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Meal Prep #1 - Batch cook 3 Japanese dishes for two in 1 hour

3/13/2017

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Your goal: Finish cooking 3 Japanese dishes for two in 1 hour

When I get back from work, I'm tired, hungry and ready for a homemade meal. Truth is, it's hard to cook when I get home. Naturally, I reach for eat24.com... So here's a series for you healthy Japanese food lovers: Japanese meal prep in 1 hour to get you 3-4 meals for two.
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Ingredients

Basics (Always in the cabinet)
  • Japanese Soy Sauce
  • Japanese Sake 
  • Japanese Mirin
  • Organic Sugar 
  • Organic Salt & Pepper
  • Japanese Brown Rice
  • Sesame oil
  • Japanese dashi stock
  • Oyster sauce 


Common Ingredients:
  • 2 ​Organic Onions
  • 3 Organic Carrots 

Special Ingredients:
  • Hayashi-Rice
    • Hayashi-Rice Curry Roux (sold in Japanese supermarkets or Amazon)
    • Mushroom (optional)
    • 1lb Thin sliced beef, chicken or pork 
    • 1 Tomato can 
  • Okinawa Bitter Melon Stirfry
    • 2 egg
    • 2 Bitter Melon (Asian supermarket)
    • 1lb Thin sliced pork
  • Renkon Chicken Sweet Sauce Stirfry
    • 1lb Organic Chicken
    • 2 Renkon (Asian supermarket)
    • Green onion (optional) 

1. Start chopping (~20-30min)

  • Chop onions into regular slices
  • Chop carrots into small bite sized slices
  • Chop mushrooms as necessary
  • Chop bitter melon, take out the insides and soak it in salt water for 10 min (this will reduce bitterness later)
  • Chop Renkon after peeling it into bite-sized pieces. Soak into water until ready to cook.
  • Chop green onion (optional)
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2. Start with the Hayashi Rice

  • In a deep stew pot, throw in some olive oil or butter and start cooking the meat.
  • Once the meat is cooked through throw in some onion.
  • Once the onion is clear and cooked, throw in the carrots and mushrooms. 
  • Once the carrots are softer, put in 1 whole tomato can.
  • Wait till the tomato sauce starts bubbling. 
  • While you wait, go to #3.​
  • ★ The tomato sauce is bubbling. Now add 500ml of water. Put a lid on it and wait for ~15min.
  • While you wait, go to #3, find the ☆ mark.
  • ● Stop the heat, add the roux, mix until the roux has melted. Simmer on low heat until serving (max. 15 min).
  • Go to #4.

3. While you wait, start the Renkon stirfry.

  • In a hot pan, start heating the meat and renkon in high heat. Keep tossing every so often until thoroughly cooked.
  • While you wait to go step #2, find the ★ mark.
  • ☆ Start making the sauce: Mix 4 tbsp Sake, 2 tbsp sugar, 4 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp mirin together.
  • Add to the hot pan, lower heat and simmer w/ lid closed until ready to serve (max. 15 min simmering)
  • While you wait, go to #2, find the ● mark.

4. Finally, let's cook the super antiaging bitter melon stirfry.

  • In a hot pan, heat some sesame oil (if you have some) and start cooking the meat and bitter melon in medium/high heat.
  • Start making the sauce: Mix 2 tbsp Sake, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp dashi
  • Add sauce to the pan, lower heat and simmer.
  • Mix eggs and add to the pan. Mix slowly. Simmer until ready to serve (max. 10 min).


​Well done! You've got yourself and a buddy 3-4 meals this week. Pack it up in containers, and enjoy for dinner, lunch or anything nice! 

Gochisōsamadeshita! (Thank you for the meal)

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Japan's most sacred shrine - Ise City

3/5/2017

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"​Ise Jingu(Ise Shrine) is the shinto shrine that the Japanese adore as "Soul of Japan". Located in Ise city, Mie Prefecture, Japan." 

(isejingu.co.jp)
After a 3 hour train ride from Tokyo, you'll find yourself in another rural part of Japan. Only this time, you'll find yourself in walking distance to one of the most sacred shrines in the country and delicious meals like the "Ise Udon" and the crispy soft eel bowls ("Unaju").

My father says the beauty of Ise is its proximity to the mountain and the sea. You go a few km in one direction and you reach the beautiful ocean (and pearls) ☺️. You go the other way and you see an overwhelming amount of mountains. 


​1. Ise Jingu (Ise Shrine)

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"After searching in many regions (to permanently enshrine and worship Amaterasu-Omikami) , finally the princess received a revelation that Amaterasu-Omikami should be enshrined and worshipped eternally in Ise. It is approximately 2,000 years ago." (isejingu.co.jp)


2. Take a break at the recreational areas of the shrine. Find some Ise Udon and warm up...

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​3. Explore other shrines in Ise City. 

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4. Drive to Toba for this beautiful view of the sea.

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5. Can't forget this one. Unaju. Eel bowls.

See details on the google map below! 
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 Other references:
- Ise Jingu's official introduction to the "Soul of Japan"

How to get to Ise from Tokyo:
- Shinkansen to Nagoya (JR Japan Pass available) + JR train from Nagoya (~3 hours)
​
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Click to access jpinsider's customized map for your travel to Ise!
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Things to do in Kanazawa, Ishikawa (1 Day Trip) 

3/2/2017

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Take a break from the hustle & bustle in Tokyo. 
2 hour Shinkansen to Kanazawa for a relaxing trip full of clean air.


Day 1: Arrive at Kanazawa Station, purchase the 1-day-all-day bus pass to go around Kanazawa city. Ubers are not *in* yet. 

Our quick trip itinerary is below, with key spots to visit. Check out the jpinsider google map to download for your trip at the end! 


​Take a bus to Kenroku-en, a beautifully preserved Japanese garden. 

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​Don't forget to visit the stands....for snacks and warm drinks.

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 Stroll over to theKanazawa Castle, which was in use 1580-1871. 

Fun fact: Roof is made of lead....We got kind of scared.
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Take the bus to the "Higashi Chaya District", the tea house district which were used by geishas in the 1800s. 

​Grab a cup of Japanese green tea while you're there ;)
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​Check-in to your hotel. We stayed at the Sai-no-niwa hotel.

Relax....Get some delicious dinner in the room. Take a soak in the hotel's hot spring.
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​Day 2: Good morning!  After a slow breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Modern Art Museum.

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​Time to head back on a Shinkasen departing at 12pm. Enjoy a non-Japanese meal before it at the Station. Ton of things to do in there while you wait for your train.

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​Don't forget to shop around...

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A post shared by Marika | Japan Insider (@jpinsider) on Dec 25, 2016 at 7:38pm PST

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When in Tokyo: High class, fashion forward & hipster Daikanyama

2/7/2016

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My "When in Tokyo" series begin! Click here to see the map! 

Let's start with Daikanyama (代官山), 

Daikanyama to me is a high class, fashion forward,  hipster town.  
If you want to check out the famous "Shibuya", I recommend for you to check Daikanyama along with it! It's a nice walk - especially if you're interested in exploring (~25 minutes).

When in Daikanyama, I usually check out: 
  • All the little shops in all the various alley ways. You'll find fancy shops & cafes.
  • The Tsutaya book store & Starbucks

Don't forget to check out  my OOTD for this day here!

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Top 6 Christmas Illuminations I want to visit in Japan (For 2015)

11/26/2015

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Japan *loves* Christmas.

Though Christianity is not a popular religion,
Japanese people (including myself) celebrate this holiday.

In America, I believe Christmas is more of a family holiday.
In Japan, it's more of a romantic holiday which you may spend with your friends or significant others. (this is the case for the young generation)

Due to the popularity of this holiday, businesses go above and beyond in decorating the city with illuminations! The illuminations I've seen in Tokyo are much more intense than the ones I've seen in San Francisco, Boston and NYC. Additionally, the illumination themes change every year; so you'll see a new design every year.

Check out the list below for the illuminations I want to visit for the year 2015! 

Tokyo Midtown "Starlight Garden"

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Tokyo Marunouchi 

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Tokyo Roppongi Keyaki-zaka "Galaxy Illumination"

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Tokyo Omotesando 

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Tokyo Shiodome "Canyon d'Azur"

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Last but not least, Yokohama's Redbrick Warehouse "Christmas Market"

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I'm now an #AnticaGirl. Luxury fragrances to the rescue!

10/18/2015

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Antica Farmacista, based in Seattle, offers amazing, beautifully scented luxury home fragrances!
They kindly sent me a box full of their gorgeous products to try. I could not be any happier!

They carry diffusers, candles, room sprays as well as other body beauty goods.

My absolute favourite this time around was their Limited Edition: "Takashimaya" diffuser! 
Takashimaya is a Japanese department store located in various cities in Japan. This special edition diffuser contained scents of amber, musk and vanilla. Very sophisticated, "complex, deep and sumptuous". 

Diffusers are meant to be treated like a bouquet of flowers at home. Yes, it could possibly scent the whole room, but it's okay if it doesn't. It should be like having a bouquet of flowers on the table. You smell it when you walk by it :) 

Antica's body butter, hand wash and hand creme were lovely as well. Not only does it smell good and works well to moisturize the skin - the product itself looks beautiful. It makes me feel good carrying it in my bag! 

In Japan, scent is important. Scent can communicate so much. It can tell you about someone's habits, personalities, values...It can even change how you are attracted to that person! Scent can even change how you feel. You can revisit memories or make new ones, just by scent.

jpinsider's Antica Farmacista recommendations:
Takashimaya diffuser 
Prosecco hand cream
Acqua body butter
Orange blossom, Lilac and Jasmine diffuser
Ala Moana Bubble Bath
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おうちを良い香りで包み込む事って
すごく大事な気がする!
リフレッシュ、リラックスしましょう❤︎
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Owl Cafe in Tokyo: "Fukurou-no-mise" in photos

9/28/2015

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​By jpinsider correspondant: Fuyuka
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Another post by my jpinsider correspondent: My little sister, Fuyuka! 

This time, she went to visit the famous Owl Cafe in Tokyo, Tsukishima. 
For 2000 yen (20 USD) you get 1 hour with the owls and a tiny refreshment! 

She said it was more of like a petting zoo than a cafe. Who could relax with a cup of tea with all these owls staring at you in the first place?!

The more I look at these photographs, the more alien they start to look. 

One Japanese lesson before you head off - "Fukurou" ("ふくろう") is owl in Japanese. 

Now it's your turn to visit!


Links:
Owl Cafe in Tsukishima: Fukurou-no-mise 
Google maps: Map

​
月島にある「ふくろうの店」のリポート
なんだか宇宙人に見えてきた....😅
#ふくろうカフェ


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Feeling Zen @ Houkokuji and Jomyoji Temple, Kamakura, Japan

9/16/2015

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First post by my very first jpinsider correspondent: My little sister, Fuyuka! 
She visited Houkokuji and Jomyoji temples in Kamakura. 

Kamakura station is a 30-40 minute train ride from Yokohama. It's hard to believe all of these pictures were taken right by a large city! 

She saw over 2000 bamboo trees. She felt rejuvenated after observing the great nature and feeling the peace and quiet. I wish I could be there to relax as well! 

Reminder:
This is a tourist spot - I want to emphasize the importance in respecting others and the atmosphere while visiting. By this, I mean that it is very important for all of those who are visiting to keep quiet and respect the peace which is created. Don't take too many photographs. Put those selfie sticks away. Remember to soak it all in. ;) 

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鎌倉の報国寺と浄妙寺へ妹が行ってきてくれました!

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Authentic Japanese "Snakku"s Delivered to You!

8/31/2015

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Authentic Japanese snacks delivered to your door!  Snakku is a subscription service starting at $38.95. 
(Read more to get 10% off!)

They kindly sent me a sample to try out and so I could share my experience with you. I must say - lots of childhood memories came back to me when opening their box. Good childhood memories of course :) 

Wrapping
I believe that all Japanese products begins its high quality experience at the wrapping/packaging stage. Snakku uses a beautiful Japanese cloth, also called a furoshiki to wrap the Snakku box. This month it was a deep green furoshiki - resusable of course! I plan to wrap my lunches or any other boxes with this in the future.

Branding and Messaging
Inside the box, I found a pamphlet and flyer of Snakku's. I love how they use Japanese characters (which are truly Japanese, not random characters!) to make the experience authentic, even for a native Japanese person like me.

The Snacks
This month (August) happened to be the month of rusks! I hadn't had rusks since I left Japan (~7 years ago) so this was a *very* pleasant surprise. Here is the list of snacks which came in my box (taken from Snakku's website):
  • 17 regionally made Japanese rusks of different flavors (My favourite was the *Classic*, simply butter & sugar)

  • Yuki no Yado: Slightly salty senbei topped with Hokkaido fresh cream (Now this has my childhood written all over it!)
  • Summer Salty Pocky: Milk chocolate covered pocky with sea salt and sugar crystals (Who doesn't like Pocky?)
  • Maison De Kukkia: Matcha chocolate sandwiched between wafer cookies  (Classy & sophisticated)
  • Bourbon Rumando: Grilled crepe cookie dipped in cocoa cream 
  • Hokkaido Match Milk Candy: Made from Hokkaido milk and matcha from Aichi


All of these high quality Japanese snacks were all very tasty - and now you can get 10% off by using "jpinsider" at checkout. Now's your time to give Snakku a try ;) 




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Muji has opened in Stanford! Here are my highlights.

8/22/2015

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1 day before the store opened, I had a chance to take a sneak peak of what the store had to offer! 
Muji (Mujirushi) is a Japanese brand which focuses on simplicity. More on the brand here.

A *big* thank you to Asako Shimazaki san, the Muji USA President who gave us a tour of the store and interesting information about the products and brand.

Scroll down for more info on the items displayed in the photographs!

Muji USAの社長、嶋崎朝子さんとお話しする事ができました。お写真まで一緒に!
お忙しい中有り難う御座いました。


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More info on photographs (in order of appearance):
  • Photo & Fyuse with Asako Shimazaki (Muji USA President) san! 
  • #MujiStanford bag! Gift for first customers.
  • Muji Toaster, Rice cooker and kettle designed specially by designer Naoto Fukasawa
  • Blue & Green Muji travel suitcases *only* offered here in Stanford. The other colours are available at other stores.
  • Super comfortable Muji travel pillow. Even for offices!
  • Aroma Therapy goodies. I use this very often at home with various types of aroma oils. My favourite one is the lavender!
  • Stamps! You can create your own special notebook, bag, envelope, or any art piece with these stamps in-store!
  • Muji's body fit cushion. Shimazaki-san explained it as the cushion which turns you lazy.
  • Beauty goods. Shimazaki-san told me that one of the most popular products being sold here in the US are the beauty related products. Their skincare line is all natural yet affordable. My personal favourite is the organic cotton! Superb quality.
  • Shrink wrap t-shirts! Perfect for gifts to friends.

Other recommended products:

  • Their pens, notebooks and folders. *LOVE*
  • Japanese snacks & tea. My favourite is their Matcha mix.

Have you visited this new store yet? If not - I highly recommend you do!  So many products and they are affordable. I promise you'll have a great time just browsing too. High quality products for a great price! 


Muji's website: http://www.muji.com/us/




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J-POP SUMMIT in San Francisco 2015 in photos

8/17/2015

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Photo above taken by Ryan Chua
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Highlighted in photographs:
  • AMIAYA (models, singers)
  • Katsu Curry from JapaCurry
  • Onigirazu (Onigiri Sandwiches) 
  • Pocky food truck
  • Hello Kitty food truck
  • Fyuse with a Japanese idol
  • Karaage (Japanese Fried chicken)


Credits:
Fyuse by Ryan Chua

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Summer Mini Getaway to NYC / Jersey City

8/6/2015

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Thanks to:
Bagel @ Best Bagel & Coffee in Midtown
Mango Salad, Lamb Chops, Pasta @ Terra in Tribeca
Amazing chocolate doughnut @ the City Kitchen in the Row NYC
Beer Garden in Jersey City (Zeppelin Hall)
Row NYC Hotel
Milo ice cream @ Flinder's Lane (Australian)


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BentoNow in San Francisco: YUM in minutes!

7/29/2015

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BentoNow is a service which delivers Asian dinner / lunch to your curbside  in *minutes*. When they say "minutes'", they mean it too! I personally got mine delivered in 4 minutes! No kidding! 


You get to pick your main and 4 sides. I believe their dinner time starts at 5pm! 

Once you pick, enter your CC info and confirm your order,  you'll receive a confirmation text which shows you where your food is! You get to track it all the way through it's journey....Then, fwah-lah, 4 minutes later I had my very first BentoNow in my hands! 

This day I ordered: Seared Salmon (as a main dish), Asian Chopped Salad, Chicken Wings, Fruit and Vegetable Gyoza. Most of these dishes are Japanese; like the salmon and gyoza....I must say, being born and raised in Japan - I *approve* and want to thank BentoNow for serving such great Japanese casual food in San Francisco! 

The Seared Salmon was absolutely the highlight. The ponzu sauce was fresh and real. Matched with the perfectly seared salmon! The Asian Chopped Salad was seasoned very well - not too sweet, not too dressed. 

You can use "MARIKA1" to get a couple dollars off your first BentoNow!


BentoNowというお弁当を届けてくれるサービスに出会いました。
アプリからオーダーして4分後、お弁当がお家の目の前に。
しかも、アメリカのサービスにしてはとても美味しくて、日本人として誇りを持ってしまったほどです。


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The Shinkansen Experience in Japan in Photos

7/26/2015

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5 Reasons Why I Love Japanese Convenience Stores

6/30/2015

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Japanese convenience stores, a.k.a "Conbinis" are famous to have *anything* you can think of.

It's nothing like the Seven-Elevens here in the US. Employees are highly trained, the stores are lit, clean and well made making the stores more accessible and safe for all customers, even very young children. 

Products are very fresh as they are constantly stocked and replaced with incoming food. Some conbinis make fresh dishes on the spot.

So what are my 5 reasons to love Japanese conbinis?

1. Beauty products. You can find anything. You don't need a makeup purse anymore!

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2. Well designed, attractive looking storefronts. 

I still carry around my purse, but no joke. You can find anything you need at the Japanese convenience store.
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I told you - it's nothing like the Seven-Elevens in the US.

3. All sorts of alcohol can be purchased for a reasonable price. Mixed drinks and beer in cans, whiskey, wine, sake, soju...

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4. Fresh Fried Food.

The famous "Yamazaki" whiskey for $9 USD.
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5. Finally, the best packaged pastries, sandwiches and bread.

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I usually pack 5 packaged breads the day I fly to Japan to have the following morning. They are fresh - so they only last 1-2 days.

So there it is!

Why do you love Japanese conbinis?
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