Commemorative Stamp, 記念スタンプ
Traveling to Japan or anywhere really puts a strain on your wallet. You want to get souvenirs, but that costs money and sometimes food is more important than material goods. Well fear not because many of the tourist spots in Japan have something you can do for free, which is getting commemorative stamps. These stamps make a great free souvenir of the place you are visiting. Plus it is another activity to do while you’re wondering around the place. Commemorative Stamp is 記念スタンプ (Kinen Sutampu) in Japanese. So if you want to do this, but don’t know if they have it or not then just ask a staff person 記念スタンプがありますか？ (Kinen sutampu ga arimasu ka?) and they will help you find it. The stamps are really cool by the way.
Mugiwara Store, Shibuya, Tokyo
Mugiwara translates to straw, which is in reference to the material Luffy’s hat is made out of. This is a One Piece store located on the 6th floor of Parco Part1 in Shibuya, Tokyo. If you are a One Piece fan then this is a place you just have to go to. They have a wide variety of products ranging from clothing to snacks. One Piece is an anime that is wildly popular in Japan. You can go to different areas around the nation and find souvenirs with characters from this series. Be warned that if you are a fan of the series then be prepared to throw your money at them because there is just so much to buy from the Mugiwara Store.
Drinking Communication 飲みニケーション (Nomi ni cation)
Business culture in Japan has been one of those things that I have been fascinated with because it is very different from America. On a regular night going home on the JR I so happened to see this businessman passed out in the train. I’ve seen drunken people passed out in the seats, but not the floor. My friends then explained to me why that person was passed out. 飲みニケーション (nomi ni cation) was what he told me. It uses the 飲むkanji which means to drink and ニケーション is part of the katana version of communication. In a majority of the companies in Japan, the superiors treat out their subordinates as a way to build strong bonds. My friends tell me that after work is done their supervisors invite them out to drink and to refuse is sort of disrespectful. They drink to communicate in an atmosphere that is more relaxed than the office thus 飲みニケーション (nomi ni cation). If you are in Tokyo or some other city around the time work is done, then don’t be surprised to see bars and restaurants packed with company people because most likely it is their communication time.
Okonomiyaki, Osaka
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake. The name of this food type translates to “what you like grilled.” There are many variations into what you can have made into the okonomiyaki. Usually in a restaurant they give you the raw ingredients in a bowl that you mix together and cook on your own. However, this restaurant in Osaka, that my friends and I randomly found, cooked it for us and even designed it. The main reason why we came here was to eat the heart shaped okonomiyaki. The one with the egg on top is kimchi, the middle is pork and the heart is a special that had a combination of deliciousness. These were much bigger than the ones I had in Tokyo. I guess in the Kansai region the okonomiyaki tends to be larger. I recommend people to try this as a change of pace from sushi and ramen.
Ema (Wooden Prayer Plaques
Ema are small wooden plaques that are used to write your wishes on. These are usually found in Shinto Shrines. The way it works is first you purchase the ema, next you write your wish and lastly leave it hanging in the designated area. The reason you leave it hanging at the shrine is because the Gods will receive your wish once you do it. The ema come in various shapes with either animals or some other type of imagery. The ones in the picture are of a fox because it is the deity of the shrine. Back in the olden days of Japan, people would donate horses to the shrines to gain good favor with the residing God(s). Later on when horses became less common, the images of the animal were used instead.