Please prevent potential starvation

[ginlane]

God, the nightmare that is the supermarket trip.
bizarre substances and unknown fruit and vegetables
please do me a good turn and tell me what these products are
many thanks in advance Gin

 

[Azarashi]

Google translate(on phone) has a function that can tell what kanji means by camera(kinda like bar code readers just with kanji), so you can just use that.

 

[ginlane]

Google translate(on phone) has a function that can tell what kanji means by camera(kinda like bar code readers just with kanji), so you can just use that.

Unfortunately I don't have a smartphone, or any phone for that matter :arghh:

 

[Azarashi]

First two are bamboo root or something like that, 5th are soy beans I think and last one is something that's apparently called Loquat.
As for other things you'll have to wait for someone that actually speaks Japanese.

 

[madphysicist]

Well, I'm feeling nice and this serves as my "Japanese practice" for today...

bamboo shoot
sorry I don't know and the writing is too small
soy milk
calcium powder from seashells (no idea what it's for though)
soy beans
parsley
oregano
chilli pepper
biwa / loquat (we don't have this fruit in Europe idk what it tastes like)

Most supermarkets in Japan have at least some western foods like pasta and also rice that you will know how to cook. Combine these with fresh meat / fish / eggs / cheese / vegetables and at least you won't go hungry. Or if you have a Japanese friend or flatmate, persuade them to go shopping with you / show you how to prepare some simple recipes.

 

[ginlane]

and you are nice, I sense the love!! arh that sounds creepy, oh well, thanks anyway

 

[Mike Cash]

As I have suggested (and you have ignored) before, it would make far more sense for you to tell us what you want from the store and let us help you get that than to photograph a bunch of crap at random and ask us what you have seen or bought. This is just senseless.

What you need is a list of the things you want and a note to show to whoever is working the customer service counter at the supermarket asking them to take you around the store and find the stuff for you. This is Japan; they'll do it.

What kind of "friend" has you over as a guest and then leaves you so incredibly and helplessly alone? I mean to the point that you can't even figure out how to feed yourself?

 

[Mike Cash]

Unfortunately I don't have a smartphone, or any phone for that matter :arghh:

Then how did you take the pictures in the supermarket with a Nokia N8-00?

 

[Toritoribe]

sorry I don't know and the writing is too small

The second picture is "boiled bamboo shoot produced in Ōeda (a region in Kyoto )".

京都府産
大枝の筍（ボイル）【京都府産】煮物に
やわらかい！

 

[Glenski]

In a way, I have to agree with Mike. Why are you taking photos (presumably with a camera, not a cell phone) of these items in the first place? Are the labels somehow intriguing?

I strongly suggest you drag your "friend" with you to the store, or take a dictionary and ask the store staff. I'm not trying to get out of helping you here, but let's be efficient about things.

Just so you know, the red and yellow label that says ２割引 is read ni wari biki, and it means 20 percent off the regular price. Japan has this slightly strange way of showing percent sometimes. Yes, 20, not 2 percent. You'll see such discounts at the end of the work day on many foods because they are so fresh, they want them to sell.

 

[Mike Cash]

presumably with a camera, not a cell phone

I checked the exif data embedded in the photos. He's using a cell phone.

I'm starting to think we're all getting punked here.

 

[Glenski]

You're right, Mike. I see that info in the pic Properties, too. Good question.

ginlane,
You can learn hiragana and katakana in a short time. Some of those labels tell you what the item is using both kanji and katakana/hiragana. Parsley, for one. Daizu, for another. Just carry a decent dictionary and start making a list of stuff to memorize. It's a handy way to learn, but you have to make the effort.

 

[mdchachi]

I checked the exif data embedded in the photos. He's using a cell phone.

I suppose it's possible he doesn't have service and only uses it with wifi or disconnected. I've had to do that in the past on short visits.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Since that particular model is an old (2010) cell sold in Finland and the U.K., my guess is that it is just used with wifi at @ginlane's girlfriend's house.

I also get the impression @ginlane's girlfriend doesn't want him to stay and is communicating this by not making life easy for him. Every woman I have ever known who wanted us to be together paved the pathway to the situation she wanted.

@ginlane, you really have two choices with this eating thing. Either give up on special diet needs, or learn enough Japanese to make it work.

 

[mdchachi]

Either give up on special diet needs, or learn enough Japanese to make it work.

Or go grocery shopping with the gf. (Assuming she can read.)

He's not even trying to manage special dietary needs. He's randomly picking up condiments and asking what's in the bottle. As already noted, that's not an efficient way to accomplish the goal.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Or go grocery shopping with the gf. (Assuming she can read.)

He's not even trying to manage special dietary needs. He's randomly picking up condiments and asking what's in the bottle. As already noted, that's not an efficient way to accomplish the goal.

Well, in a prior thread he was trying to determine whether some snacks were vegetarian, so I assume he's still trying.

 

[ginlane]

First two are bamboo root or something like that, 5th are soy beans I think and last one is something that's apparently called Loquat.
As for other things you'll have to wait for someone that actually speaks Japanese.

many thanks for your help

 

[ginlane]

Well, I'm feeling nice and this serves as my "Japanese practice" for today...

bamboo shoot
sorry I don't know and the writing is too small
soy milk
calcium powder from seashells (no idea what it's for though)
soy beans
parsley
oregano
chilli pepper
biwa / loquat (we don't have this fruit in Europe idk what it tastes like)

Most supermarkets in Japan have at least some western foods like pasta and also rice that you will know how to cook. Combine these with fresh meat / fish / eggs / cheese / vegetables and at least you won't go hungry. Or if you have a Japanese friend or flatmate, persuade them to go shopping with you / show you how to prepare some simple recipes.

Thank you for your translation, much appreciated.

I'm trying to keep away from Western food. It's expensive and it seems daft not to try and eat what is cheap and local. I have a flatmate but she's not much use. Busy trying to make her first million I think!

 

[ginlane]

As I have suggested (and you have ignored) before, it would make far more sense for you to tell us what you want from the store and let us help you get that than to photograph a bunch of crap at random and ask us what you have seen or bought. This is just senseless.

What you need is a list of the things you want and a note to show to whoever is working the customer service counter at the supermarket asking them to take you around the store and find the stuff for you. This is Japan; they'll do it.

What kind of "friend" has you over as a guest and then leaves you so incredibly and helplessly alone? I mean to the point that you can't even figure out how to feed yourself?

Hi Mike,

yes I know it's a bit annoying, but my problem is I don't want to eat Western food, which is all I really know, Japanese food is a mystery, but its local and as cheap as it gets here. I'm on a super tight budget and need to eat. Cheaply, healthy and local.

I have actually approached members of staff in shops over the last few days but it's not a foolproof answer. Many of them don't understand what I'm wanting, communication is a real problem.

As for the friend thing, yes tell me about it! Unfortunately, the deal was, she paid for the plane ticket and food and board, and I help her in her business and house renovation. This arrangement seemed to break down almost as soon as I arrived

Anyway she's away in Tokyo for 10 days, from today, I have a car, a place to live and my resourcefulness. It is what it is!

 

[ginlane]

Then how did you take the pictures in the supermarket with a Nokia N8-00?

Wow that's pretty cool, how can you figure out I have a Nokia N8?


Anyway yes I do, but it's only used for taking photos and timing my meditation in the morning. It's obsolete by a good few years, I can get Wi-Fi if I'm lucky, Google translate, not a chance apps, forget it. It has a super old sim card in it which doesn't work any more.

 

[ginlane]

The second picture is "boiled bamboo shoot produced in Ōeda (a region in Kyoto)".

京都府産
大枝の筍（ボイル）【京都府産】煮物に
やわらかい！

Hi Toritoribe,
thanks for that, so does that mean it's ready to eat? please say yes, please say yes!

 

[ginlane]

In a way, I have to agree with Mike. Why are you taking photos (presumably with a camera, not a cell phone) of these items in the first place? Are the labels somehow intriguing?

I strongly suggest you drag your "friend" with you to the store, or take a dictionary and ask the store staff. I'm not trying to get out of helping you here, but let's be efficient about things.

Just so you know, the red and yellow label that says ２割引 is read ni wari biki, and it means 20 percent off the regular price. Japan has this slightly strange way of showing percent sometimes. Yes, 20, not 2 percent. You'll see such discounts at the end of the work day on many foods because they are so fresh, they want them to sell.

Hi Glenski,

I'm taking these photos with my Nokia N8, how I'm choosing which photos to take, that's a good question, I don't have an answer, but like you said, I think they looked interesting at the time, and I thought they might be good to eat. it's all quite random at the moment, but thank you for your help

Thanks for telling me about the quick sale deal, that's useful.

As for my friend, that won't be happening, it's sink or swim for me

 

[ginlane]

I'm starting to think we're all getting punked here.

no punking, promise

 

[ginlane]

You're right, Mike. I see that info in the pic Properties, too. Good question.

ginlane,
You can learn hiragana and katakana in a short time. Some of those labels tell you what the item is using both kanji and katakana/hiragana. Parsley, for one. Daizu, for another. Just carry a decent dictionary and start making a list of stuff to memorize. It's a handy way to learn, but you have to make the effort.

I dunno mate, I'm here for three months, I understand what you're saying but starting to learn a new language seems like a lot of work just to feed myself!

 

[ginlane]

I also get the impression @ginlane's girlfriend doesn't want him to stay and is communicating this by not making life easy for him. Every woman I have ever known who wanted us to be together paved the pathway to the situation she wanted.

@ginlane, you really have two choices with this eating thing. Either give up on special diet needs, or learn enough Japanese to make it work.

Hi Wonko,
Na, she isn't my girlfriend, she's an old Russian friend, we've known each other for 10 years, we used to move in the same circles. I suspect however that she may have wanted me to be her boyfriend. But I'm not feeling it with her actually, she's a funny onion to be honest. I decided to give up being strict vegetarian for the time being. It's just too much trouble. Even soup base seems to be made with meat products.