Saisen Bako (賽銭箱, contribution box). Saisen is the money contributed to the God or Buddah and Bako (Hako) means box in Japanese.

When you go to a shrine and make a wish, you first put a coin in Saisen Bako then clap your hands twice and bow once then wish your wishes, not at loud but in your mind.

Depens on the Shrine, the size of the box are distinct. The photo below is the one at Meiji Jingu (Tokyo). Since they have so many visitors, of course they have a huge Saisen Bako. Sometimes, people throw the coin as they can't get close to the box, and it may hit your head if you are unlucky.

"Please make me win at horse race and get enough fund from it." Hmmm. 

After writing your wish, there is a place to hang it.

This tradition came from Nara perido (710-784). When their wishes came true, they devoted horses (considered as a vehicle for God) as a gift. However as not everyone could afford to donate a horse, those who are less rich started giving the shrine a paper horse, a painted horse or a figure of the horse instead. And it's been carried on until now.

Nowadays, Ema is used to write the wishes and some shrines are specialized for some particular purpose. For example the second photo shows an Ema for having a child (Kodakara).  

During the entrance exam season, many students and their parents go to a shrine and hang their wishes like the third photo.

Once a year, shrines collect all Ema and burn them by thanking and purifying the spirits at the same time.

Nigiri-zushi

In the early 19th century it was invented in Edo as a fast food. Since all the fish used for this sushi came from the Tokyo Bay, it was called Edo-mae-zushi (Sushi from the sea in front of Edo) and still is called that way. 

Gunkan-maki

Some ingredients such as sea urchin or salmon roe are difficult to make Nigiri and Gunkan-maki is invented for those. Gunkan means warship in Japanese. With Nori (seaweeds) around it, it does look a ship.

Temaki-zushi

This is a typical home party style sushi that you can make your own sushi. Temaki means wrap with the hand in Japanese and as it says you pick your favorite ingredients and wrap with Nori. You can also order in Suhi restaurant.

Futomaki-zushi

One of the types of Maki. Futomaki menas fat roll in Japanes and as you can see, there are many ingredients inside a roll. Often they make patterns as they layout the ingredients and when it's cut it appears like the photo. These are called "Kazari-zushi" (decorated sushi).

Chuumaki-zushi

The difference from Futomaki is Chuumaki has only a few ingredients including some seafoods. Chuu means medium size in Japanese and with the recent healthy boom, salad roll can be seen often.

Hosomaki-zushi

This is the standard maki served in Sushi restaurant in Japan. Usually it has only one ingredients such as cucumber (Kappa-maki), Negitoro (minced tuna and leak) or Natto-maki (fermented soybeans).

Kaisen-Don

This is not really a type of Sushi but is commonly seen in the restaurant. Kaisen means fresh seafood and Don is a bowl in Japanese.

Chirashi-zushi

This is the most common Sushi which is made at both Sushi restaurants and home. The ingredients put over the vinegared rice is various, shiitake mushroom, fine cut eggs, shrimps, salmon roe etc.. Chirashi is often made for the celebration.

Oshizushi

Instead of making a shushi one by one, this Sushi is made in a box like a cake. Oshizushi means pressured Sushi and as you see in the photo below, put the rice and fish in this wooden mold and press it until the ingredients gets stuck together. This is also called Battera, originally made in Kansai area in Japan (western part of Japan) and mackerel and kelp are usually used  but recently there is one with salmon which is made in Hokkaido (the most noth island in Japan).   

Saba-zushi

The method is the same as Battera and the difference is Sabazushi is wrapped in bamboo leaves instead of putting in a wooden box. Saba is mackerel in Japanese. 

Masu-zushi

A type of Oshi-zushi, made in a box made of bamboo and wrapped in the bamboo leaves. Masu is trout in Japanese and this Masu-zushi is a specila product of Toyama prefecture in Japan.

Inari-zushi

This is another Sushi which is made at home quite often. The rice is wrapped in a deep-fried bean curd, slightly sweet taste. Sometimes the rice is mixed with other ingredients like the photo.

The Japanese Ministry of Education announces a list of official Kanji characters which is called Joyo kanji (usual use kanji). According to the latest announcement in 2010, 2136 kanji are set as joyo kanji.

This dictionary contains 14,313 individual kanji which is more than enough for to read the newspaper.

This is the complete version of Kanji dictionary which includes 50,000 individual kanji and 500,000 phrases.

I like to have them just to decorate my book shelf.

In modern Japan, the word shokunin applies to wider professions. As well as those who dedicate handicraft, carpenter (大工・Daiku), plasterer (左官・Sakan) and gardener (庭師・Niwashi), those who deal with food such as shushi chef or baker.

The most respected shokunin were those who manage metal. Japan used to bring many metal shokunin from Korea as they were known to have excellent skill.

Kaidan (怪談）means ghost story or horror in Japanese although it usually refers to Japanese old traditional ghost folktales. Kaidan is a story about death, ghost and monsters and it first appeared in a written form dates back to Heian period (early 12th century). In the 18th century, it became one of the popular topics in Kabuki.

In the early 20th, a Greek born Irish author, Yakumo Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn) collected old traditional Kaidan stories and folk stories all over Japan and published a book "怪談 (Kwaidan)". One of his stories, "耳なし芳一(Mimi nashi Houichi / Houichi the earless)" is a story all Japanese have read in their childhood.    

Kaidan used to be a typical summer event as well as the fireworks. To chill in the hot and humid summer in Japan, scary stories were perfect.

Nopperabou

Oiwa san

Rokuro kubi