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This is how you will find oden in the convenience store. How appetising does it look?

You know winter is here when you walk into a convenience store and hit with the smell of oden. It is warm and comforting for some, and to others it is the smell of culture shock.
Here are some of the most common oden. You can find these and many more at your local 7 – 11 (convenience store).

daikon – radish	tamago – egg	hanpen – light fish cake
tsumire – sardine cake	ganmo – fried light tofu ball	kinchaku – rice cake in tofu pouch
chikuwa – grilled fish cake	konbu maki – rolled kelp	konnyaku – devils tongue
atsuage – fried tofu	satsumaage – fried fish cake	shirataki – tied devils tongue noodles
gobo maki – burdock root	gyusuji – beef tendons	tako – octopus

At the convenience store choose what you want. I recommend you try the radish, egg, and ganmo. Karashi (hot mustard) will enhance your oden experience.

Ranking no Paradise on TBS went to Ginza today. They asked 210 Foreigners, “What souvenir did you buy today?”.

Here is the Top 10…

No. 1 Tenshin Amaguri – sweet roasted chestnuts

No. 2 Sony Earphones – Ginza has a big Sony Building

No. 3 Big bag of Okaki – rice crackers

No. 4 Keshouhin – Japanese made cosmetics

No. 5 Ohashi – chopsticks

No. 6 Washi Zaiku – Japanese paper craft

No. 7 Cashmere muffler – Cashmere scarf

No. 8 Anpan – bean paste bun

No. 9 A stuffed Octo”pass” – Octopus helps to pass exams??

No. 10 Nihonshu – Japanese sake

I guess an Octo”pass” will be a hot item for all!?

Sapporo is famous for its fresh seafood. Crab, scallops, and salmon are popular ingredients here, with most dishes based around their natural flavors.

Nijo Fish Market opens at 7 AM, and is the place for everything fresh. Start the day with donburi – a bowl of rice topped with your choice of seafood. Uni (sea urchin), and Ikura (salmon eggs) are popular with the locals.

Ramen (noodles in soup) is eaten by almost everyone, with Sapporo Ramen arguably the best in Japan. It has a miso based soup, and the noodles are alot thicker than served in the rest of Japan.

Ramen Yokocho or Ramen Alley is the place that attracts most hungry tourists. It has over 20 ramen shops which are usually busy in the evening. If it smells good, it will taste good. Trust your nose.

If seafood is not your thing, then head out for Genghis Kahn. It`s a lamb barbecue named after the Mongolian warrior, and is unique to Hokkaido. It is especially popular at beer halls throughout the city. Where you can find their own original sauces, in which the lamb is either marinated or dipped after grilling. It is food for the hungry! Most restaurants offer an all you can eat menu, at a very reasonable price.

Wash it down with a beer.

Hokkaido the home of powder snow, seafood, and Ghenkis Khan, has another famous attraction every winter.

For 7 days in February, its capital city Sapporo, becomes the tourist mecca for 2 million Japanese and foreign tourists, flocking to see the winter spectacular on offer.

This is the 59th Sapporo Snow Festival. Held from February 5 – 11, with 3 sites playing home to this icey extravaganza.

The main site is the Odori Park site. Here around 20 teams from Japan and all over the world, will be competing in the 35th International Snow Sculpture Contest.

The Sapporo TV Tower provides a great view of the park, and is open until 22:30 during the festival. It is really worth the 770 yen entrance fee.

The Susukino site is a subway stop away or a 10 minute walk from Odori. It is Sapporo`s largest entertainment district. Both sites will be lined with hundreds of snow statues and ice sculptures. Come night, they will all be illuminated, providing an unforgetable experience.

The Satoland site is a snow based amusement park for all ages. It will have a massive snow slide and a snow maze.

This is an event not worth missing.

I woke up this morning and saw light snow flakes falling. It was the first real snow of the year, it covered my small garden in a thin blanket of snow.

Seeing snow fall in Tokyo is always a treat for me, as it is such a rare experience (on average there are only a few days of snow each year, maximum of 5), even though it plays havoc with most forms of transportaion. In case you are wondering, my bicycle ( in the photo above) and I made it to work hassle free.

Mid January to Mid February is the coldest (Tokyo temperatures range from -2c to 8c), and also the driest time of year.

If you are coming to town around this time, be sure to pack a warm coat. A pair of long underwear or tights will come in handy.

Over the next few weeks, I will introduce you to some food, that will help keep you warm in these cold winter months.

Just over an hour ride on the shinkansen (bullet train), and we were at the snow. GALA Yuzawa is the most convenient ski resort for car less Tokyoites. Once you exit the station, you are at the snow. I was told, that this convenience brings in the crowds. But that was not the case on Sunday morning.

Light snow, fresh powder and empty chair lifts welcomed us. The crowds came later in the day, but we did not have to queue.

GALA Yuzawa is in the town of Echigo Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture. It is located about 200kms to the north of Tokyo and is famous for its impressive snowfall.

GALA has a live web camera, see it here. It is located just outside the main building. Here I am with my hand in the air. This was taken by the web camera, without using the zoom. When you go to GALA, make sure to tell your friends to check you out on the web camera.

With ten courses ranging from beginner to advanced, a terrain park, ski/board rental, and many places to eat, GALA is a great day out.

All Inclusive tickets (return ticket on shinkansen and all day lift ticket), are sold at most JR stations.  Prices start from as little as 10,000 yen (US$100).

Wondering what to buy your loved one? Look no further.

January 18 – TBS (a Japanese TV station), asked 203 foreigners in Asakusa, “What souvenir did you buy today?”

Here is the Top 10 Most Popular Responses…

No. 1 Jikatabi – ninja shoes

No.2 Chochin – Japanese lantern decoration

No. 3 Toy Katana – Japanese sword

No. 4 Kimono – Japanese traditional wear

No. 5 Trunks – Japanese print boxer shorts

No. 6 Ningyo yaki – Famous Asakusa snack

No. 7 Setta – Japanese thongs/flip flops

No. 8 Edo kiriko glass – Old Tokyo style shaped glass

No. 9 Gundam figures

No. 10 Shichimi togarashi – 7 mixed spices

Aren’t we all happy little ninjas on the inside!?

Guess you know what you want.

The last few minutes of 2007 were ticking by, in the heart of Tokyo. I was surrounded by good friends and a guy in a fundoshi (loin cloth), dancing proudly next to me. The music was getting louder and faster, as was the intake of sake.

We were at Game Over 2007 (a dance party), in Warehouse Shinonome.

The year had treated me well. I hoped 2008 would be even better. I needed a goal, a New Years resolution perhaps!?

As the countdown had begun, I was getting ready to raise my glass to anyone and everyone, it came to me. In 2008 I would start a blog.

After enjoying the rest of the winter vacation, here we are.

Welcome to LIVEJAPAN.

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