Kaguya Reisebüro
Itadakimasu , expression of gratitude before meals.

Japanese people say “Itadakimasu” by clenching their hands before eating. This is part of etiquette and is taught from childhood.
“Itadakimasu” means something like “I am about to receive my meal,” but has Buddhist validity.

Since ancient times, the Japanese have valued the life of plants and animals as if they were their equals.
Therefore, before each meal, people join their hands to the life of the rice, wheat, vegetables, fish, meat, etc. that they will eat.
It means, “From now on, I will live through them”.
We thanks to the life of the animals and other things.
This is the Japanese way of thinking.

That’s why children are scolded severely if they leave food or don’t like their favorite foods anymore. Because it is an action that wastes the life of someone or something.

The Japanese love to eat.
In Japan, there are many restaurants with Michelin stars. However, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat well.
Perhaps it is because people have always been told to eat everything with enjoyment and gratitude.

Would you like to try Japanese curry?

Curry is an Indian dish, but it is also commonly eaten in Japan.
Japanese curry has undergone its own development and is different from Indian curry.

In the 19th century, shortly after Japan opened to the outside world, curry was introduced to Japan.
Curry was introduced to Japan by the British. Since India was a British colony, curry was also available in the United Kingdom.

However, it also needs a mention of the Indians who contributed to the development of curry in Japan.
In Shinjuku, Tokyo, there is a historic restaurant called Nakamuraya.
A supporter of the Indian independence movement named Ras Bihari Bose had defected to Japan.
This was in the year 1915.
While Nakamuraya gave him shelter, Bose taught him how to make curry.
Today, Nakamuraya still serves delicious curry.

Curry was also put on the menu of the Japanese Navy.
The Royal Navy had curry on their menu, and it seems they imitated it.
Now the Maritime Self-Defense Force has adopted this tradition.

Every Friday, the officers of the Maritime Self Defense Force eat curry.
When you’re serving on a submarine, you lose your sense of the days of the week.
That’s why they always eat curry on Fridays to get a sense of the days of the week again.

Maritime Self-Defense Force curry can be eaten in Yokosuka and Kure.
There are also packaged ready-to-eat meals available.
There is a small JSDF store in Ichigaya where you can buy them.

When it comes to Japanese food, sushi and ramen are very famous.
However, you should also try curry.

About the food on board

The Nippon Maru is well known for its delicious food. Since it is a Japanese ship, the Japanese food is of course highly recommended, but the Western food is also of a high standard and in no way inferior to the traditional dishes. Many of the dishes are prepared with specialties from the ports of call, which only makes your cruise all the more memorable. So look forward to it!

If you suffer from food allergies, you can inform the crew in advance. The kitchen will gladly take this into consideration. Unlike European restaurants, however, “likes and dislikes” cannot be taken into account, because in Japan “you eat what’s on the table”. That is the Japanese way.

You can always order alcoholic beverages to accompany your meal for a reasonable additional charge. Both wine and sake are selected to pair well with the menu on board. So feel free to try them out! House wine is also served, which is quite affordable and highly recommended.

Also, if you get hungry at night, you can have a small midnight snack on board. The snacks are also delicious. For example, refreshing udon noodles are offered. But you shouldn’t eat too much, not that you won’t feel hungry for the wonderful breakfast the next morning!

There are also several cafes on the ship. Each café has its own opening hours, so be sure to check them out in advance in the ship’s newspaper. In the cafes you can buy both snacks and drinks. Again, though, be careful not to eat too much so that you have enough left over for your main meals!

At this point, I would like to give you some personal advice: I myself got seasick once aboard the Nippon Maru and was unable to eat any of the meals. So if you get seasick, it is advisable to bring your own medicine! I still regret very much that I forgot mine at that time….

Click here for information on the Nippon Maru!

Kakigori(Shaved Ice), Japanese summer sweets

Summer in Japan is very hot.
Over 30-35 degrees Celsius is normal and it can get as hot as 40 degrees Celsius.
The humidity is high, so air conditioning is essential.
I would not recommend traveling to Japan in the summer.

But if you are in Japan in the summer, be sure to try the summer foods.
It will be a little cooler that way.

Kakigori(Shaved Ice) is one of the most popular summer foods in Japan.
It is a sweet treat made of shaved ice topped with fruits and syrup.

Kakigori has a long history.
In an essay written by a writer a thousand years ago, she describes eating kakigori.
A thousand years ago, there were no freezers, so the ice that formed in winter was stored in primitive refrigerators called “himuro.”
They were brought to the imperial palace in the summer and eaten with sweet syrup.
The syrup is said to have been extracted from a sweet-tasting plant.

Over a thousand years, Japanese kakigori has evolved and can be enjoyed in a variety of flavors.
There is also a store that specializes in kakigori.
They are very tasty, so you should not eat too many of them.

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Jindai-ji

Jindaiji Temple is located in Chofu, a suburb of Tokyo.
Nearby, there is the Jindai Botanical Garden.
Therefore, you should take lots of time here to enjoy the walk.
This temple was founded in 733.

The specialty of this place is soba noodles.
There are many soba restaurants around the temple.
The soba here is exceptional.

 

 

Okomomiyaki of Hiroshima

Okonomiyaki is like japanese pizza.
All Japanese love it.

There are two kinds of okonomiyaki.
They are Osaka style and Hiroshima style.
Of course, the people of Osaka and Hiroshima are proud of their local okonomiyaki.

The Hiroshima style is a little more elaborate.
First, bake the dough like crepe, and put a lot of vegetables and meat there.
In addition, bake the noodles and eggs and stick them together.
In some okonomiyaki restaurants,the cook cooks in front of the guests.
If you can drink alcohol, beer goes well with it.

Kakigori

Kakigori is a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with syrup and a sweetener.
Especially it is hot this summer.
That’s why many Japanese people enjoyed kakigori.

The history of Kakigori is old, and people ate that 1000 years ago in Japan.