Soft Ice Cream,ソフトアイス
Soft ice cream is common in Japan. In Japanese it is called ソフトアイス, sofuto aisu. The price ranges from 100 yen to 300 yen depending upon the area. It is usually served in a cone like the one in the picture. The great thing about this little dessert is that there are a ton of different flavors that are either only available during a certain season or it is the specialty flavor of the place. In Kyoto their specialty is matcha (powdered green tea) flavor. Furano in Hokkaido has lavender flavor and some ports have squid ink flavor too. If you have a sweet tooth for ice cream then this is definitely something you should keep an eye out for.
Movie Theater (映画館)
Movie theaters (映画館、Eigakan）in Japan are different from the ones in America. When my friends took me to see a movie, I was super excited to see Rurouni Kenshin. If you plan to watch a movie in Japan then here are somethings you’ll need to know. There is assigned seating in the theater and at the ticket booth you can choose your desired seat based on what is available. If an English movie comes out then some movie theaters have it dubbed in Japanese or subtitled in Japanese. Also know that if a popular movie comes out they sell goods that are limited to its release like a movie book detailing stuff about behind the scenes. The movies that are dubbed in Japanese are pretty awesome. Try watching Ted in Japanese because it is hilarious.
Bicycle, Jitensha (自転車)
Bicycles are another mode of transportation in Japan. The bike in the picture is the most common design so do not ride it like a mountain bike because the wheels cannot handle it trust me on this one. The design is convenient with built in lock and key, basket, light powered by the rotation of the wheel and a stand that keeps it upright instead of leaning. Fun fact to know is that if you have been drinking and ride a bike that is considered drunk driving. The word for bicycle in Japan is jitensha (自転車), but if you call it bike (バイク,baiku) they’ll think you are talking about a motorcycle. Many of the bicycle lanes are on the side walk and are marked as such. So if you hear the sounds of a bell then watch out for a bicycle.
Train Tickets, Japan Rail Pass
The trains in Japan are a great mode of transportation if you know how to use it. The picture is an example of a round trip ticket to a specific location. However, the terminal offers unlimited rides for the day depending on which location you plan on traveling to. For Tokyo there is an all-day ticket that includes the JR, subway and metro, which comes out to being 1600 yen. There are multiple rail companies so it is better to familiarize yourself with them to know where you train ticket works. Like let’s pretend you have the Japan Rail Pass, which is only available to foreigners and must be purchased before you go to Japan, it is for unlimited rides on any JR train and is good for 7, 14, or 21 days depending on the length you choose. This JR consists of East, Kyushu, West, Shikoku, Central, Hokkaido and Kansai. This includes rides on the Shinkansen, but the Nozomi and Mizuho are excluded. The Japan Rail Pass is NOT for the subway, private rails, and metro or anything other rail company. This means you have to purchase either a separate ticket or be prepared to walk far distances to reach a specific destination. The JR reaches many of the main areas, but when you are trying to reach let’s say Ginza in Tokyo then you’ll have to take the Ginza Line Subway to reach it. The ticket terminal in Tokyo offers an unlimited Toei subway or Tokyo metro or both pass for a day at 1000 yen. It helps to research this beforehand and get apps that will help you figure out, which train to use and if it is a subway, metro, JR or anything else.
Takoyaki
Takoyaki (たこ焼き) is a popular type of street vendor food in the Kansai region. The “tako” in the name means octopus and “yaki” means anything grilled or fried. In English it is commonly referred to as octopus balls because of the shape and contents of the food. Takoyaki is usually made with octopus, pickled ginger and green onion with takoyaki sauce, aonori (seaweed flakes), mayonnaise and bonito flakes on top. The creation of this snack derives from the egg batter enriched Akashiyaki, but the main difference between the two is the texture. Takoyaki was invented by Tomekichi Endo, a street vendor in Osaka, in 1935. You can find this type of food at many festivals and in my opinion the best can be found in Osaka. You can also find takoyaki in some Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores if you want to try it.