The world of Japanese food discoveries is unlimited

In terms of travelling, Tokyo is one city on most peoples’ bucket lists. Fascinating traditions and history, wacky modern day culture and arguably some of the best food in the world it’s no wonder the city has become a well trodden stop off. However despite the seemingly intimidating crowds, Tokyo is also an incredibly liveable city, here are eight reasons why adventurous travellers should consider making it their new home.

Sushi, soba, ramen, Kobe beef, even those with a passing interest in Japan known that it’s home to some of the best cuisine in the world. Beyond the typical aforementioned dishes there’s a lot more to Japan’s food scene but uncovering often requires more than a passing visit.

Thanks to the nation’s rich history and diverse countryside Tokyo hosts a stack of different regional dishes just as diverse as anywhere else in the world. Each pocket of Japan boasts its own culinary specialty and each specialty is filled with history, pride and tells a story about that area. The pride that this city takes in food is a lesson in patience and educated appreciation that honestly takes a little time to learn.

As you witness monolithic, neon emblazoned skyscrapers tower over peaceful parks that play host to centuries old shrines you’ll realise Tokyo is a place where the past and the future can live harmoniously in the present. A country that’s filled with pride and an history depth that’s difficult to fathom without immersing yourself in the culture.

Tito’s death and the sudden decline

12,500 children took part in the first race, which covered 9,000 kilometres and also came with 15,000 signatures from young people in the region of Šumadija. The original relay actually ended in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, but the decision was soon made to switch the finish line to the Yugoslav capital, Belgrade. Where did the race start? Tito’s home village of course, the tiny town of Kumrovec.

Being an official state-sanctioned event obviously helped, but the size of the Relay of Youth quickly ballooned. By 1950, more than a million children were taking part in the event, which now lasted one month and covered all the major towns of Yugoslavia. The relay was the main event on radio and television over that month, as Yugoslavs from all over excitedly followed the progress of the baton from Kumrovec all the way to the Yugoslav People’s Army football stadium and Tito’s hand. In 1957, the relay formally became a national holiday.

The relay was underway when Tito died in 1980, and the baton was immediately placed on the ground in respect. Such was Tito’s hold over Yugoslavia it is somewhat surprising that the race continued in the years following his passing, and the final race was held in 1988. Enthusiasm for Yugoslavia was waning, so enthusiasm for a symbolic relay of unity was all but extinguished.

The final nail in the relay coffin came in 1987. Every year, a nationwide competition was held to decide on the official poster for the relay. The 1987 winner was the Slovenian art collective known as Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK, or New Slovenian Art), but all was not what it seemed.

The poster NSK provided was actually a reworked version of an old Nazi propaganda poster, as the controversial collective aimed to shine a light on the hypocrisy of Tito’s personality cult. Somehow the poster managed to win the competition, but the truth soon came out. Many believe that this marked the end of the Relay of Youth.

One Man and His Batons

Josip Broz Tito is buried in the House of Flowers in Belgrade, but the eyes directed at his grave often find themselves diverted to the collection of batons that hang on the wall nearby. These bars are all from the annual Relay of Youth, one of the great staples of socialist Yugoslavia.

It is no secret that socialist regimes love themselves some pomp and circumstance, and the razzmatazz surrounding the Relay of Youth (Štafeta mladosti, in Serbian) ticked all of the necessary boxes. The relay achieved two major aims of socialism — namely uniting the whole country in one challenge, and engaging the youth in an active manner.

Yugoslavia came out of World War II as a united nation in international conversation only. The state had been decimated by a brutal three-way civil war during the first half of the 1940s, and Josip Broz Tito was the man tasked with bringing everyone together. His mantra of ‘Brotherhood and Unity’ constantly rang around the country, but Yugoslavia still needed something to unite the younger generations.

The idea came from a student organisation in the central Serbian city of Kragujevac, home to Serbia’s automobile industry. The premise was simple — a baton was to be carried from town to town, traversing the whole of the country before being handed to Tito on his official birthday, May 25.

Pencak Silat in Indonesian Culture

According to anthropologists, Pencak Silat first served its practical purpose as a technique to protect humans from nature. Back then, the more pertinent threats to the community were natural threats, such as animal attack or extreme living conditions.

During the upheaval leading to Indonesia’s independence, Pencak Silat assumed a new role as a technique that helped local warriors defend their hometown against the colonialists. Celebrated local heroes such as Sultan Agung, Prince Diponegoro, Cut Nyak Dhien and more, have used the form of martial art in a battle against invaders.

The process of imparting Pencak Silat through generations are often supported by legends of great and somewhat fighters, which finally make their way into everyday discourse and in turn help shape the local culture. Heroic figures from different cultures such as Si Pitung, Hang Tuah, and Gajah Mada are people with advanced Pencak Silat prowess, proving the ability in martial art as a desirable quality in the society.

More than physical capacity, Pencak Silat practitioners are also seen as people with superior mental and spiritual prowess. The martial art had somehow, through everyday discourse and customs, installed itself in the society’s many facets, especially religion and tradition.

Pencak Silat and the legends around it mix with everyday customs and religious teachings, and by the 14th century, the martial art was taught alongside Islamic principles in religious halls. Other communities require practitioners to start with meditation and asceticism to cultivate the inward qualities before proceeding to the physical performance so that the religious and cultural philosophy is contained in every movement.

As a cultural aspect, Pencak Silat is often present as a traditional performance or procession during ceremonies. In Betawi culture, for example, Pencak Silat is used as a ceremonial play in traditional weddings. The play shows the groom demonstrating his toughness as he protects his bride against another fighter who tries to abduct her, using the moves and stances of Pencak Silat.

Crouching Tiger

Indonesia’s rich and diverse culture manifests itself into countless of everyday aspects; what the people eat, what they wear, how they move, down to the forms of sports, arts, and entertainment. As Indonesia’s traditional form of martial art, Pencak Silat is so tightly woven into the fabric of local culture. More than just a measure to defend themselves, it also a form of performance, an integral cog in the nation’s history towards independence, and a form of religious practice.

Pencak Silat is a form of traditional martial art evident throughout different cultures in Southeast Asia from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, to the Philippines. Each locality has different take on the art, but most forms seem to focus on strikes, joint manipulation, throws, and weaponry. ‘Pencak’ means traditional movements in traditional attire accompanied by traditional music, while ‘Silat’ means the techniques of self-defense. So basically ‘Pencak Silat’ means ‘martial art’ in the local dialect, with an emphasis on the traditional aspect.

Pencak Silat goes way before any of its documented records. It is believed that the form of traditional art was mostly taught orally and experientially from generation to generation. In some ancient kingdoms, the origin of Pencak Silat is closely tied to the legends about a fight between two animals, typically witnessed by a woman. In Sriwijaya Empire, it’s believed that Pencak Silat is inspired by a brawl between a tiger and a large bird, while according to a Sundanese legend it’s of a monkey and a tiger. The strikes and movements of the two animals became the basics of the Pencak Silat movements. Other communities attribute the conception of Pencak Silat to respected leaders, fighters, even spiritual leaders of the ancient times.