Mother's Day Sushi

       On Mother's Day we had planned to take Oba-chan to a sushi restaurant.  Unfortunately, she attended a memorial service and had eaten far too much during lunch, which caused her to opt out of the dinner.  Nonetheless, Ryoko was able to go and we all had a good time.  Luckily, on my way home from work I had picked up carnations for Oba-chan and Ryoko; so we could still show both of them our appreciation for all that they do.
       The restaurant was of a type that I have never seen in the United States.  I hear that there are a few to be found in California, but I have never seen them myself.  The restaurant does not have any wait staff, only cooks, hosts, and bussers (cleaners).  The sushi is put on plates that are then put on a track which winds past each table, given diners the opportunity to take and eat it.  A recent innovation are the covers that pop up when you lift the plate, giving the food a bit more protection.  I think that this style of presentation requires a fastidious population, one that is very clean; and I would not trust my fellow Americans to not sneeze on the food.

                     Check out the video!

       I could tell that the wasabi was real because it did not have that neon green look that American wasabi has.  I think that in the States, wasabi is just normal horseradish and green food coloring.  The sushi is not the best, Ryoko calls it the MacDonalds of sushi.  Irregardless, I ate a lot of shrimp sashimi with as much wasabi as I could stand (which is not much).  They also had Tempura and hamburger sushi, just in case you don't like fish.  The next photo is of the place setting where I ate my dinner.  You can see the wasabi, soy sauce dispensers, and the chute where you slide your plate when you are done with it.  You are charged 100 yen for each plate, and when you reach 5 plates you get a chance to win a prize.  We gave all of our plates to Yuta and during the dinner he won 2 prizes, you can see a yellow one on the right border of the picture below.

Is This Still Coffee?

       I think that true love shows best when you are stressed and separated from the object of your affection.  There is significant truth to the adage "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"; and I have found that this is true not only of people, but foods as well.  Because of this tendency I have grown increasingly enamored of BACON and to a lesser extent cheese and coffee while here in Japan.  I have already explained my BACON and cheese dilemma, and will not bore you with rehashing the tales, but coffee has so far been unremarked upon.  This is a story of just how far I will stoop to get my caffeine fix. . .
       I love coffee.  I know others that love it more than I do, but that does not diminish the intensity with which I miss a good old American brew.  Ever since I was a waiter at the Orange Plaza Diner I have loved a good cup of Joe.  I actually enjoyed free coffee there and I asked one of the cooks to pick a day and count how many cups I drank.  When I found out that I had consumed 9 cups, it actually scared me a little and caused me to cut back.  But the steeped bean had already become deeply embedded in my psyche, and I actually found myself feeling withdrawal during that time.  Recent studies have found that coffee protects the retina of diabetics, and so may have prevented me from going blind; but there is still the "too much of a good thing" side of the issue.  I have since found that 2 cups a day are sufficient and on the days where I have no coffee, I do not feel badly.  I take this to mean that I have found a good compromise with my craving.
       When I first started coming to Japan, I discovered that coffee can be found here, just not the variety that I am accustomed to.  Green tea rules the land and coffee is roughly Vice Presidential in its powers.  Not Cheney level, but more Quayle like in its influence.  I have had occasion to get coffee from Starbucks and I thought it was decent if not stellar in quality.  When I started at Berlitz, I found that a tall cup from Starbucks was a great way to start my morning and they even had an American Blend!  I bought this "coffee" until one day I observed how they made it.  I had assumed that it was brewed; but no, they start with a squirt of syrup and then add hot water!  This is a blasphemous, and most terrible abomination!!  I then decided that I would only order from the menu propped up next to the register, hoping that this coffee would always be freshly brewed.  I have not yet forgiven them though. . .
       At home in Japan I have tried over cup strainers, french presses, and even instant coffees.  The cup strainers were too weak, as is the french press; and both are a pain to clean.  I am therefore left with instant coffee to slake my cravings.  I know what you are thinking "how can a real coffee drinker stoop to such a level as to accept instant?".  Well, the technology surrounding instant coffee must have improved over the years.  I remember my first taste of it years ago as being very nasty.  This stuff is actually pretty good, and I love coffee enough that I am willing to overlook its flaws in Japan.
     The other day I was shopping and thinking about how the existence of a new element had been
confirmed.  The new element has an atomic mass of 117 and I found this product on the shelf and just had to buy it.  My first thought was "Taste number 117! What a coincidence, I bet it tastes pretty good too after 116 previous experimental tastes!"  It then dawned on me that I was looking forward to drinking this instant coffee and I experienced a little cognitive dissonance.  Am I still a coffee lover?  Is this really coffee?  What would Sir Isaac Newton think?  Did he know coffee?  The dude did a lot of science, just think of what he could have accomplished with a nice arabica helping him out!
       While I miss many aspects of my life in America, I have to confess that friends and family are most definitely missed the most.  If you agree and want to show it, please follow this blog or drop a comment in the section below reserved for just that purpose.

Takenoko!

       Today, Ryoko, her cousin Sachiko-san, and I went to the bamboo forest to the East of the farm and harvested bamboo shoots or "Takenoko".  Ryoko demonstrated the procedure using a special spade called a "Daruma Kuwa".  Essentially you dig down about a foot and then chop the takenoko off at the root.  This is then taken and the core is cooked and eaten.  I noticed that the fresh cut bamboo smelled exactly like corn when you are husking an ear; which makes sense considering both bamboo and corn are monocotyledons.  As I was working on the fourth shoot, the spade's head came off, I had to replace it and the wedge that holds it to the beechwood handle.  It was hard work, but fun and interesting as well.  Here are some images for you to enjoy. . .

Forest with Bamboo Trees

Daruma Kuwa

Takenoko

Have you ever driven on the sidewalk?

     I have become comfortable driving around Nagareyama, and I am slowly working up the courage to take a longer trip.  I am afraid that if I get lost I will not be able to get help because of my weak Japanese, which is totally unfounded as many natives here speak English quite well.  I have found that the art of safely navigating around the land of the rising sun in a tiny K-Truck is remarkably similar to driving in the United States, with some profound differences attached.  In this essay I will attempt to relate the contrasts rather than the similarities.

      To start lets talk about the vehicle I drive here most often.  It is a Suzuki K-Truck and it is very small.  It has four wheel drive, only two seats, and I have to get in by inserting my left knee between the steering wheel and the shift lever.  There is not enough room for me to sit down and swing my legs into place.  Each year every vehicle on the road in Japan needs to be inspected, which is true in the United States as well.  The difference is that while inspection in the US could cost as little as $14, here it rarely drops below $1000.  Thats right, there are no mistaken zeros there, inspections cost two orders of magnitude greater than in the States.  Ryoko told me that is because the Japanese do not want any cars breaking down here, and I can see why considering how narrow some of the roads are.
     As many of you may know, the side of the road that you drive on in the US is "Right".  That would make any other side "Wrong", and apparently Japan did not feel like being correct.  This character of Japanese driving was the largest cause of my not driving during earlier trips.  I just could not get my brain around the idea.  I find now that I have adapted quite easily to the difference and regret not taking up driving earlier.
     The roads here are strange in that they vary considerably in width as you drive along them.  At times the lane is wide and other vehicles can be simply observed as they pass.  At other times the road becomes narrow enough to make passing traffic much too close for comfort.  All too often, the avenue becomes so narrow that only one car can pass, which causes issues since I have seen very few one way streets here.  When another car approaches on one of these too narrow lanes, one driver must find a place to pull over and allow the other to pass.  This is done by the pilots negotiating with each other, eye contact must be made.  This is very different from my driving experience in New York, where the roads are almost always wide enough for cars to pass each other comfortably, and I think for the lack of road rage here.
      I asked Ryoko why the streets are so variable and she stated that  "when the government asked for the land to build the road, the owners said no."  This shocked me a bit as I assumed that Japan had the same powers in this regard as the US did.  In America such eminent domain issues are decided directly by the government, much to the chagrin of many individual citizens.  But it is because of the US governments powers in this regard that our roads are so much safer than here in Japan.  We take for granted that we will have sidewalks when we need them, but if citizens were granted the right to say no that would not be the case.  I also feel that because Japan became civil well before the invention of the car, many property lines were drawn with hand carts in mind.  This would not require the same girth as a car and hence the narrower roads.  I think the same is true of many European nations.  I know that if I had said no to the widening of the street in order to keep more of my property, I would not be able to sleep at night worrying about the accidents and/or deaths my decision would have caused. . .
      Another difference here is that because of the crowded and narrow roads, it often seems like you are driving on the sidewalk.  There are pedestrians and bicycles competing with you for space on the boulevard.  This appears to be directly amplified the closer you get to a train station.  I think this unhealthy proximity leads to carelessness, and have had walkers step out in front of my truck many times.  I have become quite paranoid about them and assume they will choose the least intelligent option until I have them behind me and even then I doubt their willingness to live.  My heart is often in my throat as I ride the bus, as children jaunt out in front of it without seeming to care.  I have also been left aghast as I witness motorcycles driving between moving cars, or on the side of the road.  I even observed a smartcar (driven by a not so smart person) pull onto the sidewalk one day as I was jogging.
       The main point today is that driving here is more dangerous than in America.  Think about this the next time you feel your road rage growing because someone cut you off.  At least you had a wide enough road in order to maneuver around them. . .

Cherry Blossoms vs. Yu-Gi-Oh

Last Monday, Yuta and I went to Roppongi so that the lad could play Yu-Gi-Oh at the Konami building.  We were going to leave at 10:00 AM, but he came home late from school and Oba-chan made us stop and drink some juice before we biked to Kita-Kogane.  I took this picture of the two of them right before we cycled away.



We had no troubles riding the Chiyoda line from Kita-Kogane to Roppongi, but were too late for the Yu-Gi-Oh lessons at noon.  We stopped at Starbucks for lunch, Yuta ate a ham and cheese sandwich (the same as me) and I also had a piece of cheesecake.  We got to the Game Center at around 12:40 and Yuta dueled several people.  This photo is during one of his matches.

At around 3:00 PM, I went out to take pictures of the surrounding cherry (sakura) trees, as they are in full bloom right now.  It was an extremely beautiful walk and I could feel my Nature Deficit Disorder waning.  I took quite a few photos and I am going to post a few of them below.  I hope that Brother Eric Benson finds this post, as he had thought to come to Japan and witness this event for himself.  I was thinking of you as I took the pictures, knowing that I would have an audience seeing the results of my work inspired me to do my best!

Spring Flowers in Oba-chan's Garden

      I find the garden outside the living room of this house to be astounding.  Oba-chan has been working on this masterpiece for many years and it shows.  Today I am giving you a glimpse of a portion of the garden that I find particularly appealing.  If you know the names of the flowers, I would appreciate learning them from your comments. . .

Yuta's Moving Up Celebration!

       Today there was a celebration at Yagi Minami Shogakko in honor of the sixth grade moving up to Yagi Chuogakko (middle school).  Parents were invited, so I went to see what I could.  I did not understand all the Japanese, but I can now figure out what the topic is.  As I arrived at 10:30 AM, the students in the sixth grade class were already speaking, one at a time.  The topics were their teachers, the school, and sports.  I heard Yuta's teachers name (Orita-Sensei) a few times.  There was much applause and it was all very nice.  Then fifth grade students got on stage and performed an act that used Basketballs to syncopate a beat, it was very well done.  They ended by wishing the outgoing students good luck and to work hard in Middle School.  Then the fourth grade got the stage, and Yuta did a great job.  He was playing a recorder on stage and theatrically falling down when the soloist played a wrong note.  It was quite funny and again well put together, reminding me of a "Drifters" skit (google "Japanese The Drifters").  The entire show took about 2 hours and at one point, several of the sixth grade students were in tears.  They even took the time to say thank you to the audience and community in general.
      One extraordinary event was when a bat (komori) started flying around the auditorium.  It was a Japanese House Bat, very small and harmless.  I imagine that it lives in the building and all the commotion woke it up.  The bat flew around the room and landed on different walls looking for a place to scutch up and hide, until finally flying outside.  While this was cool and certainly caught my attention, the participants in the ceremony never even batted an eye (pun intended).  They just kept right on with the proceedings as if it was completely normal for a komori to be flying around.  I have named the bat "Sir Isaac!" and hope it is doing well.
       This event illustrates for me the vast differences between how teachers and education are treated in Japan and America.  Nobody seemed to mind that the staff had helped put together this event that was partially used to honor them.  There is no correlated event in the States, but maybe there should be.  Does the respect follow the event or does the event come about from the respect the community has for the institution?  This seems like a better version of "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"  Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. . .

Bird Attack!

            Today I was jogging along an abandoned road where an old house had been demolished.  The site was still surrounded by a retaining wall which has steps, and an old cave like garage at street level.  As I was going past this garage a bird (here on referred to as Miley) launched itself towards me and actually collided with both my feet (they were passing each other, as is their habit when I run).  Having managed to survive the impact we both reacted with surprise and indignation, with me primarily occupying the former and Miley the latter.  As this awkward bird arched away sounding a bit like Oba-chan when I absentmindedly leave a light on, I recovered my stride and laughed.  I think I will go back and see if Miley is nesting or some such thing.  Now that Sir Isaac Newton is nowhere to be found (I hope he is okay); I have the time to pursue these mysteries.  I wonder if Miley is telling all her bird friends about her close encounter with my ugly running shoes. . .

My head is touching the ceiling here.

      When I went back for the photos, there was no sign of a nest or Miley.  I guess it was just a random occurrence. . .

Ryoko vs Some Old Scientist Guy

         I have been brought to task for not including Ryoko enough in this blog.  I had assumed that people were following my beautiful bride on Facebook, so I put my attention on the Lad and other issues around Japan.  I am sorry and hope that this post makes up for the oversight.  If you could stop texting me hourly, I would appreciate it, the lack of sleep is starting to make me hallucinate.  I just had an interesting exchange with Sir Isaac Newton, and though that may be cool, I just didn't enjoy arguing over the duality of light and quantum mechanics.  Apparently he has not kept up with his field. . .
I started off by asking Ryoko to tell me about her impressions of the trip so far, here is what she said:

-"This is the best decision we have made!"
-"It's not easy!'
-"I am happy that we are able to make ends meet here in Japan."
-"Was that Sir Isaac Newton or the mailman?"

So I think it is safe to say that Ryoko is satisfied here with Mom and home.
From my perspective, I would mirror those comments and add that this has been an excellent chance for me to learn more Japanese.  I certainly could not have even considered doing this without Ryoko.  She is an extremely reliable source of support, inspiration, and love for me and Yuta, even when she is mad at me (which happens far less than it should).  Each morning Ryoko gets up before anyone else and starts opening up the house.  This means that she has to go to the kitchen and start the kerosene heater, plug in the electric carpet, start the water to boil, make the tea, and get breakfast started.  We usually wake to find a warm, and inviting room to start our day in, all because she was willing to endure the coldest part of the day for us.
One of my favorite events this year was when Ryoko took us to Moriya to learn how to harvest rice.  We spent the day working in the fields, enjoying a festival, and eating well.  That night we went to a very nice bath (onsen) and slept in a mansion.  The next day was similar to the first with work harvesting rice and hanging it to dry.  It was during these two days that I learned how to make Nawa, increasing my manliness to unprecedented levels.  Thank you wife.  I have also seen Ryoko support Yuta and his enjoyment of Yu-Gi-Oh cards.  It was her idea to go with Yuta to Konami and see what he can learn there.  Yuta had a wonderful day and we even went back a month later for more games.  Thank you Mom.  Each night my bride makes sure that I have a dinner that I can eat, even if everyone else is getting something different ("You can be such a pain sometimes!" -Sir Isaac).  Thank you Ryoko.
So the purpose of this post is to acknowledge several facts.  The first is that Ryoko makes me very happy.  I only hope I do the same for her.  The second is that Yuta and I are very lucky to have her on our cases, the work is substantial, but so is the worker.  The final fact is that I do not deserve such a great wife.  Thank you Universe!

Central Jimbo Town!

     I had to travel into Tokyo twice this week for additional training at the Berlitz Headquarters.  I have gone to this building eight times now and have always wanted to get off at a certain station and take a photo of its name.  Today, I was early enough to risk being late to the office and do just that.  It helps that I now have a signed contract.  The first week of travel they could have denied me the job and I was not even paid to attend, so I put extra effort into being early.
     The station that caught my attention is "JIMBOCHO".  The ending of the name means "central"and combined with Jimbo is just darn awesome.  Each time that I have passed through, I wonder how they knew about my formidable neighbor in Voorheesville and when was the decision made to name the area after him.  Here is the photographic proof of neighbor Jim's Worldwide cred!

Tokyo Blizzard!

     On Saturday we had a snow event in Nagareyama, 27 cm of an event!  I know that it did not qualify as a blizzard, but the disruption was in the same league.  Up until this storm the only snow we had was less than an inch and it easily melted within a day.  I was working in Tokyo (Ueno) and they canceled my last lessons so that I could catch the train home.  Yuta and I tried to make an American style snowman, but the snow was too cold to pack.  You may ask yourself why I had to specify an "American" snowman, and it is a fair question.  In Japan a snowman has only two spheres of snow comprising his/her body, whereas a real American snowman has three (like an insects abdomen, thorax and head?).  I hope that satisfies your curiosity and you will stop taking me off topic with these distractions.  Who do you think you are anyway?
     In New York this would have been a no sweat event, they have the infrastructure and the experience to deal.  In the Tokyo area this is not the case.  I saw no plows or salt spreaders around, and the side street near the farm was not even cleared.  Nature melted the last of the snow on the road this morning.  A lot of vehicles had chains on, but that did not prevent the bus I took home from crashing into the guard rail at one of the stops (it had chains on).  Luckily the only damage was to the directional light housing and we were still able to drive on.  Many of the drivers were going too fast and many were tailgating.  I was much more worried about the inexperienced drivers than anything else.  
     I took a video of the precipitation for you to enjoy. . .

     The good news is that this weather has severely damped my homesickness.  I missed shoveling (no, really, I did!) and the driveway here is roughly the same size as the one in New York.  I had to use a smaller shovel though, so it took me and Yuta a longer time to get the job done.  Ryoko shoveled again on Sunday, doing even more area than we had.  I do not think she welcomed this storm as much as Yuta and I.  The lad even said that the snow in New York tastes better.  I am glad that I was there to make sure it was the proper color. . .

Atago Shrine

     I had a job interview yesterday in Tokyo, which went very well.  I will find out in March if I have the job or not, Japan does not make decisions quickly.  Maybe we could learn something from that in the States.  I know that it is tough when you need work, to have to wait so long.  I only know about finding a job in education, so if you are a carpenter, maybe things are a little faster. . .
     When I finished the interview I had an hour or so to myself in the heart of Tokyo.  I had to do a little sightseeing, and since there was a shrine next door, I decided to investigate.  I approached Atago shrine from the back and walked around the areas that seemed the least traveled.  I like to get a sense of a place from different perspectives, and I was not disappointed this time.  The site was beautifully landscaped throughout.  At the front of the shrine I found some interesting signs in English, which tells me they are for Gaijin (foreigners like me).  I took some photos for you to see, they are definitely quite blunt and did not leave any doubt in my mind.

Computer Issues and Advice Needed!

     Well, the old computer finally broke down yesterday.  It had been making lots of random noises for some time, I suspect something was bouncing around in the drive.  I was lucky that I was able to back up all the important files before hand, so not to worry.  I am now using Ryoko's old lap top, which every once in a while decides that I am typing in Japanese.  It gets kind of confusing when that happens. . .
     I am now looking for a replacement computer and have given thought to buying an Ipad.  We use them at Berlitz and I have been really impressed with their functionality.  I do not know if I can do all that I did with my PC with an Ipad, and was hoping someone out there who has already made the switch can let me know.  I am a little intimidated by the cost and was also hoping for advice on whether other manufacturers are worth the attention.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Shrine in Nagareyama

     Last month I was jogging through a new (I thought) part of town when I found a shinto shrine.  I like to go through new shrines whenever I see them so I took a detour and ran around the site.  As soon as I was fifty feet in I recognized where I was.  This was the shrine where Ryoko and I got married a decade ago.  It is a really large, and beautiful, plot of land for a shrine in Japan, so I was able to jog around and remember when I was there last.  During New Years Eve, Ryoko, Yuta, and I went to the same shrine to pray at midnight according to Japanese tradition, and if possible, it was even more stunning after dark.
     Today I jogged back to the shrine and took pictures that are attached to this post.  I will be starting at the entrance gate and going in to the building where we were married.  I hope you enjoy the views.

Cheese Lies. (this ones for you Dan!)

     Cheese lies to you.  I have on a few occasions discovered worms long forgotten in my fishing tackle that smell more appealing than some cheeses.  I have never felt the need to taste these discoveries.  I am curious who the person was that forgot the milk somewhere making Limburger cheese, who then thought to themselves "It smells ten times worse than my dirtiest socks, I wonder what it tastes like?".  This awful smell can disguise a very delicious product.  Because of this, cheese is definitely not for the faint hearted uninitiate.  Cheese is also something the Japanese have gotten very wrong, which is surprising considering the majority of Japanese foods seem to be based on a dare ("Who wants to eat this extremely poisonous fish with me? Anyone? Lets eat it RAW!").  The cheeses that I find in Mami mart are about as savory as paper, they are very over processed and quite dead.  Cheese needs to be alive!  I have tried the American cheese (in the plastic sleeves just like home), blue cheese, and romano here and they all are bland to the point of "why bother". Its like eating plastic.

DONT BUY THIS CHEESE!!

     I have found some cheeses worthy of the name in Kashiwa, they are all imported and very expensive.  A chunk of Cheddar smaller than a pack of cigarettes goes for about $15.  I have hope that when more Japanese experience the joy of true cheese, they will take the time to learn how to do it right.  For now I have to work around the fact that good cheese is now a rare luxury in my life. . .

Bus Trip to Kashiwa

     Now that I am regularly commuting to Kashiwa in order to work, I have had the opportunity to experience public transportation here in detail.  The trains are absolutely on time, and the busses somewhat less so.  On one occasion, the bus I was waiting for did not show up and it was good that I was trying to be early to work.  Instead of a nice early arrival with a carefree careful preparation, I was just in time and running to get ready.  I still feel that the lessons that day were well delivered, I had taught them to others before so it was easy to step into them.  On my way home on the bus the other day I took a photo of my knees so that I could show you how small the seats are here.  These are definitely built for smaller legs than mine. . .

Daffodils in January

     I was jogging along the river today when I spotted these daffodils blooming on the banks.  I had thought that it was too cold for these early spring flowers, but these did not seem to care what I thought.  They were a great lift for my spirits, one of the many things I have encountered on my trips to brighten my day.  I continued jogging until I had gone farther than ever before and turned back home.  It was a great restart to my morning run, I had taken a week off with Yuta on vacation from school.  Now that he is back in Yagi Minami Shogakko, I can resume my habit of running after walking Yuta to campus.  Here is a crummy picture of the daffodils.

     I thought those of you in slightly colder climes would appreciate that I am in a warmer place.  I hope you don't think I am rubbing it in, but could you please pass the salt?

New Years Preparations

     A few days before New Years Eve, Ryoko asked me to help make special ornaments for the house.  The leaders of Nagareyama have asked that people not purchase ornaments because they become too much waste afterwards.  We do not feel bound by this because we made them from material handy on the farm and the little plastic used will be recycled or reused when we finish with them.  The ornaments are called Kadomatsu and there are traditionally two, one placed on either side of the main entry to the house.  My job consisted of cutting 6 pieces of fresh bamboo at an angle so that the cuts are elliptical in shape.  Yuta was a very good helper for this step.  I wanted to cut through one of the nodes so that the solid part would transect the ellipse, but I was overruled on this.  My cuts are all in the internodes.  The pieces are staggered and tied together as you can see in the photo.  We also used a bit of rice hay, nawa (that I made earlier in the year), evergreen brances, and paper from the local shrine.  I am pleased with the way they look, and I know that next time I will be able to cut through the nodes because when we went to the shrine last night (the same shrine we were married in), their kadomatsu had been cut that way. . .