Japanese Lord: Hideyoshi Toyotomi

(Toyotomi Hideyoshi)

As the master of Osaka Castle, Hideyoshi Toyotomi is a famous historical hero in Japan.

He succeeded to settle the upheaval during the Warring States period (15th - 17th Century) . Actually he was the man who got the most successful life in Japan. He was born of peasant-warrior family. Normaly such child could not change his job easily due to social rank system.

However his talented and witted character was found out by his lord: Nobunaga Oda, then he started to his success story. He was so fascinated with an ambition of Nobunaga that he exerted himself for Nobunaga's trial of unification of Japan. Then he succeed the ambition from Nobunaga and consummated it, after Nobunaga was killed by his vassal's rebellion.



This is the symbol of Toyotomi family: "Family crests". Actually this crests are originated from the Emperor of Japan and this is still used for the Emperor's Family now.

The design of the crests is from a Chinese parasol tree: blue-paulownia. Blue-paulownia is known as something good luck, because it is said to be a perch of Chinese phoenix.

The main reason why Hideyoshi Toyotomi could succeed in his life is he was extraordinary diligent in his work with optimistic character. Since such mind/attitude is succeeded to our generation, we are called worker-ants in the business fields!

Only hard working lead us a lofty goal; that is Japanese sprit!!!
That is why We Love Japan!

Japanese Tradition: Osaka Castle

Samurai: it's one of the symbol in Japanese tradition.

They were born in 8th century and activated till 1867, when Edo period finally ended. During the long history of Samurai, they were at their best in the Warring States period (15th - 17th); therefore the Warring States period attracts many Japanese strongly.

At that time Japan was divided by many autonomous feudal lord (called "Daimyou") and each Daimyou constantly tried to enlarge their influence by armed conflict in order to unify the nation. This upheaval had been finally settled by three consecutive Daimyou: Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Iesasu Tokugawa. They are very famous in Japan as the heroes of making history.

This is the Japanese castle, named Osaka Castle, established by Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1583.

Hideyoshi constructed this castle as a symbol of unification of Japan at that time. The castle itself is 8 stories-building, and you can enjoy a beautiful Japanese garden, moats and solemn gates and castle walls!

Many foreigners visit here and they are lost in thought on the era of 410 years ago. (Just like pigeons as the below photo!!!)

I am going to introduce many kinds of Japanese castle and our Samurai's histories, because We Love Japan!

It's summer time!

Now it is more than 33 degrees Celsius in Japan, even if it is evening time. Many Japanese business persons become so thirsty that they cannot bear drinking on the way back to their home!!
So many temporary street drinking stalls emerge during summer seasons.

These foods are not so cheap, but they attract the business persons...

But it seems that most of the business persons who enjoy enthusiastically are men of more than 50 years.... I guess if they come back their home earlier than their wife's expectation, they would be treated as a nuisance!!! That is why they have to spend time in the outside with their young fellows, even if the young men don't want to join!!!

Is it funny custom in Japan?? But We Love Japan!

Night Bus

Since a bullet train, i.e. a super express train, called as "Shinkan-sen" is one of the famoustransportation system in Japan, many foreigners asked me to give them an opportunity to experience it.

However today I would like to introduce another unique transportation vehicle: night bus.
Please see the night-bus photo that I have just took from Osaka to Tokyo yesterday.

There are two lines of sheet in the bus, and each sheet is designed like a capsule for your comfortable sleeping!!

The space of the sheet is almost same as a business sheet in an airplane, however it is 5 times cheaper than air ticket! When you take the bus at 23:00 p.m. form Tokyo, your will reach most of major cities in Japan at 7:00 a.m. next morning.


Many people, especially for young men/women use the night bus.
Please try to take the night bus so that you are familiarize with the Japanese younger generation, because We Love Japan!!!

Japanese Brand-new Technology No.2 - Water Oven -

When you hear a word of "oven", what kinds of oven pop up in your mind?

Gas oven? Electric oven? or Microwave oven?

I bought the below brand-new oven in Japan. The appearance is just same as a standard microwave oven, however this oven equipped with an advanced technology developed by SHARP Corp, which is called as "Water-Oven".

Water-Oven!

Can you imagine that water can warm, grill, roast and sometimes fry food??

Yes We Can!!

The principle of mechanism is this:

When water is heated up more than 100 degree Celsius, it is turned into steam, then steam is heated up furthermore, the steam become "heating vapor". Since this heating vapor has latent heat of 539cal/g, it can transmit the heat to substances by contacting. That is why water can be the leading role of an oven.

Water-Oven has mainly three advantages compare with other heat-oven technologies.

1) Cutting fat

Thanks to heating vapor, foods are swiftly heated up; consequently any fat inside of the food are dissolved and flow away.

2) Desalt

The condensed heating vapor, which lost it latent heat and became dew on the food, can absorb salt and remove it from the food.

3) Preservation of nutrients

Because the inside of oven is saturated with heating vapor, airless circumstances is made. Accordingly, oxidization of oil in the foods are prevented, then as a result, nutrients are preserved.

Now I enjoy healthy meals thanks to Water-Oven!

Let's join the new life style with us, because We Love Japan!!

*Please see the detials of Water-Oven provided by SHARP. http://www.sharp.ph/morehealsio.htm

"KANJI" No.3 - Creation -

I am fond of this letter pronounced "Sou-Zou", which means collectively "Creation".

"創造" is established by combination of "創/Sou" and "造/Zou".
This is because "Creation" is, in Japanese, defined by the two thoughts:
1) Invention: Invent something new ideas that don't exist before, and
2) Embodiment:Make such new ideas be formed as tangible ones

Thus, "創/Sou" means invention and "造/Zou"means embodiment.

When you put this letter on your clothing, you need to be the person with creation!!
You, namely, have to be men/women with action-oriented mind as well as abundant ideas!

Thanks to this ideology, Japan has succeeded in bearing many global company, such as TOYOTA, SONY, CANON, etc. That is why We Love Japan!!!

"KANJI" - No.2 - "Dragon"

I think the above KANJI is relatively famous for foreigners, because many KANJI T-shirts are used this letter for its design, as per below.

(cited from http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/graphic-art/1moji-ryuu-t.html)

This KANJI is pronounced "RYU" in Japanese, which means a dragon.
This letter is used for some of Japanese names for men, because parents wish that their child will grow powerfully like a dragon.

This KANJI looks cool! When you have this KANJI in your T-shirt, please behave with strong-mind and confidence!!

Japanese KANJI is very unique and stylish.

That's why We Love Japan!!!