Edamame-dofu

Here is a picture of "Edamame-dofu",can anyone guess what it's made from?
If you know the Japanese words Edamame(green soybeans) and Dofu(tofu) you will know it's a mixture of tofu and soybeans.
It looks like a kind of pudding or jelly made from asparagus or broccoli but it's much healthier.

Low in fat, rich in protein, and containing all the goodness of soybeans it's good for your skin and helps to maintain hormone balance for women.
Edamame-dofu is just one of a recent fad of new tofu creations that have appeared in the markets.We can find " Tamago-dofu"(tofu mixed with egg) "Goma-dofu"(tofu mixed sesame seed) "Ginger-dofu"etc in most supermarkets now!!!

Maybe due to the recent exceptionally hot summers these kind of flavored tofus have become very popular.They don't need to be cooked,just buy them from the supermarket bring them home and put them on a plate with shoyu (soy sauce) and eat.

This is very fluffy,it's better to eat it wuth spoon like a pudding not with chop sticks

Up until now,Japanese commonly eat the plain white tofu in this way during summer,maybe adding dried bonito flakes,sliced shallot and grated ginger.
Of course, you need to understand that we always have a selection of several dishes on the table not only cold tofu.But these new tofu creations make something old seem new again,it puts the fun back into a simple cold tofu meal.

Nara-Tokae

1300years ago,Nara was the capital of Japan.Every year on the site of the old capital is held an event which is called "Tokae".
This event started in 1999 and continues for 10days from the beginning until the middle of August.
Over 10,000candles are arranged all over Nara park,especially on the paths leading to big temples.

I especially liked the artistic shapes which had been laid out in the temple grounds,I saw "a heart""a deer face""lightning""Chinese characters　和"  for   "和"　means peace,love co-operation etc.

a heart

a deer face



lightning




Chinese character  和


It was very beautiful like a flower garden or fire flies in a dark forest.
The organizers,used the candles to symbolize people's prayers for peace and harmony all  over the world.

For 500yen you can buy a candle floating in a cup of water and place it as instructed by a guide,before lightning it yourself.The money raised goes towards next year's event.I thought it was a good idea to support the event in this way and I could join in the spirit of the event by offering a prayer for continued health and peace on this planet.

I found a souvenir shop and bought a candle with a special cup which has Nara's mascot "Sento-kun"printed on it."Sento-kun"appeared about 3years ago as the winner of a competition created by the prefectural government of Nara.He looks like the big Buddha of Todai-ji temple but he has deer's antlers on his head.

Sento-kun

Service Area (S.A)

I love traveling by car in Japan.I usually use highways when I go areas other prefectures of Japan.
One of my greatest enjoyments is "Service Areas" which are regularly spaced along Japanese highways and  I guess not only me but most Japanese love stopping there too.

S.A's are one of the ways of dealing with Japanese highways which are usually crowded especially on weekends.
Motorists are encouraged to get off the highway and enjoy a stop over in S.As in this way the highways become less congested and the government lowned S.As are able to rake in more profits from the public...ingenious!!!

believe it or nor some S.As have rental beds,spas and aquariums.Of cource the main purpose of S.As for to provide traffic condition updates and toilet stops.

But, in recent decades,these services have been extended and now there are selling a huge variety of local foods and souvenirs(hand crafts,memorabilia etc.)

Usually there are a lot of restaurants in S.As as where we can taste local foods as well as the national favorites although they are never cheap.
There are some food courts which are cheeper but,always crowded.In the food courts customoers have to buy tickets in advance,using the automatic food ticket machines .
The most popular choices are "Ra-men""Domburi",tea is available you can drink free.

Sumo in Nagoya

I went to Nagoya to watch sumo end of June,it was my first time to watch it.
Le me explain about sumo.

Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It originated in  ancient times as a performance to entertain the Shinto daiety. Many rituals with religious background are still followed today.
The basic rules of sumo are simple: the wrestler who first touches the ground with anything besides the soles of his feet, or who leaves the ring before his opponent, loses. Fights take place on an elevated ring, called a "dohyo", which is made of clay and covered in a layer of sand. The fights themselves usually last only a few seconds, or in rare cases, about a minute.

At the top of the sumo wrestlers' hierarchy stand the yokozuna (grand champion). Once a wrestler reaches the rank of yokozuna, he cannot lose this status but he will be expected to retire when his results begin to worsen. Many former wrestlers remain active in the sumo world as members of the Japan Sumo Association.

Most elite wrestlers are highly trained athletes between 20 and 35 years old. They typically live together in residential and training complexes, called "stables", where all aspects of life, from sleeping and eating to training and free time, are strictly regimented by the coach, called the "stable master".
There are no weight restrictions or classes in sumo, meaning that wrestlers can easily find themselves matched off against someone many times their size. As a result, weight gain is an essential part of sumo training. The typical sumo dish, chanko nabe,(I wrote about it January 2011)  is a hearty stew full of vegetables, meat and fish.
Six tournaments are held every year, each one lasting 15 days. Three of the tournaments are held in  Tokyo (January, May, September), and one each in Osaka (March), Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November).