Along the Agano river, deep within Niigata Prefecture are several small villages. Each one supposedly participates in maintaining a long religious folk tradition, found dating back to the late Edo period involving deities named Shoki-sama. During the annual Shoki Festival, each village fashions it’s own life-sized deity out of straw giving special attention to its (male) genitalia.
Originally a Chinese deity, Shoki-sama is a so-called ‘demon-queller,’ who guards against illness and evil.
Upon learning about this, I had several questions. Were these local customs still upheld? And what was the significance of the phallus involved? With a brisk chill still in the air from a lingering winter, I headed out with a certain Dr. T to explore these remote areas of the Japanese countryside and investigate further.
Off to Niigata
Going off a clue from a very ratty looking book Dr. T had procured, we set out in our rental car aiming for the old road.
“It shouldn’t be too far from central Niigata”. Dr. T advised me as we came off the motorway.” But I am just a little concerned that our shrine will be buried in a mound of snow. That’s why I brought you along.”
Wonderful. Dr. T got me to catch the first train from Tokyo on a Saturday morning to go and dig out a shrine lost somewhere in the vast countryside of Niigata. I keep my thoughts to myself and take a sip of my morning Blendy coffee, sinking deeper into the passenger seat.
“I hope our map is accurate. There’s a lot of snow-covered shrines out there.” I sulk, already missing my warm bed back home.
Our snow-covered shrine.
Incidentally, Dr. T is the affectionate nickname for the idiosyncratic Dr. Stephen Turnbull. British historian and academic, he’s a specialist in Japanese military history and eastern religion. I had the pleasure of sitting in on his incredibly popular course “Samurai and the Sacred” back in my university days. It’s no exaggeration to say he’s a modern-day Indiana Jones, but perhaps not as athletic.
It wasn’t long before we were nearing our destination. Most other cars had vanished from the road and convenience stores proved surprisingly difficult to find.
Lining the narrow road were several prominent flags, a sharp red in contrast to the winter landscape around us, bearing the name of our deity. There was no mistaking this was the place to be today!
After parking, we wandered to the small wayside shrine hidden in a cluster of trees. Inside were three men huddled around a kerosene fire drinking sake and eating rice crackers. They paid us no attention as we stood in front of the frosted glass doors, and it wasn’t until I knocked and began sliding one open that they looked up at us.
We were just in time. The locals had begun making the parts for this year’s Shoki and were at the community center down the road. One of the men, the local priest, would be performing the ceremony later that afternoon. Right now, however, it was break-time, so they invited us inside for a chat. It seems the tradition was still alive and kicking!
After the locals have constructed him, the priest will bless the figure and deify him, creating a god of what was once a straw-man.
Inside, the priest explained a little about Shoki-sama. Originally a Chinese deity, Shoki-sama is a so-called “demon-queller,” who guards against illness and evil. Quite a guy to have around the village! The festival is one of several in the area. Local residents gather together to fashion a fantastic straw figure to symbolize the shoki deity bearing a huge… male member.
After the locals have constructed him, the priest will bless the figure and deify him, creating a god of what was once a straw-man. He would then be put in place of the previous year’s god behind the shrine to protect the village, and the old Shoki-sama would be tossed out in the woods to rot and return to nature.
“In fact”, the priest says, “you can go out back right now and pay your respects to the Shoki-sama of last year!”
“Well, we’d better be quick then!” we chuckle. “And while we’re at it, we can take a look at the one in the neighboring village. It’s supposed to be twice the size,” Dr. T quips.
“The phallus..?” I inquire.
“No, the figure itself. The phallus is roughly four times as big,” Dr. T replies, matter-of-factly.
Apparently, the neighboring deity had been freshly re-created in the shrine atop the hill, just inside the forest entrance and was sporting a phallus to put even the biggest contenders to shame.
But why is it so… big?
Phalli are used in many different ways in Japanese folk religion. Some are used to pray for fertility, both human and agricultural, while others are used as protective symbols of power and strength to ward off evil. Others still might be found combined with the female genitalia, to show the harmony between male and female elements.
In the case of the Shoki, his phallus is a masculine symbol of power and strength. I guess he needs it to scare off the evil spirits.
A short climb up the hill and we find our academic gold. A huge straw Shoki-sama, sitting spread-eagle in a secluded wooden shrine in the middle of a forest. This place has a sacred, untouched feel. So far off the beaten track and so well hidden that you really have to know what you’re in search of to find it.
Last year’s Shoki-sama abandoned in the forest.
We weren’t disappointed. In front of the colossal Shoki-sama were offerings of oranges, sake and rice crackers. In addition, some old-looking swords, evidently the Shoki’s armaments.
In between his devilish horns and triumphant weapons was something much fiercer. A huge phallus bound together with straw pointing out like an armed shotgun. It was made all the more atmospheric by the carefree feel of his arms, seemingly tucked away behind his head, giving an air of superiority.
Checking around the back, we found a steep slope falling down into the woods and, sure enough, a smattering of straw and body parts. They were remnants of last year’s deity disposed of just one week earlier to rot and return to nature, symbolizing the ritual cleansing to bring in a new year.
No television crews or herds of stalls selling phallic sweets like so many other so-called ‘penis festivals.’ This is a very private affair with deep roots.
Back in the village, the local community was assembling the parts to another Shoki. After a toast with some sake, we witnessed them energetically hoisting it atop their shoulders and charging down the local street towards the shrine. Just a bunch of locals, me, and Dr. T. No television crews or herds of stalls selling phallic sweets like so many other so-called “penis festivals.” This is a very private affair with deep roots.
Once at the shrine, the locals proceeded to take the old Shoki-sama down and put up the new one, attaching him to a huge tree, adding horns, a hat, and swords to his belt. A fine specimen indeed. The old Shoki-sama was then deposited rather unceremoniously in a grove of trees out back. It was a majestic sight to behold. An old, spent god being given back to nature, looking out over the mountains of the Niigata countryside, phallus pointing towards the heavens.
The locals were done with their work for the day and after paying their respects, promptly returned to the community center for drinks and food. Meanwhile, inside the shrine, the priest began the deification process. We were the only guests.
Wishing him farewell, we returned to our car to plot the next route. We had dozens more phallic shrines to visit. All in a day’s research with Dr. T.
To learn more about this intimate, hyper-local Niigata tradition, visit the Aga Tourism Association website (Japanese only).
In the last 10 years, and increasingly so in the last three, the booming numbers of visitors to Japan have spurred a greater understanding of different eating habits, including vegan and halal diets. In major cities across Japan, the number of vegan-friendly and halal-observant restaurants has blossomed, a huge improvement over the situation when I first moved to Japan all those years ago.
…even if the label doesn’t show any animal products, there may be traces of things like fish broth…
That being said, food labeling in supermarkets and convenience stores is trailing behind many other countries. Part of this is definitely a language issue. We certainly can’t blame Japanese companies for labeling their products in Japanese, or for covering imported food labels with Japanese ones so locals can read them.
However, there is also a nasty little secret behind food labels in Japan. When extracts and additives fall below a certain percentage, food companies are not required by law to include them on the label.
This means, even if the label doesn’t show any animal products, there may be traces of things like fish broth, milk powder or weird animal-based amino acids lurking in your food. Buyer beware.
How to Shop in Japan as a Vegan
Of course, you can stick to fresh veggies, but for packaged food, there are some kanji to look out for.
My recommendation for everyone living in Japan is actually to avoid supermarkets as much as possible and shop at independent stores. A local grocer is likely to have fresher, tastier fruit and veggies—also less plastic waste. A neighborhood tofu maker will actually be able to tell you what goes into their product since they make it.
However, I recognize that this is not always realistic, and sometimes the only option is stocking up at a supermarket. In which case, I recommend shopping around the outer aisles and avoiding the processed foods in the center as much as possible.
One of the tough parts of reading labels, even when you’re pretty confident in your language abilities, is that there are many different ways of writing similar things. Starting from the basics and then working our way into the nitty-gritty details, here is a primer of characters to look out for, including radicals.
Obvious and Common Words
To save time, when checking a prepared or packaged product, I first do a quick scan of the label for these common characters and words, something most vegans in Tokyo quickly become adept at doing. It saves the time and effort of going through each ingredient of every product you are thinking about buying.
Be sure to check the allergy (アレルギー) and “may include” (含むfukumu) sections toward the end as well, where often one will find out there are traces of eggs or milk in things you wouldn’t expect to contain them.
English
Japanese
Romaji
Meat
肉
niku
Fish
魚
sakana
Seafood
魚介類
gyokairui
Bonito
鰹, かつお
katsuo
Shellfish
貝
kai
Milk
牛乳 / ミルク
gyunyu / miruku
Butter
バター / 乳酪
bata- / nyuraku
Cream
クリーム
kuri-mu
Egg
卵
tamago
Honey
蜂蜜, はちみつ, ハチミツ, ハニー
hachimitsu/hani-
Note that soy milk (豆乳tonyu) is usually okay, however the sweetened type often has odd non-vegan additions like lanolin, calcium lactate or emulsifiers. If you wish to avoid those go for the unsweetened (無調整muchousei) versions, or opt for the sweetened versions from Sujhata or Aeon, which are definitely vegan. Products from non-Japanese companies like Alpro or Almond Breeze are safe as well.
Tips for eating Halal in Japan
Halal and veganism aren’t usually put in the same category, as the reasons behind these two dietary choices are different, however, both groups face similar issues when making food choices in Japan.
The Halal Gourmet Japan guide is a useful resource for finding Halal-friendly restaurants in Japan!
Many foods may seem to be halal but actually contain haram ingredients. Sushi rice is often mixed with mirin (rice wine) and many common Japanese prepared foods are made with non-halal meat (including pork) and flavored with soy sauce, miso or sake. Even things like sweets and drinks may harbor traces of alcohol, gelatin or animal fats!
While some visitors mainly avoid non-halal meat and drinking alcohol, if you are concerned about eating less obvious haram foods, you can either eat out at restaurants listed in the Halal Gourmet Japan guide or check out vegan restaurants, making sure to ask if there is alcohol in any of the dishes before ordering.
In the last 10 years, and increasingly so in the last three, the booming numbers of visitors to Japan have spurred a greater understanding of different eating habits, including vegan and halal diets. In major cities across Japan, the number of vegan-friendly and halal-observant restaurants has blossomed, a huge improvement over the situation when I first moved to Japan all those years ago.
…even if the label doesn’t show any animal products, there may be traces of things like fish broth…
That being said, food labeling in supermarkets and convenience stores is trailing behind many other countries. Part of this is definitely a language issue. We certainly can’t blame Japanese companies for labeling their products in Japanese, or for covering imported food labels with Japanese ones so locals can read them.
However, there is also a nasty little secret behind food labels in Japan. When extracts and additives fall below a certain percentage, food companies are not required by law to include them on the label.
This means, even if the label doesn’t show any animal products, there may be traces of things like fish broth, milk powder or weird animal-based amino acids lurking in your food. Buyer beware.
How to Shop in Japan as a Vegan
Of course, you can stick to fresh veggies, but for packaged food, there are some kanji to look out for.
My recommendation for everyone living in Japan is actually to avoid supermarkets as much as possible and shop at independent stores. A local grocer is likely to have fresher, tastier fruit and veggies—also less plastic waste. A neighborhood tofu maker will actually be able to tell you what goes into their product since they make it.
However, I recognize that this is not always realistic, and sometimes the only option is stocking up at a supermarket. In which case, I recommend shopping around the outer aisles and avoiding the processed foods in the center as much as possible.
One of the tough parts of reading labels, even when you’re pretty confident in your language abilities, is that there are many different ways of writing similar things. Starting from the basics and then working our way into the nitty-gritty details, here is a primer of characters to look out for, including radicals.
Obvious and Common Words
To save time, when checking a prepared or packaged product, I first do a quick scan of the label for these common characters and words, something most vegans in Tokyo quickly become adept at doing. It saves the time and effort of going through each ingredient of every product you are thinking about buying.
Be sure to check the allergy (アレルギー) and “may include” (含むfukumu) sections toward the end as well, where often one will find out there are traces of eggs or milk in things you wouldn’t expect to contain them.
English
Japanese
Romaji
Meat
肉
niku
Fish
魚
sakana
Seafood
魚介類
gyokairui
Bonito
鰹, かつお
katsuo
Shellfish
貝
kai
Milk
牛乳 / ミルク
gyunyu / miruku
Butter
バター / 乳酪
bata- / nyuraku
Cream
クリーム
kuri-mu
Egg
卵
tamago
Honey
蜂蜜, はちみつ, ハチミツ, ハニー
hachimitsu/hani-
Note that soy milk (豆乳tonyu) is usually okay, however the sweetened type often has odd non-vegan additions like lanolin, calcium lactate or emulsifiers. If you wish to avoid those go for the unsweetened (無調整muchousei) versions, or opt for the sweetened versions from Sujhata or Aeon, which are definitely vegan. Products from non-Japanese companies like Alpro or Almond Breeze are safe as well.
Tips for eating Halal in Japan
Halal and veganism aren’t usually put in the same category, as the reasons behind these two dietary choices are different, however, both groups face similar issues when making food choices in Japan.
The Halal Gourmet Japan guide is a useful resource for finding Halal-friendly restaurants in Japan!
Many foods may seem to be halal but actually contain haram ingredients. Sushi rice is often mixed with mirin (rice wine) and many common Japanese prepared foods are made with non-halal meat (including pork) and flavored with soy sauce, miso or sake. Even things like sweets and drinks may harbor traces of alcohol, gelatin or animal fats!
While some visitors mainly avoid non-halal meat and drinking alcohol, if you are concerned about eating less obvious haram foods, you can either eat out at restaurants listed in the Halal Gourmet Japan guide or check out vegan restaurants, making sure to ask if there is alcohol in any of the dishes before ordering.
Like clockwork, and ahead of the sakura (cherry blossom) season by nearly a month, Starbucks Japan has released this year’s sakura flavored latte to the cherry blossom craving masses. Not one above the sakura madness, I went out and tried these new pink concoctions and left with a budding feeling to make an appointment with my dentist.
Photo: Aaron BaggettThis year’s offering are a “Sakura Milk Latte” and “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
The sakura latte is Japan’s answer to the USA’s famous pumpkin spice latte, which is essentially melted ice cream in a cup that basic people say is their “favorite” when you ask them if they drink coffee. For 2020 Starbucks rolled out a new “Sakura Milk Latte” and a “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
What do cherry blossoms taste like?
If I had to describe the flavor of sakura, it would be cherries dipped in condensed milk and sprayed with floral fabric softener. It isn’t half bad, really. Starbucks’ sakura drinks, however, use strawberry juice. The flavor doesn’t really taste like sakura but go ahead and call me #basic because I like it. I also like all the overpriced, Japan-only, pink, sakura-themed tumblers and merch because I am a consumer zombie.
Photo: Aaron BaggettSakura tumblers and coffee for my fellow consumer zombies. Photo: Aaron Baggett
The latte is rather good if you’re really into sweet drinks, and the cute pink flower petals—actually crunchy cereal—are a nice touch. It’s perfect for other basic people who enjoy watching The Office and list eating, drinking, and traveling as hobbies on their Tinder profile. While I wouldn’t call it coffee—its ingredients are listed as sakura flower powder and strawberry juice topped with cranberries—I would call it a hot cocoa alternative.
The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25.
As for the sakura milk pudding frappuccino, I couldn’t even finish it. It was just too sweet for me—an American who grew up eating Fruity Pebbles for dinner and washing my mouth out with orange soda.
I felt like the biggest wannabe Instagram poser as I handed a tray with a barely touched tall frappe on it to the girl behind the counter to be disposed of. She watched as I took pictures of it for 15 minutes for this review, tasted it, recoiled, and handed it back to her. If you’re reading this, humble Starbucks barista, please find it in your heart to forgive me.
Photo: Aaron BaggettOnly available until Feb 25.
First of all, as mentioned above, it is still winter. Only maniacs enjoy frappes in winter. Also, as the name suggests, it’s made with a base of milk flavored pudding. Only it’s more like jelly than pudding, which is all the rage here in Japan, but it’s not for me. I don’t like gelatinous cubes bouncing off the back of my throat when I take a drink of something.
Get your Sakura lattes until March 12
Both drinks taste like pure sugar. The same ingredients and flavors as the sakura milk latte make up the frappe, but the glob of pudding pushes it over the edge. After one sip, I blacked out and envisioned the Cavity Creeps storming enamel gates like Sauron’s army in The Two Towers.
If you choose to forgo my sugar warnings and try one of these sugary beverages for yourself, you don’t have long. The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25. Until then, I can only say a silent prayer for the teeth of Japan.
Like clockwork, and ahead of the sakura (cherry blossom) season by nearly a month, Starbucks Japan has released this year’s sakura flavored latte to the cherry blossom craving masses. Not one above the sakura madness, I went out and tried these new pink concoctions and left with a budding feeling to make an appointment with my dentist.
Photo: Aaron BaggettThis year’s offering are a “Sakura Milk Latte” and “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
The sakura latte is Japan’s answer to the USA’s famous pumpkin spice latte, which is essentially melted ice cream in a cup that basic people say is their “favorite” when you ask them if they drink coffee. For 2020 Starbucks rolled out a new “Sakura Milk Latte” and a “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
What do cherry blossoms taste like?
If I had to describe the flavor of sakura, it would be cherries dipped in condensed milk and sprayed with floral fabric softener. It isn’t half bad, really. Starbucks’ sakura drinks, however, use strawberry juice. The flavor doesn’t really taste like sakura but go ahead and call me #basic because I like it. I also like all the overpriced, Japan-only, pink, sakura-themed tumblers and merch because I am a consumer zombie.
Photo: Aaron BaggettSakura tumblers and coffee for my fellow consumer zombies. Photo: Aaron Baggett
The latte is rather good if you’re really into sweet drinks, and the cute pink flower petals—actually crunchy cereal—are a nice touch. It’s perfect for other basic people who enjoy watching The Office and list eating, drinking, and traveling as hobbies on their Tinder profile. While I wouldn’t call it coffee—its ingredients are listed as sakura flower powder and strawberry juice topped with cranberries—I would call it a hot cocoa alternative.
The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25.
As for the sakura milk pudding frappuccino, I couldn’t even finish it. It was just too sweet for me—an American who grew up eating Fruity Pebbles for dinner and washing my mouth out with orange soda.
I felt like the biggest wannabe Instagram poser as I handed a tray with a barely touched tall frappe on it to the girl behind the counter to be disposed of. She watched as I took pictures of it for 15 minutes for this review, tasted it, recoiled, and handed it back to her. If you’re reading this, humble Starbucks barista, please find it in your heart to forgive me.
Photo: Aaron BaggettOnly available until Feb 25.
First of all, as mentioned above, it is still winter. Only maniacs enjoy frappes in winter. Also, as the name suggests, it’s made with a base of milk flavored pudding. Only it’s more like jelly than pudding, which is all the rage here in Japan, but it’s not for me. I don’t like gelatinous cubes bouncing off the back of my throat when I take a drink of something.
Get your Sakura lattes until March 12
Both drinks taste like pure sugar. The same ingredients and flavors as the sakura milk latte make up the frappe, but the glob of pudding pushes it over the edge. After one sip, I blacked out and envisioned the Cavity Creeps storming enamel gates like Sauron’s army in The Two Towers.
If you choose to forgo my sugar warnings and try one of these sugary beverages for yourself, you don’t have long. The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25. Until then, I can only say a silent prayer for the teeth of Japan.
Like clockwork, and ahead of the sakura (cherry blossom) season by nearly a month, Starbucks Japan has released this year’s sakura flavored latte to the cherry blossom craving masses. Not one above the sakura madness, I went out and tried these new pink concoctions and left with a budding feeling to make an appointment with my dentist.
Photo: Aaron BaggettThis year’s offering are a “Sakura Milk Latte” and “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
The sakura latte is Japan’s answer to the USA’s famous pumpkin spice latte, which is essentially melted ice cream in a cup that basic people say is their “favorite” when you ask them if they drink coffee. For 2020 Starbucks rolled out a new “Sakura Milk Latte” and a “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
What do cherry blossoms taste like?
If I had to describe the flavor of sakura, it would be cherries dipped in condensed milk and sprayed with floral fabric softener. It isn’t half bad, really. Starbucks’ sakura drinks, however, use strawberry juice. The flavor doesn’t really taste like sakura but go ahead and call me #basic because I like it. I also like all the overpriced, Japan-only, pink, sakura-themed tumblers and merch because I am a consumer zombie.
Photo: Aaron BaggettSakura tumblers and coffee for my fellow consumer zombies.Photo: Aaron Baggett
The latte is rather good if you’re really into sweet drinks, and the cute pink flower petals—actually crunchy cereal—are a nice touch. It’s perfect for other basic people who enjoy watching The Office and list eating, drinking, and traveling as hobbies on their Tinder profile. While I wouldn’t call it coffee—its ingredients are listed as sakura flower powder and strawberry juice topped with cranberries—I would call it a hot cocoa alternative.
The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25.
As for the sakura milk pudding frappuccino, I couldn’t even finish it. It was just too sweet for me—an American who grew up eating Fruity Pebbles for dinner and washing my mouth out with orange soda.
I felt like the biggest wannabe Instagram poser as I handed a tray with a barely touched tall frappe on it to the girl behind the counter to be disposed of. She watched as I took pictures of it for 15 minutes for this review, tasted it, recoiled, and handed it back to her. If you’re reading this, humble Starbucks barista, please find it in your heart to forgive me.
Photo: Aaron BaggettOnly available until Feb 25.
First of all, as mentioned above, it is still winter. Only maniacs enjoy frappes in winter. Also, as the name suggests, it’s made with a base of milk flavored pudding. Only it’s more like jelly than pudding, which is all the rage here in Japan, but it’s not for me. I don’t like gelatinous cubes bouncing off the back of my throat when I take a drink of something.
Get your Sakura lattes until March 12
Both drinks taste like pure sugar. The same ingredients and flavors as the sakura milk latte make up the frappe, but the glob of pudding pushes it over the edge. After one sip, I blacked out and envisioned the Cavity Creeps storming enamel gates like Sauron’s army in The Two Towers.
If you choose to forgo my sugar warnings and try one of these sugary beverages for yourself, you don’t have long. The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25. Until then, I can only say a silent prayer for the teeth of Japan.
Like clockwork, and ahead of the sakura (cherry blossom) season by nearly a month, Starbucks Japan has released this year’s sakura flavored latte to the cherry blossom craving masses. Not one above the sakura madness, I went out and tried these new pink concoctions and left with a budding feeling to make an appointment with my dentist.
Photo: Aaron BaggettThis year’s offering are a “Sakura Milk Latte” and “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
The sakura latte is Japan’s answer to the USA’s famous pumpkin spice latte, which is essentially melted ice cream in a cup that basic people say is their “favorite” when you ask them if they drink coffee. For 2020 Starbucks rolled out a new “Sakura Milk Latte” and a “Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino.”
What do cherry blossoms taste like?
If I had to describe the flavor of sakura, it would be cherries dipped in condensed milk and sprayed with floral fabric softener. It isn’t half bad, really. Starbucks’ sakura drinks, however, use strawberry juice. The flavor doesn’t really taste like sakura but go ahead and call me #basic because I like it. I also like all the overpriced, Japan-only, pink, sakura-themed tumblers and merch because I am a consumer zombie.
Photo: Aaron BaggettSakura tumblers and coffee for my fellow consumer zombies.Photo: Aaron Baggett
The latte is rather good if you’re really into sweet drinks, and the cute pink flower petals—actually crunchy cereal—are a nice touch. It’s perfect for other basic people who enjoy watching The Office and list eating, drinking, and traveling as hobbies on their Tinder profile. While I wouldn’t call it coffee—its ingredients are listed as sakura flower powder and strawberry juice topped with cranberries—I would call it a hot cocoa alternative.
The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25.
As for the sakura milk pudding frappuccino, I couldn’t even finish it. It was just too sweet for me—an American who grew up eating Fruity Pebbles for dinner and washing my mouth out with orange soda.
I felt like the biggest wannabe Instagram poser as I handed a tray with a barely touched tall frappe on it to the girl behind the counter to be disposed of. She watched as I took pictures of it for 15 minutes for this review, tasted it, recoiled, and handed it back to her. If you’re reading this, humble Starbucks barista, please find it in your heart to forgive me.
Photo: Aaron BaggettOnly available until Feb 25.
First of all, as mentioned above, it is still winter. Only maniacs enjoy frappes in winter. Also, as the name suggests, it’s made with a base of milk flavored pudding. Only it’s more like jelly than pudding, which is all the rage here in Japan, but it’s not for me. I don’t like gelatinous cubes bouncing off the back of my throat when I take a drink of something.
Get your Sakura lattes until March 12
Both drinks taste like pure sugar. The same ingredients and flavors as the sakura milk latte make up the frappe, but the glob of pudding pushes it over the edge. After one sip, I blacked out and envisioned the Cavity Creeps storming enamel gates like Sauron’s army in The Two Towers.
If you choose to forgo my sugar warnings and try one of these sugary beverages for yourself, you don’t have long. The Sakura Milk Latte will run from Feb. 15 to March 12 while the Sakura Milk Pudding Frappuccino will only be available until Feb. 25. Until then, I can only say a silent prayer for the teeth of Japan.
If you’re looking to work in Japan, check back here each week as we look through our database of top jobs in Japan posted to GaijinPot and showcase some of the most interesting ones. You can apply directly to these companies by creating a profile on GaijinPot Jobs!
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Operating Staff
Company: 株式会社PLANETS
Salary: ¥1,200 ~ ¥1,450 / Hour
Location: Toyosu, Tokyo
English: Business level
Japanese: Conversational
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
TeamLab, the Instagram famous digital art group, is recruiting English speaking operation staff to join its "Planets" facility in Toyosu.
Your main duty will be ticket reception, maintenance, and guidance of foreign visitors.
Available schedules start from three days per week or more depending on your availability.
Benefits include full social insurance, transportation allowance up to ¥30,000/month, additional compensation for overtime or late-night, and employee discounts for drinks and food on-site.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"ICT Operations and Support Engineer","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11875\/size\/300x300","name":"United Nations University (\u56fd\u9023\u5927\u5b66)"},"datePosted":"2020-02-12T16:08:27+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"Salary negotiable"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Shibuya, Tokyo"},"employmentType":"Full Time","educationRequirements":"English: Fluent","qualifications":"Japanese: Conversational","specialCommitments":"Overseas applications OK","description":"The United Nations University, providing research on global problems such as human survival, conflict prevention, development, and welfare, is looking for a support engineer to identify, diagnose, remediate, and document helpdesk and system issues on a daily basis. ","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136648"}
ICT Operations and Support Engineer
Company: United Nations University (国連大学)
Salary: Salary negotiable
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo
English: Fluent
Japanese: Conversational
Application: Overseas applications OK
The United Nations University, providing research on global problems such as human survival, conflict prevention, development, and welfare, is looking for a support engineer to identify, diagnose, remediate, and document helpdesk and system issues on a daily basis.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Mechanical Engineer","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11751\/size\/300x300","name":"Sunvertex"},"datePosted":"2020-01-09T09:40:19+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a52.7M ~ \u00a54.0M \/ Year"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Niigata, Japan"},"employmentType":"Temp (Dispatch)","educationRequirements":"English: Business level","qualifications":"Japanese: None","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"Sun Vertex, a manufacturer of electronic components for smartphones, tablets, and vehicles, is looking for mechanical engineers with experience using AutoCAD 2D\/3D, catia V5, etc. \n\nBenefits include company housing, transportation allowance and relocation support. \n","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/135964"}
Mechanical Engineer
Company: Sunvertex
Salary: ¥2.7M ~ ¥4.0M / Year
Location: Niigata, Japan
English: Business level
Japanese: None
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
Sun Vertex, a manufacturer of electronic components for smartphones, tablets, and vehicles, is looking for mechanical engineers with experience using AutoCAD 2D/3D, catia V5, etc.
Benefits include company housing, transportation allowance and relocation support.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"ZenMarket Arabic Version Manager","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/10789\/size\/300x300","name":"ZenMarket INC"},"datePosted":"2020-02-07T15:51:01+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a5230,000 ~ \u00a5270,000 \/ Month, Negotiable"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Osaka, Japan"},"employmentType":"Contract","educationRequirements":"English: Business level","qualifications":"Japanese: Business level","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"ZenMarket, a popular e-commerce company based in Osaka, is looking for a Manager with Arabic speaking abilities to take care of the Arabic version of website operations.\n\nYour role will include managing online advertising and curating SNS content on various channels as well as creating email marketing campaigns and content for the blog.\n\nYou must be a native Arabic speaker. Experience in digital marketing, SEO and using a major online advertising platform would be a big plus.","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136578"}
ZenMarket Arabic Version Manager
Company: ZenMarket INC
Salary: ¥230,000 ~ ¥270,000 / Month, Negotiable
Location: Osaka, Japan
English: Business level
Japanese: Business level
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
ZenMarket, a popular e-commerce company based in Osaka, is looking for a Manager with Arabic speaking abilities to take care of the Arabic version of website operations.
Your role will include managing online advertising and curating SNS content on various channels as well as creating email marketing campaigns and content for the blog.
You must be a native Arabic speaker. Experience in digital marketing, SEO and using a major online advertising platform would be a big plus.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"English Speaking Babysitters","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11729\/size\/300x300","name":"KXN Co.,Ltd. (\u30b1\u30fc\u30d0\u30a4\u30a8\u30cc\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e)"},"datePosted":"2020-02-06T10:08:17+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a51,050 ~ \u00a51,400 \/ Hour"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Tokyo, Japan"},"employmentType":"Part Time","educationRequirements":"English: Native level","qualifications":"Japanese: Conversational","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"KXN, an international babysitting service company operating in Europe, America, and Japan is hiring English speaking babysitters in the Tokyo area.\n\nExperience as a babysitter, kindergarten teacher, nurse or similar position is required.","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136535"}
English Speaking Babysitters
Company: KXN Co.,Ltd. (ケーバイエヌ株式会社)
Salary: ¥1,050 ~ ¥1,400 / Hour
Location: Tokyo, Japan
English: Native level
Japanese: Conversational
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
KXN, an international babysitting service company operating in Europe, America, and Japan is hiring English speaking babysitters in the Tokyo area.
Experience as a babysitter, kindergarten teacher, nurse or similar position is required.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Service & Kitchen Staff","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11235\/size\/300x300","name":"YAUMAY"},"datePosted":"2020-02-03T18:27:31+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a51,150 ~ \u00a53,000 \/ Hour, Negotiable"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Marunouchi, Tokyo"},"employmentType":"Part Time","educationRequirements":"English: Business level","qualifications":"Japanese: Conversational","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"Yaumay, an Asian dumpling restaurant located in Marunouchi near Tokyo Station, is looking for talented people for immediate hire.\n\nFull-training provided. Salary is negotiable based on experience and skills. \n\nBenefits include meals and employee discounts, as well as midnight work and early morning work bonus allowance.","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136480"}
Service & Kitchen Staff
Company: YAUMAY
Salary: ¥1,150 ~ ¥3,000 / Hour, Negotiable
Location: Marunouchi, Tokyo
English: Business level
Japanese: Conversational
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
Yaumay, an Asian dumpling restaurant located in Marunouchi near Tokyo Station, is looking for talented people for immediate hire.
Full-training provided. Salary is negotiable based on experience and skills.
Benefits include meals and employee discounts, as well as midnight work and early morning work bonus allowance.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Application Engineer","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11810\/size\/300x300","name":"Rakuten, Inc.\u3000\u697d\u5929\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e"},"datePosted":"2020-01-20T12:23:20+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a54.5M ~ \u00a56.5M \/ Year"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Tokyo, Japan"},"employmentType":"Full Time","educationRequirements":"English: Business level","qualifications":"Japanese: None","specialCommitments":"Overseas applications OK","description":"Rakuten is hiring application engineers from across the world to join its headquarters in Tokyo.\n\nYou must have at least four years of experience in application development using Java, C#, ASP.NET, JavaScript, Kotlin or Swift and experience using Linux or Windows.\n\nNo Japanese required as English is the official internal company language.\n\nBenefits include relocation support, visa sponsorship, corporate sports club membership, and childcare support.","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136175"}
Application Engineer
Company: Rakuten, Inc. 楽天株式会社
Salary: ¥4.5M ~ ¥6.5M / Year
Location: Tokyo, Japan
English: Business level
Japanese: None
Application: Overseas applications OK
Rakuten is hiring application engineers from across the world to join its headquarters in Tokyo.
You must have at least four years of experience in application development using Java, C#, ASP.NET, JavaScript, Kotlin or Swift and experience using Linux or Windows.
No Japanese required as English is the official internal company language.
Benefits include relocation support, visa sponsorship, corporate sports club membership, and childcare support.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Video Game Guide Director \/ Editor","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11824\/size\/300x300","name":"Game 8 Inc."},"datePosted":"2020-01-16T09:48:24+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a53.0M ~ \u00a54.0M \/ Year"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Tokyo, Japan"},"employmentType":"Contract","educationRequirements":"English: Native level","qualifications":"Japanese: Business level","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"Game8, founded in 2014, is looking for an English-speaking content director to expand and develop its English content.\n\nYour main duty will be to select games to develop content for, manage your team of editor\/translators, and write game strategy wiki articles. ","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136090"}
Video Game Guide Director / Editor
Company: Game 8 Inc.
Salary: ¥3.0M ~ ¥4.0M / Year
Location: Tokyo, Japan
English: Native level
Japanese: Business level
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
Game8, founded in 2014, is looking for an English-speaking content director to expand and develop its English content.
Your main duty will be to select games to develop content for, manage your team of editor/translators, and write game strategy wiki articles.
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Sales Representatives & Assistants","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11845\/size\/300x300","name":"PACIFIC BOEKI CO,LTD"},"datePosted":"2020-01-21T11:08:11+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"\u00a5180,000 ~ \u00a5240,000 \/ Month, Negotiable, Commission Based"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Shibuya, Tokyo"},"employmentType":"Contract","educationRequirements":"English: Fluent","qualifications":"Japanese: Conversational","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"Pacific Boeki, a used car exporter, is looking for an English, Portuguese, Sinhala or Spanish native speaker to join their international sales team located near Shibuya, Tokyo.\n\nOne or two years' experience in the car-export industry would be preferred. Sales or EC Marketing experience in any industry welcomed!","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136206"}
Sales Representatives & Assistants
Company: PACIFIC BOEKI CO,LTD
Salary: ¥180,000 ~ ¥240,000 / Month, Negotiable, Commission Based
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo
English: Fluent
Japanese: Conversational
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
Pacific Boeki, a used car exporter, is looking for an English, Portuguese, Sinhala or Spanish native speaker to join their international sales team located near Shibuya, Tokyo.
One or two years' experience in the car-export industry would be preferred. Sales or EC Marketing experience in any industry welcomed!
{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"B2B Sales & Business Developer","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/Organization","logo":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/image\/index\/lang\/\/id\/11835\/size\/300x300","name":"Jobtome International SA"},"datePosted":"2020-01-21T19:52:14+09:00","baseSalary":{"@type":"http:\/\/schema.org\/PriceSpecification","price":"Amount not specified"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"place","address":"Tokyo, Japan"},"employmentType":"Part Time","educationRequirements":"English: Fluent","qualifications":"Japanese: Native","specialCommitments":"Must currently reside in Japan","description":"Jobtome, a European based company, is looking for a B2B sales oriented to business development to help grow its local presence in Japan. \n\nYour main responsibility will be managing and growing your client portfolio while actively identifying high potential opportunities to incorporate into the company sales strategy.\n\nYou must be a native Japanese speaker with English fluency. Successful candidates will have good knowledge of sales strategies and techniques.\n\nOnline marketing, business development and\/or account management experience would be a plus.","url":"https:\/\/jobs.gaijinpot.com\/job\/view\/lang\/en\/job_id\/136227"}
B2B Sales & Business Developer
Company: Jobtome International SA
Salary: Amount not specified
Location: Tokyo, Japan
English: Fluent
Japanese: Native
Application: Must currently reside in Japan
Jobtome, a European based company, is looking for a B2B sales oriented to business development to help grow its local presence in Japan.
Your main responsibility will be managing and growing your client portfolio while actively identifying high potential opportunities to incorporate into the company sales strategy.
You must be a native Japanese speaker with English fluency. Successful candidates will have good knowledge of sales strategies and techniques.
Online marketing, business development and/or account management experience would be a plus.
Valentine’s Day means serious business for Japanese candy makers and for good reason. This celebration of all things romantic accounts for no less than a quarter of chocolate yearly sales, a market worth a little more over ¥1 billion.
Eat my chocolate
Celebrated since 1958 in Japan, V-Day is all about Japanese women offering chocolate to their lovers and male entourage on February 14th. While their one true love receives the precious honmai-choco (true feeling chocolate), their friends and colleagues make do with giri-chocolate which is given out of obligation rather than love.
But Japanese style Valentine’s Day is a bittersweet deal for women, who easily end up spending thousands of yen on chocolate boxes. Their kindness is somewhat repaid on March 14th, AKA White Day, when men pay them back with gifts of their own.
However, more and more women aren’t keen to open their wallets to satisfy their male colleagues’ sweet tooth.
Is offering giri-chocolate finally a thing of the past?
Valentine’s Day is still the front runner for chocolate sales in Japan, but for how long? After two disappointing years in a row, with the market dropping respectively 6% and 3% in 2018 and 2019, Halloween is now close to snatching the first place.
While the range of valentine gifts is actually expanding, the public interest seems to have turned somewhat sour. The chocolate industry took a big hit with the growing perception that giri-chocolates are in fact, a form of power harassment at work.
So every year, confectioners have to come up with ingenious marketing campaigns to encourage consumers to indulge their desire for sweets, whether they’re gifting the sweets to someone else or themselves.
Taste of what?!
Leveraging Japanese people’s romantic perception of France is always a good strategy to sell stuff in Japan. But we bet cake shop chain Ginza Cozy Corner’s marketing team didn’t think long enough about this advertisement campaign shared by twitter user @R_Kakiuchi_0921.
A delicious pun made from the poster’s caption: 今年のチョコレートケーキは、フランス革命（かくめい）の味（あじ）。Translation? “This year’s chocolate cake tastes like the French revolution.”
Let us know if you have an idea of what the French revolution would taste like, we’re curious.
50 shades of taste
Meals are a way to connect with people, to learn more about a culture and talking about food is probably a universal conversation starter. So let’s focus on the word 味 (taste) and help you go beyond 美味（おい）しい and うまい.
You’ll find tons of expressions very easy to remember with the word 味.
Japanese
Romaji
English
味が濃（こ）い
aji ga koi
have a strong taste
味がある
aji ga aru
have flavor
味がいい
aji ga ii
have a good taste
味が薄（うす）い
aji ga usui
lightly seasoned
味がない
aji ga nai
tasteless
味が悪（わる）い
aji ga warui
unpalatable/ tastes bad
You can expand your vocabulary with the words 風味（ふうあじ）which translates “flavor” and 後味（あとあじ）, for “after taste”.
Japanese
Romaji
English
風味がある
fuumi ga aru
savory
風味のない
fuumi no nai
insipid
風味をつける
fuumi o tsukeru
to season (a dish)
後味がいい
atoaji ga ii
leaves a good aftertaste in one’s mouth
後味が悪い
atoaji ga warui
leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth
By the way, when you taste a dish, you use the verb 味見（あじみ）する. Quite easy to remember, isn’t it?
Now, when it comes to describing the food you can use the following adjectives:
Japanese
Romaji
English
甘（あま）い
amai
sweet
甘口（あまくち
amakuchi
sweet, mild
辛（から）い
karai
spicy
辛口（からくち
karakuchi
spicy/ dry (wine)
塩辛（しおから）い (casual 塩（しょ）っぱい)
shyokarai (shyoppai)
salty
酸（す）っぱい
suppai
sour
甘酸（あます）っぱい
amasuppai
sweet and sour
甘辛（あまから）い
amakarai
sweet and salty
苦（にが）い
nigai
bitter
渋（しぶ）い
shibui
astringent
Additional Vocabulary）
Japanese
Romaji
English
今年（ことし
kotoshi
this year
チョコレートケーキ
chokoreeto keeki
Chocolate cake
不穏（ふおん）すぎる
fuon sugiru
too disturbing
フランス革命（かくめい）
furansu kakumei
French revolution
本命チョコ
honmei choko
Chocolate you offer to the person you’re romantically involved with or you love romantically
義理チョコ
giri choko
Chocolate you offer to friends or colleague as a “duty”
バレンタイン・デー
barentain dee
Valentine’s Day
For more on learning Japanese
Learn Japanese with our original study materials on GaijinPot Study
Valentine’s Day means serious business for Japanese candy makers and for good reason. This celebration of all things romantic accounts for no less than a quarter of chocolate yearly sales, a market worth a little more over ¥1 billion.
Eat my chocolate
Celebrated since 1958 in Japan, V-Day is all about Japanese women offering chocolate to their lovers and male entourage on February 14th. While their one true love receives the precious honmai-choco (true feeling chocolate), their friends and colleagues make do with giri-chocolate which is given out of obligation rather than love.
But Japanese style Valentine’s Day is a bittersweet deal for women, who easily end up spending thousands of yen on chocolate boxes. Their kindness is somewhat repaid on March 14th, AKA White Day, when men pay them back with gifts of their own.
However, more and more women aren’t keen to open their wallets to satisfy their male colleagues’ sweet tooth.
Is offering giri-chocolate finally a thing of the past?
Valentine’s Day is still the front runner for chocolate sales in Japan, but for how long? After two disappointing years in a row, with the market dropping respectively 6% and 3% in 2018 and 2019, Halloween is now close to snatching the first place.
While the range of valentine gifts is actually expanding, the public interest seems to have turned somewhat sour. The chocolate industry took a big hit with the growing perception that giri-chocolates are in fact, a form of power harassment at work.
So every year, confectioners have to come up with ingenious marketing campaigns to encourage consumers to indulge their desire for sweets, whether they’re gifting the sweets to someone else or themselves.
Taste of what?!
Leveraging Japanese people’s romantic perception of France is always a good strategy to sell stuff in Japan. But we bet cake shop chain Ginza Cozy Corner’s marketing team didn’t think long enough about this advertisement campaign shared by twitter user @R_Kakiuchi_0921.
A delicious pun made from the poster’s caption: 今年のチョコレートケーキは、フランス革命（かくめい）の味（あじ）。Translation? “This year’s chocolate cake tastes like the French revolution.”
Let us know if you have an idea of what the French revolution would taste like, we’re curious.
50 shades of taste
Meals are a way to connect with people, to learn more about a culture and talking about food is probably a universal conversation starter. So let’s focus on the word 味 (taste) and help you go beyond 美味（おい）しい and うまい.
You’ll find tons of expressions very easy to remember with the word 味.
Japanese
Romaji
English
味が濃（こ）い
aji ga koi
have a strong taste
味がある
aji ga aru
have flavor
味がいい
aji ga ii
have a good taste
味が薄（うす）い
aji ga usui
lightly seasoned
味がない
aji ga nai
tasteless
味が悪（わる）い
aji ga warui
unpalatable/ tastes bad
You can expand your vocabulary with the words 風味（ふうあじ）which translates “flavor” and 後味（あとあじ）, for “after taste”.
Japanese
Romaji
English
風味がある
fuumi ga aru
savory
風味のない
fuumi no nai
insipid
風味をつける
fuumi o tsukeru
to season (a dish)
後味がいい
atoaji ga ii
leaves a good aftertaste in one’s mouth
後味が悪い
atoaji ga warui
leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth
By the way, when you taste a dish, you use the verb 味見（あじみ）する. Quite easy to remember, isn’t it?
Now, when it comes to describing the food you can use the following adjectives:
Japanese
Romaji
English
甘（あま）い
amai
sweet
甘口（あまくち
amakuchi
sweet, mild
辛（から）い
karai
spicy
辛口（からくち
karakuchi
spicy/ dry (wine)
塩辛（しおから）い (casual 塩（しょ）っぱい)
shyokarai (shyoppai)
salty
酸（す）っぱい
suppai
sour
甘酸（あます）っぱい
amasuppai
sweet and sour
甘辛（あまから）い
amakarai
sweet and salty
苦（にが）い
nigai
bitter
渋（しぶ）い
shibui
astringent
Additional Vocabulary）
Japanese
Romaji
English
今年（ことし
kotoshi
this year
チョコレートケーキ
chokoreeto keeki
Chocolate cake
不穏（ふおん）すぎる
fuon sugiru
too disturbing
フランス革命（かくめい）
furansu kakumei
French revolution
本命チョコ
honmei choko
Chocolate you offer to the person you’re romantically involved with or you love romantically
義理チョコ
giri choko
Chocolate you offer to friends or colleague as a “duty”
バレンタイン・デー
barentain dee
Valentine’s Day
For more on learning Japanese
Learn Japanese with our original study materials on GaijinPot Study
Photo: AGA Tourism Association
