Cat’s Tongue

As we know, cat’s tongue is a type of cookie. As Indonesians, we call it as ‘lidah kucing’, but also in most of the part of the worlds they call it the same, in their own language. For example, in Netherland they call it ‘katte tong’ and France it is known as ‘langue de chat’.

If you’ve ever been to Japan, you might see cat’s tongue cookies in many stores as local souvenir. But they use word ラングドシャ (rangudosha), which is Japanized word of French ‘langue de chat’. They don’t use word: 猫舌 (nekojita), which means cat’s tongue, for this cookie.

Best Japan's 'cat's tongue' cookies: Shiroi Koibito

Instead, in Japan ‘cat’s tongue’ or ‘nekojita’ has completely different meaning.

Nekojita is used to explain a condition where a person cannot enjoy hot food. People who are nekojita will wait the hot soup or noodle until certain heat before they can enjoy. Never try to give my cats hot food, though. 

Do you have ‘cat’s tongue’?

I think I have. When my friends can immediately eat the soup served by the waiter, I had to wait a little while until it was getting cooler. Until I cannot enjoy hot coffee or tea except it is a cold day.

I also cannot eat spicy food, not sure my tongue is cat's tongue, or manja tongue 😋

My thoughts on religions in Japan

I was on the bus and there was a ruko-styled building caught my attention.

It has an European neoclassic architecture on its exterior and there's written 'HAPPY SCIENCE' without any Japanese characters. I was wondering what kind of shop is that. I didn't immediately search it on Google, but when I returned home, I googled it, and it turned out it is a name of new religious movement in Japan.

Happy Science or 幸福の科学 (koufuku no kagaku) was founded by Ryuho Okawa in 1986. It is spreading around the world and claimed to have around 11 million members. Currently, it has entertainment divisions, publication company, and even university. I don't have comment about its teaching, but anyway this religion said to be controversial and a cult.

If you come to Kyoto (not sure about other part of Japan), there are some people standing in some crowded areas to spread Jehovah's witness or mormon. While their missionaries usually wear white shirts and black pants, the people who 'advertise' mormon on the streets are usually middle-aged and so fashionable.

I once went to Mormon Church in Australia. The people are so nice and friendly. But about the religion itself... no comment 😂

Now I'm gonna talk about my experience about 'new religion' in Japan. For privacy concern, I won't mention the name of the 'religion'. I don't understand what's the meaning of privacy concern in this case, I just don't want to say it without any reason 😂

One day, the boss of one of my part-time job places talked to me about the religion she's doing. She talked about very seriously and could show me how she's practicing this religion very whole-heartedly. I was curious because I heard this religion name before from an Indonesian friend. Long story short, my boss invited to me to join that religion event. Basically, it was just watching that religion group conference through television.

The conference was attended by members from all over the world. I even could see Indonesian there from their batik shirts. There were also speeches from Japanese members and one Spain member.

I haven't really read or study much about this religion. What I know, the members adore the leader so much. I can understand since the leader I believe is a very great person but for me they seem kinda 'worshiping' the leader, that's what I a bit uncomfortable. You know, in Islam we are taught not to worship other than God, not even Muhammad.

Other than that I'm fine, I mean I listened to my boss story about how is she doing the religion and she said she always feel energised after praying or reading the leader's teaching. That's a really good thing 😇

I believe what religion you're doing, as long as it's good for you and not disturbing other people, all izz well. 😇 Even if you don't have or believe in religion, all is fine.

One day, I talked to a Japanese friend about religions in Japan. And she said to be careful, because there are some 'religion missionaries' who will arrive in front of your house door to advertise the religion. She said the people at first look nice, but after that you will be ask for amount of money.

Then she said, "Religion is not bad thing, it's actually good. But, it's better to follow religion what your parents teach you. And it's better not to invite your friends to join your 'religion', it will worsen your friendship. You know, many friendships are broken because of religion stuff."

Well, I'm quite agree with my friend.

Instagram Jealousy

“Ugh, I hate to see her posts on Instagram and she always shows off her new bag or luxurious trips. I prefer to see Syahrini’s posts sitting in private jet or traveling to Bora Bora,” said by a friend.

She was not joking. She said it seriously as she was really jealous of her friend.

I understand that Instagram makes people insecure. Instagram likes are addictive, everyone is trying to show off what he/she has, and anyway, everything people do is like for the sake of content #demikonten. I myself will be very happy if my Instagram post get 200 likes or my stories viewed by 200 more people (since my followers are only 1300).

What I don’t understand of my friend is, she was jealous of her friend because of her Instagram posts, but, in my point of view my friend always posts her pictures of traveling around the world. I knew she came from well-off family and pretty sure she never stayed in cheap hotel or backpacker hostels. If you check her Instagram, you can tell she often go traveling abroad, and I think no post of her taken in Indonesia. Why is she still jealous of her friends?

Well, the grass looks greener on other side.

Jealous or not, Instagram is not healthy if you use it a lot. Currently, I’m using Instagram to check famous people that I’m curious of, and rarely give likes to friends’ posts. I’m sorry 😂 I even don’t bother to scroll pictures on Instagram home 😂 If I see Instagram stories, I only see the few first ones.

Anyway, there is a song I currently like titled 'Instagram'. It is a song by Korean singer, DEAN. I'm addicted to that song.

Kikangentei Yowai 期間限定弱い

期間限定 (kikangentei) means ' limited time' or 'period of time'.
While 弱い (yowai) means 'weak.'

The word '期間限定' can be found in the shops or products. Basically it means 'limited edition'. This time I'm gonna talk Japanese food products, for example beverage or snacks.

If you ever been to Japan, you must know that products in Japan always lure us to buy. Cute packaging, good taste, and also the 'seasonal or limited edition' products. Sometimes the limited edition products are based on season. For example, now is autumn so many products make their own 'autumn limited edition' and usually the most 'widely used' flavours are chestnut, pumpkin, and sweet potato. You would see Pocky, Calbee chips, Starbucks drink in pumpkin flavour or sweet potato, and many more. Also in spring, there are so many peach or sakura flavoured products.

And they are just too tempting 😢

Today, I finished work at 12 in the midnight and I visited a convenience store where I knew the clerk who always is in midnight shift is so handsome 😂 (last time I only saw from outside). Actually, I just wanted to see the guy (almost 30 year old here, but I just realized that looking at handsome really can wash your eyes, a.k.a cuci mata lol) but I ended buying Starbucks Sweet Caramel Pudding Latte. Just because there was written in the shelf: limited edition.

The taste? So so. And I won't buy for the second time. I really don't like the aftertaste.

Anyway, there is a famous term in Japan 'kikangentei yowai' which literally means 'weak of limited edition'. This term is used to describe someone's trait who always lured by the word 'kikangentei'. People who are 'kikangentei yowai' cannot see the word 'kikangentei'. Whenever they see that word, they see will have desire to buy the product.

One of them is me.

But not all products with 'kikangentei' attract me to buy, though. I always buy seasonal edition Starbucks products in convenience store but I never been attracted by seasonal Starbucks drinks in Starbucks stores. Limited edition Kitkat also cannot tease me.

I'm looking forward for winter. Wondering what 'limited products' are coming...

Drinking alcohol

I had never enjoyed drinking alcohol until two weeks ago.

Can't remember when I first time drank an alcohol drink. I think it was in a wedding reception of my mom's friend. There was served glasses of red and white wine, so I tried. And I didn't like it. Since we don't have culture to drink alcohol, I didn't have many chances to drink.

Out of curiosity, I have tried some other kind of alcohol ranging from beer, whisky, tequila, cider, even the traditional Peruvian drink: Pisco Sour. I didn't like it. I would order coke or water in the nightclub.

The only two that suit my taste were plum wine and Jägermeister. Even not all plum wine I like. I like plum wine with ice or soda sold in izakaya (Japanese pub), but I don't like which is sold in convenience stores.

I have been to two beer factories, a beer museum, and few wineries in Japan. But it was just because I like factory tour, not because I want to drink. Usually in the end of the tour, they offer us free tasting and what it means by tasting is three big glasses of beer. Beer tastes good for me in first two or three sips, after that I can't.

The time I drank most was last year. It was my friend's birthday party and she had many bottles of beer and ciders. I drank two bottle of pear ciders. It was okay, but I don't really think it tastes really good.

Two weeks ago, my friends and I went to izakaya. It was my first time to come to izakaya after coming to Japan. I ordered plum wine mixed with soda, while my friends ordered yuzu sours. I like my plum wine, but I also like what my friends ordered. So I also ordered yuzu sour. It was sooo good. I feel it was my first time to enjoy drinking alcohol.

I started to try alcohol sold in convenience stores. And Japan has various kind of interesting alcohol can 😭 Since I am weak of 'limited edition', I bought some seasonal edition chuhai (similar to sour).

Autumn pear chu-hai, and almond and mango chu-hai. Can you imagine almond flavour?!?!

I just realized I just do not like the bitterness of alcohol. I can enjoy chuhai and sour because they are sweet and taste like normal soda.

Do you read spoiler?

I read.

I'm quite lucky since my brother is subscribing Netflix and one account can be shared to up to four devices, and I can use it freely without pay as well. The thing is every time I open Netflix Home Page, then I always don't know what to watch. Most of the times I only watch Japanese drama and movie, sometimes I will watch random Hollywood movie, but recently I watch Korean drama.

It has been long time since my last time watching Korean drama. I am not a fan of Korean drama, but few years ago, I watched some. I just hate the way Korean dramas always make the viewers baper 😭 and most of them are 20 episodes with 1 hour duration every episode. Too long. For comparison, Japanese drama only 45 minutes in an episode, and one drama only has 7-13 episodes.

So I started again to watch Korean drama since last week. I watched Fated To Love you and My Secret Romance. Before I finished the drama, I checked the spoiler first 😂 And for me reading spoilers doesn't affect me, I mean, I still can enjoy the dramas or movies.

Now I'm thinking, Korean dramas are just too long. I better watch something useful for my brain 😂

Can you give me any recommendation?