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Japan Unit

Japan is one of those countries I know a lot about because of how it’s portrayed in movies and media, but then I was just talking with my sister-in-law, and she mentioned talking to someone from Japan being frustrated how narrow their definition is of what being Japanese is. I don’t know if our Japan unit widens it enough with the resources I could find, but it was a great geography lesson.

Japan unit

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Japan Unit Resources

A few quick looks:

Japan Unit books

My library had several books about Japan, but they were mostly by the same author, that were slice of life books.

Japan booklist

Huh, looking over my list, there is a great deal more variety than I had remembered as I’m writing up this post a few months later.

  • Basho and the river stones– this was checked out when we did our unit, and I really wish it wasn’t because it looks like an amazing folk tale
  • The Bicycle Man– the first of several books by this author, this is set shortly after World War II in a school yard as a young boy watches a soldier perform tricks on a bicycle
  • The boy of the the three-year nap– I love come-uppance stories like this, they’re fun
  • A carp for Kimiko– Oh gosh, I need to go back and add this to my Japanese Kite Festival post, because I missed this when looking for books to add to that post. But, it’s a cute story of a little girl who wants a carp kite on the festival, but is told this festival is for the boys and her festival is on another day
  • Erika-san– Erika has always seen an image of a cottage growing up, and wonders if traveling to Japan to find it will give her the answers she wants. If I recall correctly, this might actually be the story of how his parent’s met. I super loved all of his books from our library
  • The Funny Little Woman– this is a classic Caldecott book of a older woman outsmarting the oni (traditional Japanese monster) who captures her
  • The furry-legged teapot– A young tanuki transforms into a tea pot and then can’t figure out how to transform back, and hijinks ensue. My kids had fun making fun of it, but I’d say it would be a hit with younger kids than mine
  • The Girl who loved caterpillars– a great story of a young woman who wanted to raise caterpillars and insects, and a great example of following who you are. This is a traditional 12th century story retold, and I loved that
  • The Hungriest Boy in the World– at some point I should make a “creature that just eats everything” folktale list, because there are way too many of these books, and this one was an interesting take when the boy swallowed a “hunger monster”
  • Kamishibai Man– this is one of those stories of a dying time, a traditional story type, Kamishibai story teller struggles to adapt to a world where people now watch TV and not his traditional stories
  • Kogi’s mysterious journey– This is one of those, “What were they thinking telling this story to kids?” books, Kogi wants to draw nature better than he does, and just cannot. Then one day as he sits by the river he transforms into a fish. This is where it gets super weird, he loves this, until one day he is caught by his friend, and is SERVED UP AS DINNER! It’s horrible, absolutely horrible, but he loved being a fish so much he goes back to that life. WHAAAATTTTT?
  • The Magic Fan– This was also checked out because from looking at the pictures it looks absolutely amazing from the Amazon preview.
  • Moshi Moshi– This too was checked out, and from reading the description, I’m very glad because it’s about a son left behind when his father kills himself with a suicide pact with a woman…. I need to check this out so I can see if the description is apt or not
  • The Origami Master– a story of an old origami master who is amazed to find new pieces folded for him each night, and tries to solve the mystery
  • A Pair of Red Clogs– a story true regardless of where you are, a young child excited by a pair of new shoes, who hides when she breaks her new item
  • The Peace Bell– the story of a bell removed from a town for scrap metal during World War II and how it’s eventually returned years later
  • The Perfect Sword– A great look at swordsmithing, which I love to find
  • The Sound of Silence– Do you have the song stuck in your head now? I do, but it’s an intriguing idea for a story, trying to find the sound of silence
  • The Star Festival– While this one sounds delightful, it apparently didn’t make enough of an impact as we read it for me to remember much
Japan unit geography Asia

Japan recipe: Fluffy pancakes

My pancakes did not turn out fluffy. Like they were super tall and looked amazing as I was cooking them, but as I removed them from the pan, I watched them deflate. It was so sad.

Then as I sat there so sad watching them deflate The Artist came downstairs and saw what I was making, and said, “Oh, there’s a How to Cook That video debunking all the videos talking about these. They’re super popular right now. Here’s what you’re doing wrong.”

Japanese fluffy pancakes

This makes the second recipe from Japan I have attempted and had it go horribly. The first is from a post I deleted a few years ago because it was that bad. I attempted matcha tea cookies.

Fluffy pancakes

Fluffy pancakes ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup cake flour (you can use normal flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoon neutral flavored oil (for the pan)
  • 4-6 tablespoons water

Let’s make those pancakes!

Japanese fluffy pancakes Asian recipe breakfast
  1. Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls.
  2. Put the bowl with the egg whites in the freezer for 15 minutesWhile you’re freezing the whites, beat the yolks with the milk and vanilla until thick and frothy.
  3. Add the cake flour and baking powder into the bowl, and mix thoroughly, but be careful not to mix too much.
  4. Once the 15 minutes have passed, take the egg whites out of the freezer, and start beating the egg whites until they are frothy and pale white, then slowly add in the sugar as you continually whip the egg whites. Stop beating when you can remove the mixer and the peaks hold their shape.
  5. Start heating the pan with a small amount of oil on low.Slowly add in the egg white mixture, folding it in gently a 1/3 of the egg mixture at a time.
  6. Turn the frying pan up so it can have medium heat. Carefully scoop the batter into the pan to form 3 pancakes, about 4 small scoops per pancake (about 2-3 tablespoons per scoop).
  7. After you’ve formed 3 pancakes, add another scoop on top of each pancake, then go back to each pancake and add another scoop, and repeat this process one final time.
  8. Add 1 tablespoon of water to three of the empty spaces inside the pan and cover it with a lid.
  9. After 2 minutes add one more scoop to each pancake, your goal is to stack the pancakes high, not wide. If you need to add more water, add some more water, then put the lid back on and leave them in there for another 4-5 minutes.
  10. Once your timer goes off, carefully flip over the pancakes, and then add a little more water, and turn the pan down to a lower heat. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.
  11. Serve with whipped cream, powdered sugar, and fruit

Japanese Fluffy Pancakes

Japanese fluffy pancakes Asian recipe breakfast

These fluffy pancakes are fun to make for your family.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup cake flour (you can use normal flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoon neutral flavored oil (for the pan)
  • 4-6 tablespoons water

Instructions

  1. Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls. Put the bowl with the egg whites in the freezer for 15 minutes
  2. While you're freezing the whites, beat the yolks with the milk and vanilla until thick and frothy
  3. Add the cake flour and baking powder into the bowl, and mix thoroughly, but be careful not to mix too much.
  4. Once the 15 minutes have passed, take the egg whites out of the freezer, and start beating the egg whites until they are frothy and pale white, then slowly add in the sugar as you continually whip the egg whites. Stop beating when you can remove the mixer and the peaks hold their shape.
  5. Start heating the pan with a small amount of oil on low.
  6. Slowly add in the egg white mixture, folding it in gently a 1/3 of the egg mixture at a time.
  7. Turn the frying pan up so it can have medium heat. Carefully scoop the batter into the pan to form 3 pancakes, about 4 small scoops per pancake (about 2-3 tablespoons per scoop).
  8. After you've formed 3 pancakes, add another scoop on top of each pancake, then go back to each pancake and add another scoop, and repeat this process one final time.
  9. Add 1 tablespoon of water to three of the empty spaces inside the pan and cover it with a lid.
  10. After 2 minutes add one more scoop to each pancake, your goal is to stack the pancakes high, not wide. If you need to add more water, add some more water, then put the lid back on and leave them in there for another 4-5 minutes.
  11. Once your timer goes off, carefully flip over the pancakes, and then add a little more water, and turn the pan down to a lower heat. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.
  12. Serve with whipped cream, powdered sugar, and fruit

Japan Notebooking Pages

We used our Asia notebooking pages and filled them out.

Japan notebooking pages

I’ve got an older version of the Asia notebooking pages, so I haven’t added in the government space, but it’s a Unitary Parliamentary Consitutional Monarchy.

Here are my favorite facts from the Geography Now video:

  • They’re in an arguement with other countries over their islands
  • They have a Ramen museum!
  • There are self-mummified monks, how does that even work?
  • There is a volcano with in a volcano, I really want to see this!

More great homeschool lessons

Japan unit for homeschool geography lessons

“Japan” by graffiti living is marked with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The post Japan Unit appeared first on Adventures in a Messy Life.

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