Taiyaki - Cute & Casual Sweet

You'll sometimes find that fish-shaped buns are sold in the supermarkets or stalls in the festivals in Japan.
The buns are called "Taiyaki", literally means "burned bream". Bream is regarded as a symbol of happiness or celebration, so it would seem that bream was used in this sweet's name.


Dough (mixed with water, flour, egg and a little sugar) is put on the fish-shaped iron plate, then sweet bean paste, custard cream or other sweet stuff are added. You can see the process making Taiyaki at most of shops.

Sometimes Japanese enjoy having the small "discussion" that from which part of Taiyaki you'll start to eat, head or tail. Taiyaki mixes with Japanese daily life well and plays an important role as communication tool among young and old.

White Mask - What happened in Japan?

If you visit Japan in early spring, you'll see many Japanese, regardless of age and sex, with white mask. It is slightly late for the season of flu, even getting wormer and homer.... And many women want to change the clothes from thick coat from soft shirts. Why Japanese wear a white mask though it doesn't seem fitting for spring fashion?

The answer is pollen allergy. Pollen of Japanese cedar or hinoki scatters throughout Japan in spring. The number of person who suffers from hay fever has been increasing, so otolaryngology hospitals are crowed in this season. ( Actually I saw the hospital flooded the patients, some of them couldn't enter the clinic!)

There are some foods and goods against this allergy in supermarkets and general stores. Hope cute masks, such as check, dot, and with pig nose, will replace the white ones.

Hina Matsuri - Doll's Festival

On March 3rd, Doll's festivals are celebrated throughout Japan.
"Hina-matsuri" is to observe girls' growth and pray for their further healthy growth. A pair of dolls which represent Heian era (from the end of 8th century to the end of 12th century) nobilities couple are displayed with some peach flowers at home and show windows.

As for food, they eat "hina arare" (pieces of fried rice cakes) as snack, and "chirashi-zushi" (sushi which is not hand-shaped nor rolled, but mixed with pieces of row fish, thin omelet, and dried mushrooms) as lunch or dinner. Food for Doll's festival is colorful and contains seasonal vegetables, so we can enjoy the coming of spring.

A Japanese tradition says that you'll be past marriageable age if you don't clean up the dolls after March 3rd. This doesn't seem to meet the trend of the time, but let's respect the traditional Japanese sensitivity of season!