Strawberry Picking

Strawberry Picking

On April 28, 2017

In Ashikaga Flower Park, Japan, Strawberry

After our visit at the Ashikaga Flower Park on Thursday, we made a brief stop at the Itigo No Sato Farm in Tochigi. Tochigi is north of Tokyo. Here we were able to pick and eat strawberries.

We were led to a greenhouse where our group would be allotted 30 minutes to pick and eat as many strawberries as you like. This was similar to the rules when we went grape picking last fall. Here was our group in the greenhouse.

As to be expected with the Japanese, the greenhouses and the strawberries growing were treated with meticulous care.

The plants were grown in dirt mounds covered in black plastic. The berries seemed to even have been washed before they were available to be picked.

I took a picture of another greenhouse on our way out. I need to do a little research on why, what appears to be onions, are planted at the end of each row.

After we consumed our berries, we had time to explore the shops. Although the treats were tempting, we just finished stuffing our faces on strawberries!

Of course, there is always time for a candid shot or two…

Ashikaga Flower Park

By wabisabisole

On April 27, 2017

In Ashikaga Flower Park, Google Map, Japan, Wisteria

Sonia and I took an ITT tour up to visit the Ashikaga Flower Park. The park is well known for the wisteria trees. Here is a picture of the Google Maps of our trip.

This time of year, when the wisteria is blooming, the park becomes very crowded. We arrived promptly at 9:00am, when the park opened. By the time we were leaving at 11:00am, the park was significantly more crowded than when we arrived.

The park had several different types of wisteria. There were purple(early blooms) pink(full bloom), and white(not blooming yet). Also, there was a species of double blooming wisteria. We were a little early to see the large wisteria trellis in full bloom. It was beautiful none the less. The smaller trees were at their peak bloom and absolutely stunning.

There was an area set up for hanami under the light pink wisteria. The light pink was reaching peak bloom and very serene. The bottoms of the wisteria are a little blurry because they were blowing in the gentle breeze.

There are two large trees that together make the Large Wisteria Trellis. It was stunning even though it wasn’t in full bloom yet.

There was also a large screen of purple wisteria. It blocked the view of the parking lot. Trees were planted behind the screen and attached in an espalier style.

I didn’t edit the wire holding up the structure. I thought it provided good perspective of how massive the structure was.

The Light Pink Bridge might have been my favorite spot in the park. The wisteria was in full bloom and the scene was truly picturesque.

Another amazing feature was the Wisteria Dome. It was also set up for visitors to enjoy hamani.

There was another large wisteria tree also supported by a huge trellis.

Another beautiful section was off in a smaller side garden. Poppies were planted around the edge of the bed. The contrast between the colors was stunning.

A few more pictures- because it was just so beautiful with so many different colors.

And now for the funny story of the day. I first realized people were watching me / staring at me / taking my picture when we were on the bridge. I mentioned something to Sonia and she said because they think you’re a model. Haha. Jokingly, I posed for her to snap a few pictures. While we were doing this, people waited for her to stop and simultaneously, took my picture as well. Here is the funny shot.

The flattery continued. When we were shopping at the gift shop, one of the workers came up to me and asked where I was from. Chicago is always my response. It’s the last place we lived and it is a place most people have heard of. Anyways, she tells me, “you’re so pretty. You’re hair pretty.” Arigatōgozaimas! But wait, there’s more. We were asked to have our picture taken and to return the favor by a single man. Sure. As he taking our picture, he says, “beautiful! You and the flowers!” Ha! Arigatōgozaimas! The pictures he took.

I felt like a celebrity or to quote Melissa, “Blondzilla.” The compliments were delightful and sweet. However, the sweetest part of the day was the wisteria soft cream.

Next year, I think I will be more bold and potentially drive myself to the Flower Park. I would really love to see the wisteria tree trellises in full bloom. The drive and the crowds would be worth it!

Kameido Tenjin Shrine

By wabisabisole

On April 26, 2017

In Chu-Hai, Google Map, Japan, Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo, Tokyo Skytree, Train, Wisteria

Spring in Japan means one blooming session after another. Right now, the wisteria is about to reach full bloom. Having a free day, with no adulting obligations, I decided to travel to Tokyo and visit the Kameido Tenjin Shrine to view the wisteria. It was a schlep, 1.5 hours one way. Far enough for me not to impose the trip on my husband or friends. Here was my route.

The Shrine is located near the Tokyo Skytree. It provided a delightful backdrop to several pictures.

I wish I could share the scent of the wisteria with you. It might be the one thing I will never have much luck sharing with you. It was truly delightful.

I decided to venture up today because next week is Golden Week. I’ll tell you more about the meaning of Golden Week later. For now, it means Japanese holiday and lots of crowds. I was glad to have smaller crowds today. Occasionally, I was able to snap a picture without people. First, a few of the crowds.

Flying solo, I could take my time and wait for the perfect shot. And I did. I waited and I was totally ok with it. Because the shots were worth it. Here are my favorites. The red bridge is in most of them – #becausejapan

Have you noticed the structures supporting the wisteria? Some are wood others are artificial. All are strong.

According to my research, Kameido Tenjin Shrine was founded in the 1660s to honor the memory of the ninth-century scholar, Sugawara no Michizane. The temple was just as beautiful as the wisteria.

While at the temple, I enjoyed my own miniature hanami. Japanese yam and a chu-hai. Life is as sweet as these roasted yams with sugary topping.

When you’re planning your springtime visit, we will see as many flowers as possible. You will need to be willing to travel. As my friend Jen reminded me, seeing stuff requires a little bit of effort. Just a few more pictures….

It truly was an amazing experience and worth the travel. I’m ranking this temple in my top five “seasonal” temples.

Angry Birds

By wabisabisole

On April 25, 2017

In Crows, Ikego, Japan, Zushi

We have the loudest, most obnoxious crows I have ever experienced. There are often many of them in the forest around our house and they are ridiculously loud. They “caw-caw” from before sunrise until dusk. They are so loud, when I’m talking on the phone, the person in America has commented on being able to hear them!

They greeted me as I returned home from Costco this afternoon. Ugh! They are so annoying! They were in the trees in the front of the house and in the trees around back. I felt like I had a cuckoo clock stuck in my head!

Here they are out front.

I walked to the back of the house to capture the squawking there as well.

They carried on like this for about a half hour. Clearly, they enjoy raising a ruckus.

Jogashima Park

By wabisabisole

On April 24, 2017

In Google Map, Hiking, Japan, Jogashima Park, Miura Peninsula, Ramen, Train

Jogashima Park is located at the Southern tip of the Miura Peninsula. I am the blue dot in Zushi and Jogashima Park is the red marker at the bottom.

It has been on my list of places to visit for a couple months. We had another glorious spring day that demanded an outdoor exploration. I was able to convince Sonia to go with me and she convinced me we should take the train and bus vice driving. This would be my first Japanese bus experience!

We met in Yokosuka and headed south on the train and then further south on the bus. Here was a shot from the bus ride. To ride the bus, you can use the same pass that is used to ride the train. You just have to remember to swipe it when you board. We missed that the first time and the driver adjusted our fairs when we exited the bus.

I forgot to screen shot the trip down, here is the shot from the trip home.

The grey stops are the bus stops. The bus wasn’t very intimidating after all. Pretty simple. Google Maps once again helped me navigate there and back without issues!

Jogashima Park was beautiful! The views of the water and horizon were impressive.

The trails were a combination of pavement, stairs, and dirt. Overall, it was very easy to navigate the park with the many cute signs directing the way.

Besides the Japanese Seahawks, we also saw the country’s largest earthworm!

In several places along our hike, the water was so clear!

Simultaneously, the rock formations made me turn into a little bit of a Science geek on Sonia. She laughed and was a good sport about my teachings. These guys paid me little attention…

Maybe my favorite picture of the day.

We continued on our hike to the lighthouse and enjoyed more amazing views and lunch along the way.

For lunch, we ate ramen and black vanilla ice cream. Whitebait (whitefish) was also a flavor. Gross. Almost as gross as corn ice cream. The black vanilla ice cream was very good. It tasted like vanilla!

After lunch, we walked around a little more and found more beautiful rocks and a shrine. Also, on a clear day, we would have been able to see Mt. Fuji across the water.

Finally, one last set of stairs took us up to the lighthouse.

We shopped at a couple cute local stores as we headed to the bus stop. We wondered if it would be difficult to find the bus…. nope. Not too difficult in the least!

I am super proud of myself. I can now add “capable of taking the bus” to my Japanese transportation resume thanks to Sonia’s encouragement!

Mt. Nokogiri

By wabisabisole

On April 23, 2017

In Diabatsu, Google Map, Hiking, Japan, Mt. Nokogiri, Temple

Dave and I took an ITT trip with Sonia and her husband, John, to Mt. Nokogiri on Sunday. Mt. Nokogiri is located on the Chiba Peninsula. The Chiba Peninsula is on the other side of the Tokyo Bay from where we are on the Miura Peninsula. The bus ride on the way there took us through the Aqualine.

The Aqualine is a tunnel that goes beneath the Tokyo Bay. I timed our transit. It took us a little over eight minutes with no traffic. Once we were through the tunnel, we stopped at the rest stop to purchase snacks for our hike. The views were incredible.

It reminded us of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. But, in Japan, not quite as long, and with a better rest stop!

Dave & Julia Sashimi

Taking the helm

Tokyo skyline – Tokyo Skytree is on the right.

Here was a cool illustration of the Aqualine.

Once we arrived at Mt. Nokogiri, we took a cable car to the top of the mountain. The views were spectacular throughout the day. We all agreed, this tour is worth doing again in the fall when the leaves are changing.

One of the scenic lookouts was beautiful. Sonia and I waited in line for 35 minutes for these pictures! First, the line…

And then the views!

We walked up and down so many stairs on the mountain. Along the way, we observed 1,500 stone figures of different Arhats (Buddhist Saints). I captured a lot of them and only will share a few pictures of them! Many of the statues are in poor condition as a result of an anti-Buddhist movement during the Meiji Era (1868-1912). The statues have been under repair during recent years.

His green head looks a bit alien-like!

Watch your head… the statues are missing theirs!

The highlight of Mt. Nokogiri is the stone Buddha (Daibutsu). The stone Buddha is the largest in Japan. It measures 28 meters high. It was built by Jingorō Eirei Ōno and his 27 apprentices. They completed the structure in 1783. It was recently restored between 1966-1969. The Daibutsu was constructed to symbolize world peace and tranquility. It was ahh-mazing.

Dave, me, and Buddha!

And a selfie, of course – the filters were a bonus.

The shrines around the temple included thousands of small Buddhas.

Just a few pictures of the flowers on the mountain before we head home.

To return home, we took a ferry across the Tokyo Bay to Kurihama. This is the alternative route to get across Tokyo Bay.

The ferry ride was the perfect end to a great day. Enjoying time underway with friends and adult beverages. Kanpie!

Motomachi

By wabisabisole

On April 21, 2017

In Chu-Hai, Friendship, Google Map, Japan, Longchamp, Motomachi, Sushi, Train, Yokohama

Earlier this week, Yasuko-San called to tell me our Friday English class would need to be cancelled. That gave me a whole day to do – whatever! Happy Friday to me!

Dina also had a free day and we planned to go to collect more sea glass at Sea Glass Beach. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for the day. It never rained but, remained overcast and cool. Not so much beach weather.

Instead, we decided to venture up to Motomachi shopping district in Yokohama. Here is the gateway welcoming shoppers.

Motomachi 500m upscale shopping street in Yokohama. It is located between Chinatown and Yamashita Park. Here was our route on the train.

The street was filled with a couple of familiar stores.

There were also a variety of other stores. Like this men’s purse store. The St. Bernard bag was too cute! The sexy lady men’s pins were just weird.

Speaking of purses, I did buy a new purse from Kitamura2.

I’ve been searching for a new crossbody bag to replace my tired Longchamp bag. This purse was a 40th birthday present from my Mom before we went to Paris. I have enjoyed carrying for the past two years so much. It is absolutely perfect. If Longchamp still made it, I would buy at least two more in blue and black. Considering the miles and continents it has travelled, it’s in pretty great shape… just like me! Ha

Today, I welcomed Blue Boy into my life. He is cute, functional, multicolored, and my first Japanese purse. He has a few more zippers than Longchamp and a very big job to fill.

I was so thankful to have Dina along with me. She provided sound support as I invested in my new traveling companion (my new purse) and she provided comic relief at a fine leather goods establishment. First, you must stick your hand in his mouth. Which I did… it was furry and warm.

And then there was the all-American fire truck… in Japan.

The best was helping Dina find a new hat… maybe not this one.

It’s Japanese size!

And there was the incident with the BIG chair. Honestly, I wanted to sit in it. I was just too scared of making a scene! A selfie will have to do.

One more place to mention as we walked through Motomachi was the adorable pet store. Kawaii!!!

These two puppies were ridiculous. The first one will not get bigger than a soda can. He was only ¥199,800 or about $1800.

This little fluffy friend was ¥299,900. For shock factor, let’s say $3,000. (I know, I rounded the wrong way) by the time you buy supplies he will be that much! Crazy cuteness.

We reached the other end of Motomachi and we were ready for food.

We decided to head to Chinatown for lunch. On our way, we passed this adorable group of teenagers. Pandas in Chinatown, of course.

Eventually, we found a delicious sushi restaurant in Chinatown. Tuna rice bowl made complete with a grapefruit Hi-Ball and corn on my salad.

Tuna rice bowl…. Nom nom nom…

As we headed back to the train, we saw our Panda friends again. This time, the were more than willing to pose! Kawaii!

Happy Friday! May we always have a good friend(s) to laugh, shop, and drink with! Kanpie!

AWkitchen Garden

By wabisabisole

On April 20, 2017

In AWkitchen Garden, Japan, Kamakura, Pizza, Train

One of our favorite restaurants, Farm To You, in Kamakura closed in March. Dina first took me there in November. I’m not officially sure but, I think it might have changed ownership and then the restaurant was given a new name. Regardless, it has reopened as AWkitchen Garden. Dina and I set out to indulge in a deliciously fresh lunch. We were not disappointed!

They are open daily according to the sign.

We arrived at 11:50 and had to wait about 15 minutes for a table. While we waited, we snapped a couple pictures of the Endoshima Line train and the gardens of the restaurant. Everyone LOVES the Endoshima Line train!

Once we were seated, we learned The lunch menu is only offered as a set. The set included: a salad, soup, and a choice of pizza or pasta. We both selected the Margherita pizza.

The table was set with two types of vinegar, strawberry, and kiwi. Also, two types of salt, balsamic dressing, lemon – rosemary water, and our glasses of wine.

First up, an amazingly fresh salad. This would be Dave’s favorite! It was so beautiful, I had to take a couple pictures from different angles.

The soup was a fresh onion gazpacho. It was fresh and oniony.

The Margherita pizza was very good. It was wood-fired with fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, and a delicious tomato purée sauce.

The wood fired crust was my favorite. Dina snapped a picture of the oven for me. Notice the original FTY (Farm to You) logo.

This remains on my list of favorites in Kamakura. Mainly for the salad and the atmosphere. The pizza wins an honorable mention by U.S. pizza standards and a place winner in Japan. I’m not sure I would recommend we go when you visit. Mainly because I know the pizza will disappoint you. Unless you want an amazing salad after eating so much ramen! Or we need a vegetarian option.

Buddha’s Pooper

By wabisabisole

On April 19, 2017

In Cherry Blossoms, Diabatsu, Japan, Kamakura, Ramen, Sakura, Shrine, Temple, Yokosuka

Bill’s visit was work related and only provided for a small amount of time for me to give him a Julia Tour. Between the jet lag and his work schedule, it was tough to find too much spare time. We did squeeze in a few traditional Japanese experiences. Starting with ramen.

Tuesday night, I met Dave and Bill in Yokosuka after work. After a brief pit stop at the O’Club for an informal Navy happy hour, we went to the “Red Door” ramen shop in Yokosuka. This is actually the first place Dave and I had dinner when we arrived in July. It was just as delicious! Dave ordered the spicy ramen and Bill and I both ordered the salt ramen – mine with extra nori (seaweed sheets) – remember, seaweed is the pickle bite of the burger. I think Bill would have this chopstick thing down if he was here another couple days!

Bill’s flight left Wednesday evening giving us a few hours to explore Kamakura. The first stop was the Great Buddha. My favorite.

There wasn’t a line to go inside Buddha, so, we ventured in for ¥20 (16 cents). The best part, was Bill referring to this opportunity as “going into the Buddha’s pooper.” Haha! I snapped this quick picture of Bill looking in the same direction as the Japanese ladies were pointing. No, he has no idea what they are saying.

As we returned back to Hase Station, I snapped one more picture of the last remaining Sakura and the wisteria starting to bloom. Considering the wisteria photo foreshadowing for next week!

We returned to Kamakura and walked to the Hachiman-gū Shrine.

We walked up behind the main shrine and found this quiet sanctuary and shrine.

It was a beautiful morning and I was happy to share a couple of my favorite spots in Japan with Bill before he headed back to America.

After I dropped Bill off in Yokosuka to catch his shuttle to Narita, I stopped by the post office to pick up a package. The Chick-Fil-A fairy delivered again! This time from Germantown, TN and with a few other essentials to kick off grilling and smoking season! Thank you, Layla, Nick, Nina, and Noah for going to several Chick-Fil-A stores to gather yummy sauce for us. I truly appreciate your friendship, love, and support to help us taste TN in Japan. Watch out for a few Neko Atsume surprises coming your way!

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

By wabisabisole

On April 17, 2017

In Blue Moon, Friendship, Japan, Zushi

We are fortunate to have another friend visiting for a few days. Bill, is here on a work trip, but we rolled out the Japanese-sized red carpet for him none the less. I just wished I would have thought of this before the Cummings Clan came to visit!

We went to dinner at one of our favorite spots in Zushi, Blue Moon. We enjoyed the “octopus balls” appetizer.

Both Dave and Bill ordered the Pho.

I ordered the fried chicken to share. But there is one thing I wouldn’t share… my Chick-fil-A sauce!! Say, what!?!

Yes, my shout out for Chick-fil-A sauce worked much better than I anticipated. Bill showed up with two bags full of sauce!

On Saturday, I received a box in the mail from my friend, Sara. She sent individual packages as well as 10 huge tubs! JJ, Delaney, and James all helped to collect the sauce. Thank you so much! I will put a special Japanese surprise in the mail to you. I promise not to include sea urchin pretzels! Haha! Only nine of the tubs are pictured, I sent one to work with Dave this morning!

I am so grateful for the love from friends. I also enjoy hearing the tails of your adventures as you attempt to gather the sauce for me. Thank you so much for going out of your way to make me smile! It means so much!

One last thing, I must share with you the importance of not feeling intimidated with using chopsticks when you visit. Follow Bill’s advice and just stick it!

Finding Beauty with Imperfection

Author: wabisabisole Page 32 of 54