TOKYO, Feb 10 (News On Japan) –
The cultural tapestry of Japan is wealthy and various, with the Kanto and Kansai areas providing a captivating examine in contrasts, from comfort retailer rice balls to public bathtub customs. What are the variations?
Kumazaki Futo, a broadcaster, dives into one of many extra scrumptious variations: the seaweed utilized in comfort retailer onigiri (rice balls). In Kanto, Seven-Eleven sells onigiri wrapped in “grilled nori” (seaweed), whereas in Kansai, the desire usually leans in direction of “seasoned nori,” relying on the filling.
Inoue Takahiro, one other broadcaster, shares a private desire for “seasoned nori,” a sentiment echoed by many from the Kansai area, together with obstetrician Song Mi Hyun. The seasoned nori’s benefit? It provides taste from the primary chew, even when the filling isn’t instantly noticeable.
Seven-Eleven’s public relations division notes that the desire for seasoned nori in Kansai led to a trial introduction of seasoned nori onigiri within the Kinki area in 2006, with a full-scale launch ten years later, in 2016.
Road Signs and Public Baths: Marking Regional Differences
Even highway indicators bear the mark of regional identification, with variations within the typeface of the “Stop” signal noticed between Tokyo and Osaka. Automotive critic Kuniyoshi Mitsuhiko explains that variances in font types throughout prefectures had been because of an absence of nationwide uniformity. Although the National Police Agency standardized the “Stop” signal font in 2014, Osaka retains some previous indicators, citing finances and time constraints.
Public baths, too, mirror regional distinctions. In Kanto, baths are sometimes put in in opposition to the wall, whereas, in Kansai, they occupy the middle of the bathhouse. The measurement of the enduring “Kerorin” bucket additionally varies: it is barely bigger in Kanto than in Kansai. Hiromichi Miyamae, president of the Osaka Prefecture Public Bath Association, suggests these variations stem from bathing habits—Kanto residents historically wash earlier than soaking, whereas Kansai residents might soak earlier than washing.
These cultural nuances underscore the range of Japan’s areas, with every space providing its personal distinctive traditions and preferences.
Source: TBS