What is Tatami

Tatami　is  traditional straw mats that are still found in almost all Japanese houses.When you walk on them,First please take your slippers or shoes off. We Japanese sleep here at night, but we fold Futons and put them away during the day.

They are usually rectangular in shape and are made tightly woven rush grass with edges hemmed with cloth.

Tatami is indispensable to the Japanese house and still loved by many Japanese now.

Recommend Japanese Foods and Drinks

I will introduce the recommend foods and drinks of Japan.

http://find-travel.jp/

Ramen

Ramen is popular Japanese food.There is also in China, but Japan's Ramen is different from china's. Mostly much better. It is like a Japanese soup pasta.

http://matome.naver.jp/

Gyoza

Gyoza is one of the popular foods in Japan. In English,it called Pan-fried dumping.

Speaking of chair restaurant which mainly serve gyoza in Japan,it's sure　"Gyoza no Oushou".

http://find-travel.jp/

Sushi

http://toyokeizai.net/

Kaiten-sushi

0riginally,sushi was fish pickled for preservation.But in the Edo period,people in Edo started using fresh fish instead of pickled fish.They put raw fish slices or shellfish on top of small vinegared rice balls which were rolled by hand. This is called"nigiri-zushi"typically known as "sushi"in Japan and all over the world.


Kaiten-Sushi is a type of Sushi restaurant that serves dishes on a revolving counter. 
As the food revolves around, you pick the dishes you want. 
Kaiten-Sushi has a variety of dishes, such as curry, ramen, dessert, and etc. 

http://www.hanakaido.co.jp/

Sabu-Shabu

Shabu-shuabu is a kind of a hot pot. You soak raw and sliced meat of beef in hot water of a pot for a short time, and eat the meat with a special sauce and vegetable boiled in the pot.

http://www.kobebeef-shop.com/

Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a popular one-pot meal. The main ingredient is 

thin sliced beef, and it is simmered in skillet with sukiyaki 

sauce and lots of vegetables. 

http://matome.naver.jp/

Yo-kan

Yokan is Japanese sweet bean paste jelly.

It is usually molded into long rectangles

and sliced when eaten.

http://matome.naver.jp/odai/

Nihonshu (Japanese sake)

Japanese sake is brewed from rice grains.
There are many kinds of Japanese sakes such as “Junmai-shu”, “Honjozou-shu”, and “Ginjou-shu.” They have different brewing processes and different levels of rice polish.“Jizake” means Japanese sake brewed using locally grown rice grains and water from local sources.There are many kinds of “Jizake” throughout Japan. Their uniqueness varies from region to region.A bottle of premium “Jizake” can cost tens of thousands of yen.“Meishu” means Japanese sake which is specially brewed in small quantities. It has high rarity value.“Nama-zake” means Japanese sake which is not pasteurized at all after production.

http://www.tfm.co.jp/

Shochu

Shochu is a Japanese distilled beverage.

 It can be made from from barley, sweet potatoes, rice, buckwheat and other ingredients. 

There are many ways to drink shochu.