I’ve been down with the flu since Wednesday, and I’ve had no inclination to blog about anything that wasn’t related to it I had already done the whole “ridiculous flu masks” bit, so now I’ll be rambling on about traditional Japanese flu remedies.

You may have encountered one or more of them at some point in your favorite manga, anime, or JRPGs; here are the five most popular ones, along with some quick explanations on their preparation.

Negi Compress

There is this infamous scene in Hana Yori Dango where Tsukushi and Domyouji are trapped in an elevator (or a stairwell, depending on which version of HYD you saw) while Domyouji has a raging fever. Tsukushi then tries to remedy this by tying a leek or negi around Domyouji’s neck.

The leek compress is believed to draw the fever out and provide the flu patient with a bit of relief from the heat. The traditional method of application is to first slice the leek into long sections, heat it gently over an open flame to release its juices, and then wrap it around the patient’s neck with a towel. Personally, I don’t see how this will work, but if the Japanese have been doing it for generations then there must be some merit to it.

Tamagozake

Tamagozake is a bit like eggnog, since the two main ingredients are eggs (tamago) and booze (sake). One basically puts the two ingredients in a small saucepan over a light flame, and the mixture is beaten gently until it thickens. Some sugar or a dollop of honey may be added to improve the taste.

The protein in the eggs supposedly provides nutrition for flu patients with little appetite for real food, while the alcohol content induces sleep. Tamago-zake is also a recommended hangover cure after nights of overindulgence. Suffice to say, this remedy is not great for kids, but a very very good idea for adults

Okayu

Okayu or rice porridge (lugaw, in Filipino) is the go-to guy for flu patients in Japan for eons. It provides warmth, gives sustenance, and is a great plot device for shoujo romance I mean, how many manga have we all read where the female protagonist prepares okayu for her love interest after he falls sick rescuing her/rescuing others/fulfilling his shounen dreams XD

I’m sure your mom has her own far-superior recipe for rice porridge, but let’s take a look at the way many Japanese households prepare okayu. For every half a cup of rice three cups of water or chicken stock are added, and the entire mixture is brought to a medium boil. The flame is then dropped to the lowest setting to allow the okayu to thicken. A tiny bit of salt and a handful of finely sliced negi is put on top of the porridge before serving.

Declarations of love may also be added, but are not absolutely necessary XP

Shogayu

Another remedy that will sound familiar to Filipinos is shogayu, known locally as salabat. Salabat is basically fresh ginger root boiled in water with some sugar added to help it go down. Shogayu on the other hand is freshly grated ginger steeped in hot water like an herbal tea, also with a bit of sugar for flavor. It might sound like something a smelly old fart in some J-drama would do, but trust me this stuff works.

Hot Umeshu

Last but not least is my favorite way of beating the cold, Japanese-style: hot umeshu. Umeshu is an alcoholic beverage made with plums. You can actually make your own by steeping a kilo of unripe plums in two litres of white spirits, but I generally just buy a bottle from the corner supermarket back in Tokyo.

In a small glass, add an equal amount of hot water for every measure of umeshuu you pour. It is smooth, delicious, and (I like to believe) good for you! Alcohol is — if nothing else, a great disinfectant; the mild buzz you get from your hot umeshu is just a pleasant side effect of your “cold medicine” 😀

So that’s it for my favorite cold remedies learned from my stint in Japan. If you ever wanted to pretend to be the perfect shoujo manga heroine caring for her one true love, give any of these methods a try. It sure as hell beats gag-inducing cough syrups and ineffective cold tablets.