Wabi-Sabi Sole

We attended the summer farewell hosted  by the 7th fleet admiral at his residence.  It was amazing. Seriously. Wow. 

The backyard of their residence. 

Koi pond in the backyard. Of course. It was a fun night to meet new shipmates & embrace old. 

Sometimes things don’t go quite as I planned when I’m traveling. I have taken the wrong train when I needed to switch trains and ended up back where I started. I have taken the west exit coming out of the train station instead of the east and walked a country mile to get back where I started. I am using google maps each of these times and yet, the situation is overwhelming. So much information coming at me in a language I don’t understand and in a place completely unfamiliar. Usually, these mistakes are laughable and don’t cost anything but time and calories expended. 

A whole different cost occurred today. I ventured out to Costco solo for my kale and fizzy water staples. This was my third trip and I thought it would be breezy. I set my google map and headed on my way. I have to take a toll road and I haven’t set up the ETC (fast pass) yet on our car. So, I had change ready to pay the nice ticket booth person. First booth no problem. 

I had my ¥360 ready and even executed a perfect “ohayo goziamasu” (good morning). Smooth sailing. 

Until, I missed my exit. After I just paid the toll. I was taken on a beautifully designed flyover / pass under with bridges and tunnels. It was an engineering feat. And ¥1300. Yep. That missed turn cost me $13. Seriously. And if you notice the time between the two receipts, it was only six minutes. One heck of a ride!?! 

Ridiculous. I had been warned of this happening and was told to tell the tollbooth person “I missed my exit.”  I did say that to him and he proceeded to take out a lamented sheet with pictures of different vehicles. He point at the car picture and said ¥1300. Good grief. Glad I had cash. A lesson learned our first week. Always carry a lot of yen. 

Google maps continues to assist. I make a legal u-turn. And go back onto the same flyover in the opposite direction. I’m dreading the tollbooth at this point. Fortunately, it was a small price compared to the previous one and only¥300. 

The time stamp is at the bottom – 10:29. 4 minutes to u-turn. Grrr 

After this the trip was uneventful. I received a message from my friend, Audry, during this whole fiasco. She is on the east coast. After realizing she was still awake, I called her when I arrived at Costco. I needed a familiar voice to calm me down from the frustration and help me step back from the ledge and breathe. Japan is wonderful. This experience is amazing and overwhelming. Some days, I crave the familiar, the normal, the ability to function in auto pilot and not always be so alert. I just wanted to go to Costco!! It’s such a lame day. 

I know I must sound really pathetic. It’s google maps. How difficult can it be? To help you understand why it is easier to navigate in the car with two people, I snapped this screenshot of the google map route home while I was stopped at a light. 

I have Siri programmed to speak English. All she will say is “in 70m, turn right.” While trying to drive, look at the kanji or maybe romaji figures and determine where to turn. 

Post Costco, the day was delightful. Friday night date night meeting up with my love for dinner. Small hurdles are part of the experience. Dave and I debrief our day during dinner and honestly this experience was shadowed by 4 phone conversations (Carmen, Jennifer, Audry & my Mom) and multiple messenger conversations (Sara/Sue/Rox, Michelle, Merri, and Tiff). If you wonder if you make a difference in my day by sending a message, the answer is – Yes!  Emphatically, yes. I miss you all with a heart full of love. Xoxo

PS. Carry an extra $20 in your wallet – just in case! 

A friend told me about a Japanese group called the Ikebana International. Ikebana means “arranging flowers” and refers to the Japanese art of arranging flowers. Ikebana International has kept its traditional foundation of flower arranging and expanded to include so much more. 

Today, I attended my first meeting of the Kamakura Chapter #51 of Ikebana International. The meeting was the inaugural event for the 2016-2017 season. The event was a lecture by Madame Lise Frederiksen, wife of the Danish Ambassador to Japan. It was held at the Daibutsu Kotoku-in Temple, the residence of Mrs. Sato who is the head priest of Great Buddha Temple. 

I had absolutely no idea what to expect, other than a lecture and lunch. 

The lecture by Mme. Lise Frederiksen was an introduction to Denmark culture with a focus on food and flowers. As Mme. Frederiksen spoke in English, a Japanese member translated. It was interesting to hear about Denmark and observe Japanese interpretation. 

After the lecture we were provided lunch in the form of a bento box. 

As with most things, the presentation of the meal was delightful. The bento box was beautifully decorated and wrapped. Chopsticks and a wet wipe accompanied the meal. 

Opening the bento box really made me happy! KAWAII!!! Seriously, there is a rice flower! And the carrot is cut like a leaf! Look at the bottom right, the sesame chicken is wrapped in bamboo and kept away from the sesame meatball and shrimp. It is hard to tell, but the caviar is in a little plastic container to keep them together.  Absolutely adorable. 

When lunch was over, the rain had cleared and I was able to take a few pictures of the garden. The residence and garden is right beside Great Buddha and not open to the public. It was so fun to see behind the scenes! 

Tonight is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. This is known as the Harvest Moon. At the temple, there was a small shrine established for the occasion. 

One last little note. In Japan, the rabbit is associated with the full moon. The legend states the rabbit was in the moon pounding out rice for rice cakes (Mochi) when there is a full moon. Hearing the story, children began to see a rabbit outlined in the craters of the moon. To answer your question, what is Mochi? Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made by pounding the rice and then molding it into the desired shape. If you look again at the bento box picture, there is a piece of Mochi in the top right square underneath the veggies. 

PS. After posting, I saw this pictures on FB from Ikebana International FB page. I had to share. See if you can find me. 

Here’s a hint… 

“Okaeri nasai” means welcome home. What is more welcoming than a happy sight at the front door. Happy = plants in this case. I returned to D2, Japanese Walmart, to purchase some plants for our front porch. I brought a few pots with me to begin my horticulture collection. After a little TLC, our front porch is welcoming and screams to all arriving, okaeri nasai! (O-ka-airy nah-sigh)

Please notice the new addition, Maneki Neko. Maneki Neko or Lucky Cat is a very common sight in Japan. They are often seen in stores and restaurants to welcome customers. I couldn’t resist adding him to my cart at D2. When I returned home, I did a quick Internet search to understand the significance of lucky cat. There are many interpretations about the significance of how high the arm is raised and which one. Also, the color of the cat has a variety of meanings. As a result of the many interpretations, I feel it acceptable find my own meanings of my Maneki Neko. My Neko will bring good luck, wealth and happiness to all who cross his path and enter our home. He would also like a high-five or knuckles when you pass, FYI. 

Today at my Japanese lesson, we learned more words and phrases to help us navigate conversations. The most challenging part for me is to not sound out every syllable when I am speaking a word. Saying the words smoothly is part of my homework for the week. 

Here are a few key points I learned today. 

1. “ka” at the end of the sentence is a question mark. “Dwyer-san desu ka.” Are you Mrs. Dwyer? “Hai, Dwyer desu.” Yes, I am Dwyer. 

2. “no” shows possession. “Watashi wa ABC no Dwyer desu.” I’m Dwyer from ABC. “Iie” pronounced “e-a” means “no.”

3.  There is a BIG difference between “kawaii” and “kowaii.” Kawaii means cute. Kowaii means scary. Make sure to pronounce the ka heavily at the beginning. 

4. We also learned how to say “watashi wa shufu desu.” I am a housewife. Practicing one of the students said, “watashi wa shofu desu.” The teacher laughed and said NO NO! Not shofu. Shufu. Shofu apparently means prostitute. 
To quote our teacher, “so today was a funny lesson.” 

I must confess. I have a new appreciation for bread. Specifically, Japanese bread. It’s amazing. This is coming from a bread snob. I have no time for a loaf of Wonder Bread. It’s not the carbs or the sugar, I will gladly eat a bowl of pasta, plain boring bread just doesn’t do it for me. As a result, bread usually goes stale before we get around to eating it. 

All of this changed when I was introduced to Japanese bread. It is delicious. Soft, sweet and available in the perfect proportions. Japanese bread is sold in a sliced loaf just like in the U.S. The difference is the size of the loaf and the variety of the numbers of slices you can select. I have seen varieties from 4, 5, 6 or 8 slices. The picture illustrates 6-sliced loaf and about half the size of the loaves we are accustomed to seeing. The loaves are all the same size, so a loaf with 6 slices will have thinner slices than a loaf with 5 slices. The more slices, the thinner the slices. 

Here is another loaf we purchased on Saturday. It has five slices. 

This stumped me at first. Why would you buy 5 slices of bread? A sandwich takes 2 slices. So there will be a left over slice. Remembering the need to shift my paradigm. The bread is thicker, so maybe one slice will do for a sandwich. Or toast. Only one slice needed for toast. One for each day of the work week. All of the sudden 5 slices seemed logical. 

Another funny thing about the toast, it doesn’t quite fit into the toaster. It’s too tall. The first thing I have found in this country that is too tall for me (or my toaster anyways) – the bread! Only 3/4 of the bread gets toasted. 

The bread also makes a pretty good grilled ham and cheese sandwich. 

Dinner is served and I must eat! 

Dave and I decided to spend the day exploring Kamakura. We went here during AOB and visited the Shinto Shrine and Buddha. I also went to Kamakura on Friday to the fabric store. But, we haven’t truly explored the city. We have heard about many great restaurants and cute stores. A friend of Dave’s told him about a great sandwich shop in Kamakura. A Google search showed me Argo 313 – Sandwich Shop. Armed with that information, of we went. In the rain with an umbrella, rain coats and rain boots. 

And when I say rain – I mean rain! Interestingly, the locals don’t really wear rain coats, rain boots and everyone carries their own umbrella. Not too many couples share umbrellas. 

Our walk to Argo 313 took us through the Shinto garden along the way. It was still beautiful, even in rain. 

Our hopes for Argo 313 to be a sandwich shop didn’t quite pan out. I think the term “Sandwich Shop” is given to a place that is similar to a cafe. I would describe Argo 313 as a cafe with delicious curry dishes. Dave order Taco Curry and I ordered Cheese Curry. Both had a fried egg on top and rice on the bottom. 

 

It wasn’t the sandwich we were expecting, but it was a delicious surprise! 

Also, it was suggested to me to incorporate a bit more about our adult BEvERages. With our lunch today, we had a Heartland Draft beer. It is brewed by Kirin and only available in the greater Tokyo area of Japan. It is a Euro pale lager style beer. It was light and refreshing. I would describe it as a “typical Japanese beer”. The other funny thing about Japanese draft beers, is how it is poured. Apparently, a large head on the beer is extremely important. I thought it was a bad pour when we first arrived. Now I understand it is considered a good pour. 

After lunch we walked the shops on Komachi street. We started the day sharing an umbrella and by the end of lunch, we realized it would be easier to walk the crowded streets holding our own. Again, watching the locals is so valuable. We invested ¥300 into a clear one! Wow! It changed my life. You can actually see through it!!! 

We continued wandering around the city and exploring. One notable find was pumpkin KitKats! 

It was a delightful day despite the weather. We discussed the fact rain is forecasted for the next four days and decided we must learn to accept the rain. Perhaps embrace it. It was still humid, just not as hot. And when I see this, I am hopeful for fall! 

I told you it was a popular name in Japan! So popular in fact there is a cracker type product named – Julia. And of course I had to buy both the apple flavor and the strawberry flavor. For investigation purposes. 

I bought these two boxes Friday night on our way home from Yokosuka. 

I waited to try them because I was too full from dinner. This morning we went to “Yorkmart” (the close Japanese grocery store) and I saw this display…

This was the accompanying advertisement. Google translate gave me gibberish except for the large print at the top. 

I tasted them this evening with my glass of wine. The packaging is typical Japanese style – Kawaii!! Included of course are opening directions. 

A plastic bag inside the box keeps them fresh. 

They are both very sweet. I would suggest them with a dry white as a dessert. And both Dave and I agreed, the strawberry was better. With only 215 calories, they make quite a sweet impact!  Just like the Julia name implies – Sweet! 

Too much sugar made me a little sappy… 

The secretary in Dave’s office is pregnant and we were invited to her baby shower on Saturday. Earlier this week, Dave sent me the invitation and I immediately thought of making taggies and when Dave came home he asked if I would be make a few. Great minds. And. Hmmmm… Maybe? 

Before leaving Great Lakes, I made a plethora of taggies for the NMCRS in an effort to refill their stash and reduce the amount of fabric needing to be moved. Long story short – I needed fleece to make taggies. 

A friend and I set out to Kamakura to find a fabric store called Swany. Here was our route. 

This journey was a little tricky because it required us to not only switch trains, but also train stations. Google maps can be a little challenging to follow when on foot and as a result we made one wrong turn. No worries, we turned around and continued to the other station and found the correct track and train. 

Once in Kamakura, we were able to find the store effortlessly compared with finding th train station in Zushi. On our way to Swany we crossed a bridge and passed over small river with koi! They were gigantic! 

And so was the store! Three stories! 

This is actually one of the few stores that has English on the outside. It made finding it that much easier. 

Inside the store were lots and lots of fabric options. Cute patterns and prints. Different textures including coated, wool and canvas. 

Unfortunately, the one fabric the store didn’t have was fleece! I was able to find a small piece in the baby section as well as some jersey type material. I made a few purchases hoping for success. 

On our way to the train station, we passed by a ¥100 store (like a dollar store, but much better). Of course we needed to stop because you never know what you might find… Perhaps fleece!?! Sure enough – I was able to find fleece! Although it was in the form of a towel with edging. I thought I should be able to cut off the edging and use the material. It was worth a try anyways. 

Once I was home, I set to work cutting and sewing. I set up the sweatshop at the kitchen table because I put my sewing table in storage. After an hour or so, I had 4 taggies. 

The three with fleece from the ¥100 store worked great. ¥100 for the win! The jersey like material was too stretchy and a bit flimsy. To sew up my story, my lesson learned was to explore all options, shift my paradigm of thinking the obvious answer is the best choice and always check the ¥100 for options first! 

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? 

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

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

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.