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Answerman - Is It Possible To Eat Gluten-Free In Japan?
For people with specific dietary restrictions, Japanese cuisine can be a bit of a minefield. Justin has some advice.
― Anonymous asked:
I've celiac disease so I live on a gluten free diet and have for basically my entire life. I've always wondered how celiacs or other people who live on a gluten free diet are taken into account in Japan. There are a lot of food I see in anime that a celiac wouldn't ...
Answerman - How Did Christmas in Japan Become A Thing?
Japan isn't a predominantly Christian country, so how did the Christmas holiday even become a thing there? Justin breaks it down.
― James asked:
As Christmas approaches, I have noticed that that holiday seems to be popular in Japan, despite the fact that Christianity is not widespread in that nation. How did Christmas become popular in Japan, and why do the people there enjoy celebrating a foreign h...
Answerman - What Unique Sodas Are Sold in Japan?
It's almost a holiday weekend - so let's talk about the wide world of unique and flavorful Japanese sodas!
― Jerry asked:
Every time I see one of the famous Japanese drink vending machines in photographs or in anime, I usually see CocaCola and/or Pepsi, and maybe something else familiar like Mountain Dew, but I recognize almost nothing else. What kinds of sodas are available in Japan that aren't ava...
Answerman - What Are The Different Types of Ramen?
Good ramen has become much more widely available in the United States over the last decade or so, but it can still be confusing to know what you're ordering. Justin breaks it down.
― Fred asked:
Where I live, there's no good ramen restaurants, so when I see anime characters ordering different types of ramen, I have no idea what they are. Can you help? First of all, that is a very tragic story. I was...
Answerman - Why Are There Statues Of A Reading Boy And A Dog In Japan?
Plenty of schools in Japan have a statue of a boy reading a book in front of them - what's up with that? PLUS: the story of Hachiko!
― Jake asked:
I was recently thinking about some of the school anime I have watched over the years and have noticed there are two or three statues I tend to see a lot pop up. One of the most common is a statue of a man reading a book with a bundle of wood on his back i...
Answerman - Is There A "Tooth Fairy" In Japan?
Anime sometimes references folk traditions surrounding baby teeth and the disposal of them, but never the "tooth fairy". Why is that? Justin does a little folklore research.
― Thomas asked:
I was watching the newest episode of Sakura Quest and one of the children in the show has one of her last baby teeth fall out. When talking about it to her Mum, she suggests throwing it out the window and I think...
Answerman - Is My Sushi Authentic?
Answerman takes a food question that vexes many anime fans - is the sushi I'm eating in America "authentic" at all to the Japanese experience? Justin dives deep.
― Andy asks:
As I was sitting in a restaurant having sushi for lunch earlier today, a thought suddenly hit me: How 'authentic' is the sushi I'm actually eating? In almost every sushi restaurant I've been in, there tended to be a few common ...
Answerman - How Does The Train System Work In Japan?
Japan's train system is referenced constantly in anime - so how exactly does it work? Justin gets into it.
― Tayler asks:
How do kids in Japan pay for the trains that they are constantly using? Train use is something that seems to happen in nearly every school anime, but I don't think I've ever seen one that actually mentioned the price of a train ride, or why kids are able to seemingly just walk on...
Answerman - Are Japanese Bento Boxes Really So Extravagant?
Increasingly elaborate and beautiful bento boxes show up in anime all the time - are they really that over-the-top and difficult to make?
― Jake asks:
I have watched a lot of anime and I have noticed something interesting with the food most characters eat. It seems like a lot of time and attention is put into the average breakfast and bento box lunches, which appear to be really extravagant. I might...
Answerman - What's The Deal With Engrish?
You've seen it all over the internet: hilariously misguided English phrases on public signs and clothing from Japan and other Asian countries. Where does it come from?
― Michael asks: Something I've wondered for a long time is why in so many anime, the characters will be speaking in Japanese and then randomly say a few English words. An example would be in shonen anime when a character announces the...
Answerman - What's With All The Monkeys On New Years Greetings?
Someone wants to know why all the New Year's greeting cards from the anime industry are swarming with monkeys. Justin's on it.
― Ashley asks: I recently went through the articles "Happy New Year -- Anime Style!" While looking though all of the celebration pictures, I noticed a few of them involving monkeys in one way or another. So I was wondering if you could explain to me why that is or if it was ...
Answerman - How Did Christmas in Japan Become A Thing?
Justin explains a bit about how Christmas became a popular holiday in Japan.
― James asks: As Christmas approaches, I have noticed that that holiday seems to be popular in Japan, despite the fact that Christianity is not widespread in that nation. How did Christmas become popular in Japan, and why do the people there enjoy celebrating a foreign holiday? It's true, Japan isn't a particularly Christia...
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