Wabi-Sabi Sole

Finding Beauty with Imperfection

Buddha & Brews

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On November 21, 2017

In Asahi, Autumn, Beer, Fukuoka, Google Map, Japan, Temple, Train

The weather on Tuesday was beautiful. I decided to mix up my day trips and use the lovely day to explore Fukuoka. The Midori-Huis Ten Bosch Limited Express train makes the trip to Fukuoka from Sasebo in about two hours.

I arrived at the Sasebo train station with plenty of time to spare before catching the 8:06 train. I’m glad I did. I’ve learned in Japan that trains with special names require a special ticket at a special price. Such was the case with the Limited Express. I needed two tickets. One ticket for the train and one for Express Train! Yikes! And that is only one way! I needed to make the most of my day!

Once arriving at Hakata Station, I switched to the JR lines and took a local train to Nanzō-in Temple. I first learned about this Temple from my friend, Paula. She and her husband were stationed in Sasebo and went to visit the Temple. Her pictures were so cool, I knew I had to add this to my list. The Nanzō-in Temple is known for its large bronze Reclining Buddha statue said to be the largest bronze statue in the world.

The statue is about 134 feet long, 36 feet tall, and weighs 300 tons. It was spectacular. Better in fact than I anticipated. I thought I would stop by really quickly, snap some pictures and leave. Instead, I lingered and enjoyed the serenity and harmony I felt during my visit. The long cord from his hand is connected to the prayer area so visitors can “touch” Buddha as they pray. His feet are decorated with symbols to represent healing powers.

The statue is reclining because it represents Buddha at the moment of death or as he enters nirvana.

Besides my feeling of serenity, I also wasn’t expecting fall foliage to decorate the beautiful temple.

These two might be my favorite.

But, then there’s the one with the waterfall and bridge.

Like I said, I spent way more time here enjoying a sort of fall foliage meditation. I’m so glad I decided to visit today while the skies were clear.

I returned to the train station and caught he 12:02 train back to Hakata Station. I wanted to take the 15:32 Limited Express back to Sasebo so I could meet Dave for dinner. The 15:32 put me back at 17:24. So, I had about 3 hours to kill before my train. On my way to Fukuoka, I researched different options. Parks, foliage, “Fukuoka” ramen, and/or shopping were all viable options. As I was on the train after my visit to the Temple, I was ready for a beer. One divine search for zen leads to another. I searched “breweries” in Google Maps and the Asahi Brewery popped up. It was only one stop from Hakata – 4 minutes. Perfect. I arrived at the Brewery around 12:40.

The receptionist was so welcoming and asked if I had a reservation. No. Ok, then how about 1:00 tour? Hai! Arigatōgozaimas! She gave me a set of headphones so I could enjoy the tour in English.

The tour took an hour. It was really fun despite the language barrier. Oh, and did I mention – FREE! The hops were not edible but the barley in the canister was available for sampling.

A couple more pictures of the packaging process. Did you know the only place in North America that brews and packages Asahi is the Molson Coors Plant in Canada!

A couple pictures to help you understand the volume of beer brewed and packaged at this plant. This is where cans are filled with Asahi. It fills 1500 cans per minute.

This is a picture of the bottle filler. It only fills 600 bottles per minute.

After our tour, we were given the opportunity to sample Asahi beer. Asahi encourages consuming alcoholic beverages in moderation. Therefore, you only have three FREE samples to consume in 20 minutes with your bag of beer snacks. Moderation is the Wabi-Sabi of life. I think so.

Just in case you were wondering what it was like to be a blonde American traveling alone today, I felt like a rockstar. I railway staff helping me buys tickets, use my PASMO, and find my correct track. At the Brewery, the tour guide checked on me throughout the tour and sat me at my own table. It went above and beyond excellent customer service. My third sample and my fellow tour members.

I purchased some of the beer snacks for Dave as a little present. I would bring him beer, but there is an alcohol restriction on American service members stationed in Japan after a Marine killed a Japanese man in a drinking and driving accident Sunday morning in Okinawa. The incident is very sad, preventable, and unfortunate.

As the sun sets on my day trip and I reflect on how I spent my time, it was pretty perfect – for me. I didn’t see the amazing shopping mall or sample Fukuoka ramen. But, I was able to enjoy Buddha, fall foliage, and a beer (or three). My take away from this outing was – you can’t do everything, you can’t please everyone. So, do what you love and make sure you have fun doing it!

Plan Your Work

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On November 20, 2017

In Japan, Sasebo, Sushi, Train, Travel

We arrived at the Naval Base in Sasebo Sunday afternoon. We were able to check into our room at NGIS. This might be the fanciest Navy room I have ever stayed in. Not only is it HUGE, there is a doormat, leather furniture, full size fridge, dining room, beautiful backyard, and a massage chair! Seriously!?!

The view out the back door.

The massage chair.

After checking in, we headed out to see the area outside the base. Dave has been to Sasebo for work several times. He took me to one of his favorite restaurants. They actually use a net to catch the fish in the tank for you and serve it on the sushi platter.

I’m not sure there is a fresher way to enjoy sushi.

I was a bit of chicken and ordered my favorite and safe sushi choice. Maguro (tuna) and rice bowl.

After dinner, we stopped at a few local watering holes and then headed back to the room. I used Monday morning to work out our plan for sightseeing during the week. I stopped by IACE travel and was able to obtain a plethora of information for things to do around the area. The travel agent was very knowledgeable about the area and helped me put together a week full of adventures.

One noticeable difference between Sasebo and Yokosuka is the train schedule. I realize now we are very spoiled living in Yokosuka. We have trains running every 8-10 minutes from our closest station. Here, trains run hourly most of the time. This makes it a little bit more challenging when planning an excursion. I was a little frustrated this afternoon because I missed the 12:43 train. The next one wasn’t going to arrive for an hour. This wouldn’t give me enough time to get there and back before my rendezvous with Dave for dinner. Grrr. So, plan B. I decided to use my time this afternoon to plan my work for the next couple days so I could work my plan and not end up in the same predicament. I picked up some lunch and returned back to base, timing how long it would take to go from NGIS to the train station (at a leisurely pace). I ate my lunch on our patio with this amazing view.

Then, I had a massage in the chair. Once my appetite was satiated and I was completely relaxed from my massage, I set to work on my plan. I wrote down a few notes and train schedules for my intended adventures over the next couple of days. Now that I’m squared away I’ll be ready to hit the ground running tomorrow! Adventures await!

Waiting for Our Flight

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On November 19, 2017

In Japan, Sasebo, Travel

Dave and I are flying to Nagasaki airport. We will spend the week of Thanksgiving in Sasebo. Dave has to work a few days at the beginning of the week. While he is working, I’ll be exploring. He is taking a few days leave at the end of the week so we can explore the area together. I’m excited to visit another part of Japan. Sasebo is located towards the southern end of the country. We are the blue dot and will be flying to the red flag.

It is a short flight, only 1 hour and 45 minutes. One small cup of coffee will make it fly by.

I’m looking forward to sharing the week of adventures with you! I’m thankful for all you for reading and following wabisabisole. Your support means everything. Happy Thanksgiving week!

The Rest of the Story

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On November 16, 2017

In Autumn, Hakone, Japan, Shrine

I know the suspense is killing you! Thank you for returning to read about the rest our our day in Hakone. I left off the story of our Hakone Fall Foliage adventures yesterday with us riding the Ropeway. The Ropeway ended at Togendai-ko, where we boarded the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise. The cruise ship is modeled after a pirate ship! It held a lot of people!!

The boat ride took about 40 minutes. We started out standing on the “poop” deck. The crisp autumn air on the water made us chilly and so we headed down below decks. We still had a nice view of the coast line as we sailed through Lake Ashi. Please notice all the clouds, they parted later at the perfect moment!

We exited the ship at the second landing, Motohakone-ko Pier. We wanted to visit the Hakone-jinja Shrine and the floating Torii. As we walked to the Shrine, we enjoyed more fall foliage.

We crossed a cute bridge along the route and stopped for a few pictures. The vermilion bridge with the leaves was truly brilliant!

The floating Torii was impressive. If only the lighting was more cooperative.

By this point it was past 2pm and we were getting hungry for lunch. Unfortunately, we realized most of the restaurants had closed for their lunch service and those that were open had very long lines. We decided to grab a quick lunch from the 7-11 and eat on the steps by the pier. The leaves continued to impress us as we made our way to our picnic spot.

As we sat on the steps enjoying our lunch and Mt. Fuji Pale Ale, the sky started to clear.

It was as though we were beckoning Mt. Fuji to appear magically before us. I guess Sake isn’t the only thing to appease the Gods.

I made one more offering. (Side note edit about the picture below. Katie just sent me a message with the realization that the picture on the label of our Hakone Pale Ale was our viewpoint during lunch! Please notice Mt. Fuji and the floating Torii on the label. No wonder the Gods smiled and cleared the clouds off of Mt. Fuji!)

And I was rewarded with clearing skies.

The last picture was my favorite of the day. Like I have said so many times before, I am so happy for each opportunity to see Mt. Fuji. My three favorite things in Japan are: (in no particular order unless I’m hungry)

Mt. Fuji

Shinkansen

Maguro (tuna sashimi)

After lunch, we worked our way to the bus terminal to catch the bus back to Hakone Yumoto Station. This was the most confusing part of the day. After lining up in three different bus lanes, we were finally directed to an express bus which dropped us off in about 30 minutes. The whole day proved to be pretty easy to navigate and the Freepass was key to smoothly go from one means of transportation to another. We could bypass the ticket counter each time, saving time and confusion. I arrived home shortly before 6pm. It was about 11 hours of exploring and fun!!

If you haven’t started planning the dates for your trip next year, I encourage you to consider November. The weather is cooler and the foliage is stunning. A day trip to Hakone can easily be added to any itinerary. The beauty is breathtaking. Also, if you visit in late spring, there could be an opportunity to view the Hakone hydrangeas. I look forward to my next trip to Hakone and the one we make together!

Hakone Fall Foliage

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On November 15, 2017

In Autumn, Hakone, Japan, Mt. Fuji

On Wednesday, Katie and I decided to take a trip to Hakone. We left our houses at 7:00am and met at Zushi Station at 7:30am. From Zushi we took two more trains to finally arrive at Odawara Station. Here was the first part of our route.

Once we arrived in Odawara Station, we purchased a two day pass called the “Hakone Freepass”. For ¥4000 ($40.00), the Hakone Freepass would allow us to ride the Hakone Tozan Train, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car, the Hakone Ropeway, the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, and the Hakone Tozan Bus. Basically, we made a HUGE loop around Hakone. Here is the map we used.

We started on the far right and worked our way counterclockwise around Hakone until arriving back at Odawara.

Our main objective was to use this trip as a reconnaissance trip to see what we would like to do with our families and future visitors. Also, we really wanted to see fall foliage. We accomplished both!

Here is our first Hakone train, the Hakone Tozan Train. It was crowded! I mean it’s Wednesday!! This train had several switchbacks as it went up the mountain! It was weird to go in one direction and then all the sudden go in reverse!

We made a brief stop in Gora before getting on the Hakone Tozan Cable Car. Already, we were leaf crazy!

We continued up the mountain from Gora on the Cable Car. It was not quite as crowded.

The Cable Car took us to Souzan. At Souzan, we took a moment to savor the view.

After a brief stop, we took the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani. The views of foliage from the Ropeway were spectacular! Can you see the shadow of our Ropeway Car?

As we boarded the Ropeway, we were given damp towels to use in case the Sulfur smell was too strong.

As we came over the mountain on the Ropeway, the Sulfur mines were visible. The steam is being released from the Earth because of the thermal vents associated with the volcanic valley. Wow!!

After we exited the Ropeway, we had an opportunity to walk around and look at the Sulfur mines from above. The steam rising was so cool. The science teacher in me was completely geeking out. Poor, Katie. She was a sport to put up with my giddiness!

Here was a fun surprise that I wasn’t expecting. I had heard about the “famous black eggs” of Hakone, but I didn’t understand exactly what they were.

The eggs were sold for ¥500 for 5 eggs. I bought a sack of eggs for us to share.

From my research I learned, the eggs are boiled in hot sulfur springs. The Sulfur causes the egg shells to turn black. The black eggs are called Owakudani “Kuro-Tamago” by locals. Legend goes that eating the eggs will add 5-7 years to your life.

The eggs appear to be from out of this world, but they tasted like a normal hard boiled egg or tamago. I took a picture of my half eaten Kuro-tamago with the cute egg seat! Kawaii!

As we finished our egg snack, we couldn’t believe our eyes! For a brief moment, Mt. Fuji was visible!!

Our next leg of the journey was the second part of the Hakone Ropeway. We took the Ropeway down to Togendai-Lo where we would board the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise. The ride down the Ropeway was beautiful.

I hate to leave you hanging on the Ropeway… but, this post has potential to gone on and on. I’ll tell you the rest of the story tomorrow. Stay tuned for Hakone Fall Foliage Part Two tomorrow!

Japanese Kiwi

By

On November 14, 2017

In Fruit, Google Map, Japan

My English student, Manami, brought me Japanese Kiwi last weekend. The packaging is so cute! Kawaii! It just makes me want to be happy and eat kiwi.

These particular kiwi are from Fukuoka. Here is a screen shot of where Fukuoka Prefecture is located.

They needed a couple days to ripen. I ate one yesterday and it was delicious. This morning I cut up some for Dave for lunch. “Nothing says love like fresh cut fruit.” Especially, in Japan, because fruit can be very expensive!

Look how pretty the “star” is inside the kiwi! It’s red!

The other difference I noticed was the smooth skin. This species of kiwi doesn’t have the prickly hairs.

It was a very nice of Manami to bring us such a delicious present. I would describe these as tasting very similar to American Kiwi. Perhaps, a little bit sweeter.

Hiking Happiness

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On November 12, 2017

In Hiking, Japan, Kamakura

Dave and I decided to set out for a hike on Sunday. It was such a glorious Autumn day. We decided to hike the Red Leaf Trail. 


We hiked parts of this last fall. Today, we had plenty of time and hiked about four miles of the trail. About half of the hike was new for us both. The day was so clear, we could see Yokohama in the distance. 


We were hoping to see a little more fall color. The forest was still pretty green. 


We passed through a spectacular Ginkgo grove. It was beautiful. So much yellow. 


The view from the top over Kamakura was worth the climb! 


We passed Kamakura Country Club as we hiked. The golf course also had quite the view. Check out the view at hole 4. 


I snapped a picture of the pompas grass. It’s so peaceful in the wind. 


We had such a fun day hiking our way around Kamakura. It’s hard to believe how close we were to the bustling city as we walked through the quiet woods. There were a lot of people out enjoying the day as well. We exchanged a lot of “Konnichiwas” as we hiked along. We passed this man and his dog shortly after exiting the trail. His dog is in his backpack!! 


We had such a great time today. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a Sunday Fun day as well! 

Friday Morning Folly 

By

On November 10, 2017

In Family Mart, Japan, Train, Zushi

Dave and I discovered a couple months ago that our PASMO Card (train card) could be used to pay for purchases at certain stores. The most important places it can be used is at the numerous convenience stores. Like Family Mart. This is a picture of the Family Mart I probably frequent the most. It is in Zushi and about a block from the train station. This is where our Friday Morning Folly occurred.  


Let me back up a second and set the stage. Today is an American Federal Holiday observing Veteran’s Day. Dave needed to go into work because his Japanese employees were working a normal day. However, he didn’t have to be in so early. Instead of a 3:50am reveille, we could snooze until 5:15am with the goal to be running by 6:00am. Easy day. 

We grabbed our ID cards and PASMO Card (one required and the other just in case) and headed out for our run at 6:02am. We ran down to Zushi Beach hoping to catch a view of Mt. Fuji. Unfortunately, the morning was not clear enough. 


We doubled back and decided to stop at the Family Mart to grab food for lunch. Then we would just take the train home. Here’s where it’s important to remember the PASMO Card can be used at convenience stores. We grabbed our goodies and I whipped out my Passmo to pay. I was a total champion at this point. 


Side note: the cheeseburger is for me! It’s one of my lunchtime favorites. If you want, they will even heat it for you. 

I tapped my PASMO Card for the ¥1252 purchase. 


And then I saw my balance ¥88. Oh, shizzle. It cost ¥130 to train home. Dang it! Well, looks like I’m running home. Dave asked if I had any coins on me. Nope. Take the bag. I’ll see you at the gate. 

It was exactly a mile from station to main gate running the most direct route possible. I was hoping to beat the train. I didn’t. Dave was waiting for me at the main gate. The Japanese security guard asked why my husband was already here. Ha! Because I didn’t have enough money on my train card. He laughed, too! 

Want to know what’s even funnier? On my run home, as I passed the park, I found ¥100 piece on the road! Nicely beat up from being run over repeatedly. If only I found it a mile earlier! 

I’m usually pretty good about having my train card charged. I apparently forgot about my two trips to Tokyo this week! Nonetheless, a valuable lesson was learned without dire consequences. Happy Friday! Kanpie! 

Rikugien Garden

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On November 9, 2017

In Gardens, Japan, Rikugien Garden, Tokyo

Thursday was another beautiful Autumn day that warranted getting out for a little leaf peeping. I caught a morning train to the Bunkyo area on the north side of Tokyo. Once again, I arrived with an onigiri and was able to eat lunch at the garden. Simultaneously, thanks to modern technology, I could chat on my phone untethered to wifi and for free with my friend Sara in the U.S. all while sitting on a bench in a Tokyo garden. It was great catching up with you, my friend!! 

Now, back to the beautiful garden. The Rikugien Garden is a traditional Japanese garden. The garden highlighted the natural landscape of the area and incorporated water elements. This small section of water was actually part of a very large pond. 


Bridges over the water are also important elements of a Japanese garden. 


Here is the pond from another angle. From this picture, you can see the large size of the pond. 


Another part of a traditional Japanese garden pond, is the presence of koi. Check out the giant orange koi and group of dark ones on the left side of this picture!


I spent about an hour and a half wandering through the many paths within the garden. One path took me up a small hill. The view from the top was beautiful. I was a little early to see the peak Autumn foliage. Instead I only had a peek. 


Another path took me along the back of the pond. It was so quiet and serene.  

The island is also an important part of the traditional Japanese garden. Typically, entry to the island is not permitted. The large island in Rikugien is made of weathered rocks with a single pine tree. This island represents Mount Horai, the legendary home of the Eight Immortals.


I took a close up picture of the bridge to access the island. The Obana (Japanese pompas grass) is one of my favorite signs of Autumn in Japan. 


Stone lanterns are also significant in a traditional Japanese garden. Originally, they were used to line the path to a shrine. Within the garden, they are decorations used to remind visitors of the passing of time. 


I truly enjoyed my afternoon. Please don’t get mad at me for saying this, I’m starting to get into the Christmas spirit! I know, it’s not Thanksgiving yet. However, the Japanese don’t observe Thanksgiving. Instead, it’s straight to Christmas and Christmas decorations. Christmas decorations are starting to appear everywhere and I just can’t help but get excited when I see this Christmas tree! 

Japanese Pumpkin 

By

On November 8, 2017

In Japan, Japanese Pumpkin

As I was shopping for our sushi dinner at the Japanese grocery store this morning, I walked through the produce section and was reminded of a phone conversation I had with my friend Jennifer a couple weeks ago. Some how we were talking about gourds or was it soup? Anyways, I mentioned that I really like Japanese pumpkin tempura style and should make a soup out of it. It’s totally different and yet the same as American pumpkin. Let me explain. 

First, a Japanese pumpkin is green on the outside and a little flatter than a round American pumpkin. 

In our conversation, Jen asked if I was talking about acorn squash. No, these are definitely different, I insisted. Pictured below is acorn squash for sale only at the Commissary on base. The Japanese pumpkin is only for sale in the Japanese grocery store. 


The most common way Japanese pumpkin is sold is in quarters. 


While I was shopping, I noticed a package of some sort of pumpkin sauce for ¥100 or about $1.00. 

 

Using my best deductive Japanese reading strategies (Google Translate) and the pictures, I decided to purchase a quarter of pumpkin and a package of sauce. The picture on the top center of the package is a pumpkin with 1/4 written over it. 


The seeds appear to be the same as American pumpkin seeds. The guts have a denser and less stringy consistency. 

From the directions on the back, I scooped out the seeds and microwaved it for about 5 minutes. 


When the pumpkin was done cooking, I added the sauce and cilantro. Just like the picture. 


It actually tasted pretty good. I ate it for my lunch today. The pumpkin had the consistency of a sweet potato and tasted like pumpkin. I will definitely consider incorporating it into a meal in the future. I think Dave would like it. Mainly, because it is served with cilantro – his favorite! In the meantime, if you have a recipe for pumpkin soup, please share it with me! I’m up for the challenge now that it feels and looks more like Autumn! 

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