This is one of the first few bounty harvested from my mom’s garden.

We’ve always refer to them as Japanese pumpkins. The correct name is Kabocha squash, and it’s a type of winter squash.

The Kabocha squash took only four months to start producing. The seeds came from the squash she purchased at the market. I am always surprised to find that seeds from market produce can grow just as nicely in the garden.

My mom thinks they are one of the most easy to grow pumpkins. She just loves growing pumpkins and has three varieties in her garden.

One of which is almost white in color and grew by accident. But then it became a favorite for it’s taste. Her pumpkin varieties are known to be very creamy, nutty, and sweet. And the Kabocha fits right into the list.

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If there was a way to farm or garden without having to weed, prune, water, use fertilizer or pestides would we do it? The answer would seem to be 100% YES! But unfortunately it’s not something we are used to hearing or think is remotely possible.

Welcome to the world of permaculture. It is defined as “permanent agriculture”- where the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. Or simply stated as farming along with Mother Nature alone.

Masanobu Fukuoka (February 2, 1913 – August 16, 2008) is a pioneer in the world of permaculture. He has written numerous books on the subject, starting with The One-Straw Revolution.

Abundant Rice field growing in Japan. Photo by Kjeld Duits. Duits has written a great article about Fukuoka: Farmer- Philosopher.

Here is a little more info about Fukuoka:

“At age 25, he began to doubt the wisdom of modern agricultural science. He eventually quit his job as a research scientist, and returned to his family’s farm on the island of Shikoku in Southern Japan to grow organic mikans. From that point on he devoted his life to developing a unique small scale organic farming system that does not require weeding, pesticide or fertilizer applications, or tilling.”

He is also considered to be a philosopher as well. Definitely someone I wished I had heard about sooner.

Bill Mollison is another pioneer of permaculture. Declared as “Ecologist of the Century” in Australia. Here is some info I’ve found about him from an interview with Seeds of Change.

“Permaculture is nothing less than a “sustainable earth-care system” capable of providing our food, energy, shelter, and other needs while conserving the world’s resources.”

He advocates local food production and regional self reliance.

Another amazing farmer to note in the world of permaculture is Sepp Holzer of Austria. Holzer’s farm high up in the Austrian mountains is a very unlikely place to be farming. But he’s been doing it successfully for the past few decades.

His farm includes forest gardens, terraces, and ponds. There are fruit orchards, including fruits you can’t imagine would grow in such high altitudes. There are also many garden variety vegetables that could feed a whole village. Holzer’s method of gardening is to throw seeds everywhere and just let them grow. Holzer believes the plants are beneficial to each other as well as the soil. It’s a really interesting concept that still amazes me.

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Clematis are some of the most beautiful climbing vines. The name clematis comes from the Greek word “klema” meaning “climbing”. There are over 400 varieties of clematis in the world.

Clematis are natural climbers, so it’s best to grow them along fences, trellis, arbors, or even with a nearby shrub.

In the botany world, the colorful flowers are actually not petals, but sepals of the plant. In other plants, sepals are normally green and much smaller then the petals.

This one is called “John Paul II”.  The buds are very pretty, they look almost like lily blossom.  And the white flowers (sepal) look like fabric.

And this is the “Ariake” clematis from Japan. Such a delicate looking flower.

This down facing clematis is “Blue Boy”.  Also another delicate variety found growing in Japan.  It looks like a pretty parasol.  The buds are also very pretty.

This is the “Dr. Rupel” found growing in Argentina. It is another one of my favorite clematis. The pink ribbon like strips almost look like they’ve been painted in by someone. This one is similar to the “Nelly Moser” variety that is also very popular.

Note: These beautiful collection of clematis photos are by Tsuyoshi Isojima of Hiroshima, Japan. Of all the varieties of clematis, they are some of my favorites.

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I finally got to see “Ponyo” last weekend.  The animated film is both written and directed by Miyazaki.

Ready for an adventure?  Check out Ponyo!  Image source.

As with many of Miyazaki’s film, the children are brave and the environment needs to be protected.  In this case it is our ocean.  This is a good reminder for us to think about our planet more.  These days, we hear about how much the ocean is contaminated with mercury and garbage.  There is even an island of garbage floating right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean called “The Garbage Patch“. It’s unbelievable.

As for the story line, I felt it’s aimed more towards younger fans. A bit like “The Little Mermaid”.  But Ponyo is entertaining and brings you to a time of youthful innocence and adventure.

Ponyo is a fish with a human head who wants to become even more human.  A young boy named Sosuke came across Ponyo when she was injured and swept to the coast.  Soon enough, Ponyo turns into a human child.  After a storm, the place is flooded and the adventure begins.  The children then set out to rescue Sosuke’s mom after the flood.  They come across kind local towns people.  They face their fears and overcome danger.

As with many other animated films by Studio Ghibli, the animation is great.  The feelings and expression are portrayed very well by all the characters.  Especially the expressive little Ponyo and the adventurous and clever Sosuke.

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Last weekend, I decided to pick up Costco’s Kirkland brand of green tea.   It was surprisingly very good green tea.  The tasted reminded me of the green tea served at authentic Japanese sushi restaurants.

It turns out the teas are Japanese grown green tea and packed by Ito En.  According to Ito En, out of Japan’s 47 prefectures (provinces), there are only three major tea producing regions.  For a small island nation where space is a premium, growing tea must be something they cherish.

It is definitely good green tea.  Even when steeped for a long time, the green tea never gets bitter. It reminded of the green tea I got from Two Leaves and a Bud, but so much cheaper. Being that it was 100 bags for around $12. They are also available at Amazon for slightly more.

The tea is packed in flat nylon mesh bags. At first thought, maybe this contributed to the taste of better tasting tea.  As the material is suppose to encourage a better infusion. Many “gourmet” packaged tea have been using these nylon tea bags for the past decade.

The downside to the nylon bags is that it’s not biodegradable. And at the rate of 100 bags per customer, that’s a lot of nylon bags being thrown in the landfills.

I also don’t feel so safe (health wise) about exposing the nylon bags to the high temperature of my water.

Due to these reason, I can’t get myself to purchase the teas again.  I would suggest they change to tea bags made from natural fiber.  Even the cornstarch based mesh tea bags are biodegradable, but they are still made with GMO- based material.

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Interesting ideas come out of Japan. The latest trends over the years is the Cat Cafe. I wonder if such a cafe business would work in the U.S., but probably not as successful as in Japan.

I have heard of dogs for rent, where people can rent dogs for the hour and just take them out for the day.

At Cafe Nekorobi all the cats have their own photograph albums for visitors to look through.  Image source.

Norimasa Hanada, owner of Neko no mise (Shop of Cats) was among the first to open up a cat cafe.  Handa explained, cat cafe are popular with young urbanites who live in rental apartments that prohibit pets.  While most family condominium allow pets, it’s really the young single people who could use some comfort and companionship of a pet.

Here is Megumi, 33, an office worker.  She noticed that each cat cafe has it’s own vibe.  This one at Neko no mise, has more friendly cats that are less stressed out.  Image source.

The fees are charged by the hour, from $7 - $10.  In order to survive in the cat cafe business, they need a high turnover rate of visitors.  Despite the recession, the folks here don’t mind spending the money to hang out with these furry creatures.  Maybe it is due to work or other stressful events, that cat cafes are so popular.  Consider it “pet therapy”.

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Updated 12/15/09: I finally got my Uniqlo package on 12/10/09. The package took 3 weeks to get here as it was shipped from Japan.

So I tested out my new leggings and undershirt this weekend. The material is really thin and light. It reminded me of leotards, but much more comfortable and softer.

The leggings really kept me warm. They are so thin I could wear them under any type of pants.

The top is very form fitting and best worn as an undershirt. I’ve worn them under sweaters and even worn them to sleep. It’s absolutely comfortable. The scoop neck wasn’t too low cut at all.

I found all the clothes to be true to size. I ordered medium and everything fit perfectly. I highly recommend Uniqlo Heattech clothing. I hope these last as long as they say. If they have free shipping next winter, I may order more.

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Uniqlo is one of Japan’s leading clothing retail chain. Uniqlo is also known for having a nice range of high-quality goods at affordable price.

They have even adopted the Gap’s retail strategy call “SPA” - which is short for “Specialty-store, retailer of Private-label Apparel.” Which means that they would produce their own clothing under their store brand and sell it exclusively.

Their philosophy also states you don’t need to wear huge logos to define yourself (which is what I find annoying from The Gap).

There is no Uniqlo retailer in the west coast and only 1 flagship store in SoHo fashion district of Manhattan, NYC. But you can still make orders at their online shop.

Uniqlo introduced Heat Tech clothing in 2006.  I have heard such great review of it that I can’t wait to try them out.

Even though I don’t live in the colder parts of the U.S., I do get cold very easily.  I have bought regular thermals before, but not something remarkable.  I even bought thermals made of bamboo and cotton fibers.  It was very comfortable, but not as warm.  And the fabric did not hold up 1 year later.

Heattech’s fabric technology (listed below and described by Uniqlo).

• HEAT GENERATING - The highly absorbent rayon mix fabric absorbs the moisture generated by the body and converts it into heat.

• HEAT RETAINING – Tiny pockets of air are trapped between each fibre, making it hard for the generated heat to escape.

• STRETCHABLE - The soft stretchy fabric moves with the body and creates a snug fit, making it the perfect outerwear or inner wear layering item.

• MOISTURE RETAINING (women’s only) - Milk protein containing natural amino acids has been mixed with the fibres ensuring the fabric is smooth and soft to touch.

• ANTIBACTERIAL (men’s only) – Antibacterial agents have been woven into the fibres to help keep the fabric fresh.

• NON-DEFORMING - made of highly resilient and durable material. Heattech maintains it’s shape even after repeated washing.

I like the list here.  Except for the “special antibacterial agent” used to keep the fabric fresh.  This just sound a bit too toxic for me!  But luckily, only the menswear shirts have the antibacterial agent.

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Children Full of Life is the 2003 documentary directed by Noboru Kaetsu and produced by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). First broadcast in Canada, CBC’s Passionate Eye.

“Kind, tough, funny.” That is what the students describe their teacher Mr. Toshiro Kanamori. If only we had more teachers like him these days.

The cheerful group of 4th graders in Kanazawa, northwest of Tokyo.  Image source.

I’m sure this does not represent the entire educational system of Japan, but it does shine a light on what it means to be an understanding teacher. Mr. Kanamori’s starts off the school year by reminding his students, “we come to school to be happy”. The classroom has become more then just a place to learn math, science, and grammar.. but also a place that teaches compassion and empathy.

You can watch the entire 5 part section on Youtube: Children Full of Life.

“In the award-winning documentary Children Full of Life, a fourth-grade class in a primary school in Kanazawa, northwest of Tokyo, learn lessons about compassion from their homeroom teacher, Toshiro Kanamori. He instructs each to write their true inner feelings in a letter, and read it aloud in front of the class. By sharing their lives, the children begin to realize the importance of caring for their classmates.”

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In Asia, the use of bamboo charcoal for health purposes is very popular. People in Japan, Korea, and China find the uses of bamboo charcoal to be very beneficial for many other uses too.

It was discovered that the porous structure of bamboo charcoal helps absorb bad stale air amongst many other benefits.

Bamboo charcoal is  made by placing cut and dried bamboo stalks into a kiln.  Cooked in high temperatures, the charcoal is then collected and cut into small pieces.  The pieces have found their use in the health and beauty market.

The following benefits of bamboo charcoal include:

Removes odor from kitchens, shoes, and other places.

Extracts humidity from the air and turns it into negative ions.

It’s also useful in help absorb formaldehyde.

Also helps fight electromagnetic waves from electronic items. So it’s best to place bamboo charcoal near your computer and other electronic items.

It’s also recommended to add bamboo charcoal and water to a vase of cut flowers. This helps extend the life of the flower.

So far I have added bamboo charcoal to my potted plants (which are near my computer), and also to my flower pots outside.  It’s only been 1 week since I’ve used it, so I can’t say if I’ve seen any improvements yet.

I have also put some bamboo charcoals in a basket and keep it in the bedroom.  This is to help clean the air. I’m hoping it’s making some difference.

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Since 2005, off the coast of Nomura, Japan, there has been an invasion of giant jellyfish.  These giant jellyfish grow 6.5 feet (2 meters) wide and weigh up to 450 pounds (220 kilograms). I am just amazed and how big they get, almost the same size as the diver pictured here.

Photo from National Geographic

These jellyfish are commonly found in Chinese and Korean waters, but having them show up in Japanese waters became a threat to the local fishing industry. Fishermen say the jellyfish are choking fishing nets and poisoning the catch with their toxic stingers.

As scientist try to come up with theories to why this is happening in their waters, the local communities are coming up with resourceful ways to turn their unwanted catch into candy, cookies, crab food, and fertilizer.

These jellyfish cookies were made my students at Obama Fisheries High School in Obama, Japan. Cookies are sold in boxes of 10. They are called “Ekura-chan saku-saku cookies”. Made with jellyfish powder. Photo from Pink Tentacle

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