Month: January 2020

A Good Night for Sushi and Sake.

Today was a cold and rainy/snowy day in Tokyo. It snowed most of the day, but with the temperature hovering in the upper 30’s, there was no accumulation and no icing. It was just a gray, dreary day — which is really unfortunate for a Saturday. We look forward to our weekends of wandering around Tokyo, and today was just not a good day for that. So… we hung around the apartment for awhile, went out to run a couple of quick errands and have hot soba noodles for lunch… then back to the apartment for the afternoon.

This evening we decided to go out to our favorite sushi restaurant here in Tokyo. We grabbed our umbrellas, and walked the mile to “Nihonkai” — “Japan Sea”

日本海

Four years ago on our very first night in Tokyo, this was the restaurant we went to. And it is still our favorite sushi restaurant here. Nothing fancy… just a neighborhood “sushi-go-round” (conveyor belt sushi restaurant). The sushi chefs are in the center and they prepare the plates of sushi and place them on a moving conveyor. When you see something you like, you just take it off the conveyor. But… they also take orders, and will prepare whatever plate you want. “Sumimasen! Maguro onegaishimasu!”

Four years ago, we couldn’t speak any Japanese… we couldn’t read the menu… didn’t know the names of the fish on the menu. They brought us the one copy of the English menu, and we ordered from that… mostly pointing at pictures.

But they were nice to us… they were helpful… and over time, we learned so much from them. We ask questions in our simple Japanese, and they teach us the names of the menu items. We have found our favorites, and now we can order them in Japanese. Maguro (tuna), tobiko (flying fish roe), kani sarada (crab salad), to-ika (squid with shiso leaf), nattou-to-okura (nattou with okra)… We can read some of the Japanese from the menu — but they still usually bring us the English menu. (We really prefer to use the regular Japanese menu.) When we have a question, the waitstaff is always willing to help us… “Sore wa nan desu ka? “What is that?” And they teach us.

  • Nattou-to-okura

We have been there often enough now that they recognize us… they greet us warmly, and make us feel welcome. We see other regular customers there, and greet them. It is a friendly and comfortable place to spend an evening. We have our favorite sake that we order from the menu (Yes… just like wine, there are many, many different kinds of sake… all with different tastes, characteristics, and prices). They bring us chilled sake glasses in sake boxes. Fill the glasses to overflow into the boxes until the boxes also are full. If you prefer hot sake, that is also available. (Very nice in the winter time!)

As our time for living in Japan moves far too quickly to an end (only about four months before we have to move back to the US), it’s little things like this sushi restaurant that I know we will miss most. It’s not just the sushi — I know we could get good sushi at any number of places here. It’s the way this place makes us feel — welcome, and comfortable. Like we belong.

4th Anniversary in Japan…and the clock is ticking

January 10, 2020, marks the 4th anniversary of our arrival in Japan. As the “he” part of the blog team, it was my job assignment that brought us here. The plan was to spend two years helping my company’s Tokyo office plan and conduct a major international meeting.

The two years went by quickly, and the meeting was conducted successfully. But in the process, my Tokyo comrades and I found that we were a good match. My job responsibilities expanded, and my company agreed to a one-year extension of my term…and then, another extension.

But, as the cliche says, all good things must end. After four amazing years in Japan, my assignment will conclude at the end of May. And we are anticipating the conclusion of this period of our lives with a profound sense of sadness.

Of course, there are things about returning to our former life in the US that we look forward to. Being closer to our family. Reuniting with pets. Moving back to a house we love, and restarting many of the activities we enjoyed before moving here.

We’re also fortunate that my company will allow me to continue working with my international colleagues. There will be trips back to Japan, and to other places around the world as part of my job responsibilities.

The sadness comes in knowing we may never again be full-time residents of Japan. This wonderful country has truly seemed like home the past four years, despite the fact that we come from a very different culture, and struggle greatly to speak the language. We will miss the kindness and caring of the people, the cleanliness and safety of the society, and so many little things that make this culture so unique.

As the time ebbs away, we are doing our best to experience all we can during our last few months. Long walks through Tokyo…snow festival in Sapporo…trips back to Mt. Mitake, Enoshima, and Mt. Takao. And, hopefully, some other trips to places we still want to see — Osaka, and perhaps Okinawa.

When we signed up for what was to be a two-year assignment in Japan, we looked forward to it and expected we would enjoy the experience. What we never anticipated was how deeply we would come to love this amazing country. Soon, we will have to say goodbye. But I know we will come back again.