirt is also for my wearing inside the Jacket.

The quality is good for the price. So nice ! I like it.

I am sure to come back to this shop soon:-D

Socks like gloves

I found these funny socks on sales and went for a buy.

JPY500 for 3 pcs

Shops - Partyhouse (life-fashion store owned by the super-mkt, only affordable items available)

Brand - Tutuanna  offering various Kawaii items (socks, under-wears, Pajamas) at reasonable price.

It looks like a Japanese traditional socks - TABI.

Tabi is the socks for ZOURI

Ummm.... looks completely different :-P

Anyway, I feel confortable on this strange socks. All toes are separated and moving easily :-D
A little too hot in summer ?!


I also bought this pretty flower socks.

I want to wear this in the sneakers. Girly look even with such shoes?!?

The price in Japan is definately lower than before. I can say this especially in the apparel products. Most of them are made in China, designed and quality-controlled by Japanese companies. So, the quality becomes better than before, I think. Good value for the price. It gives me more chances to enjoy shopping anyway.. haha. For me, it is fun to find the good value items at the reasonable prices.