Wabi-Sabi Sole

Finding Beauty with Imperfection

Running Past Roses

By

On May 19, 2017

In Japan, Roses, Train, Yokohama

Our regular running routes takes us past a beautiful rose garden. It is the garden of a private residence. When Dave and I run past around 5:15am, the owner is out tending his roses. When Dina and I run past at 7:30am, he is out tending his roses. I think he might be out all morning! They are truly stunning and well maintained. The first picture shows his car and the start of the garden. As I’ve mentioned, space is not wasted in Japan. 

If you notice in this picture, there is a sign.


Upon closer inspection, I realized the sign was advertising an event occurring this weekend at the Takeshimaya Mall in Yokohama. 


The event goes from 5/19-5/21. I mentioned the event to both Dave and Dina. Dave said, you should go. Dina said, we should go. Ha! She and I worked our schedules and decided Friday morning would be best.

We took the train to Yokohama. We weren’t really sure what to expect. I just knew from using Google Translate on the sign, the event was on the 8th floor of the mall. It took us a minute to find it because we were overwhelmed with the underwear sale also going on. Check out the illuminated mannequins! 


We eventually found the rose event. Can you believe it was crowded! 10:30am on a Friday! 


The rose arrangements on display were a variety of color and sizes. All were beautiful. 


A couple pictures of my favorites. 


Look at the difference in sizes! 


There were also judges evaluating the rose fragrance. 


We met a very nice lady who spoke English. She helped us vote for our favorite rose. The roses for judging were mounted on a plaque. We were instructed to vote based upon color, size, and fragrance. Dina voted for number 8. I voted for number 1. Although, we will never know which rose won, it was fun to vote. Every vote counts! 

My ballot. 


There is always something that makes the experience a little funnier. As if the underwear sale wasn’t confusing or bizarre enough, there was also a Buddhism exhibit on the same floor. It cost ¥800 to enter and the sign said: no photographs, no talking, and no touching. As if either of us would pay not to talk. People should be paying us not to talk! Ha! I was actually looking for money to pay for a ticket when I realized this wasn’t the exhibit we were looking for – the roses were right behind us! Whew! That was close! Our event was free!


Life’s a Beach

By

On May 18, 2017

In Beach, Family Mart, Hayama, Japan, Miura Peninsula

Finally, we had a break in the clouds today. Dina and I made plans to visit a beach. Our goal was to check out Tateishi Park, a Hayama beach, and hopefully collect sea glass. 


When we arrived at the beach, a U.S. jet flew overhead. It was a beautiful sound of freedom. Jet noise at the beach. For a minute, I thought I had been transported home! The beach itself was mostly pebbles vice sand. We were both able to find a good collection of sea glass. Maybe you notice we had a friend with us today. We sprung Dina’s youngest out of school because she had an orthodontist appointment. After her appointment, we all headed to the beach. It was a much needed quiet beach time for everyone!


We had fun walking the beach, climbing the rocks, looking in the tide pools, and sea glass hunting. Even though Eme was missing school, I used every opportunity to give her a science lesson! 


We also learned a valuable lesson abou the sea hawks. On our way, we stopped at a Family Mart to buy lunch to eat on the beach. We didn’t finish it all and left it on the blanket while we hunted for sea glass. Rookie mistake! When we returned, we discovered the sea hawks had invaded! They ate my crackers and Eme’s steam buns! Those rascals!! Oh, well. The day was too gorgeous not to laugh it off. 


The sea glass, broken pottery, and a couple of shells I collected. 

Roses are Red

By

On May 17, 2017

In Flowers, Friendship, Japan, Kyu-Furukawa Gardens, Tokyo, Train

Roses are starting to bloom all over Japan. Through my research, I found a small out of the way western rose garden in Tokyo. The Kyu-Furukawa Gardens on the north side of Tokyo. It was a trek on the train, about an hour and 20 minutes. I asked my kindred flower chasing spirit, Dina, if she was interested in going with me. And off we went! Having Dina to explore Japan with is a highlight. I find little out of the way places and ask if she wants to go with me and 97% of the time the answer is – yes! Today, we went to Tokyo for roses! 


The western-style house was designed in the early 1900s by a British architect. The gardens were designed by a Japanese architect from Kyoto around the same time. It was designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty of Japan on January 26, 2006. Looking at the pictures, the British influence is apparent in the building and the Japanese influence is apparent in the gardens. 


The roses were spectacular! Every color and size. I took a couple pictures with my hand for perspective. 

I want to provide you with a true picture of the gardens. A picture or two with all the people! The bottom picture is the rose maze. Keep in mind, this was on a cloudy random Wednesday! 


By playing with the angle, I could capture people free pictures and a selfie! 


The rest of the gardens were so green, lush, and beautiful. They also had a definitive Japanese flair. The focal pieces were large stone lanterns, a stone pagoda, a dry river bed, and a waterfall. 


The “wild stone wall” had us both laughing! Use cation, these rocks aren’t domesticated. 


The only thing I couldn’t capture today was the intoxicating scent of the roses. I guess we need to make our smart phones a little smarter to capture odors! Or maybe not… 

I decided it is my duty to taste as many soft cream flavors as possible as I explore Japan. Today, I enjoyed salted rose. It moved up to number 1! 


One last picture of a fluttery friend I attempted to photograph. Please, slow down!


Tomorrow I will tell you all about our train stamping adventures! 

Yokosuka for a Day

By

On May 16, 2017

In Izakaya, Japan, Sashimi, Sushi, Train, Yokosuka

Over the past few weeks, Tuesday has become my “Yokosuka” day because I am the substitute for an English class. Today, I decided to make a whole day of Yokosuka. I started with lunch at a new Sushi – go – Round restaurant near the Yokosukachuo train station. The Sushi was delicious! Tuna, tofu, and more tuna! I’ll definitely revisit! 


The delivery method of the Sushi was adorable. The small plates of Sushi were delivered via a Shinkansen train! Kawaii!


After lunch, I walked over to the main base for a manicure and pedicure at the salon. You don’t need to see a picture of my gnarly running feet, trust me. They look a lot better and so do my nails! 


After my nail experience, I walked back to the Yokosukachuo Station for my English class. The good news there, only one more remaining! I feel like summer break is close by! Ha. 

The highlight of the entire day was having dinner with Dave. We enjoyed dinner with several people from his command at Doma Doma, our favorite Izakaya restaurant in Yokosuka. Unfortunately, the menu selection wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t go away hungry… but, I wasn’t impressed. It was as if they tried to make it “American” or something. It started out well, edamame, daikon salad, cabbage salad, and sashimi. 

Then the courses were bizarre. Starting with bland fried shrimp crackers and fried chicken (mostly skin).  

Then chicken legs strangely resembling a duck and roast beef slices. Nah. I stopped after the bland shrimp chips. 


Like I said, my favorite part of the day was dinner with Dave, despite the menu. Followed by a ¥756 ($7.50) sashimi lunch. Obviously, pre manicure. 


Only one more Tuesday in Yokosuka until my substituting commitment is over. I feel I need to make a go of it. Bring on summer vacation! And wine. 

IKEA

By

On May 15, 2017

In Google Map, Hooptie, IKEA, Japan

Dave and I have been looking for a cute cafe table and chairs to replace the set we inherited a few months ago. The weathering had caused the inherited set to become a little dilapidated. And well, I broke one of the chairs the first time I sat in it! Ha!

We attempted to have a set shipped from Amazon but, it was too large. We checked the NEX on main base and didn’t have any luck. We also looked at the Homes store in Yokosuka this weekend and the set they had wasn’t what we were looking for either. Finally, it occurred to me to check IKEA! I went to the IKEA website and was able to find a set I liked. I sent Dave this picture. He gave me a thumbs up.


Simultaneously, I asked the friend I made last week to be my co-pilot and help me navigate to Yokohama to purchase the set. Here was the driving route to Yokohama. It wasn’t too bad if you ignore the crazy circle overpasses and numerous tunnels.


I picked up Katie in the Hooptie and off we went. I should also mention, I did my research prior to heading out. On our run this morning, Dina suggested I find the measurements of the boxes and measure the Hooptie before going. Excellent advice. Everything showed evidence of fitting without a problem.

We arrived at IKEA around 12:30. We could see the iconic blue and yello sign from the road the expressway. We were thrilled to have made it! 


The outdoor furniture I was looking for was on display at the entrance!


This was the first time I have been to IKEA since I was in high school. I wasn’t really familiar with the procedure for purchasing items. However, using my amazing Japanese detective skills and Katie’s help, I was able to decode the process! I didn’t use the App, I went “old school” and wrote my items down!


I also picked up a map in case we got lost… haha.


I never found the set of chairs I originally looked at online. But, I was ok with going I for an upgrade. My American size preferred the sturdier chairs pictured on the right and I loved that the table could completely collapse down.

Although these chairs were a much better price, they were uncomfortable and not nearly as sturdy.


After following the Store route, we picked up my items and went to the checkout. The store map hanging from the ceiling made me laugh!


Easy enough! Hey, cute cat pillow! Kawaii! Yes, that was my impulse purchase. I bought two for ¥550 ($5.50) each. I mean cat pillows in Japan!


Everything fit beautifully into the Hooptie!


I spent about an hour assembling everything. I absolutely LOVE our new entertaining area on our front patio. It’s adorable and I don’t feel as though I’m going to break the chairs!


Depending on where you sit, you can have a beautiful view of the front porch garden. I’m looking forward to entertaining you soon!

Coca-Cola Plus

By

On May 13, 2017

In Chick-Fil-A Sauce, Coca-Cola Plus, Japan, Sushi, Sushiro

Coca-Cola Plus is available only in Japan. It is described as a “healthy” soda. 


I know, I’m thinking the same thing, “what could possibly make a soda healthy?” Coca-Cola Plus claims it’s the added fiber that makes it healthy. It’s is also a zero calorie soda. Despite not having sugar, it tastes super sweet and flat… I guess it lost all its fizz in the first pour. 


According to Google Translate, the white writing in the middle red line says:

“Suppresses the absorption of fat ingested from the meal, raising the neutral fat in the blood, and additional sugars.” Hmmmm.. suppresses the absorption of fats and sugar? Sounds too good to be true and surely without consequences! 


From my research, I learned about several people experiencing a fluid bowel movement. It reminded me of the late 1990’s Olestra potato chip. Today was the perfect rainy day to conduct further research and try the beverage myself. As I typed up this blog, I consumed the entire soda. That was no small feat! 

I waited an hour to see if I experienced any of the said side effects. Fortunately, I didn’t. And I feel no need to purchase Coca-Cola Plus again.

On another fun note, we went to our favorite Sushiro for lunch with our Chick-Fil-A sauce. The chicken was more delicious than I expected! Thank you, friends for sending delightful goodness.  

One Picture

By

On May 11, 2017

In Japan, Lake Motosu, Mt. Fuji

Short and simple because it has been a very adventurous, fun, and wonderful day. I’m ready for bed. Tomorrow, I will share the rest of the story. For now, I’ll leave you with one picture worth more than a thousand words. 

Take A Break

By

On May 11, 2017

In Fuji Flower Carpet, Google Map, Japan, Lake Motosu, Minobusan, Mt. Fuji, Travel, Udon

Dina and I rented a car and drove to see the Fuji Flower Carpet on Thursday. Although I had already been a few days earlier, I was happy to visit again and hopefully sneak another peak at Mt. Fuji. We left at 5:30 am. It was about a 2.5-hour drive and we arrived right when the park opened at 8:00 am. Here was our route.


I must also briefly tell you about the drive. As we drove towards Mt. Fuji we started with a great view and then clouds slowly started to settle. Dina put it nicely, “I’m observing a changing weather pattern.” However, we drove through a REALLY long tunnel and on the other side, we drove out into the sunshine and cloudless skies! It was a Fuji miracle! We were SO happy!!

Our luck continued at the flower carpet because we definitely beat the crowds and traffic! It was worth going early. I won’t overload you with pictures- I’ll just share a few of the beauty. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to see Fuji twice!


Without the crowds, we were able to have a break time. Ahhhh, beautiful view, good coffee, and cream cheese filling. (I was expecting red bean paste!)


After we snapped a plethora of pictures, we decided to head out to Mount Minobu. Dina picked up a brochure showing Mt. Fuji, a Ropeway, and a pagoda. She quickly did a Google Map search and realized we were an hour away. So, off we went! Maybe my favorite part of the drive was seeing Lake Motosu. It was breathtaking. We pulled over to take a few pictures.


Later during the trip, Dina used Google Translate to attempt to find the name of the lake. Google Translate told her it was the lake on the back of the ¥1000 bill! Sure enough!


Dina’s excellent navigation skills, she will laugh at that statement, enabled us to easily find Minobusan with ease.


We enjoyed the Minobusan Ropeway ride and the view of Mt. Fuji from the top even though the clouds were starting to set in on it.

At the top were lots of trails and a temple. I look forward to returning in the fall with Dave and possibly catching a sunrise over Mt. Fuji!

By the time we came down the Ropeway, we were ready for lunch. We were fortunate to find a noodle restaurant around the corner.


As we were eating, I noticed a sign – fitting right into today’s theme!


The hearty lunch proved to be essential for the rest of the afternoon. According to the brochure, the pagoda was part of a Monastery.


Next to the pagoda were a lot of stairs. Going down. So down we went.


Once we reached the bottom, we read this sign.


As I mentioned, a lot of stairs. 287 in fact. We just walked down them. We would obviously need to go back up. “The Stairs provide you attaining joy of enlightenment.” Hmmm… I’m enlightened about the soreness in my quads today!


The monastery was very unique. It was hard to capture the magnitude and beauty of the buildings and grounds. I took a few pictures and hope they provide you with good highlights. I will definitely suggest we take a drive to Mt. Fuji and see Lake Motosu. If the fall foliage is peaking, we should also make a trip to Mt. Minobusan.


Here was our trip home.


We arrived shortly after 6:00 pm. A glass of wine and rehashing the journey with Dave over pizza was a nice way to wrap up an adventurous day!

Japanese Cucumbers 

By

On May 9, 2017

In Costco, Cucumbers, English, Japan, Yokosuka

A cloudy Tuesday can’t even compare to the beautiful day I experienced yesterday. Today was filled with errands. First, I dropped off “Julia’s Baked Beans” at Dave’s work for the potluck. Then, I met up with Dina For our bi-weekly Costco outing. No time to explore much after that because I needed to prepare the cookie dough for the bake sale at Dave’s work on Thursday. This all happened before my Tuesday evening English lessons in Yokosuka. I agreed to sub for six weeks for three Japanese children’s English lessons. After today, two more! These are not my favorite. The highlight of the lesson is when they are over, Dave and I ride the train home together.  

But, I digress. This post is about Japanese cucumbers. As I’m happily riding the train back to Yokosuka and avoiding traffic, I’ll tell you about my latest discovery of favorite Japanese vegetable. Yes, the Japanese cucumber. They remind me a lot of English cucumbers because they are long and skinny. They seem to have skin more like homegrown American cucumbers because they have the little white spines. The best part is the delicious crunch! 

Here was the pack of eight I picked up at Costco. They were ¥680 or about $6.50. I don’t know if that is a good deal compared to cucumbers in America. In my opinion, they’re worth every yenny! And a better deal than the package of American Cherries grown in CA for ¥2,280 or about $22. I didn’t buy the cherries! 

I can easily eat an entire cucumber in one sitting. It like to slice them and then add garlic salt and dill weed. 


I think they would be a nice accompaniment to happy hour Roxanne’s house in VB on Friday night. I know my friend, Sue, would love them. And I know my father-in-law wouldn’t. Next time Delaney and James are here visiting, I will have plenty available to dip in Ranch. My mom would enjoy cucumber sandwiches on Japanese bread! I almost feel nostalgic/ home sick thinking about who would enjoy the cucumbers! Ha! Love and miss you all! 

Fuji Flower Carpet

By

On May 8, 2017

In Fuji Flower Carpet, Google Map, Japan, Mt. Fuji, Owl, Shiba-Sakura Festival

I took an ITT tour on Monday. The tour had four points of interest. Because we were heading to Mt. Fuji, we left at 5:00am. Given the beautiful weather, it was totally worth it! Honestly, the weather today could not have been more perfect. Mt. Fuji was visible all day. Here was the route to get to the first stop.


1. Open Air Museum

Our first stop was to the Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba. It was actually the same replicated village we visited when the Cummings were in town. The sky was even more clear today and the later blooming Sakura were lovely.


The carp flags were still flying from Children’s Day this past Friday. They made for a beautiful photo.


Both of my normal liberty buddies were busy today. I went on this trip solo. However, I was able to make friends with a mutual friend who was also traveling solo. She and I took off for a little bit of a hike. Besides a beautiful trail, we saw this guy! Japanese rat snake. Gross!


My new friend, Katie, took this picture of me – what a view!


2. Shiba-Sakura Festival

The main attraction of the tour was the Shiba-Sakura Festival also known as the Fuji Flower Carpet. The Flower Carpet is a carpet of moss phlox planted in beds all around the garden. It was stunning. And of course, crowded!


The phlox is pretty. With Mt. Fuji in the background it was amazing.


Maybe a few more pictures. It was just so beautiful. Today, I opted for grape ice cream.


I took a quick video of th Flower Park from the overlook. To help you embrace the beauty.

​​
3. Fuji Kachōen

Our third stop was at Fuji Kachōen – “A different world of flowers and birds.” Here we were able to walk through a beautiful greenhouse and view different species of birds. The greenhouse was my favorite part.


Look at these giant begonias!


The best part of the birds was having the opportunity to “hold” an owl. “Hoo you looking at?”


4. Otodome Waterfall and Shiraito Waterfall

Our fourth and final stop was to visit the Otodome Waterfall and the Shirato Waterfall. The water from the falls is snow melt from Mt. Fuji. It takes 20 years for the melted snow to make its way to the waterfall! Here is Otodome Waterfall.


To reach Shiraito Waterfall, we walked down a short path of 100 steps.


After viewing the falls from the bottom, I walked up to the overlook. The views were worth the stairs.


It was an amazing trip. I honestly can’t believe how lucky I was with the weather today. When you visit, I hope we have luck with the weather when we visit Mt. Fuji. It was such a glorious day!

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