Author: wabisabisole Page 48 of 54

I went to the Home’s store today to look for a few items on my never ending list of things I need. I found one of those things, hooks to hang curtains I made for our bedroom.  

I found two things that were not on my list, but made me very happy. The first – Puppies!!! 

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As happy as I was watching that crazy puppy, it was this sweet Corgi who stole my heart. I mean look at those ears!!! 

Unfortunately, neither came home with me. However, this amazing beer mug did! 

The two typos made me laugh (Traning & NEET)! And so did the message itself. Completely applicable to me right now. I’m not in education, employment or training! 

Check out the back- 

The writing on the bottom says “Let’s Lazy!” The lines measure the amount of kcal. One beer = 130 kcal. The first picture on the bottom shows a guy bathing for 17 minutes. Does that mean if I bathe for 17 minutes I burn 50 kcal!?! Or if I PC for 50 minutes I burn 75 kcal? How about reading – I read for 1 hour 10 minutes and I will burn 100 kcal. Finally, if I sleep for 2 hours 40 minutes, I will burn the 130 kcal of the beer I’m drinking. This sounds like a challenge. For every 2 hours and 40 minutes of sleeping, I will earn a beer! Forget running, Let’s Lazy! 

Did I mention this mug was on sale? Half price – ¥680. Priceless in my opinion. Almost as good as a puppy… 

Kanpie, friends. Happy Friday! 

During our exploring this weekend, we passed several small markets that were selling large orange tomatoes. Dave loves tomatoes and commented several times how good they looked. I shrugged it off because I’m not a huge tomato fan. He’s had a sinus infection for the past couple days and while I was at the local grocery store, I picked one up in an attempt to help him feel a little bit better (plus extra vitamin C). 

Here are my dinner veggie preps. I made chicken salad with sprouts, celery, fresh lettuce and orange tomato slices on the side. The chicken salad was served on a fresh croissant. 

The chicken salad was delicious. Even though Dave couldn’t really taste it with the sinus infection and I forgot to snap a picture. 

The orange tomato on the other hand… was not a tomato!! 

The orange tomato veggie tasted like a sweet potato mixed with a pumpkin. It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t what it seemed.  This experience justifies the necessity to use Google Translate in the grocery store. Just when I was feeling good about getting around and shopping in town, I was handed a bite of sweet potato pumpkin tomato to bring me back to reality.

Pocky is a Japanese snack food that consists of a biscuit stick covered in chocolate. Originally when first released in 1966, Pocky was only produced in regular chocolate flavor. A few years later it was sold with chocolate and almonds and then in 1977, strawberry Pocky was introduced. Today, there are a wide variety of flavors. And in the name of research, I have sampled many of them. 

 

I love the marketing on the box suggesting Pocky are “sharehappi.” It makes me laugh because of the double meaning. You will be happy if you share your Pocky and Pocky sharing will bring happiness. Again, it reflects the “wa” of the culture. Share your Pocky and everyone is happier, even Pocky is happy. 

Besides sharing, Pocky also makes me happy because it shows you how to open it. 

The directions are very helpful because they prevent confusion about which end should be opened. Opening Pocky according to the supplied directions ensures you open at the stick end not the chocolate end. Yay, Pocky. Thanks for making me so happy to open, to share and to eat a biscuit stick covered in chocolate! 

The second Monday in October is a national holiday in Japan known as Health and Sports Day. It commemorates the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo. To celebrate one of our favorite sports, Dave and I ventured out for a “longer” run/ walk/ exploration. This weekend also kicked off the official start of Dave’s marathon training! Yep, my lucky husband was selected to run the Tokyo Marathon from the marathon lottery! I wasn’t as lucky – so, coach it is!!

We laced up our sneakers and headed out and three miles from leaving our house, we made it to Zushi Beach! It was a very overcast day with cooler temperatures and lower humidity. 

After visiting the beach, we followed a path along the road. 

We turned around when the pedestrian path ended at a tunnel. This area needs more exploring to hopefully find more trails. On our return trip, I found this map that shows several parks. 

Heading home, we cut across the beach to see the wind surfers. 

It was a great day to get out and explore new running routes. We will have plenty of opportunities to explore over the next few months until Dave’s marathon at the end of February. 

One of my favorite stores for just about everything is Daiso. It is essentially a ¥100 store and very similar to a $1.00, just a lot better. I have learned, if there is something I need, to check Daiso first. There is a Daiso close to our house above the local grocery store. It is ok, not very large and without a great selection. There is another Daiso in Yokosuka that is huge and has a great selection. However, it is a 30 minute drive. 

Today, I found a better option! We took the train to the other side of Zushi – a 5 minute train ride – only one stop, for a little exploring and dinner.

Besides dinner, we found a medium sized Daiso with a fantastic selection. 

Daiso has everything from kitchen supplies, storage solutions to snack cravings. 

The store also bath/toiletry items, personal apparel and small electronic accessories. 

As Halloween approaches, the store has a seasonal section. 

Not to be missed are the office supplies, packaging materials and arts & crafts. 

The store was located on the second floor of the building. Downstairs was a drug store. They were separate stores despite appearing connected. At the entrance of Daiso was a sign for clarification. 

Google translate supplied another humorous translation. 

“Co-Gong Rafain and Dai is different is cash register. I will you shame your accounting at each cash register.”

It may seem I took a picture of every aisle. Not even close! When I’m looking for something specific, I often have to just stand there and take everything in before I find what I’m looking for. The Japanese are experts at using every bit of space possible! Daiso is proof! 

We like to plan Friday night date night and explore Yokosuka. I take the train into Yokosuka and meet Dave when he is finished at work. We have tried a variety of restaurants in an effort to determine our favorites. Dave loves Yakiniku. Yakiniku is a Korean BBQ where you select the meat cut of your choice and grill it at your table. We have tried two others so far and we were not really impressed with either. Or maybe I should say I wasn’t impressed. This time we ventured (a little bit) off the beaten path and found a Yakiniku restaurant gem. 

The atmosphere of these restaurants are very inviting and having to cook your own food make it great for a Friday night date where you don’t want to be rushed. I let Dave take the lead on ordering and cooking. 

This place is a paleo-diet dream. Too bad I ruined it with a bowl of rice! 

On a side note, this was the second restaurant we walked into Friday night. The first was my pick. It was a tapas place and looked super swanky. We left because it smelled like cigarettes!! We definitely aren’t accustomed to seeing/smelling cigarettes while smoking. Another reason to wear a mask. Although, hard to eat through. So glad we left and found this place instead. We both gave the restaurant ????  

There are a variety of ways for Dave to get to work in the morning. Obviously, the train is a convenient option. Also, there is a free shuttle runs at 5:20 am and 6:20 am. Another option is Julia’s taxi service. Now that the ETC is installed in the car, we can take the toll road and avoid traffic lights, pedestrians and mopeds. We still have to cross two sets of train tracks. If we leave at 5:55 we can miss them both. Other days, not so lucky. 

I solicited Dave’s help in documenting the trip while I drove. He was trigger happy! Be prepared for the numerous pictures. It was such a beautiful morning, it was worth sharing! Sunny and low humidity! Finally!!! 

Navigating the route is challenging because we are not overly familiar with the geography. We know we want to go to Yokosuka, but to get there you head towards Zushi first. Confused? I was. Because we live in Zushi and Zushi is the opposite direction of the base. Basically you have to drive a huge circle and go through a tunnel. 

 

After the tunnel, we take a right at the fork towards Miura. 

This exit is easier to remember because we have been to Yokohama several times and know it is north of us and in the opposite direction of Yokosuka. We haven’t made it to Miura yet… will need to add that to the list. 

As the exit ramp curves, the road passes a ladder to no where. 

Once past the ladder, merge into traffic and pass through another tunnel until exit 7 in 1.5km. 

After the tunnel, it’s under a bridge. 

I love the next picture. It shows the structure of the bridge and how high it is above us. What is up there?!? Also, notice the 80 speed limit sign. That is 80kmph. The easy way to compute to mph – divide the number by 5 and multiply by 3 (I ignore the .1). So, 80kmph is really only 48mph. It’s not that fast. However, it feels like your flying in a tiny car!! 

Once past the bridge, exit left. Prepare for next ETC toll booth. 

Each ETC booth causes the ETC reader in the car to chat with you and simultaneously pop open the gate. 

For ¥100 we sail through. 

After this booth we exit left towards Central Yokosuka. 

This is one of our favorite signs. Does it mean cameras taking your picture for speeding or potential risk for something to hit your vehicle (Japanese falling rock sign)? According to Google translate, neither. It means “Dumping ban Kanagawa Prefecture Highway Corporation Highway Traffic Police.” No littering. I guess the litter is hitting the car behind you!?! Funny. 

Guess what we go through next – yep, another tunnel. 

Followed by a toll booth! This one we actually have to pay with cash or coupon because it isn’t equipped with the ETC. 

It is a ¥210 toll. It is possible to purchase a booklet bringing the price down to ¥175. 

Gotta love the happy toll booth guy! 

At this point it literally is “all downhill from here!” An extensive flyover delivers us right into Yokosuka. 

Our last turn takes us into the base… after this no pictures allowed. 

I hoped you enjoyed the commute with us. To recap: cross two sets of RR tracks, turn left, turn right, exit left, exit right, exit left, merge, turn left into the base. To quote my husband, “does it ever hit you that you’re driving in Japan?” Everyday, baby, everyday. 

I went to the dentist today for a cleaning and check-up. My teeth are super clean thanks to a nice Japanese lady. She did a remarkable cleaning. Very thorough. The good news is now that I’m seen by the Navy dentist, cleanings can be scheduled every three months. The dentist also gave me advice to chew Xylitol gum. Something about the xylitol helps fight cavities. I bought some today to try on my run in the morning. If it is tasty, I will send you some! 

We’ve all experienced the dental hygienist wearing a surgical mask and giving you glasses to wear. I’ve always assumed, they don’t want to be any closer to my mouth and the mask provides a nice barrier. In Japan, medical field associates are not the only ones to wear surgical or face masks. ?

Seeing a person wearing a surgical mask in public is pretty common. I associate it with maintaining the “wa.” Someone has a cold or sniffles, they wear a face mask to keep their kooties to themselves. I’ve gotten to he point where I don’t really notice the strangeness of seeing many people a day wearing a face mask in public. Actually, I thought perhaps I should buy some for a problem I’m experiencing. 

Remember the bugs? Well, we purchase the amazing yellow powder and then shake it around the house. 

Twice I have experienced a weird sensation on my hand/wrist after shaking the product. I think the powder has touched my skin and I’m experiencing a reaction. My skin itches and the blood vessels underneath are enlarged. I wash well and apply ice and within 15 minutes the symptoms are gone. However, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to continue to expose myself. I decided to follow the locals and purchase a mask and rubber gloves. I first checked the NEX – no masks. I went to the Japanese drug store and was overwhelmed with choices. Pictures below is the entire selection. 

Zooming in, there are scented masks, kids masks, gender specific masks and even masks with a cut out to fit glasses. I found it interesting many of the mask packages are sold in the quantity of 7. I suppose after a week you should be kootie free. 

Reflecting on my issues, I opted for these masks. The girl on the package was giving me a wink to go kill bugs! I will look beautiful as a big slayer! 

Also in my purchase was poo-pourri for one of our three bathrooms. It is a small house and it seemed a cheaper investment than surgical masks. 

Google translate had me laughing! 

“Then the fragrance-free instantly and deodorant unpleasant after defecation and then to Masu deodorant to hate instant after-free bowel movement for mobile.”

In case you were confused – both defecation and bowel movement are used! ? as well as odor free and hate. Hilarious. 

Ikimashō – Let’s go! A new phrase I learned at Japanese class today was completely appropriate for how I felt! I have heard so much about Mt. Takatori and I was ready to explore myself. Mt. Takatori is an abandoned stone mine rising approximately 139m. The trailhead is less than a mile from our front door. It was definitely a climb and doable in sneakers. Although, next time I’ll wear bug spray!! Here are a few pictures from the beginning climb. From all the green, you can tell there is not much sign of fall! 

Google map wasn’t helpful on this journey. I learned about this trail from friends. They advised me not to rely on Google map and instead gave me various clues to look for and warned me that not everyone finds the “rock climbing wall” or “Buddha” on their first try. Mission accepted! 

Here was the first sign they had described for me. At the JR sign go – hmmm did they say left or right… crap! Logic prevailed. JR is a train and obviously, I want to go up the mountain not down to a train station. Off I go and then I find – the Temple. First I noticed the bell at the entrance. 

From there, I saw a flight of stairs. As I ascended thes steps, I felt like I was really in Japan. Everything is green and moss covered and there is a shrine… Or maybe in the left overs from an Indiana Jones movie set. It was pretty surreal. 

I continued up more steps to the Temple. 

It might be one of the most beautiful Temples I have seen. Tucked away at the top of the mountain. So remote and natural. 

Onward & upward. Past the bamboo forest. 

Up the stairs to the seemingly glowing rock. 

Past the rock moss pool. 

Until I have my first glimpse of the amazing view. 

And then it is back to the set of the Indiana Jones movie. Like I said, it’s an old stone mine. These tracks don’t look old! 

I was beginning to wonder if I had turned wrong and then I saw the rock climbing wall! 

I explored a bit more and found yet another set of stairs! Up I went to the very top to find yet even better views! 

Back down the stairs and around more rocks. Past the spiders and snake! What! Yep. A snake. Almost turned around at this point. But, I had to see the Buddha. I asked myself, “what would Buddha do?” Let the snake be a snake. Do no harm to the snake. Continue on your hike, you will. Ok, maybe that’s what Yoda would do. None the less, it worked. I found my Zen master at the top of the mountain. 

A selfie to prove I was there… and how sweaty I was. Glad I wore long sleeves! The bugs were ridiculous!! 

One last picture to show the size of the stone statue. 

From this point, I had two choices to get home. Walk the 1.5 hour trip back or walk 20 minutes to the train station and take the 15 minute train ride home. I was so hot & sweaty – I selected the train ride. Despite the embarrassment of being slightly unpresentable on the train. Honestly, I didn’t want to find another snake!! 

It was a fun afternoon. It will definitely go on the Julia tour itinerary. I can’t wait to hike again with Dave soon. And again, once the leaves start to change. I told Dave this evening I would LOVE to see sunrise from the top… hmmmm

PS. Sign of the fall to come. Japanese maple sapling after my own fall desiring heart! 

In a similar way the U.S. turns everything into pumpkin in fall, Japan turns everything into chestnuts. I first noticed when we went to the sumo tournament in Tokyo a couple weekends ago. I ordered one of the seasonal desserts and it came filled with a creamed chestnut filling. It was very sweet. 

It was the following day, we came upon a chestnut tree during our walk through Zushi. 

It was then I began noticing chestnuts everywhere. From the grocery store to window displays, chestnut is the obvious seasonal flavor. 

On our field trip Saturday, there was a chestnut grove on the farm we visited. 

After seeing so much chestnut, and only tasting one, it was time for me to do a little research. I purchased a bag at the ¥100 store, assuming the would taste terrible and I would through them away and only lose ¥100 – $1.00. The friend I was shopping with described them as being similar to boiled peanuts. 

I also decided a glass of wine was necessary for the research experiment. 

Hmmmm… interesting?!? 

Actually, they weren’t terrible. The wine was a nice touch to wash them down. Perhaps a Cabernet instead of my Pinot Grigio. Also, they were really sweet. Is it just me, but shouldn’t nuts be salty? Haha. I did add a shake of salt and suddenly they tasted even better. Overall I would score them as not bad and not necessary to purchase again. 

P.S. For those who have heard my “Chet’s nuts joke,” we have appropriately taken to calling them “Chet’s nuts.” Giggle giggle.