Miki Imai's hit "Pride" performed by Japanese guitar virtuoso Tomoyasu Hotei

The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

List of Hollywood Movies about the US Navy

Since I usually associate the US Navy with Japan due to Japan being the home of my first ship, I've tallied a list of movies made in Hollywood about the US Navy:

1.  A Few Good Men
2.  An Officer and a Gentleman
3.  Hunt For Red October
4.  Top Gun
5.  Flight of the Intruder
6.  The Last Detail
7.  U-571
8.  Letters from Iwo Jima

The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

Jizake- Japan's Regional Premium Sake

An American Expat with First-hand Industrial Experience-  Daniel J. Stone, founder of the Japanese-themed blog, The Divine Wind Vault, spent five years living and working in Japan coupled by working as a business developer for a Japanese food and beverage distributor in Los Angeles, California. To highlight his nationwide accounts, Daniel was the account manager for Costco Wholesale, Whole Foods Market and the United States Marine Corps Community Services. Through observing and embracing Japanese culture and cuisine, he educates industry buyers and customers on the subject.

He currently instructs English-language learners from all over the world at Clemson University and helps business professionals sell their self-serving message in the areas on English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Cross-Culture Communications (CCC). For a quote, contact Daniel at stoneone19@yahoo.com

Here's a snipet regarding Daniel's experience in Japanese food and beverage retail sales:

Sake, Japan's national alcoholic drink is a rice wine. The term, Jizake meaning regional sake is premium sake brewed by independent micro-breweries often located in the rural countryside of Japan. The best sakes come from Niigata and Nada/Fushimi (present day Kyoto). Niigata is the rice growing capital of Japan and has the largest numbers of seasoned Toji, aka sake brew-masters. The Kyoto area is synonymous with the US's Napa and Sonoma area and historically was the cultural center of fine Japanese cuisine.

Presently, there are about 2000 sake breweries in Japan. About a dozen of these breweries are large, commercial breweries and another dozen are medium size breweries. The remaining 1,700 are small scale breweries that produce sake in small batches. These small scale breweries ignore the advances of modern technology and create their signature brew by hand using traditional methods and skills gained through years of experience. At last count, there are over 50,000 brands of sake.

The ingredients used in making sake are rice, water and koji. The rice used in making sake is different than the rice served at a meal. This sake rice is used exclusively for brewing sake. The rice kernels are much larger than ordinary rice, has a softer texture and a central core that has a large concentration of starch. Semi-hard water is best in making sake. This type of water is abundant throughout Japan due to the several underground spring waters filled by the plentiful rain. The annual average rainfall in Japan is over 60 inches. Koji, a microbe, is crucial in breaking down starch molecules in sugars.

Sake is made by polishing the rice. The more that is polished away, the more pure the flavor becomes. This type of polishing rids amino acids, fats and proteins and gets the starch concentration core. After it is polished, the rice is washed gently in cold water. The rice must soak before the next step. After it is soaked, the rice is steamed. During this steaming process, the key ingredient of koji is produced. Then sake yeast and water is added to the steamed rice. The flavor of the sake depends of the yeast. This is usually kept secret by the sake brew-masters. Then the sake is mashed. This causes the starch to break down the sugars and convents the sugars into alcohol. Next the sake is filtered, then pasteurized, then stored, then bottled.

Traditionally, sake making season starts in the fall and goes throughout the winter. Presently, sake is made throughout the year and stored in climate controlled storage areas by the large, commercial breweries. In the spring, the sake that was made the previous fall is bottled and shipped. In ancient times, the sake brew-masters were rice farmers who kept busy in the winter down months by making sake.

The alcohol content of sake ranges from 14-17% which is a bit higher than wine. Sake has the highest alcohol content among all naturally brewed alcoholic beverages in the world. This is made possible by the following:

1. Sake yeast which resists the breakdown in higher alcohol levels than with wines,
2. The rice polishing which produces a highly pure starch, which later becomes sugar, then alcohol,
3. The fermentation process that is unique to making sake.
Sake is graded by its polishing rate off the original rice kernel. The rice polish ratio is an intricate art.

Grade Rice Polish Ratio Characteristics
1. Dai Ginjyo (Super Premium) 50%+ Pure and refined, clean fragrance
2. Ginjyo (Premium) 60% smooth, floral and/or floral aroma
3. Tokubetsu Junmai (Special naturally pure brew) 60% Varies
4. Junmai (Natural Pure Brew) 70% Pronounced character

The percentages indicate what the actual rice kernel was before and what the size of it is now. If it was polished down to 50% then the inner core is steamed which has the highest concentration of starch. The higher content of starch the more pure it is and this reduces the chance of hangovers. If you receive a hangover from drinking sake, it is because you consumed a type of sake that was not polished many times.

There are four basic flavors of sake. They are fragrant, light, rich and aged.

Fragrant- Abundant in floral fragrance, low in acid. Fruity, young and refreshing. Goes well with lightly seasoned foods such as fresh seafood, smoked salmon, steamed vegetables and tofu.
Light- clean aroma, moderate levels of acid, brisk flavor with a dry aftertaste. Goes well with fresh seafood, sushi, broiled fish, chicken, tempura, light pasta and sandwiches.
Rich- robust flavor. Goes well with rich and creamy dishes such as teriyaki seasoned foods, steaks and caviar.
Aged- Mellow aroma with a unique, spice-nutty taste that is similar to sherry. Goes well with BBQ, deep fried dishes, meat sauces and spicy dishes.

Misconceptions of Sake

A misconception is that all sake is sweet. Another is that sake should be served hot. The truth is that sake can have a fruity flavor by it dry, snappy character. Also, sake can be served hot and this is common in the winter or done to rejuvenate sake that has been opened and on the verge of going bad. Premium sake is best served cold at room temperature. The heating process would compromise the flavor.

Other misconceptions are that sake has a shelf life similar to wine. In general, an unopened bottle of sake is good up to 18 months when kept in a cool dark place. Once it is opened, it should be chilled and kept for a couple of weeks. This hold true for all sakes except a kind of sake called Ko Shu aged Sake. Also, regional sake is so expensive in the US due to transportation and import duty fees. Of course, these things are factored in to the price but the core of the price is the rice used in making the sake. Rice sake is grown in limited regions of Japan and is difficult to cultivate.

The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

My Travels in Pictures- Hawaii's O'ahu, 2009: Places to visit

Waikiki Beach



Rainbow in Honolulu



Diamond Head



Polynesian Culture Center



Hanauma Natural Preservation Park



Rainbow at Ala Moana Beach, looking towards Eiwa Beach



Hawaiian-born, Chad "Akebono" Rowan's statue, Waimānalo, HI



Kaneohe Bay



Ala Moana Beach, looking towards Diamond Head



Shopping at Hard Rock Cafe, Honolulu



The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

Hawaii 2009- Video Clips

Hanauma Bay, Hawaii- August 2009


Waimānalo, Hawaii- August 2009


Kaiten Sushi Bar, Kuru Kuru Sushi, Aiea, Hawaii- August 2009


The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

My Travels in Pictures- Hawaii's O'ahu, 2009: Places to eat

Places to eat on Hawaii's O'ahu Island:

Zippy's, a chain store with affordable cuisine featuring main dishes craved for by the locals with sides of white rice and macaroni salad.


Zippy's featured dish, garlic miso chicken with white rice and macaroni salad.


Zippy's chili and white rice with fried chicken. Hawaiian's like their chicken sweet.


Rainbow Drive-in, located not too far from Diamond Head has a excellent breakfast plate.

Rainbow Drive-in's Scrambled eggs over white rice with slices of grilled Portuguese sausage.
Rainbow Drive-in's breakfast place same as above with soy sauce and sugar based barbecue beef.


A tall glass of pale ale made by Big Wave at The Colony located in the Waikiki Hyatt Regency.


Yellowtail nigiri sushi at The Colony.



If you are going to eat at a steakhouse, there is only one way to eat. A fillet minion with a loaded baked potato.



A breakfast item of smoked salmon slices over tomato slices with a toasted bagel on the bottom.
Various Hawaiian, Mainland US and Japanese dishes at the Polynesian Culture Center.

Restaurant Suntory, in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Mall in Honolulu. Suntory is known as a beverage giant in Japan. Years ago, they were in the fine dining teppan yaki business.




Suntory beer, a rare find outside Japan.

White fish sashimi with a garden salad and dipping sauces to be used for the cooked items to follow.

Surf n' Turf consisting of shrimp, lobster, beef and vegetables. Beef was a hybrid of American black angus and Japanese wagyu, known as washugyu.

Miso soup, fried rice and Japanese pickles.

Kozo sushi in Kaneohe Bay. This chain can be found in California under the name, Sushi Boy.

Smoked salmon nigiri sushi.

Combination nigiri sushi (L to R) tamago, octopus, shrimp, squid and tuna.

Kuru Kuru Sushi in Aiea/Pearl City. This place features kaiten style service where the sushi dishes are prepared in the back of the restaurant and brought to the waiting customers via a conveyor.


Salmon nigiri sushi with hot tea with the conveyor in the background at Kuru Kuru Sushi.

The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

List of Hollywood movies about Japan

1.  Gung Ho starring Michael Keaton
2.  Mr. Baseball starring Tom Selleck and Ken Takakura
3.  Rising Sun starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes
4.  Karate Kid parts I and II staring Ralph Machio and Pat Morita
5.  Black Rain starring Michael Douglas and Ken Takakura
6.  The Yakuza starring Robert Mitchum and Ken Takakura
7.  The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe
8.  Rhapsody in August starring Richard Gere

Do you know of any movies about Japan that were produced in Hollywood?  If so, please let me know!

The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

My beloved Japan: Kawaisou

In the weeks that have followed what the U.S. Geological Survey said was a magnitude 8.9, the biggest earthquake to hit Japan since officials began keeping records in the late 1800s, and one of the biggest ever recorded in the world, I've been on the other side of the world in my native homeland busy accomplish goals and chasing my dreams.  Being forever connected with Japan by marriage, my past experiences with the US military and international education and by my love of the Japanese culture and it's people, I am quite disappointed in myself for not taking a more active role locally to help raise money for the Japanese people in their time of need. 

One common thought that has crossed my mind since the big earthquake was the Japanese word, Kawaisou.  This word means poor, pitiful, sad, sorrowful, miserable.  I first learned this word from my mother-in-law.  She was talking to my wife back in 1999 and feeling sorry for me since at that time was a complete novice when it came to the Japanese language and customs.  I got turned around at the Shinjuku train station and didn't have a cell phone and some how got back to her home about three hours after dinner.  Of course, everyone was worried about me. 

With this being said, I will help by using this tragedy as a teachable moment and highlight the silver lining.  That is, not once has there been a report regarding looting which is a testiment to the Japanese people and its culture.  Furthermore, there has been strong support domestically and internationally as well as preserverence from the Japanese people once the dust settled and smoke cleared. 
"Why don't Japanese loot? Because it's not in their culture. How is that culture defined? An absence of looting."

First, in the days and weeks that followed, Japanese people formed lines outside supermarkets.  Supermarkets would close in the early hours of the afternoon due to running out of stock then reopen the next morning with a line of people patiently waiting.  Unlike those undisciplined thieves in post-Katrina New Orleans and post-earthquake Haiti, the Japanese will still wait in line for groceries.  It is important to understand that the Japanese culture values the group over the individual.   

A better explanation to why the Japanese don't loot may be structural factors such as a robust system of laws that reinforce honesty, a strong police presence, and, ironically, active crime organizations.  More on the yakuza's roll in the reason why Japanese don't loot.   

Next, "Operation Tomodachi" is a United States Armed Forces assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.  As the US threatens to temporarily close its own government due to a lack of funds, tough decisions must be made by the US government regarding being First World countries such as Japan's primary military support and the associated costs that come with having a forward deployed military on the other side of the world.  As of 29 March 2011, the operation, including relief supplies provided to victims of the disaster, was expected to cost a total of $80 million.

In the days that follow the Earthquake and Tsunami, there are signs of hope in the affected area of Tohoku. One bit of good news is that the construction of regular relocation facilities has begun and 30,000 houses will be completed in two months. There are also plans to build 2,800 more.  Furthermore, other prefectures such as Tokyo, Saitama and Hyogo have announced that they will take in refugees from the area. For example, Hyogo Prefecture is willing to take in 10,000 people and so is Osaka. As Hyogo( its capital is Kobe) was hit by the Great Earthquake in 1995 and received a lot of support from other prefectures then, it is very keen to help the people in Tohoku.

In closing, these days, American Rock legend, Jon Bon Jovi asks, "What do you got (if you ain't got love?)"

Japan, never give up hope.  Many people around the world love your culture and people and will do what we can to be there for you in your time of need.  
DJS
Dublin, Ohio, USA
April 16th, 2011

Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11

Remembering Sendai- November 2006

One day in November 2006, my in-laws and I traveled to Sendai. Now, as this region suffers from the largest earthquake in modern Japanese history, tsunamis, and aftershocks, I remember my time in this place.


Monday, November 06, 2006

This past weekend, we did a day trip to Sendai and before I forget the things that I learned from this trip, here goes:

1- Why they eat Cow tongue and cow's tail?

After WWII, the Tohoku region was the last region to be rebuilt from the war-torn bombings that Japan received and for whatever reason, was a low priority. Of course, Nagasaki and Hiroshima were tops on the list, as for Tokyo and other cities that took on all of the bombing.

With MacArthur at the helm, and Roosevelt`s "Ronins" by his side, Japan made the transition from a defeated, war-torn nation, to the economic power that it is today. But back in those early days, the poor people of Tohoku had to survive on anything that they could get their hands on. As the occupants of Japan were not keen on eating cow tongue and the cow`s tail, this is what the local people survived on.

Aside from the unusual parts of the cow that are popular in Sendai, Kamaboko is also popular there. I remember back in my Navy days, returning to the base in Yokosuka after a long night of singing and dancing up in Roppongi. I would have the munchies and outside of the main gate was a 7-eleven "konbeni". So, I would stop by and grab a few sticks of kamaboko and scarf it down as I made the mile trek back to my ship. The sight of me walking down the road all hung over and eating a stick of kamaboko with backpack full of empty bottles of cheap wine bought the previous evening must be amusing.

Another interesting dish eaten in Sendai was whale.

2- Tohoku-ben

Tohoku-ben is the regional dialect spoken amongst the locals of this region. Japanese is difficult enough not to throw in the regional dialects. Anyway, the shortest conversation in Japan is when a mother in Sendai tells her child to eat something. It goes like this:

Mother- Ke.

Child- Ku.

In Tokyo, it would go like this:

Mother- Tabenasai.

Child- Hai, tabete imasu.

English:

Mother- Eat (command form)

Child- Yes, I'm eating.

3- One interesting thing about this day trip was where we ate lunch. Around lunch time, we toured the local fish market. Every Japanese town near the sea has one, and for some reason, foreigners love going there. Tsukiji`s fish market in Tokyo is always swarming with foreigners the times that I`ve been there. Anyway, in Sendai, we bought some of the local seafood and ate it with the rice and miso soup that was provided by the staff. We ate a few feet from a shop owners refridgerated display. Customers would walk by and see a group of people eating some of the local goods. Not a bad way to get people to buy your stuff!

The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-11