Almost-Otaku Goes Bilingual!

I am excited to introduce Miki! Thanks to Miki for being my first native Japanese speaking blog guest.

It seems Japan is a very popular subject these days.  You cannot watch American TV without Japan or Tokyo being referenced. What do Americans/Westerners find so interesting about Japan? Anime and manga, would most likely come to the mind of most. What about average everyday life? I think that is what intrigues me the most, what another culture so differnt from our own finds interesting to themselves.

I have asked Miki to not only post about interesting happenings in Japan, but to post about her everyday life.  I hope you will find it as interesting as I do.

I'm bringing up some herbs!

Hello! I've been bringing up some different herbs and spices.

Bringing up herbs is so cute and fun. After they grow up, I 'll cook with them.

Fresh herbs can be very healthy for you. What I want to try the most is drinking a cup of fresh herb tea. Have you ever tried that? It's really good and much better than a cup of dry herb tea. ;)

After growing up my herbs, I will show a picture of fresh herb tea.

今、庭でハーブを育てています！

ハーブを育てることは簡単だし、とてもかわいくて楽しいです。

フレッシュハーブは本当にオススメ！

ドライハーブを使うより、フレッシュで新鮮でとてもおいしいです。

私のハーブが育ったらまたブログでお見せしますね。

-Miki

A Unique Habit of Japanese

I think Japanese people like to know what your blood type is. Most Japanese are keen to know the blood of type each other and start thinking what your blood type is from the time they first meet .

I think it must be a type of communication in Japan, similar to what you look like. It's kind of an instrument of measure. Most people know their own blood type as well. I don't know why, but many Japanese want to associate blood type with a character, and if I said my blood type is A! they would say ''Ah , I see, I thought you were A!!''. It's an interesting custom and I like that. 

Many people would say ''It's impossible and divides people into 4 types", but I believe those people associate 4 kinds of blood type to each other somehow.

Please enjoy the website attached that is one of instruction manual for each blood type, that would help you like a business card .

http://setumeisho.com/

日本人は血液型で性格を分けるのが大好きです！
なぜだかわかりませんが、
それに関する書籍は日本でもベストセラーになるほど人気です。

４つで人を分けるなんて不可能だと思いますが、
以外と４つになんとか分けられてる場合もあります。
でも時々、ＡＯだよね。という会話も飛び交うので、実質、
４つではなく、6つの、A ,B, O, AB, AO, BO なのかもしれません。
父親がＡ型、母親がＯ型だったりすると、
ＡＯ型の性格とＡ型の性格は違うかも。

血液型分類は日本人の不思議な文化の１つだと思います。

-Miki

The Japanese Tradition of Sushi

Comprehensive guide for sushi lovers.

Apartment from Trick (トリック)

A nice find by The Hopeless Romantic.

Running for 3 seasons, Trick was a catchy series about 2 mismatched characters dispelling majical mysteries. The series started in 2000 but is still poplular among some, including myself. Someone found the apartment from the show that Yamada Naoko, played by Nakama Yukie, lived in. See below.

The infinite soda can pull tab - プシュ!

Rough translation: Enjoy the exhilarating sense of infinite moment to open the pull-tab cans!

Bandai, the people who brought you the infinite bubble popping keychain does it again. Don't suppress your OCD, feed it!