Not to be confused with American Idol, Japanese idols are the kawaii girls and guys that are plastered all over the ‘net. They are the singers, photo spreads, and other eye candy that sets Japanese pop culture (and increasingly internet pop culture) ablaze for a short time before making way for the next cute face….
Category: Culture
History of Ramen
Ramen is considered one of the icons of Japanese culture, but it is actually from China. Ramen appeared in Japan in 1910 when some Chinese cooks in Tokyo made their noodles with kansui, a sodium-carbonate mineral water. It made the noodles yellow and elastic; the ramen noodles we know. The dish was originally called shina…
Japan’s Forest of Ghosts–Aokigahara
Aokigahara lies at the foot of holy Mount Fuji in Japan. Also known as the Sea of Trees, it is a dense, dark forest, a place that has long been the focus of myth and legend. It is said that great deposits of iron lay underneath the Earth there, and that they play havoc with…
Antique Bakery
I started to watch this drama because I was on a bakery kick, and I liked the title… “Antique Bakery”. My overall impression was that not a lot happens in this drama. Regardless this drama is heartwarming, and I couldn’t help but cheer the characters on. I have to admit, the real reason I like…
Lolita
Lolita is a type of fashion (and a novel wrote by Vladimir Nabokov) that originated in Japan. Clothing is based on Victorian and Rococo clothing. Rococo is also called the Late Baroque period and developed in Paris, France. Rococo is more lighthearted and intimate than the earlier Baroque periods. The novel (if you are wondering)…
Kawaii
Kawaii literally means lovable, cute, or adorable. Kawaiasa is the noun ( love-ability, cuteness, or adorableness). Kawaii refers to the cuteness that appears throughout Japanese pop culture. Both men and women are expected to look and act kawaii. Interestingly, when cute seems fake it is looked down upon. Women who try to be kawaii and…