I actually really like Peter Barakan, he hosts a show on the NHK called Japanology where they go into detail about little (and big) things in Japan. It’s actually a pretty good show and I highly recommend checking it out, but there are funny moments that naturally happen when he is interviewing someone and you’ll see some of those here. But whoever made this also spliced together some funny things as well.
I believe he very well could be next for a Meme internet sensation. I think you’ll agree after seeing some of these. Of course though, it’s a lot more fun to watch after you’ve seen a few of the documentaries from NHK’s: Japanology. So I’d recommend checking out the YouTube channel and then come back and enjoy some Peter Barakan joy.
Many many moons ago around 1200 BC the Chinese were using what today we would call chopsticks. Around 500 AD these tools of the feed my face trade flew into areas like Vietnam and Japan.
The first chopsticks that have been noted and found were in the ruins of Yin, in the Henan province in China. There were examples of Chinese ascribed scrolls, paintings and pottery that shown the first known chopsticks being used, which were a bronze chopstick set found in tombs.
These chopsticks were available and used for stirring and moving food that was cooking. So at this time chopsticks were more so a cooking utensil. Chopsticks came about because a population increase all across China which sucked up all the resources in city areas and it forced cooks in these aread to start creating ways to develop cost-saving techniques.
Food was being chopped into more fine pieces which required much less cooking (fuel and resources) then before. But whats more perfect then some chopsticks to be able to grab these tiny pieces of food then a chopstick? So as this continued things like knives became obsolete. The chopstick era truly began because of Confucius. Being that Confucius was a vegetarian he saw knives and stabbing utensils as something that would be used in a slaughterhouse.
Confucius also had a mighty strong belief in Feng Shui and he thought that knives evoked warfare, killing and violence which over all destroyed the pleasant feeling and vibe of eating during meals. Afterward this idea sprung into action across Asia. Of course many Asian countries use chopsticks a bit different then some. For example, Chinese chopsticks have more of a blunt end to them, in Japan chopsticks had certain sizes for both genders (7 inches for woman and 8 inches for men).
Around 1878 the Japanese were the first country to make disposable sets of chopsticks made from bamboo and wood. Of course more economically sound families would eat their meals with chopsticks made out of brass, coral, jade, ivory and agate. Most well off families would and still use silver based chopsticks, which are said to turn black when they touch poisonous food.
There you have it, a brief history of the mighty chopstick!
Ha-shi or はし is chopstick in Japanese, which can also mean bridge!
So, はしおください。（ha－shi o kuda－sai）。 Chopsticks Give Me Please!
This documentary comes from a series called Begin Japanology. I’ll be sure to be sharing all their goodies with you, because honestly. Their episodes are quick and to the point. Nothing like learning new information about your favorite place on earth right? So sit back, grab some 茶（tea: cha/ocha). If you’re looking for a great place to eat sushi in Bangkok, check out this directory.
So without further ado, here is
Sushi 寿司
Sushi (すし, 寿司, 鮨?) is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice (鮨飯 sushi-meshi?) combined with other ingredients (ネタ neta?), seafood, vegetables and sometimes tropical fruits. Ingredients and forms of sushi presentation vary widely, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is rice (also referred to as shari (しゃり?) or sumeshi (酢飯?)).
Sushi can be prepared with either brown or white rice. Sushi is often prepared with raw seafood, but some common varieties of sushi use cooked ingredients or are vegetarian. Raw fish (or occasionally other meat) sliced and served without rice is called “sashimi”.
Sushi is often served with pickled ginger (ガリ gari), wasabi, and soy sauce. Popular garnishes are often made using daikon.
