A long line of customers forms outside Monkey Magic Teahouse (Goku Chasou in Japanese) just before lunchtime. The establishment located near Kanteibyo Shrine in Yokohama’s Chinatown is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The first floor is a shop selling an extensive array of Chinese tea as well as teapots, cups, ornaments, and other interesting items. The second floor is an attractive teahouse. If you time it right, you can enjoy your tea while taking in live musical performances on traditional instruments. Explore the world of Chinese tea to your heart’s content using all of your five senses in an exotic space…
Author: Seasider
As Christmas approaches, many perhaps feel a greater sense of kindness. Spending time at Christmas Toys will deepen those feelings further. Teruhisa Kitahara, the owner of the store and a big fan of Christmas, opened Christmas Toys in September 1986. As the name suggests, it sells Christmas merchandise year round. The store is located in a Western-style building in Yamate and has been meticulously restored by hand, creating a relaxing atmosphere away from the chaos of everyday life. Manager Masako Kannonbayashi tells us, “The store seeks to evoke an orthodox ‘red and green’ Christmas.” The various goods lined up on…
Many of Yokohama’s old, hole-in-the-wall businesses are disappearing. This is especially the case in Noge, the district where our office is located. When we launched over ten years ago, it was a maze of tiny bars, eateries, and other old businesses. New highrises and chain bars are replacing a lot of it, though. Some consider this progress, others, cultural loss. We talk a little about it in a new column in this issue. We hope you’ll go out and explore some of these places before it’s too late. Or maybe your patronage will keep them alive! Only time will tell…
When I was nineteen years old, my sister, four years my elder, left Japan. That was thirteen years ago. As for her reason, she told me, “I need to find my own way of life.” When I went to Narita Airport to see her off, I was moved to tears as I watched her leave alone, lugging a huge pack on her back. She had decided to live a free lifestyle and try new things on her own. She ended up starting a family in Argentina, on the opposite side of the planet from Japan. She got through the worst…
Ingredients lamb shoulder (sliced) 400g onion (cut into wedges) 1/2 green peppers (seeded and sliced) 3 clove of garlic 1 bourbon to taste salad oil to taste salt and pepper to taste Spice mix cumin powder 5g chili powder 10g paprika powder 5g coriander powder 3g oregano 1g For garnish coriander as needed avocado (seeded, peeled, & sliced) 1 sour cream 10g lime (cut into wedges) 1 corn tortillas 8 to 10 Heat a skillet or frying pan, add salad oil and garlic. When aroma is evident, add lamb and sauté. Add onions and peppers next. When meat is…
In recent years, rapid climate change has contributed to a number of natural disasters and COVID-19 has upended conventional wisdom, ushering in conditions that many accept as a new normal. Now more than ever people recognize the need to come together and help each other overcome problems of the modern age. Understanding of the needs of people with disabilities is as important now as it’s ever been. Exemplifying this, Yokohama-based company Chocolabo is dedicated to a forward-thinking, diverse workplace that proactively incorporates the skills of this underutilized segment of our society. The president of the company, Noriyuki Ito, now in…
Yokohama native Masaki Izumi is the Deputy Director of Yokohama International Education Academy (YIEA) What have been some of your school’s challenges during the pandemic? The most difficult part was deciding how to ensure the safety of students and teachers. The students who come from abroad to study have a limited amount of time, so we couldn’t afford to stop classes. When the pandemic worsened, we held classes online. Once face-to-face classes could be held again, we required masks and face shields to be worn, did constant disinfecting, and took other measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Making…
What a year… Are you glad it’s almost over? Or was it one worth remembering and celebrating, despite the challenges of COVID? Either way, it’ll be nice when the word “COVID” is no longer a part of everyday conversations and news headlines. So what are you looking forward to in the New Year ahead? What goals do you have? Are you already thinking about resolutions? What if we were to ask you: How can we improve? What should we cover in our magazine? Please email us anytime with suggestions or connect with us via social media. We’re a community magazine…
Ingredients jasmine rice 100g chorizo 100g (sliced) ground beef 150g (preferably hand-cut) onion 100g (coarsely chopped) garlic 10g (coarsely chopped) whole tomato 200 ml (remove seeds and crush) water 80 ml ketchup 20g sweet corn 80g salad oil as needed peppers (prepare as much as the stuffing can fill) pizza cheese to taste Spices chili powder 15g paprika powder 10g cumin powder 8g oregano to taste Boil water for about 10 minutes while mixing in jasmine rice. Then, strain in a colander. Oil a pan and fry the garlic. When garlic aroma is evident, add ground beef and chorizo.…
The juneberry symbolizes “tranquility”. The bakery Juneberry conveys that exact sentiment. Inside the soft lights are calming and the staff welcome you with kind greetings. According to owner Takashi Kuwahara, they make decisions daily as to which bread to sell based on demand. As I was scanning the selection of bread, the passing of time seemed to slow to a crawl. Among the 100 or so varieties offered, the curry bread (¥240) is likely the most popular. Both the dough and the curry are homemade at the bakery. Since the shop’s opening, it has been a hit with a wide…