Places to visit in Hyogo 9: 丹波 (たんば - Tamba)

The 丹波 region is an agricultural area north of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) on the eastern border of 兵庫 (ひょうご - Hyogo). It's probably the last thing you would imagine when thinking of Japan - compared to the bigger cities it's sparsely populated and forgoes the skyscrapers for sprawling rice paddies, ancient farmhouses and verdant hills. Don't let the lack of billboards and plasma screens put you off though - 丹波 has a rich cultural heritage and the farmland isn't just for show; the area is famous for its handmade crafts and fresh produce. If you feel you need a change of pace from rush-rush 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka) and 東京 (とうきょう - Tokyo), 丹波 may be just what the doctor ordered.

お弁当 (おべんとう - obentou) - Bento

お弁当 is another of Japan's better known exports, having made the journey from its humble roots all the way into dictionaries and foodcourts across the world. It's thought that the word "弁当" comes from an old Chinese word meaning "something convenient", but these days it refers to a bought or home-cooked box lunch; what probably springs to mind for most people is the ubiquitous multi-sectioned plastic tray. In one form or another though, お弁当 has been around for hundreds of years and people have been tucking into countless different varieties since the 15th century. Let's pop the lid and see how the world's oldest lunchbox has evolved over the years.

Japaneats その12 – おでん - Oden

As we've seen before, despite its reputation for delicacy Japan is no stranger to stodgy food. As 夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer) burns itself out and the nights start to cool down again the おでん carts will start to reappear; the steaming bowls of brown stuff they serve up are guaranteed to prove that Japan isn't always form over function. It's definitely not pretty and the taste might not be for everyone, but おでん holds a very special place in the Japanese heart.

Japaneats その11 – 和菓子 (わがし - wagashi) - Japanese sweets

It may not be the first place you imagine when you think of desserts, but believe it or not Japan has a huge sweet tooth. Like most Japanese food, 和菓子 have evolved significantly over the years and they can now be enjoyed in a traditional, understated way with a cup of お茶 (おちゃ - ocha - green tea) or in vast quantities at a café or 食べ放題 (たべほうだい - tabehoudai - all you can eat) dessert restaurant. Let's have a look at some of the most common 和菓子 and see if we can kill that sugar craving.

広島 (ひろしま) - Hiroshima

Approximately 90 minutes from 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) and 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka) on the 新幹線 (しんかんせん - Shinkansen) lies 広島, one of the largest cities in Western 本州 (ほんしゅう - Honshu). Unfortunately 広島 is best known as the site of the world's first 原爆 (げんばく - genbaku - atomic bomb) attack but it definitely deserves more credit than that; like 長崎 (ながさき - Nagasaki), the real triumph is how quickly it has risen from the ashes as a gorgeous, bustling city in its own right. The scars are still there if you look closely, but don't let that be your only reason for visiting.

Japaneats その10 – 寿司 (すし) - Sushi

No discussion of Japanese food would be complete without 寿司, the most instantly recognisable example of them all. In a few short years, 寿司 has gone from an Eastern curiosity to a worldwide staple, evolving to suit local tastes wherever it goes. For all intents and purposes, it's the sandwich of Japan - the product of an intense dislike of cutlery and as simple or fussy as you like it. Whether it's enjoyed as a halfway-out-the-door snack on the run or a proper sit down meal,  寿司 is a healthy, versatile food that you can enjoy on almost any budget.

長崎 (ながさき) - Nagasaki

長崎 is unsurprisingly the capital of 長崎県 (ながさきけん - nagasakiken - Nagasaki Prefecture) and one of the largest cities in 九州 (きゅうしゅう - Kyushu), southwest of the main Japanese island of 本州 (ほんしゅう - Honshu). Throughout several hundred years of Japan's history, it served as a prominent port and trading post - one of the country's only windows to the world during its isolation. Unfortunately that's not the main claim to fame; as we all know, in 1945 長崎 became infamous as the second and last city to be struck by a nuclear warhead. Today, the bombing is just one dark chapter in the long and colourful history of 長崎 - let's open the book and start from the beginning.

Japaneats その9 – 神戸ビーフ (koube biifu) - Kobe Beef

I’d be surprised if you hadn’t heard of 神戸ビーフ – like 和牛 (わぎゅう - wagyu), it’s become a global name. As you can imagine, 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) in particular is packed with steak houses and gourmet restaurants making the most of its popularity. At its heart it’s just very nice beef, but its reputation is getting larger than life and the prices aren’t too far behind; the question is whether the reality lives up to the hype. Let’s chew the fat a little and see if we can find out.

Japaneats その8 - 河豚 (ふぐ - fugu) - Blowfish

Most people have heard of 河豚, a highly poisonous fish and Japanese 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) delicacy for the world's more adventurous diners. Its infamy is well known and at times, it's hard to separate fact from fiction; for every uneventful dinner story, you'll have one where none lived to tell the tale. In Japanese, 河豚 is nicknamed "鉄砲" (てっぽう - teppou - "gun"), feeding its popular image as a culinary game of Russian roulette. Whether the notoriety is earned or not, I figure it's worth trying at least once if you're here but it's really up to you whether you risk pulling the trigger.

日本の四つの季節その4：冬 (にほんのよつのきせつそのよん：ふゆ） - The Four Seasons of Japan 4: Winter

冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) is the first and last season of the Japanese year, its icy fingers officially taking hold in December and refusing to loosen until the start of 春 (はる - haru - Spring) in early April. Like 夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer), 冬 takes up more than its fair share of the year and it's just as uncomfortable, particularly for people used to living south of the Equator. Having said that, it can be extraordinarily beautiful, it plays host to one of the most spectacular festivals of the year and best of all, noone will notice your クリスマス (Christmas) kilos under that big coat. Grab your scarf and gloves, because it's cold out there.

お正月 (おしょうがつ - Oshougatsu) - New Year

A very belated あけましておめでとうございます (akemashite omedetou gozaimasu - Happy New Year) - and welcome to 2011! If you're like a lot of Australians, your クリスマス (kurisumasu - Christmas) probably completely overshadowed New Year and if you're like me, you rang in 2011 with a nice casual barbeque or something to that effect. お正月 goes a bit beyond grabbing a spare gas bottle and firing up the grill; it's steeped in tradition from the food to the festivities and needs to be planned far in advance. Let's have a look and see how it works on this side of the pond - before, during and after the countdown to midnight.

日本の四つの季節その3：秋 (にほんのよつのきせつそのさん：あき） - The Four Seasons of Japan 3: Autumn

秋 (あき - aki - Autumn) is widely considered the best season of the year in Japan, sharing a very comfortable temperature range with 春 (はる - haru - Spring). While 春 is associated with the excitement of new beginnings, in some ways 秋 is much more subdued; it's a time to relax, reflect and enjoy the weather as it cools the scorching highs of 夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer). Having said that, 紅葉狩り (もみじがり - momijigari - Autumn leaf viewing, literally "maple hunting") is as big a deal as 花見 (はなみ - hanami - cherry blossom viewing) and when you start seeing whole hillsides turning blazing red, I'm sure you'll understand why.

Japaneats その7 - 鍋物 (なべもの - nabemono) - Hot pot

Japanese homes are generally not very nice places to be during the chilly nights of 秋 (あき - aki - Autumn) and 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter). Apartments in particular tend to have single-glazed windows and no roof space for insulation which means that most people rely on small heaters, air conditioners and 炬燵 (こたつ - kotatsu - tables with built in heaters) to ward off the cold. The last thing you want to do when you've got the room nice and warm is go and stand on the cold kitchen floor chopping vegetables, so why not just bring everything to the table? 鍋物 (literally "pot things") is the result - a one-pot meal that brings the whole family together (preferably where it's warm). It's branched out into a variety of different styles and is now enjoyed internationally throughout the year; I'll bet you've heard of some versions of it yourself.

Japaneats その6 - 焼肉 (やきにく - yakiniku) - Japanese barbeque

Hot food would have made me sweat just to thinking about it a couple of months ago, but we're clearly past the tipping point of 秋 (あき - aki - Autumn) and are crossing into cloudy, wintery days. Like 焼き鳥 (やきとり - yakitori - grilled chicken skewers), 焼肉 is based around the roaring heat of open griddles and scalding hot food, which are both starting to sound very tempting as the mercury drops. So what is 焼肉, where is it from and where is it going? On your plate, if you're quick enough - grab yourself a pair of tongs and try not to burn yourself.

コンビニ (konbini) - Convenience stores

Like the ubiquitous 自動販売機 じどうはんばいき – jidouhanbaiki – vending machines), an extraordinary number of コンビニ dot Japan's landscape. While we may understand the basic concept of a convenience store or deli, a コンビニ is something else entirely, offering a range of services that go way beyond the humble choc milk and sausage roll. They’ve become an economic and social staple; by some counts there are more than forty thousand of them in the country and it doesn’t take long before you start feeling a few more wouldn’t hurt. They're also one of the only places you'll reliably find a rubbish bin!

Japaneats その6 - 焼き鳥 (やきとり - yakitori) - Grilled chicken on skewers

Now that the weather is starting to cool down, the grills are being fired up and we're getting back into all the lovely hot food of the colder months. If you need somewhere to hole yourself up from the rain for a bit, you might want to seek out a good 焼き鳥 spot. You'll know it by the blast of hot air and mouth-watering smells as you open the door, the cluttered little collection of tables and the bellows of "いらっしゃいませ" (irasshaimase - welcome) as you walk in. 焼き鳥 itself is about as old and uncomplicated as food gets  - as soon as we figured out sticks and fire, I'm sure the chicken was only a matter of time.

Japaneats その5 - ラーメン (Ramen)

With all the travelling we've been doing in recent topics, it's probably time we stop for a bite to eat. ラーメン has to be one of Japan's most successful food imports - originally from China, it's now almost as much of a national staple as its native cousins うどん (udon) and そば (soba). In its most basic form, ラーメン is a bowl of noodles in soup, but that makes it sound more boring than it is. There are hundreds of variations from instant to gourmet and with that level of diversity, Japan is bound to have the perfect ラーメン for you.

大阪 (おおさか) - Osaka

大阪 is the biggest city in the 関西 (かんさい - Kansai) area and only eclipsed by 東京 (とうきょう - Tokyo) and 横浜 (よこはま - Yokohama) nationwide. In some ways 大阪 feels worlds away from 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) despite being so close; it's like the Sydney to its Melbourne. Where 神戸 has a smaller, closer atmosphere to it, 大阪 is very much a big city in every way.

I'll let you decide whether that's a good or a bad thing. 

Japaneats その4 - ファーストフード (Fast food)

Let's face it - there will be gloomy days during 梅雨 (つゆ - tsuyu - the rainy season) when you just want to veg out and eat junk food. Fortunately, you can kill your ハンバーガー (hamburger) cravings in true Japanese style. Whether it's a burger place you won't find at home or an imported chain, let's have a look at what's on offer. Loosen your belt, grab some napkins and pull up a plastic stool for today's Japaneats.

文化祭、続き (ぶんかさい、つづき - bunkasai, tsuzuki) - Culture Festival, continued

Having enjoyed my other school's 文化祭 over the weekend, I thought I'd make a followup to the last Culture Festival post and share some of the photos with you. This one had a different focus with less emphasis on "indoorsy" cultural activities and cafes and more on hot food; a lot of the stalls braved the darkening skies, set up their outdoor griddles and got down to some hard-core food preparation. Despite the different take on things, it was no less fun this time around - in fact, their slogan for this year was "Create Fun". Did they manage to do it? See for yourself!