Setsubun sushi

Today is Setsubun (節分), the official day before spring (doesn't mean it's getting any warmer though, unfortunately). Traditionally, you throw roasted soybeans (炒り豆 - irimame) out the door (or the more entertaining way, throw them at a member of the family wearing a demon mask) while chanting "鬼は外。福は内。" ("Oni wa soto. Fuku wa uchi.") It's telling the demons, or all the bad things, to go out and the luck, or all the good things, to come in. You can also eat the roasted soybeans for luck. We got some in class today, and it actually wasn't too bad.

There's also apparently a special kind of sushi (寿司) for this day here in Osaka. It's kept in a roll form instead of being cut up like normal. You're supposed to eat the whole thing while facing a certain direction (east I think?) without saying anything.

The Lawson I usually go grab lunch from was selling them. I asked to take a picture, because one of the guys was wearing a demon head thing, and got talked into buying a sushi roll as well.


Guys outside selling sushi to people in the rain. I accidentally cut off the horns of the demon head thing. ::sad::


The sushi I ended up getting. It has fried egg, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, cucumber, fish, and other stuff I don't know what in it.

It also came with this Rirakkuma (リラックマ, the Relax Bear) compass toy. They gave me four. Because when they asked why I wanted to take a picture I said it's because I'm American and wanted to show my friends, so they gave me more to give to my friends. So uh...if anybody wants one, I can save it for you.



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Store: Lawson

Christmas in February?

Yes, for some reason there is still left-over Christmas chocolate. I'd feel a little scared to buy this, but maybe that's just me.



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Store: Lawson

Reverse chocolate

Valentine's Day is coming up and so stores, and not just conbini's, are stocking up on goodies for this day. The holiday is "celebrated" differently here than in the States. Here in Japan, girls give the guy she likes a present on Valentine's Day, sometimes used as a way of confessing that she likes him, or she could just give them to guys as a sign of friendship. It's usually chocolate, and a home-made piece of chocolate is something special. And if the guy likes her back and wants to respond to her feelings, there's White Day on March 14 where the guy gives the girl a present as an answer of sorts.

However, there is now "Reverse Chocolate"! For all those guys who want to do this the American way, you can now buy chocolate to give to the girl of your dreams. But no, it can't be just regular chocolate, because that's obviously only available for girls to give guys. You need to get the special chocolate, the reverse chocolate, because you're going out of the ordinary here.

See below, "reverse chocolate" (逆チョコ - gyaku choko) from Dars (and Milk).



The poster sign thingy even says, "From guys to girls, reverse chocolate".

Personally, I think Japan just likes coming up with ways to make people spend money.

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Store: Lawson