Photo by KimonBerlin

Japan is located on an edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the world’s hottest spot for earthquakes and volcanoes. It stretches in a horseshoe shape from New Zealand up to Siberia, over to Alaska and down to Argentina. Japan sits on a junction of four tectonic plates—the Eurasia Plate, Philippine Sea Plate, North American Plate, and Pacific Plate.

The islands of Japan, which were created by this burning Earth goo, are home to 10 percent of the world’s active volcanoes (volcanoes that have erupted in the last 10,000 years). There are over a hundred in Japan and many of them are popular sightseeing destinations.

Why the Fire Gods Get Angry

Volcanoes erupt because we have displeased the gods with our wicked ways and it means it’s time for a new round of virgin sacrifices. Just kidding!

Actually, the volcanoes of Japan spew magma because of oceanic subduction. This means that one of the aforementioned oceanic plates drops. Water then comes into contact with the mantle and turns it into liquid magma. The pressure builds and this magma has nowhere to go but up and out.

How bad is a volcanic eruption? In February of 2011, Kyushu’s Mt. Shinmoedake (known to many as the villain’s hideout in the James Bond movie You Only Live Twice) had a major eruption. It hurled boulders and shattered windows as far as five miles away and shot smoke and ash 5,000 feet into the sky.

Photo by asiboro

When Mt. Bandai erupted in 1888 it actually changed the landscape. Aside from collapsing the northern part of the mountain, the eruption also changed nearby landforms, creating lakes, swamps and forests with its debris.

What to Do in a Volcanic Eruption

If you live near a volcano, be prepared. Learn about the volcano and what it does when it erupts. For example, is there heavy lava flow or does it spit debris and smoke into the air?

Be prepared at all times to evacuate. Put together an evacuation kit with storable food, potable water, a first aid kit, flashlights, a radio, and batteries. Also pack a respirator, face mask or cloth because some volcanoes spit out poisonous gases.

Photo by seiko0509

Know your local escape route and practice evacuating. Every area in the vicinity of a volcano has an escape route so ask your local government.

Keep an eye on what’s going on, especially when there are lots of earthquakes since volcanic activity usually goes hand in hand. Check the Japan Meteorological Agency website for warnings. Keep the local news on.

When an eruption occurs, head for higher ground so you don’t get stuck in lava. If your local volcano is the ash and debris launching type, stay below ridgelines. The best possible place to be is inside a strong structure with windows and doors closed.

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Graph by EMajor

Japan’s debt is 200% of its gross domestic product, which essentially means it’s twice the size of the country’s economy. To put it into perspective, the US national debt is around 80% of its GDP.

Economists say that if a country’s debt reaches 90% of its GDP, this means likely economic collapse. But Japan’s debt is different. It’s mostly owed to the Japanese people in the form of government bonds. The Japanese government owes each of its citizens about 7.5 million yen. Since 95% of its debt is held domestically, its economy is not as precarious as it would be if it were debt to foreign countries.

Or is it? None of the pundits seem to agree. Japan is the world’s 3rd largest economy, so its debt is a major concern to people all over the world.

Why the debt is piled so high

There are a number of reasons why the debt is so high. One is a series of government stimulus packages to combat the recession where the Japanese government borrowed money from its people in the form of bonds. The only trouble was that these ideas didn’t work and now the money’s gone.

For many years, Japan has been one of the world’s leading export economies, but exports have taken a nosedive. Exports fell drastically in 2009, pushing the debt to record levels. Once again, the recession is usually blamed. Due to economic troubles, other Asian countries stopped buying Japanese goods. Since 2009, things haven’t gotten much better.

Japan Export Treemap from MIT Harvard Economic Complexity Observatory

A major reason so many people are talking about economic catastrophe is the demographic situation in Japan. A disproportionate number of Japanese are over retirement age and this puts a burden on the country’s social security system. The birthrate is low and there’s little immigration. Japan is actually losing a million people each year.

Damage from last year’s earthquake and tsunami haven’t helped the economic situation either.

How to get rid of Japan’s massive debt

Recently, Japanese politicians can be seen shouting at each other on national television. My Japanese isn’t quite at the level where I can follow political bickering, but I suspect the national debt has something to do with it.

Photo by Voyages Photos Manu

The government’s plan is to raise the sales tax. They’re talking about doubling it. Opponents say that this measure wouldn’t help recovery at all because people would simply buy less. Their proposal is to cut social services, but this would force more economic hardship on families. Another idea is to raise income and corporate taxes.

One measure has been enacted already—to issue more bonds. In the 2012 fiscal year it issued 44.3 trillion yen in new bonds.

I’m clueless about economics and I can’t comprehend how much a trillion yen is, but I’ve got a few ideas. Why don’t they sell some islands? How about bringing in foreign workers and somehow making it possible for them to work? Maybe Japan could start caring more about tourism? I don’t know. If you’ve got ideas, please leave them in the comments and let’s figure it all out!

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If you’ve enjoyed reading us, we’d appreciate if you could take a minute and cast your vote for “Japanese blog” over at Lexiophiles.

Thanks!

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Photo by soundwave

Tōkyō subway

The Tōkyō rapid transit system is operated by two different companies; Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. Ticket prices start at ¥160 and most lines start at around 5 AM and stop service between midnight and 1 AM.

	Tokyo Metro subway consists of nine subway lines—Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya, Tozai, Chiyoda, Yurakucho, Hanzomon, Namboku, and Fukutoshin Lines—that cover the area of Tokyo’s 23 wards and carry some 6.36 million passengers per day. It is the most used subway system in the world in terms of annual passenger rides.
	The four Toei Subway lines are operated by the Tōkyō metropolitan government. Tokyo Metro and Toei trains form completely separate networks. While users of prepaid rail passes can freely interchange between the two networks, regular ticket holders must purchase a separate ticket.

Ōsaka subway

Ōsaka subway has eight lines, including the Nankō Port Town Line, which is a completely automated, driverless train system. The network covers most of the city, fares begin at ¥200 for a single journey, and the subway is open between 5 AM and midnight.

Nagoya subway

Nagoya subway has six lines and together with commuter rail forms an extensive network of 47 lines covering most of the Greater Nagoya region. The fares begin at ¥200 for a single journey, most lines start at around 5 AM and finish at midnight.

Sapporo subway

The Sapporo subway has three lines, the first of which, the Namboku Line, was opened in 1971 prior to the 1972 Winter Olympics. The system is unique in that the trains are guided by a central rail with rubber tires on two narrow steel tracks. Fares begin at ¥200, services start at around 5 AM and finish at midnight.

Sendai subway

The Sendai subway system consists of just one line (a second line is scheduled to open in 2015). Fares start from ¥200 for a single journey, the subway is open from around 5 AM till midnight.

Kyōto subway

Kyōto’s subway has two lines. Archaeological artifacts found during the construction of the subway are displayed at Karasuma Oike Station. Fares start from ¥210 for a single journey, the subway runs from 5:30 AM until 11:30 PM.

Fukuoka subway

The Fukuoka City subway has three lines, all of the trains are completely automated, and each station has a unique logo. Ticket prices start from ¥100 for a single journey, the subway runs from 5:30 AM until 11:30 PM.

Yokohama subway

The Fukuoka City subway has three lines, all of the trains are completely automated, and each station has a unique logo. Ticket prices start from ¥100 for a single journey, the subway runs from 5:30 AM until 11:30 PM.

Kōbe subway

The Kobe Municipal Subway has two lines. Apart from the subway and several commuter rail lines there are two automated elevated rubber-tyred light metro lines which connect the mainland to two islands. Fares start from ¥200 for a single journey, the subway opens at 5:30 AM and closes at midnight.

Women-only carriages

Photo by monicamuller

To counter groping in the cars by male perverts, known as chikan, some Japanese subways have introduced women-only carriages running during the rush hour. They are indicated with a pink sign and a guard is usually present to enforce the rule, politely asking any man who fails to read the notice to get in a different carriage.

Tōkyō Subway Museum

Photo by tie78reu

If you are interested in Japanese subway systems, some of which are unique and logistically breathtaking, the Tōkyō Subway Museum is definitely worth a visit. The museum, located underneath the Tōzai line, has everything from historic carriages, through video displays and poster exhibitions, up to model train layouts and even hands-on driving simulators. The museum also has displays on tunnelling technology, subway maintenance cars, and is overall a must-visit if you love trains and subways.

Shopping

One thing that may positively surprise you about taking underground trains in Japan is that underground shopping complexes have been built surrounding the underground stations, making the whole experience somewhat more pleasurable and glamorous.

Have you ever taken the subway in Japan? How did it go for you? Let me know in the comments!

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Indeed, not everyone is fond of the taste, looks or odour of this slimey staple of Japanese cuisine, but you should definitely give it a try, as it might just happen to be one of the tastiest meals you’ve ever had. On top of that, nattō is incredibly healthy and cheap, so you could really hit the jackpot if you become a fan.

While there are countless ways to eat nattō, raw or cooked (heating it does reduce the health benefits but a toast with nattō & parmesan or mozzarella is too scrumptious to think about that), one of the more popular variations is mixed with raw egg & scallions, over white rice, seasoned with some soy sauce, mustard and nori.

This makes for a hearty, delicious breakfast which doesn’t cost much and is relatively easy to make.

Nattō with raw egg, scallion, nori seaweed & rice

Serves: 1-2
Cooking time: 25 min
Ingredients:
½ cup short-grain rice
1 egg
1 green onion
Garnish:
mustard, shōyu, chopped nori seaweed, sliced okra

Boil ½ cup Japanese short-grain rice. In the meantime, open one pack of your favourite brand of nattō and stir vigorously with chopsticks, at least 50 times.

Why stir nattō?
As you stir, Natto bacillus, a thread-forming aerobic bacteria, will get activated and form lots of sticky gossamer-like strings. The gooey nature of nattō is called nebaneba in Japanese, and increasing this quality, and thus improving the taste, is the goal of every nattō aficionado.

Other tips for increasing nebaneba include using a special bumpy stirring stick (nebabō), textured bowls, or poking a few holes in the foil covering the beans and leaving the package out of the fridge overnight.

In any case, try not to heat the nattō, or add shōyu before stirring it well, as that might reduce the nebaneba, and even kill the healthy bacterial colonies altogether.

Wash one raw egg, chop the scallions, and mix well with nattō. When the rice is cooked, put it in a bowl and pour the mixture on top of it. Season to taste with shōyu, mustard, chopped nori and okra.

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Photo by kozyndan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan (西山温泉慶雲館) was founded in 705. It has been operated continuously since then, although it has changed hands over 50 times (reasonable when you consider that’s over 1,300 years). It’s located in the city of Hayakawa in Yamanashi Prefecture.

What the Earth’s oldest hotel offers

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is a completely natural onsen (温泉 – hot springs). All of its hot water is created deep in the bowels of the earth through natural processes and not artificially heated. It consists of six different types of baths that all treat different health conditions, in addition to just making you feel good.

Located in a mountainous area near Kyoto, the hotel provides views down into the mountain valleys. The Minobu River runs right behind the hotel and there are views of the river from many of its rooms.

Although it is a ryokan with traditional tatami mat-floored rooms, it’s mixed with elements of modern hotel design. Still, many parts of the hotel complex remain unchanged from its earliest days.

Photo by kozyndan

Then and now

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan was established by Fujiwara Mahito, son of Fujiwara Kamatari, who was an aid to Emperor Tenji in the seventh century. The hotel was built deep in the mountains near Kyoto and was used for centuries by Kyoto residents and visitors. It was especially popular among the military class and artists.

The hotel made its entrance into the Guinness Book of World Records in February 2011. It received lots of recognition but unfortunately didn’t get the crowds it was expecting. The Great Tohoku Earthquake of March 11th hurt tourism everywhere in Japan, and this included its oldest inn. Although there were a record number of phone calls inquiring about the hotel, there were also a record number of cancellations.

The owners are now trying to get back into the book for another record—the hot spring with the largest amount of water produced per minute. Several years ago, the hotel dug a hot spring that penetrated 888 meters into the earth. It now produces 1,630 liters of water per minute at a flesh-sizzling 52 degrees.

Photo by Cerebral Boinkfest

Japan also boasts the world’s second oldest hotel, Hoshi Ryokan, located in the Awazu Onsen area of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan and Hoshi Ryokan are the two oldest companies on Earth. Japanese companies hold six spots in the list of top ten oldest continuously run companies in the world.

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It’s also known for its amazingly delicious culinary treats and no trip to Hokkaido would be complete without stuffing massive amounts of it down your throat. Here’s just a quick sampling of some of its best.

Seafood Straight from the Ocean

When Japanese folks think of Hokkaido, they think of seafood. It has some of the freshest seafood you’ll find anywhere—shrimp, squid, crab, scallops, sea urchin, salmon and tough-to-identify things with no English translation that seem kind of half-alive still.

The highlights for me are salmon and squid. Salmon is served up in thick, chunky steaks that are naturally salty and juicy. Squid is eaten in more ways than you can imagine and my personal favorite is ika-shiokara (イカ塩辛). I know this sounds gross, but it’s strips of squid fermented in its own guts. Shio (塩) means salt and kara (辛) is from karai (辛い), which means spicy. Trust me, it’s good.

One of the legendary stories of my wife’s extended family in Hokkaido is that sometimes when they’re drinking and run out of otsumame (乙豆 – snacks to be eaten while drinking), they would take their nets down to the wharf and get something to eat straight out of the ocean. Now, that’s fresh.

Photo by Ronald HN Tan

Barbecued Sheep, Mongol-Style

Another Hokkaido tradition is jingisu-kan (ジンギスカン – Genghis Khan). Named after the founder of history’s longest-running empire, this is a type of Mongolian barbecue where cuts of mutton and lamb are grilled and dipped in tare (タレ – sauce for dipping made of soy sauce, vinegar, mirin and dashi). Whether it really has anything to do with Mongolian food or not, I don’t know, but it’s yummy.

The way to eat jingisu-kan is to keep barbecuing and gorging yourself until you feel like you can hardly move and wash it all down with copious amounts of beer.

A Hearty Bowl of Ramen

Sapporo is famous for its own style of ramen that uses miso (味噌 – fermented soybeans) instead of the usual soy sauce-based soup. This hearty ramen is great for the cold weather and it has put Sapporo on the map as one of Japan’s three ramen cities (the others are Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture and Kitakata in Fukushima Prefecture). There are over a thousand ramen shops in Hokkaido and even a ramen-yokochou (ラーメン横丁- ramen alley) that’s famous for it in Sapporo.

Photo by msnaut

Hokkaido Sweets

Hokkaido is also known for its sweets. The northern island is where much of Japan’s dairy comes from and they use it to make all kinds of sweet snack foods. Favorite omiyage (お土産 – souvenirs, usually food) staples include the brands Shiroi Koibito, which makes a variety of cookies and similar snacks, and Royce Chocolates.

There are other things to do in Hokkaido besides eating, I’m sure, but I don’t usually get around to them when I visit.

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But it’s not just physically different. Hokkaido has only had a significantly large Japanese population for a little over a century. Before that, it was Japan’s wild frontier. In many ways it still feels like that, with news stories of hikers getting lost in the mountains each year and bear attacks. A trip to Hokkaido is definitely a unique Japan experience.

Getting to Hokkaido

Of course, you can fly to Hokkaido and land at Shin-Chitose Kuukou (新千歳空港 – New Chitose Airport) near Sapporo. But if you’re a real adventurer, I recommend going by land and taking one of the ferries that cross the Tsugaru Kaikyou (津軽海峡 – Tsugaru Strait) from Aomori Prefecture. There’s also the JR Tsugaru-Kaikyou train line that goes from Aomori Station to Hakodate Station by bridge.

What to Do in Hokkaido

Most people head up to the snowy north to ski or snowboard. During its long winter, Hokkaido gets pounded with dry powder snow that makes it Japan’s premier spot for winter sports.

Camping is another of Hokkaido’s attractions. There are pristine areas that are seemingly untouched by humankind, including its northeastern area of Okhotsk (オホーツク), named after the Okhotsk Sea which it faces. This area has plains full of wildflowers and forests to get lost in, as well as the wonders of the seaside with its clear, blue water and occasional drifting ice. The area includes Shiretoko National Park, one of Japan’s most remote areas. The name Shiretoko comes from the Ainu word sir etok, which means ‘end of the Earth.’

Believe it or not, there is also nightlife to be enjoyed, at least in the capital city of Sapporo. Sapporo has an area called Susukino that’s as lively as Shinjuku (okay, that’s what locals say) with lots of bars, restaurants and clubs.

The Seaside Village of Shiofuki

When I visited recently, I stayed away from the big city lights and the bears as well. I stayed with family in a tiny seaside village called Shiofuki (潮吹). I wouldn’t bother looking for it on a map, but if you decide to, it’s located on the western edge of Hokkaido near a thriving metropolis called Kami-no-Kuni (上ノ国) which might be on your map.

The town consists of a couple of streets, a couple of shops, a post office, lots of houses (many abandoned) and a giant wharf. That’s where all the action is. Fishermen are out there at all hours of the day pulling delicious creatures out of the sea.

The coastline is rocky, with cliffs rising high above the calm rolling waves. Like much of Japan’s habitable space, Shiofuki is a narrow strip of almost flat land that faces the ocean, the only possible place where a settlement could be made. Many of the families that live in this town have been here since the early days of Hokkaido’s Japanese settlement. A massive cemetery in nearby Kami-no-Kuni attests to this.

Hokkaido is really unique and if you have a chance to visit a place like Shiofuki, there’s no better way to see real Japanese life. But one word of warning—Japanese fishermen in remote areas speak a dialect that’s harder to understand than kansai-ben (関西弁 – Kansai dialect, the dialect spoken in southern areas like Osaka and Kobe).

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Photo by Australian Customs

The conflicting information that an individual receives through the many blog posts, news reports, and research articles on the topic can be confusing and overwhelming. This article attempts to remain neutral and provide some background knowledge about whaling in Japan so in order to facilitate you to own opinions on the issue.

History/ Background Information

1946

During the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, 15 countries signed an agreement to help protect the whale population from being over hunted. However, the convention recognized that scientific research sometimes requires the capturing of a whale; therefore, it authorized countries to issue permits for whale hunting—if it is necessary for scientific research.

The permits are to be reviewed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which is made up of 120 scientists who examine the goals and methodology, scientific value, and potential impact on the whale population that the study might cause. The IWC’s review is only advisory however, and each country still retains the power to issue these permits.

1987

Forty-two years later, the IWC set a zero quota for commercial whaling (called the moratorium). At first, Japan fought the moratorium but eventually accepted the terms in 1987. In that same year, Japan created the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), whose purpose was to provide the IWC with whale data to support Japan’s reason for capturing whales. The institute is comprised of 35 scientist, technicians, and support staff.

The ICR’s goal for research was to improve estimates of the Minke Whale population parameters (weight, age, sex, stomach contents, etc) for whale population management, and unfortunately, the only way to obtain some this data is by killing the whale. Japan argues that through learning about the current state of the Minke Whale population, in the future, we will be able to preserve marine life and better gauge resource management for safe harvest.

Photo by Martin Cathrae

2000

The ICR was operating with a budget of $73 Million USD. The research institute gains slightly 50% of their budget through whale meat sales and the balance is paid mostly through the government.

The ICR gained international attention when they announced that they wanted to expand their research program to include Brydes and Sperm Whales, in addition to their research on Minke Whales. Since 1987, the group managed to hunt and capture 400 Minke in the Antarctic and 100 North Pacific Minke between 1994 -1999.

2005

Since 1987, Japan’s total of whales killed for research is as follows: 7,900 Minke, 243 Bryde, 140 Sei, and 38 Sperm. Interestingly between 1954-1986 (before moratorium) only 840 whales globally were killed for research by Japan.

The ICR also stated that they plan to expand their research by incorporating additional whale species during the second phase of their research in late 2006. The second phase’s main hypothesis is based on the claim that whales are competing directly for limited resources and the species populations are out of balance. For example, the recovery of the population of the Blue Whales will be negatively affected by the increase of population of Humpback, Fin, and Minke Whales.

The competing arguments

New arguments/counter arguments are constantly being made from both sides of the spectrum. Here are summaries on three key points of clash.

Reasons for Research

Research Quality

Economics

However, Japan countered this argument in February 2010 when they claimed that they are unable to successfully sell their entire whale meat stock, despite the price drop in 2005. At that time, Japan’s whale meat stock had more than doubled since March 2004 from 1614 tons to 3981 tons. They state the reason for this is the high popularity of fish, pork, and chicken; all of which can be sold at a cheaper price than whale meat.

Conclusion

I hope you are able to see how complicated this issue can get. Some even claim that the anti-whaling support groups’ attempts are actually working against their cause. Radicals that are attacking Japanese ships cause some Japanese to not necessarily become “Pro-Whalers,” but more “Anti-Anti-Whalers.” I’ve only scratched the very surface of this debate. There are a lot more articles on this issue and each piece of information seems to counter any argument from a previous article. One reason that this problem is difficult to manage is because of the different perspectives (ethically, scientifically, culturally) that can be implemented to approach this problem.

What do you think of the whaling issue in Japan? When leaving comments please remember to be respectful to each other’s views.

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Photo by Silentmind8

Why is this? If you’ve lived for any length of time in Japan, you know that it’s all about the diet. The Japanese diet has changed in recent years, but it’s still among the healthiest in the world.

Low Cholesterol

There’s no chicken-fried steak in Japan, which is either fortunate or unfortunate depending on how you look at it. From the health point of view, it’s a good thing. Japanese people traditionally eat little red meat and almost no foods that contain saturated fats (the ‘bad’ fats). There are dramatically fewer deaths from heart disease and they also add lots of ginger to many dishes, which helps to lower cholesterol.

Less Cancer

There is also less cancer in Japan and the reasons aren’t fully known for this, but it’s believed that green tea may help lower your risk. It comes from camellia sinsensis, the same plant as black tea, but it’s unfermented. Because of this it contains a high level of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which fight the free radicals that can lead to the abnormal cell growth of cancer.

Weeds from the Sea

Photo by mdid

Japan has always had scant resources, and this undoubtedly led the ancient Japanese to grab whatever stuff they could out of the ocean to eat. The result is the tasty and healthful seaweed that you see everywhere today. Seaweed contains high levels of minerals (especially iodine) and microelements. It’s also chock full of protein and vitamins A, C, and B12.

Omega 3

Many people in Japan eat fish daily. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are all the rage now in natural health products because they do so much for your body. Health benefits include improved brain functioning, help with growth and development, and most likely preventing serious health conditions like heart disease, arthritis and cancer.

Filling up on Rice

White rice, and especially white rice of the short-grain Japanese variety, is high in nutrients. It’s also fairly high in calories and I’ve always wondered how Japanese people can eat massive amounts of rice and not put on weight. The key is that the okazu (おかず – side dish to the rice) is usually very low in calories. You end up filling up on rice rather than potatoes, meat or bread.

The Joys of Soy

Photo by Lil’ Dee

You can find soy as a prominent part of nearly all traditional Japanese meals. It makes an appearance as tofu, edamame (枝豆 – green soybeans), shoyu (醤油 – soy sauce), natto (納豆 – fermented soybeans) and miso (味噌 – bean paste). Soy is high in protein, low in fat and offers all kinds of health benefits. Many people believe that it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.

Another reason for the healthiness of Japanese people is expressed in the proverb hara-hachibun-me (腹八分目 – a stomach that’s 80% full). This proverb is a yoji-jukugo (四字熟語 – 4-kanji character proverb) that basically means if you eat until you’re 100% full, you’re overdoing it; eat less and you’ll live longer.

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