Rice

So, in just about any Japanese speech, poem, salutation, etc. there is always some reference to the seasons. "The cherry blossoms will soon bloom, just like our hearts will with the new school year upon us" blah blah blah. I always thought this was kinda weird.

And so with much hypocrisy, I now bring you an article which has a little bit of the same slant. Looks like with the changing of the seasons, rice in Japan has just been harvested, so behold! an article that talks about the importance of rice in Japan. (If only they put the same emphasis on whole wheat bread. I'm getting tired of this stupid Iron Kids type stuff.)

But, truth be told, the Japanese and rice go back so far and share so much history, anguish and love that they're bound to get back together. To the Japanese, rice is not just a staple of life: it's life itself. For 4,000 years, rice adorned altars at religious ceremonies and festivals, financed war campaigns and made and broke lords and warriors. It even served as the nation's major currency for close to three centuries.

There's a part I liked about how when couples are getting to know each other, they ask what kind of rice they like. I like brown rice, but I get the kind that you don't have to wash or soak beforehand, and I definitely do not use a traditional iron pot; I opt to put it in the rice cooker before I go to bed and set the timer so I have it for breakfast. But it looks like I'm better off than prepackaged from the convenience store. That's just laaaaazy!