Last Saturday I rented a rowboat for half an hour (800円) and floated around a pond in Nara park. I found it amusing how I always end up in the cliche romantic scenarios/scenes/places by myself but…it was really relaxing. Imagine having to take a rowboat to work everyday? Why don’t we have more of these?
It is common for, when you are leaving a smaller restaurant, the servers or owners to stand outside the door and see you off. They wave and bow until you are out of sight. If you turn around they will still be there smiling. It makes you really feel like a guest in their home, not just a business.
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..there are deer in Nara. A lot and they are very used to the masses of people wandering the park. They hand around vendors of rice crackers sold to feed the deer and if you buy the crackers, prepare to have friends. I think this one wants a coke.
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In Japan tofu is not just a meat substitute.
Well some funky things are done with it in North America too but this dish seemed like something you wouldn’t find out West (East). A slightly sweet (mirin) hot mixture of tofu, beef, and half cooked egg. It was really delicious.
It was eaten at がんこ (ganko) – a restaurant somewhere near the river with fairly reasonable prices, flowers in the front…
…and a really beautiful garden in the back.
(This was stewing in my pot but Eric’s comment on a flickr picture pushed this post forward so Eric, this is sort of in response to, discussion related to your comment.)
This is MUJI, a lifestyle chain in Japan. MUJI is short for 無印良品 (Mujirushi Ryōhin) or “no brand quality goods”.
They sell products for life: clothing, furniture, stationary, bicycles, food, and so on, that are “not branded”. Minimalist design and color palette; dark blue, white, creams, brown, black with possible hints of burgundy but I think only on the labels.
MUJI started in Japan but has expanded to other corners of the world. I don’t know the store counts in other countries, but in Japan they are everywhere – 285 stores. I have two within a 15 minute walk from my home. All of them have the same look, feel, and repetitive jingle (which is weirdly abrasive amongst the simplicity of everything else).
MUJI sells “non-branded” products but it has become a brand, it is a brand. Their clothes may have no logos but often you see someone in the train and they screen MUJI kid. Did they plan that from the beginning? (That MUJI would be the no-brand brand.)
In his comment, Eric brought up the book “Pattern Recognition”, where the main character is allergic to logos and brands. Eric – does she really shop at MUJI? I read that book a while ago but I can’t remember whether or not they mentioned MUJI.
The best is MUJI food. because prior to MUJI I didn’t think of food as too branded. Of course it is in a huuuuuge way…but…I don’t feel that aware of brands while grocery shopping. (k I wrote that and then I thought about all of the ways I am totally influenced by the brand of food items but…) …MUJI made me think strongly about food fashion.
I would love to meet an only MUJI person.
