Japan History and Culture

The Eel Eating Day (Doyou no ushi no hi, 土用の牛の日)

Doyo means “the end of the season”,are the days which mark the 18 days before the beginning of each season in the lunar calendar and Ushi no Hi, literally means day of the ox, from of old Japanese believed that each part of the day follows the 12 animals of zodiac signs for designation cycles of time, They are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig, animals were used to represent certain text about “Doyo Ushi no Hi”(the Ox day of the hottest period).

Doyo no Ushi no Hi on July 20th as known as the hottest day of the year(temperature about 35-36°C and high humidity in summer),is a special mid-summer day dedicated to eating eels(Unagi, 鰻)because eels are very nutritious foods and can restore people’s vitality and then beat the summer heat, a great source of high quality protein, calcium, vitamin A, B1, B2, D, E, high in EPA (which lowers blood cholesterol) and DHA (sometimes called “brain food,” it is thought to enhance mental acumen), which is popular summertime fare. On Doyo ushi no hi, you will find eels sold at every supermarkets, the shopping arcade, restaurants, convenience stores and Long advertisement flags (nobori) are often around to promote sales. And then you can see a salesman or fishmonger with some freshly grilled eel for sale.

There are many types of eel dishes:

•Kabayaki(蒲焼) - grilled eel on skewers and grilled with sweet soy sauce-base sauce (kabayaki sauce) before broiled on a grill.

•Unagi-don orUnagi-donburi (鰻丼)- Bowl of rice topped with grilled eel.

•Kimosui(肝吸い) - A small bowl of clear soup made from eel livers, often served as part of a set, whose vitamin D content is reputed to be good for the eyesight.

•Shirayaki(白焼き)- plain grilled eel without basting sauce for flavourings. This is usually eaten with a dip of plain soy sauce (shoyu) with wasabi.

•Unagi sushi (鰻寿司)- finger pieces of eel on rice sushi style.

•Uzaku(鰻ざく) - grilled eel with sliced cucumber in a sanbaizu (vinegar sauce) dressing.

Japanese horseradish (Wasabi, わさび)

Wasabi is a root vegetable or above-ground root-like stem of this plant that is grated into a green paste. It is a strong, a fiery hot flavor which quickly dissipates within a few seconds and leave a lingering sweet taste, with no burning aftertaste in one’s mouth.

Wasabi can grow in the ground, but commonly it is cultivated in clean water running down the mountain valleys and the temperature must be mild (heat must be avoided).When the wasabi plant grows to nearly 20 inches tall, with green leaves on the head, the rhizome grows above the root and the plant is ready for harvesting.

Wasabi is most famous a staple condiment in Japanese cuisine. It is the light green paste that accompanies sashimi (raw seafood) ,sushi, noodle dishes, However, it is also used for many other Japanese dishes. Essentially, people dip sashimi (raw seafood) slices in a mixture of wasabi and soy sauce. Wasabi is said to be effective as an antidote to prevent food poisoning. That is one reason that wasabi is served with sushi and raw fish slices.

Many “wasabi” powder and paste products that is widely available in supermarkets and even some restaurants. Wasabi powders have to be mixed with water to contain only very little or no real wasabi at all and are made of colored horseradish instead. This is due to the fact that cultivation of real wasabi is relatively difficult and expensive.

Donburi (丼ぶり)
The Donburi is basically known as a fast-food lunch, literally means “bowl”. Sometimes this dish is called simply “don” may be added as a suffix to indicate a donburi dish.

The Donburi is a Japanese dish of boiled rice with topped (meat, fish, eggs or vegetables).Donburi meals are served over rice in big bowls. The various Donburi choices vary largely in their toppings. The topping served on each donburi is reflected by its name in the menu, topping preferences vary by region, even by town, and by season.

Variety of donburi

Tamagodon or Tamagodonburi (玉子丼) is  a scrambled egg mixed with sweet donburi sauce on rice.

Oyakodon or Oyako Donburi(親子丼)The name of this popular donburi dish comes from its two main ingredients, literally “parent-and-child rice bowl “, the bowl with simmered chicken together with egg and green onion or other on rice. a good simmering sauce often based on dashi, flavoured with soy sauce and mirin(Japanese rice wine) then all is poured on top of both of rice .The parent-and-child rice bowl is a poetic reflection of the fact that both chicken and egg are used in the dish. In Japan, oyakodon is often served in soba restaurants and the shop can add Japanese pickles (tsukemono) by free.

Katsudon (カツ丼),Tonkatsu donburi or Pork cutlet rice bowl , is a popular Japanese dish consisting of a deep fried breaded pork cutlet (Tonkatsu) with onions and egg on top of rice. The dish has become a modern ritual tradition for Japanese students to eat katsudon the night before taking a major test or school entrance exam because The Japanese word “katsu” is a homophone of the verb katsu (勝つ) ,literally meaning “to win”.

Tenshindon (天津丼) is a Chinese-Japanese specialty, consisting of a crabmeat omelette on rice, this is called天津飯 tenshinhan, named for Tianjin, China.

Tekkadon or Tekka Domburi (鉄火丼) is basically thin sliced raw tuna served on rice with seaweed(nori), wasabi and ginger. Many Japanese restaurants serve chirashi, which is the same thing with assorted seafood in place of the tuna, but very few seem to have tekkadon.

Negitorodon (ネギトロ丼, ねぎとろ丼) is a green onion and diced toro (fatty tuna or raw tuna fish) and negi (spring onions) over a bowl of rice.

Tendon or Tempura Donburi (天丼) is tempura shrimp are deep fried pieces of battered seafood and vegetables, dipped in soy sauce, served on top of the rice. Various tempura pieces are dipped into based sauce before served on top of the rice.

Gyudon or Gyuniku Donburi (牛丼),literally “beef bowl” is a Japanese dish consisting  broiled beef and onion simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavoured with soy sauce, mirin, salty flavour and sake giving the dish a sweet on top of the meat, it is commonly served with beni shoga (pickled ginger),shichimi(red chilli mix), and a side dish of miso soup. Other side dishes are salad and kimchi. Tea and water are offered for free with refill jugs available on the table for customers to serve themselves. Many chain restaurants (gyudonya) specialize in gyudon making it an informal, inexpensive dining option frequented by students, ideally suited to travellers on a budget and often open 24 hours.

Unadon or Unagi Donburi (鰻丼), literally “eel bowl”, this combo is popular in the summer, because the Japanese believe eating eel is good for you in the hot weather,this is also the time of year when the eel fishing is at its peak.Unadon is a rice topped with pieces of grilled eel(unagi no kabayaki,鰻の蒲焼) coated with a thick glaze of soy sauce and  sweet sauce(soya), sprinkled with sansho.

Chukadon (中華丼) or gomoku-chukadon (五目中華丼),literally meaning “Chinese rice bowl”, is a popular Japanese fast food dish. It consists of stir fried assorted vegetables, onions, mushrooms with some meat over rice in a big bowl. not traditionally Japanese or Chinese, the hybrid dish indicates the popularity of donburi in Japan.

Candy apple  or Ringoame

Candy apples, also known as toffee or jelly     apples (about 5 cm in diameter) are whole apples covered in a hard sugar syrup coated with hot red thick syrup gravy, usually tinted red and sometimes flavoured with cinnamon. The sugar syrup is heated to the “hard crack” stage before coating the apple to make a hard coating when the syrup cools. Other variations include caramel or toffee apples, and chocolate apples.

Japanese Cherry Blossom Tea , Sakura Tea ( Sakura yu,??, ????)

Sakura yu is a kind of Japanese drink, is a tea made by steeping a salt-preserved cherry blossom in hot water, the petals unfurl and turn translucent pink. This is a very delicate tasting tea with no caffeine; it usually served in place of regular green tea at wedding ceremony and other auspicious occasions.