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Bradcat's Japanese Word of the Week...Setsu

Bradcat's Japanese phrase/word of the week (今週の言葉) is "setsu" (せつ) (節) which means "Save" or "Economise". This links with my previous blog post about the word mottainai (もったいない)

It can be combined with the word "yaku" (やく) which means approximate, or roughly.

Therefore "setsuyaku" (せつやく) (節約) is a way of describing cutting corners, or to economise. 

Bradcat's Personal Focus... Getting Around Japan - Places

I think it's safe to say, that any topic I post about visiting Japan will be heavily biased, because I'd like you to see it all. However, with such a big place, and the average holiday only lasting two weeks, I'm here to share some of the best places I visited during my time in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. This way, if you ever have the opportunity to visit Japan, you know these places are the best of the bunch (That I visited at least)

Places

Khaosan Tokyo Ninja - Tokyo

Myself and Bob with the crazy staff of Tokyo Ninja

Khaosan Tokyo Ninja was by far, the best hostel we stayed in during our three weeks. They were incredibly helpful when our plans changed last minute when we needed to change a date of check out. While most hostels (and even some hotels) would find this a pain to arrange, these guys made sure we were looked after.

As you walk into the hostel you have to remove your shoes (as with all homes in Japan) and announce "TADAIMA!" (ただいま) (Not if it's after 10pm though, as some people may be sleeping!) to which at least one member of staff will shout back "OKAERI!" (おかえり) The main desk is almost always manned except for early hours of the morning, so if you encounter any problems or need to request to borrow something (e.g. a towel, or washing powder) there is always someone there to help. There is also a suite of PCs that can be used at any time.

A spotless shared bathroom, four sinks and three showers

The entire hostel is exceptionally clean, as they offer an exchange of accommodation for cleaning. So they always have a team of five to six people on hand, to help tidy the place, which is great with the volume of travellers they have staying with them on a daily basis.

You can rent a number of items from reception, from the basics such as a towel, to the more advanced personal Wi-Fi hotspot, which is handy if you're trying to navigate around Tokyo. The hostel is located just three minutes away from the JR Sobu line, so you'll find yourself being able to access most of the big areas of Tokyo with ease.

The main team of Mi-ne, Erina, Hiroko, Rico, and Yutaka are genuinely interested in hearing about your exploits while in Japan. Each morning we were asked what we were doing that day, and on our return we'd bring them a small omiyage to which they were incredibly grateful. They showed us fantastic hospitality (Omotenashi) (おもてなし) for which we were insistent on returning the favour if any of them ever visit England (Which Yutaka will be in August, so let's make him feel welcome!)

KHAOSAN TOKYO NINJA

2-5-1 Nihombashi Bakurocho,

Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Website: Khaosan Tokyo Ninja

Fuji Ramen - ラーメン藤 - Kyoto

Fuji Ramen is located in Kyoto on Gojo Dori. It's a fairly small shop so it's easily missed, however that doesn't mean it's not popular. Depending on the time of day, it'll be either very quiet, or at capacity. It's fantastic value for money because the chef is very generous with the portions. Speaking of which, the owners were very friendly and welcoming to gaijin (we were complimented on our Japanese speaking a few times)

I foolishly had eyes bigger than my stomach and ordered a large pork ramen and chicken karaage, which I couldn't finish. It was easily one of the biggest meals I ate while in Japan! If you're in Kyoto, be sure to visit this place.

ラーメン藤 (Fuji Ramen)
15-1 Gojobashihigashi 2-chome
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0846
Website: Fuji Ramen

Chitose - ちとせ - Osaka

The award for the tastiest meal I ate in Japan, goes to Chitose restaurant in Osaka. The chef here serves some world class Okonomiyaki, as many Japanese celebrities have visited here over the years and signed his wall leaving messages of praise.

For those who are unfamiliar with Okonomiyaki, try to imagine all your favourite meat, and noodles, sandwiched between two giant omelettes, and topped with delicious sauces and seasoning. Also, leave those chopsticks at home, true Okonomiyaki is eaten straight from the hotplate using a small spatular and shovelled straight into your mouth.

Adding the seasoning...

Myself with the number one Osaka Okonomiyaki chef (spatular in hand of course)

I'm unsure if it's just my Western expectation of portion sizes, but the chefs in Japan seem to be very generous for what you pay. This incredible meal set me back ¥750 which is roughly £4, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say it was one of the best meals I ate. Bob will back me up on this one, as he isn't a fan of food with eggs, but he adored this meal.

The chef was very welcoming and spoke English very well, which is a sign he is accustomed to gaijins visiting him on a regular basis. The restaurant also has it's regulars who will happily sit next to you and drink a beer. We encountered an elderly lady during our visit who announced herself as "Grandma" or "Obaasan" (お婆さん) and gave us some sweets, explaining that Grandmothers in Japan ALWAYS carry sweets.

The atmosphere was fantastic, using my broken Japanese I was able to ask if April was a busy time of year for him, with Sakura in full blossom and many people coming to see it. He laughed and said "Every time is busy for me!"

You may have a hard time finding this restaurant as it's tucked down a few side alleys, however if you're in Osaka, please take the time to find it!

ちとせ (Chitose)
Osaka City Nishinari Taishi 1-11-10
Website: Chitose

Rock Bar Cherry Bomb - Osaka

We had an awesome time in Osaka during the evening, many bars are open quite late including this gem which our friend Hana took us to; "Cherry Bomb". It's an American themed bar located on the fifth floor of a building just off of Europa Dori. It's fairly small, it's cozy, and most importantly, it's awesome. Jesse and Monica, who are from California, set up this bar a few years ago, and it's been going from strength to strength since with events like "Taco Tuesday" and "Fryday Fry Up" attracting lots of customers from around the world.

Because of it's warm and friendly atmosphere, you'll likely find yourself talking to a total stranger as though they're your best friend. It's like something ripped straight from the sitcom "Cheers". You'll find a mash of cultures in this bar, with Japanese people who want a taste of the American style bar, while at the same time, some Americans go here to feel at home. It's a culture swap paradise, so there's always someone to talk to.

Jesse and Monica

It might seem odd to some people to visit an American style bar when visiting Japan, however sometimes you just need a few hours break from the chaos of Osaka. The guys behind the bar are always asking if you'd like more drinks, so your glass is never empty. Because this bar is cash only, they will let you set up a tab and just pay at the end of your evening... providing you can still stand after all those White Russians...

Rock Bar Cherry Bomb
Chuo Ku Higashishinsaibashi 2-4-8 5f
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 542-0083
Facebook: Rock Bar Cherry Bomb

King Emon - きんぐえもん (金久右衛門 阿倍野ルシアス店)

We visited this ramen shop twice during our stay in Osaka, both times we received a friendly welcome and excellent service. This is actually a part of a small chain of restaurants dotted around Osaka. Like most ramen restaurants you order your type of noodle, broth, and meat, however from there, you can pay a little extra for your extras. I opted for more pork, and the serving was quite substantial, not to mention delicious. The pork was very soft, so you could easily separate the larger pieces with your chopsticks with ease.

The member of staff on "pot wash" was sporting a Steins;Gate t-shirt!

The staff speak a little bit of English, and also understand my terrible Japanese, so you shouldn't have a problem communicating. We caught the attention of the one member of staff when we mentioned popular anime Steins;Gate (click for my blog post on this anime) and I flashed my personalised business card featuring the logo from the opening credits.

The restaurant is fairly small, but not cramped, though during busy times, don't be surprised if you can't sit next to your friend. Due to where we sat (right in the middle of the bench) a small group of high school boys played a game of janken (じゃん拳) to determine who would sit next to their friends and who would sit next to the gaijins due to the lack of seats, quite amusing.

Look at that bowl of golden deliciousness

The food is really good value for money too, with two big bowls of ramen with extra pork setting us back only ¥1,800 which is roughly £10. As I already mentioned, the pork is delicious, and the broth is nice enough to drink at the end without being too sickly. 

1-5-1 Abenosuji, Abeno Ward, 

Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 545-0052

Website: King Emon

So there you have it, just a small selection of my favourite places I visited during my three week stay in Japan. If you've visited Japan and would like to share your favourite place, please leave a comment below. Have you visited one of these places? If so, please share your experience!

Bradcat's Personal Focus... Getting Around Japan - Food

As I outlined in my previous blog post, there are a lot of common misconceptions about Japan, particularly the diet of Japanese people. No, they don't just eat fish. Japanese food has so much to offer, and that's what I'll be covering today, along with how you go about getting your hands on this deliciousness!

Food

A common sight in Japan

You don't need to know much about Japanese culture to know that they love their vending machines. You're never more than 30ft away from a vending machine. They're on the main street, side alleys, inside shops, bus stops, train stations, almost anywhere you can fit one of these machines, the Japanese will put one there.

The majority dispense soft drinks and hot drinks (Blue buttons are cold drinks, while red buttons are warm drinks), however there are a number of machines which sell alcohol and cigarettes. Don't worry, these machines require an ID card for them to dispense age restricted goods (Smoking and drinking age in Japan is 20) so children can't just help themselves to some beer and a packet of fags.

Food ticket vending machine

Many fast food Japanese restaurant chains works slightly differently to the ones in the West. In most, you won't be greeted by a waiter handing you menus, instead you'll be greeted by one of these ticket vending machines. You place your yen into the slot, and then hit the button for the dish you'd like. Most machines have a small picture on there to make it a little easier, while others have a touch screen style set up. You then take your ticket to the chef and you take a seat.

You can normally gauge the dish sizes from their cost, with sides such as rice or miso soup not costing more than ¥100 or so, while the average meal will set you back roughly ¥500. My advice is to keep an eye out for this kanji (大) as it means "large" or "big" for when you're really hungry, those meals will set you back around ¥700 or so.

Sliced pork and ox tail

I can't stress the importance of this next point enough. You're in Japan... Try something different!

Don't be afraid to try a dish because of your current diet. Don't let names of dishes put you off either. While I was in Japan I tried all kinds of delicious dishes such as ox tail (pictured above), beef tongue, squid, and octopus to name a few. Most dishes are usually served on top of (or alongside) rice or noodles as a pallet cleanser.

Many fast food places sell donburi (どんぶり) which literally translates as "bowl of rice" and it's usually topped with meat of some description. My personal favourite was gyudon which is donburi topped with seasoned beef. It comes served in a bowl big enough for you to lift with one hand, so don't be afraid to cup it with your left hand, lift it closer to your face and get stuck in!

A Sendai speciality; Beef tongue

An Osaka speciality; Takoyaki (battered octopus)

If some of these dishes seem a little outlandish for you, don't panic. Japan has so many dishes, that it can cater to almost all diets. For those of you that have been to popular Japanese restaurants in the UK (or wherever you may be from) you will have most likely seen katsu curry. This comes from the word katsuretsu (カツレツ) which means cutlet, and is often used to refer to breaded meat.

Katsu curry is the "safe" option when eating Japanese food, as you may or not know it was actually imported from the UK during the 19th Century. The curry is fairly mild in my opinion, and goes well with any of the meat it's served with, usually with a side of rice.

A selection of curry dishes

I foolishly thought I could finish a large dish...

There you have it, not once did I mention sushi or fish while writing about Japanese food. You most likely know all there is to know about sushi from various TV shows and YouTube videos anyway! In an upcoming blog which will be a continuation of this series, I'll give you the locations of some of the best venues I visited in Japan for accommodation, food, drink, and entertainment.

If you'd like to know more about any of the foods I've mentioned, please feel free to drop me a message on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or even just in the comments below!

Bradcat's Personal Focus... Getting Around Japan - Transport

There seem to be a number of things which put people off from visiting Japan, many of which are misconceptions. I hear them all the time when talking to my friends; "I don't like fish, and that's all they eat, right?", "All of their toilets have those crazy buttons on them, I don't know about those", or "I wouldn't know how to get anywhere with that crazy train system". Well fear not, I am here to help clarify a lot of these fallacies though a number of blog posts. Today's topic...

Transport

My first and most important tip: Pack light! I took an average suitcase and a messenger bag, and still wish I'd packed lighter. With the amount of traveling you'll be doing, you won't want to be lugging around a huge suitcase or over sized backpack. Not only will it cause you hassle, but it will also cause hassle to the Japanese people that are trying to catch the train on their day to day commute by taking up a lot of room. The trains can get pretty crowded during rush hour, so the last thing they want is your chunky bag in their faces.

Packing light

Japan has the most efficient transportation system I've ever experienced. During my three week stay, I encountered one late bus (late by 10 minutes) and one late train (late by 30 minutes), in all other instances everything was on time.

One of the essential items to take with you, is the Japanese Rail Pass. This pass will allow you unlimited travel on all JR lines, including most Shinkansen. Though be aware the pass is not valid for “NOZOMI” and “MIZUHO” trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines, and it also excludes subways. This does not devalue the pass in anyway though, as during our stay we caught the subway approximately 4 times at a cost of roughly ¥250 per trip (Which is around £1.50).

You pay for the JR pass while in your home country, and they will send you a pass receipt. This receipt can be redeemed (when you arrive in Japan) at the JR desk at any of Japan's major airports, where they will ask for your passport, and date of departure. Once they've signed and stamped your pass, you're good to go! Let's jump on a train right away! 行きましょう!

Ah...

Don't worry, it's not as daunting as it may look. If you've ever navigated your way through London via the Underground, this is no different. There are three major JR lines to keep an eye out for; Yamanote (green), Sobu (yellow), and Chuo (orange). The Yamanote JR line runs in a huge circle around the middle of Tokyo, hitting all the major areas such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Ueno, and obviously Tokyo. While the Sobu and Chuo lines run right through the middle of that huge circle. 

Cozy during rush hour

Obviously with these being the most popular lines in Tokyo, they can get pretty crowded. If you suffer from claustrophobia, or don't do well in crowds of people, then perhaps try to avoid traveling during rush hour. Even though a train arrives once every two or three minutes, during rush hour the Sobu line can be at 200% over capacity. If you travel in the morning please be aware that the front carriage on most trains is for ladies only. 

Spacious during the evening

The Shinkansen is one of Japan's most famous means of transport, often reaching speeds of 200MPH. With the JR pass you will be able to get around Japan in no time. While you don't have to book tickets for the Shinkansen trains, I would advise it. There is plenty of room in each coach, however the "unreserved" coaches can get a little crowded, especially if you're wanting to sit with your friend. 

Booking a seat is easy, simply hunt out the "Shinkansen Ticket" booth in any of the stations, join the queue and then simply ask the assistant: "Watashi wa (place) ni ikitai desu" which is "I'd like to go to (place)" Don't panic if you're worried about speaking Japanese, as most of the assistants speak a little bit of English anyway.

Shinkansen Platform

As you may have guessed, the Shinkansen trains are very, very long, often comprising of over 20 coaches. Take a look at this short video of Bob and myself getting onto the Shinkansen platform and then navigating our way to our coach and reserved seat. Just look how long it takes to walk to our coach...

Buses in Japan work slightly differently to those in the west for a number of reasons. Firstly, a lot of the bus stops have live updates of the location of the bus, so you can gauge how long you will be waiting. Secondly, you pay for your ride when you leave the bus, not as you enter it. 

Bus stop time table in Kyoto

Try to have the correct change readily available, as while there is a change machine at the front of the bus, you don't want to hold up the people who are trying to get off. The average bus fare is around ¥230, which you simply drop into the driver's coin machine.

The bus entrance doors are on the side, while the exit are the doors at the front, so don't try to barge your way onto the bus via the front door. The seats are fairly narrow (If you're slightly larger than average, you may have a hard time fitting into the seats) and are almost always reserved for priority customers (the disabled, elderly and expectant mothers) so essentially, if there's nothing wrong with your legs, stand up.

Here is another short video to give you an idea of what to expect. Notice a few interesting things;

- The stops are announced in Japanese, and then in English

- The stops are displayed on the monitor in Japanese, and in English

- Customers enter the bus via the side doors, and leave via the front

- Customers pay their fare as they exit the bus

- The seats are single file and fairly narrow

If you have any questions on Japanese transport, or have any comments you'd like to add, please feel free and I'll update this post accordingly.

JR Pass Official Website

JR Map of all East lines