Just Hanging Around...

Sorry for taking so long to update the blog! We've been keeping it pretty mellow the past few weekends. We did go camping on the weekend of Sept. 7 and had a good time. We camped by the beach with some friends so Michael was able to go surfing and then some relaxation. Camping is always a good time. Other than that, we've been keeping the normal routine and just catching up on some R&R. Hopefully the next few weekends we'll be more energized to go out and about so that I can have a more exciting update! Have a great day!

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Birthday...Matsuri...富士山 (Mount Fuji)...

The past 2 weeks were very fun filled. My birthday was the 29th and I wanted to keep it pretty low key. I was able to talk to some family that day which made it very special. Also, Lisa managed to send me a package and it was delivered on my birthday. Michael took me to a fancy sushi kaiten (sushi on a conveyor belt) which was delicious! He also managed to get me a scrumptious birthday cake. I think the cake was meant to serve 8, but Michael and I ate it all within 2 days. It really wasn’t that big. All in all, I had a fantastic birthday.

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Over the weekend of the first, Michael went surfing in the morning with Tsuruta-san and Kenta-san. Surfing is one of Michael’s new interests which he enjoys and it’s a lot of fun, but exhausting at the same time. At night, Utsunomiya had a big festival (Miya Matsuri). I have yet to find out the true meaning behind the festival. There were lots of groups, communities, etc. that join together and carry small portable shrines. They walked up and down the main street and finished off the night at Futaarayama Shrine. We met up with Kenta-san and Tada-san during the festival and walked around and ate the usual festival foods.

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This past weekend marks the beginning of Obon holiday. On Sunday, Michael and I went with Yuta-san, Hayashi-san, Azumi-san, Erina-san, and Monica-san to climb Fuji-san (Mount Fuji). We left Utsunomiya around 6:30am and drove down to Shizuoka. From there we parked the cars and took a shuttle bus to the fifth station of Fuji-san. The fifth station begins at 2,305m and the top of the mountain is 3,776m. We began our journey at 13:00! The trek up was pretty slow paced because there were many hikers. Our goal was the seventh station so that we could have dinner, rest and wake up around 23:00 to begin hiking again to catch the infamous sunset. We made it to our mountain hut (山小屋) earlier than expected, so we chilled outside to take in the amazing view. Dinner was served around 5:00 and then it was bedtime shortly after. Our plan was to wake up at 22:30 to begin our ascent to the top of the mountain, unfortunately that did not happen. We were hit with a downpour of rain and it continued through the night. With hopes that the rain would let up, we delayed out departure until 2:30am, but again the rain was coming down pretty hard. By the time 5:30am came around, Yuta-san decided that it would be best to head back home. We put on all our rain gear and headed home. It was a disappointment to say the least, but we all made it back safely, which was the most important factor. We were told that a typhoon developed in the Sea of Japan that day which caused the heavy rain. To top things off, there was a pretty sizable earthquake too. It’s a weird feeling when you are swaying in a mountain hut 2,800m above sea level. The journey was a wonderful experience and we intend on climbing Fuji-san again!

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Taipei 台北

Michael had a holiday this past Monday, so we decided to take a weekend trip to Taipei. We started off our trip to Longshan Temple. This was a very active temple and I felt that we were the only tourists on site. The temples in Taipei were very colorful. After the temple, we ventured off to the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall was very beautiful. Inside the memorial there was a multi-level museum with many artifacts. From the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial we headed over to Taipei 101 where we had lunch and met up with Kevin and his girlfriend. Unfortunately, it started to rain so we decided not to go up Taipei 101 to the observatory deck because we would not be able to see anything. Kevin and Jocelyn took us around to different places because of the rain, we were limited to indoor areas. They took us to Eslite Bookstore, but there were many little shops within the bookstore like a small furniture store, toy store, stationary store, etc. We later went to dinner at a yummy dumpling place on the east side. We ordered dumplings (小籠包), drunken chicken, some veggies and many other things. It was so delicious! After dinner we went to get some bubble tea, it was so good. I miss bubble tea. To finish off the day, we walked around the Raohe Street Night Market. The night market was filled with food and shops. The second day we first went to Taipei 101 because the weather was nice in the morning. We went up to the 89th floor and had a great panoramic view of Taipei. Michael was quite fascinated with the super big wind damper and the elevator model. There was also a nice outdoor observatory on the 91st floor, but the barrier/fence was quite big that it hindered the view a little, I guess safety first. Taipei 101 also had a jewelry museum and lots of coral and jade sculptures; we actually spent 2 hours in Taipei 101. After Taipei 101, we went to get some dim sum and it was pretty good. I guess anything is good when you miss it. We were so excited to eat, we forgot to take pictures. After lunch, we went to the National Palace Museum and met up with Kevin and Jocelyn again. The palace museum was a collection of art, sculptures, calligraphy and books. After the museum we went to Shilin Night Market to have a snack and walk around. Kevin and Jocelyn took us to this awesome dessert place. I had this shaved milk ice cream topped with mango sauce and fresh mango chunks! It was awesome and like nothing I’ve ever had. I am a bit sad that I can’t have it again. To finish off Sunday night, we went to Miramar Shopping Center. This was a newer area and everything was bright and colorful. The ferris wheel was probably the most noticeable item and it was beautiful. It lit up at night changing colors every 30 seconds or so. We found a nice little restaurant to chill and relax. That about concludes our trip, thanks to Kevin and Jocelyn for taking us everywhere, we had a wonderful time!

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Surfing...Camping...Hiking...

This past weekend was very fun filled. Saturday morning, Michael went to Oarai with Tsuruta-san (Michael’s co-worker) to surf for the first time. Tsuruta-san has been surfing for many years, so he offered to take Michael. Unfortunately I do not have pictures, but Michael claims he did stand up a few times. Surfing was fun, but takes a lot of strength. After surfing, Michael and I went up to Nikko to camp alongside Lake Chuzenji with some of the other OAPs and OAP’s friends. I can’t remember everyone’s name, but it was a good time. There were maybe 5 or 6 tents set up and then a couple of bbq grills in the middle for everyone to use. We sat around talking, eating and having a good time. Michael and I called it a night early to be rested for the next day. On Sunday, Michael and I went to hike Nantaisan with a few of his co-workers. Nantaisan is 2,484 meters high (8,149 feet). This was the first time I hiked so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Nantaisan’s path is quite steep, so about a third of the way up I was ready to call quits. I was very thankful that Michael and his co-workers were supportive and I did make it to the top of the summit. It’s was an incredible feeling, we had a panoramic view of Lake Chuzenji and the sky was pretty clear majority of the time. It was quite the feeling walking through the clouds and then seeing the clouds below you. Nantaisan was considered training for Mount Fuji because the shape of the mountain closely resembles Mount Fuji’s. We will be climbing Mount Fuji in August which is very exciting. Enjoy our pictures, I think there are some where you can see me struggling.

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Udon and Fun!

The past few weekends have been semi-busy. The end of June, Michael went on a business trip to Germany and Italy. Although it sounds like fun, he actually had a pretty hectic schedule. I am sure he had some time for fun. The weekend of July 4th, we went to an udon making class in Gunma Prefecture. We went with a bunch of Japanese teachers and their families and Katie joined in on the fun because she loves udon. The udon making process was not too difficult, but it took time. We mixed the dough and then stepped on the dough a few times before rolling out the udon. Udon retracts very quickly when you roll it out, so it took a lot of effort and strength. We enjoyed lunch with the udon we made in the morning and it reminded us of how worth it is was. We had the udon cold, which was perfect for a warm, sunny day. That same day in the evening, we went to Oyama with some of Michael’s co-workers and attended a free Fuji climbing seminar by Mont Bell (kind of like North Face, Columbia). There was a store worker that went over the necessities for climbing Mount Fuji and tips. Michael is planning to climb in August and I am still deciding, it’s 3,776 meters high (12,388 feet). This past weekend, Amy had a going away nomikai. We began at her favorite yakiniku restaurant and then headed off to karaoke. This was the first time I went to karaoke in Japan and it was a blast. Of course, I did not sing. Saturday night, we went out with some of the other OAPs to welcome a new OAP, Garrett. We went to dinner at Universal Dining, then Iceman’s, then Birdland. Sorry, I’ve been lazy about updating pics! =(

Disney, Camping, Oarai, BBQ

For our first year anniversary, Michael and I decided to go to the happiest place on earth, Disney Sea. Disney Sea is next to Disneyland in Japan, but is designed with seven “ports of call” each with its own unique theme. The amount of land does not compare to America, but the detail of each attraction was amazing. The day started off a little gloomy, hence you will see umbrellas in some pictures, but sun came out in the afternoon. The weather was cooperative and resulted in less people. I think the longest we waited for a ride was 40 minutes. That’s pretty good considering it is Disney! We rode most of the “fast pass” rides like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Indiana Jones, Tower or Terror, etc... We caught a few shows in between and finished off the night watching the fireworks show. Oh, almost forgot, there is a Disney Resort Line train that circles to the hotel and stops at Disneyland and Disney Sea. Once you get on the train it is constructed with everything Disney, from the seats, to the windows, they know how to make you want to spend money!

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This past weekend, June 14th was pretty interesting. On Friday night, the OAPs went to Kinugawa (Kinu River) to have a bbq. We fired up a couple of grills and everyone brought their own food. We had a little bonfire going the whole night and just relaxed with some great conversation. Some of us wanted to camp out there, so Michael and I figured we could camp in the car. However, Annie just got this huge 4 person tent and convinced us it would be better than the car. I can actually say I went camping. We woke up in the morning and Matt fired up the grill again and made us some eggs and bacon. It was delicious. Overall, camping wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. With airbeds and all, it makes for a comfy night’s sleep. Saturday, Michael and I went to Oarai to walk around the beach since the last time we went it was cold. The beach was not ready for swimming yet, but there were lots of surfers out. We walked along the beach and then took a little rest in the car since we didn’t sleep much from the previous night of camping. After our nap, we rode our bikes for a little bit and called it a day. On Sunday, Michael’s group had a bbq in Utsunomiya. Wow, when they bbq, it’s no joke. Basically, everyone chips in a certain amount and the two youngest in the group, Ota-san and Azumi-san were in charge of going to get the food before the bbq. They did a pretty good job because everyone was stuffed. Most of the younger ones maintained the grill too. We had delicious chicken, beef, veggies, clams, etc…Oh, Michael’s chief engineer and assistant chief engineer caught some fish the day before and we grilled those too. It was a fun time! Oh almost forgot, we tried Coke’s new green tea flavor and it tastes just like diet. We really couldn’t taste the green tea flavor at all, but kind of disappointed.

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Mashiko...Iceman's Bar...Wii...

The weekend started off with some casual badminton on Friday night. We met up with Michael’s co-worker, Azumi-san at the Honda Gym. Azumi-san showed us the ropes on how to sign-in and all that good stuff. We played for about 2 hours, who knew badminton would be so exhausting. On Saturday, Michael and I went with my teacher, Eiko-san and her husband, Ichihara-san to Mashiko to make our own pottery (ロクロ). We went to a nice mom and pop type shop. The pottery teacher had an old style kiln outside that is not in use, but it dates back hundreds of years. The four of us got a brief demonstration on how to use the potter’s wheel and the techniques to create a bowl, plates, cup, etc.. I opted to make a rice bowl (ちゃわん) for my first piece. It turned out ok, but making it was pretty difficult. The second piece I made was a soba chokou (dipping bowl for cold soba). I was quite fond of that piece. Michael’s first attempt was a rice bowl and it turned out pretty good. The second piece he made was also a soba chokou. Michael found that the potter’s wheel was very relaxing. I on the other hand found it more stressful. We made 2 pieces at a time and then switched off. I think it allows you to relax in between the sessions. For my second try, I made 2 plates. The first plate was not as pretty, but I decided to keep it anyways to have a matching set. Michael’s second try he made 2 tall cups and a small tea cup. After experiencing the pottery making, it gave us a new found appreciation for the things that we have previously purchased from Mashiko or any handmade piece of pottery. It takes so much talent and time to create these little pieces of masterpiece that we don’t think about and use almost every day. I definitely had a good time with good company.

Saturday night, we went to Iceman’s, a bar in Utsunomiya, for Heather and Kevin Saul’s farewell party. The atmosphere was pretty chill. There were many foreigners there so it felt a little bit like being back in Ohio, except for the smoke filled room. It was a good time and we met some new people, which is always fun. On Sunday, we had a little get together at our place with the Hughes’s, Loza’s, Matt and Annie. We just ordered some sushi take out and played some wii. The Hughes’s let us borrow guitar hero and I think we are becoming mildly obsess. It’s nice to have good conversation with good company!

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Good Times and Soba Making

The week went by pretty much as usual. On Thursday, I did decide to venture off to the salon. I contemplated for awhile as to what I should do with my hair...the outcome: digital perm. Basically I added soft curls to my hair; the best part of the salon was they give you a head and shoulders massage. Downside, it took about 3.5 hours. You can see the curls in most of the pictures from the weekend. We started off the weekend with dinner Friday night at a tapas restaurant called Bar Mar. Annie and Matt went with us and it was an awesome place. The food was good and the atmosphere was kind of like being in NYC. There were a couple of customers who were celebrating their birthdays and the restaurant dimmed the lights and then announced that there was a birthday and the whole restaurant joined in to sing “happy birthday”. Oh, I tried white sangria for the first time too and I really like it. After dinner with met up with Annie’s friend, TD and her boyfriend. They took us to a jazz bar pretty close to our place. It was a really nice, relaxing atmosphere. We’re definitely going to have to go back for dinner one night.

Saturday, Michael went to play badminton with his co-workers and I went to teach English for a couple of hours. We didn’t do too much else on Saturday, it’s beginning to get hot here and it’s only May. I’m so scared for the heat and humidity in July and August. Sunday morning, Michael, my teacher, Eiko-san, her husband, Ichihara-san and I went to a soba making class. It was in a classroom within a farmer’s market area. We made soba from scratch and then had lunch with all the other students. It is hard work making soba, it gives me a new found appreciation for the stores that sell handmade soba. Plus, it’s refreshing because I don’t think that we can find handmade soba in Ohio. Handmade soba is best when it is served cold because you can really taste the texture of the noodles. When it is boiled in hot broth the noodles expand and lose a little bit of its consistency, per the teacher. I can’t wait to make soba for everyone back home!

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Nikko/Sumo

Michael and I had a very fun filled weekend. We went to Nikko on Saturday with Michael’s teacher, Kawai-sensei. She is an official tour guide for Nikko, so it was nice to have her explain some of the history. To get to Nikko there is a super crazy windy road, Irohazaka niban, with more than 25 turns. Michael did not drive too fast, so luckily I did not get carsick. We first went to Kegon Falls, which was a beautiful waterfall. We could watch the waterfall all day long, but we decided not to and headed to another waterfall, Ryuzu Falls. Ryuzu Falls was not as high of a waterfall, but there are 2 falls that come together which is depicted as a dragon’s head and that’s what Ryuzu means. There is a path alongside Ryuzu Falls that we walked up and it was very pretty, but exhausting. After Ryuzu Falls, we went over to Lake Chuzenji to enjoy the view of the lake and the mountains. It was a perfect day. For a Saturday, Nikko was not crowded and the weather was the best it could be. We decided to have lunch by Lake Chuzenji. We found a little restaurant that had set meals. Michael and Kawai-sensei order a whole fish grilled and finished with salt and I opted for the fried smelt. Each of our set meals includes yuba, beancurd sheet rolls, which was a famous food item in the Nikko area. The way the restaurant prepared the yuba was a little sweet. Still trying to determine if I really liked it. After lunch we headed down the mountains taking Irohazaka ichiban. Again, it was a super crazy windy road and we went slower because of all the traffic. We headed towards Nikko National Park to see the 2 shrines and temple. Nikko National Park with Toshogu Shrine, Futarasan Shrine, and Rinno-ji was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999 by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Since we were low on time we opted to visit Toshogu Shrine. After Toshogu Shrine, we went to a senbei (rice cracker) building that was a big store, but inside the store they allow you to buy blank senbei’s to design yourself with soy sauce “paint” as they called it. Spending the day in Nikko was amazing and we shall return.

On Sunday, we went to Tokyo to see the Sumo Tournament. We met up with Dinorah and Arnulfo in the afternoon because we were pretty tired from spending the whole day at Nikko. The four of us shared a box seat, which basically meant we were on the first level and we sat on cushions. It was pretty cool because the box in front of us had no one, so we slowly moved into that area for more room. The sumo day starts off with low ranking sumos, Juryo. Close to 4:30pm was the beginning of the higher ranked sumo matches. The higher ranked sumo matches were more unpredictable because they would try to trick the opponent more often on when the match would actually begin. To top off the awesome sumo experience, Michael and I met Alton Brown from Food Network. He was a very nice man and took pictures with us. I always wanted to meet a celebrity; I never would have guessed it would be in Tokyo!

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Golden Week (芝桜公園,Seoul, BBQ, Mashiko)

Golden week holiday began on Monday for us, but it didn’t officially start until Wednesday, 4/29. On Monday, Michael and I spent the afternoon with our teachers. We had a small bbq at home and then went toしばざくら公園 (shibazakura) in 市貝町 (ichikai town).There was a big flower carpet of shibazakura. There were also lots of little vendors and quite the tourist attraction. It was a very nice afternoon with our teachers.

On Tuesday, Michael and I headed to Seoul, South Korea. Seoul was a beautiful place! We spent most of our time around tourist attractions, but did make an effort to find some small restaurants filled with locals for food. It was awesome to have the opportunity to have authentic Korean food! Now it kind of stinks because we can’t get it in Japan. We did bring back loads of kimchi and seaweed. We bought so much kimchi they gave us a free cooler. We made our way around Korea using the train, it’s a pretty easy system. If the train failed to get us to our destination we just hopped in a taxi because it was so cheap. We did lots of shopping, especially in Dongdaemun, because we could bargain for anything and everything. It turned into a fun game for Michael and I. Another favorite was the 63 building, which was more than 250meters (820 feet) high and had a panoramic view of Seoul. We did this at night, so everything was lit up, the buildings, the bridges, and the path along the Han River. It was beautiful. Gyeongbokgung (palace) was also an amazing site. We were there in time to see the changing of the guards! I also had the chance to meet up with a friend, Haeyun. It was so weird because in high school, I would always say how I would go to Korea, blah, blah, blah and it happened! Never in a million years would I imagine to have dinner with a friend from high school in Korea. It was great, caught up on good times. Michael and I really enjoyed Korea!

We came back from Korea with a few more days of holiday. Saturday, Michael and I packed up our grill and all the supplies and had a little grilling picnic next to the Kinugawa (Kinu River). It was very secluded and only 2 other cars had the same spot in mind, but I think they were there to fish instead of BBQ. It was a nice, relaxing afternoon of Korean BBQ and skipping rocks.

Monday, we took our first trip to Mashiko. Mashiko is a small pottery town about 25km away from our apartment. Every year they have a block party like sale during Golden Week and one week in October. Mashiko was the most incredible place to me. I think Michael was secretly trying to keep me away from Mashiko as long as he possibly could because it was dangerous (for his wallet). I thought that since it’s a famous area things would be moderately expensive. I was wrong. There were great finds and we picked up some amazing pieces for a low price. I wanted to buy everything, but of course, Michael was there to keep me in check. One of the most exciting items were bought were two planters. Michael and I have decided to try out gardening. Michael chose to plant snowpeas and I chose green beans. We'll send updates. I heart Mashiko.

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