Japanese Quotes

“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn't some­ thing that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

“I'm sorry, mom. I have some bad news. I guess I messed up somehow, somewhere along the way. I didn't manage to become a princess. I became a fujoshi instead.”
― Akiko Higashimura, Princess Jellyfish 2-in-1 Omnibus, Vol. 1

“I don’t know how I’ll feel about anything when my memories return.” His arms tightened around her. “But I know I fear losing you more than anything that might befall me.”
― Annette Marie, Dark Tempest

“Water flows from high places to low places. That is the nature of gravity. Emotions also seem to act according to gravity. When in the presence of someone with whom you have a bond, and to whom you have entrusted your feelings, it is hard to lie and get away with it. The truth just wants to come flowing out.”
― Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Before the Coffee Gets Cold

“The change in the sand corresponded to a change in himself. Perhaps, along with the water in the sand, he had found a new self.”
― Kōbō Abe, The Woman in the Dunes

“a broken mirror
tries hard to fix itself
everytime she smiles at it”
― Soman Gouda, Seedlings of Light: A Haiku Collection

“Other studies have also found unusual levels of persistence in even very young Asian children. For example, the cross-cultural psychologist Priscilla Blinco gave Japanese and American first graders an unsolvable puzzle to work on in solitude, without the help of other children or a teacher, and compared how long they tried before giving up. The Japanese children spent an average of 13.93 minutes on the puzzle before calling it quits, whereas the American kids spent only 9.47 minutes. Fewer than 27 percent of the American students persisted as long as the average Japanese student — and only 10 percent of the Japanese students gave up as quickly as the average American. Blinco attributes these results to the Japanese quality of persistence.”
― Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

“Um, i-it's Monkfish-Dobujiru Curry."
DOBUJIRO
A hot stew with monkfish as the main ingredient...
it's a recipe that has its roots in the fishing towns of Japan's northern prefectures of Ibaraki and Fukushima.
Curry and monkfish? What a strange pairing.
What on earth is she thinking?
AAAH...
"Now I see! This is why she used monkfish!
The most unique part of Dobujiru is how it is made by first simmering a monkfish liver- the foie gras of the sea- until it dissolves. Miso paste and sake are then added to stretch the liver and form the base of the broth.
But she added curry spices to that...
... to make a "Monkfish-Liver-Curry Miso" base!"
"Who would've dreamed that the deep, sticky richness of the liver would meld so well with curry spices! Mmm! I can feel the warmth seeping through my whole body!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 7 [Shokugeki no Souma 7]

“See, for the Kuri Kinton chestnuts, I used prepackaged boiled sweet potatoes!
I simmered them in some orange juice and then mashed them until they were smooth.
Normal Kuri Kinton use gardenia fruit to give the chestnuts an orange color, but I swapped those out for sweet potatoes and orange juice...
... making mine more of a Joke Kuri Kinton!
The rolled omelet is made of egg and Hanpen fish cakes I found near the Oden ! I blended it all in a food processor with some salt and sugar before cooking it in an omelet pan.
Red-and-White Salad! Seasoning regular salad veggies with salt, sugar and vinegar turns them into a Red-and-White Salad! Salting the veggies ahead of time draws out moisture, making them crispier and allowing them to soak up more sweet vinegar.
Checkered Prosciutto Rolls! I just wrapped some snack-cup precut carrot and daikon sticks in prosciutto strips and voilà! A little honey and mustard dabbed inside the prosciutto works as a glue to hold it all together.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 33 [Shokugeki no Souma 33]

“The Japanese see the seasons as signposts, visible reminders of our own natural rhytms.
In modern life, these often get disrupted, as we extend our days with strong artificial light, interrupt our sensitive biorhytms with blue lights from our electronic devices and push ourselves to be highly productive just because it's another weekday. We push on, regardless of whether our body is trying to tell us it's time to hibernate, or get outside for some summer sunshine - and then we wonder why we get sick.”
― Beth Kempton, Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life

“When I came here, Porcupine was the first to treat me to ice water. To be treated by such a fellow, even if it is so trifling a thing as ice water, affects my honor. I had only one glass then and had him pay only one sen and a half. But one sen or half sen, I shall not die in peace if I accept a favor from a swindler. I will pay it back tomorrow when I go to the school. I borrowed three yen from Kiyo. That three yen is not paid yet to-day, though it is five years since. Not that I could not pay, but that I did not want to. Kiyo never looks to my pocket thinking I shall pay it back by-the-bye. Not by any means. I myself do not expect to fulfill cold obligation like a stranger by meditating on returning it. The more I worry about paying it back, the more I may be doubting the honest heart of Kiyo. It would be the same as traducing her pure mind. I have not paid her back that three yen not because I regard her lightly, but because I regard her as part of myself. Kiyo and Porcupine cannot be compared, of course, but whether it be ice water or tea, the fact that I accept another’s favor without saying anything is an act of good-will, taking the other on his par value, as a decent fellow. Instead of chipping in my share, and settling each account, to receive munificence with grateful mind is an acknowledgment which no amount of money can purchase”
― Natsume Sōseki, Botchan

“No wonder we never see the end of war in the world. Among individuals, it is, after all, the question of superiority of the fist.”
― Natsume Sōseki, Botchan

“You don’t have to sleep if you don’t want to.” - Masao”
― Hidemi Woods, An Old Tree in Kyoto: How a Japanese girl got freedom

“The Japanese bento - pioneered using aluminium boxes in the early twentieth century - offers a structure ideally designed for eating a healthy lunch.”
― Bee Wilson, First Bite: How We Learn to Eat

“ This hollandaise sauce that's been generously drizzled over the whole dish... I can taste yuzu kosho and soy sauce in it.
That's a decidedly Japanese twist on a typically very European sauce!
The heavy savoriness of thick sliced pork grilled to a crusty golden brown...
... balances perfectly with the briskly tart Shio Konbu seaweed and shiso leaves mixed into the rice!
Then there's the centerpiece of his dish, the tempura egg! It's crispy on the outside and delectably soft and gooey on the inside!
Instead of freezing it, he must have poached the egg before deep-frying it this time!
The whites are unbelievably tender, and the soft-boiled yolk is so creamy you might not believed it's cooked!
To batter and deep-fry a poached egg that delicate without crushing it...
... you'd need skill and a touch bordering on the superhuman!
Just how much has he trained?! How hard has he practiced...
... to make this single dish?!
"Sure does take you back, doesn't it? This Eggs Benedict.
I switched the muffin out for some seasoned rice, a family-restaurant staple.
Then there's the poached egg that I deep-fried. Pork chops for the bacon. Japanese-style hollandaise sauce.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 36 [Shokugeki no Souma 36]

“they make love
in the sculptures
on a temple wall”
― Soman Gouda, Seedlings of Light: A Haiku Collection

“i don't know who proposed first
all that i remember is her smile and his shyness
says love”
― Soman Gouda, Seedlings of Light: A Haiku Collection

“tamarind seedling
on a cowdung cake -
green phoenix”
― Soman Gouda, Seedlings of Light: A Haiku Collection

“bodhi tree dreams
of enjoying the picnic
with buddha's family”
― Soman Gouda, Seedlings of Light: A Haiku Collection

“SALSA VERDE.
A sauce made primarily of finely minced Italian parsley and cured anchovies... it is often a garnish for grilled meat or vegetable dishes... and is considered a staple sauce in Italian cuisine.
"What was he thinking? This was supposed to be a Japanese dish! Making something Italian means he automatically fails!"
"No, he does not. This salsa wasn't made from cured anchovies. Instead, it primarily uses uruka, a specific type of shiokara sauce made from sweetfish. *Shiokara is salted, fermented fish viscera.*
Uruka typically requires over a week to make. However, this is an "instant" version, is it not?"
"Correct! Wash sweetfish viscera and boil them in saké for two minutes. Then flavor with soy sauce, salt and mirin. The result is a quickly made, yet still rich and appropriately bitter, uruka.
"Instant uruka?!"
"I didn't know that was possible!"
"That wasn't the only place he was creative. Instead of parsley, he minced Japanese perilla leaves and green onion to give it a bright green color and refreshing kick. And since garlic is hardly used in traditional Japanese cuisine, he chose yuzukosho, a seasoning made from chili peppers, yuzu fruit peels and salt, to give it a distinctly Japanese flavor."
"Exactly. With instant uruka as its base...
... I made a Japanese-style salsa verde!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 3

“Akemi (pronounced Ah-kay-mee- I thought it was one of the most beautiful names I'd ever heard) didn't seem too interested in me; her attention was focused on her movie. Emiko had told me that Akemi was a sophomore, but she barely looked old enough for middle school with her hair tied back in a bow, and pastel kawaii "cute style" ribbons and lace bedazzling her school uniform and backpack.
I hoped Akemi wasn't one of those supposedly innocent girls who the minute she was removed from her family's sight let her hair loose, removed layers of clothing to show off a banging bod, and became a wild party girl. Or maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Wild party-girl Akemi might be a lot more fun than drive-to-school girl Akemi, who hardly had two words to say.”
― Rachel Cohn, My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life

“I thought Hayama's talent lay in the mixing of varied exotic spices to create the perfect fragrance."
"No, his skill is in manipulating fragrance itself. He can do more than just add more spices into his recipes.
In fact, this time he subtracted spices instead. In so doing, he accentuated the freshness and flavor of the in-season pike."
"Uh, I get that much, but, like, how did he manage to get that rich of a fragrance with only one spice?
His dish's impact was on par with Ryo's!"
"Yes! Just searing not give that punch. It is inconceivable!"
"I used kaeshi sauce.
Right before serving, I brushed a thin layer of kaeshi onto the fish slices."
"Kaeshi? Does he mean the ramen soup base?!"
"Kaeshi was mentioned during the Ramen Bout in the Quarterfinals, yes. It seems this time it is being used in a purely Japanese fashion."
"Kaeshi? Like Tsubame-Gaeshi Sword Cut, yes? Kojiro Sasaki Swallow Cut!"
"I'm surprised you're familiar with that sword technique. But no, this is different.
Kaeshi is a mixture of soy sauce, mirin and sake.
It is most often diluted with dashi stock to go with noodles.
It is considered an all-purpose seasoning that can be used in almost any Japanese dish."
"No wonder! Fish meat generally does not brown easily, even when using the high, focused heat of a blowtorch.
But the sugars present in kaeshi make that easier!
It also prevents the heating time from dragging out too long and ruining the freshness of the fish. "
"The fatty acids of the fish mix with the sugars in the kaeshi. Add heat and they will sizzle and boil.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 12 [Shokugeki no Souma 12]

“人類は敵を作らずに愛を作る芸術です”
― P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar

“Water flows from high places to low places. That is the nature of gravity. Emotions also seem to act according to gravity. When in the presence of someone with whom you have a bond, and to whom you have entrusted your feelings, it is hard to lie and get away with it. The truth just wants to come flowing out.”
― Tashikazu Kawaguchi

“I lowered my gaze from the sky to the trees and caught sight of the cast-off skin of a cicada falling to the ground. I'd heard somewhere that cicadas only had a lifespan of a few weeks. Their precious, short life was spent braving the heat of summer, single-mindedly calling out for a mate, then, when they finally stopped singing, they slipped from that tree that had been their home and returned to the ground. They leave behind the only home they've ever known and die.”
― Shōko Tendō, Yakuza Moon: The True Story of a Gangster's Daughter

“Because everyone's, you know, Japanese. You'd have to hate everyone. It feels like everyone's on the same team here.”
― David Shapiro, Supremacist

“Flo n'avait pas l'air conditionné, c'était trop cher, en revanche elle avait beaucoup de livres. Ses étagères en étaient remplies, il n'y restait plus un centimètre libre. Les voir la rassurait et la calmait. Elle en avait lu une majorité, mais il y en avait encore beaucoup à lire, ce qui suscitait chez elle une certaine excitation et lui évoquait un de ses mots préférés en japonais, tsundoku – un terme sans équivalent dans d'autres langues : acheter des livres et les entasser sur une étagère sans les lire.”
― Nick Bradley, The Cat and The City

“White people love you, don't they? They only like me. They think I'm a dainty little china doll with bound feet, a geisha who's ready to please. But I don't talk enough for them to love me, or at least I don't talk the right way. I can't put on the whole sukiyaki-and-sayonara show they love, the chopsticks in the hair kind of mumbo jumbo, all that Suzie Wong bullshit, like every white man who comes along is William Holden or Marlon Brando, even if he looks like Mickey Rooney.”
― Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer

“As soon as the meeting was adjourned, Piper sprang eagerly from her seat and went over to look at the netsuke. Minute scales were precisely carved into a tiny coiled snake. Every whisker appeared on a sleeping calico. A writhing dragon licked flames with his jagged tongue. But the netsuke that fascinated Piper the most was a monkey perched on a rock as it wrestled and held down the tentacles of a small octopus. The hairs of the monkey and the expression on its face were equally detailed. Even the tiny suction cups on the octopus's tentacles could be seen.
"That's one of my favorites."
Piper looked up to see Cryder standing there.
"In the Japanese legend," he continued, "the octopus was a physician to the Dragon King of the Sea and prescribed a monkey's liver to heal the king's daughter. But the smart little monkey evaded capture.”
― Mary Jane Clark, Footprints in the Sand

“Celebrating Valentine's Day is like falling in love with Tokyo all over again.”
― Anthony T. Hincks