An Anniversary and Okinawan Delicacies

Well, yesterday marked one year since I first set foot in Japan. At this exact time, 365 days ago, I was exploring Tokyo on foot. Checking out the Imperial Palace and Ginza. Eating fish and chips. Generally being a good little tourist! The year that followed sure has gone by quickly. It sure has been pretty interesting too!

Last night I went out after work with my co-worker Asuka and her student Hiroaki. We went to an Okinawan restaurant that came highly reccomended. Asuka was talking up a dish called Taco Rice. Now I figured she meant Tako Rice, which would be octopus. But no, it really is Taco Rice. A big plate of rice covered with ground beef, salsa, lettuce, and cheese. How cool is that? I'm up for anything that even smells faintly of Jalapenos, so Taco Rice hit the spot.

But it doesn't stop there.. oh no. Like most Japanese restaurants, we got a little plate of appitizer for free. So I look at it, and its shiny little strips of semi transluscent pink-tan flesh. I just figured it was octopus, as that is often what is served. But suddenly both companions start bugging me to eat it, saying its not octopus, eat it eat it, its gooood. But I have found, in Japan if somebody won't tell you what something is, then that something is disgusting.

Grant: "No, I shall not put that in my mouth until I know what it is."

Asuka:"Its.. Pork!"

Grant:"Oh hell no that's not any pork I've ever seen!"

Hiroaki:"Eat it, it's good."

Grant:"What.is.it."

Asuka:"Pig's Ears!"

Grant:"..."

I mean really.. the DOG loves pigs ears, but its not something I ever thought was really fit for human consumption. But I ate some anyway.
It was actually quite good, flavor wise. Very concentrated pork tastyness. The texture and general cartilaginous crunchyness was a bit of stomach churner though. I ended up eating about three pieces. Of course it turns out that Hiroaki doesn't even like it! sheesh.

I also got to try the Okinawan stir-fry Champloo (Chanpuru), which had egg, tofu, ham, and Goya in it. As I started tucking into my portion, I noticed that BOTH Hiroaki and the Bartender were staring at me, just waiting for my reaction. Turns out that the Goya (a sort of cucomber crossed with a broccolli kind of thing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon ), is among the most bitter tasting plants that are still edible. I tell you it was bitter! Wow. But kinda tasty. I found the less chewing done the better. Just swallow it, and be done.

So another week, another adventure into strange food.

Japan: You have no idea what you just put in your mouth, do you?

Spring?

Ok, I have to admit that one reason for the slow update pattern as of late is, well, not much is going on! Its been pretty cold, and I've been trying to save money as much as possible. Both just to be a bit more money smart, and also so I can be sure to treat various guests to the level they deserve. On the brighter side, spring is in the air. It was actually a beautiful day today, warm, bordering on rather toasty outside. I didn't need my heavy jacket, and THAT is saying something. It hasn't snowed in over a week, and the last time it did snow it was very wet and didn't stick. It has been raining quite a bit though. So I have hopes, spring is coming, warmth, flowers, cherry blossoms, and all that jazz.

Ka Ra O Ke

While there are certain challenges to living in Japan, there are rewards as well. Little things, like the fact that when you hit the walk button to cross the street, the traffic light changes within seconds, rather than minutes. Hit the button, the cars stop for you. Its great, just a little ego boost I suppose.

But then there are the big things. The things that really make living in Japan great. GREAT I tell you. One of those things is my kotatsu. Another one is Karaoke. Now before I came to Japan, I had only ever done karaoke once or twice. This is partially because it was relegated to seedy bars on the second tuesday of November but only on years that end in 2 or 8. I mean really, who wants to get drunk and sing with a bunch of strangers, when instead you can get drunk and sing with a bunch of friends?

Japan really has raised Karaoke to an art form. The Karaoke boxes are everywhere. What is a Karoke Box you ask? Well take a building and fill it with small soundproof rooms. In each room stick a TV and a soundsystem. Charge lots of money for watered down drinks and crummy food. Watch the money roll in! Ok, that may be a bit cynical, as it really is a ton of fun. I mean where else can you really pretend your a rock star, and have an adoring (or not so adoring) audience?

Everbody has their favorite songs to sing, so if you go out with same people you may find yourself hearing the same songs over again. Kind of like radio, only more off key. If it wasn't for Jared, I never would have learned the lyrics to TLC's "Waterfalls." Other boundries of good taste I have encountered in Karaoke were two grown men singing Tatu. Or even the same two grown men sining "Barbie Girl." Me, I stick with The Beatles, Weezer, Coldplay and The Cars with occasional forays into Greenday. I tried to do Metallica's "Enter Sandman" once, but it was waaaay too long and I just don't have a deep and growly voice. I pretty much blew my voice for the rest of the night! I also have a history of doing the O-zone tune "Dragostea din tei." Unfortunalty that song has been switched off the English songs list, and I can't keep up to songs with the lyrics in Japanese. Which is sad, cause everybody loved singing along. (Maiya heeee maiya hooo...)

Anyway, on to the photgraphic documentation



Ok, see that big garish 10 story building. Yup thats full of Karaoke rooms. And there is another next to it, and a few dozen more scattered around Sakae.



The inside of that particular building. Notice the cool black light effects. We are rocking now!



Okazaki Karaoke. Our farewell party.



The same. A bit more low rent,( no black light!) but hey, Karaoke is Karaoke!



Kanazawa Karaoke. Notice this video they really went all out and had little kids drawing the lyrics and holding them up on signs. It was cute. And kinda weird.

and now, the moment you've all been waiting for... the picture I swore I would never post..

Folks I give you.. Paul McCartney!



I think I'm singing my specialty tune, "I've Just Seen a Face"
signing off..

Japan is a crazy place

Hello again, loyal readers.

Sorry for the long holiday, (er vacation, damn I've been spending too much time around Brit's!) but it was not my plan. Unfortunatly for me my internet has been very intermittent lately. I had a lucky streak tonight though, enough time to upload a whole gaggle of crazy photographs.

Last weekend we had an area party with all the Hokoriku GEOS schools invited. We had a good turnout, and a lot of fun. It was an opportunity for me to get to know a few more faces nearby, as well as just party. The restaurant was kind of strange though, serving a set course with mini-bratwurst, frenchfries, edamame, raw octopus, korean food, pan fried beef in a Japanese sauce, and pizza. The food was good, but is that not one strange menu? Talk about globe hopping in the space of a meal.

That is not the only crazy food combo I have encountered recently. Last weekend I joined Paul and his delightful girlfriend at a rotation sushi restaurant out past Kanazawa station. It was a bit of a trip, but well worth it. However they had some seriously strange roles. Like say, the steak Tartar roll. Yes, raw beef and a tiny egg with sushi rice wrapped in seaweed. Actually I tried it and it was Ok, but a bit of a trip. There was also roast pork sushi, salmon and cheese sushi, and fois gras sushi, in addition to the more standard offerings. While strange, everything on offer was delicious, even the honeydew! (Luckily that *wasn't* a roll, merely melon wedges)

On Sunday Nate and I hung out and went shopping. Unfortunatly some of that shopping was for Valentines Chocolate for his wife. Now in Japan Valentines Day is a bit strange, in that it is a 180 degree reversal from us! Yup guys, you guessed it, the women buy the men chocolate. Now thats not to say the Men get off the hook, they have added a second holiday, White Day, where the Men have to reciprocate and buy chocolate for all the women who got them something on Valentines Day. Still and all, its a very fair way of doing things. Plus I never turn down free chocolate! Ok, but back to poor Nate. See Japanese women, like most women I suppose, love to shop. Especially on Sunday afternoon. Even moreso with a reason to go shopping, like say a holiday coming up. The Chocolate sellers in the Daiwa Dept Store were swamped. Seriously it was like some sort of Chocolate fueled Utah Beach. I had to provide some covering fire just to get us down the escalator!

After that harrowing experience we decided to follow up on the theory that the higher you go in Japanese dept stores the more low rent and dodgy they get. We confirmed this big time! The first floor or two is always nice, clean and busy. But make it to the 5th or so floor and things get.... creepy! Dirty floors, suspicious glances, its a very strange phenomenon!

Ok, enough with the ramblings, here are some pics of Crazy Japan (TM)



The Sushi Joint.



This is the band with the number one single right now. Yes, that is 20 pre-teen to teen girls. Yes it is as sugary and disposable as you might guess. If you like, you can find out just how weird it is...

click on this!



Not really engrish, but pretty weird!









engrish mugs... for 100 yen each! How cool is that?

Ok, well thats it for today. Happy Valentines Day all especially you Buck-Tick lovers out there, and yes I got a wee bit 'o free Chocolate today.

Next Time: Karoke Expose, including a shot of Grant... "singing." Stay Tuned!

The Remains of Kanazawa Castle

Well this weekend has been a contrast from the last. Rather than rain and sunshine, it has been snow snow and more snow. I do prefer the snow to the rain though. Despite a certain lazyness I decided I had better do *something* on my saturday, even if it was cold and snowy out. So I headed over to the remains of Kanazawa Castle.

Like many of Japan's historical structures Kanazawa Castle has had a few unfortunate run ins with fire. The last time it burned it was decided that rebuilding an obsolete military structure was a waste of time and money. So all that remains of the original structure are the massive foundation works and a few sections of wall. Still worth a looksee, especially with 3 inches of fresh powder to walk through!

It was a very pretty walk, but the weather was a bit crazy. Snow, sun, snow, sun, wind, snow, snow, sun.. Make up your mind already! With the snow there wasn't much in the way of crowds either. After the walk I found a nice import store and bought some French Bread and a selection of cheeses for a tasty if expensive lunch. It has been a looong time since I last had Brie and Gouda. It was worth the wait!



Western Geisha District. Little brother (sister?) to the nicer, larger, more popular Eastern Geisha District.



Here comes the sun!





Ishikawa-mon Gate, pretty much all that is left of the original structure.

Art!

I sometimes forget that I have Photoshop installed on this computer. I have toyed around with it a little bit, usually in an attempt to make my failures a little better looking. But lately I have been monkeying with the artistic filters. I had never thought about this before, but there in Photoshop is a wonderful little tool that lets your pictures become paintings at the click of a mouse button. How cool is that?

Well I thought it was pretty cool, so I went through some of my favorite pictures and tweaked them into artistic masterpieces. I have posted many of them before, but some are new.












For Valentines Day maybe?



A true masterpiece! ;-)



Kanazawa