Mochi is a traditional feast consumed on special days and occassions. I had to learn how to make it from scratch. You can keep dried Mochi for few weeks and there're many ways to serve and consume them. First we steamed the Japanese sticky rice then pound the rice in wooden mortar. Then one person pound the rice, the other person wet the rice. Keep pounding until it becames smooth. When the Mochi became smooth, wet hands each time then make a shape. ...

In Japan, people greet each other by bowing. A bow ranges from a small nod of the head to a long, 90 degree bend at the waist. If the greeting takes place on tatami floor, people get on their knees in order to bow. When bowing to someone of higher social status, a deeper, longer bow indicates respect. Conversely, a small head nod is casual and informal. However, most Japanese do not expect foreigners to know proper bowing rules and so a nod of the head is usuall...

Sunday night, 7pm kick-off for the top Japan men's national rugby team which has taken on sponsorship from Toyota Motor Corp (TMC) in 2012. The three-year agreement, financial details of which were not released, will run from 1st April this year through to 31st March, 2016. Turned out to be a really great game to watch, of exceptionally high standard! Rohan and I both agree that the Japanese wings run the fastest we have ever seen. They are sure quick, with some...

June; July; August in Japan are a season all on their own; yet colloquially called summer. June was pleasant with frequent rain to cool the hot and humid days. Then July stepped up the thermometer, humidity and far less rain has fallen...thus leaving us hot and sweaty (unless you find an airconditioner to remain under all day) August is still on its way. I do wonder how we will go from this heat to snow in a few months. Surely the vast change in temperature ...