C.Motoko Alexander

Cooking time: 45mins

Ingredients (Serving for 1)
150g Bracken Flour (Warabi ko)
650cc Water
20g Soybean Powder (Kinako)
20g Sugar
A pinch of salt

1. Put bracken flour and water in a pot and mix well
2. Put 2 in a medium heat and keep  mixing until its get sticky
3. Turn down to low heat and mix them again until its colour become clear
4. Put it in a container and cover with plastic wrap
5. Put the container in the cold water to cool it down and coagulates
6. Take it out from container, cut it into preferable size
7. Mix all Kinako Soybean powder, sugar and salt and sprinkle over 6

Tokyo is known for one of the urban city in the world. However there are many retro things which are  still remains. Jinrikisha is one of them.
We would like to recommend you to get on Jinrikisha in this modern city of Tokyo.

Jinrikisha was public transportation during Meiji to earily period of Showa.
However nowadays, Jinrikisha is only used for guiding around the specific area
such as Asakusa and other retro town. In Asakusa, one of the Jinrikisha companies, 'JIDAIYA' has been guiding to many tourist for approximately 15years. Rikishaw man guides around Asakusa from 10mins. They start from Kaminarimon to Sumida river side where you can see the unfinished Sky Tree Tower and very unique building of Asahi beer company.
From the couple, friends to family, everyone can enjoy Jinrikisha.

 Jidaiya is not not only provide Jinrikisha experience but also provide a service 'Henshin Asnobi'of which you can try out varieties of outfits such as Samurai and etc...There are retro backgroud studio so that when you take a picture you would feel like feel as if you had been transported through time to Edo.
Except the hot summer season, you can walk around Asakusa with your favourite outfits.
It would become an unforgettable momory for sure.

<NOTE>
JIDAIYA has invented shoes Its design is based on a Japanese traditional socks 'TABI'. 
This very Japanese shoes is only available at JIDAIYA, so check it out. The price is very
resonable.

ASAKUSA JIDAIYA
03-3843-0890
URL: http://www.jidaiya.biz (Japanese only)

Method

1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and add some water little by little and whisk until it gets smooth

2. Strain.

3. Replace all the ingredients into the heat-resistance bowl

4. Leave 1cm on each side of the boal and cover with cling film 

5. Put the bowl in the microwave for 7mins30seconds with 500W

6. Leave until it gets cooler

7. Cut it into any shapes

2 bags of Hiyashi Chuka Noodles
2 eggs
1/3 cucumber
1/2 tomato
1/2 bag of bean sprouts
2 slices of Ham

（A）
- Vinegar Soy Sauce -
50cc Soy Sauce
60cc Vinegar
70cc Water
20g Sugar
A pinch of salt
A pinch of Ajinomoto (MSG seasoning)
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

Method

1.  Boil water in a pot, and boil noodles for 2-3 minutes. When the noodles boiled, rinse with cold water, drain in a sieve. Transfer noodles in to bowl and add sesame oil and salad oil. Mix well.

2. Cut vegetables and ham in stripes. Boil bean sprouts. Make Kinshi Tamago (shredded egg crepes) and cut in thin stripes.

How to make Kinshi-Tamago : Place the eggs in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk strongly. Place a pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour a small quantity of egg and tilt the pan around to spread the egg evenly. Wait for one minute and when the egg surface became dry, turn the crepe over to cook the other side. Repeat this step few times to make 4-5 paper thin crepes.

3.  Prepare special sauce : Place all the (A) ingredients in a pot and turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Remove from heat as soon as sugar dissolved properly.

Transfer noodles into plates, put vegetables, egg and ham on top and pour special sauce. Hiyashi Chuka is ready for serving.

                                                   ©Takumi Ota

If you are looking for a relaxation trip in countryside near Tokyo, there is a secretive village where some famous Hollywood stars are staying occasionally, Kobuchizawa Art Village in Yamanashi Prefecture. It is only 2hours away from Tokyo.
The village is surrounded by full of nature and also natural hot spring. Once you are there, you will definitely notice the fresh air. In the village, there are plenty of things which you can try out: horse-riding, farm experience and so on.  And also there is a very famous museum. 
The museum has the collection of New York artist's named Keith Haring. It is the only private museum in the world. It was built not only to display the arts but also to make the visitors to pick up a hope and dream through arts and its space. Therefore, sometime the museum is used for events.

                                                 ©Takumi Ota

Here, we have created an astonishing package deal for our readers to stay at this village for a special rate!! This offer is unbeatable, so if you miss this chance, you will regret it for sure.

                                                    ©Takumi Ota

Special promotion（1NIGHT2DAYS）: JPY 29,800 per person
Period: From 2010Jun-2010Oct
Note: Saturday and national holiday: additional JPY3,000 per person.
*Include: Accommodation, Meals (1Breakfast, 1Lunch, 1Dinner), Round-Trip Transfer(Kobuchizawa/Art village), Horse-Riding (60mins),  Entrance Fee for the museum, Spa (90mins), All Services and Taxes

<note> Depending on the weather condition, Horse-riding would be replaced with Experience course. (Traditional craft work, Soba-making course, etc...) 

If you are interested in this plan, please contact to jptour@rikisha.jp

 *Please book 1week in advance.

Transport:
By Train: Take JR Chūō Line from Shinjyuku station to Kobuchizawa Station. It takes about 2hours.
By Car:    Take Chūō jidousha-dou (Central Motorway) from Takaido I.C. to Kobuchizawa I.C. for 2hours. 　
* Chūō jidousha-dou on sunday often have a traffic jam so we recommend our guest to take the train.

Cancelation Policy:
2weeks-3days before the arrival: 30%
3days-0days before the arrival: 50%
No show: 100%

Payment: Credit Card only

Kobuchizawa Art Village (http://www.kob-art.com/ )
10287-2, Kobuchisawa-cho, Hokuto city, Yamanashi 408-0044, Japan

F-ness Corporation, Rikisha Division (http://www.rikisha.jp/jptour/)
Kojimachi Bldgs 5F, 3-3-6 Kudan-Minami Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 102-0074, Japan

    EVs manufactured so far failed to become low-end cars because they were so inferior to gasoline cars in efficiency and pricey that they did not catch much attention. It was totally inconceivable to develop electric butteries to enable EVs to match gasoline cars traveling 500 kilometers on a tank of gas. However, technological advances have made it feasible. The catalyst was the lithium-eon battery. Its power is twice as strong as the lead battery. It still cannot be equated to gas engine, but has reached a practical level with run of 150 kilometers on full charge, and with no emission of carbon dioxide.

    Mitsubishi Motors Corp. got a head start with "i-MiEV" in this new challenge. It is an EV model developed based on Mitsubish's "i"-type minivehicle. The company started to sell this new product for corporate use last year and is selling it for personal use as well since spring this year. Its body design goes well with the EV concept with battery-packs put in place beneath the floor, making the inner room as spacious as that of a normal car. When you drive the car, you feel such mighty driving force of motor that you will almost forget that you are in the minivehicle. It can go as far as 120 kilometers with one full charge, and the smooth drivability is quite comfortable. With no noise of engine, you would inexplicably be filled with a sense of being in a high-quality car.

     Another EV that is to be put to market this year is Nissan Motor Co.'s "LEAF." Unlike the four-seater minivehicle i-MiEV, this is a normal-size passenger car for five people. It is an EV that Nissan is going to introduce to the world market, putting the future of the company at stake. Loaded with lithium-eon batteries, the car has a cruising range of 160 kilometers on full charge.

    EV is considered as means of urban transport and its advantage is in extremely low cost of charge (nearly one tenth of gas) by using household late-night electricity. It takes seven hours at 200V household power source for full charge, but if you drive i-MiEV to a downtown quick-charge station and ask the staff for charge, they can electrify 80 percent of the batteries' capacity in 30 minutes. It takes many more minutes than to fill a gasoline car, but you will soon get used to it.

    As for the car price, i-MiEV and LEAF cost nearly three million yen each with an aid of the government's grant money. They are still costly compared with gasoline cars in the same categories, but are expected to become less expensive when they come into wide use. It is a matter of time.

    What pleases EV users is that power-supply infrastructure is being built up at high speed. In the metropolitan areas like Tokyo and Yokohama, the quick chargers have been installed at nearly 100 locations such as rest areas of expressway, gas stations, and car dealership. At most of these places, drivers can charge the batteries for free for the time being. The equipment will be installed at convenience stores and supermarkets in an accelerated pace from now. Even if the mileage per charge is relatively short, the range of activities can be broadened as much as that of a gasoline car once the power-supply facilities become available near at hand. EV's cost performance is so much tempting.

120g thinly sliced pork loin
150g daikon radish
50g  carrot
2  potatoes
1/3   burdock root
1/2 cake kon-nyaku (a hard jelly made from the starch of devil's tongue)
5 cups  dashi soup stock
80g red miso (bean paste)
1-2  Japanese leeks finely chopped

Directions:

1. Cut pork into bite size pieces. Cut daikon radish, carrot and potato into about 3mm rectangular pieces.
2. Wash and scrub burdock, and shave. Immediately soak in water, and drain. Blanch kon-nyaku in boiling water.
3. Boil dashi soup stock and place sliced pork meat, skimming occasionally. Place daikon radish, carrot, potatoes, burdock root and kon-nyaku in a soup pot, and boil until vegetables become tender. Soften miso with soup, and mix in the pot and simmer.
4. Turn off heat and serve in soup bowls. Sprinkle chopped Japanese leeks on top, and now ready to serve.

Ingredients (serving for 4) 

■　 500g  boiled bamboo shoot
■  100g  wakame seaweed (soak dried seaweed in water and reconstitute)
■  2 cups dashi broth ; use katuodashi powder (fish base broth) or boil soaked dried kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and simmer for 10-15 minutes, and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer.
■  buds of Japanese pepper (kinome or sansho)
（A）
■  2 tablespoons  sake  
■  2 tablespoons  sugar 
■  2 tablespoons  lighter-colored soy sauce 

Directions

1. Cut bamboo shoot into two parts - upper and lower parts. Slice the upper part along fiber in bite pieces and the lower part in pieces about 1cm thick.
2. Soak dried seaweed in water and reconstitute. Wash and cut into 3-4cm pieces.
3. Put dashi broth and bamboo shoots in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add ingredients (A) and cover the pan with a paper drop lid *. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove the paper lid and add soaked seaweed and bring to a boil just for a minute and remove from heat.
* Note: Drop lids are traditionally made out of wood. Paper drop lid can be bought in a store or can be created at home by cutting out of parchment paper.
4. Serve bamboo shoots and seaweeds in a dish and place a leaf of Japanese pepper (kinome or sansho) on top. Wakatakeni is ready for serving !

These simple wooden structures reflect the unadorned beauty representative of traditional Japanese architecture. Made from stone, wood, clay, bamboo and paper these houses provided both a workspace and living area for merchants and artisans during Japan's Meiji period (1868-1912).

Though once prevalent throughout the city, these machiya are now in danger of disappearing. But one conservation organization is breathing life back into these fading cultural treasures. Iori, refurbishes machiya and rents them out to visitors hoping to enjoy these ancient works of art. Currently, the company has successfully restored 10 machiya with most of them having been constructed more than 100 years ago.

The townhouses have been renovated in such a way that the original structure is preserved. Machiya are affectionately nicknamed "unagai no nedoko," or where eels sleep because of their narrow but long design.  This design is said to have originated as a way of avoiding paying high taxes since the property was taxed based on the amount of street frontage the building occupied.  The more space the dwelling took up in width, the steeper the taxes were. Because of this, machiyas ended up being narrow, long houses.

Every one of the 10 properties that Iori rents out has a unique history behind it, adding to its mystique.  One home previously belonged to a local physician while another was once the residence of a noted geisha. Although the townhouses were originally constructed a century ago, staying in one is by no means an uncomfortable experience.  Each machiya has been updated with such modern amenities as heated floors, fluffy futons, heat and air conditioning, broadband Wi-Fi and a small but well- equipped kitchen. Some of the cedar and cypress wooden baths or spacious stone baths even overlook a Japanese style garden, which is illuminated at night. The house's surrounding areas also offer picturesque views and glimpses into the traditional culture of Kyoto. The Kamo River, which runs through the heart of the city, and Higashiyama mountains can bee seen from the newly restored Minoya-cho machiya while the Gion Shinmonzen machiya offers direct access to the shops and restaurants of Gion, the most famous of Kyoto's geisha districts.

This mix of modern day comforts found in the old world environment of a restored machiya offers the visitor to Kyoto a unique opportunity to experience first-hand Japan's cultural capital. To learn more about renting a machiya from Iori please refer to www.kyoto-machiya.com. The prices will depend on the location of the machiya, the number of guests, and the season that the rental takes place.         

Written By Erika Wiseberg

Health Food Expo. Ingredients and Contract Manufacture 2010

J. F. Oberlin University Matriculation

Date：4/7[Wed]-9[Fri]
Time：10:00-18:00
　　　　10:00-17:30（Only 9th）
Place：TOKYO BIG SIGHT
Admission Fee：￥3,000　（Registerd in advance: Free）

FINETECH JAPAN(20th FPD Manufacturing Technology Expo

SEA JAPAN 2010

CPhI JAPAN 2010

■ 1 cup (225g)  glutinous rice
■ a pinch of salt (for glutinous rice)
■ 50~60g  sweet red bean paste (ready-made : slightly mashed type)

["kinako" soybean powder mix]
■ 3 tablespoons  "kinako" soybean powder
■ 1.5 tablespoons  sugar
■ a pinch of salt

[Sweet red bean paste]
■ 200~250g  sweet red bean paste (ready-made : slightly mashed type)

1. Wash glutinous rice, and put into an electric rice cooker with 270ml water. Cook commonly and steam for 10 minutes. Add a pinch of salt while sticky rice is hot.
2. Wet a wooden pestle and mash cooked sticky rice until some grains still remain.
3. Wet your hands with salt water and put the mashed sticky rice on your palm and make eight balls (egg size) while it's hot.
4. Mix all the "kinako" soybean powder ingredients.
5. Mash sweet red beans slightly and make four balls.
6. Wrap a sweet red beans ball with mashed sticky rice. Make four balls. Cover with "kinako" soybean powder.
7. In a wet cotton dish towel or tea cloth, flatten and spread a sweet red beans ball. Wrap a plain mashed sticky rice ball with sweet red beans paste. Make four balls.
8. Form each ball in a round or oval shape before serving.

This hot springs amusement park and spa resort offers more than 25 different bath and spa facilities for visitors looking to soak away their troubles. At the popular "Green Tea Spa" a 2 meter tea pot pours green tea that has been harvested from leaves at the foot of the Tanzawa and Hakone mountains into a large indoor bath. Meanwhile guests who are looking to perk up their senses can soak at the "Coffee Spa" which contains hot spring water mixed with real coffee. Not to be outdone is the "Wine Spa," which has a giant 3.6 meter tall bottle of wine and periodic performances of pouring real wine into the bath. Bathing in wine is considered to be a rejuvenation treatment for the body and has been practiced by the likes of Cleopatra.

Those looking for an international bathing experience can unwind in the "Turkish Hamam," a Turkish style spa adorned with mosaic tiles and dome-shaped ceilings that evoke images of an Ottoman Turkish Palace, or they can experience a soothing "Ancient Roman Bath," which involves taking a hot water spa followed by dips in a cold water spa and finally a mist sauna. But the facility's largest attraction is "The God's Aegean Sea," consisting of three islands on which there are a variety of water massaging devises for guests to enjoy while gazing at the fully illuminated screen covering the ceiling. 

The resort also offers the "Mori No Yu" zone for those looking for a more traditional onsen or Japanese hot springs experience. This section is divided into private areas for women and men as everyone is expected to bathe in the buff. Guests can view a tranquil Japanese garden while enjoying the fragrant and relaxing "Cypress Bathtub", where not only the bathtub but the floor, walls and ceiling are lined with cypress, or they can take in the picturesque landscape of the Hakone countryside and breathe the fresh mountain air while bathing in the "Roten-buro" or outdoor bath.

To make each guest's stay a more enjoyable and hassle free experience the resort is set up like a hotel and uses a cashless payment system. Visitors must first check in at the reception desk to receive a wireless digital wristwatch that scans and records all of their transactions. When guests are ready to leave they can either pay in cash by scanning their wristband at the cash machine or they can pay by credit card at the reception desk. Since towels and robes can be rented, visitors do not have to bring their own.

The Hakone Kowakien Yunessun resort is open 365 days a year. So if you are hoping for a quick getaway from the hectic pace and stresses of Tokyo living and are looking for a unique bathing experience, be sure to take a relaxing soak at this friendly spa resort.     

Written and Photographed by Erika Wiseberg

1297 Ninotaira Hakone-machi
Ashigarashimo-gun Kanagawa-ken, 250-0407
04-602-4126
http://www.yunessun.com/english/

The minivehicle is so popular in Japan that it now comprises 35 percent of all the cars owned across the nation. The leading passenger car of such small size is "ALTO" made by Suzuki Motor Corporation. It has taken root in the market over 30 years since its debut in 1979 and undergone several model changes up to the latest seventh generation, keeping pace with the times. In a move to enhance performance and safety, Suzuki has stepped up engine capacity and enlarged the body size over the past 10 years.

The new ALTO in its seventh generation ensures smoother and more comfortable motoring with wheelbase extended to 2,400 millimeters like a normal passenger car, yet providing stress-free drivability which is characteristic of a small car. Some time ago, minivehicle was obviously inferior to normal car in steering and other drivability; however, its recent models, including ALTO, have almost paralleled in this regard. The technological achievements on minivehicle are really awesome.

The most popular model in Japan is represented by a tall wagon-type car that came into fashion with a boom of "Suzuki Wagon R." ALTO inherits in shape the traditional mainstream of sedan and van. The seventh- generation ALTO is so refined in style that it was nominated to the Good Design Award for 2009.

The interior is simple and well-designed to the optimum. Ingenious storage space is put in place tastefully at several locations. Driver's space is made functional as the seat, adjustable in height, can be slid back and forth in 24 notches by one centimeter for user's comfort. The vehicle is outfitted with tilt steering wheel so that the driver can adjust its height to an appropriate position. Thus, every detail is perfect despite the compact dimensions. This is the big appeal of Japanese minivehicle makers.

When you have a test ride, you will be impressed by the spaciousness of the cabin. It is probably because the wheelbase is that of the normal passenger car. With the 660cc three-cylinder engine without turbocharger, the initial speed may be a bit slow, but once you get going, you would feel quite at home with driving through the city roads. The driving performance is so good that you would almost forget you are running the minivehicle.

Note that it goes 24.5 kilometers per liter (according to the automaker's literature). When you take a ride, you will realize it is almost equal in performance to Honda's hybrid car "Insight." The secret for the good gas mileage is the new technology called Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). It has a mechanism by which the transmission geared to D-range at standstill, like waiting for stoplights, shifts to neutral automatically, and that contributes to good mileage as it releases loads on the engine. In product lineup of ALTO, there are orthodox four-speed automatic transmission and five-speed manual transmission available, but look at the technological advance achieved on CVT!

Minivehicle is in a car category unique to Japan. Eco-car is booming all over the world. Compact and high-efficient car is the trend of today. You cannot take your eyes off from the development of the Japanese minivehicle.

~3/28[Sun]

Place:Nerima Art Museum
Phone:03-3577-1821
Admission Fee：Free

Place:Watari-um, The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art
Phone:03-3402-3001
Admission Fee：￥1,000

FC EXPO 2010

Tokyo Health Indusｔry Show

Industry	Event	Event Particulars
technology	FOODEX JAPAN 2010	Date：3/2[Tue]-5[Fri] Time：10:00-17:00　　 Place：MAKUHARI MESSE Admission Fee：Free: Guests with registration ticket

Industry	Event	Event Particulars
Other	Japan International Boat Show 2010	Date：3/4[Thu]-7[Sun] Time：10:00~　　 Place：PACIFICO YOKOHAMA Admission Fee：￥1,000
	The 9th International Auto Aftermarket EXPO 2010(IAAE2010	Date：3/18[Thu]-20[Sat] Time：10:00-17:00 10:00-16:00 (Only 20th)　　 Place：TOKYO BIG SIGHT Admission Fee：￥1,000 (Registerd in advance: Free)
	2010 JAPAN FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW	Date：3/26[Thu]-28[Sun] Time：10:00-17:00　 10:00-16:00 (Only 28th)　 Place：TOKYO BIG SIGHT Admission Fee：￥700
	IWACOM-2	Date：3/30[Tue]-31[Wed] Time：Inquiry　　 Place：PACIFICO YOKOHAMA Admission Fee：Inquiry