I can't say that this is only the second time I've seen Mt. Fuji, but it is only the second time I've caught it on camera. The photos don't do it justice, but you get the idea. See all the snow at this time of year...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A Japanese Tea Ceremony
Today a few of my new Japanese friends took me to Sankeien Garden in Yokohama. This is a traditional Japanese-style garden designed and landscaped by Senkei Hara (a penname for Tomitaro Hara), a wealthy businessman in the silk trade. He reconstructed famous historical buildings from Kyoto and Kamakura in his garden, which opened to the public in 1906. Today, we were lucky enough to visit during plum blossom viewing season.
My friend Keiko has a friend--also Keiko (seen in this photo)--who performs a tea ceremony in the Senkeien Memorial Building. This ceremony was rather casual, although from what I understand many tea ceremonies can be very formal affairs. Today, we watched a 10-minute demonstration of how to make tea and then it was served to us. It is a ritual of several steps to invoke harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. You first eat one of two sweets that are given to you. They are the size of a quarter. (I ate the second one on the way home I was so hungry.) Then the tea master prepares the tea from a high-quality green tea powder, with many proper hand placements and several turns of the tea cup. Then the tea is presented with a bow to the guest, who returns the bow and drinks it with the front of the cup turned slightly away from the lips, in 3 to 4 sips. Oishi. Bitter tea is the perfect match for the intensely sweet treat.
Then they said it was my turn! I thought they were kidding...but you see the photos for yourself. Here I am a tea master. I am laughing because everyone else is laughing at me at this point, since I wasn't whisking fast enough and the tea master had to show me. But other than that, I think most people were in harmony at the end of my demonstration.
Today a few of my new Japanese friends took me to Sankeien Garden in Yokohama. This is a traditional Japanese-style garden designed and landscaped by Senkei Hara (a penname for Tomitaro Hara), a wealthy businessman in the silk trade. He reconstructed famous historical buildings from Kyoto and Kamakura in his garden, which opened to the public in 1906. Today, we were lucky enough to visit during plum blossom viewing season.
My friend Keiko has a friend--also Keiko (seen in this photo)--who performs a tea ceremony in the Senkeien Memorial Building. This ceremony was rather casual, although from what I understand many tea ceremonies can be very formal affairs. Today, we watched a 10-minute demonstration of how to make tea and then it was served to us. It is a ritual of several steps to invoke harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. You first eat one of two sweets that are given to you. They are the size of a quarter. (I ate the second one on the way home I was so hungry.) Then the tea master prepares the tea from a high-quality green tea powder, with many proper hand placements and several turns of the tea cup. Then the tea is presented with a bow to the guest, who returns the bow and drinks it with the front of the cup turned slightly away from the lips, in 3 to 4 sips. Oishi. Bitter tea is the perfect match for the intensely sweet treat.
Then they said it was my turn! I thought they were kidding...but you see the photos for yourself. Here I am a tea master. I am laughing because everyone else is laughing at me at this point, since I wasn't whisking fast enough and the tea master had to show me. But other than that, I think most people were in harmony at the end of my demonstration. 
That must be why I was quickly promoted to tea sensei! Just when I thought I had surpassed my wildest self-expectations in tea mastery, I was told it was my turn to teach the tea ceremony to my friends. So, here I am--a tea sensei to my friends Akiko-san and Keiko-san! You can see I am bright red...it is the Japanese way to humble yourself and be embarrassed in front of others. But I wonder if they knew that I wasn't doing it to be polite. It was all 
about the harmony. And the fun!
about the harmony. And the fun!Tuesday, February 20, 2007
We have a winner...
Jenn, my friend from Tufts who came out of the woodwork at the right time and answered my (too easy) trivia question! Sorry Mary and other competitive people. Please try again next time. But it won't be so easy...
Thanks Jenn! Great to hear from you. Enjoy the cherry blossom stationery. Hope it entices you to consider coming to visit Japan to see them for yourself!
Jenn, my friend from Tufts who came out of the woodwork at the right time and answered my (too easy) trivia question! Sorry Mary and other competitive people. Please try again next time. But it won't be so easy...
Thanks Jenn! Great to hear from you. Enjoy the cherry blossom stationery. Hope it entices you to consider coming to visit Japan to see them for yourself!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Trivia Contest #1
Here it is...the first of several chances to win fun prizes from Japan! The first person to respond (in the comment section of this blog entry) to the following easy trivia question will win!
Which city has the most populous metropolitan area in the world?
The lucky winner will not win a heated toilet seat, as I've learned these are a tad expensive. Instead, the fastest correct answer will ensure that you win this beautiful Japanese stationery set adorned with cherry blossoms...since it is almost Springtime! Thanks for keeping in touch. Miss you all!
Keep checking back for more contests...other prizes may include a traditional kokeshi doll, a set of Japanese (ceramic) beer mugs, a Japanese tea set, Japanese green tea, an origami guide book including washi paper, chochin (paper lanterns), hashi (chopstick) sets, rice bowls, etc. Hope you enjoy!
Here it is...the first of several chances to win fun prizes from Japan! The first person to respond (in the comment section of this blog entry) to the following easy trivia question will win!
Which city has the most populous metropolitan area in the world?
The lucky winner will not win a heated toilet seat, as I've learned these are a tad expensive. Instead, the fastest correct answer will ensure that you win this beautiful Japanese stationery set adorned with cherry blossoms...since it is almost Springtime! Thanks for keeping in touch. Miss you all!Keep checking back for more contests...other prizes may include a traditional kokeshi doll, a set of Japanese (ceramic) beer mugs, a Japanese tea set, Japanese green tea, an origami guide book including washi paper, chochin (paper lanterns), hashi (chopstick) sets, rice bowls, etc. Hope you enjoy!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Sushi Go-Round: A One-Way Street
Sushi in Japan is very different than in the States. It is very fresh. And it is often served via a conveyor belt that circulates small plates of many different types of sushi. Usually there are only two pieces per plate and each plate is color coded according to the price. There are even several different types of tuna, the fattiest "toro" being the most expensive. So, it is very convenient, especially when you don't speak Japanese.
Another difference is that there are no elaborate "volcano rolls" or "spicey couple" rolls with fancy ingredients and presentations. Very often, nigiri sushi is mostly served, that is a slice of raw fish atop a bitesize mound of vinegared rice. Some types of sushi come with a tiny bit of wasabi between the fish and rice, but not enough for my taste! (I laugh because sushi menus in English often state that the wasabi can be left off any order.)
Sometimes, when the sushi chefs see that Americans are in the restaurant, more rolls like California rolls will start to circulate around the room. I almost feel compelled to take them knowing they were made especially for me. However, I am happy to let the raw horse meat pass me by.
Several things besides raw fish circulate around the sushi bar, such as small salads with tiny packets of salad dressing, yogurt with fresh fruit, and sesame-coated "donuts" filled with sweet bean paste (a dessert). There is often even an ice cream cone circulating on the belt.
One day, Brian and I decided to try the ice cream. This is one thing Sydney will almost always eat. We couldn't tell, though, was it a real ice cream cone? Or was it fake just to show you they serve ice cream? It's a tough call. It's very shiny, so it looked like it could've been melting. Either way, we decided it was probably proper protocol to just take it off the conveyor belt and put it on our table. Only then did we realize it was not a real ice cream cone! We generated a lot of snickers throughout the restaurant. So, we laughed too and looked around nervously...while we waited a minute for our ice cream to be delivered. It never came. So, we looked around and when all eyes were off us, we slyly returned the ice cream to the conveyor belt!
I'm pretty sure sushi-go-rounds are meant to be one-way streets. So, we still haven't ever had ice cream in a sushi-go-round to avoid a repeat of this embarrassing experience. But that's alright, the sesame-coated sweet-bean-filled donuts grow on you the more you have them.
Sushi in Japan is very different than in the States. It is very fresh. And it is often served via a conveyor belt that circulates small plates of many different types of sushi. Usually there are only two pieces per plate and each plate is color coded according to the price. There are even several different types of tuna, the fattiest "toro" being the most expensive. So, it is very convenient, especially when you don't speak Japanese.
Another difference is that there are no elaborate "volcano rolls" or "spicey couple" rolls with fancy ingredients and presentations. Very often, nigiri sushi is mostly served, that is a slice of raw fish atop a bitesize mound of vinegared rice. Some types of sushi come with a tiny bit of wasabi between the fish and rice, but not enough for my taste! (I laugh because sushi menus in English often state that the wasabi can be left off any order.)
Sometimes, when the sushi chefs see that Americans are in the restaurant, more rolls like California rolls will start to circulate around the room. I almost feel compelled to take them knowing they were made especially for me. However, I am happy to let the raw horse meat pass me by.
Several things besides raw fish circulate around the sushi bar, such as small salads with tiny packets of salad dressing, yogurt with fresh fruit, and sesame-coated "donuts" filled with sweet bean paste (a dessert). There is often even an ice cream cone circulating on the belt.
One day, Brian and I decided to try the ice cream. This is one thing Sydney will almost always eat. We couldn't tell, though, was it a real ice cream cone? Or was it fake just to show you they serve ice cream? It's a tough call. It's very shiny, so it looked like it could've been melting. Either way, we decided it was probably proper protocol to just take it off the conveyor belt and put it on our table. Only then did we realize it was not a real ice cream cone! We generated a lot of snickers throughout the restaurant. So, we laughed too and looked around nervously...while we waited a minute for our ice cream to be delivered. It never came. So, we looked around and when all eyes were off us, we slyly returned the ice cream to the conveyor belt!
I'm pretty sure sushi-go-rounds are meant to be one-way streets. So, we still haven't ever had ice cream in a sushi-go-round to avoid a repeat of this embarrassing experience. But that's alright, the sesame-coated sweet-bean-filled donuts grow on you the more you have them.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Reading Engrish in Japan
Well, many times you'll also see signs in Japan that are written in "Engrish." The writer in me is continually amazed each time I see one of these signs. I just can't believe that a company wouldn't ask a person proficient in English to at least proofread the sign before printing it and posting it for all to see. There is no way to describe this phenomenon with words alone, so I offer you this sign we saw on multiple occasions at the Ikea in Yokohama. It says, "As for one cup of free service of coffee or tea, please in a cafe of the the second floor depths."
As you may or may not know, there is neither an "L" or "TH" sound in the Japanese language. That's why it is often difficult for Japanese people to pronounce some English words, such as the word "English" itself. It comes out as "Engrish."
Well, many times you'll also see signs in Japan that are written in "Engrish." The writer in me is continually amazed each time I see one of these signs. I just can't believe that a company wouldn't ask a person proficient in English to at least proofread the sign before printing it and posting it for all to see. There is no way to describe this phenomenon with words alone, so I offer you this sign we saw on multiple occasions at the Ikea in Yokohama. It says, "As for one cup of free service of coffee or tea, please in a cafe of the the second floor depths." I think maybe it means we could've gotten a free cup of coffee or tea on the second floor, but instead we paid a bundle for Swedish meatballs (Ikea is Swedish after all) and Lipton iced tea.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
The Sapporo Snow Festival: The Synopsis
Last weekend Brian, Sydney and I flew up to Hokkaido, the large northern island of Japan, to visit Sapporo for the 58th Snow Festival. Sapporo is a relatively new city in Japan, with little ancient history. (Translation: there aren't as many shrines and temples.) In fact, the city was developed in the late 1800's by a Massachusetts city planner. The city is set up in a grid like many American cities and there's even a clock tower that looks like it belongs next to Faneuil Hall. The clock itself is actually from Boston!
If you are like me, when you think Sapporo, beer probably comes to mind. The first night we went to Sapporo Beer Garden and had a traditional "Genghis Kahn" meal, which was thin slices of lamb and vegetables that we grilled at our table. The grill is unique in that it looks like an upside-down bowl. It was all-you-can-eat-and-drink (Sapporo, of course) for 90 minutes. Oishi!
The first full day we awoke to a winter wonderland and we got our
money's worth of snow...it snowed the whole day! We took a Sapporo city tour and our first stop was Hokkaido Shrine. At first Sydney wasn't too sure what to make of the slippery white stuff, but she was having fun in no time. Then due to the weather, in lieu of the planned gondola ride up a mountain, we visited the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum. As you may know, Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics. And since every bus tour has a shopping scam, we were dropped off at a glorified mall for lunch and plenty of time to look around. Finally, we ended up at Odori Park, the central park of Sapporo and one of the three Snow Festival sites. (Two of the Festival sites were within walking distance of our hotel and one was a satellite location that we visited the last day by bus before going to the airport.)
The actual Snow Festival started the last day we were there (February 6), but the preparation was well under way during our whole trip. Large ice/snow sculptures are the main draw of the Festival--nearly 2 million people visit Sapporo each year to see them. Some are as large as actual buildings! We heard it took 80,000 truck loads of snow to make them.
The night before the festival started (our last night in Sapporo), the sculptures were illuminated. We walked the whole park and saw sculptures of Mickey Mouse and other Disney friends, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Thomas the Tank Engine, Ultraman (a Japanese comic hero from the 1960's), every animal you can imagine (unicorn, fish, turtle, polar bears), and more! We even saw a bar and a cafe made entirely of ice!
The second full day of our trip we went to Takino Snow Park for some
sledding and snow tubing fun. We would've liked to cross country ski, but although Sydney goes just about everywhere in the backpack, that's where we drew the line. Well, she was so exhausted from missing her naps and going to bed late, that she actually fell asleep while tubing! Even the bumps at the end to slow you down didn't wake her. So we brought her to the indoor playground to take a nap...she slept through the sound of screaming children as well! But when she finally awoke, she enjoyed exploring the snow. She mostly had fun, but did get mad that she kept falling...and then couldn't get up (thanks in part due to the snow, the other part her borrowed 2-sizes-too-large Timberland boots)!
Our last day of the trip arrived and before heading to the airport, we went by bus to Sato-Land, the third site of the Snow Festival geared towards children. There was a snowman making station, an ice maze, and a large slide made of ice, tubing runs, and of course food vendors. Unfortunately it warmed up enough to rain so we didn't enjoy the slush as much as the snow!
As cold as it was outside (about 35 degrees Fahrenheit for a high), every building in Sapporo, including our hotel, was heated to a temperature of at least 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Never thought we'd say it, but our cold house has never felt so good!
(Stay tuned for more photos of the snow princess!)
Last weekend Brian, Sydney and I flew up to Hokkaido, the large northern island of Japan, to visit Sapporo for the 58th Snow Festival. Sapporo is a relatively new city in Japan, with little ancient history. (Translation: there aren't as many shrines and temples.) In fact, the city was developed in the late 1800's by a Massachusetts city planner. The city is set up in a grid like many American cities and there's even a clock tower that looks like it belongs next to Faneuil Hall. The clock itself is actually from Boston!
If you are like me, when you think Sapporo, beer probably comes to mind. The first night we went to Sapporo Beer Garden and had a traditional "Genghis Kahn" meal, which was thin slices of lamb and vegetables that we grilled at our table. The grill is unique in that it looks like an upside-down bowl. It was all-you-can-eat-and-drink (Sapporo, of course) for 90 minutes. Oishi!The first full day we awoke to a winter wonderland and we got our
money's worth of snow...it snowed the whole day! We took a Sapporo city tour and our first stop was Hokkaido Shrine. At first Sydney wasn't too sure what to make of the slippery white stuff, but she was having fun in no time. Then due to the weather, in lieu of the planned gondola ride up a mountain, we visited the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum. As you may know, Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics. And since every bus tour has a shopping scam, we were dropped off at a glorified mall for lunch and plenty of time to look around. Finally, we ended up at Odori Park, the central park of Sapporo and one of the three Snow Festival sites. (Two of the Festival sites were within walking distance of our hotel and one was a satellite location that we visited the last day by bus before going to the airport.)
The actual Snow Festival started the last day we were there (February 6), but the preparation was well under way during our whole trip. Large ice/snow sculptures are the main draw of the Festival--nearly 2 million people visit Sapporo each year to see them. Some are as large as actual buildings! We heard it took 80,000 truck loads of snow to make them.
The night before the festival started (our last night in Sapporo), the sculptures were illuminated. We walked the whole park and saw sculptures of Mickey Mouse and other Disney friends, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Thomas the Tank Engine, Ultraman (a Japanese comic hero from the 1960's), every animal you can imagine (unicorn, fish, turtle, polar bears), and more! We even saw a bar and a cafe made entirely of ice!
The second full day of our trip we went to Takino Snow Park for some
sledding and snow tubing fun. We would've liked to cross country ski, but although Sydney goes just about everywhere in the backpack, that's where we drew the line. Well, she was so exhausted from missing her naps and going to bed late, that she actually fell asleep while tubing! Even the bumps at the end to slow you down didn't wake her. So we brought her to the indoor playground to take a nap...she slept through the sound of screaming children as well! But when she finally awoke, she enjoyed exploring the snow. She mostly had fun, but did get mad that she kept falling...and then couldn't get up (thanks in part due to the snow, the other part her borrowed 2-sizes-too-large Timberland boots)!Our last day of the trip arrived and before heading to the airport, we went by bus to Sato-Land, the third site of the Snow Festival geared towards children. There was a snowman making station, an ice maze, and a large slide made of ice, tubing runs, and of course food vendors. Unfortunately it warmed up enough to rain so we didn't enjoy the slush as much as the snow!
As cold as it was outside (about 35 degrees Fahrenheit for a high), every building in Sapporo, including our hotel, was heated to a temperature of at least 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Never thought we'd say it, but our cold house has never felt so good!(Stay tuned for more photos of the snow princess!)
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