PHoto of the Day...

Kyoto, Japan. Photo by: Bob Ryan

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Photo of the Day...

Maruyama Park, Japan. Photo by: Alan Parker

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Photo of the Day...

Nara, Japan. Photo by: Johnathan

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Photo of the Day...

Kyoto, Japan. Photo by: Ryan Bayer

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Photo of the Day...

Tokyo, Japan. Photo by: Angelica

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Photo of the Day...

Nikko, Japan. Photo by: Richard Murray

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Hostel of the Week...

TOKYO HOSTEL is a great place for backpackers and budget travelers who want to be in the center of it all, in Tokyo, Japan. Located close to culture rich hotspots like Asakusa and Ueno, the Tokyo hostel provides its guests with a warm and friendly environment. After a long day of sightseeing, the Tokyo hostel is a great place to come back to. The hostel has the latest DVD movies and Playstation entertainment, as well as digital foreign and local radio stations to listen to. In the lobby, backpackers will find free high-speed Internet, and nearby in their outdoor space, guests can play pool, darts, and a variety of other games. The Tokyo hostel also has great events sure to entertain any traveler. The Japanese Tea Ceremony, World Poker Night, Crazy Night Life Tokyo, and the Super Karaoke Night are events that are sure to make your stay at the Tokyo hostel a memorable one.

Three reasons to stay at Tokyo Hostel:

1. Great location. When you are in a major metropolis like Tokyo, it’s important to be near the action.

2. The events. Most hostels have events to keep backpackers entertained, but at the Tokyo hostel they have a way of merging those events with the city.

3. The environment. The Tokyo Hostel has a relaxed vibe that is sure to please travelers who have spent a busy day checking out the sites.

www.tokyohostels.com

Dirty Little Secrets...

FOOD FIND
Mochi is a Japanese sticky and chewy sort of rice dough, with a mild flavor. It is basically soaked, steamed sweet rice that has been pounded with a mallet, into a smooth mass, and formed into little “cakes”. It is best eaten fresh, but can be air-dried or frozen for later use. Mochi making traditionally takes place before the Lunar New Year, and the mochi is made into an ancient New Year’s decoration. However, mochi is becoming so popular today that it’s made in many parts of the world, all year round. It can range from being shaped into a simple bun, to complex designs decorated with fruits or flowers, which is the most common form when being exchanged as a gift. Mochi is eaten as both a sweet and savory food. The flavor is so mild that it can almost be eaten with anything. When consumed in its soft form, it is commonly combined with shredded daikon (Japanese white radish) and seasoned with soy sauce and lemon. As a confection, mochi can be eaten with a sweet condiment like kinako (roasted soy bean “flour” mixed with sugar), or flavored with a myriad of sweetened seasonings. In another form, mochi cakes are filled with sweetened red bean paste, or other ingredients. Sometimes the air-dried mochi is roasted over a brazier before being added to soups, or dipped in a mixture of soy sauce and sugar. Mochi can be eaten in so many forms, it is almost impossible to list them all. It can be grilled, dipped, stuffed with pickled vegetables, or just about any other method one can think of. In many parts of the world, mochi ice cream has become hugely popular, and can even be found in major grocery stores. For this frozen treat, the mochi is filled with ice cream, such flavors as green tea, strawberry, and mango. It is then dusted with sweet rice flour. Each piece is about the size of a golf ball, but the sizes do vary. Mochi can be used in endless ways, and is filling, making foods with mochi a great snack for the budget traveler. It is also relatively easy to make at home, so try out the below recipe, and find your favorite way to eat it! Just be careful, mochi can be so sticky that some people joke about it being a choking hazard!

Ingredients

1 cup mochiko sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour)

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

Katakuriko, for dusting (potato starch)

Directions

• Mix mochiko and sugar in a bowl.

• Add water and mix thoroughly (Will be watery).

• Put in a microwaveable dish. Cover with plastic wrap.

• Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Take off plastic wrap. Cool for a few minutes, if you want. Cut. Serve.

• Opt. Dust with katakuriko or kinako to prevent mochi from sticking everywhere. If you don't have these, you can just put the mochi on cellophane.

Variations for Filling: You can add red bean paste, ice cream, chocolate, etc. in the middle if you want BEFORE you dust. add a teaspoon of filling and pinch edges closed.

Variations for Dough: Add a few drops of food coloring into batter for color variation. A few drops of flavoring (strawberry, grape, orange, blueberry, etc.) may also be added. >> For chocolate flavor, stir about 1/4 cup melted chocolate chips into mochi batter before cooking.

*Photo from facebook.com

*Recipe from recipezaar.com

Photo of the Day...

Tokyo, Japan. Photo by: Mike Lee