Setsubun (節分）February 3rd 2016

According to the Japanese luna calendar, today is the end of winter though it is still as cold as ever.

It is not a national holiday, but Setsubun (節分)  has important meaning as one of the customs characteristic of Japan.

Setsubun is one of my favorite events in Japan because special meals are served at the day. They are... thick sushi rolls!

Ehou-maki（恵方巻き） 

I suppose you've seen and possibly had such a sushi roll, but I think it is not just a one you know. If you pay close attention, you will notice that it's uncut.

Setsubun is a special day for me, a big eater, to be able to eat it whole by myself. 

biting into a whole, Marukajiri (丸かじり) / Marukaburi (丸かぶり)

Eho(恵方) of Eho-maki means a lucky direction. According to the custom, people look in the lucky direction of the year (with closed eyes), and silently bites into Ehou-maki while thinking of their wishes. The lucky direction of this year is Nan-Nan-Tou (南南東), south-southeast.

It is popular among Japanese, but there are many opinions about the origin and history of the custom. Some people say we could call it commercialism; like chocolate on St. Valentine's Day in Japan. Eho-maki is sold everywhere even in convenience store.


I gave a long speech about Eating Eho-maki, but it is not the main event at Setsubun.  

Setsubun originally means the division of seasons, so strictly speaking, there are 4 times in a year： before the beginning of four seasons. 

We call them Risshun(立春: the first day of Spring),  Rikka(立夏: the first day of Summer), Risshuu(立秋: the first day of Autumn), and Rittou(立冬: the first day of Winter).

However, Japanese people gradually placed great importance on Spring as the start of a year. That's why nowadays Setsubun refers to only the day before Spring.

Setsubun is on February 3rd or 4th, and today, February 3rd is Setsubun of this year because the date of Risshun varies with the years and Setsubun depends on it.

The main event at Setsubun is Mame-maki (豆まき), bean throwing. It is held with roasted soybeans in order to ward off the evil spirits. The roasted soybeans sold on the time is called Fukumame. It is also available at supermarkets or convenience stores and usually comes with a mask of Oni as a free gift. Oni is the ogre and symbol of evil spirits.

Fukumame (福豆), sacred beans and Oni no omen (鬼のお面), a mask of Oni

People call out while throwing beans through the windows or doors at night, Oni ha soto! Fuku ha uchi! (鬼は外！福は内！）, 

It means Devils out! Fourtune in!

After throwing beans, you should shut all the windows and doors as soon as possible, and eat the Fukumame equal to your age plus one. It is called kazoe-dpshi(数え年), traditional Japanese method counting your age.

It means if you are 20 years old now, you need to eat 21 beans. If you are 100 years old, it should be 101 beans, so the older we grow, the harder it is to eat them.

The scene of that father pretend Oni by using a mask and children enjoy Mame-maki can be often seen.

That's it brief introduction about Setsubun. Mamemaki is often held at shrines or temples for each area in Kyoto as Setsubun-sai(節分祭).

If you are looking for a shrine you should visit and besides the something special to do in Kyoto, I have a suggestion you can enjoy with your partner or / and family. 

You can renew your vow being wrapped in Japan. For more information, visit our website http://wrappedinjapan.jp/

Cheers.

CHULETA, Spanish Bar at Shijo Kawara-machi, Kyoto

There is a stylish Spanish Bar CHULETA only a one minute walk from the nearest station, Gion Shijo Sta.（祇園四条駅）.

I found a Spanish Bar around Shijo Kawaramachi （四条河原町） and held a little New Year's party with my friends from university. First off, ...
¡Salud! with sangria. ¡Salud! means cheers! in Spanish.

Olives, cheese, uncured ham, and salami are looking good, and the taste of them is also very nice.

Tapas de Espana

 Spanish omelet, mini hamburgers, blue cheese puffs and more...

Tapas variadas

The main dish was off course, chuleton. CHULETA named as the name of the bar means a meat chop, and chuleton is bigger than it. We ordered chuleton de cerdo, a rum chop.

chuleton de cerdo

There were other meals we enjoyed, for example, calcots and ajillo, but I forgot to take their photos. You can see some more appetizing photos when you visit their website. ( http://www.chuleta.jp/food.html ) 

Anyway the foods we had were all so good, and I drunk too much! haha The only one thing I felt a little uncomfortable is the service is slow; however, we really like there.

CHULETA is good for the meeting place because here is very close to the major station in Kyoto, and the early opening time is helpful for visitors.

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address : 1F Kamogawa building, 200 Nakano-cho, Yamato-oji Nishi-hairu, Shijo-dori, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 

access : 1 minute walk from Gion Shijo Station on Keihan main line of Keihan Electric Railway / 5 minutes walk from Kawaramachi Station on Kyoto main line of Hankyu Railway

open hour : 3:00pm～1：00am

closing day : monday (if the monday is holiday, next day it will be close)

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If you are looking for any activity in Kyoto before or after enjoying the meals, I recommend you something special you can do only here. We have the what to do in Kyoto and make you be wrapped in Japan. Guess what...? Visit our website! http://wrappedinjapan.jp

Thank you.

the god of beauty for women, Kawai Shrine (河合神社）

Who's want to be beautiful? All women hoping so should rush to Kawai Shrine. 

Here is the shrine which is greatly popular with women anyway regardless of their age.

Simogamo shrine that is one of the greatest shrine in Kyoto has seven auxiliary shrines in all; five is in the precincts and two is outside of the precinct. One of the auxiliary shrines in the precinct, Kawai Shrine (河合神社) is widely believed in as the god of the beauty for women. There is usually a ema, a votive tablet, in any shrine or temple, but they differ from shrine/temple to shrine/temple. The ema of the Kawai Shrine is so characteristic. 

kagami-ema (鏡絵馬)

The ema of Kawai Shrine is in the shape of a hand mirror so it is called kagami-ema. (Kagami means mirror.) There are some face parts in advance, so make it up likening to the face you wish to be with own cosmetics or equipped crayons or pens. Offer it after writing your wishes on the back of  the kagami-ema in the same way with general ema.

before　→　after

Additionaly, you can have a cup of  drink to be beautiful named bijinsui (美人水). It is flavored with karin, a Chinese quince. There are many trees of  the Chinese quince in the garden of the Shimogamo Shrine. It is made from Chinese quinces harvested from them and sacred water. A Chinese quince is 

said that contains an ingredient to make the skin beautiful.

350yen

plain sweet taste

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address : 59, shimogamoizumigawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (in the precinct of the Shimogamo Shrine)

access : about 10 minutes walk from Demachiyanagi station (出町柳駅) on Keihan main line of Keihan Electric Railway

open hours : 6:30am～5：00pm

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There were some worshipers visited there with coupes. If you want to make a great memory with your partners, I'd like to recommend you our services. We have Japanese-style vow renewal. For more information, please visit our website now. →http://wrappedinjapan.jp/

Bye now.

Hatsumoude to the Shimogamo Shrine (下鴨神社)

Happy New Year 2016

Hatsumoude: the first visit to a shrine or temple to pray for safety and peace during the New Year.

Japanese people usually visit a shrine or temple at the begging of the new year. I visited the Shimogamo Shrine to do the first shrine visit of the year 2016! 

Shimogamo shrine is the one of the four popular shrines in Kyoto for hatsumoude. The other three are Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社), Yasaka Shrine(八坂神社), and Kitano Tenmangu (北野天満宮). I visited Fushimi Inari Taisha as Hatsumoude last year.  

Shimogamo Shrine worshiped as the god of matchmaking is crowded with a lot of people every year during the first three days of the New Year's day. Hatsumoude is generally refers to the first three days of the New Year: however, it is said that there are no problem in particular if the visit is made sometime in January.

This shrine commonly known as the Shimogamo Shrine (下鴨神社) compared with the Kamigamo Shrine (上賀茂神社）, the original name is Kamomioya Shrine (賀茂御祖神社)

Many food stall are set up during the New Year's day. I visited there on January 3rd but there were still lots of food stall, for example, yakisoba (やきそば), frankfurters (フランクフルト), fried chickens (唐揚げ), chocolate and banana (チョコバナナ), candy apples (林檎飴), and so on.

I had a Tamasen topped with Yakisoba. （やきそば入りたません）

Shimogamo Shrine is also known as the birthplace of mitarashi-dango (みたらし団子）. Mitarashi dango is dumplings coated with a soy based sauce and sugar syrup, and one of the representative of wagashi (和菓子) : Japanese-style confectionery. It is said that the shape of mitarashi-dango is featuring watery foam floating on mitarashi pond (みたらし池) in the precinct.

mitarasshi-dango

Amazake is a traditional Japanese sweet mild sake, that is a white cloudy beverage made from rice and rice malt, or fermented rice. Although the name referred as a sake, it usually refers to soft drink. Amazake made from fermented rice contains slightly alcohol, while the one made from rice and rice malt is non-alcohol, It is sold or offered in the precincts are said to expel the devil by drinking them. 

amazake(甘酒）

Amazake sold in Shimogamo Shrine was non-alcohol one.

We drew a Omikuji (おみくじ), the written fortune, and mine said that I would have the luck (吉).

good luck charm shaped in the form of Yatagarasu, mythical craw

2016 is the year of monkey Chinese astrology. We call it eto (干支). Do you know what the eto is?

a big ema on which a monkey are painted in the Shimogamo Shrine

Eto is the twelve sings of Chinese zodiac. They are all real animals except the dragon. The year of each of them comes around one every 12 years.

ne(子)-ushi(丑)-tora(寅)-u(卯)-tatsu(辰)-mi(巳)-uma(午)-hitsuji(羊)-saru(申)-tori(酉)inu(犬)-i(亥)

mouse-cow-tiger-rabbit-dragon-snake-hourse-sheep-monkey-bird-dog-wild boar

So your birth year corresponds to the year in Chinese astrology. I was born in the year of monkey. People call the woman who were born in a year with same eto as the current year Toshi-onna (年女). I'm Toshi-onna! In males, they are called Toshi-otoko (年男). And you can guess the age of  anyone if only you could know his eto. What is your eto??

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adress : 59, Shimogamo Izumigawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan

access : about 10 minutes walk from Demachiyanagi station (出町柳駅) on Keihan main line of Keihan Electric Railway

open hours : 6:30am～6:00pm

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After hatsumoude and if you have time, why not be wrapped in Japan? Here is the best cultural experience you can do in Kyoto. For more information, please visit our website now. →http://wrappedinjapan.jp/

See you soon!

Kyoto Sushi restaurant "SUSHITETSU Pontocho" (すしてつ）

You can have great sushi at reasonable price along the Kamo River side, Kyoto.

There is a 100 yen sushi restaurant in the Pontocho,  about 5 minutes on foot from the Sanjo Station.

This time I introduce a sushi restaurant in the Pontocho, Kyoto. The name of the restaurant is SUSHITETSU (すしてつ). 

It's not a sushi-go-round (回転ずし/kaiten-zushi). In the case of a sushi-go-round bar, they usually offer two pieces of sushi on a plate at 100 yen. Here, at SUSHITETSU, a piece of sushi is 100 yen without tax; however, it is necessary to order 2 pieces of the same type of sushi as a set every time in a similar way to kaiten-zushi.

ｌeft back: raw prawn(生海老/namaebi), center line: salmon (サーモン/sarmon), left front: salmon roe (イクラ/ikura), right front: young yellowtal (ハマチ/hamachi)

back: silver salmon (銀鮭/ginzake), front: avocado (アボカド/abokado)

And, this is one of my favorite Japanese-style meal! ↓↓↓↓ yummy

a cup-steamed egg custard hotchpotch.(茶碗蒸し/chawan-mushi)

If you want to see more pics of menu, visit their website. http://www.sushitetsu.info/menu/

We had seats at a low table over a hole in the floor, but there are counter seats and you can see that a chef is making sushi under your eyes.

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Adress: 133-1 Ishiyacho, Pontocho, Sanjo-dori Kudaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 604-8002

Access: five minutes walk from Sanjo Station on the Keihan Electric Railway / Keihan Sanjo Station on the Tozai line of the Kyoto Municipal Subway, 10 minutes walk from Kawaramachi Station on Hankyu Kyoto main line of Hankyu Railway

Map: https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/%E3%81%99%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%81%A4+%E5%85%88%E6%96%97%E7%94%BA%E5%BA%97/@35.0083569,135.7708536,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x6b38735140071b50

Tel: +81 75-257-1285

Opening hours: 17:00-24:00 on weekdays

                       11:30-15:00/17:00-24:00 on Saturday

                       11:30-24:00 on holidays

Table charge: 315 yen

no parking lot, separation of smoking and non smoking areas

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I recommend SUSHITETSU because it is neither too casual like a kaiten-zushi nor expensive like a high rank restaurant. Also, SUSHITETSU gets a good evaluation on the tripadviser! 

When you visit sightseeing spots or something around Sanjo or Kawaramachi, go and have some nice sushi there!

If you are looking for something interesting to do in Kyoto, why don't you be wrapped in Japan? We have special kimono for you to take some souvenir photos as a Japanese cultural experience, and you can also renew your vows in ancient Japanese-style wedding ceremony! For more information, please visit our website now. →http://wrappedinjapan.jp/

See you next time!

Kansai Ramen Derby on November 29, 2015

Kansai Ramen Derby 2015 was held at Kyoto Racecourse.

35 popular ramen restaurants entered the Kansai Ramen Derby for five days in total, and collaborated each other to set up 10 individual booths in a day.

I went to Kyoto Racecourse to join the Kansai Ramen Derby last month! It was held in two parts: the first race was during November 21 to 23 and the second race was during 28 to 29. Different ramens were served on each race. It was neccesary to buy a ticket for a bowl of ramen for 800yen. We joined the second race on November 29, and I had three varieties of ramen. I was sooooo stuffed! 

There is no need to say this, because ramen is the world-famous food now, but ramen is Chinese soup noodle. The roots of ramen lie in China; however, ramen as we know it today evolved independently in Japan. Now ramen is one of the representative Japanese-style food. Almost of all Japanese people love ramen! Never in my life have I heard of people who don't like it. 

The actual horse races were also held same as usual.

By the way, do you know which part of areas is called Kansai? Even Japanese people rarely recognize it, including me.

The word, the Kinki Region, is often used as same as the Kansai Resion; however, it 's actually not the same. The Kinki Resion refers to the following prefectures: Osaka (大阪), Kyoto (京都), Hyogo (兵庫), Nara (奈良), Mie (三重), Shiga (滋賀), and Wakayama(和歌山). 

The Kinki region

Quoting from: http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2140188973364228301

On the other hand, the Kansai Resion originally refers to the western part of the three Japanese historical checkpoints in Mie(三重）, Gifu (岐阜), and Fukui (福井). But now, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Shiga, Nara, and Wakayama are widely recognized as the Kansai area. In fact, the Kansai region is defined as that it consists of 10 prefectures: Fukui, Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori (鳥取), Tokushima (徳島), by definition of the Foundation for Kansai Region Promotion (関西地域振興財団）.

The Kansai region defined by the Foundation for Kansai Region Promotion.

Quoting from:  http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2140188973364228301

In this connection, Kansai direct (関西弁) is generally used inside the Kansai region. To be precise, each prefecture has each slightly different dialect, but roughly speaking, the intonation and the ending of a word of Kansai dialect is commonly characteristic.

Let's stop here for the time being. I'd like to talk about the Kansai dialect in detail maybe some other time. 

Bye now!

The shrine where Japanese-style vow renewal avairable: Hachidai Shrine (八大神社)

#4 Hachidai Shrine　（八大神社）

This shrine is associated with Musashi MIYMOTO who was a master of the sword during the early Edo period in Japan.

The nearest station to the Hachidai Shrine is Ichijoji Station on the Eizan line of Keihan Electri Railway. It's the third station from Demachiyanagi Station on the main line of the railway and unmanned.

Ichijoji Station

Continue in the direction of the arrow.

There is a map.

Keep walking along the road straightly.

   

 

There are a few cafes and restrants.

There is a secondhand book store.

It may be a good idea to buy some Japanese books in order to feel real Japan and give them to your friends as souvenirs.

 

When you see the convinience store named circle K, there is a signboard, and across the street in the dirrection of the arrow.

Go up the hill. There is a cafe on you right.

Decchi Yokan (でっち羊かん） is one of the local specialities around Ichijoji. It is inexpensive ns which contain less azuki beans and sugar compared with ordinaly type yokan in those days. Decchi means an apprentice, and it is cheap enough for them to buy as a souvenir when they go back home for a visit.



Decchi Yokan.

Quoting from:http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/info/sightseeing/monzenmeibutsu/091225d.html

A signbard again. Keep straigt.

There is a stand you can buy Decchi Yokan or other wagashi (Japanese sweets and snacks).

Finally, you arrive on the Hachidai shrine.

The Hachidai shrine is the place noted in connection with Musashi MIYAOTO. He is famous for his swordmaship and one of the greatest warriors in Japanese history. Musashi challenged  the Yoshioka clan to a a duel at the Ichijo Temple Sagarimatsu (一乗寺下がり松) in 1604.

He knew the duel wouldn't be one-to-one, but had no way to know how many enemies were on the watch for the duel. As legend has it, Musashi fought alone against 100.

When he passed nearby the Hacidai Shrine before the duel, and an idea flashed into his mind: Turn to the god for help. But on the second thought, he became embarassed because he realized that he tried to rely on divine protection. He went off just after vowing sligtly, with the belief that " Respect the god, but not pray for help."

Then, Musashi penetrated toward the battlefield.

There was a weeping pine tree called Sagarimatsu (下がり松) there. So the duel is called Ichijoji Sagarimatsu no Kettou (一乗寺下がり松の決闘).

  

 The Hachidai Shrin keep real SAGARIMATSU at that time in the precincts.

A bronze statue of Musashi MIYAMOTO.

It is said that he was 2１when the duel broke out.

A main shrine.

The Hachidai Shrine is worshipped as a shrine for conjugal harmony because it is known that enshrined dieties, according to the Japanese myth, Susanou-no-mikoto and Inadahime-no-mikoto married for love. ROMANTIC!

 

Susanou-no-mikoto and Inadahime-no-mikoto

Quating from the website of the Hachidai Shrine: 

 http://www.hatidai-jinja.com/01_x-02_gosaijin.html

This is an ideal location for renewing your vow♡　

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Adress: 1 Ichijo-ji Matsubara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto

Access: 15 minutes walk from Ichijoji Staion on Eizan line of Keihan Electric Railway

Open hours: all day (the shrine office: AM9:00〜PM5:00)

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If you are interested in Japanese-style vow renewal at the shrine, visit our website and submit the application form. http://wrappedinjapan.jp