#kuromame

[theyshapedlikefriends]

AMUFUN Higemanjyu Zabune

Me-sama (calico) Kuromame (black) Hotoke (gray) Fukunyan (orange)

[edwintse-diary]

September 7 2023 Kuromame Party

[wrecking-man]

Daughter! Hug her!!! 🗣

Poor girl.

REIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!! First daughter! 🗣🗣

It's been so long... 😭

Lol. Lmao even.

[falseandrealultravival]

Flower beans as a New Year's dish (cooking)

Kuromame (black soybeans) is a popular Japanese osechi dish (New Year's dish), but instead of that, we make simmered hanamame beans. Because it tastes good. A large kidney bean with scarlet flowers. In Japan, Nagano Prefecture, which has a high altitude, is the main production area, but recently, products from China are on the market.

Add sugar and salt sparingly to the beans that have been soaked in water for a day and night, and simmer in a pressure cooker at constant pressure for 20 minutes. When the pan has cooled, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve on a plate. With just the right texture, we can enjoy it during the New Year.

正月料理としての花豆（料理）

日本の「おせち料理」（正月料理）として、「黒豆」（黒大豆）はポピュラーだが、我が家ではそれに代わって「花豆」の煮豆を作る。味が良いから。大型のインゲンマメで、花は緋色。日本では高度の高い長野県が主産地だが、最近は中国産が出回っている。

一昼夜水浸させた豆に砂糖、塩をそれぞれ控え目に加え、圧力鍋で定圧後２０分煮る。鍋が冷めたらシナモンを振り、皿に盛る。適度な舌触りで、正月中楽しめる。

　(2023.01.03)

[ask-kuromame]

Kuromame!

Hello.

[faburin]

grumpy kuromame hehe

[miniminiujb]

Serei como você!

Mihawk Pai x filho Leitor Masculino (male reader)

Você sempre teve uma admiração pelo pai e sonhava em seguir seus passos como espadachim. Havia ouvido histórias sobre as incríveis habilidades de Mihawk e seu legado como um dos maiores espadachins dos Sete Mares.

"Oi, pai!" Você exclamou com entusiasmo. "Posso passar o dia com você e aprender algumas coisas?"

Mihawk, como um homem de poucas palavras, assentiu com a cabeça e convidou você a entrar. O castelo era uma imponente estrutura, cheia de tesouros e armaduras daquelas que foram derrotadas por Mihawk ao longo dos anos.

Vocês caminharam juntos pelos corredores escuros e passaram por várias salas cheias de armas antigas e mapas do Grand Line. Enquanto exploravam, Mihawk explicava a você as histórias por trás de cada uma das lâminas.

Após essa pequena excursão, Mihawk decidiu que era hora de mostrar algumas técnicas de esgrima para você. Vocês se dirigiram ao enorme jardim dos fundos, onde imensas rochas serviam como alvos para os treinos de Mihawk.

O primeiro exercício era observar e aprender. Mihawk agarrou sua espada e começou a duelar com um manequim de madeira. Sua agilidade e precisão eram de tirar o fôlego. Você assistia com olhos arregalados, tentando absorver cada movimento.

"Essa é a Kuromame!" Mihawk exclamou, desferindo um golpe fatal no manequim. "O golpe mais poderoso do meu repertório."

Você ficou maravilhado com o poder destrutivo que seu pai possuía, mas também sentiu um arrepio passar pela espinha. Você começou a perceber o quão longo e desafiador seria o caminho para se tornar um espadachim tão habilidoso quanto Mihawk.

Depois de uma breve pausa, Mihawk olhou para você e disse com seriedade: "A verdadeira essência da espada não reside apenas na força física, mas também na elegância do movimento e na paciência para esperar o momento certo para atacar."

Inspirado pelas palavras do pai, você decidiu tentar. Segurando uma espada de madeira, ele começou a treinar seus movimentos, repetindo incessantemente as dicas e técnicas que Mihawk lhe dava.

O dia foi passando e, à medida que o sol se punha no horizonte, pai e filho continuavam a treinar juntos. Mihawk estava orgulhoso de como você estava progredindo, e você admirava a determinação de seu pai e sua dedicação à arte da espada.

Ao cair da noite, Mihawk e você voltaram para o castelo. Sentados à mesa do jantar, você compartilharam histórias e risadas, fortalecendo ainda mais o vínculo familiar que os unia.

Enquanto se preparavam para dormir, Mihawk colocou a mão em seu ombro e disse: "Você tem muito potencial, meu filho. Continue treinando e nunca perca de vista seus objetivos."

"Eu sei pai, vou me tornar tão forte quanto você".

[cielphantomhive321]

“I prefer to have my nightmares with open eyes.”

Original artist: https://www.zerochan.net/Kuromame+%28km960%29

[chuck-snowbug]

Royal Milk Teas: 2021-2022

1. feat. Karelian pasty with Lingonberry, Persimmon & Almond - December 2021

2. feat. Almond, Banana, Persimmon, “Moomin Valley Park” Sweets & Yogurt - December 2021

3. feat. Banana, Kuromame, Strawberry & Custard Pudding - February 2022

4. feat. Yogurt & Chocolate Sweets - November 2022

Previous Post:

https://chuck-snowbug.tumblr.com/post/671847221076033536

[edwintse-diary]

September 6 2023 Kuromame's birthday

[wrecking-man]

LOOOOOOOOM

Kuromame on the window sill.

She's got a point, lmao... But a small child of 8 or 9 years wouldn't do such a thing, right...?

Mira, you're scaring her!

She's grown so much. I love her!

[aishiteru-kenshin]

Japanese New Year Tradition: Osechi Ryōri

In Japan, starting off the New Year is more about spending time with family than it is about partying. It's a time of year when people go back to their home towns, pay their first visit to the local shrine, and sit down to some traditional food. And food doesn't get more traditional than osechi ryōri. The tradition behind osechi ryōri (お節料理) goes back centuries, to the Heian period (794-1185). Ritual offerings of food used to be presented to the gods on sechinichi, or days that marked the changing of the seasons according to traditional Chinese almanacs that were used during this time. The most important sechinichi, of course, was the day that marked the beginning of the New Year. On this day, special dishes were offered to various deities, and also eaten by members of courtly society. Over the centuries, these traditions made their way to the rest of society, and by the Edo period (1603-1868), they were being practiced commonly around Japan. They combined with other beliefs, notably that on the first days of the New Year, any kind of work — including cooking — was to be avoided. There are two competing theories as to why this was the case. One was that the gods shouldn’t be disturbed by the sounds of cooking on the first days of the year, and the other is simply that the beginning of the year was meant to be a time of rest, when everyone — particularly the women of the household, who did most of the work around the home in those days — could enjoy a well-deserved break. In the beginning, osechi was quite simple food — vegetables boiled in soy sauce and vinegar — but over the centuries, more and more types of food were added to the osechi ryōri lineup, turning it into a much more elaborate affair. Almost all of these dishes have a special meaning, related either to the name of the food in Japanese or to its appearance or other special characteristics. These are some of the most commonly eaten dishes, and their associated meanings: Kuromame (黒豆)     Black beans are meant to be a symbol of health, with the associated idea that the person who eats them will be able work hard in the year to come. Kazunoko (数の子)     This dish is herring roe, but the symbolism is connected both to the large number of tiny eggs, and to the meaning of the Japanese words. Kazu means “number” in Japanese, and “ko” means “children.” The wish behind this item is that the next year will bring many children. For an extra layer of meaning, look to the name of the fish in Japanese: the word for herring is nishin, and if it’s written with an alternate set of kanji (二親), it means “two parents.” Tazukuri (田作り)     This dish is sardines boiled in soy sauce. Historically, sardines were used to fertilise rice fields, and this word means “rice field maker” in Japanese. Symbolically, this food is eaten in the hopes that the coming year’s harvest will be plentiful. Kohaku Kamaboko (紅白かまぼこ)     Kamaboko is a kind of fish cake, and kohaku means red and white. The colours represent Japan (most easily found on the country’s flag), and are generally considered to be good luck. According to some, the red colour is meant to prevent evil spirits, while white represents purity. Incidentally, Kohaku Uta Gassen is one of the most popular TV shows that Japanese people watch on New Year’s Eve, and it’s a singing competition between two teams comprising of the most popular singers in Japan — the white (male singers) and the red (female singers). Datemaki (伊達巻)      This is an omelette mixed with mashed shrimp or hanpen (fish paste). It tastes a little bit different from the tamagoyaki that you might be used to, but it’s rolled into a similar shape, which happens to look like a scroll from the side. That’s why this particular food is associated with learning and scholarship. Kurikinton (栗きんとん)     These are sweet dumplings that are made from chestnuts. Because they’re yellow in colour, they’re associated with gold, and eating them is meant to bring financial prosperity in the year to come. Kobu (昆布)     This is a type of seaweed, and this word is closely connected to the word yorokobu, or happiness, which is what this food is meant to bring in the New Year. Tai (鯛)     Sea bream; the symbolic meaning here is something of a play on words. Tai is part of the Japanese word medetai, meaning happy or joyous. This fish is often eaten on special occasions, and it’s one of the dishes that is served as okuizome, the traditional food that a baby is fed about 100 days after he or she is born. In osechi, it’s meant to bring joy and happiness in the new year. Shrimp (海老)     The kanji for shrimp mean “old man of the sea,” playing on the sea creature’s bent back and antenna that look like whiskers. This food is meant to bring longevity. Satoimo (里芋)     Also known as taro root, this dish is eaten in the hopes that the family will be blessed with many children — just like many small taro tubers grow off of the main tuber. Renkon (蓮根)     Known as lotus root in English, this vegetable has very distinctive holes when it is cut in cross sections. Because you can see clearly when you look through these holes, this food is eaten in the hopes of having a future with no obstacles — or at the very least, obstacles that you can see clearly. Just as it goes with any tradition, not every dish is eaten at every household, and some dishes fall out of favour over time – sometimes because younger people don’t particularly enjoy eating them, or because tastes change. (One newish item that you’ll find in osechi ryōri spreads, although it doesn’t have any special meaning yet, is roast beef.) The osechi dishes are, for the most part, served in elegant lacquer boxes known as jubako. Some families prepare the osechi themselves, while others choose to order theirs from department stores or convenience stores. For those who wish to purchase a beautifully crafted osechi for their New Year’s celebrations, department stores like Takashimaya and Keio stores offer fantastic options — though they certainly don’t come cheap!

[tamapalace]

Amazon Japan Drops Anniversary Party Friends Details!

Now that Ginjirotchi has been announced as the winner of the final character for the TamaSma card and special set, Bandai Japan has released more information about the upcoming release. We’ve got our hands on the official character sprites, meals, snacks, items, accessories, watch faces, rooms, and of course the mini game!

First off the characters in their pixelated form are adorable, look at Pochitchi in modern color pixelated form! What an icon. Meals include a party platter, KuroMame bread, Chamametchi bento box, and ben ben bagel. Snacks include a 25th anniversary party cake, masked melon, shuriken okapi, and a kiki banana. Items include Dorikawa cards, Pochitchi car, Akaspetchi and Pipospetchi plushes, and a dream microphone.

The accessories are adorable. They include 25th anniversary party glasses, a dream party ribbon, Yume Kira Bag, and Gotchi balloons which include planet earth! Three adorable watch faces to rock on your Tamagotchi Smart which are all about a party, and Earth which is the perfect mix of celebration and vintage.

There four rooms are party room, present room, neon room, and space room. The mini game is cute too, you’ll need to take a picture of the memorable event of the Tamagotchi King at the celebration by adjusting the shutter timing.

Bandai Japan has also included some images of the gameplay which is adorable! Who’s excited to pet Ginjirotchi? This TamaSma card is definitely one you need for your collection! Preorders should be available real soon, and we’ve heard they are popping up on Amazon Japan already.

[sugar-stories]

Happy New Year!

(Pictured above: my homemade osechi ryouri New Year’s meal for 2023! Left box contains kurikinton, kuromame, namasu, kamaboko, shrimp, datemaki, kobumaki. Right box contains nishime.)

Hope 2023 is treating you all well so far! ♥️ I got some unexpected but exciting commissions irl that are taking up a lot of my free time, but here’s how progress (??) is going on fics so far!

Wrote about 7k words of Strange Bedfellows chapter 4…and then edited out about 2k of that, because I realized it was messing with the pacing of the martial arts portion. (Gotta have those wacky martial arts, right???) About half of the scenes I took out will probably be re-edited and shuffled back in later, where they won’t slow down the action.

Reworked some of Here Comes the Bribe’s outline to make the climactic battle slightly more…climactic. 😅

Writing is such a process! It always takes me four times as long to do because I nitpick as I go, and/or spend 38 minutes to write one (1) sentence. I don’t talk about this much, but it’s also a constant uphill battle against my own brain. I’m diagnosed with (and being treated for) ADHD, but even with medication and counseling, it’s sometimes hard for me to get things done in a timely manner, especially the things outside the scope of my day-to-day work. BUT I don’t say this as an excuse, or because I want to be pitied or anything like that. I say it because I’m going to keep chugging through at my own pace despite the hurdles both internal and external, and I hope that it also encourages you to take things one day at a time, do the best you can given your own circumstances, and be patient and forgiving to yourself as you work towards your goals in 2023! Take a moment to appreciate yourself if you’ve read this far, okay?!

[nanchan-night-owl]

The Encounter

Japanese original by Shunya Shiraishi, September 29, 2022

While “Poison Berry in My Brain” was playing on stage, my home was a mess.  Things like printed A4 copies and plastic bags from convenient stores were tumbled onto the floor.  Clothes were spilling out like a waterfall from the washer.  Kuromame tea left a stain and almost-empty plastic bottles were scattered on the dining table.  Dishes with surface grease and grime were barely washed off with water only and piled up in the kitchen sink.  Since it wouldn’t be a surprise if any harmful bug might come out of this crazy house, I have decided to hire housekeepers.  They have such faithful personality that even no one gave them any assignment, they inspected the house from corner to corner in a 24-hour shift.  Thanks to them, let alone cockroaches, not even small flies appeared anywhere.  Their name is Adanson’s house jumper.  It is a common species of small black jumping spider found in most Japanese households named after the naturalist Adanson. In other words, they are house spiders.

Due to my work, I don’t have a healthy daily lifestyle.  But only when working a stage performance, I have a daily routine.  My meals are always taken at certain times. I get a restful sleep because I must move and will get tired.  Although it’s a very healthy and stable lifestyle, a part of me suddenly felt trapped like birds without feathers.  And “thanks” to the yet-still-popular coronavirus, basically I cannot go out much.  Having some communication with two Adanson’s house jumpers can serve as a little healing therapy.  It reminded me of a TV show or something of which a prisoner who stayed alone in jail for a long time secretly kept a cockroach as a pet. When the roach died, he was so sad that he cried.  

This September Toei offered me an appearance on their YouTube because it was the 10th year anniversary of Kamen Rider Wizard, of which I played the lead.  I was worried about what to talk about nowadays on the program.  But if the main cast could gather, I told them I would love to join it.  I didn’t remember exactly the last time we met. It was THAT long time ago.  When I was as young as 20 years old, when we were still literally kids, having spent a year and a half together as buddies meant nothing but special memories.  Nuh. Not just that.  Even we worked close together for a long period of time, not one person has ever once had a negative feeling about each other.  They were all so nice!  Despite being at the age who would be aggressive and would sideline someone, they all supported me as the lead.  They all have cooperated for the purpose of making an interesting work.  Since I have had a slight feeling of wanting to blame myself for not providing a regular gathering opportunity to these lovable buddies, I truly appreciate the passionate support from Toei who offered this opportunity and from Kamen Rider fans.

The YouTube recording was on September 2nd, that day my stage only played matinee. It was unbelievably the exact date of the 10th year anniversary.  The recording included Makoto Okunaka, Tasuku, Yuko Takayama and me. Four of us.  Another main cast member Junki Tozuka who was acting for a stage in a different prefecture joined us via video.  It was a bummer that we couldn’t meet Junki in person, but it was an emotional moment being that 10 years have passed since we were altogether. As we recalled the real events then, those feelings came back to life. Whatever we had not talked about in the past, gaps were filled and answers were checked.  It was a wonderful time.  That night I was carried away by all kinds of memories.  I didn’t know why but I had a hard time falling asleep.

On the other hand, Tokyo performance of “Poison Berry in My Brain” at Meiji-za, which has continued since last month end, has finally come to an end.  Although I had a day off, in order to bring my flying squirrel to my friend’s house for pet-sitting, I cleaned the cage.  I was also busy washing three loads of clothes.  I entrusted the housekeeping task to the Adanson’s house jumpers and hurried to Osaka performance.  I checked in at a long-established hotel not far from the theater.  A hotel which has spectacular cleaning service contrasted to my own home.  And I started my hotel living there for a while. Laying down in bed while trying to reply to cumulative messages on my LINE app, I received some unexpected information.  Believe it or not, Junki Tozuka, who we couldn’t meet the other day, was currently staying at the same hotel!  His stage in Osaka was at the theater next door. Their schedule also mirrored ours. Immediately I reached out to him.

One morning, Junki and I met up at the breakfast hall in the hotel.  Since we both had a stage to perform, we learned to behave at breakfast. The once-abandoned buffet style due to COVID has now been revived.  A queue was formed at the breakfast hall.  While I was busy getting a table, Junki came.  He showed me a sentimental expression suitable for our reunion, but I simply replied with a “long time no see” in a considerably flat tone as I struggled to secure us a table.  Junki and I and other actors at his stage who I have known and gotten along with ended up sitting altogether and enjoyed the buffet. I felt bad to others, yet I couldn’t help but kept talking to Junki.  We talked about what has been going on lately to what has happened at the recent YouTube recording.  Then we discussed our near future.  Little less than two hours ended quickly in no time.  As long as I live, this kind of strange twist of fate can come along like a reward.

I returned to my dirty home lined with lots of hang dry laundry.  I folded the dried clothes and reluctantly started cleaning my room full of never-ending mess.  There was no indication of any pest.  Not sure if the house spiders have finished their work, but they were nowhere in sight. After spending a whole day cleaning, my room has become quite presentable.  I jumped to the shower.  Then when I opened the closet to get my pajamas, a tiny black thing as small as dust walked across the closet door.  It wasn’t an Adanson’s house jumper.  It’s too small.  Who are you? Don’t tell me you are a newborn cockroach.  Because it would be a hassle.  

Adanson’s house jumpers! Did you guys slack off at work while I was away?  Hey, spiders! Where are you?  I was yelling at them in my mind.  However, they were not there.  I took a piece of Kleenex and chased after that tiny black thing.  It’s there!  In order to make sure I could catch it, I approached slowly.  As if it sensed danger, that thing jumped and escaped from me.  Wait.  Did it just jump?  What?!  It was a newborn Adanson’s house jumper, Jr.