Maneki-neko

 Below are two examples of Maneki-neko statues that belong to me and my roommate. These cats are often found in Asian restaurants (I've seen many myself) near the entry way. The golden cat's arm will actually wave if it is pushed. This makes a lot of sense because the name maneki-neko literally means "beckoning cat". These statures are associated with luck in the Asian culture and it is believed that having one will bring the owner good luck. Surprisingly, these cats have caught on big in America. They now come in many colors from white to black to red to gold. They have also been made into key-chains, air fresheners and even piggy banks (like the smaller white cat). To me, I find it very interesting that we take something that is meaningful and lucky and make it into more of a trinket and a symbol of Asian culture.

Bing's Boba Tea

One of my favorite drinks is Boba Tea from Bing's Boba Tea on Campbell. Their logo is a cute little panda bear drinking a boba tea. Even if you had no idea what boba was, the panda indicates that it has to be from East Asia. Pandas are a universal symbol for Asia and especially with China which is what makes this logo so significant. I discovered that boba tea is actually from Taiwan and boba indicates the little tapioca balls found at the bottom. I got a Snow Tea, peach flavored, with strawberry popping boba. This is more of a smoothie or a blended tea and the popping boba don't have the consistence of tapioca and instead are filled with juice and they pop easily in your mouth to add flavor. As you might have guessed, boba is pretty fun to eat too!

Chinese New Year

Here is a gift I received of a Chinese paper cut out. It is based off of your Chinese zodiac symbol, this one specifically is based off of my which is the boar. It is harmonious with the Chinese New Year. One big example of this is the color red. For the new year, red is a very lucky color and is believed to bring a prosperous year. Along with symbolizing zodiac sign and prosperity, it is also a symbol of luck. Not only is it so meaningful but it's beautifully made! 

Pokemon Red

 Similar to the popularity of manga and anime, Pokemon is one of the most popular versions of that. While it is primarily a video game, it has also been expanded to an anime. It has become an integral part of our culture as much as it is part of Japanese culture. Many of my friends will say that Pokemon was their childhood and were almost obsessed with it. Now, you're odd if you don't like Pokemon, it's really become a huge pop culture icon in my generation. New Pokemon games are still being made as are other Pokemon merchandise and Pokemon Red is so popular and rare that it sells for almost $300 on Amazon. Even for me, Pokemon is so part of American culture that I forget it was made in Japan.

Bookman's

I thought that the manga and anime section at Bookman's exemplified how America has really embraced Japanese entertainment. Manga   and anime are huge here, big enough that they get their own section at bookstores. There are even whole conventions devoted to manga/anime. I think that both genres are really important in connecting Americans with Japanese culture. Even though it is not the most accurate representation of that culture, it gives some sort of insight and understanding for Americans to a very different culture from their own. Plus, they can be very well done!

Old Peaking

For dinner, I went to one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, Old Peaking, which is located at Tucson and Speedway. From the outside, it looks like a typical western building and even once you get inside, the architecture is very western. What makes it feel distinctly Chinese is the decor they have added. Their lighting fixture (left) are very ornate and have the same detailing as a classical Chinese building would have. The picture does not show it, but the panels are decorated with detailed painting of plants and animals, reminiscent of the Southern Song School style of artwork. Even parts of the restaurant is completely in Mandarin, such as the sign below. What for me sets this restaurant apart is that they not only cater to what American's are use to as Chinese food but they also expand to have a Szechuan menu to give an even more authentic taste of China