way of counting money & returning changes

IN SINGAPORE

The most common way Singaporeans counts the bills is by folding all of them into halves and count using two fingers brushing the notes upwards. (Too bad, I will find a illustration soon !). If you go to any part of Singapore, most of the vendors will first keep your note and return you the change later.

IN JAPAN

Just as what the Singaporeans are doing, most of the shops in Japan will give you the change first before keeping the note. Perhaps it is a way of politeness and service so that the customers does not need to wait too long for the change. Also, they have a particular "counting money in your face", to make sure you got all your changes. Well, watch the 2nd method of counting in the video, it is exactly the way they count the monies.
Japan Culture 日本生活文化
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Disposal of used items

IN SINGAPORE

When there is something which is unwanted, you can just sell it to the Garang guni man that “patrol” around the neighborhood, who will sounds a bell while on the patrol. The Garang guni man will then examine the used items and will offers you an unexpectedly low price for the goods, which in most of the case we will accept as the used items means not value to us anymore. Perhaps a dollar or two.

IN JAPAN

The scenes are quite different as compared to Singapore. Japan has a set of recycle laws that prohibits it people from throwing off used items unnecessary, especially on electrical appliances. Instead of getting paid for your used items, you would have to pay certain amount of money, considerable high to get rid of it. For instance, a 60cm x 60cm x 60cm mini refrigerator would cost around 2,500 yen to be disposed, while the refrigerators alone cost only 5,000 yen. Weird ?
Japan Culture 日本生活文化
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みんな、元気かい？

もしもし、みんなさん。最近は元気ですか？あまり連絡取れないし。。。そうだね。僕はまだ日本にいるよ、ビザのせいで。。多分七月まで大阪にいると思う。その時まで、是非一緒に遊びましょう。

じゃ、ではジェフリー
☆★○●伝言●○★☆
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Osaka's Food Culture - Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)

This is one of the food that represents Osaka - Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き）, which is like a cabbage pancake fried over a Teppan (Hot plate). Though the cooking method is the same, there are many kinds of fillings and sauces you can choose from. I went to a shop in Namba with one of my taiwanese friend (Who discontinued her studies and went back to Taiwan) and she was saying that this shop has been around for decades and their cooking style are a bit different from other shops. So let take a peek at their making process...

Osaka Botejyu （大阪ぼてぢゅう）

Making process of a Okonomiyaki

A cabbage mixture is placed on the Teppan as base, and the shrimp on top.

Next, the bacons are placed in, which the cabbage mixture comes in again.

Spreading it evenly, to make sure it looks round & (yummy)

Say 'Cheese!' Close up view of Mr. Okonomiyaki

Last but not the least, an egg is beaten on the top to serve as the crust. Please note that in other shops, eggs are usually not added in. That is why we called this shop a bit of special. Served with shop specialty sweet sauce and Mayonnaise.
Osaka 大阪
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Osaka's Food Culture - Curry Rice (カレーライス)

When you first sees the word 'curry', which taste would come to your mind first ? Spicy right ? Well, if you have not eaten before Japanese-style curry, it is not spicy at all, in fact, I would say it is tends to be sweet. Japanese themselves possess a weak tastebud for spicy food that they have adapt most of their cuisine to suits the mild tastebud.

The 1st curry house I visited was Fukujima Top Grade Curry House (福島上等カレー) and there wasn't any waiters bringing over the menu, instead you could just simply purchased the tickets of the dish which you preferred through the ticket vending machine. I think it is really good for travelers who had difficulties speaking Japanese.



This is the one I have ordered - pork cutlet curry rice. The special part was the pork cutlet is deep fried and then curry gravy is poured over the rice and the cutlet itself.




In order to 'excite' my tastebud, I challenged on the hot spice powder which can be found laterally on the table. The instructions reads ... "It will become one time spicier after one shake." I did 7-8 times and I can feel the kick coming in. Sorry, can I have more water please ?
Osaka 大阪
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