High Tension

“High tension” is a Japanese expression that uses English words in a new way. You will hear it frequently and may misinterpret it if you’re a native English speaker. 

In American English, for example, high tension would be used to describe something under a lot of stress (physical or psychological). A high-voltage electrical wire, a tightly wound cable, or a stressful relationship could all be described as high tension.

In Japanese, high tension is used to describe a person’s energy level or mood. When someone is excited, enthusiastic, or feeling ecstatic. For example, when you’re at Disneyland waiting in line for the Haunted House and feeling the anticipation build while you wait, you could say you’re “high tension.” For children, the night before Christmas would be described as high tension as the morning can’t come soon enough.

Although it seems more common to hear high tension, you may also hear low tension and that is generally meant to describe feeling disappointment. If you were looking forward to meeting up with someone and they canceled at the last minute, you could say you are feeling low tension or that your tension has gone down.

Finally, there’s shinya tension or “midnight tension.” This describes feeling bold, emotional, impulsive when it’s late at night. Examples include sending late-night text messages to a crush or an ex, or making late-night impulse buys online… basically any reckless decisions made when you’re overly tired or sleep deprived.

Speaking French in Japanese

I recently heard about a new approach for making Japanese friends in Japan:

Study a foreign language in Japan.

No, not Japanese. I mean French, Italian, Spanish, etc.

This way you’ll have Japanese people in a class learning a new language, and you’ll be doing the same right alongside them. If you’re all speaking French, then you're all beginners. It creates a level playing field of studying something new.

Let me know if you try this, and how it works for you.

Donburi

Donburi is a bowl of steamed white rice topped with meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, or eggs, or a combination of those. 

It’s Japanese soul food or comfort food, and also a very popular fast food option. You’ve probably had it even if you’ve never been to Japan. Beef bowls and chicken bowls are popular worldwide with chains like Yoshinoya having shops in many countries, and mom and pop shops as well, serving these quick and satisfying meals.

There are many kinds of donburi in addition to the beef (guidon) and chicken you’re already familiar with, such as tempura shrimp and various vegetables (tendon), chicken and egg (oyakodon), breaded fried pork cutlet (katsudon), grilled or stir-fried pork (butadon), eel (unadon), seafood (kaisendon), and others.

If you’re looking for something affordable and filling, donburi is a great choice. It’s also something to keep in mind if you don’t eat fish, as donburi is easy to find all throughout Japan and there are many varieties from which to choose. Prices for a a bowl from one of the chains start as low as 400 yen or around $3 USD, and go up from there with even famous places like Tendon Kaneko Hannosuke in Nihonbashi, Tokyo and serves only one dish (Edema-style tendon with eel, shrimp, squid, seaweed, all topped with a tempura-fried egg charging only 1,000 yen or about $6.50.

Not all donburi is so affordable; eel donburi and seafood donburi often cost around 5,000 yen or just under $35. My personal favorite donburi is tempura shrimp and a variety of tempura vegetables (tendon). I’m sure you can find a style you like.

Halloween is coming! Check out this post on Japan’s fun tradition of Mundane Halloween.

The most clicked link from the previous issue was for this compilation video of BOSS Coffee ads featuring Tommy Lee Jones as Alien Jones.

The 2nd most clicked link from the previous issue was for the one inexpensive item everyone should get before going to Japan.

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