A Warm Winter

         There are four seasons in Japan, winter, summer, autumn and spring. I really envy Japan because I've always wanted to see some snow. Unfortunately, this is impossible in the Philippines unless you live in a refrigerator.

           My friends who've experienced the winter season in other countries told me that it's freaking COLD. They said that it felt like their ears were going to fall off with just a flick of a finger. I wondered how the Japanese, in particular, are able to keep warm during the winter. There are three answers: hot springs, hot pot and kotatsu. Hot springs are widely appreciated by the Japanese, regardless of their age. There is an abundance of hot springs in Japan which are usually occupied during winters. Though hot springs help keep them warm, they also have a special dish to keep them full and warm at the same time.So what are hot pots? Hot pot is a Japanese cuisine that is eaten during the winter. It's soup that contains many simple ingredients. An example of this is sukiyaki. Sukiyaki is made up of thinly-sliced beef with noodles, mushrooms and vegetables. The Japanese eat hot pot on a kotatsu. The kotatsu is a desk that is layered with blankets it also has an electric heater under the table.

             Eating hot pot warms the Japanese during winters. It also warms their hearts because of the delicious flavors brought by the hot pot. Lastly, it binds a family by eating together and keeping each other warm.