A Fat Blue Christmas

Fatblueman's new Christmas song is out! You can check out the awesome video (by Marlow) on Youtube and if you like what you hear, you can download it for free from Jamendo. You're welcome.

Tokyo Krispy Kreme

I ventured to Tokyo for the first time last week for work. Though I had a pretty busy schedule, I was very focused on something not-so-work-related: finding a Krispy Kreme donut shop. I hadn't told Marlow of this plan because I wanted to come home and surprise him. I had been told by friends and co-workers that this place can get especially packed--we're talking hour or more-long lines out the door. Just Google "Krispy Kreme Tokyo opening" and you'll see some serious lines, which worried me a bit since I was with some friends, Meredith, Jam, and Jeremy, I didn't want to schelp them all the way there just to wait in line forever and a day. We found it in Shibuya, with only a small line of about 10 people or so--great! We got in, and began salivating over the array presented ever-so scrumptiously in the glass display cases, when one of the staff appeared, white and glowing, and handed us free, freshly baked and glazed, hot, velvety soft and deliciously sticky donuts--did I say they were free? Because they were. I got in and paid 960 yen for 6 plain donuts (which seemed a bit pricey, I can't seem to remember how much they are in the States), asked for a Krispy Kreme hat, and went on my way. I surprised Marlow when I got home, and he put on the hat while he ate them and let me take a picture. The donuts we ate at home were still great, no doubt... but that donut I had while standing in line has since been put up on a pedestal as the best donut I've ever had.

Bee Larva Kebab

This video is from the same trip to Gifu I took with Tony and Mari. As we were leaving, we stumbled upon this tiny restaurant that served bee larva kebabs. Naturally, I had to try it, and I managed to get Mari and Tony to try it too! It was an interesting experience, and to be honest, they really didn't taste all that bad. Other than the sauce on top, there really wasn't much taste at all, but the texture was similar to that of a Gusher's gummy if you catch my drift (yes, there was exploding bee juice once you bit into it),it might have just been the novelty of it all that overshadowed the flavor itself, but I thought it was pretty good. Here's a short video:

Good Dentist: Minoura Dental Clinic

If you've ever done research about dentistry in Japan, it's likely you've come across some pretty unnerving, or even downright scary testimonials about dentists in Japan. I've sifted through a lot of stories and information about Japanese dentistry ranging from shady practices, to outdated treatments, and found myself at the brink of panic as I attempted to find a decent dentist in our area. Luckily, I did. There is a little information I found online about this office, and I was also told by a co-worker that he was pretty good as well. Dr. Minoura of Minoura Dental Clinic in Kurokawa is our guy. According to the website, there are two Minouras (I'm gonna go ahead a guess they are brothers), that are visiting professors at Osaka University and Aichi Gakuin University. We have only really dealt with one of the two docs (unfortunately I cannot say who, because I don't know his first name). I think this is because he speaks English, and possibly the other doesn't. In any case, we have check-ups ever 4 months, and so far so good. The office is immaculate, and looks pretty high-tech and modern, and the staff makes an effort to speak English if you can't speak much Japanese-they are also very friendly. You can find the Minoura Dental Clinic in Kurokawa, exit #3, next to the Lawson across the street. Here's a link:


http://www.minoura-dental.com/en/index.html

Ginger Ale Kit Kat

I went on a day trip to Gifu with our friends Tony and Mari to go hiking. I'll post a couple of videos from this trip, but here's the first. After lunch we, along with the restaurant staff's pet turtle, Rinku, tasted Ginger Ale flavored Kit Kat. Overall, most of us liked it! It tasted a lot like lemon, but still with a hint of ginger ale flavor--I thought it was pretty good. Check out the video:

Royal Milk Tea Kit Kat

For a pre-Thanksgiving dinner, we invited a few friends over for roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and Royal Milk Tea Kit Kats. After dinner, we did a taste test with our friends Juan, Nate and Emi. Overall, if you like the taste of tea with milk, you'll like Royal Milk Tea Kit Kat. Juan, Emi and myself really liked it, but Nate and Marlow (who don't like the taste of tea with milk in general) weren't too crazy about it. Total, it got three out of five thumbs up! Check out the video:

$200 Chunk-O-Fish

While shopping for seafood for Marlow's birthday dinner at one of my 'secret spots' I stumbled upon this $200 piece of fish nestled among run-of-the mill cuts of sushi fish. I can't say I was really shocked by it, because we've all see the discovery channel, but I was still giddy enough to snap this picture. A couple friends have since informed me that this hunk a fish is actually from the belly of the Pacific bluefin tuna---aka, some of the very best tuna you can buy (think gold with gills). For the sake of the person who actually forks over the dough, I hope it's tasty.

Ant Masks

For one of my lessons at school we acted out the part of ants looking for food (for part of a book we were reading at the time). Though flimsy and cheap, these masks actually looked really cute, and seeing as all of the kids in this particular class actually wore the masks, tantrum-free, we took a pic. cute stuff.

How I Look to 6 Year Old Japanese Boys

This week's lesson was the body: head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyes, ears, and you know the rest. So to wrap up the last few minutes of my class we played pictionary--and i'm not exactly what it is about whiteboard markers, but my kids usually get really excited to use them. So after we finished the game, I asked my student to clean up and get ready to leave. He then, lightning fast (because he knew class was over) erases the board and draws this little number and points to me--so it's a portrait of me. Yikes.

Minivan Shminivan

Walking around the city, I spotted this mom with 2 kids on a bike. Living in Japan is very different from living in the US in more ways than I can explain, and when I do try to explain, I find that it is often just too hard to really get my point across. But for this, I was able to snap a picture. In America, this woman would undoubtably have at least a car, if not a minivan with which to schlep these two kids around while she goes about her daily errands. To see this in America would make onlookers think this mom is:
a)very (or too) eco-friendly
b) too poor to afford a car
c)crazy

Now, maybe she really doesn't have the money for a car, but in Japan, that isn't a big deal at all. Plenty of people don't have cars and get by just fine. How do they do it? They just make it work. And as you can see, it is possible. Maybe it's not as convenient as having a car, but it can be done. I had a Nissan Maxima in the states, and I loved that old car, and it was my first and only. And I hope it stays that way. Public transit is the way to go in my book. It's cheap, eco-friendly, and if the train breaks down, I don't have to pay for it...well directly anyway (taxes, I know, I know). Props to this mom for doin' her thing, and doin' it well.

My First Salon Experience

Up until about a month ago, I had never paid for a haircut in my life. My aunt is a hairdresser and, for most of my life, had been the only one to ever cut my hair. After I moved away to go to college, I didn't have as many opportunities to drive back home for a haircut. My aunt gave me some tips, and just after watching her over the years I was able to cut my own hair, and have been doing so since college. But I was recently compelled to experience a salon as a paying customer. Cutting the back of your own hair is not always easy, so I thought it would be nice to rest assured that it was really straight this time. It's unfortunate that I can't compare my experience in a Japanese salon with that of an American salon. I didn't really have much done, just a trim and a moisturizing treatment, so the overall change to my look wasn't really drastic, but afterwards my hair was shiny and super soft. For the cut, treatment, a bottle of leave-in conditioner, and free shampoo and conditioner samples (yay!) ran me about 12,000 yen or $120, which was a bit steep for me-- remember I'm someone who had never paid for a haircut before. While shampooing, one of my stylists massaged my scalp, neck and shoulders for over 10 minutes (which was totally awesome) and during the moisturizing treatment, these cute small plastic ear-caps were put on my ears to prevent them from getting gunked up. Hiro, who I presume is the head stylist and maybe even the owner of the salon, Cockney, speaks great English and was salon-trained in London. He took the time to sit down with me and talk about what I wanted done. I had a good experience, and when I decide to do something more drastic with my hair, will definitely visit Cockney again. Cockney is located behind Nagoya Station, about a block or two away from Yamachan. Once you go, you can get a point card that will earn you free services like moisturizing treatments. Call 052-451-1584 and ask for Hiro if your Japanese isn't so hot.

Useful Advertising

In the wintertime in Nagoya, it isn't uncommon to see some poor guy out on the street in the cold, freezing his unmentionables off as he braves the frigid temperature to hand out packs of pocket tissues with his employer's advertisement attached to or imprinted on the packaging. More than once, I've had to tear through pictures of scantily clad women posing for anything from hostess bars to massage parlors to get to the pillowy soft, milky white, deliciously free tissues inside. Our own English school hands out tissues as well. And in the summer, it's plastic fans with advertisements. Whatever is most useful at the time, hence increasing the likelyhood a passerby will take the camouflaged ad. I've handed out tissues myself, and not everyone takes them. Though old ladies are usually a sure bet, there is nothing worse than seeing someone handing out only an advertisement, with no tissues or fans or anything really useful. Poor guy can't seem to lighten his load. Anyway, tissues, fans and the occasional candy or free dry food sample are the most common (in that order) but I recently got an individually packaged mask with an advertisement in the mail. Though it was a first, I cannot say I'm surprised. So simple and practical--I can't get enough.

Japanese Christmas Lights

I spotted these while browsing in Tokyu Hands, a popular department store in Nagoya Station. LED Christmas lights that run about $70. For this much dough, I'd hope you got the well-deserved bang for your buck: that is, no sporadically lit, or completely dark strands after only a year's use. Let's hope whoever forks over the money for these doesn't have to deal with the same problems those of us who refuse to spend more than the cost of a couple of candy bars on a strand of Christmas lights.

Moving Day

We've completed our third move since coming to Japan last September. From our overpriced, yet undoubtably convenient apartment in downtown Nagoya, to our 6 month stay in Freebell, the apartment building more commonly known as gajin central, to our newest place in Yagoto. The move from Freebell was fairly easy, as we hired a moving company to do the dirty work. Though Marlow and I have prided ourselves our 'ghetto solutions' (we're the crazy foreigners you might spot dragging 3 futons or a small refrigerator on the subway) we opted for the moving company because our new apartment building doesn't have an elevator. As it turns out, there is a price you can put on not hauling large pieces of furniture up 4 flights of stairs, and it's about $370. Our apartment agency scored us about a $100 discount, which sweetened the deal. We basically sat back and let these two guys do all the work. With 30 minute travel time included, these fellas were done in less than 3 hours. Thanks guys!

Caramel Pudding Kit Kat

During our Halloween lesson at school, I managed to get my students to taste test Caramel Pudding Kit Kat. Now, this particular flavor is one of my personal favorites. As a matter of fact, I came across it last winter in a 7-11. The thing about this Kit Kit, like many of the flavors I've tried so far, is that it is seasonal--you can only find them in the fall. So by the winter time, all that was left were a few scragglers. I remember Marlow and I tried it, and really liked it, but when I went back to get more, there were none left. Since then, I've searched for them, until I found them about a month ago--yep, they were released again for the fall. Seeing as the packaging had Halloween decor, I thought it would be fitting to use this flavor for a Halloween taste test, and here you have it:

Halloween

Halloween in Japan isn't quite the extravaganza it is in the US, but it's slowly gaining popularity. I would think it impossible that kids, no matter where they're from, could resist dressing up in costumes and getting candy. At school we teachers are required to wear Halloween costumes, and most, if not all of the kids, usually dress up and have a great time. But outside of school(and the club district) you will be hard-pressed to find anyone else wearing Halloween costumes as it just isn't really that popular here...yet. Though the Halloween sections of those select stores with Halloween sections are typically small, they have grown a bit since last year. As for the future of Halloween's popularity in Japan, we'll just have to see. But this year I had a great time with my kids.

Miso Kit Kat

For our friend Nana's birthday we went to a Mongolian themed restaurant in Shin Sakae. We had a great time, and the food was really good too! While we were there we tasted Miso Kit Kat, but not before being taken aside by restaurant staff and dressed up in Mongolian costumes. Check out the video:

Salt and Caramel Kit Kat

Here's another Kit Kat: salt and caramel flavor. I could only find this version in the version of bite-size minis, but they are really good. There is a slightly salty flavor, but the caramel overpowers it, yet without making it too sweet. I also got some more of my students to try some, and they really liked them! Here's a short video of my kids taste-test:

Blind Pictionary

This week we played blind pictionary in my high school English class. But, I didn't have a handkerchief or anything similar suitable to use as a blindfold, so I improvised. I taped paper to my giant Jackie O-esque sunglasses and had my students wear them as drew--they had a good time, and we all got a kick out of how silly we looked wearing the glasses. They were good enough to pose for me too! They're so cool.

Fukui Beach Trip

This video is also a bit overdue--Yuki took Jen, Marlow and I to Fukui prefecture, in Northern Japan. We went to Crystal Beach, saw a couple of strange things while we were there, but we had a really great time! The weather was great, and the beach itself was pretty nice--though crowded. We could also see a nuclear power plant right across from the beach! It was a little weird, but no one else seemed to be too concerned...anyway, check out this video of our trip:

Mango Pudding Kit Kat

This video is a bit overdue-- we did a taste test of mango pudding Kit Kat while at the beach in Fukui. The beach was great! Which is more than I can say for this particular flavor of Kit Kat. Yuki and Jen were able to tolerate it, but I really didn't like it. An ongoing attribute of most peculiar Kit Kat flavors is an overwhelming sweetness that, no matter how good the flavor itself may be, really ruins it, and this was no exception. Anyway, here is a short video I made, check it out:

Cookie Kit Kat

Walking home from dinner we found another variety of Kit Kat with a layer of cookie added. It tastes very much like an original Kit Kat, but you can taste the crunchy layer of cookie inside, it's really good! Nothing too crazy, really, but definitely a winner! Check out our street taste test:

Sweet Bean Mochi Kit Kat

Here is another Kit Kat taste test: Sweet Bean Mochi flavor. Mochi is a kind of traditional Japanese dessert made from pounded rice--it is slightly sweet and has a kind of sticky, gummy texture. Here you can see my high school students giving it a try. As for me, I am a bit annoyed at this particular flavor because I don't think it tastes like anything more than an original Kit Kat! Marlow swears otherwise, but I tried it twice, and I'm sticking to my story. Anyway, check out the video:

Dear Mr. President

I am mailing this letter to President Obama in hopes it will help him keep a clear head during this health care fiasco.


Dear Mr. President,

My name is Antonette Gum, and I want to tell you about my experience having major surgery in Japan.
My husband, Marlow, and I moved to Japan to become English teachers only months after graduating from the University of South Florida, and only a week after getting married. We came to Japan with pretty much everything we owned: 5 suitcases and $5500. We started working in Japan in September 2008 and immediately enrolled ourselves into the Japanese national health insurance program, which is available to anyone who works in the country. Around April 2009 I noticed a bump on my lower abdomen, and being like most 24-year olds, shrugged it off as nothing important—after all, I was only 24 and I ate well and exercised—I was far too young to worry about health problems. Weeks later, the bump had not gone away, as I had hoped it would. I sought out an English speaking gynecologist, and it was then I found out I had a fibroid tumor on my uterus—one that had gotten to be quite large. My doctor recommended I have it removed. I went for a second opinion, where I was given the same recommendation: surgery.
At that time, I had never had surgery, nor seen the inside of a hospital with the eyes of a patient. I was terrified. My terror was mixed with anger at the time, because I had gone to a gynecologist yearly since the age of 19, yet this tumor (now giant) had never been detected. Because of its size, my doctor predicted that this tumor had been growing for years. I found out that this kind of tumor is fairly common among women during their reproductive years; however, a tumor so large for someone so young seems to be rather uncommon. At the time of surgery I had just turned 25 years old, and the doctors removed a tumor that was about 2 lbs in weight, and about the size of a pineapple. Smaller tumors can be removed using a less-invasive procedure consisting of 3 small incisions around the naval area. But because mine was so large, there was no choice but to cut open my abdomen—I now have a 5-inch incision on my lower abdomen.
To say the least, I was shocked at the size of this thing. One should ask, how a tumor so big went unnoticed for so long. Fibroid tumors can grow in different places. Mine, thankfully so, was on top of my uterus. I’m guessing its position, and gradual growth over time allowed it to remain unnoticeable for so long. From talking to other women, it seems as though having a tumor inside the uterus yields more pain before and after surgery. Months before surgery I had terrible cramping in my abdomen—like intensified menstrual cramps—but while I wasn’t menstruating. On a couple of occasions, they were so severe I couldn’t walk. I later found out this was the tumor, attached to my uterus by a stem of tissue, twisting around inside me and causing me so much pain.
On June 29th I checked into the hospital where everything about the coming days was explained to me and I was prepared for surgery the next day. On June 8th, 8 days after surgery, I was released from the hospital. I was in the hospital for a total of 10 days. In Japan, this type of surgery requires 10-14 days in the hospital, depending on how well the patient does after surgery. By the time I was released, my 13 staples had been removed, and I was completely able to walk around and take care of myself. I understand this surgery requires about 2-3 days in a hospital in the US. Three days after surgery I still had staples, and was barely able to walk. To be sent home in this condition would be horrible.
Upon arriving at the hospital, I was instructed to bring about $3000 with me to cover the costs of surgery. For the surgery and 10 days in a private hospital room I paid a total of about $2200, and was reimbursed the remaining $800. But, the Japanese health insurance program has placed a limit on the maximum amount of money someone should pay for any one procedure. Because we were new to the country, language and the healthcare system, we didn’t realize that had we gone to our local ward office and informed them of my surgery beforehand, we would have been given paperwork to lower the initial price. But, because we didn’t go before surgery, we will be reimbursed afterwards. This October we will be getting about $500 back from the government, and I believe we might get even more money back after the first reimbursement is completed. But, the $500 reimbursement brings our total costs down to about $1700.
My total costs actually could have been less had I not gotten a private room, yet all of the cheaper, shared rooms were full, and the cost of about $40 a day was so reasonable we had no problem taking the private room.
Within a year of finishing school, getting married and moving to the other side of the world, my husband and I were taken by surprise by this serious, and potentially expensive situation, yet we were able to pay for it. The costs were so reasonable that, though we did have to scrounge a bit, we were able to afford it! Upon first discovering this tumor, my first thought was: how will we be able to pay for this? I contemplated going home for surgery, but the ticket cost alone would significantly lighten our wallets. At the time, I had no choice but to have the surgery here, but now, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. My doctors and nurses took excellent care of me, and were very caring. Finding this tumor was a horrible thing to happen, but I will be forever thankful that I found it after coming to Japan. Because of the Japanese health care system, we were able to afford the surgery, and move on with our lives. I am now 3 months post-op and I feel great. I wanted you to know about my experience because I can tell you first hand: a national health care system that provides affordable care, and really works for the people is possible. I know many people are opposing you, and trying to distort and pick apart the plans you’ve proposed for health care to make them look as bad as possible, but please don’t give up. I am the daughter of immigrant parents who have worked jobs they hated just to provide adequate health care for our family. They, and everyone like them, deserve better, and if anyone can give them better, I hope it’s you.

Thank you for your time,

Antonette Gum

New Yorker's Street Cheese Dog Pringles

Pringles is another familiar American snack that transforms itself once it passes the Pacific Ocean. The common-in-America flavors like original, cheese, salt and vinegar and sour cream and onion can be found in Japan, alongside flavors like kebab, roasted chicken, and cheese dog. Actually, I often find the most familiar to me in select international food stores, while most major convenience stores carry most of the unusual variety. In any case, here is a taste test video of cheese dog flavor pringles:

Lemon Kit Kat

Here is yet another Kit Kat taste test video, but this one features my youngest student, Ayaka. Another one of my students, Ken, also joins in along with my co-worker, Daisuke. Unlike most of the Kit Kats I've had so far, this one was awesome and it got a unanimous thumbs up! But, whereas apple carrot and plum soda flavor are readily available at most major convenience stores, lemon flavor is a bit tricky to find (I stumbled upon it in a recycle shop!). Nestle, listen up: forget about plum soda, mango, and apple-carrot, lemon is the way to go!

Plum Soda Kit Kat

Upon meeting our good friend Yukiko's sister, Tomomi, for the first time, she was good enough to offer to taste test Plum Soda flavor Kit Kat and let me record it. Now this flavor, like many that I've tried, isn't necessarily bad--I actually have friends who like it--but I find the flavor strange, and overbearingly sweet...and especially after Tomomi pointed it out, very eraser-like. Hence, I invented the word erasherish. If Will Smith can get jiggy to be a real word, then it's worth a try.

Apple and Carrot Kit Kat

Of the many things in Japan that I find unusual is the variety of Kit Kat candy bar flavors. Though the original milk chocolate and wafter Kit Kat is easily found, it often sits alongside a different flavor, such as white chocolate, green tea, tiramisu, or in this case, apple and carrot flavor. At first it might seem like everywhere you go there is a different flavor of Kit Kat to be seen. However, after being here for some time (and of course asking some of my Japanese students) it becomes clear that these curious variations of Kit Kat are seasonal (but still sometimes random...I think). For example, during cherry blossom season, Kit Kat sold a special flavor in honor of the blooms (which I am now kicking myself for not trying). In any case, here is the first of many taste tests of the candy bar that hits so close to home, with an alien twist. I gave some apple and carrot Kit Kat to my students to see what they thought, have a look:

Tubing

This summer we made some new friends through our buddy John and his family, who were nice enough to take us along on a couple of trips they made to a river in Gifu. The last time we headed out to the river, we went tubing (our first time) and had a blast! My inexperience lead me to lose control while going over a rapid, causing me to hit my thigh on a rock. It hurt, no question about it, but it didn't damper my experience--we had a really good time! Thanks very much to the Janzen, Sheppard and Torres families for including us! Here is a short video of our little adventure down the river:

Our New Mini Cooper Bikes

Nagoya is one city that is easy to get around because of the numerous means of transportation available. Since we got here we have utilized trains, subways, taxis and good old fashioned walking to get around. But this week we added another method of transport to our list: bikes. Awesome folding mini-cooper bikes that is. Now for the most part, bikes in Japan are pricier than the States, so we've been shopping around quite a bit in order to get the best deal. We ended up paying a bit more than we originally planned for these beauties, but they were well worth it. They are foldable, and much lighter and smaller than other folding bikes we came across. We also opted for these because they have Shimano brakes, as well as gears. Once we picked out the bikes (dark green for Marlow, and burgundy for me) we set out to accessorize with locks, lights and a basket before we sealed the deal. In the States, after you fork over the cash, you can walk (or ride) straight out the door, but in Japan you must first register your bike before you leave. If you bike ever gets lost or stolen, it doesn't necessarily fall off the face of the planet, never to be seen or heard from again. In Japan, stolen bikes are a big deal, and if you are caught with one you can land in some trouble with the law. Anyway, here is a video Marlow made of our new bikes:

Rumble in Aichi: Sumo Comes to Town

Marlow and I went to our first sumo tournament in Nagoya, and we had a great time! We ended up with nosebleed seats, but that really didn’t affect our experience, we still really enjoyed it. To fill you in, here is a crash course in sumo: there are nine ranks of sumo wrestlers, the top four being the upper ranks including the highest, yokuzuna. We arrived in time to see the pros as they were introduced and paraded around the ring wearing fancy, bright aprons (I read some of these aprons can cost up to $5,000 as they often feature silk and gold embroidery! $5,000?! Believe it). We also spotted a few foreign wrestlers--they were pretty easy to recognize from our distant seats as they were much hairier than the Japanese wrestlers. Here is a breakdown of interesting sumo facts:

*Sumo, though it has evolved a little, is over 1500 years old, and began as part of a ceremony to the gods to pray for plentiful crops.

*The hairdo of today’s higher ranking wrestlers is consistent with those of early sumo wrestlers, and (according to the official sumo website…I’m not making this up) can also help to protect the wrestler’s head in the event of a fall.

*The title of yokozuna has been around for 300 years, yet only 62 wrestlers have ever coveted the position.

*Unlike American boxing, there are no weight limits or ranking systems, so wrestlers can be faced with opponents much heavier than themselves.

*The gyoji or referees are the guys who look like they are wearing fancy pajamas and running around the wrestlers. Their pajamas are actually a type of kimono, and they too are part of a ranking system: the lower ranking gyogi are barefoot and the higher have cool Teenage Ninja Turtlesqe split toe socks.

*Before the wrestlers actually collide, there is a period of pumping themselves up, glaring at their opponents and throwing salt. This part of the match is called the shiriki, and it allows the wrestlers to build up excitement among spectators, but what’s most interesting is the 4 minute time limit that has been implemented recently. The first time limit was implemented in 1928, and it was 10 minutes! I guess ADD has affected even the most devoted of sumo fans. The actual wrestling time within each match is often less than a minute or two long.

Though the 4 minutes of glaring and salt scattering may sound pretty boring, we actually had a great time and found the matches to be quite exciting (they really make up for the 4 minutes of glaring in the last minute of rumble). And the everything sumo souvenirs are cool too. Only real disappointing part was that the two yokozuna we saw parading around earlier didn’t wrestle, but it was still exciting nonetheless. Here is a video Marlow put together:

Clamming

Over summer vacation Marlow and I, along with our friends Ken and Miggy went to our buddy Clayton's place in Hammamatsu. Clayton invited us to go digging for clams, pretty much in his backyard. We all had a great time, and scored a ton of clams (which were absolutely delicious by the way)--we'll most definitely make the trip back for some more clams again! Here is a short video I put together of our day:

Good Ramen: Ijinkan

Before I came to Japan, I was tricked into thinking those 20 for $1 packets of dried instant ramen noodles were real ramen--I didn't know any better. Besides, in America ramen isn't part of the international food craze, like pizza or sushi. Americans don't often say "Oh man, I know this great little ramen place..." nope, ramen is something that has remained on the bottom shelves of grocery stores nationwide known only as a cheap meal, and has never really found its way into our hearts. Bottom line: Americans don't take ramen seriously. Well, the Japanese do. I have yet to find a main street, or busy shopping area without a ramen restaurant. As a matter of fact, I currently live within a 5-10 minute walk of 2 ramen shops right now. Though ramen is a Chinese food, the Japanese have developed quite a liking to it, and have adopted it as their own, only of course, after tweaking it slightly. For the record, there are a few different types of ramen: salt, pork bone, and soy sauce being among the most popular. Most Chinese restaurants I've been to serve the clear-broth salt version as a standard, while many ramen shops in Japan give you a few different styles to choose from, most of which seem to be of the cloudier pork bone variety. As it happens, I absolutely love the popular Japanese pork-bone ramen. I've tried ramen in countless restaurants, more times than I care to say, and I haven't been disappointed once. For the most part I think its safe to say that all ramen is really good here. But there is one place that I've found to reign supreme: Ijinkan. The broth is the best I've come by so far: just the right amount of cloudiness and salt combined with the small ringlets of fat floating under and around a heap of beansprouts, bamboo shoots and onion is heavenly. Ijinkan, like many ramen shops in Japan has bar-style seating in which customers just sit and eat at a counter. Ramen shops often seem to radiate a fast-food type atmosphere, though not quite like McDonald's, you can often get in and out in under 30 minutes or less depending on how fast you can slurp those noodles (yes, slurping your noodles is THE way to eat ramen in Japan). Ijinkan is no exception: cheap, quick food that tastes great. Once you enter, you can choose a seat at the counter, or opt for their extra seating in the back of the restaurant. Water is brought automatically, and you can help yourself from pitchers located on the counters and tables (also a common in many ramen shops). After choosing your type of ramen, usually consisting of different toppings as well as broths, you can raise your hand and say "Sumimasen!" ("Excuse me!") or press the bell to get their attention. Yes, I said bell. In many restaurants in Japan, you can often find a bell with which to call a server located right on your table. It usually makes a cute little doorbell sound when you press it too. Ijinken has multiple locations, one of which is in Sakae, downtown Nagoya, at the south end of the LaChic building.

Good Cafe: Comohouse Cafe

On my birthday my husband surprised me by taking me to the most adorable little "Mom & Pop" cafe you can imagine. Living in the era of Starbucks and its rigid uniformity, it is refreshing to step into a privately owned cafe where everything is so different. Don't get me wrong, I need my Starbucks-short-chai tea latte-hot-with soymilk fix from time to time, and I appreciate the convenience and comfort through familiarity that Starbucks offers. But its the same pros of Starbucks that simultaneously make me yearn for something new. Nestled in a dim, sparsely populated shopping arcade just West of Nagoya Station, Comohouse Cafe is a real find. And by "real find" I mean it's a great place, but you must also try to find it as it is not located in a convenient, or even high-traffic location. But once you do, I'm pretty sure you'll whip out your iPhone almost instantly, to pinpoint your location so you can find it again. Before stepping in, you are greeted outside by a small table draped with a burgundy and white checkered tablecloth and whitewash wooden chairs, a good place to sit and have lunch while bringing your pet. The warm yellow lighting inside beckons you to enter, and as you swing open the wooden door you are greeted by soft music playing overhead. A not too high-pitched "Irasshaimase!" ("Welcome!") follows, and you know you've made a good decision. But it isn't until you find a seat among the few wooden tables situated near the door that you begin to notice all of the attention to detail surrounding you. The steaming hot towels carefully rolled, placed in wicker baskets and presented alongside sweating glasses of water are not of the pre-packaged variety, and small glass vases of various sizes, each with a different sprig of wildflowers adorn every table. And if it hasn't already, the novelty and sheer cuteness of this particular cafe will slap you in the face once you open the menu. Each dark brown page is carefully handwritten in white pencil and accompanied by small drawings of select menu items. But the careful preparation doesn't stop with the decor, the food is also given a lot of attention. Though the menu items may seem simple, the careful hand with which they are prepared makes all the difference. A wide variety of treats and dishes are available, from teas, coffees and cake, to sandwiches, soup and salad, all of which are inexpensively priced and offer satisfying portions. And their homemade cake selection for the day is available for immediate salivation over, in a cooler near the entrance. An English menu is also available, and will most likely just be brought to you automatically if you don't appear to be Japanese, as one of the owners speaks English and will be happy to accommodate you. Comohouse Cafe is located at 2-16-12 Nagono, Nishi-ku, Nagoya; Kokusai Center Station exit 1, walk straight for about 7 minutes until you reach the shopping arcade, and turn left. Open until 7:30 weekdays, 7:00 Sundays and closed Tuesdays. 052-541-1271