#Omiyage

[lilliesforya]

Google Translate in the Grocery Store

August 21, 2023

The supermarket is the size of a large Walgreens. I don’t know where anything is located. The products look like things I recognize from a dream but have never seen before in real life. I walk around with a basket in one hand and my phone in the other. The basket always gets too heavy but I never grab a cart from the front because I’m always convinced I won’t need one. I always need one. The carts are smaller and they look like the ones from Wegmans but with only one place for the items. I find items on my list like spinach, bread, and garlic. I lament the loss of niche (or not) food items I love like nutritional yeast, plant based butter, peanut butter that isn’t peanut flavored cream, and maple brown sugar oatmeal. I try to replace this with a feeling of gratitude for the improved access to locally grown rice, miso soup, pickled ginger in large amounts, bread that tastes savory like pastry dough, red bean flavored anything, and 9% alcohol in a can for like barely $2. 

The picture above is part of the alcoholic drink section in the grocery store. I can get these at my local convenience store for slightly more yen but it’s not a huge difference. The drinks range in alcohol content- the light pink peach drink in the upper right corner is 3%. The grapefruit vodka soda I picked up from the front of the aisle is 5%. My favorites are ‘Strong Zero’ and Chu-Hi both in lemon flavor. These are 9% and they make me the closest I’ve ever gotten to drunk on one drink. They taste so good it is easy to forget they’re so strong- similar to the Soju effect.

This is all of the miso soup options. I wanted to buy the paste because it seems more cost effective but one time I did that I forgot to use dashi (fish stock that gives the salty flavor) and the result was awful. I was so paranoid that I just got the packets that come with the seaweed, green onions, and tofu, etc. with it. I must have stood in this aisle for so long trying to google translate the differences between all of the miso soups. I don’t usually get stared at too much in the grocery store but I think this warranted a few glances as to what on Earth I was doing. 

In a lot of stores, including the grocery store, there are sections for omiyage (souvenirs) or items that can be given as gifts. It’s an extremely common cultural practice. When people go away on trips it's customary to bring back small gifts for family, friends, and/ or coworkers. Usually, it’s small items special to the place you’ve visited or sweets that are local to the area. For example, Chiba prefecture is known for peanuts (among other things), so if I went to visit friends in Kobe I would bring some peanut based sweets to give to people. Also, most prefectures and sometimes cities and towns have mascots. So, often in train stations you can find small memorabilia of the mascot of the area. Example: Osaka is known for takoyaki so they sell octopus plushies and keychains (and I have a large plushie of him). Even my small town has omiyage in the local train station! 

[verosnacks]

Matcha White Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients

110-120g butter (1 stick = 125g)

100g white chocolate chips (about 3/4 cup)

125g 100g white sugar (like 1/2 cup)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

120g (1 cup) AP flour

1.5 tablespoons matcha

Lastly: 50g white chocolate chips

Instructions:

Melt together white chocolate chips and butter, about 15 seconds on 20% in the microwave until incorporated.

Using an electric mixer, mix together sugar, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate-butter paste.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, matcha, and salt.

Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix with a rubber spatula.

Pour into 8x8 in baking pan, bake for 25 minutes. Turn oven off and let rest 5 minutes. Don't use the toothpick trick!

Notes:

11/29/2024:

Baked this in a regular oven instead of a toaster oven, turned out perfect.

Popular at asian potlucks

12/17/2024 - Upped the flour to 150g and it came out too floury. Like cake. Perfect texture is referred to above.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObXuQJ_Fu6o https://sweetmouthjoy.com/green-tea-matcha-brownies/

[xshu]

Omiyage for The Mouse

The Cat and The Mouse picked up from Haneda Airport while waiting for flight home. Japanese Pancakes filled with Red Bean Paste Royce Chocolates Milk and dark. The Mouse’s Breakfast Coffee and pancake. Mmm. Be well, eat well. The Mouse Lahaina/Maui Strong.

[techdriveplay]

7 Insider Tips from Lonely Planet to Make the Most of Your Trip to Japan with the Aussie Dollar at a 10-Year High

If you’ve always wanted to travel to Japan, now’s the time to say konichiwa to this super-hot travel destination with the exchange rate at its best. These insider tips from Lonely Planet’s “Experience Japan” and “Experience Tokyo” make it even more kawaii (or cool): Crazy Commute For Tokyoites, the morning commute is a contact sport. On weekdays from 7.30am to 9am, millions squeeze into trains…

[famouspeopleinturtlenecks]

Omiyage Dari Prof Jepun

[roundtripjp]

朝聖世界遺產巡禮，漫步在日光中禪寺湖老街街道之中的最佳美味伴侶，有著美味紅豆饅頭與名產日光羊羹的和菓子老舖「みやま堂」!

[eri-nishi]

[jueyun-chili]

Got this custom Dojang stamp as a souvenir from my South Korea trip~

I also got one for my bf because I couldn't think of a cool souvenir to bring :))

[ocfooddiva]

Arigato for the Matcha Azuki Mochi from Japan! 🇯🇵 #omiyage #travel #japan #matcha #azuki #mochi https://www.instagram.com/p/CqLvU4SvB1N/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[bedandstay]

Bring an omiyage (gift) to your love one when you visit Japan. We got one today from our co-worker. 

When you visit Tokyo, book your stay with us  here ⬇️ https://www.airbnb.jp/rooms/21581868

日本語

日本を訪れた際には、大切な人におみやげを持参しましょう。本日も同僚からいただきました。東京にお越しの際は、こちらからご予約ください⬇️ https://www.airbnb.jp/rooms/21581868

[phoenixyfriend]

Ftr Kyoto is absolute MURDER on the wallet

[taiso]

april 23rd marks the anniversary of YMO's legendary Shagaku Festival (写楽祭) concert!

[selfmaderibcageman]

Look how excellently my bag is packed..

[setsunatekiblast]

oh yeah ummm hi i lowkey have a bachelor's degree btw

like not officially because the ceremony is in november but i finished my final assignment for the last course i needed last month & got my grade on friday! was an 80% (a-) which im not actually all that happy with because i feel like i could've done better but we ball

[colourme-feral]

Translation notes for Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu / Our Youth ep 4

Thank you @nieves-de-sugui for letting me throw ideas around with you!

Why are you going this far/doing this much? Because if we continue this way, we'll stop talking and I don't want that. I hate that you're distancing yourself.

The number of days you've attended classes seems to be pretty low

Aside from that, there's a girl you seem close to, isn't there. Note: There's so much emphasis by Jin on how there's a possible someone that Haruki is dating!!!

Note: Jin's "I saw that you two seemed to be holding hands" vs Haruki's "She's a friend. That's all": I like that these two lines have a similar focus on certain things. In Jin's, it is the hand holding and in Haruki's he is emphasing that they are simply friends.

There can't be anyone who has that sort of whimsies/strange tastes Note: Basically saying that there's no way that he wouldn't be anyone's type

So don't leave me/go away

Am I being attacked?

Wow, it's Mount Fuji! Note: This was actually the moment that I thought that this show needed translation notes. They are saying "fuji san", but that literally translates to fuji + mountain. However, Gaga took it to be the honorific, '-san', making it Ms./Mr. Fuji, since Fuji is also a Japanese surname.

Jin: Did you not go for dinner? Haruki: You didn't go either, right?

To catch a cold on a day like this is...

Then infect me more thoroughly/properly

It's okay to infect me more Note: Jin is giving Haruki permission to infect him. Is it ok? for me to scream?????????

It's already started melting

Note: Haruki brings back Takahara Manju, a type of sweet, from his trip and throws it away after seeing his father, suggesting that it was intended to be an omiyage / souvenir for him. Often, when people go on trips, they will bring omiyage (usually snacks) from the place they have visited back for people close to them/around them. (more info)

Are you alright?

It would be great if the boundary between you and me could melt away and become one.

Miseinen / Our Youth translation notes・Other translation notes

[miiyas]

CEREAL

satoru likes to reminisce of a tender moment when he’s far away on a mission

wc: 1.1k (1186), fluff, gn reader, slightly proofread, slight ooc, requested to be tagged: @moonchhu

on nights when away missions are rougher than usual, satoru lays in his hotel bed and stares at the ceiling, relishing in the ever growing memory you.

you and gojo aren’t dating. but satoru has grown an unshakable fondness towards you.

his head leans down while the two of you are walking to hear you better, a silly grin growing in his pretty lips as he laughs a little too hard at a joke you make. he somehow remembers the clothing brand you like but can’t afford and the texture of foods you like and dislike. he likes how your cheeks puff up slightly when you laugh and smile, his fingers twitching as the desire to pinch your soft flesh them crosses his mind.

his favorite memory, one that always seems to rock him to sleep, is when you first invited him over to your apartment to eat after a mission in the dead of night. the world seems silent and the only sound that seems to be processed is the huffs of the elevator crawling up and the soft footsteps down the hall as you jingle your keys and swing open the door.

your home is warm. it’s a little messy, you comment, a little embarrassed at your unkept home. shoes are haphazardly displayed as you kick them to make it a little neater. you map out the wall to turn on the lights, the halls brightening softly as it guides you.

your small kitchen island is occupied to the brim with mail from your parents, money yet to be deposited to your account, snack wrappers you’ve yet to throw out, and various other trinkets that are forgotten to be put away.

“sorry, i invited you over without knowing how messy this place is.” you huffs out, gathering a handful of wrappers and throwing them out in the trash can. satoru walks around the small living room, a soft smile caressing his features as he picks up a few omiyages you’ve received and collected that remained displayed mindlessly.

“nah, it’s cozy. kinda expected your place to be like this.” he teases, placing down the trinkets. he lets his eyes wander a moment longer, the soft hum of the ac filling in the quiet atmosphere. there are pictures of unfamiliar people hanging on the walls, magazines left open to the weekly shonen jump page on your couch, and a cup of day old coffee on the ground, a metal straw hanging lazily in it. if gojo didn’t know any better, he would’ve assumed that this place belonged to a normal person.

pale blue eyes continue to dance around the small area, his body a little unused to the small space. his gaze lands on your figure digging through your fridge for any leftovers or things to be used to make something simple.

“you craving anything ? i can try and whip up something. no promise that it’ll be good, though.” you huff out as you inspect a sealed pack of enoki mushrooms before placing it back in.

“mm … dunno ! whatever’s easier to make right now.”

now this made you lift up a brow. satoru is usually an awfully demanding eater, getting whatever he craves whenever he wants with just a simple swipe of his card. for him to say he wanted ‘whatever’s easier to make’ didn’t sit right with you.

“you sick or something ?”

gojo skips over to the couch and practically jumps on it, a content sigh exhaling out as he picks up the magazine to skim through the newly released chapters of whatever manga. he rests on his back as his long legs spill out from the arm rest and he tilts his head back to look at you, lifting up the mask that covers up his round eyes with a finger as he puckers his lips in innocent confusion.

“wha’dya mean ?”

“… nothing. never mind.” you shake your head, grabbing a carton of milk and closing the door to your fridge.

“ah, what’re we eating ? you making something yummy ?”

you take out two bowls from your dish washer and place them down on your island before taking a few steps to the small pantry.

“cereal.”

“cereal ?” gojo gawks, shifting over to lay on his stomach with his legs being raised and gently kicking back and forth. he takes off his mask fully, allowing it to rest around his neck as he watches you repeat back with a more matter-of-fact tone undertone to it, stepping out of the pantry and kicking the door closed.

he watches with a careful eye as you place down three different options of cereal, too many for a person who lives alone.

“i crave different ones now and then. they range differently in sweetness. pick and choose whatever you like.”

satoru blinks, watching you pour in your fill of cereal and milk before fishing out a spoon from your dish washer. with slow, quiet strides, gojo gets up and walks over to the island, the bulbs of hanging lights brushing over his head as he looks at the obnoxiously bright designs on the boxes. without much thought, he pours in whatever you chose and takes his first bite.

“it’s not all that good. i just have it whenever there’s nothing else.”

the white haired male hums, sucking on the end of the spoon for a moment as he stares down at his portion. the moment is too soft, too domestic, something he’s not used to. it feels like he’s been living with you since forever and it’s only the first time he’s been over.

“if you’re too tired,” you chew out, holding onto the end of your spoon and making circular motions in the air with a tired expression, “you could always take my guest room. or the couch. whatever’s fine.”

you raised your offer without looking at satorus eyes, spoon now down in your bowl and swirling the cereal bits in the milk, almost like you were embarrassed.

“sure.” gojo slips out without much thought, leaning against the edge of the island as he lifts another mouthful and chews. you blink at this, looking up at the man beside you with slightly wider eyes, shocked that he even took the offer. “i’ll take the guest room. my ass is not sleeping on that couch. did you see me trying to lay down on that thing ? half of my body wasn’t even it !” he huffs, an annoyed look piercing to the small couch.

“six three, by the way.” he comments of his height with a grin, getting a good laugh out of you and god, does he want this moment to last longer.

but before he can finish reminiscing, satoru feels his head go hazy, becoming less continuous of his body as his muscles relax.

soon. he’ll tell you everything soon. from how he loves the way you laugh and the way you decorate your home, small remnant's of him lingering. but for now, gojo will live in the gentle domestic life of a love he can’t seem to comprehend.