Japanese purikuras

And now I'll talk to you about this thing called...

purikuras.

No, you have not heard of this word before!! It is unique, it's been there for ages, and it's now truly becoming part of modern Japanese culture.

it is basically a photobooth, but of the highest technology.

you pay around 500 yen(=a few dollars), and get into the photobooth where you have all kinds of frame, colours, themes that you can choose. They for a few minutes you have fun with your friends taking silly poses, funny faces, serious modelling faces...etcetc

You then get out of the photobooth, and now begins the second part! for the next 10 minutes its the war against time. Yes. you take your pen, jump to a corner from another, page one to 5, to decorate all your pictures.

you can add texts, frames, captions, change the colour of your hair, of your eyes, ... There is so many things you can do!

Once you're finished, your pictures are printed. and its stickers!

What people usually do is they cut all those purikuras and share between friends, and collect them.

You can decorate your notebooks, cell phones with them, or just give them to people whenever you want.

IT IS A LOT OF FUN you definitely have to try it when you have the chance! You can now find them in China too, they started importing them!

Japanese manga

Manga is basically Japanese comics. If I start talking about its history, it will be endless... That's how old it is in japan. every Japanese person has read all kinds of mangas throughout their lives, its part of our Culture. there is a lot of diffrent kinds, love comedy, horror, science fiction.. Just like with books!
 But these last few years, Japanese mangas became not only succesfull in Japan but everywhere in the world. So many mangas have been translated in different languages: Death note, One piece, Full metal alchemist....

These are mangas that you have heard of at least once!!

This manga boom mostly touched European countries, the biggest manga reader country after Japan being France!!

As I lived in France, I can tell you that it is TRUE. You can easily find mangas everywhere in bookstores, online.. There is even huge expositions organised each year entirely dedicated to mangas, it is impresive. It's called JAPAN EXPO if you want to check it out! You can go there to buy all kinds of Japanese stuff, food, and just to meet with people who share your passion for mangas.

people love doing ''cosplay'': they dress up like manga characters. Honestly, some of them are sometimes creepy. They give all they've got into those costumes! huge heels, red eye contacts, pink and sparly hair, etcetc..

If you ever have the chance to read a manga, try it! It's really different but I grew up with it and I find it really funny and entertaining.

Japanese food: sukiyaki

Speaking about Japanese food, most of the people will think about.. SHUSHIS yes.. shushis.

But you know what, it may be hard to believe, but Japanese people don't eat only sushis every day!
In fact, sushis are more like a special food that is eaten at cultural ceremonies and celebrations! It is far from being a dish that you will casually eat at a family dinner...


That is why i want to introduce you to a dish called, ''sukiyaki''.
When you directly traslate this name, it goes like this: like and cook. It litterally means that you cook anything you want. Ok, not ANYTHING either!

In a sukiyaki you normally put all kinds of vegetable,tofu,jelly noodles and meat, all this being cooked in a sweet soya sauce based sauce in a huge pot :) It is one of my favourite dishes. I will strongly recommend you taste it.

it is really a convivial dish, one of those where people gather around the  pot, and eat from eat. It is so good and so fun to do with people you love!

now, itadakimasu!