Corona measures to be enhanced

From July 23 to 26 this year, we have 4-day holidays in Japan. I visited my parents and got a summer mask made by one of my aunts. She is good at sewing (and cooking) and gave two masks to my mother. I could choose between them and got this one. Though it is smaller than those available in drugstores, I liked the pattern with swimming fish.

Before the outbreak of covid-19, Japanese people used to wear only white masks. But now, many people enjoy making their original masks with a variety of colors and patterns. Even some shops in the downtown sell fashionable cloth masks though they are not drugstores or handicraft shops. Though it is quite humid and hot, it is still necessary to wear a mask.

During these holidays, two corona clusters were found in the downtown Hamamatsu. They broke out at a nightclub and a bar. In the press conference today, the mayor said that there has been 52 cases confirmed in the recent one week, and 40 cases of them are related with the clusters. He also said that tests would be conducted for staff of 650 bars and nightclubs, and the city would introduce a certification system of restaurants that actively take measures to avoid the “Three Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings).”

When I first heard of the clusters, I was shocked because before July 23, there had been only 8 cases confirmed in the city and the last case was announced in June. I live near the downtown, and the closest supermarket to me is the one located there. Maybe it’s better to buy foods online.

Green Burger has come at last

On March 26, I introduced MOS PLANT-BASED GREEN BURGER of Mos Burger that was released at 9 stores in the metropolitan area. From today, this vegan burger is available at all the stores in Japan, even at the one on the main street of Hamamatsu.

Like other Mos Burger menu items, it took for a while to get Green Burger ready. I took it home with another menu item Onion Potato and was full of expectation.

As in the poster, the buns of Green Burger were pale green.

When I ate it, I found the patty had a beany flavor and was very much like that of Soy Patty Hamburger (containing milk) that has been a regular menu item for some time. The tomato sauce was good. Green Burger tasted sweet as a whole because of the buns containing spinach and the sauce. I ate such buns for the first time. Though Green Burger has been released as a vegan option, it is also oriental vegetarian as it doesn’t contain five spicy foods such as garlic, Chinese chives, onion, Welsh onion, or Chinese scallion. So, it may taste the mildest of all the main menu items.

Believe in our future

Today is the last day of our holiday season called the Golden Week. Since the government declared a state of emergency for the coronavirus that covers all over Japan until May 6, we are expected to stay at home to the extent possible. Even in Hamamatsu, many restaurants have responded to the request from the city to close until May 6.

The holiday season has passed calmly. The population of Hamamatsu is about 800,000. Until now, seven people have been infected, but there has been no new case found for three weeks. Though the state of emergency has been extended until the end of May, the city doesn’t extend the period of the request for closure. The local restaurants will be opened tomorrow.

Under such circumstances, the city made a video “Believe in our future – Hamamatsu, Japan” to promote sightseeing after recovery from COVID-19. It is posted on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eVqehSWeik

Though it is a very short video, it contains beautiful scenery of Hamamatsu Castle, Lake Hamana, etc. in spring. On YouTube, I found some other interesting videos about Hamamatsu:

SHIZUOKA 【Cherry blossoms】“Somei-Yoshino” at Hamamatsu Flower Park 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKvQ3Iqke8s

【大迫力】これぞ大凧あげ！ 浜松まつり 開会式の混戦を揚げきる
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKMVHivXrro&t=530s
(Hamamatsu Festival with exciting kite flying)

Hamamatsu Kite Festival – Celebrating the New Born Baby - Flying Kite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RjxcFWFN1I
(Short video with a new-born baby, his parents, and neighborhood)

As I wrote yesterday, Hamamatsu Festival was canceled this year. I wish the Japanese government will learn from the success of our neighboring countries to take useful measures against COVID-19 as soon as possible so that we can have a powerful festival next year.

Scenery near the kite flying field

Stay Home Week started in Tokyo

From the end of April to the beginning of May, we have a period called “Golden Week” which includes some national holidays. Usually this is a time when many people working or studying in big cities like Tokyo go back to their hometown or go on a trip somewhere else. But things are different this year because of COVID-19. Last Thursday, the governor of Tokyo said that the 12-day period from April 25 to May 6 should be “Stay Home Week to Save Lives” and asked for cooperation from companies and inhabitants. The website of Tokyo Metropolitan Government presents some requests including reduction of number of times to go shopping (preferably once every three days), refraining from going on trips, teleworking, etc.

Even in Hamamatsu, the atmosphere has been changing. The city requested restaurants, bars, amusement facilities, etc. to close from April 25 to May 6, promising subsidies. When I went to downtown this morning, I found many restaurants with a notice of closure put outside. In addition, I saw a banner with a slogan to fight against the coronavirus.

When I was in front of Hamamatsu Station a little over 10:00, I saw almost no one there. I learned later that the passenger load factor of each Shinkansen line was 0 - 10% today. Incredible!

The shopping mall MayOne in the station building is closed from April 18 to May 6. Only the food market including Seijo Ishii and the drug store Kyorindo in the basement are open (10:00 - 20:00, 8:00 - 20:00 respectively). I went to the food market and then to the basement of Entetsu Department Store that is also closed until May 6 except for the basement. At the entrance, there was a request for wearing a mask. Unlike some other countries, it is not obligatory in Japan, so I was relieved to see it because I didn’t want to walk among people who didn’t wear a mask.

In the department store, I just wanted to buy this miso from Niigata Prefecture, a major production area of rice. According to the label, it is made from locally grown soybeans and rice.

During this corona-period, I have heard heartwarming news of Tsubame City in Niigata Prefecture. They are sending 5 kg of rice from local farmers and a handmade cloth mask to every student from Tsubame City who studies outside Niigata Prefecture and will not come back to the city during this holiday season to prevent infection spread of the coronavirus. Such support will be great encouragement for young students who long for home in this unstable situation.

Two cloth masks to every household in Japan

It has been a common practice in East Asia to wear a face mask when you are sick or to prevent pollen or harmful substances from entering your body. Now, it’s a must for many Japanese people as the corona pandemic is going on. But it is still difficult to find ordinary disposable masks at drugstores and convenience stores here because they are sold out immediately.

On April 1, our prime minister Shinzo Abe announced that the government would provide two cloth masks to every household by post. Some people thought it was a joke for April Fool’s day, and others got angry as they expected some other things such as cash. Personally, I thought it was still better than nothing though I had already bought one at a handicraft shop on Yurinoki Street in the downtown. It is next to the convenience store LAWSON near the elevated railway of Enshu Railway. The mask I chose was a simple gauze mask. The masks from the government will be of the similar type. According to the prime minister, they will start to send them from the week after next and from prefectures with many infected people.

The handicraft shop had also bigger and colorful masks. In front of the shop, there is a board saying that they are selling gauze to make a mask, which was the reason why I entered inside. I was glad to find that they also sell homemade masks because I wasn’t sure if I could make one successfully.

I know that many American and European people are doubtful about the effect of masks worn by ordinary people, not healthcare workers. But even if such masks may not be able to prevent the wearers from getting infected, they can reduce the risk to infect other people. If you have to cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve when you are talking with someone, isn’t it safer and more practical to wear a mask all the time?

I have had great concern recently. I have once lived in Finland and Sweden and have met unforgettable people in both countries. My first friend in Northern Europe was a Finnish pen pal, and I have an elderly friend in Sweden. Though both are thinly populated countries, they are in serious situation with many infected people. I have been following news about COVID-19 from SVT (Sweden), and it makes me feel uneasy to see that no one (even healthcare worker) wears a mask in interviews or press conference.

According to yesterday’s NHK news, in some European countries such as Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo, people are now obliged to wear a mask when going out. In Austria, wearing a mask became obligatory to enter a supermarket for shopping on April 1. Also in Jena, Germany, it will be obligatory in supermarkets and public transportation from April 6.

I wish this practice will be spread further to Northern Europe, up to Lapland (though it doesn’t need to be obligatory). I heard about a Japanese woman who made a mask from the textile of Marimekko. I believe Finnish and Swedish people will make stylish and practical masks when they need.

CRISP SALAD WORKS offers free salad to hospital workers

The fight against the coronavirus is proceeding globally. I heard about some restaurants abroad that offer free meals or discount to healthcare workers. I thought it a good idea and was very impressed by their solidarity. Recently, I happened to know that a restaurant chain in Tokyo, CRISP SALAD WORKS, also offers a similar kind of service. From March 25, free salad has been provided to all the healthcare and hospital workers (doctors, nurses, clerks, cleaning staff, etc.) at all the 14 stores in Tokyo. Each of them can have one free menu item per day. At first, they needed to select salad they wanted and a store to pick it up through the dedicated app, come to the store and show their ID card to the restaurant staff. According to CRISP SALAD WORKS’ website, this take-out service was changed to direct delivery to hospitals on March 30 as many healthcare workers were too busy to come.

As the name implies, CRISP SALAD WORKS specializes in salad. Their website (https://www.crisp.co.jp/) is in both Japanese and English, and you can see a big bowl of delicious-looking salad. Among their signature salads, there is one vegan option that contains romaine lettuce, roasted tofu, black beans, grilled corn, red cabbage, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and lemon tahini. It sounds very nutritious. Alternatively, you can have custom salad by combining one of three vegan bases and up to four toppings. There are ten kinds of dressing, and five of them are vegan. If I have a chance to go to Tokyo after the corona pandemic calms down, I’d like to visit one of their stores. Now they provide only takeout and delivery service to prevent infection of the coronavirus. You cannot eat inside the stores.

Vegan burger launched at MOS BURGER

MOS BURGER is a Japanese hamburger chain with 37 directly managed stores and 1253 franchised stores in Japan (as of the end of January 2020). They have vegetarian options using a soy patty in their regular menu, and today they finally launched a vegan burger called MOS PLANT-BASED GREEN BURGER. If you search with this name, you can see how it looks. Unlike ordinary hamburgers, the buns are pale green as they contain spinach puree.

MOS PLANT-BASED GREEN BURGER doesn’t contain meat, egg, milk and five spicy foods (五葷). The patty is mainly made from soybean protein with konjac and cabbage added. The sauce is tomato-based sauce using carrot, burdock, and several kinds of herbs. In addition, vegetables such as tomato, greenleaf (a kind of lettuce?), and shredded lettuce are put between the buns and the patty.

The price is 538 yen + tax. It is more expensive than most hamburgers of MOS BURGER even though less expensive than double patty ones. To my mind this vegan burger is too expensive to attract attention from the general public but hopefully it will win popularity among vegetarians/vegans in Tokyo. At first, it is available only at the following 9 stores.

Tokyo: Mos Burger Osaki, Mos Burger Roppongi, Mos Burger Akihabara Suehirocho, Mos Cafe Omotesando, Mos Cafe Nishiginza, Mos Cafe Hankyu Oimachi, Mos Cafe Ginza Nine (from April 1), Mos Cafe Haneda Airport International Terminal Building (the name will be changed to Mos Cafe Haneda Airport Third Terminal on April 1).
Kanagawa: Mos Cafe Enoshima

The company says that they aim to launch it nationwide in May after analyzing the responses of customers and the sales status. I’ll be waiting for MOS PLANT-BASED GREEN BURGER to come to Hamamatsu. I appreciate their efforts. The Tokyo Olympic Games have been postponed to 2021. So other hamburger or restaurant chains may have enough time to follow the example of MOS BURGER and develop vegan/vegetarian menu items.

Vegan bowl launched at FamilyMart in Tokyo

FamilyMart is the second largest convenience store chain in Japan with 16,611 stores all over the country (as of February 29, 2020). On March 17, they launched a vegan bowl called “Veggie Burg-don” in about 2,400 stores in Tokyo. According to their website, the patty is made by combining soy meat of difference sizes and shapes and is flavored with roast onion. The sauce is made from wheat flour roasted with plant oil and vegetables such as tomato, mushroom, onion, and carrot to add a rich taste. The package bears a vegan recommendation mark from the Japan Vegetarian Society. If you visit the society’s website (http://www.jpvs.org/), you can see the picture of Viggie Burg-don on the left side of the page.

The price is 498 yen (with the tax), which is the same as that of their beef bowl launched on the same day. In Japan, inexpensive beef bowls and other meat dishes are easily available in chain restaurants and stores, and I think this is one of the reasons why the vegetarian diet can’t attract attention from the general public. The price of Veggie Burg-don is reasonable compared with similar menu items of some vegetarian restaurants. I hope it will win popularity in Tokyo and will be sold also in provincial towns soon.

Expectation for vegetarian/vegan-friendly Japan

When I started this blog, I was thinking of vegetarians/vegans from abroad who had difficulty finding suitable foods in Japan. I had read about a young man who ate only French fries in McDonald’s during his stay in Japan. It’s an extreme example but understandable. Even for me who can speak and read Japanese, it’s difficult to eat out.

Hamamatsu isn’t a tourist city, but the number of travelers who come here is increasing. Unlike Tokyo and other big cities, there aren’t any vegetarian/vegan restaurants in downtown. So, the aim of this blog was to present vegetarian/vegan foods that are available even in an ordinary provincial town like Hamamatsu. Currently, Indian and Italian restaurants may be the best choices if you want to have substantial meals. Japanese restaurants have some menu items that look like animal-free, but they may be flavored with dried bonito broth. You have to ask about the ingredients in advance.

On the other hand, the metropolitan area is rapidly becoming vegetarian/vegan-friendly as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games approach. Thanks to recent comments, I learned about green "Vege" signs in Narita Airport and a group of lawmakers who are preparing food guidelines to be proposed to the related government agency this spring. The proposals will include introduction of vegetarian/vegan certification marks. If they are introduced in restaurants and food products, you can recognize easily what to choose. In India, a mark with green circle in a green square is used, and in Taiwan, you can find Chinese characters such as “全素 or 純素 (vegan and not containing five spicy foods)”, “奶素 (lacto vegetarian)”, and “蛋素 (ovo vegetarian)” on the packages of products. When I traveled there, I bought a variety of sweets and instant foods at supermarkets with the help of such indication. I hope the certification marks in Japan will be as practical as possible and vegetarian/vegan foods will be prevailing with these marks.