焼酎！Shōchū!

Welcome to Part 2 of my Japanese alcohol series!

This week, I'm focusing on Shōchū which is another alcoholic beverage from Japan, but is mostly made from barley or sweet potatoes. Unlike saké, shōchū has a well-known reputation for having actual health benefits and so it's becoming more and more popular amongst health-conscience or dieting drinkers looking for low calorie alternatives to the normally sugary or carb-heavy drinks.

Alcohol with health benefits is nothing new. The idea of having a glass of wine with dinner has been around for ever. But shōchū has been proven to reduce blood clots and it's low in calories. It also gets broken down easily in the body, so if you're someone who is prone to hangovers then shōchū might be a good choice for you.

I won't bore you with the history of Japan's alcohol taxation laws of the past century and how it's changed the way shōchū is classified. (You're welcome.) Currently, shōchū is divided into three main categories: 本格焼酎 (honkaku shōchū) "authentic", singly-distilled and 焼酎甲類 (shōchū kōrui), multiply-distilled and moromitori shōchū, made with rice or barley, singly-distilled and uses kōji mold spores.

Since honkaku shōchū is singly-distilled, it retains much of the aroma and taste of its main ingredient whether it's sweet potato, barley or sometimes rice and has no more than 45% alcohol by volume.

Moromitori shōchū comes in three main varieties based on the color of the kōji used.

• White: this is the most common variety and it has a sweet and taste since the saccharization is rapid due to the white kōji enzymes.
• Black: because the black spores spread so quickly, it usually left workers and facilities coated in black, so making this type fell out of favor. However, a new way to cultivate it has made this type of shōchū popular again and usually made using thai rice or soba (buckwheat).
• Yellow: this is the type of kōji used in making saké, and is very difficult to make since it's so vulnerable to warm temperatures. The result is a very strong potato based shōchū.

Shōchū kōrui, being multiply-distilled, usually is used as the base for cocktails and liqueurs like チューハ (chūhai) and 梅酒 (umeshu) - we know it as plum wine. Chūhai is short for "shōchū highball" and can be found in many fruity flavors like orange, grapefruit, peach and lychee and is served in a tall glass. Sold in a can, Chu-hi, can be found in vending machines and convenience stores around Japan. Kirin makes quite a few flavors of it. But with fruity syrup added, you're looking at a lot more calories than other alcoholic beverages.

Umeshu and how to make it at home will get a blog entry all of it's own...

乾杯! (Kampai!)

お酒! Saké!

Many of you have heard of the traditional rice-based alcohol called saké, or "o-saké" to be polite, but are not very familiar with it. Like me, you might treat yourself when you're out for sushi and you randomly choose from the menu which one you'd like. It's all the same, right? It's clear, it's strong and served piping hot in a little bottle. Most don't go beyond more than price and what the bottle design when ordering or buying saké from a liquor store.

Well, there's actually a lot more to saké. Like beer or wines, there are many classifications varying in quality, finish and taste. I am by no means an expert, but here's some clarification on varieties and basic terms to help you find a saké that's right for you.

What's the difference between 普通酒 (futsū-shu) ordinary table sake and premium saké? Do I serve it hot or cold?

First, know that the one of the biggest factors that determine the grade and way a particular saké tastes is the amount of rice that is milled or "polished" off during the brewing process. This is referred to as 精米歩合 (seimaibuai). The lower the number, the smaller the grain and the more refined the taste. The rice used in making ordinary table saké has a seimaibuai of less than 70%, meaning less than 30% of the original grain has been polished away.

特定名称主 (tokutei meishoushu) “special designation saké” or "premium" saké must have a seimaibuai of 70% or greater. There are six main classifications of premium saké and they are as follows:

1. 純米 (junmai) - this literally means "pure rice". Generally, there is no extra alcohol added during the brewing process and retains its firm rice flavor.
2. 本所ぞ (Honjōzō) - this is similar to junmai, but has a small amount of distilled alcohol added during the brewing process making it more fragrant and easier to drink.
3. 純米銀所 (junmai Ginjō) - this is a more labor intensive saké and made with traditional tools giving it a lighter taste.
4. 銀所 (ginjo) - This is similar to the above junmai ginjo, except distilled alcohol is added during the brewing process
5. 純米大銀所 (junmai daiginjō) - this is considered the highest quality of saké as it requires a lot of labor and hands-on brewing. It is more aromatic, light and delicate in flavor.
6. 大銀所 (daiginjō) - is like the above junmai daiginjo, only with distilled alcohol added during the brewing process

Other varieties involve differences in the mashes or different handling it after fermentation.

1. 無濾過 (muroka) - this literally means "not fine filtered with charcoal", meaning the brewer skips either the pasteurizing or filtering process or both giving the sake a much bolder flavor.
2. 濁り (nigori) - this is "cloudy" saké. This is somewhat filtered and the a portion of the rice is not fermented giving it a cloudy white color or sometimes chunks of rice. Careful when you open this kind because some are "sparkling" since the remaining rice is still "working".
3. 生酛 (kimoto) - this is one of the oldest ways of preparing the mash for brewing. If you want to know how saké tasted 300 years ago, give it a try.
4. 山廃 (yamahai) - this is a more simplified version of the kimoto but is still not the modern way saké is produced. It basically eliminates the most difficult part of making kimoto style of brewing, but it has a deep and full-bodied in flavor.

There are many more, but that should give you a start. What about serving it? Well, that little flask is called a 徳利 (tokkuri) and it is traditionally served in little wooden boxes called 枡 (masu). But nowadays you mostly see it served in お猪口 (o-choko) the little ceramic cups.

Hot or cold? It depends on the quality of the saké, really. The basic rule of thumb: premium is served chilled and the lower quality is served hot. Traditionally, it was served warm to mask the the woody tasting, harsher old style of brewing. Good quality saké is best served just below room temperature.

乾杯! (Kampai!)

パチンコ! Pachinko!

What is pachinko? It's like an upright pinball machine for gambling and amusement. The word "pachinko" is onomatopoeia for the sound of the balls hitting the pins on the playing board: "パチパチ" (pachi-pachi). It's also Japan's largest industry and an obsession for almost one third of its population. With over 16,000 parlors nationwide, you can't swing a dead tanuki without hitting one. There's also a duality to its legality but I'll talk more about that later. Here's a parlor in Shinjuku:


Here's how it works: You purchase balls (generally for 4 yen apiece) from the parlor using cash, a pre-paid card or a member card directly into your machine of choice. You then shoot your ball bearings from the tray into the machine hoping to win more balls.


So if you ever find yourself in Japan and you're thinking about giving pachinko a whirl, first ask yourself these questions: Do you like...

Games of chance? Pachinko can be described as slot machines on crack. Why pull a lever or hit a button and watch some symbols spin while hoping they'll match? That's entirely too passive. Try manipulating hundreds of tiny ball bearings with a knob while lights flash and music blares all around you to get those 3 matching symbols. This way, you feel that you have more influence over the outcome, unless you count good luck charms and superstitious rituals.


Cigarette smoke? Despite the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2004 and many new public smoking laws in Japan, smoking and pachinko parlors still go together like milk and Oreos.

Confined spaces? These machines are quite small and narrow, and the parlor is looking to make the most bang for their buck. Also, space is at a premium in Japan. Therefore the machines are crammed in making narrow aisles. If you are claustrophobic, most of Japan is not for you.


Crowds? Being on a packed train is one thing, but sitting on an uncomfortable vinyl covered stool shoulder to shoulder with strangers in a loud, smoke filled pachinko parlor is another. At least you have a game to distract you.

Breaking the law? Okay, you won more little balls, now what? Well, you take your trays to an attendant who will run them through a counting machine that spits out a voucher. Sweet! Now what kind of prizes can you get? You have your choice things of t-shirts, pens, cigarette lighters, perfume, cosmetics, candy or coupons to a nearby grocery store. Lame, right? If you'd rather have money then there's a common loophole just around the corner. Grab that voucher, leave the parlor and head over to the nearby exchange center. They will pay out your winnings in CASH. Yeah, it's illegal for the parlor itself to pay out winnings, but a third party not on site can. Here is such an exchange center in Shibuya. It doesn't look shady at all, does it?


Constant loud noise? As you can imagine, hundreds of machines with all their balls clanking on pegs, music and announcements will definitely leave your ears ringing. That's nothing that a pair of earplugs and lots of alcohol can't cure, though.

Are there any pluses? Well, yeah - the obvious amusement from the game itself and the thrill of possibly hitting a jackpot. Also, like casinos here in the US, they serve alcohol and children are not allowed. And often, the machines themselves are anime themed! I've seen machines designed based off of Lupin the Third, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Trigun. If you've never experienced it, you should give it a try at least once. After all, 30 million Japanese can't be wrong.

＼(＾▽＾*)いらっしゃ～いっ(*＾▽＾)／

I have finished listing all the clothing accessories left over from MetroCon!

All the clothes listed are authentic and come from Tokyo's alternative fashion district: Harajuku! I personally go from shop to shop, boutique to boutique and mall to mall to find the cutest shirts and accessories. I buy only shirts with Engrish on them because it's very popular over there and rather hilarious here.

Below are some examples of what I have for sale! The faster you buy, the sooner I can go back to Tokyo and buy more!

Etsy jaderabbitboutique

Etsy shop now open!

The Etsy shop is open! Authentic, cute and engrishy apparel from Harajuku! どうぞよろしくお願いします。

Alright, so eBay was a bust. However, MetroCon was not! Thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth! It was nice meeting you all! It's wonderful to meet so many people with an interest in Japanese culture and travel.

To supplement anime conventions, I now have an Etsy account! Please check it out. I'll be listing more stuff tomorrow and the rest of the week. It's 12:38 am here now, so I'm done for the night...

Zzz…(*´〜｀*)｡O○

花見！Flower viewing!

花 = "hana" or flower and 見 = "mi" or eye. While "hana" refers to flowers in general, this time of the year it more specifically means cherry blossoms (sakura) and/or plum blossoms (ume).

To celebrate the arrival of spring, the Japanese have little outdoor parties or picnics under these trees either during the day or in some special occasions, at night. These night parties are called 夜桜 ("yozakura") and include decorative and festive lanterns hung from the trees.

Hanami is of interest to just about every Japanese citizen, so much so that their weather service provides a 桜前線 ("sakurazensen" or "blossom report") to make best of your party planning. Below is such a report from the previous year.


My first sakura siting was in Nagoya in the castle's gardens. It was very overcast that day and towards the end of my tour, I saw some pink flowers in the distance. I was so excited that I interrupted my guide mid sentence to ask if they were cherry blossoms. She nodded and I ran ahead to see having completely lost interest in a statue she was explaining. I apologized for my rudeness but she found my elation amusing.


With as much anime, manga, TV and movies I've seen... the cherry blossom is omnipresent and I just couldn't help myself. Getting to see firsthand the delicate petals fall and speckle the ground like confetti was almost surreal.

Apparently, I wasn't the only person thrilled about this time of year. It was mid-March so some of the trees in Tokyo were just starting to bloom. While I was in Kamakura, there was one tree abloom near the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine and no less than a dozen photographers jostled for position to get pictures of the one branch they could get near.

I mentioned ume or plum blossoms above and I was fortunate to see one of those as well at Nagoya castle. They look just like sakura only white.

This entry is definitely photo heavy, but these beautiful flowers speak for themselves. I took more pictures of cherry trees than anything else on this trip and seeing the natives crowd around a blossoming tree on more than one occasion meant my fixation was the norm.

The boutique is open!

Finally! I've managed to catalog and photograph all my merchandise from Japan and have begun listing in on eBay for your buying pleasure! CHECK IT OUT!

There's not much now, but I will continue to list more clothing and stationery as the week goes on. Thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoy what you find!