top of page
DEEP JAPAN

Updated: Apr 10, 2024


Chinese people eat rice as a staple food, the same as Japanese. So, when they came to Japan for their trip, they tend to choose rice cooker as their souvenior in electric shops. According to this video news, they are pleased to buy these products. It seems that they prefer rice cookers made in Japan.




2 views0 comments

It was Saturday night. That must have been 20 years ago. Late that evening, I was on the train. On the train on my way home from work, I was a little drunk because of a party with my colleagues that day.


I got on the usual train at Nagoya Station and headed to Gifu, where I live. Nagoya is the third largest city in Japan, so many foreigners also live there. After the train had been running for about 15 minutes, the number of passengers on board became thinner.


“Is there a hotel I can stay at in Gifu?”


A young man near me spoke to me. He wasn't Japanese.


Normally, I would just answer the question briefly and call it a day. After all, my commute to work takes four hours every day. That's why if I talk for a long time, I'll arrive home late.


But this day was different. I was drunk and feeling liberated. I felt relaxed. So I wanted to have a little talk with this young man. I started chatting with him.


“I’m coming to Japan from Pakistan,” he said. I didn't know if he was in this country for his job or to study abroad.


Apparently his girlfriend lives in Gifu. So he had made an appointment to meet her. The date was scheduled for the next day, Sunday, so he had to stay alone at a hotel that day.


When the train arrived at Gifu Station, we got off the train.


There are many hotels near Gifu Station, but in order to find one that has a vacant room, you must first look up the hotel's phone number in the telephone directory and then call and ask. After all, that was 20 years ago. I didn't have a cell phone yet, and the Internet wasn't as developed as it is now.


There was a house near Gifu Station where my parents lived. For now, I decided to take him there. My parents were surprised when I suddenly brought a Pakistani with me late on Saturday night. Mother served us tea.


I looked up the hotel's phone number in the phone book and called to see if there was a room available. Fortunately, I quickly found a place for him to stay for the night.


He wasn't fluent in Japanese, and I didn't speak his native language. So I didn't know the details. However, I understand that his girlfriend seems to be Japanese, that he encountered her in Tokyo or somewhere, and that they have arranged to meet in Gifu.


Then my father drove the car and I took him to the hotel. It was almost 12 o'clock at night. He thanked me and left us.


I don't know what happened after that. It is unclear whether he was able to successfully reunite with his girlfriend who lives in Gifu. However, I was feeling a bit good because I could help him with his international romance.




7 views0 comments

If your country has a store similar to Japanese convenience stores, you may be able to buy this product there. This sweet is called “雪見だいふく/Yukimi Daifuku.''


It's a white, round cake with ice cream inside. It’s a very popular product and delicious. It's been on sale since I was a child. It is especially popular with girls and children.


The word “Daifuku'' comes from a traditional sweet called “Daifuku Mochi.'' Write “大福'' in kanji. It is believed that this word originally came from China.


大 dai = big

福 huku = happiness


In other words, “Daifuku'' means “great happiness.''


Daifuku mochi is a sweet made with red bean paste wrapped in white dough made from rice flour. It is a sweet that has been around for a long time in Japan. The original version of the sweets was probably born in China and eventually made its way to Japan.


So what does "雪見" mean? This word is a shortened form of the Japanese word ”雪を見る.'' There are many other things to which the word “雪見'' is attached, such as ”雪見窓”,' which existed in Japanese houses. This is a small window installed in the door of a house to allow people to see the snow. In other words, this is the Japanese style.


雪 yuki = snow

見 mi = see


The name “Yukimi Daifuku'' means snow-white daifuku mochi, and it means that the mochi is filled with snow-cold ice cream.


If you have a chance, you should definitely try it!




5 views0 comments
bottom of page