Regretably, I was asked to leave the country and now reside in America. If you care to join me, I'm at www.japaneseontheinside.blogspot.com

Ja Ne!

Jessica

Something Funny Happened at Work Today...

One of the cooks walked in to collect his pay and was sporting a shirt that was reminiscent of a certain pop culture work of art--the Velvet Underground album cover by Andy Warhol. Being a fan of the VU but an even bigger Warhol fanatic, I started laughing like crazy and that of course led to a ten minute explanation as to why I was so tickled by his shirt. Thanks to Google imaging and my toddler-level Japanese, I was able to explain to him that he was sporting a spoof. To the best of my knowledge, this is a tourist shirt from Okinawa of maybe a bar, restaurant or even type of Goya (a bitter melon from Okinawa.)

In any case, it's the first time I've posted anything from my workplace although given the fact that I work with like, forty Japanese--I learn a lot about Japanese culture while on the job.

For those who are totally clueless out there, here's the album: (and jeez, get out once in awhile...)

Get it?

Setsubun-Hello Spring, Devils and Crunchy Soy Beans!

Asashoryu's Coach is one of the Famous Bean-Tossers!

The Crowd at the Bean Throwing Day at Hasedera Temple, Kamakura

Traditional Japanese Dessert of Peas, Mochi (Pounded Rice) with Vanilla Ice Cream

We stopped at an old Japanese house-turned-tea and dessert restaurant. These peas are dried to store and before being served are soaked to revive them. Before eating, we used a tea kettle to pour brown sugar syrup over our sweets.

Pork Rules!!!

If you're ever on your way to or fro the big Buddha, stop at the Katsudon place next to the tracks by Hase station (Enoden Line.) It's the best katsudon I've had! This is Yumi's first time there and Kristy's first time having Katsudon ever!
Ramen-In-A-Can

It's been awhile since I found anything cool in a vending machine. This one had curry, oden and a slew of various noodle-based eats including the classic Ramen!

Our New Year Started Like This...

Toasting cans of Yebisu Beer purchased at a convenience store, perched on a cliff overlooking Sagami Bay with a crystal clear Mt Fuji view--spectacular! This is Inamuragasaki Point in Kamakura. There is a little park with some statues and great views where we chilled for a bit before heading to Kita Kamakura.

Meigetsuin-Near Engakuji and the Kita Kamakura Stop
The coolest thing about this place is this:
But they've got a few old Bamboo thickets too:

Finally, we arrived to Engakuji for...how we Celebrate the New Year: Unfiltered Sake to Wake our Spirit!

The first Blossoms of the Year...Apricot?

Make Your Money Double at Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine!!!

Look Ma! No Hands!
This out-of-the-way shrine is well worth the short walk from Kamakura station! It's very picturesque with the main area being carved into a large rock/mountain/whatever with many colorful tori gates and carvings near a pond full of colorful carp. My camera crapped out after the first power up, so all I have is the first part of our visit:(

I put all of my yen and dollars into my basket including the coins I had on me. Silly? Maybe. But I fancy myself good with money and what do you want to know--I did come into extra, unexpected money in December and a bit more than "double" what I washed!!!
These eggs and jar of sake were sitting outside the main shrine in the area. We asked a monk who explained that the godess was a snake form and she ate eggs. (Did I get that right Yumi?)
After we prayed, we headed over to a really cool little snack shack that sold sake, beer, soft drinks and small munchies. We enjoyed tea and a few boiled eggs before hiking up to see an old house and garden.
Yumi might kill me for posting these. You can see how tired she is after working late the night before. But what a pal--she got her rear out of bed early (for a change) to take me on a hike through the Kamakura hills including a stop at Zeniarai Benten Shrine. Here's a map of Kamakura if you want to find your own temple adventure and here's more info on this shrine.

Kamakura, Japan

Grillin & Chillin

This weekend was gorgeous! Saturday and Sunday were sunny, clear and warm, so naturally we were at the beach both days--Saturday, to hike to a great Fuji viewing spot that we know of and Sunday to meet up with Enamoto San's family. They picked up local seafood and we brought plenty of microbrewed beer, veggies and chili. The highlights were definitely the Red Hook Beer (his wife couldn't get enough of it,) and the giant scallops and clams. All of the seafood was cooked right over coals on the beach with Fuji in the background. Everything was cooked as-is or with one simple seasoning; the clams were given a gentle dose of beer to "get them drunk" and the scallops a little pat of butter to simmer in.
After a pickup game of baseball and a few strolls, we nibbled on dried stingray fins and tuna steaks. Who knew dried stingray with a little Kewpie mayo and Shichimi (spicy seasoning) was so killer?! I could liver here half my life, (and I literally almost have,) and still learn something new every time we get together with our Japanese friends.

Secret Spot, Secret City, Japan

The Gal Who Mistreated Her Camera

It should be a fairy tale for children with expensive toys...I'm on hiatus because I've abused my best friend of three years, my digital camera. It's been dropped on cement floors at concerts, knocked around a backpack on hikes and absorbed countless splashes of liquid at restaurants but it was a slippery rock, a very ungraceful photographer and a tiny tide pool that finally did her in. Until I get it fixed/replaced, I'll be relying on Yumi's generous lending of her camera during our outings and the occasional crapp- quality mobile phone photo. Speaking of which, here's Santa Lucifer wishing all of you a very Happy Holidays!

Let's Come Together to Celebrate...Tuna!!!

I spent Sunday, October 26 at Misaki Port--a few kilometers from my childhood stomping grounds--in a fish market turned festival. From what I understand, this is the first year that Misaki city has held a Tuna Fest but it was an awesome one! There were contests, sponsors, vendors and local entertainment that made for a fun, tuna-ingesting, day!

I ate several things including: tuna pizza (no joke,) raw tuna (sashimi,) tuna soup, tuna pot stickers (gyoza,) tuna sushi rolls (tekamaki,) and tuna fries!

Guess the weight! I submitted 252 kilos but this soon-to-be-a-piece-of-sushi was actually 312 kilos!

In addition to tuna, lots of other seafood was on sale including these squid which were being sold as-is or grilled and eaten on a stick.

I won a slab of tuna!!!
For 500 yen ($5) you got to pull one of a bunch of strings that ran through a pvc pipe. from the other end, the strings were attached to various prizes (box of sweet potatoes, dried aji fish, slab of salmon, mochi (pounded and dried rice blocks) wearing tee shirts, etc. The big prize was a valuable slab of maguro. I couldn't make up my mind and I had enamoto's son help me. Minamo picked the tuna which is chillin in my freezer until Matt comes home to cook it!

Misaki Port, Misaki Shi, Japan

Yokosuka Mikoshi (Portable Shrine) Parade

Wow! I'm glad I finally dragged myself to Yokosuka Naval Base to see it! I've been to neighborhood matsuris where at most-I saw three mikoshi portable shrines accompanied by a few taiko drummers. But this is totally different! All the neighborhoods in Yokosuka city are invited to parade together beginning around the Yokosuka Chuo train station, down the main street before entering the base's smaller gate and continuing to where the festivities are, next to the Bowling Center.
There's a lot of noise, food booths on and off base and a truly fun crowd interested in experiencing and sharing each others' foreign culture. It gave me happy vibes as me and my friends, Tomo and Masumi, wandered around eating hamburgers and interacting with base visitors. One leader even grabbed me and tossed me into the line of people carrying the mikoshi. After a few bumpy minutes, I thanked him and resumed spectating, (I already did my mikoshi duties last year for three grueling city blocks, thanks!) I was also really stoked to see a lot of Americans. I'm guessing many are newbies that were wondering what the heck a mikoshi was because I answered a few curious gaijin's questions.
74 mikoshis in all were spiritfully carried before ending up in a parking lot. Behind me there are dozens of them still beating drums while in front of us, the parade continued for hours. Here's a video that captures the mayhem:

Yokosuka Naval Base, Yokosuka, Japan

Little Edo

The Kitain Temple Pagoda. I just found out that pagodas are where they store the temple's Buddha! Or used to anyway...

Unagi, One of the foods (along with Sweet Potato) that Kawagoe is famous for. Above is Grilled Eel basted with a sweet soy sauce over rice, Oshinko (pickled veggies,) and an Eel Broth and Soy Soup with bits of the eel guts. Japanese enjoy eel in the summer because they feel that it supplies them with extra energy to combat the extreme humidity and heat.

Here's a shot of the "main drag" in this small town that captures one of the kurazukuri , fireproof merchant buildings, clustered on this street with the famous belltower in the background. These retro buildings are one of the reasons that this small town is nicknamed "Little Edo," because it has little alleys where you can feel like you're drawn back into a previous Japan.

The 500+ Royan are the five hundred plus statues of "Buddha's disciples" that are in a fenced in area next to the only remains of Edo Castle relocated to the Kitain Temple grounds. No two statues are alike and supposedly, if you visit the grounds at night and feel the heads, one statue will be warm while the others are cold. You should remember its location and visit the next day because that is the statue that best reflects your personality. Anyway, it's a cool place to visit and had a lot of history as well as picturesque spots.
A funny looking Rakan....I think he's had too much sake:)

Funny "engrish" always cracks me up. Thanks to the foot model, Yumi!

The only remaining piece of the Edo Castle. A view from a room to the garden. Taken illegaly I might add!

Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan