Learn A Little Bit About: Japan Learn A Little Bit About: Japan
Japan is an East Asian country comprising of four large islands and various smaller
islands.
It is a peninsula off the east coast of North & South Korea and Russia.
The four main islands are northern Hokkaido, central Honshu and Shikoku, and southern Kyushu.
The nation's capital is Tokyo, language Japanese and main religions Shinto and Buddhism.
Monetary unit is the yen.
Girl Scouts of Japan
Telephone: 03-3460-0701
Hours: M-F 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
1-40-3 Nishihara Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, 151 Japan
Faz: 03-3460-8383
Yes - Hai (hah-ay) or Ee (ay)
No - Iie (ee-ey)
Please - Dozo (dough-zoe)
Sorry/Excuse me - Sumimasen (sue-me-mah-sen) Good morning - Ohayo gozaimasu (o-hio go-zai-ee-mahs)
Good afternoon - Konnichi wa (cone-nee-chee wah)
Good evening - Konban wa (cone-bahn wah)
Good night - Oyasumi nasai (oh-ya-sue-me na-sigh-ee)
Goodbye - Sayonara (sigh-yo-nah-rah) Please to meet you - Hajime mashite (ha-gee-may mash-tay)
How are you? - Ogenki desu ka (oh-geng-kee dess kah) Thanks - Arigato (ah-ree-gah-toe)
Thank you - Arigato gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toe go-zai-ee-mahs)
Thank you very much - Domo arigato gozaimasu (doe-moe ah-ree-gah-toe go-zai-ee-mahs)
You're welcome - Do itashimashite (do ee-tashee-mash-tay)
O-Bon (August 13-16) - The Japanese eqivalent of All-Souls Day and Halloween. City dwellers often go back to their hometowns to visit the graves of family members and give offerings for their souls. Shichi-Go-San (November 15) - Translated as "Seven-Five-Three" this is a special day for girls aged between seven and three and five-year-old boys to be beautifully dressed and taken to local temples and shrines to be blessed for good health. In the days before modern medicine, child mortality was a common occurrence. And when children lived to be 7-5-3, it was a reason for the adults to celebrate. New Year's Week (December 31-January 1) - On New Year's Eve the Japanese stay up until midnight to welcome in the new year. People visit temples and shrines to pray for a good year and to give alms. A special tradition that occurs at this time is the ringing of the bells at the stroke of midnight to scare away the evil spirits. Nation's Day (February 11) - The Japanese equivalent of our Fourth of July. Hanami (March to May) - The Japanese love to have viewing parties under their beloved cherry blossoms. Hina Matsuri (March 3) - Doll Festival or Girls' Day. A week before March 3 families would set up a court of dolls consisting of the emperor, empress, court ladies, courtiers, musicians and various imperial furniture. A complete set could cost a small fortune, and is usually given by grandparents to their granddaughters. Japanese superstition has it that if a mother does not promptly put away the dolls after the festival is over, the daughter of the house is cursed to go unmarried longer. Greenery Day (April 29) - The Japanese equivalent of Arbor Day. Constitution Day (May 3) - In honor of the constitution written after World War II. Kodomo no Hi (May 5) - Now called Children's Day, it used to be known as Boys' Day. On this date special shrines for boys are put on display in homes, a miniaturized samurai suit of armor being the main focus. Families traditionally fly colorful giant koi (carp) flags outside to note the number of boys in a household. Respect For The Aged Day (September 15) Health-Sports Day (October 10) - A day set aside to bring awareness on health issues. Culture Day (November 3) - A day set aside to bring awareness of the Japanese culture. Labour Thanksgiving Day (November 23) - The Japanese equivalent of Labor Day. Emperor's Birthday (December 23) - A day to honor Japan's emperor.
1 piece (4-6 inches) kombu seaweed
1 small leek, thinly sliced
Prepare the dashi by bringing the kombu seaweed, bonito flakes and cold water to a boil. Take the kombu and strain out the bonito flakes. To the dashi stir in miso and add in tofu and bring to a boil. Add leek, bringing to a final boil. Serve in small bowls with a sprinkle of wakame seaweed. Serves about 5.
Dashi is the basic stock used throughout Japan. It consists of water, kombu seaweed and bonito (fish) flakes. Ready-to-use dashi flakes are available from oriental grocery stores. For those who cannot eat any fish or seaweed products, chicken or vegetable stocks are the best substitutes.
Bonito is a type of mackerel and is used fresh or dried. As soup flavoring it is used dried. Traditionally the Japanese buy blocks of bonito and shred the flakes themselves at home. Nowadays preshredded bonito flakes are available from the stores.
Miso is salty fermented bean paste and comes in shades of two different colors and salt level. You can buy red or yellow miso, fine paste or chunky, salty or sweet. The type usually sold in stores is fine yellow with a medium salt level. When making soup, add in one tablespoonful at a time to taste.
Tofu is made from processed soy bean and comes in various forms and textures. For delicate soups a soft tofu is ideal, while medium firm to hard firm is ideal for stews and stir-fries.
Kombu seaweed comes in tough black sheets that need to be lightly wiped down before use. It lends a light taste of the sea when making dashi. Wakame seaweed comes in black sheets of different sizes and shredded. Use shredded wakame to decorate soups and sheet wakame for sushi.
Negi is a large Welsh onion that looks similar to young leeks. Its flavor is a bit more delicate that scallion. Since it is unavailable in the US, use leeks as a substitute. Ingredients
1 cup bonito flakes
6-7 cups cold water
1 block of medium/firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2-3 tablespoons miso of choice
a sprinkle of dried wakame seaweed Preparation Information
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