Japanese Food TypesSUSHI: Sushi is a typical Japanese food with over a thousand years of history and tradition. It has become perhaps the most visible example of Japanese cuisine in other countries. Consists of cold cooked rice dressed with vinegar that is shaped into bite-sized pieces and topped with raw or cooked fish, or formed into a roll with fish, egg, or vegetables and wrapped in seaweed or stuffed in a small tofu pouch.

Makizushi(rolled sushi)

The most comon rolled type of sushi is maki. Usually a cylindrical piece, formed with the help of a woven bamboo mat, called a makisu. Makizushi is the form of sushi with which many Westerners are most familiar. Makizushi is generally wrapped in nori, a sheet of dried seaweed that encloses the rice and fillings. There are other forms of rolled sushi that are all in the maki family as described below.

Futomaki(large rolls)

A large cylindrical piece, with the nori on the outside. Typical futomaki are two or three centimeters thick and four or five centimeters wide. They are often made with two or three fillings, chosen for their complementary taste and color.

Hosomaki(thin rolls)

A small cylindrical piece, with the nori on the outside. Typical hosomaki are about two centimeters thick and two centimeters wide. They are generally made with only one filling

Nigirizushi(hand-formed sushi)

Small pieces nominally similar to pressed sushi or rolled sushi, but made without using a makisu or oshibako. Assembling nigirizushi is surprisingly difficult to do well. The simplest form is a small block of sushi rice with a speck of wasabi and a thin slice of a topping draped over it, possibly tied up with a thin band of nori.

Gunkanzushi(battleship roll)

A small, oval-shaped piece, similar in size and appearance to hosomaki. A clump of rice is hand-wrapped in a strip of nori, but instead of a filling in the center, it has some ingredient such as fish eggs piled on top.

TEMPURA Tempura was introduced to Japan in the mid-sixteenth century by Portuguese [5] Jesuits,[6] during the same period that panko and such dishes as tonkatsu were also introduced from Portugal Tempura are battered and deep-fried vegetables, seafood, and so on. They are best served hot with tempura dipping sauce or salt. Grated daikon radish is a common condiment to put in the sauce. If you know some tips, it's not so hard to make delicious tempura at home. All ingredients can be found easily at your local grocery stores. Actually, you can make tempura with various ingredients. Common Ingredients are shrimp, squid, green bell pepper, eggplant, sweet potatoes, potatoes, kabocha, carrot, mushrooms, shiso (perilla), and so on.

Kimono

Originally, "kimono" was the Japanese word for clothing. But in more recent years, the word has been used to refer specifically to traditional Japanese clothing. Kimonos as we know them today came into being during the Heian period (794-1192).

From the Nara period (710-794) until then, Japanese people typically wore either ensembles consisting of separate upper and lower garments (trousers or skirts), or one-piece garments. But in the Heian period, a new kimono-making technique was developed. Known as the straight-line-cut method, it involved cutting pieces of fabric in straight lines and sewing them together. With this technique, kimono makers did not have to concern themselves with the shape of the wearer's body.

Straight-line-cut kimonos offered many advantages. They were easy to fold. They were also suitable for all weather: They could be worn in layers to provide warmth in winter, and kimonos made of breathable fabric such as linen were comfortable in summer. These advantages helped kimonos become part of Japanese people's everyday lives.

Nowadays, Japanese people rarely wear kimonos in everyday life, reserving them for such occasions as weddings, funerals, tea ceremonies, or other special events, such as summer festivals.

HOW TO PUT ON A KIMONO:

1. Center the back seam of the kimono behind you and put it on.

2. Take the right side of the kimono and wrap it across your body, overlapping it with the left side.

3. Adjust the collar, if you put on an eri-sugata, so that it just shows under the neck of the kimono

4. Pull the kimono up, so that it rests just at your ankles. As you hold the extra material right above your waist, tie the first obi belt, called the koshi-himo, under the extra material. Wrap the belt around your back and tie it in the front.

5. Straighten out any extra material so that the kimono is smooth.

A Wagasa, Traditional Japanese umbrellas

The History of Japanese Wagasa Umbrellas

Wagasa or Japanese umbrellas were first introduced to Japan from China at the beginning of the

Heian period (794-1185). The earliest form of wagasa umbrellas was quite different from the

traditional Japanese umbrellas of today. They looked more like a straw hat and cape, and were worn

less for rain protection than as a way to protect members of the imperial family and aristocrats from

sunlight and evil spirits. However, by the late 14th century umbrellas had developed to the point

where they looked much like the ones we know today.

By the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868) umbrella production had developed into a series of

craft processes, and production rapidly rose as umbrellas became a popular possession of the

common people. Until that time, the common people protected themselves from the rain with straw

hats and capes.

We take folding umbrellas for granted today but the innovation and craft skills required for such a

structure is rare among Japanese craft traditions.

 

Historically, Japanese umbrellas have also long been a popular fashion accessory. Though practical

tools for protection from rain and sunlight, they also had to be attractive and stylish as fashion was

a major industry in Japan from the middle of the Edo period onwards. Many Edo-period paintings

depict beautiful women in gorgeous kimono with a fashionable umbrella in hand.

 

For centuries, Japanese umbrellas have also been an essential accessory for Japanese tea ceremony,

kabuki and other important forms of traditional Japanese culture. Traditional umbrellas were

designed and produced for all kinds of people and situations. Certainly Japan is one of the only

countries in the world that can claim to have such an old and original umbrella culture.

The Life of a Elementary School Pupil in Japan

Directions: Skim the book and learn about what life is like for a Japanese elementary school student.

CHINESE HAND FANS

Like the brush pen or chopsticks, the Chinese hand fans are also an important symbol of China and one that has played an important cultural role since ancient times.

When exactly the Chinese invented hand fans is not recorded. But we do know that it was rather a discovery of the fanning function. It all started when a farmer was irritated by lots of flies and mosquitoes, he was so frustrated that he picked a big leaf with a long stem from a plant close by to drive the pests away. To his delight, his effort resulted in cooling air movements. Hence, the hand fan was invented.

It wasn't long before Asian hand fans were used in many of the imperial ceremonies and today's in many international performances that represents the Chinese tradition. More than 3,000 years ago, Chinese hand fans were made with bird's feather, which gave them more graceful and heavenly phoenixes appearance when incorporated with dance movements at imperial ceremony.

Fans become very popular in during 202 B.C.-204 A.D. in the Han Dynasty. They handles were made out of bamboo from the Central China's Hunan Province, while the best fan has surface of white silk from East China’s Shan-Dong Province.

Other then feather and silk fans, laborers used big round fans made out of grass in the summer to help to keep them cool. And in the society of aristocrats and scholars, fans were made from fine paper mounted on bamboo. Aristocrats and scholars found it interesting to paint their poetic and artistic expression on the surface. Those fans with a famous artist's painting or calligraphy would be highly prized.

Fans of aristocrats and scholars became more as a decorative tool and a symbol for them rather then the purpose of keeping them cool. They would also often wave their fans to show off their grace when composing or thinking about poetry. When fan were not used, they were concealed inside the sleeves or hung from the waist.

Today, modern oriental hand fans come in all kind of styles and material, with sandalwood fan being the most popular. Ladies who hold it gracefully in her hand are seen with elegance and femininity. This is because of its outstanding characteristic and its distinct scent coming for the wood. This subtle fragrance gives the holder an enchanting and refreshing feeling where no expensive perfume can offer.

Hand fans today are rarely use for fashion purposes throughout China, but ladies still carry them in their handbag for cooling purposes in summer and also for performances of the traditional hand fan dance.

CHINESE MONEYThe economy of Asia comprises more than 4.2 billion people (60% of the world population) living in 46 different countries. Asia is the world's fastest growing economic region. China is the largest economy in Asia and the second largest economy in the world.

As in all world regions, the wealth of Asia differs widely between, and within, states. This is due to its vast size, meaning a huge range of differing cultures, environments, historical ties and government systems. The largest economies in Asia in terms of both nominal and PPP gross domestic product (GDP) are the China, Japan, Russia, India, South Korea, Indonesia, and Turkey.

Wealth (if measured by GDP per capita) is mostly concentrated in east Asian territories and are listed as followed Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei, and Taiwan, as well in oil rich countries as listed as followed Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kuwait, and Oman with a notable exception being in Israel which lies in the territory of Asia despite being not counted as such also is a very considerably wealthy. Asia, with the exception of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, is currently undergoing rapid growth and industrialization spearheaded by China and India - the two fastest growing major economies in the world. While east Asian and southeast Asian countries generally rely on manufacturing and trade for growth, countries in the Middle East depend more on the production of commodities, principally oil, for economic growth. Over the years, with rapid economic growth and large trade surplus with the rest of the world, Asia has accumulated over US$4 trillion of foreign exchange reserves - more than half of the world's total.

The Renminbi (Chinese: 人民币) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is the legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong and Macau. It is abbreviated as RMB, and the units for the Renminbi are the Yuan (元), Jiao (角), and Fen (分): 1 Yuan = 10 Jiao = 100 Fen. Fen have almost disappeared, so the coins in circulation are one yuan, one jiao, and five jiao. Banknotes range from one jiao to one hundred yuan, and vary both in size and colour. The distinction between the Renminbi and the Yuan is similar to the distinction between the British Sterling and Pound. Renminbi refers to the whole Chinese money system whereas Yuan is the base unit of Renminbi. Yuan is used to denominate bills, and is the unit in which prices are measured.

Coke: American Pop Culture in China

From fashion trends to Hollywood, American pop culture has heavily influenced traditional Chinese culture over the past several decades.

Fast Food

food

The fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is the most recognized global brand among consumers in China. In a country that was a stranger to Western fast-food chains, the company capitalized on the novelty and luxury of an American restaurant combined with convenience to win the loyalty of Chinese customers. KFC has even created a popular icon mascot named Chicky, a fluffy chicken, to gain the affection of children.

FASHIONWestern clothing began to become popular in China in the late 19th century and early 20th century. In the late 70s when communist clothing standards began to disappear, Western pop culture influenced clothing like jeans and novelty T-shirts to become popular among Chinese youth. As of July 2010, American brands like Adidas and Nike dominate the Chinese sneaker market, and Beijing now has its own Western-style fashion week showcasing the talent of various international top designers.

MUSICSimilar to how China’s fashion scene was influenced by Western pop culture, the Chinese music scene began to erupt as an aftermath of the country’s cultural revolution. Peter Foster of London’s Daily Telegraph wrote in November 2009 that China’s rising alternative rock scene is highly influenced by Western bands such as the Clash and the Cure. Modern Chinese pop, known as C-Pop; is heavily influenced by Western pop music as well.

Hollywood

According to the official website of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Hollywood movies such as the Harry Potter series and Finding Nemo are extremely popular among Chinese youth. Technically spectacular Western movies lure Chinese viewers in greater numbers than locally produced movies. Additionally, Chinese actors such as Jackie Chan and Zhang Zhiyun Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon are highly acclaimed in China because of their Hollywood status.

VOLCANIC ASH

The archipelago of Indonesia consists of more than 13,000 islands, spread over an area that is similar in size to that of the continental United States. It is the country with the greatest number and density of active volcanoes.

Most volcanoes in Indonesia belong to the Sunda Volcanic Arc, streching over 3,000 kilometers from NW Sumatra to the Banda Sea. This volcanic arc results from the subduction of Indian Ocean crust beneath the Asian Plate and includes 76% of the region's volcanoes. To the NNW, the basaltic volcanism of the Andaman Islands results from short spreading centers, and to the east the Banda Arc reflects Pacific Ocean crust subducted westward. North of this arc, the tectonic setting is much more complex: several fragments of plates are converging  to form multiple subduction zones, mainly oriented N-S. These produce the Sulawesi-Sangihe volcanoes on the west and Haimahera on the east of the collision zone.

Indonesia leads the world in many volcano statistics. It has the largest number of historically active volcanoes (76), its total of 1,171 dated eruptions is only narrowly exceeded by Japan's 1,274, although not much is know about the volcanic activity in the time before European colonialists arrived from the 15th century on. Indonesia has suffered the highest numbers of eruptions producing fatalities, damage to arable land, mudflows, tsunamis, domes, and pyroclastic flows. Four-fifths of Indonesian volcanoes with dated eruptions have erupted in this century.

Two of the most devastating volcanic eruptinos in historic time took place in Indonesia: the enormous eruption of Tambora in 1815,- the largest known eruption of the world during historical times,- had such far-reaching effects on the climate that for instance Europe was to experience 1816 as the year without summer. In 1883, the disastrous eruption of Krakatau carved itself deeply into the collective memory of mankind. The eruption of Krakatau was followed by severe tsunamis that killed about 30-40,000 people.

In 1920, a volcano survey was established by the Dutch-led government, leading to much improved volcano monitoring and reporting. The Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (VSI) now operates a network of 64 volcano observatories continuously monitoring 59 volcanoes.

TERRA COTTA WARRIORS

The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BC and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife, and to make sure that he had people to rule over.

The figures, dating from 3rd century BC, were discovered in 1974 by some local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

The figures vary in height according to their roles, with the tallest being the generals. The figures include warriors, chariots and horses. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pits near by Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum.[1] Other terracotta non-military figures were also found in other pits and they include officials, acrobats, strongmen and musicians.

The terracotta army figures were manufactured in workshops by government laborers and by local craftsmen, and the material used to make the terracotta warriors originated on Mount Li. The head, arms, legs and torsos were created separately and then assembled.[19] Studies show that eight face moulds were most likely used, and then clay was added to provide individual facial features.[20] Once assembled, intricate features such as facial expressions were added. It is believed that their legs were made in much the same way that terracotta drainage pipes were manufactured at the time. This would make it an assembly line production, with specific parts manufactured and assembled after being fired, as opposed to crafting one solid piece and subsequently firing it. In those times of tight imperial control, each workshop was required to inscribe its name on items produced to ensure quality control. This has aided modern historians in verifying that workshops that once made tiles and other mundane items were commandeered to work on the terracotta army. Upon completion, the terracotta figures were placed in the pits in precise military formation according to rank and duty.

The terracotta figures are life-sized. They vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank. Most originally held real weapons such as spears, swords, or crossbows. The figures were also originally painted with bright pigments, variously coloured in pink, red, green, blue, black, brown, white and lilac.[21][22] The coloured lacquer finish, individual facial features, and actual weapons used in producing these figures created a realistic appearance. Most of the original weapons were thought to have been looted shortly after the creation of the army, or have rotted away, and the colour coating has flaked off or greatly faded. However, their existence serves as a testament to the amount of labor and skill involved in their construction.

MONARCHY OF THAILANDThe Monarchy of Thailand (also referred to as the King of Thailand or historically as King of Siam) (Thai: พระมหากษัตรยิไ์ทย) refers to the constitutional monarchy and monarch of the Kingdom of Thailand (formerly Siam). The King of Thailand is the head of state and head of the ruling Royal House of Chakri. The king's power is limited to being a symbolic figurehead, but the institution commands the respect and reverence of the Thai people.[1]

The current monarch of Thailand is His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The king has reigned since 9 June 1946, making him the world's longest reigning current monarch and the world’s longest serving head of state. Most of the king's powers are exercised by his elected government in accordance with the current post-coup constitution. The king still retains many powers such as: being head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, the prerogative of royal assent and the power of pardon. He is also the defender of the Buddhist faith in Thailand.

The Thai monarchy has been in continuous existence since the founding of the Kingdom of Sukhothai in 1238. The institution reached its current constitutional form in 1932 after a coup revolution, which ended the absolute monarchy. The monarchy's official residence is the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. However the present king spends most of his time at the Chitralada Palace (also in Bangkok) and the Klai Kangwon Villa in Hua Hin.

King Bhumibol is respected[3][4] and revered by many Thais.[5] The King is legally considered "inviolable" and lèse majesté, that is offence against the dignity of the monarch, may be punished.[5]

Bhumibol is credited with a social-economic theory of self-sufficiency. His personal wealth is tremendous: Forbes estimated Bhumibol's personal fortune, including property managed by the Crown Property Bureau which is considered national property,[9] to be US$30 billion in 2010, and he has been consistently placed at number one of the magazine's list of "The World's Richest Royals".[10][11] The Crown Property Bureau spends money on public welfare such as youth development, however it does not pay taxes and its finances are reported only to Bhumibol.[12] Bhumibol himself has made donations to numerous development projects in Thailand, in areas including agriculture, environment, public health, occupational promotion, water resources, communications and public welfare.[13] Commemoration of Bhumibol's contributions to Thailand are ubiquitous in the Thai media.[14]

GANESHA AND HINDUISM

Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the importance of Ganesha, but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in the minds of the masses. All Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief,” says D N Singh in A Study of Hinduism. “He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus.”

The Lord of SuccessThe son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja.

Significance of the Ganesha FormGanesha’s head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha’s left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.

The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.

How Ganesha Got His HeadThe story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy’s head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name ‘Ganapati’. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.

However, there’s another less popular story of his origin, found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana: Shiva asked Parvati to observe the punyaka vrata for a year to appease Vishnu in order to have a son. When a son was born to her, all the gods and goddesses assembled to rejoice on its birth. Lord Shani, the son of Surya (Sun-God), was also present but he refused to look at the infant. Perturbed at this behaviour, Parvati asked him the reason, and Shani replied that his looking at baby would harm the newborn. However, on Parvati’s insistence when Shani eyed the baby, the child’s head was severed instantly. All the gods started to bemoan, whereupon Vishnu hurried to the bank of river Pushpabhadra and brought back the head of a young elephant, and joined it to the baby’s body, thus reviving it.

FAT BUDDHA

Budai (Chinese: 布袋; pinyin: Bùdài), or Hotei in Japanese,[1] Bố Đại in Vietnamese, is a Chinese folkloric deity. His name means "Cloth Sack,"[1][2] and comes from the bag that he is conventionally depicted as carrying. He is usually identified with (or as an incarnation of) Maitreya, so much so that the Budai image is one of the main forms in which Maitreya is depicted in East Asia.[2] He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the Laughing Buddha (Chinese: 笑佛).[1][3] Many Westerners confuse Budai with Gautama Buddha.

Budai is traditionally depicted as a fat bald man wearing a robe[3][4] and wearing or otherwise carrying prayer beads. He carries his few possessions in a cloth sack,[3] being poor but content. He is often depicted entertaining or being followed by adoring children. His figure appears throughout Chinese culture as a representation of contentment.[3] His image graces many temples,

restaurants, amulets, and businesses.

According to Chinese history, Budai was an eccentric Chán monk (Chinese: 禅; pinyin: chán)[1] who lived in China during the Later Liang Dynasty (907–923 CE). He was a native of Fenghua, and his Buddhist name was Qieci (Chinese: 契此; pinyin: qiècǐ; literally "Promise this").[1] He was considered a man of good and loving character.

The term buddha means "one who is awake", connoting one who has awakened into enlightenment. Over the history of Buddhism, there have been several notable figures who would come to be remembered as, and referred to as, buddhas. Later followers of the Chan school would come to teach that all beings possess Buddha nature within them, and are already enlightened, but have yet to realize it. This teaching would continue into Zen.

Budai is often conflated with (or simply replaces) the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, in spite of the distinct visual differences in how each has been depicted. In India, Nepal, and throughout southeast Asia, Gautama (who lived during the 6th c. BCE) is commonly depicted as being tall and slender in appearance. In contrast, in China and those areas to which Chinese cultural influence spread, the depiction of Budai (who lived during the 10th c. CE) is consistently short and round. Both depictions are the idealized results of the religious, cultural and folkloric traditions which evolved in the centuries after their respective deaths.

BUDDHIST HOLIDAYS

Buddhism is practiced differently in different countries, sects and traditions.

There are many special or holy days held throughout the year by the Buddhist community. Many of these days celebrate the birthdays of Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana tradition or other significant dates in the Buddhist calendar. The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has become to be known as Buddha Day.

Buddhist Festivals are always joyful occasions. Typically on a festival day, lay people will go the the local temple or monastery and offer food to the monks and take the Five Precepts and listen to a Dharma talk. In the afternoon, they distribute food to the poor to make merit, and in the evening perhaps join in a ceremony of circumambulation of a stupa three times as a sign of respect to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. The day will conclude with evening chanting of the Buddha's teachings and meditation.  * The Thai Buddhist Calendar (similar if not the same as the Laotian and Cambodian). Some holy days are specific to a particular Buddhist tradition or ethnic group (as above). There are two aspects to take into consideration regarding Buddhist festivals: Most Buddhists, with the exception of the Japanese, use the Lunar Calendar and the dates of Buddhist festivals vary from country to country and between Buddhist traditions. There are many Buddhist festivals, here are some of the more important ones:

Buddhist New Year

In Theravadin countries, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos, the new year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the new year starts on the first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or ethnic background of the people. As for example, Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese celebrate late January or early February according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate about one month later.

Vesak or Visakah Puja ("Buddha Day")

Traditionally, Buddha's Birthday is known as Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha's Birthday Celebrations). Vesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the one day, the first full moon day in May, except in a leap year when the festival is held in June. This celebration is called Vesak being the name of the month in the Indian calendar.

The Elephant Festival

The Buddha used the example of a wild elephant which, when it is caught, is harnessed to a tame one to train. In the same way, he said, a person new to Buddhism should have a special friendship of an older Buddhist. To mark this saying, Thais hold an elephant festival on the third Saturday in November. 

TIBETAN PRAYER WHEEL

The ancient texts tell us that the Prayer Wheel was brought to our world by Nagarjuna, a famous Indian Buddhist scholar, philosopher, and yogi. Nagarjuna is associated with the rise of Mahayana Buddhism during the first century B.C.E. and is well known as the founder of the Middle Way school of Buddhist philosophy - which all currently existing schools of Tibetan Buddhism accept as the most profound of all philosophical views.

In Tibet, Prayer Wheels have been made for many centuries in a wide range of sizes and styles - from hand-held and table-top wheels, all the way up to giant eight or twelve foot Prayer Wheels with diameters of five to six feet. Often built around Buddhist Stupas and Monasteries, there may be long rows of prayer wheels which people will spin as they walk clockwise around the building, reciting what is considered to be one of the most profound and beneficial mantras;

In the translation of a text by the Fourth Panchen Lama, Amitabha Buddha says “Anyone who recites the six syllables while turning the dharma wheel at the same time is equal in fortune to the Thousand Buddhas.”  In the same text Shakyamuni Buddha says that "turning the prayer wheel once is better than having done one, seven, or nine years of retreat"

It has been well known for over a thousand years by the great Buddhist yogis and teachers as well as the Tibetan people that the prayer wheel practice is an extremely quick, simple and profound method for developing compassion and wisdom.

It is suggested that one recite the six-syllable mantra – Om Mani Padme Hum – while turning the prayer wheel.  The Tibetan commentaries state that the benefits of doing so are immeasurable.  This is the mantra of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, and it is recited continually by many Tibetans.  One also finds it carved on rocks, written on prayer flags, embossed on jewelry, and inside of most prayer wheels.  Among Tibetans it is commonly known as the mani mantra, and thus prayer wheels are often referred to among Tibetans as mani wheels. Mantras are strings of syllables empowered by enlightened beings to benefit others.  “The word mantra’ means ‘mind-protection’. It protects the mind from ordinary appearances and conceptions” that characterize the ongoing cycle of samsaric suffering.  Different mantras are said to bring different benefits, with regard to the mani mantra, Kalu Rinpoche notes that it is “extremely powerful” and “can be used by one and all” to speed their path to enlightenment.  His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche wrote, “The mani is not just a string of ordinary words.  It contains all the blessings and compassion of Avalokiteshvara,”   The Traditional Prayer Wheel Practice - Is to spin the prayer wheel in a clockwise direction, recite the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM and visualize pure white light rays being emanated out from the spinning prayer wheel, this pure light comes from the millions of mantras inside the prayer wheel and goes out to ourselves and all sentient beings, purifying, healing, completely illuminating everyone, as the light rays spread throughout the whole vast universe we all instantly become awakened and realize the Four Immeasurables of Love, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity.

NAG CHAMPA

Nagchampa is considered as one of the most fascinating incense of Indian origin. It bears its importance since ancient days when the people used to burn incense woods on religious ceremony and prayers. Since then it has evolved along the generations and now is used globally due to its fragrance.

So what's exactly is Nagchampa, it is an aromatic blend of resins, gums, spices, flowers and oils with a wonderful after-aroma. It is commercially available in the form of incense sticks and cones besides this it is found in soap, perfume oils and incense candles.

In soap base, nag champa oil mixed with natural herbs acts as anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bactericidal, fungicidal, action on the skin. It helps to remove scars, stretch mark and slack tissues and makes the skin wrinkle free and natural. Nag champa sachet can now be used at the places where burning of a stick is not possible like in cars. This helps to refresh mood and increases concentration while driving. As the fragrance has deep impact on ones mind, body and soul; Incense's Fragrances are now used a lot in Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy helps to control stress of day-to-day life. Nag champa candles not only provide light but also refreshes the air in the room with its sweet fragrance.

Historically Nag Champa belongs to the "Champa" class of Indian incense, having its origin from the Champa flower. Nag Champa incenses contains natural vernacular ingredient of India called "Halmaddi", which is a semi-liquid resin obtained from the Ailanthus Malabarica tree which ultimately gives Nag Champa its characteristic grey color.

There is an exclusive position for Nag champa in Hindu religion where it is considered as sacred and is always used in religious ceremony or event. Nagchampa has been appreciated for centuries as exceptional quality incense for calming meditation and for creating sacred spaces. It has a strong fragrant with long lasting effect, as a result the scent will linger in your room for hours.

Nagchampa finds its applications in:

- Religious Ceremonies

- Morning Prayers

- General Fragrance in Houses / Offices

- Special Events

- Bath & Body etc.

SHINTO PRAYER BOARD

Ema (絵馬?) are small wooden plaques on which Shinto worshippers write their prayers or wishes. The ema are then left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) receive them. They bear various pictures, often of animals or other Shinto imagery, and many have the word gan'i (願意), meaning "wish", written along the side. In ancient times people would donate horses to the shrines for good favor, over time this was transferred to a wooden plaque with a picture of a horse, and later still to the various wooden plaques sold today for the same purpose.

Ema are sold for various wishes. Common reasons for buying a plaque are for success in work or on exams, marital bliss, to have children, and health. Some shrines specialize in certain types of these plaques, and the larger shrines may offer more than one. Sales of ema help support the shrine financially.

At some shrines, such as Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, one can find ema in many languages, as tourists leave their own wishes and prayers.

Shinto (神道 Shintō?) or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi,[1] is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the people of Japan. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past.[2] Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology.[3] Shinto today is a term that applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian Periods.[3]

The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods") was adopted from the written Chinese (神道, pinyin: shén dào),[4] combining two kanji: "shin" (神?), meaning "spirit" or kami; and "tō" (道?), meaning a philosophical path or study (from the Chinese word dào).[3][4] Kami are defined in English as "spirits", "essences" or "deities", that are associated with many understood formats; in some cases being human-like, in others being animistic, and others being associated with more abstract "natural" forces in the world (mountains, rivers, lightning, wind, waves, trees, rocks). Kami and people are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity.[3]

There are currently 4 million observers of Shinto in Japan,[5] although a person who practices any Shinto practices, along with Buddhism, are also counted.

HENNA TATOO

Henna tattoos are a fun and safe way to explore body art without pain or commitment. Henna is a natural substance that's been used for centuries to create beautiful, temporary designs on the body - an art form that is called Mehndi (or Mehandi). Mehndi has been a long-standing tradition stemming from many ancient cultures dating back as far as about 5,000 years, but is most known today for its history in India. Today, henna tattoos are still used in religious and wedding ceremonies in India, but has also gained appreciation in other countries as a beautiful art to be appreciated at any time. So, what exactly is henna and where does it come from?

Henna's OriginsHenna powder is derived from a plant (actually a bush), Lawsonia inermis, commonly found in the Middle East and other areas where the climate is hot and dry. The bush is harvested, dried, and then crushed to make henna powder. Henna itself is used for many things such as hair treatment, heat rash relief, and skin conditioner to name a few. The top leaves of the plant are best for Mehndi, while the lower part of the plant is used for the other purposes. Henna paste is what is made to apply henna art designs.

Natural Henna is NOT BlackHenna powder itself is green in color, but the stain it leaves behind is usually an orange-red color. There are many suppliers now that offer henna in a variety of colors but these are not recommended. Pure henna has had little to no incident of allergic reaction. When colors are added to natural henna, reactions can be mild to severe. Black henna especially has been known to cause serious skin burns as a result of the chemicals added to it to produce the black color effect. Henna is best to be appreciated in its purest form.

Henna DesignsMost who are familiar with henna have seen the traditional designs. These beautifully intricate patterns are similar to those used for the marriage ceremonies and other rituals. They usually adorn the hands and feet of the wearer, and require that they remain still for many hours to apply the paste and then allow it to dry. Henna color has been known to take best to the hands and feet due to their dry properties which soak up and hold the color better, but henna can be applied anywhere. How well your skin takes to the henna will depend on each individual's skin properties.

Today, henna has been done in many forms including more contemporary designs. Some contemplating a permanent tattoo might apply henna first to see if they like the look before making a permanent decision. Some just enjoy having a temporary design they know will wash off in a few weeks. Whatever your reasons might be for being interested in henna, you are delving into a beautiful form of art rich in culture.

NEPAL FLAG

Nepal, officially known according to its Interim Constitution as the State of Nepal is a landlocked Himalayan country in South Asia that overlaps with East Asia, bordered by Tibet to the north and by India to the south, east and west. For a small territory, the Nepali landscape is uncommonly diverse, ranging from the humid Terai in the south to the lofty Himalayas in the north. Nepal boasts eight of the world's top ten highest mountains, including Mount Everest on the border with China. Nepal has been made famous for its tourism, trekking, hiking, camping, mountain biking, national wildlife parks, jungle safaris, river rafting, sport fishing, and its many beautiful temples and places of worship. Kathmandu is the capital and largest city. The other main cities include Pokhara, Biratnagar, Lalitpur (Patan), Bhaktapur, Birendranagar, Bharatpur, Siddhartanagar (Bhairahawa), Birgunj, Janakpur, Nepalgunj, Hetauda, Dharan and Mahendranagar. The origin of the name Nepal is derived from the Nepal Bhasa, which is the language of Newars and has its origin to the fact that Kathmandu Valley used to be called Nepa, the term that is still used by Newars.

After a long and rich history, during which the region splintered and coalesced under a variety of absolute rulers, Nepal became a constitutional monarchy in 1990. However, the monarchy retained many important and ill-defined powers. This arrangement was marked by increasing instability, both in the parliament and, since 1996, in large swathes of the country that have been fought over by Maoist insurgents. The Maoists, alienated from mainstream political parties, went underground and started a guerrilla war against both monarchy and mainstream political parties. They have sought to overthrow feudal institutions, including the monarchy, and establish a Maoist state. This led to the Nepalese Civil War in which more than 15,000 people have died. On the pretext of quashing the insurgents, the king closed down the parliament and sacked the elected prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepali Congress (Democratic) in 2002 and started ruling through prime ministers appointed by him. He then unilaterally declared a state of emergency early in 2005, and assumed all executive powers. Following the 2006 democracy movement, the king agreed to relinquish the sovereign power back to the people and reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives on April 24, 2006. Using its newly acquired sovereign authority, on May 18, 2006, the newly resumed House of Representatives unanimously passed a motion to curtail the power of the king and declared Nepal a secular state. As of September, 2006, a complete rewrite of the country's constitution was still expected to happen in the near future.

Nepali culture is very similar to the cultures of Tibet, and India, which borders to the south. There are similarities in clothing, language and food. A typical Nepali meal is dal-bhat - boiled dal served with rice and vegetables, and some spicy relish. This is consumed twice daily, once in the morning and again after sunset. Between these main meals, snacks such as chiura (beaten rice) and tea are consumed. Apart meat, eggs, and fish are considered a treat.

VIETNAMESE COFFEE

Ca phe sua da or cafe sua da (Vietnamese: cà phê sữa đá; Vietnamese iced coffee) is a traditional Vietnamese coffee recipe. It is also called ca phe nau da (Vietnamese: cà phê nâu đá, "iced brown coffee") in northern Vietnam.

At its simplest, Ca phe sua da is made with finely ground Vietnamese-grown dark roast coffee individually brewed with a small metal French drip filter (cà phê phin) into a cup containing about a quarter to a half as much sweetened condensed milk, stirred and poured over ice.  Coffee was introduced into Vietnam by French colonists in the late 19th century. Vietnam quickly became a strong exporter of coffee with many plantations in the central highlands. The beverage was adopted with regional variations. Because of limitations on the availability of fresh milk, the French and Vietnamese began to use sweetened condensed milk with a dark roast coffee.

The Hanoians, as people from Hanoi, Vietnam are called, drink a lot of the dark, caffeinated beverage and prefer sipping their stronger blends outside in front of a small shop with some sweet milk and a spoonful of sugar. Every morning, on hot days of summer and cold and dull days of winter, you can easily see some here with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

For many Hanoians, the most important factor of a café is not its luxuriousness but the quality of the product. Old people love cafés which have been around a long time, located on old streets or inside deep alleys. Office workers like cafes with romantic and quiet styles like those in Pho Co Quarter. Young people prefer the noisy and busy atmosphere of modern and luxury or pavement cafés.

glasses of ca phe den (black coffee) or ca phe sua da (iced coffee), which come with their own picturesque drip top. Not only just for connoisseurs,  these places are idea for having gossip, meeting old friends, talking to pass  time of day, stealing precious moments for romantics …