Japanese Eggs

On September 8, 2016

Besides coming in cartons of 10, Japanese eggs or tamagos as they are known around here, are a little bit different than American eggs. They are extra fresh and extra orange. Today, I made my first batch of sweet treats in Japan. This was also my first time baking with Japanese eggs. I have made scrambled eggs & boiled eggs, but this was my first time baking. Knowing I needed a fail proof recipe, I made crowd pleasers – salted caramel chocolate chip cookies. I snapped a picture of the eggs before I mixed the dough. Can you identify the Japanese egg?

Japanese egg on the left

Despite the funny look of the eggs, the cookies Look perfect and are delicious!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

The eggs when boiled also look a little different than normal America eggs. Can you differentiate between the two?

Hard Boiled Eggs

The freshness of the tamagos make them a little bit harder to peel as witnessed by the choppy white edges of the orange yolks. No worries, with these eggs & tamagos, I made egg salad! So, chopped was good.

Tour de Japan

By wabisabisole

On September 7, 2016

In Japan

One more item of my continuous list of things to accomplish to help us assimilate was completed today. I registered our bikes. Yep, that’s right. Bicycles have to be registered to legally be ridden on base. Honestly, I think this is a Navy thing not a Japan thing. But, only a “when living in Japan Navy thing.” Anyways, I rode both bikes (one at a time) down the hill to the security office, filled out the paperwork and then rode them back up the hill. Sounds easy?

Let me quantify the evolution. Both of the bikes I registered are our beach cruisers – one speed bikes. The hill we live on is pretty significant. For reference, VB friends, it is much larger than Rudee Inlet bridge. For reference, G’town friends, it shadows Kimbrough hill. For reference, Great Lakes friends, it even puts Hero Hill to shame. This sucker is HUGE. Talk about burnie burnie thigh burnie. I was standing up the entire hill! Another important factor to note is the temperature. 85 degrees with a heat index of 101. Needless to say, I was a Sweaty – Saurus – Rex by then end of the evolution.

The plus side, the chore is complete. We have hopes of biking around the town, Zushi, outside of housing this weekend. If all goes well, I should never have to ride that hill twice in an hour again!

Orange Dreamsicle & Dave’s Bike – both street legal

Learning Japanese

By wabisabisole

On September 6, 2016

In Japan

Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) has a satellite office here in Ikego. They offer a beginner level Japanese course for spouses. I signed up with another newly arriving spouse to attend on Tuesdays from 12:00 – 1:30. The course is taught by a local Japanese lady and her BFF who is an ex-pat. Today was our first class.

I learned how to say the following greeting:

1. How do you do? Or Hajimemashite. (Ha – gee – may – ma – she – tay)

2. I am Julia. Watashiwa Julia. (Wa – ta – she – wa Julia)

3. Nice to meet you. Doze yorishiku. (Doe – zeye / yo – lee – she – koo)

Did you get all that? It’s a mouth full.

The tricky think about Japanese is there are three different ways to write. Kanji, hiragana and katakana. I would describe kanji as the most formal. Hiragana the most common. And katakana as the easiest way to write if learning Japanese as a second language. However, signs will be a combination of all three.

Katakana and Hiragana

We were taught how to write our names in katakana. I’m fortunate because Julia is actually a common Japanese name and therefore easy to write. Each of the syllables are present in the Japanese language.

Julia in Katakana

I especially like it because it starts with Ju which is a smiley face!

Japanese to English

The pronunciation is just very close to the English version. “Ju – lee – ah” or of course, “Jew-ya” will do.

Another important word I learned was “please” or “kudasai” – (koo – duh – sigh). I have already accomplished and discussed with you, “thank you” – “domo Arigatōgozaimash”. Now that I have “please”, I feel like I can be simultaneously clueless and polite.

My favorite part of the class was a quote from the instructor, Junko (June – ko NOT junk – o). Junko said, “When we hear Japanese from you, we will be happy. Because maybe you love Japan.” It brought me back to the concept of “wa” or harmony. If we as foreigners are trying to learn Japanese, it demonstrates we are trying to assimilate into the culture. We are trying to find harmony and harmony is good. Sayonara, friends.

Candy with Alcohol

By wabisabisole

On September 5, 2016

In Japan

Frequently, when we pass a 7-11 or Family Mart, I make a quick stop to assess the candy. I’ve been searching for wine flavored KitKats and the search continues. I have found a couple other candies that possess an alcohol flavor.

The secretary who works in Dave’s office gave me saki flavored KitKats.

I tried them today. They were good and very sweet. They did have a pleasant sweet saki flavor.

I decided to store them in the fridge because they were a little soft from the summer heat. I would purchase them again.

The other candy with alcohol I have found were these wine & cheese chewy candies.

They reminded me of a super fruity flavored Hi-Chew. I didn’t notice the cheese flavor on the inside. It was overpowered by the fruit chew.

These were not very good. I don’t anticipate purchasing again. I find exploring the convenience stores a fun way to discover the local tastes. My hunt continues for wine KitKats!

Yokohama- 3 Points of Interest

By wabisabisole

On September 4, 2016

In Japan

As I have already addressed, Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan and located half way between Yokosuka and Tokyo. With the size and summer heat in mind, we decided to pick 3 points of interest to explore today.

Cup Noodle Museum
Yokohama Brewery
Yokohama Landmark Tower

The total walking distance was about 5km. All three were fantastic, albeit for different reasons.

To start the day, we took the train to Yokohama and then transferred to get a little closer to the action.

First stop, Cup Noodles Museum. At the museum, you learn about the inventor Momofuku Ando. He is regarded as a Japanese elite inventor. On par with other famous people pictured below.

Momofuku Ando

A few note worthy greats. Including Dave Dwyer.

At the museum, you can create your own Cup Noodle recipe and container. We each made one for our two friends under the age of three. Surprise!

After coloring the container, you select the flavors and watch as they are sealed.

Flavors and additives

Our creations

Cup Noodles being shrink wrapped.

The final fun part to the museum is having a chance to visit the Noodles Bazaar and sample noodles from around the world. All samples just ¥300 – $3.00.

I opted for the Korean cold ramen. Great on a summer day.

We posed for a quick photo and were ready for a beer. Off to the Yokohama brewery!

We walked to the brewery and were happy to enjoy a few pints of American Beer & the best ramen I have eaten since we arrived. This particular ramen had extra seaweed. Seaweed is to ramen as a pickle is to a burger. Salty yummy goodness. Extra seaweed in this ramen made me extra happy.

Nom Nom Nom

Dave with the founder (on a flag) of Yokohama Brewery

Tap list in Japanese

Our final destination was the Yokohama Landmark Tower. The tower is the tallest building in Yokohama. It contains a hotel, a HUGE shopping mall and observation deck. The observation deck is on the 69th floor and provides 360 degree views of the city. On a clear day, Mt. Fuji is visible. Unfortunately, today was hazy. For ¥1000 or $10.00 each, we were able to take an elevator to the top and enjoy a Heineken and the view.

The tower is also famous for the role it plays in Godzilla movies. A little baby Godzilla greeted you when you came off the elevator.

Our beers.

So bright and sunny! Heineken was our only draft beer option.

Mt. Fuji in the background under all of the clouds.

I consider the day a success. It was really hot walking around so we wander through shops with air conditioning to cool down. The walking distance was perfect on a hot day. I would consider all of these points of interest viable parts of Julia’s Yokohama tour.

Yakiniku Restaurant

By wabisabisole

On September 3, 2016

In Japan

Friday night we went out to dinner at a Yakiniku restaurant in Yokosuka. At a Yakiniku restaurant, you sit at a table and are provided a pot of charcoal coals to cook your food. This particular restaurant was located on the top floor of the More City mall in Yokosuka. We were seated at a table and told to remove our shoes and place them in a little cubby behind our table. The table had a hole in the center and the pot of coals and grill were placed in it.

Pot of very hot coals and grill

We were provided English menus and when we were ready to order, we pressed the button on the table.

Magic button calls a waiter to your table

We ordered an appetizer of kimchi. It wasn’t my favorite. The beer was refreshing!

Kimchi – fermented cabbage

For dinner, I ordered shrimp and a side of ramen.

Dave cooking my shrimp and his order of meat.

The ramen was good. It also provided another opportunity to play with my food. It was served with a mortar and pestle to grind the sesame seeds.

Ramen and shrimp dipping sauce

The Yakiniku restaurant was a fun date night. It gives you the opportunity to chit chat while the food is cooking and the table provided privacy from other customers. The waiter call button was a simple way to get the waiter’s attention without them having to constantly check on you.

Dinner

Numbers

By wabisabisole

On September 1, 2016

In Japan

Numbers are universal. On more than one occasion since arriving in Japan I have used my fingers to communicate the number of something to another person. When I was shopping for hiking boots I showed all 10 fingers to the sales clerk. When ordering adult beverages I gave the peace sign to the bartender. Numbers, even though pronounced differently, are one of the easiest things to communicate across language barriers.

Japan uses the metric system. Even as a science teacher, I find this more challenging to reprogram in my brain than driving. I measured the tiny window beside our front door for a tension rod as 12.5 inches. I laughed at myself when I realized at the store inches require conversions. No issues, Google conversion assisted me.

The first time we purchased a dozen eggs, I thought something looked different about them.

It wasn’t until I arrived home that I noticed there were only 10. Of course! Duh! It’s the metric system. A dozen means nothing in the metric system. It is in fact, completely arbitrary. Ten eggs do work a little bit better for me. They all fit into my smaller pot which means less energy to boil the water. However, I still find myself saying I need to pick up “a dozen eggs.” No. 10 will do.

Driving requires the use of kilometers instead of miles. This conversion is pretty easy as a result of running. Knowing a 5k is 3.1 miles, I can easily convert with a little math & rounding. Divide the number of kilometers by 5 and multiply by 3 (just ignore the .1). On most roads the speed limit is 40km/h. Or 24 mph. It seems very slow until you drive on a narrow road with mopeds & bikes & buses & big trucks.

Speaking of numbers, one place Japan could benefit from using more numbers is identifying the exits on the expressway. Sometimes the expressway exit signs are in English in addition to Kanji. This is not always the case and quite often there is only Kanji. It would be simpler, for me, if the exit was simply a number. I will make a note of that on my next country survey.

Cruising in da Cube

By wabisabisole

On August 31, 2016

In Japan, Shopping

I picked up our car today. A Nissan Cube. Seriously. It’s kind of cute in a cube sort of way. Not top-down-convertible-Saab cute. However, it is new-driver-in-Japan-only-need-for-three-years cute. Check it out.

Once I had our Cube, I made a list of errands to do and cruised. I wanted to go to the Home store and the Japanese grocery store. The home store is like combination of a Home Depot, Walmart and PetSmart. There is one part of the store I LOVE. The store has PUPPIES! They are adorable. I decided to make a beeline to the puppies and then do my shopping. Here are today’s cuties.

Check out this little miniature pincher and his price. ¥158,000 is about $1,580.00. Serious sticker shock!

The cute lab puppy pictured above had a price tag of ¥98,000 or $980.00. Unfortunately, no puppy will be purchased while we live here.

After getting my puppy fix, I shopped for a few this or that for the house. On my list was to investigate paint options. I had an idea of painting an accent wall in our family room. Here is what I discovered. Paint is different here. The paint is sold already tinted and expensive.

The color is painted on large paint chips set above the cans and the cans have the designated color on the label. There are no portable paint chips to bring home and think about. And you definitely don’t want to buy the wrong color because the price doesn’t accommodate mistakes.

Upon closer inspection. It is important to note Japan uses the metric system. Paint is not sold by the gallon. Pictured here are 1.6L cans for ¥2,980. Google conversions helped me understand this amount. 1.6L is equal to approximately.422 gallon. In summary, less than a half gallon of paint cost $30. What! That’s ridiculous. Check this picture out-

This can is less than a liter and ¥2,550. A gallon is approximately 3.7L. This color blue was one of my favorites. I would need to purchase 4 of these baby paint cans to make a gallon. That’s ¥10,000 or about $100! That’s craziness. I don’t see myself painting any more than I see us buying a $1,500 puppy!

Shifting gears to what isn’t expensive. Sushi. My reward for cruising in da cube & not buying a puppy was picking up sushi at the grocery store for dinner. All this sushi was less than ¥1,000 or $10.00. Pretty good deal. Plus, I picked up some bubbly sake. This one may be a little too sweet. However, it pairs nicely with the salty soy sauce!

One final picture of our kitchen table arrangement. I’ve been working hard to make this house feel and look like home.

Lush Adventure

By wabisabisole

On August 30, 2016

In Japan, Yokohama

The packers don’t pack liquids that have been opened, so prior to the move, I had to use up and pass off most of my lotions. The only one remaining was a travel size container and for obvious reasons, it is nearly empty.

I needed a solution, stat! My first thought was online shopping. I had great luck with Athleta shipping to a FPO address already and I was hoping for the same luck with my favorite lotion company, Lush. I read the shipping information on the Lush website and sure enough they ship to FPO addresses. Great! Unfortunately, after filling my virtual shopping cart, I was unable to find the FPO selection. Hmmm. After a second Google search, I learned there are two Lush stores very near to me. Both in Yokohama! Google map showed me a quick 34 minute train ride to my desired destination. Fantastic. Off I went.

The train ride was uneventful finding Lush was an adventure. Turns out, the Yokohama station has a HUGE mall above it and below it. Yes, above and below! 9 floors. I attempted to look at the directory to determine where the Lush store was located. However, the sign was overwhelming with all the kanji.

Instead I used my Google map to help me locate it. Google map for the win again! Fortunately, the store was on street level making Google effective. I could actually smell the store before I saw the sign.

The ladies in the store were very polite and helpful. They provided me with an English catalog to help me identify the products. (Side note: she didn’t assume English – she offered me French or English. I’m assuming maybe I look Canadian because it’s a Canadian company.)

I was able to make my purchases and complete my transactions without causing international incidents or feeling silly. I used the tray to place my card, gave and received items with both hands and bowed slightly with “Arigatōgozaimas.” Remember, that means “thank you very much.”

It is also customary when purchasing something from a nicer store for the bag to be taped shut. We experienced this when we went to Sports Authority, but not when we got to the ¥100 store. Today, the sales clerk also wrapped the paper bag in a plastic bag. I’m guessing because it was raining. Notice the tape on the handle.

Finally, my purchases. With the cute English catalog she let me use and insisted I take.

My absolute favorite lotion. It’s smells like bananas.

I read the description for the soap jelly and I had to try it! From the Lush website: “Whether you’ve run a marathon or walked a mile this bright wobbly jelly will soothe aches and pains and send lingering cramps on their way.” After last weekends Mt. Fuji climb, our quads are still achy!

I also purchased toothy tabs. I was introduced to these by my sister in law, Michelle. They provide spectacular fresh breath.

Finally, I picked up some lip scrub. Not as necessary now with the high humidity, but I’m hoping fall is right around the corner.

Having most of the label in Japanese is kind of fun. Like hey, I’m in Japan buying my favorite stuff. Honestly, the world is pretty small. Simultaneously, there is something to be said for the comfort a favorite smell provides.

Parking In Japan

By wabisabisole

On August 29, 2016

In Japan

We have rented a car for the past couple weeks until we were able to transfer the title of the car we are purchasing. Tomorrow we should take possession of our new car. The logistics of buying a car are tricky and made more so when you don’t speak the language.

To help Dave with the process, last week I went to the vehicle registration office and was provided with the following steps:

While stationed in Japan, we must obtain local car insurance. Two separate insurance requirements exist. We must have compulsory automobile liability insurance that is required by law and a voluntary insurance. After paying for liability insurance, a sticker is placed on the vehicle. The joke is that you pay for a very expensive sticker with a car attached. The voluntary insurance is for damage to the vehicle.

The other important part of obtaining a vehicle is proving you have adequate space to park the vehicle. There is NO street parking. Japan has a law called the “Sky Garage Law.” The Sky Garage Law states: “Vehicles may not be parked on the street for more than 12 consecutive hours during daylight hours and 8 consecutive hours during darkness. You can’t use the street as a parking garage.” The penalty includes: 3-month jail sentences and/or a ¥200,000 fine.

Living on base, obtaining a parking certificate was very easy. We are allowed one designated parking spot for our townhouse. If we decide we want to own another vehicle, down the road, we will have to submit a request for another parking spot. This assignment is based on a first come first serve basis and typically the designated paring spot isn’t located close to the house. We have every intention to be a one car family while we are stationed here.

If you live in town, the realtor who helps you find an apartment to rent will also provide the measurements of the parking space. Then you must have the vehicle measured to ensure it will fit in the allotted space. If your vehicle is too big for the designated spot, you will not be permitted to obtain registration for the vehicle. Same with motorcycles/mopeds. There must be a designated spot for the motorcycle/moped to park and it typically counts as the one authorized vehicle.

When I first learned about the law against street parking, I was surprised. After driving for a couple of weeks now, it makes complete sense. The streets are so narrow, there is barely even a shoulder let alone space to park. It contributes to the reason to take the train as much as possible when going on a sightseeing adventure. The thought of finding parking is intimidating.

Back to our vehicle registration, once we collected the insurance paper work, the parking permit and the bill of sale, Dave hired a “runner” or “LTO” to take everything to Yokohama to have the title transferred. This person is familiar with the system, speaks the language and represents the buyer of the vehicle to obtain the necessary title. After that, Dave was able to return to the Vehicle Registration Office and legally obtain our “new” (to us anyways) vehicle. I will post pictures of the beauty in the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, let me stress how happy we are to live in housing and have an “American” style parking spot.

When you can’t have space on the street, park in the sky!