When speaking about series and Netflix, Japan is one of those country with high quantity of series on Netflix. Most of them are bought by Netflix, but there are some which are Netflix originale series.
Street of Shinjuku Neighborhood
Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman
Today I recommend Kantaro, if you want to deep into Tokyo city and all its districts without leave your place.
Kantaro is a stoic book salesman passionate by sweets. For being able to lead a double life as salary man and sweets tasting life, he choose to be Publishers sales man, so as having time and playing hooky from work to write his sweets blog. In his journey to attain a glimpse of sweets heaven Kantaro samples various Japanese and Western sweets.
And what is really great with Kantaro and can be very funny is the way he has to describe all his tasting sessions with so many passion!
After that you will love Tokyo and it’s sweets stores.
Each episode introduces to the world one of Japanese traditional sweet and promote Tokyo’s famous desserts stores in a captivating way.
April 12th, we are entering in the 5th week of lockdown and Social distance orders in France. Here some of thoughts about how it is manage here in France and how a traveler like me who use to travel about 1week per month perceive it.
Restrictions
We still can’t go out except for buying supplies goods and do some physical exercises less than 1 hour and less than 1 km around your neighborhood.
If you thought you could escape from this obligation, it is without to count on the attestation form you have to fill out before going outside. On this file, you need to precisely write the time and the date you went out. And for those who didn’t have a printer, you will think twice before going out! Yes, no printer means you have to write all the form by yourself, an handwriting form! It makes me remember when I was at school and teachers gave you some punishment homework. Hey little girl, you didn’t want to respect the social distanciation, you want to go out… Well do your homework before, write this long attestation form!
Well, the French government finally after 3 weeks of shelter in place order developed an online attestation form with a QR code which tells the authorities exactly when you filled it, and so you can’t lie any more about the time you’ve stayed out!
New attestation form with QR code
Looks like it is working, fewer people are going outside know, or maybe most of people here are just afraid to be contaminated. They suddenly become more responsible than two weeks before. Indeed It is a very hard time in France now.
More than 13800 peoples are dead. How many are contaminated, we can’t exactly say it, because just a few people can do the test. And that makes me very angry 😡.
Not enough test and masks!
Since yesterday, I began to feel really weak, to have headache and of course I was thinking what if… Yes what if I was contaminated, how to know, and how to protect my husband? We’ve got only one bedroom, one kitchen how it is possible to protect him? No way, because the situation in France are very bad, we can’t have any test neither mask. All tests are only for people who are already severely affected and masks for people who are still working. By the way, hopefully after 3 weeks of lock down almost all workers can have a mask, which is a real progress! And due to the lack of masks production, the government still refuses to order us to wear a mask, because clearly they can’t product enough!!
Government advertising to combat covid 19 without wearing mask recommendations
Well as you can see, the French situation are very bad. Statistically we have in France 93790 contaminated persons, but all of these people had a test, which means they were already in a very serious form of the disease. Compare to many countries which test people only with few symptoms, the statistics are totally biased…
Contaminated ranking in the world by Google statistics
How other countries manage against the Covid19.
The good thing in our world now, is that we can have many informations from all around the world, and when you compare how your government reacts to a situation between the others government it is a good way to see how developed is your country or not!
Well, believe me or not but I really think that Europe are weak now. When you can see how Taiwan, South Korea or Japan managed the situation, you can well understand how late are the European countries.
The good thing I have seen in Europe are in Poland 🇵🇱, with the Masks vending machine in streets, in Germany 🇩🇪 with the drive in tests all around the country and in Greece 🇬🇷 with masks which are distributed to all inside the newspapers.
A mask vending machine in Warsaw Street
Well how is the situation in your country? Don’t hesitate to comment below 👇
Indispensable in Japan, here are 4 chains of traditional Japanese restaurants open 24 hours a day that you will meet throughout your trip to Japan. Their menus are large and diversified : from the famous Guyodons, meal made of cooked beef strips marinated with candied onions served with rice, to the traditional Japanese breakfast set with grilled fish and nato, or Gyozas, fried Chinese ravioli.
1. Sukiya
The chain that has opened the most restaurants in Japan. This chain had also open some Restaurants in Taiwan. Their menu offers a large selection of guydons, with or without raw eggs and also bowls of rice with raw fresh tuna. Raw egg is available as an option if you’re a fan. Their plus is their small tool to separate the white from the egg yolk.
2. Matsuya
The cheapest chain for its Guydons. I prefer their rice and their plus is the terminal to order. You do not need to wait the waitress to make your order. Just have to order at the terminals at the entrance and pay directly. You take your tickets and put them in front of you on the table. When your order is ready, a waiter will bring it to you. You don’t have to speak Japanese to eat what you want.
3. Yoshinoya
the most expensive but also the best known abroad because it has opened restaurants in the United States and Taiwan. Here either you can eat something other than Guydons, especially the small pots of simmered beef. Their plus is the secret sauce for the marinade of beef strips.
4. Ohsho
A chain of Japanese restaurant offering Chinese dishes, including grilled dumplings, called Gyozas in Japan. It is a dish widely consumed in the land of the rising sun even more than in China its country of origin.
Personally, I found them too fatty, but who knows, if you go through the Dotonbori bridge area, their big sign of huge Gyozas will maybe push you to give in to the temptation.
6:00 a.m, you have to prepare breakfast for the little ones, coffee for you and Mister and oh, bad luck, the toothpaste is finished. All supermarkets are closed and anyway you would not have time to go there.
What if, there, just downstairs of your apartment or next to your house, there was a convenience store, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you could go down and buy your toothpaste, two cups of coffee and already toasted sandwiches or fresh brioches for breakfast. Well, in that case all your problems will be solved in 30 minutes and immediately during morning, while go to the corner supermarket will have taken you the whole evening…
That is the worst part of my life! What I will never have in France, a country where the service to citizens is almost zero, you have it in Japan, means: conveniences stores at reasonable prices where you can also withdraw money, make photocopies, read and buy a magazine or cigarettes, alcohol, fresh or cooked dishes, fruit, yogurt, hot and cold drinks, ground coffee before your eyes, sanitary napkins or toothpaste … All the consumables of everyday life are sold there, to which are added seasonal products and limited editions of certain breads or fresh dishes for diversity.
And all of this, in one of the many Convenience stores in the area. There is at least one store every 500 meters. Some offer spaces for eating and drinking on site, others do not.
1. 7-eleven
The American-Japanese chain, born in Dallas in 1927, is the best known and the largest. Its bento are very varied and choice of drinks and snacks endless.
7- eleven in Osaka
2. Family Mart
It is the second largest convenience store chain in Japan. But Personally, I prefer 7 eleven products.
Family Mart front with its green and blue logo
3. Lawson
3rd largest chain in Japan, its first store was opened in 1975 in Osaka Province
Lawson in Osaka
4. Daily Yamazaki et Mini Stop (Aeon Stores)
two other chains competing with the three main competitors. They all have a welcoming and comfortable space (with sockets on the tables so that they can stay at work if necessary), equipped with microwaves, sinks, hot water dispensers and coffee for dining at any time.
Interior and Front of Daily Yamazaki and Mini Stop
My favorite in Osaka, Mini-Stop for its choice of savory dishes and sweet snacks and its very welcoming relaxation area.
And 7-eleven, their Bento are just great and complete.
Osaka is an Harbor city and the second largest city in Japan with its 20 millions inhabitants urban area.
Like any Japanese City, it is a very organized city where its urbanization and development are very well thought out. All these towers and shops, with grandiose signs can be very confusing for European tourists who can be seen wandering the streets, head in the air to contemplate with a blissful air this immensity so unusual in Europe.
Here is an overview of the city, to help you if you are passing through Osaka.
1. Namba and the South area, Minami
The best known and essential district which extends from the Namba station and its restaurants and shops with giant and extravagant signs, especially around the Dotonbori canal where you can see the famous sign Glico of the tireless marathon runner from the 1930s. Then the southern district continues around Misosuji Boulevard, the Osakien “Champs Elysees” to Shinsaibashi and Nipponbashi station to the east.
Giant Restaurants sign in Dotonbori Canal area at Osaka
2. Umeda and the North area, Kita
The other essential district for its large shopping mall and all its shops is the Umeda district, around Osaka station. Here you can stay at least 24 hours shopping, you haven’t seen it all yet!
3. Semba, Business area
If you go down to the south, the district connecting the northern and southern districts is called the Semba district, around the stations of Hommachi and Yodoyabashi. It is the business district where you’ll find the regional headquarters of Japanese banks, the former Osaka Exchange headquarters and the Osaka town hall.
Osaka Securities Exchange
And for family entertainment, at the west area of the city, around the Harbor, you can visit the Universal Studio park, the Osaka Ferris wheel or its famous aquarium.
To the east of the city, you can also visit Osaka Castle.
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