Many, Many Things...

The past month and a half has flown by. The weather is nicer and we're doing everything we can to make the most of our time here. Lately, we have been golfing more because the golf courses in Tochigi are usually within the mountains which make for the beautiful scenery.
Towards the end of Golden Week we went to Karasuyama to a Japanese paper factory. We were shown the factory and everything is still done by hand except the press machine. There were only a few workers and all were very friendly. Next, we were shown how to make the paper and had a chance to make some sheets. It was a lot of fun.
The last weekend of Golden Week we went camping in Nikko. I would have never guessed in a million years that I would enjoy camping as much as I do. It's pretty hard not to like when you camp next to a lake and can hike the mountain directly next to the site. Pretty good deal.
During the past month we also ordered delivery sushi for the first time. I think I have fallen in love with the service. We ordered enough for the two of us and it was under $30 plus no tipping. Not to mention it was delicious. Oh, the perks in Japan.
Our biggest adventure in the past month was going to a sandogoya onsen (三斗小屋温泉). We drove up to Nasu and met up with our friends the Miyamoto's. We parked our cars and then geared up to hike 4.3km which took about 2.5 hours. We hiked to a very secluded mountain hut that was a very traditional Japanese and there is no road access for vehicles. The rooms were tatami mats separated by sliding doors that were "walls". It was one of the most unique adventures we've done in Japan. The Miyamoto's have a 14 month old boy, Joe-kun, and a 3 year old daughter, Nico-chan. Jiro carried Joe-kun in baby carrier hiking bag while Nico-chan walked with us. Eventually she was too tired and Jiro or Kiyoka had to carry her. It was amazing the strength they both had. I feel like they have taught us there is no restriction on what you can do with kids. At the mountain hut, we enjoyed an outdoor onsen and a spectacular view. They provided dinner and breakfast for us and all the guests sat together in a big tatami room. This experience was a once in a lifetime thing, but hopefully we will be able to do it again. Thanks to the Miyamoto's for always being so enthusiastic about showing us new things.
In the beginning of June, we went camping with some friends in Nikko. We really like the Nikko area! We went hiking a little bit and then all made dinner together. Thanks to Tada, Kenta, Yumi, and Sugino for a fun time!

BBQ, Violin Concert, and VIETNAM!

Michael and I have both been keeping pretty busy. Last weekend, April 24th, we went to a barbeque with some of Michael’s co-workers. It was a great time. Tsuruta-san, the host of the party, went to a special meat store in Yaita (about 45 minutes from Utsunomiya) to buy meat for yakiniku, while us and some others were in charge of veggies and drinks. In the states, usually someone preps all the stuff or goes and buys the goods needed for the party or potluck style, but the past couple of times we’ve gotten together with a small group we first meet up and then go grocery shopping together. It’s kind of cute, but kind of funny watching a group of 5 or 6 people trying to decide which mushrooms to buy and how many. After we got to Tsuruta’s house, we prepped the food and then began the barbeque. We had two grills going and everyone took turns to throw food on the grill and cook. It was a lot of fun. On Sunday, we went to a violin concert for my teacher’s daughter, Miki. It was Miki’s final performance as she is preparing to get ready for college exams. She is a very talented violinist that has played since she was 4. My favorite song was typewriter. Thanks to the Ichihara’s for inviting us to such a wonderful event.

Click here for more BBQ and Violin Concert pictures

This past week, Michael and I went to Hanoi, Vietnam for a few days. Since Michael’s parents were born and raised in Vietnam, we have always wanted to go. We decided to go to Hanoi even though his parents are from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Vietnam is a spectacular place. This was my first time going to a second world country and it was a very eye opening experience. Michael has been to Thailand, so he has seen a similar environment to Vietnam. Nonetheless, Vietnam has opened our eyes to a new perspective. As we got off the plane and headed towards the hotel, we see endless fields of rice, motorcycles, scooters and cars driving along the road in all sorts of crazy ways, cows roaming the side of the ride, people just hanging out and passing time on the side of the road, etc…. It was sensory overload! We finally got to our hotel and it was about 6:00pm, so we checked in and headed for a place to eat. We asked the front desk for a recommendation and she told us a nice place called Quan An Ngon. It was pretty busy and they had a good assortment of food. I opted for pho and Michael had com thit nuong (pork chops). We also ordered a couple of appetizers and some da chanh (lemonade). Our bill came to $16! This was the first realization of how cheap things were in Vietnam. Since we left our apartment at 6:00am, after dinner we called it quits. The next day we headed for some of the major tourist attractions, starting with Hoan Kiem Lake. It was a beautiful lake around the Old Quarters area. We strolled a bit and then ended up in Old Quarters and began to do some shopping. It is unbelievable at how cheap everything was. I was quite fascinated with the kitchenware and home décor, while Michael was fascinated with everything else. Old Quarters in an area with about 40 streets going every which way, each street is known for selling a certain type of item. For example, there was a street for shoes, hardware, kitchenware, bags, belts, etc…the list goes on forever. Which in the midst of all that hustle and bustle, there were also a million food vendors, people riding around on bikes selling things, people pushing carts, etc…It was all so intriguing. Michael and I were particularly fond of the food vendors. We found this lady that was set up next to the side of the street making Banh Xeo (Vietnamese crepe/pancake filled with shrimp, pork, and beansprouts. This lady changed our lives; it was maybe the best thing we ate in Vietnam. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find her again. Between the shopping and eating, we would hop into cafes to sit and enjoy some delicious ca phe sua da (Vietnamese drip coffee with condensed milk) and fruit shakes. Vietnamese people enjoy relaxing and people watching at cafes or on the side of the road with a small plastic seat or on their motorbikes/scooters.

The third day, we took a cruise on Ha Long Bay. It was a 3 hour car ride from Hanoi, but we went through a tour since I have no Vietnamese language skills and Michael’s was very basic. Our tour guide, Hoa-san, was awesome. She was very easy going and told us a lot about the history and people in Vietnam. Even though the country has reunited there is still and probably will continue to be some animosity between the north and the south. We got to the wharf around noon where we boarded a boat to begin our 3 hour tour of Ha Long Bay. First we were served a delicious seafood lunch, while cruising our way towards the symbol of Ha Long Bay, the two rocks that represent a man and a woman. Afterwards, we docked at a cave and went in for a tour. It was pretty amazing all the details that were hidden within the cave. Finally, we made our way back to the dock and headed back to Hanoi. For dinner, we ate at a French/Vietnamese fusion restaurant. After dinner, we went to a water puppet show. Yes, it’s exactly what you think, puppets that are in and above the water. Very interesting, it told stories of Vietnamese history and culture. Unfortunately, it was in Vietnamese, so I didn’t really understand most of it.

The last 2 days, we spent some more time going to various sightseeing spots, such as the history museum, the mausoleum, ride around in a cyclo, etc. I could go on for days about Vietnam, but I think you all would rather see it through pictures. I tried my best to capture a lot of what represents Vietnam, the people, and the culture. Ok, there are tons of pictures of Michael and I too, but enjoy!

Click here for more Vietnam pictures

Friends Visit and Tohoku Trip

Michael's childhood friend Luwan came to visit with a couple of her friends, Elizabeth and Linda. They each had a Japan Rail Pass that allows visitors to Japan on a 90 day visa unlimited use of the shinkansen (bullet train), so they took advantage of that opportunity and went to Kyoto and Osaka for the first two days. Over the weekend Michael took them to Tokyo and they visited most of the touristy areas such as Odaiba, Asakusa, Shibuya, etc.. I met up with them Saturday night for some yakiniku then karaoke. We were lucky and our friend Chase was also in town for a business trip so he met up with us in Tokyo. Sunday, we went to Harajuku and the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Harajuku in always an interesting time, but unfortunately there were only a few people out for cosplay (costume play). The Ghibli Museum was pretty awesome, we were lucky to even experience this because we've never read about it. Thanks to Elizabeth for the suggestion.
This past weekend we went on a road trip with our friends, Tada and Kenta. We drove all around the Tohoku area to 4 other prefectures. It was quite the journey. We started off by going up through Fukushima prefecture then west to Niigata prefecture. We saw the Sea of Japan for the first time while being in Japan. Since it's winter, the waves were pretty strong. We had lunch at a delicious sushi restaurant, Asahi, it was probably the freshest sushi I have had in Japan so far. Also, the pieces of neta (the piece of fish over the rice) was extremely big. I think the crab was a good 6 inches per piece. Simply delicious! Sushi will be on the top 10 things I will miss about Japan. After lunch we drove over to a city called Tsuruoka in Yamagata prefecture to visit a tsukemono factory. It was pretty interesting the process of pickling things. This particular company also exports to the United States, but the packaging was completely different based on the market. It's interesting to me that a small little tsukemono factory in the middle of nowhere exports to the U.S.. After the factory, we headed towards Yamagata city where we were staying the night. The plan for the evening was to go up to Mount Zao to see the ice monsters that are created by the enormous amounts of snow that the city usually gets. Unfortunately, it was a very warm day and the ice monsters did not come out to play. So sad, we decided to have a little fun in the snow to make up for it. For dinner, we went to a Yattai street, which was full of small little restaurants with 10 - 12 seats that were like stands at the carnival. It was a great experience and the cook came out to talk to us and even showed us how to make fried rice. The next day, we drove to Miyagi prefecture to visit Matsushima. There is a famous bridge that people can walk across to an island and then explore the little island. Due to the earthquake in Chile, the aftershock caused for a tsunami warning and most of the town was being shut down. It was pretty interesting being in a tsunami warning. The city made a big announcement that the trains were going to stop running at noon and many people were running for the station. The restaurants along the waterfront were sealing up the windows and put water barriers in front of the entrances. The city seemed to be used to the conditions because no one was really panicking. Our final destination before going home was Sendai. Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku area. It kind of had a small Tokyo feeling, but with less hustle and bustle. There was a nice covered shopping area that was filled with stores ranging from daiso (the dollar store) to Gucci. For lunch, we ate タン, which translates to cow tongue. We've tried it before at yakiniku, but it was prepared a little differently. The taste wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but the meat was very tender. We definitely enjoyed the meal. According to google maps, we drove around 900km (560 miles) which took more than 14 hours. We are so thankful to know such wonderful people in Japan that is so eager to show us the country. Thanks to Tada and Kenta for all their planning and especially driving! We had a great time!



Click here for more pictures

Bowling and Hakone

We started off the weekend Friday night with a little bowling. This was the first time that I have been bowling and probably the third time for Michael. The setup was the same as in America, the only real difference was getting shoes from a vending machine and paying after we bowled. It was a good time, but since I haven't bowled in more than a year I was a little rusty. Over the weekend, Michael and I took a trip to Hakone. It's about a 3.5 hour drive from Utsunomiya and maybe an hour or so from Tokyo. We took the interchange which guided us through Tokyo. It was pretty surreal driving through Tokyo. We were able to drive through Shibuya and past the exits for Ginza. Never would I have imagined that we would be driving in Tokyo. Well, technically Michael was driving. We were able to see Tokyo from a different perspective since we always take the train. It seemed so calm and quiet. After about 4 hours we arrived in Hakone. We decided to have lunch on the south end of Lake Ashi before heading north to Gotemba where our ryokan (Japanese style hotel) was located.
After lunch we visited Hakone Shrine to check out the torii in the water. It was just along the end of the Lake with a little walk path out to be directly under the torii.
From there we drove up some mountain roads to go to a Glass Forest. It was an Italian style set up with lots of beautiful glass scupltures. They even had a small display of Chihuly glass. There were also some very intricate glass decor with flowers and people that was so small and so detailed that we had to look under a magnify glass. Too bad we couldn't get a picture to show the justice. After the glass forest we headed towards our ryokan so that we could go to the onsen before dinner.
Shortly after getting settled we headed for the onsen. It was so beautiful with the snow covered trees. After the onsen, we rested for a little bit before heading to dinner. Dinner was fantastic. We got tons of food and we even ordered an extra sashimi plate because I love sashimi and it was really cheap. Hehe. Unfortunately, we miscalculated and it was too much food for us. We had yakiniku for appetizer along with sashimi and a few other small items. After that, we had soup, salmon/ikura donburi, tsukemono, and tofu. For dessert, we had 2 types of cake and ice cream. Somehow, we managed to eat all of the dessert. On Sunday, we started off with a nice breakfast buffet of Japanese and Western style food. It's so crazy how we have adapted to the culture in Japan because I no longer find it strange to have miso soup in the morning for breakfast. After we left the hotel we headed for Togendai on the northeast side of Lake Ashi to catch the ropeway to Owakudani.
Owakudani is the area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. Today, much of the area is an active volcanic zone where sulfurous fumes, hot springs and hot rivers can be experienced. There was sign that said the water was 80 degrees celsius (176 degrees farenheit). When you get off the ropeway, there was definitely the distinctive sulfur smell. Owakudani was also famous for black eggs (黒たまご) which are eggs boiled in the hot springs with a bit of a sulfur smell. It's suppose to increase longevity. It tasted just like a hard boiled egg. After our Owakudani journey we headed back for Utsunomiya. We hope you had a lovely weekend! Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Valentine's Day!

Lots of Food, Flat Stanley, Tableware Show...

Last weekend was filled with lots of eating. Friday night, we went out with one of my students, Miyata-san and his wife. We went to Motsu Nabe, which translates to hormone nabe. More than half of the meal was food we have never tried before. We started off with some appetizers such as horse meat sashimi with a raw egg, pig's feet, and deer sashimi. To my surprise, I really enjoyed it. Then we had a big pot of nabe filled with different kinds of goodies such as pig intestines, stomach, etc. Motsu nabe is a delicacy of Kyushu area but has become more popular in recent years because it's suppose to be good for your health. There is also hormone yakiniku restaurants too. It was a great time.
Click for more Motsu Nabe Pictures
Saturday afternoon we went out with some Miya Kids moms, Honma-san and Taniguchi-san, for a belated Christmas party. We went to Hinano, a Japanese food buffet, which was great. There were so many things we have not had or always wanted to try, so it was our chance. We got so excited for the food, we forgot to take pictures. We did manage to get some great pictures of the moms and kids.
Click for more Belated Christmas Party Pictures Saturday evening, we invited my teacher and her family over for Taco's. Mexican food is very rare in Utsunomiya, so we shipped a lot of taco seasoning because it's one of our favorite dinners. They seem to enjoy the taco's a lot, which made me really happy. I made some fresh guacamole too which was a hit. It's always a great time with my teacher and her family, they are such kind people, it's probably going to be one of the hardest goodbyes to say when we leave.
Click for more Taco PicturesThis past weekend was quite eventful too. First of all, we received Flat Iron Man in the mail from Nathaniel. Originally, the story is about Flat Stanley who was flattened by a bulletin board and his parents shipped him to California through snail mail. It's a way for children to learn about different cultures and geographies. We originally thought Flat Iron Man got lost in the mail because it was about 2.5 weeks since he was sent. Magically, he found our place. We started his adventure with kaiten sushi. Then he joined us for dinner with a Japanese family. After that, he went to Tokyo with me and the finale of his trip was a nice strawberry picking experience. I hope we were able to show Flat Iron Man a good time and a little bit about life in Japan.
Click for more Flat Stanley PicturesSaturday night, we were invited over to our friend's, the Miyamoto's, place for dinner. We had anko nabe. Anko is a delicacy from Ibaraki prefecture and is best during winter. We had anko nabe first with miso and second with a clear broth. Both ways were delicious as it was our first time to have anko. The Miyamoto's have been so kind to Michael and I, they are eager to show us new things about Japan and they really have a passion for food. Their children are also super adorable. I met Joe-chan when he was only 3 months old, so he was unable to hold up his head. Now he is about to walk and talk, and it's amazing to me, because that shows how fast time really goes. Thank you to the Miyamoto's for a lovely evening.
Click for more Anko Nabe Pictures On Sunday, I went down to Tokyo with Stacie, Mioko and Keiko. We started off by going to Harajuku's Oriental Bazaar. It's a place to get many Japanese souvenirs. Next we walked through Takeshita Dori, the famous street known for the crazy Harajuku styles. Then we went to a Turkish restaurant for lunch, which was good. Finally, we went to Tokyo Dome to a tableware show, our main purpose for going to Tokyo in the first place. Yoko-sensei had a small exhibit at the show and she met us there. She was very kind and guided us through the show and introduced us to some of her friends. In the middle of the show, there were lots of table coordinations which themes. Probably not for everyday use, but there were great ideas. Around the table coordinations, there were many vendors selling anything you can think of for tableware. The major companies from Japan like Noritake, Okura, Arita, etc. were all there. It was quite tempting to buy everything, but I was good because I knew I would have to carry it back to Utsunomiya. I managed to leave with dessert forks and spoons, 2 rice bowls and 2 small plates.
Click for more Tableware Show Pictures To start off my week, I joined some of the other OAP wives and their children strawberry picking. The strawberries were very sweet and pretty cheap compared to the grocery stores. The fruit in Japan is amazing. Fruit is mostly available by seasons. For example, nashi (asian pears) are only available during late summer/early fall so we cannot find it in the supermarkets. It really makes us appreciate the fruit more and we look forward to the next fruit season. That about sums up the past 2 weeks. I hope you have a great week!
Click for more Strawberry Picking Pictures

New Year's, Camping, Onsen

Michael and I went back to Ohio for a little over a week and it was a great trip. First off, we were greeted at the airport by my brother and two very surprised nephews. Devon was actually in a bit of shock and didn't hug us right away. Nathaniel on the other hand gave us the welcome we were hoping for. After about 10 minutes Devon came back to reality and talked nonstop for the whole week. We were able to see most of the family and good friends. We probably spent most of the time eating all the things we missed. Well, there were probably one or two or five Target trips too, but it's Target! I even got to spend some time with my cousins Mandy and Fong from New York. For New Year's Eve we spent the day over at Chalisa's with Devon and Nathaniel. We played a lot of wii, well the kids did, and the adults got to catch up. It was good to be with people you love. Later Loni and my brother came over and we had nabe (hotpot) for dinner. The trip consists of a lot of rest and relaxation, but it was a good thing. We came back to Japan and had a little bit of jet lag. Michael was a soldier and went back to work the next day. I took a couple more days to readjust. It was back to the usual this past week, but this past weekend we went to Ibaraki prefecture and did a little camping. Our friend Tada organized a camping trip with some of her friends. We rented a nice cabin for 15 people with our own little bbq pit in the back. It was a secluded camp site, so it was nice to meet some new people and enjoy some good conversation. We can definitely learn some "non-textbook" Japanese lingo. We also learned that hot wine on a cold night is really delicious. It was a fantastic time, thanks to Tada for setting it up. Ok, so I didn't get the blog updatesd as I planned so I am updating some more with our most recent weekend. Michael and I are determined to see as much of Japan as we can before we go home. Michael found a nice area called Kinugawa Onsen and it features many Japanese style hotels (ryokan) with onsen (hot springs). We stayed at a smaller one, but was nice. We stayed in tatami style rooms with the Japanese screen doors. The plan came with dinner and breakfast. For dinner, we had a delicious selection of various things such as yuba (beancurd sheets), tofu stew, tsukemono, etc.. The area was also really lovely, the main attraction is the Kinugawa River. Being in Japan has allowed me to enjoy nature to a whole new level, the mountains, the rivers, they are all so beautiful. Our first ryokan experience was great and we plan to go sometime again before we leave. That was about it for this weekend!
Pictures from Ohio
Pictures from Camping
Pictures from Kinugawa Onsen