What is the most difficult language? What is the most difficult language? I have experiences to study English, French, Spanish and Russian. For me, Russian is the most difficult because alphabet is difficult. I'm a Japanese so I have some experiences to teach Japanese. I often thought that Japanese is difficult even though I'm a Japanese. What is the most difficult language in your case?

Mizu-Youkan Today's dessert is Mizu-Youkan; 水羊羹. It's a Japanese dessert that An; 餡 is hardened by agar. An is that beans are boiled with sugar and are knead. There are some types of Youkan in Japan. Youkan that agar is low and is soft, is Mizu-Youkan; 水羊羹. Youkan that agar is much and is hard, is Neri-Youkan; 練羊羹. Youkan that wheat flour and Kudzuko; 葛粉 are added and is steamed, is Mushi-Youkan; 蒸羊羹. Kudzuko is a powder of starch. Original Youkan is a soup of sheep meat in China. 羊 means sheep. 羹 means soup. The original is the soup, but it became the solid substance that is hardened by gelatin of the sheep meat. Youkan was imported by Buddhist monks of Zen Buddhism in Japan through Kamakura Period and Muromachi Period. But meat-eating was banned for Zen Buddhism. So, Adzuki bean was cooked instead of sheep meat. It's just original Yokan in Japan. According to Japanese record, Yokan appears in a book in Muromachi Period. The early Yokan is Mushi-Yokan. And Imo-Youka and Uirou derive from Mushi-Youkan. In the past, sugar was so precious, so Amazura; 甘葛 that is a Japanese sweetener, was substituted for sugar. Then, special Yoyokan that was seasoned by the sugar, was called as Satou-Youkan; 砂糖羊羹. Satou; 砂糖 meens sugar. From 17th century, sugar was produced in Okinawa and some island, and Satou-Youkan was common. In 1589 Neri-Youkan was developed by a man, and Neri-Youkan became common from mid-Edo Period - before that, Mushi-Youkan was common -. Edo Period was palmy days for Neri-Yokan. After that Mizu-Yokan was developed for a winter food / dessert of Osechi foods - it's a festive food for the New Year -. But nowadays we eat Mizu-Youkan in mostly summer and other seasons, too. Anyway, Mizu-Youkan is tasty.

Suama This picture is of Suama; 寿甘 / 素甘. It's a kind of rice‐cake sweets. It's made from top-grade rice flour made from non-glutinous rice. It's kneaded with hot water, is added sugar and is pounded while it's hot. And Suama is made. The features of Suama are the texture of soft and sticky, and moderate sweetness. It's allegedly originated in Kiba Japan in Edo Period. This picture is of Suama; 寿甘 / 素甘. It's a kind of rice‐cake sweets. It's made from top-grade rice flour made from non-glutinous rice. It's kneaded with hot water, is added sugar and is pounded while it's hot. And Suama is made. The features of Suama are the texture of soft and sticky, and moderate sweetness. It's allegedly originated in Kiba Japan in Edo Period. Suama was come in handy as a scarcely hardening rice‐cake. I like Suama.

Petunia This is Petunia. They’re blooming at the entrance of a relative's home. They're beautiful purple-red. Petunia is from South American originally. The scientific name is Petunia x hybrid. Petunia means tobacco in aboriginal language, because Petunia is related to Nicotiana First arrival of Petunia to Europe is from discovery of white Petunia in Petunia in 1767. In 1831 red produced was imported to Europe from Brazil. Both Petunia were crossed, and Petunia violacea that is a modern breed, was produced. After that produced was improved, and many types of Petunia appeared. For example of color, red, red- purple, purple, blue-purple, white, whitish yellow, whitish blue, pink. Petunia was imported in Japan in the late Edo period. The Japanese name is Tsukubane-asagao; ツクバネアサガオ, 突羽根朝顔. It’s from next reasons. The shape of the flower is similar to a morning glory; アサガオ. And the calyx is similar to a shuttlecock of Japanese old traditional badminton. But we call Petunia nowadays. In modern days, the competition of breed improvement is very keen in Japan. The flower language of "Petunia" is "your presence soothes me."

Kushi-Dango. Tonight's dessert was "Kushi-Dango." It's a Japanese traditional and popular sweet. Dango is a small rounded sweet that is made by grains like rice etc. Kushi-Dango is a stick that spits 3-5 Dango. The roasted Kushi-Dango is called Yaki-Dango. And then the Yaki-Dango that is coated with soy sauce, is Shoyu-Dango. Now, this name of Dango become common but different names exit in regions, for example Dansu and Anbu etc. In the past Dango was eaten as a substitute food for rice. Therefore Dango was made by grains like barley, wheat, chestnut, corn, bean and potato etc. Now Dango that is coated with sugar, exists but non-coated Dango exists, too, because Dango was a substitute food. There are a few stories about the origin of Dango. According to a popular theory, Kentoushi; Japanese missions to Tang China, brought eight Karakudamono; Chinease sweets, and one of them is Danki and it's the original. In Japanese history this word Dango appears in Shinsarugakuki first. It's a book that was written in Heian Period, in 11th century. And Dango appears in the book, Chiyuuruiki, that was written in Kamakura Period, and the figuration is similar to present Dango. In Muromachi Period, Kushi-Dango appeared and people called it Dango. In Edo Period, people ate sweet Dango as a popular sweet in urban areas, but in rural areas people ate as a substitute food. Anyway, Dango has a long history, and it's so traditionally in Japan. Incidentally, it's hard to define the different from Mochi.

Hydrangea I took a picture of the flowers blooming at the garden of my home now. They're "Hydrangea." Japanese name is Ajisai; 紫陽花. Hydrangea come from Greek words, hydro; water and angeion; container. There is a story about that, the flowers absorb much water and evaporate. There're some stories abpit the origin of Japanese name, Ajisai. The most widely held theory is that the word come from Azusai; 集真藍 means that many cyano-flowers gather. And in the past a Chinese poet named it as 紫陽花 and the name spread in Heian Period, the name became common name. The flowers are native to Japan, south-eastern Asia and North and South Africa. There're about 40 species in the world. Japanese Ajisai was exported to China and spread to European countries through Silk Road. In European countries the flowers were bred, now there are other colors's: blue, pink and white etc, too. In the past Ajisai was unpopular but got popular after Hydrangea was reverse-imported into Japan. Ajisai has an interesting character that the color of the flower depends on acidity or alkalinity of soil -- acidity: red, alkalinity: blue--, of course, the effectiveness depends on the species. Now in Japan It's in a rainy season, Ajisai is the season flower. Let's enjoy the rainy season with Ajisai by this summer.

Japanese drink. Today, I bought this Japanese drink. The name is アーモンド効果. It's tasty. The drink contains Vitamin E, Ca, alimentary fiber etc. It's good for health.

Please correct these. 4.29. Я люблю мороженое. Мороженое холодно и сладким. Я хочу съесть его на жаркий день.

Please correct these. 4.25. Me gusta esquiar. Nieve convierte en unos ríos. Agua convierte en unos árboles y unas flores. Me gusta unas hojas verdes y unas flores coloridas.