Japan Music

and now,.. we will discuss about music in Japan

X-Japan,.. most people know about this band

X-Japan is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi.
Originally named X, the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood.
They started out mainly as a power/speed metal band, but later gravitated towards a progressive sound with an emphasis on ballads.

Yoshiki Hayashi (Hayashi Yoshiki) born November 20, 1965,in Tateyama, Japan,
better known by his stage name YOSHIKI, is a musician, songwriter and record producer.
He is primarily known as leader and co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan, for which he plays drums and piano and writes most of the music.
After the band disbanded in 1997 he participated in several other musical acts and produced for numerous artists.
In 2007 X Japan reunited and he has been performing with them since.

Toshimitsu Deyama (Deyama Toshimitsu) born October 10, 1965 in Tateyama, Japan,
better known by his stage name Toshi
(currently stylized as ToshI and previously in all capital letters), is a Japanese singer and musician.
He is best known as vocalist and co-founder of the heavy metal group X Japan.
The band elevated to legendary status in Japan, until its disbanding in 1997.
Toshi then went on to have an extensive solo career.
In 2007 X Japan reunited, they are currently on their ongoing world tour.

Hideto Matsumoto (Matsumoto Hideto) born December 13, 1964 – May 2, 1998 ,
better known by his stage name hide
(written in all capital letters when he was with X Japan and in all lowercase letters when solo), was a popular Japanese musician.
He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997.
He was also a successful solo artist and co-founder of the United States based band Zilch.

Tomoaki Ishizuka (Ishizuka Tomoaki) born November 4, 1965 in Chiba, Japan,
better known by his stage name Pata (taken from the manga Patalliro!, as he was said to resemble the title character), is a Japanese musician.
He is best known as rhythm guitarist for the popular heavy metal group X Japan.
He joined the group in 1987 and stayed with them until their dissolution in 1997.
After the breakup he formed Dope HEADz with X Japan bassist Heath and former Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer I.N.A. in 2000.
The group ceased activity after its second album in 2002.
Soon after Pata formed the instrumental band Ra:IN, which still tours extensively to this day.
He is currently participating in X Japan as they reunited in 2007.

Hiroshi Morie (Morie Hiroshi) born January 22, 1968 in Amagasaki, Japan,better known by his stage name Heath, is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter.
He is best known as bassist of the popular heavy metal group X Japan.
He joined the group in 1992, replacing Taiji Sawada on bass.
Their first release with him was their album Art of Life, he stayed with them until their dissolution in 1997 and reunited with the band from 2007 onward.
After the breakup he focused on his solo carer, until 2000 when he founded Dope HEADz with fellow X Japan guitarist Pata and former Spread Beaver percussionist/programmer I.N.A.. The group ceased activity after its second album in 2002.
Heath has since resumed his solo career and is currently participating in the X Japan reunion.

 X-japan a new formation

Yoshiki – drums, piano, leader (1982–1997, 2007–present)
Toshi – vocals, acoustic guitar (1982–1997, 2007–present)
Pata – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar (1987–1997, 2007–present)
Heath – bass, backing vocals (1992–1997, 2007–present)
Sugizo – lead guitar, violin, backing vocals (2009–present)

Yasuhiro Sugihara (Sugihara Yasuhiro),
born Yūne Sugihara (Sugihara Yūne, on July 8, 1969 in Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan),
is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer.
Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he became famous in the 1990s with the rock band Luna Sea.
In addition to being known to experiment with many musical genres, he is known for his political ideas and views, as well being an anti-war, anti-nuclear and environmental activist.

Currently Sugizo is performing in X Japan and the Luna Sea reunion, while continuing his solo career.

Former members

Yuji "Terry" Izumisawa (Izumisawa Yuji) – guitar (1982–1985)
Tomoyuki "Tomo" Ogata – guitar (1984–1985)
Atsushi Tokuo – bass (1984–1985)
Kenichi "Eddie Van" Koide (Koide Kenichi) guitar (1985)
Yoshifumi "Hally" Yoshida (Yoshida Yoshifumi) – guitar (1985)
Mita "Zenon" Kazumitsu (Kazumitsu Mita) – guitar (1985–1986)
Hisashi "Jun/Shu" Takai (Takai Hisashi) – guitar (1985, 1986)
Hikaru Utaka (Utaka Hikaru) – bass (1985–1986)
Masanori "Kerry" Takahashi (Takahashi Masanori) – guitar (1986)
Satoru Inoue (Inoue Satoru) – guitar (1986)
Isao – guitar (1987)[82]
Taiji – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1985, 1986–1992)
hide – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1987–1997)

Learning Japanese

When we meet someone for the first time, there is a specific way in which we introduce ourselves to each other. The language used should be simple, polite and understandable. The body language and gestures should be appropriate. In Japan, there are certain greetings, which should always be used while introducing your self. Introduction in Japanese is known as "Jiko Shyoukai". Another very important rule to remember while introduction in Japanese is that of, "Ojigi" which, the act of bowing is down while greeting each other.

Kitaro  :

Hajimemashite. Kitaro Matsumoto to moshimasu. Watashiwa Indonesian desu.

Shentya:

Hajimemashite. Watashi no name wa Shentya desu. Watashi mo Indonesian desu. Kitaro san wan nan sai desu ka.

Kitaro:

Watashi wa ni jyu ichi sai desu. Shentya san nani o shimasu ka.

Shentya:

Watashi wa chikaku no kissaten de arubaitou o shimasu. Yoshida san wa gakusei desu ka.

Kitaro:

Hai gakusei desu. Douzo yoroshiku.

Shentya:

Douzo yoroshiku.

Kitaro:	How do you do? I am called Kitaro Matsumoto. I am a Indonesian national.
Shentya:	How do you do? My name is Shentya. I am also a Indonesian national. Mr. Kitaro what is your age?
Kitaro:	My age is 21 years. Miss Shentyai what do you do?
Shentya:	I do a part time job in the nearby Coffee shop. Mr. Kitaro are you a student?
Kitaro:	Yes I am a student. Nice to meet you.
Shentya:	Nice to meet you.

Sushi

What is Sushi

Prominent in Japanese cuisine, sushi is a food made of rice balls mixed with vinegar and combined with various toppings or fillings, which are most commonly seafood but can also include meat, vegetables, mushrooms, or eggs. Sushi toppings may be raw, cooked, or marinated.
Sushi as an English word has come to refer to the complete dish (rice together with toppings); this is the sense used in this article. The original term sushi (-zushi in some compounds such as makizushi) in the Japanese language refers to the rice, not the fish or other toppings.
There are various types of sushi. Sushi served rolled in nori (dried sheets of laver, a kind of seaweed) is called maki (rolls). Sushi made with toppings laid onto hand-formed clumps of rice is called nigiri; sushi made with toppings stuffed into a small pouch of fried tofu is called inari; and sushi made with toppings served scattered over a bowl of sushi rice is called chirashi-zushi, or scattered sushi.
Sushi has become increasingly popular in the Western world, and chefs have invented many variations incorporating Western ingredients and sauces together with traditional Japanese ingredients.

History

What has become a Japanese culinary art with delicious flavor and colorful form, actually evolved from very meager beginnings.
In the 7th century, Southeast Asians introduced the technique of pickling.
The Japanese acquired this same practice which consisted of packing fish with rice.
As the fish fermented the rice produced a lactic acid which in turn caused the pickling of the pressed fish.
Nare-Sushi is 1300 years old and refers to the finished edible product resulting from this early method.
However, due to its lengthy process, anywhere from 2 months to a year, an altered form appears through the 15th and 16th centuries.
Nama-Nare refers to this more rapid process of pickling which cut the fermentation time while including the rice as part of the meal.
Ancient sushi such as, Nare-Sushi and Nama-Nare were the foundation for what later became the delightfully tasteful sushi we are familiar with today.
Improvements through the centuries came about because of a few entrepreneurial Japanese who possessed the knack for recipe variation. 
The 17th century saw this delicate finger food complimented with vinegar.
Matsumoto Yoshiichi of Edo (Tokyo) introduced the use of rice vinegar into the sushi rice.
The vinegar was a welcome ingredient.
It served to reduce the usual lengthy preparation while adding a pleasant flavor of tartness. 
Although the process of fermentation was shortened, the custom of aged pickling with the boxed or rolled method was continued until the 19th century.
In the 1820's Hanaya Yohei of Edo (Tokyo) brought to Edoites a recipe most similar to what we are served today.
His morsels, which included Sashimi (fresh sliced raw fish) or seafood combined with the vinegared rice, were prepared and served for customers directly from his sushi stall. Not only did Hanaya introduce raw fish to sushi rice (Edomae-Sushi/Nigiri-Sushi), he began a tradition of serving snack food at it's freshest and fastest. His idea won immediate favor over the more time-honored sushi dishes.  The portable stall was popular through WWII and was the "Fast Food" predecessor to the sushi bars of today.
This healthy and delicious mouthful saw its most recent transformation in the 20th century. Sushi now appears world wide with a United States popularity increase around the late 1970's.  As in art, Japanese Sushi continues to grow, change and blossom.  The most common forms are: Nigiri -Sushi (hand shaped sushi), Oshi-Sushi (pressed sushi), Maki-Sushi (rolled sushi) and Chirashi-sushi (scattered sushi). The changes are not in form or preparation as much as they are in the ingredients and the atmosphere where it is served.
These adventurous and tasty creations can be found in the most elegant of settings or the grocery market counter.
The Itamae-San (expert chef) has also seen change as demand for his/her craft has grown.  
Years ago, one could not practice this art form without a minimum of 10 years of training and proven skill. 
Now, due to the growing need, restaurants will hire Sushi chefs with just a few years of learning experience. 
But Sushi is about culinary expertise and an Itamae-San continually strives to master his/her skill while performing for the delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colors, mouthwatering tastes and tingling sensations. 
Even the most timid can indulge themselves with the amazing selections of sushi. Just the history of these rolled treasures should warrant a taste … so give in and enjoy an authentic Japanese edible art form.

How to make Sushi

Ramen, noodles from japan

Ramen
1. Asian instant-style deep-fried noodles that are usually sold in cellophane packages, sometimes with bits of dehydrated vegetables and broth mix.
2. A popular Japanese dish of noodles in broth, often garnished with small pieces of meat and different vegetables.
3. The Japanese version of the Chinese noodle soup dish called Lamian (or La mian).
   
The origin of ramen :
     Noodles originated from China over 4000 years ago and reached the Japanese culture much later on. In fact, we had to wait up to 19th century, in the Meiji period, for ramen to become widely known in Japan. The Japanese dish was originally called “Lamen”, but will be later referred to as “Ramen”, since there is no distinction between the 'L' and 'R' sounds in the Japanese language and it was a more popular way to express the word.

After the Second World War came an intense food shortage in Japan, a turning point in the history of noodles. Ramen were perfect and greatly helped Japan, they were cheap and a great source of needed calories. A bit later, in 1958, Momofuku Ando, founder and chairman of Nissin Foods, invented the instant noodles, which are a lot closer to what we eat today. Named the greatest “made in Japan” invention of the 20th century, in front of the karaoke and headphone stereos, in a Japanese poll made by the The Fuji Research Institute Corporation, instant ramen became a Japanese cultural icon.

Today, 4000 years after the origin of the first noodles, ramen are known worldwide and are part of over 85 billions meals every year. The Ramenlicious team really hope you will enjoy the website and join the always growing noodle lovers community.

Lamian :
La (chinese) = Pulling and stretching.
Mian (chinese) = Noodles.
Ramen :
Men (japanese) = All kind of noodles made of cereal flour.

Ramen are very popular noodle dishes in Japan, and boiled noodles are basically served in different flavored soup with many toppings. Chukamen noodles which are generally made with wheat flour and kansui (alkaline solution) are used for ramen dishes. There are many regional speciality ramen available in Japan. They are different in broth, soup flavors, toppings, noodle texture, and more. Making a delicious ramen isn't easy if you are making the soup from scratch. The taste of ramen mainly depends on the soup, and it requires skills to make delicious soup. Ramen chefs usually train for a long time to make good ramen soup. Each ramen shop has its own way to make ramen soup, and there are so many different ways. Chicken bone, pork bone, dried sardines (niboshi), and/or kombu are used to make soup stock. Vegetables, such as ginger, negi onion, garlic, or/and mushrooms are also added. Categorized by soup flavors, there are mainly four kinds of ramen: shio ramen (salt flavored soup), shoyu ramen (soy sauce flavored soup), tonkotsu ramen (pork bone based creamy soup), miso ramen (miso flavored soup). Common ramen toppings are negi, shinachiku (seasoned bamboo shoots), nori (dried seaweed), boiled egg, narutomaki, and lots more.

How to make Ramen

Mt.Fujiyama

Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people.
Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.
The easiest way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip along the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take the shinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40 to 45 minutes after leaving Tokyo.
Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours.
If you want to enjoy Mount Fuji at a more leisurely pace and from a nice natural surrounding, you should head to the Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region at the northern foot of the mountain, or to Hakone, a nearby hot spring resort. Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing during July and August via several routes.

History of Mount Fujiyama name

"In ancient times a pair of grandparents living in villages in japan.
The work of his grandfather was a lumberjack bamboo.
One day grandfather went to cut bamboo in mountain, he saw a glowing bamboo as like as gold.
Then the old man cut down the bamboo trees and found a little girl about 9 cm tall.
Then his grandfather took the girl went home and give that girl name Kaguya.
After treating Kaguya, every grandfather went into the mountains to cut bamboo, the bamboo is definitely found in gold.
The life they became prosperous thanks to Kaguya.
After a long care for her daughter grow up to be a princess Kaguya highly.
Many men who wanted to marry the princess Kaguya, but the princess Kaguya always reject them.
Princess Kaguya think of a way to reject their applications by having brought the goods impossible.
The men arrived with the requested items, but all the stuff that was taken was counterfeit because the goods demanded the impossible princess Kaguya found on this earth.
Tonight the moon will of the full moon come soon.
kaguya Looking at the moon, Kaguya princess wept in grief.
Grandpa and grandma was worried why her beloved daughter to feel sad.
Finally princess Kaguya convey his feelings kapada grandparents.
He admitted that he actually came from the moon and must return to the moon during a full moon arrives. Princess Kaguya sad at having to leave her beloved grandfather and grandmother.
Because do not want to lose the princess Kaguya, the grandfather and grandmother tried to defend when the princess Kaguya princess picked up by delegates month to return to the moon.
But his efforts were in vain.
Finally went to the moon princess Kaguya.
As a memento and token of gratitude, Kaguya princess gave no kusuri Fushi is the medicine for eternal life to the grandparents who had been cared for him.
But, grandfather set fire to the drug because he feels although it can live forever by drinking the medicine, the old man feels his life is worthless without Kaguya.
Grandfather burn medicine on the highest mountain peak in Japan. Mountain where his grandfather set fire to the drug was then given the name Fushi no Yama, which means the eternal mountains and the mountain now known as Fujiyama."

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this blog will discuss all about Japan,ex Japan Music, Japanese culinary, tourism, etc
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