Kochi Lifestyle Q&A : Winter in Kochi is colder than you’d expect. Other than turning on the heater, what are some ways to keep warm?

   Kochi is called “Tropical Tosa” but can be surprisingly cold in the winter. The temperature can fall below 0℃ in January and February.
   Here are some tips from the KIA staff members in order to stay warm this winter.

 

○ Yutampo (hot water bottle)
   Add hot water to a container meant to be used as a hot water bottle, and put it under the blankets to warm them up before sleeping, or place it on your back or on your knees to keep warm. Metal hot water bottles were common in the past, but now there are bottles made from soft resin, which can be purchased for around ¥1000.
They stay warm for longer than you might expect, so please avoid moderate-temperature burns by putting on a cover.

Hotpot Cuisine and Mochi

   How have you been? This winter is very cold in Kochi, isn't it? In such cold nights,warm yourself up with Nabe-Ryori (or just nabe), which is a dish of meat, fish, tofu and vegetables boiled in broth in a big pot (a nabe) and eaten when boiling. The best way of eating nabe is sharing it with your family and friends. So set a portable hob on a kotatsu table and have a good time enjoying the warming nabe.

   You can get some nabe soup bases at supermarkets. Popular tare, which is a dipping sauce for Nabe-Ryori, are goma-dare (made from sesame) and ponzu (made from yuzu, which is a kind of citrus fruit, and soy sauce).

CHIGE-NABE: This comes from Korea and is hot and spicy with chili pepper. Chige means a boiled dish in Korean. The main ingredient is thinly sliced pork, cod or tofu.We also boil hakusai (Chinese cabbage), nira (leek) and mushrooms together in the soup.

YU-DOFU: We put konbu (a kind of seaweed) in a nabe and put tofu on the konbu and warm them. You dip the tofu into ponzu or some other kinds of tare before eating.

Setsubun (The eve of the first day of spring)

Setsubun actually signifies “the parting of the seasons;” especially nowadays it falls around February 3rd, the day before the first day of spring. On the evening of this day, people yell, “Out with the devil! In with happiness!” while scattering parched soy beans inside and outside of their homes.

People decorate the entrance of their homes with holly leaves with a dried sardine in order to protect their family against the devil. This custom comes from the tradition that the devil will be wounded by holly leaves and will be surprised by the smell of sardines, so he will be repelled from your house.

Winter Recipe in Tosa

   Kochi Prefecture is known as a production area of yuzu (a kind of citrus) and has a 40 percent share across the country. Yuzu are grown in mountain areas that have a difference in temperature during day and night, and are said to be good for cold prevention. There are probably many people who take a yuzu bath on a cold day. In addition, it is said that they contain more than three times as much Vitamin C as lemons and an ingredient to make the skin beautiful.

   Here is a simple recipe of yuzu tea below. Please drink yuzu tea and warm up!

 

Yuzu Tea

Ingredients
   Equal amounts of yuzu (with removal of seeds) and crystal sugar (or caster sugar)
1. Cut off the tip of the yuzu and wash.
2. Cut them in half crosswise and remove seeds.
3. Cut as thinly as possible, including the pith.
4. Put some cut yuzu and crystal sugar (or caster sugar) alternately in a bottle.
5. It will be ready to drink after the crystal sugar melts. Put as much as you like into a cup, pour hot water on it and stir.

The season for Yuzu baths

   Winter is the best season for taking baths. When I come in from the cold outside and climb into a warm bath, I feel especially glad to be in Japan.

Lucky Bags

   What do you have planned for New Year’s? Eat some osechi ryori—traditional New Year’s dishes—or go to a shrine for hatsumoude—the traditional first visit of the year? How about taking part in the traditional rush for some fukubukuro? What’s fukubukuro you ask?

   They are known as “lucky bags” or “mystery bags” in English, and are bags filled with a certain number of products, sold at a cost much lower than the combined retail prices of the products concealed inside. They can be found at certain department stores, clothing stores, and electronics stores from New Year’s Day onward until they sell out. If you like a bargain, it’s the thing for you!

Bicycling in Shimanto City

Crossing a typical bridge by a bike.
You can enjoy Magnificent Shimanto River
and mountains scenes around there!

   Christmas and New Year’s Day is over now. During the past holidays we all attended or held parties and events, we had much fun and enjoyed eating and drinking and socializing with friends and family! That was nice but how do you feel now that it’s over? After the fun-filled holiday it’s always hard to come back and adjust to daily life. We come back feeling heavier and lazier. We need to find a good way to transition back to an active and healthier lifestyle. I highly suggest taking a bike tour in Shimanto City.

Sunset Snowmen

   Have you ever seen a gigantic snowman out beyond the sea? During the winter season in Kochi Prefecture, from around the middle of November to the middle of February, you can see the sunset make a silhouette of a snowman near Cape Ashizuri and Cape Muroto.

Let’s play in the snow!

   There are not many winter-related sports in Kochi, but that does not mean you can not appreciate the snow during the winter! In northern Kochi’s Reihoku region, the snow falls freely during the winter, and if you are brave enough to drive up there you can see it for yourself. It takes about an hour and a half to get there from Kochi City. Make sure you bring snow tires!

Avocado Hot Pot

Ingredients (4 Servings):
　・ 2 avocados
　・ Assorted vegetables as desired

Soup:
　・ 1 avocado　
   ・ 700ml consome
　・ 700ml milk
　・ 1/2 box (5 servings worth) cream stew roux

Christmas Events in Kochi

“2011 Kochi Castle Glittering of Winter”

Enjoy a holy night with your family, boyfriend or girlfriend and friends surrounded by glittering illumination at Kochi Castle!
 ★Christmas Illumination
 ★Food Stands
 ★Mini Concerts
 ★Christmas Gifts (visitors of the Kaitokukan Palace by lottery)
Date: Friday, Dec 23rd-Sunday, Dec 25th (17:00-21:00 Last Entry to the Kaitokukan Palace at 20:30)
Location: Kochi Castle (1-2-1 Marunouchi, Kochi City)
Admission: 400 yen (over 18), Free (17+under)
Inquiries: Kochi Castle Park Management Center
Tel: 088-824-5701

Website (Japanese): http://kochipark.jp/kochijyo/

80th Anniversary Celebration of Ryugadou Cave “Christmas Candle Night”

This is the very first candle lighting event in Ryugadou Cave. You will see a fantastic collaboration between the primeval cave and candle lights!
 ★Candle Decorations
 ★Night Cafe
 ★Candle Making Class
 ★Mini Concerts
Date: Saturday, Dec 24th (18:00-21:00 Last entry to the Cave at 20:30)
Location: Ryugadou Cave (1405-3 Sakagawa, Tosayamada Town, Kami City)
Admission: 500 yen (over 16), Free (15+under)
Inquiries: Ryugadou Conservation Group Gururi
Tel: 0887-52-1032

Website (Japanese): http://www.ryugadou.or.jp/

KUT +illumination presents “Xmas Event’ 11”

KUT students host this illumination event, aiming to interact with the locals. The theme of this year is “PEACE”, as about 30 thousand LED lights are on display to wish you all the peace and happiness.
 ★Candle Art on Campus
 ★Events by KUT students and laboratories (Movies, Planetarium, Electric Lab and Christmas Concerts)
 ★KUT students and the locals Cooperation Events (Paper-bag Art and Food Stands)
Date: Friday, Dec 23rd (17:00-22:00)
Location: Kochi University of Technology (185 Miyanokuchi, Tosayamada Town, Kami City)
Inquiries: KUT +illumination

Tel: 0887-53-1111

Website (English): http://www.kochi-tech.ac.jp/gs_e/index.html

“A Tropical Christmas in Conservatory” in The Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden

Why don’t you spend a tropical Christmas in the warm conservatory while it is cold outside?
 ★Christmas Tree made of Poinsettias
 ★Decorating Christmas Plants and Flowers
 ★Plant Ornaments
Date: Friday, Dec 23rd-Sunday, Dec 25th (9:00-17:00)
Location: The Kochi Prefectural Botanical Garden (4200-6 Godaisan, Kochi City)
Admission: 700 yen (over 19), Free (18+under)
Inquiries: The Kochi Prefectural Botanical Garden
Tel: 088-882-2601

Website (Japanese): http://www.makino.or.jp/

Posted by R.I

Let’s make your own Buckwheat noodle for New Year’s Eve!



Buckwheat noodle ‘’soba’’



   Many people love noodles and so do I! In Japan, soba noodle is made of buckwheat and is one of the favorites for people of all ages. Soba noodles are of darker brown color and thinner than wheat noodles such as Udon. In Japan, the unique custom is that Japanese people eat soba at home on New Year’s Eve. This traditional soba noodle dish is called Toshikoshi-Soba, meaning year-passing soba.

Kochi’s most beloved candle! Full of warmth for your heart…

Lights up candles in various colors
at night….very peacefull!

   Here is my story about how I’ve come to know Kochi’s most beloved candle. One day I was driving towards the town of Ino with my mom to see my grandparents. Half way there we stopped at the rest area called QRAUD and found a cozy shop selling candles inside; that beautiful image will stay in my mind forever.