Japanese cuisine

Japanese cuisine.

Ramen in popular culture
Ramen is a Japanese dish of noodles served in broth that originated in China. It broth to be served in a meat-based broth, and uses toppings such as sliced pork ,dried seaweed ,kamaboko, green onions, and even corn. Almost every locality or prefecture in Japan has its own variation of ramen, from the tonkotsu ramen of Kyushu to the miso ramen of Hokkaido.
Ramen is nearly ubiquitous in Japanese popular culture and Japanese literary depictions of contemporary life in Japan. In some works, depicting characters with traits relatively infrequent in actual Japanese society, well-known characters are described as liking ramen to the point that it alone forms the bulk of their diet to the exclusion of nearly all other foods. A famous example is Naruto, who cooks and eats practically nothing but ramen. Inuyasha is unimpressed to hear from his friend Kagome that 20th-century Man has traveled to the Moon, but he is quite impressed by ramen as a magnificent invention. Japanese writers often include a comedy or horror subplot where their main characters go out to eat or cook ramen. Ramen is also used as the object of comedy in many anime and manga, with characters typically getting splashed over the head by a bowl of ramen, or stepping on a bowl of ramen and falling, often taking down another helpless person.

History
While Tokugawa Mitsukuni reportedly ate ramen in the late 17th century, it was only during the Meiji period that the dish became widely known (perhaps because for most of its history, the Japanese diet consisted mostly of vegetables and seafood rather than meat). The introduction of American and European cuisine, which demanded increased production of meat products, played a large role in ramen's increased popularity.
In the early Meiji period, ramen was called shina soba literally "Chinese style Japanese soba") but today chuka soba also meaning "Chinese style Japanese soba") is the more common and politically correct term. By 1900, restaurants serving Chinese cuisine from Canton and Shanghai offered a simple ramen dish of noodles (cut rather than hand pulled), a few toppings, and a broth flavored with salt and pork bones. Many Chinese also pulled portable food stalls, selling ramen and gyoza dumplings to workers. By the mid 1900s, these stalls used a type of a musical horn called a charumera from the Portuguese charamela) to advertise their presence, a practice some vendors still retain via a loudspeaker and a looped recording. By the early Showa period, ramen had become a popular dish when eating out.


อาหารญี่ปุ่น

ราเม็ง เป็นบะหมี่น้ำของญี่ปุ่น ซึ่งมีต้นกำเนิดมาจากประเทศจีน ราเม็งมักจะทานคู่กับ เนื้อหมู สาหร่าย คะมะโบะโกะ ต้นหอม และบางครั้งจะมีข้าวโพด ราเม็งมีการปรุงรสแตกต่างกันตามแต่ละจังหวัดในญี่ปุ่น เช่นในคิวชูต้นกำเนิดของทงโคสึราเม็ง (ราเม็งซุปกระดูกหมู) หรือในฮอกไกโดต้นกำเนิดของมิโซะราเม็ง (ราเม็งเต้าเจี้ยว)
ในประเทศตะวันตก คำว่า "ราเม็ง" รู้จักในความหมายถึง บะหมี่สำเร็จรูป

ประวัติ

ในประวัติศาสตร์มีบันทึกไว้ว่า โตกุงะวะ มิสึคุนิ ได้รับประทานราเม็งในคริสต์ศตวรรษที่ 17 ในช่วงยุคเมจิ ที่มาของราเม็งเชื่อว่ามาจากประเทศจีน ถึงแม้ว่าไม่มีประวัติศาสตร์บันทึกไว้แน่ชัด สมมุติฐานหนึ่งคือคำว่า "ราเม็ง" มาจากภาษาจีน "ลาเมียน" ที่มีความหมายถึง เส้นก๋วยเตี๋ยวที่ใช้มือนวด หรือคำอื่นๆ ที่ออกเสียงใกล้กัน
ในยุคเมจิ ราเม็งถูกเรียกว่า "ชินะโซบะ" ซึ่งหมายถึง โซบะจีน ต่อมาชาวจีนได้เริ่มมีการขายราเม็งตามรถเข็นพร้อมกับขายเกี๊ยวซ่าพร้อมกัน และมีการเป่าคะรุเมะระเพื่อเรียกลูกค้า ซึ่งในปัจจุบันได้มีการอัดเป็นเทปเปิดแทน ราเม็งเริ่มเป็นที่นิยมในยุคโชวะ ภายหลังสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2 แป้งราคาถูกจากสหรัฐอเมริกาได้เข้ามาสู่ตลาดญี่ปุ่น และขณะเดียวกับที่ทหารญี่ปุ่นได้กลับมาจากการรบที่ประเทศจีน ทหารญี่ปุ่นได้คุ้นเคยกับอาหารจีนมาก่อนทำให้ราเม็งมีการขายได้ดียิ่งขึ้น

Vocabulary

broth [N] ; ซุป น้ำซุบ, น้ำแกง.

reportedly [ADV] ; ตามรายงาน

variation [N] ; การเปลี่ยนแปลง

contemporary [ADJ] ; ทันสมัย

relatively [ADV] ; โดยเปรียบเทียบกับสิ่งอื่น

prefecture [N] ; ที่ทำการของเจ้าหน้าที่

describe [VT] ; บรรยาย

practically [ADV] ; อย่างใช้ได้จริง

magnificent [ADJ] ; ไม่ธรรมดา

splash [N] ; เรื่องครึกโครม

consist [VI] ; ประกอบด้วย

demand [VT] ; ต้องการ

increase [N] ; จำนวนที่เพิ่มขึ้น


Portuguese [ADJ] ; เกี่ยวกับประชาชน ภาษา วัฒนธรรมของโปรตุเกส

loudspeaker [N] ; เครื่องกระจายเสียง

The Daffodils

The Daffodils (poem)

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;Beside the lake,
beneath the trees,Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.


Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending lineAlong
the margin of a bay:Ten thousand saw
I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.


The waves beside them danced;
but theyOut-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:


For oft, when on my couch
I lieIn vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.


Vocabulary
beneath (ADV.) - in or to a lower position than, under.
– อยู่ข้างล่าง

twinkle ( VI.) – to shine repeatedly strongly then weakly, as if flashing on
and off very quick .
– ส่องแสงระยิบระยับ

glance ( VI.) –to give a quick short look.
– ชำเลือง

breeze ( N.) - a light and pleasant wind
- สายลมที่พัดเบาๆ

stretch ( VI.) – to spread over a large area or distance
– ขยายออก

gaze ( VI.) –to look at something or someone for a long time,especially in surprise,admiration or because you are thinking about something else.
– เพ่ง

Merry Christmas

In the Western world, the birthday of Jesus Christ has been celebrated on December 25th since AD 354, replacing an earlier date of January 6th. The Christians had by then appropriated many pagan festivals and traditions of the season, that were practiced in many parts of the Middle East and Europe, as a means of stamping them out.
There were mid-winter festivals in ancient Babylon and Egypt, and Germanic fertility festivals also took place at this time. The birth of the ancient sun-god Attis in Phrygia was celebrated on December 25th, as was the birth of the Persian sun-god, Mithras. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and plenty, that ran from the 17th to 24th of December. Public gathering places were decorated with flowers, gifts and candles were exchanged and the population, slaves and masters alike, celebrated the occasion with great enthusiasm.
In Scandinavia, a period of festivities known as Yule contributed another impetus to celebration, as opposed to spirituality. As Winter ended the growing season, the opportunity of enjoying the Summer's bounty encouraged much feasting and merriment.
The Celtic culture of the British Isles revered all green plants, but particularly mistletoe and holly. These were important symbols of fertility and were used for decorating their homes and altars.
New Christmas customs appeared in the Middle Ages. The most prominent contribution was the carol, which by the 14th century had become associated with the religious observance of the birth of Christ.
In Italy, a tradition developed for re-enacting the birth of Christ and the construction of scenes of the nativity. This is said to have been introduced by Saint Francis as part of his efforts to bring spiritual knowledge to the laity.
Saints Days have also contributed to our Christmas celebrations. A prominent figure in today's Christmas is Saint Nicholas who for centuries has been honored on December 6th. He was one of the forerunners of Santa Claus.
Another popular ritual was the burning of the Yule Log, which is strongly embedded in the pagan worship of vegetation and fire, as well as being associated with magical and spiritual powers.
Celebrating Christmas has been controversial since its inception. Since numerous festivities found their roots in pagan practices, they were greatly frowned upon by conservatives within the Church. The feasting, gift-giving and frequent excesses presented a drastic contrast with the simplicity of the Nativity, and many people throughout the centuries and into the present, condemn such practices as being contrary to the true spirit of Christmas.
The earliest English reference to December 25th as Christmas Day did not come until 1043.

Welcome to the Great Pagoda in Thailand

INTRODUCTION TO THE PHRA PATHOMCHEDI

Phra Pathom Chedi is the oldest Buddhist monument in Thailand. It is located in a region where Buddhism was first introduced here by Sona Thera and Uttra Thera in the fourth Buddhist century. The present shape of Phra Pathom Chedi differs from the original one which was that of an overturned bowl in the Indian stupa style. "Phra Pathom Chedi" was in ruins for a long time until King Mongkut (Rama IV), still a monk, went on a pilgrimage to Phra Pathom Chedi which was 84 meters high at that time. When he ascended the throne, he decided to restore the Chedi by covering it with a new one. The four wiharn and the cloister were built during his reign: work began in 1853 and was completed during the reign of King Rama IV who added a new structure, the "Belfry" to this monastery; then the royal wiharn was restored as well as the replica of the former chedi and the mural paintings and a new one was erected to house a standing Buddha image named Phra Ruan Rojanariddhi Sri Indradhit Dharmopas Maha Vajiravuth Raj Pujaniyapborpit. Finally the new ordination hall was built during the reign of King Rama VII.

Phra Pathom Chedi, which is 120 meters high, contains relics of the LordBuddha. During the twelfth Lunar month which is in November, there is an annual fair within the walls of this monastery and Buddhists congregate to pay homage to this holy chedi

ลอยกระทง

xcy

วันลอยกระทง เป็นวันสำคัญวันหนึ่งของชาวไทยส่วนใหญ่ ตรงกับวันขึ้น 15 ค่ำ เดือน 12 ตามปฏิทินจันทรคติไทย หรือเดือนยี่ (เดือนที่ 2) ตามปฏิทินจันทรคติล้านนา "มักจะ" ตกอยู่ในราวเดือนพฤศจิกายน ตามปฏิทินสุริยคติ ประเพณีนี้กำหนดขึ้นเพื่อเป็นการสะเดาะเคราะห์และขอขมาต่อพระแม่คงคา บางหลักฐานเชื่อว่าเป็นการบูชารอยพระพุทธบาทที่ริมฝั่งแม่น้ำนัมทามหานที และบางหลักฐานก็ว่าเป็นการบูชาพระอุปคุตอรหันต์หรือพระมหาสาวก สำหรับประเทศไทยประเพณีลอยกระทงได้กำหนดจัดในทุกพื้นที่ทั่วประเทศ โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่งบริเวณที่ติดกับแม่น้ำ ลำคลอง หรือ แหล่งน้ำต่าง ๆ ซึ่งแต่ละพื้นที่ก็จะมีเอกลักษณ์ที่น่าสนใจแตกต่างกันไป
ในวันลอยกระทง ผู้คนจะพากันทำ "กระทง" จากวัสดุอุปกรณ์ต่างๆ ตบแต่งเป็นรูปคล้ายดอกบัวบาน ปักธูปเทียน และนิยมตัดเล็บ เส้นผม หรือใส่เหรียญกษาปณ์ลงไปในกระทง แล้วนำไปลอยในสายน้ำ (ในพื้นที่ติดทะเล ก็นิยมลอยกระทงริมฝั่งทะเล) เชื่อว่าเป็นการลอยเคราะห์ไป นอกจากนี้ยังเชื่อว่าการลอยกระทง เป็นการบูชาพระแม่คงคาด้วย

ประวัติ
เดิมเชื่อกันว่าประเพณีลอยกระทงเริ่มมีมาแต่สมัยสุโขทัย ในรัชสมัยพ่อขุนรามคำแหง โดยมีนางนพมาศ เป็นผู้ประดิษฐ์กระทงขึ้นครั้งแรก โดยแต่เดิมเรียกว่าพิธีจองเปรียง ที่ลอยเทียนประทีป และนางนพมาศได้นำดอกโคทม ซึ่งเป็นดอกบัวที่บานเฉพาะวันเพ็ญเดือนสิบสองมาใช้ใส่เทียนประทีป แต่ปัจจุบันมีหลักฐานว่าไม่น่าจะเก่ากว่าสมัยรัตนโกสินทร์ตอนต้น โดยอ้างอิงหลักฐานจากภาพจิตรกรรมการสร้างกระทงแบบต่างๆ ในสมัยรัชกาลที่ 3
ปัจจุบันวันลอยกระทงเป็นเทศกาลที่สำคัญของไทย ที่มีนักท่องเที่ยวทั้งชาวไทยและต่างประเทศมาเที่ยวปีละมากๆ ทั้งนี้ในช่วงเวลาดังกล่าวมักจะเป็นช่วงต้นฤดูหนาว และมีอากาศดี
ในวันลอยกระทง ยังนิยมจัดประกวดนางงาม เรียกว่า "นางนพมาศ"

Culture of Japan

Culture of Japan
The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over the years, from the country's original Jomon culture to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America. After several waves of immigration from the continent and nearby Pacific islands (see History of Japan), followed by a heavy importation of culture from China, the inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation from the outside world under the Tokugawa shogunate until the arrival of the "The Black Ships" and the Meiji era. As a result, a culture distinctively different from other Asian cultures developed, and echoes of this persist in contemporary Japan.

Architecture

Japanese architecture has as long a history as any other aspect of Japanese culture. Originally heavily influenced by Chinese architecture, it also develops many differences and aspects which are indigenous to Japan. Examples of traditional architecture are seen at Temples, Shinto shrines and castles in Kyoto and Nara. Some of these buildings are constructed with traditional gardens, which are influenced from Zen ideas.
Some modern architects, such as Yoshio Taniguchi and Tadao Ando are known for their amalgamation of Japanese traditional and Western architectural influences.

Cuisine



Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed a sophisticated and refined cuisine highly sensitive to the change of seasons. Modern Japanese enjoy a variety of traditional Japanese food, including the staples of rice and miso soup, as well as many seafood dishes (sushi and sashimi for instance), and a multitude of foreign dishes.
One can easily find Chinese, Korean, and Thai dishes as well as non-regional American, French, and Italian foods. Japanese cuisine is a product of its environment and people. The ease of acquiring fresh ingredients led to sushi, high temperature and humidity led to varieties of pickled and fermented food like natto, umeboshi, tsukemono and soy sauce. Adaptation of foreign cuisines, such as ramen, which originated in China, are also popular among the masses.
In recent years, Japanese food has become popular in the U.S. and Europe. Generally they have the reputation of being low in calories and otherwise healthy, which is potentially related to the longevity of Japanese people.

History of Halloween

History of Halloween

Histiry of Halloween, like any other festival's history is inspired through traditions that have transpired through ages from one generation to another. We follow them mostly as did our dads and grandpas. And as this process goes on, much of their originality get distorted with newer additions and alterations. It happens so gradually, spanning over so many ages, that we hardly come to know about these distortions. At one point of time it leaves us puzzled, with its multicolored faces. Digging into its history helps sieve out the facts from the fantasies which caught us unaware. Yet, doubts still lurk deep in our soul, especially when the reality differs from what has taken a deep seated root into our beliefs. The history of Halloween Day, as culled from the net, is being depicted here in this light. This is to help out those who are interested in washing off the superficial hues to reach the core and know things as they truly are. 'Trick or treat' may be an innocent fun to relish on the Halloween Day. But just think about a bunch of frightening fantasies and the scary stories featuring ghosts, witches, monsters, evils, elves and animal sacrifices associated with it. They are no more innocent. Are these stories a myth or there is a blend of some reality? Come and plunge into the halloween history to unfurl yourself the age-old veil of mysticism draped around it.

Behind the name... Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland , means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the 'All Hallows', also called 'All Hallowmas', or 'All Saints', or 'All Souls' Day, observed on November 1. In old English the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctify'. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor all Saints in heaven, known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church year. And Catholics, all and sundry, was obliged to attend Mass. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of the Roman year. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. Later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1. The Greek Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Despite this connection with the Roman Church, the American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (pre-Christian) Druidic fire festival called "Samhain", celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Samhain is pronounced "sow-in", with "sow" rhyming with cow. In Ireland the festival was known as Samhein, or La Samon, the Feast of the Sun. In Scotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en. In Welsh it's Nos Galen-gaeof (that is, the Night of the Winter Calends. to the Irish English dictionary published by the Irish Texts Society: "Samhain, All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signalizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season, lasting till May, during which troops (esp. the Fiann) were quartered. Faeries were imagined as particularly active at this season. From it the half year is reckoned. also called Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess).The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The Feast of All Soula. Sam + Fuin = end of summer."Contrary to the information published by many organizations, there is no archaeological or literary evidence to indicate that Samhain was a deity. The Celtic Gods of the dead were Gwynn ap Nudd for the British, and Arawn for the Welsh. The Irish did not have a "lord of death" as such. Thus most of the customs connected with the Day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians who conquered them.