Four Years in Japan … and now Three Years in London

I haven’t done a grocery shopping blog in awhile, so here is what I bought today at Hanamasa. This was a pretty big trip for me… about 3500¥, and about the maximum that I want to carry for a kilometer back to our apartment. Again… I usually have to shop about 5 days per week, because I have limited storage for food with my tiny refrigerator. So now… I will go through the items I purchased today.

Beverages. I have to stagger my purchases of milk, juice and alcohol, because it can really add to the weight that I have to carry home. It is a bad shopping trip when I have to buy milk, soymilk, and juice all on the same day… Too heavy! In suburban Japanese supermarkets, I am sure that they have larger sizes, but in all of the stores near our apartment, a liter size bottle or carton is the biggest you can buy for milk and juice, so I need to shop frequently.

Wine options are generally limited in the smaller stores. My supermarket sells a lot of Chilean and Argentinian brands, and sometimes Australian (along with domestic Japanese wines.) The California wines and French wines are pricey. There is also a large assortment of Japanese beers, sake and shochu, and a small section of Japanese and imported liquor (mostly whiskey — which is very popular in Japan.)

The cans you see in the photo, are “highball” drinks. These are very popular, and are actually a really nice light drink for the hot weather. Varying from 3 to 9% alcohol, and mixed with a carbonated soda, they are “ready-to-drink!”

Meat/fish. Tonight’s dinner. A small piece of salmon… 124 grams, 370¥. Hanamasa has the best prices for meat and fish in my area. We aren’t big meat-eaters, so I don’t buy it every shopping trip. If I buy pork or chicken, I divide the package into meal-size servings, and freeze it. The pork and beef is mostly sliced thin or in small bite-size pieces. Remember… we eat with chopsticks here, so the meat is usually in chopstick-friendly pieces!

Veggies. Today Hanamasa had asparagus on sale. Two small bunches for 380¥. That will be two meals-worth for us. Then, I bought half of a Japanese pumpkin for 290¥. Japanese pumpkin is good in curry and stews, or just boiled and eaten warm or cold. The skin in left on, and you just cut it in bite-size chunks. Tasty! Produce is generally more expensive here than in the US… it is all beautiful and perfect quality. It is somewhat seasonal — for instance, oranges (mikan, mandarin oranges) are cheaper and plentiful in the winter months. Apples are cheaper in the summer, and so are peppers and tomatoes. This red pepper cost me 100¥ today. Kiwis are in season right now too… very large and imported from New Zealand. Most places are selling them for about 100-120¥ each.

Cheese. Cheese is different here. It is not a huge part of Japanese cuisine. Japanese cheese is softer, and not as flavorful as cheese we are used to in the US. Probably not aged as long. You can buy imported block cheese, but it is fairly expensive. We have just gotten used to eating less cheese here. This 300 gram bag of shredded cheese cost me 398¥. I made pizza the other day, and it worked… just not as tasty as cheese in the US.

Misc. On the left is a package of soba (buckwheat) noodles. Makes a fast and easy dinner when combined with a dashi-based soup broth and veggies. Yum. About 4 servings in that package, for 128¥. In the next photo is a large jar of jam, and a bottle of tonkatsu sauce. Hanamasa has the best prices for jam that I have found. Jam and jelly is a fairly recent addition to Japanese breakfast. Traditional Japanese breakfast is a savory mix of fish, rice and veggies. Sweet breads, pancakes, muffins, toast with sweet toppings, is not traditional, but gaining popularity. This HUGE jar of jam only cost 298¥! I could hardly beat that price in the US!

Tonkatsu is a fried pork cutlet, and often served with a sweet and savory, soy-based sauce. This sauce is also a popular topping for other grilled meats, and also on okonomiyaki (kind of a pancake cooked with egg and veggies inside), and takoyaki (a ball of pancake batter with veggies and octopus inside.) Tasty, multi-purpose sauce. About as popular as ketchup is in the US.

Snacks. Kim-chi is really cheap here. Kim-chi is a fermented mix of cabbage and veggies with a spicy red sauce. Korean in origin, but very popular here as well. Love this stuff! And this container was only 189¥ for 330 grams! Can’t get it for that price at home! Then there is the small bag of snack food peas…  We don’t eat as much snack stuff here as at home. Tortilla chips and potato chips, crackers, etc, are not as common here, and if imported, are very expensive. The Japanese have their own snack foods… mostly different types and flavors of rice crackers and snacks. We just don’t eat very much of it. Also, candy and sweet snacks are not as popular here. In general, the Japanese consume a lot less sugar than we do in the US. Savory snacks are much more popular.

Buying and preparing food here in Japan is very different from at home in the US, and we are still discovering new foods, and new ways to prepare food. We have had to alter our diet to accommodate the different foods here, and it has become part of the adventure of living in this foreign culture. Yes… the food is different here, but the food is delicious! Sugoi oishii desu!

** Roughly, 100¥ = $1 US.

Summer has definitely arrived in Japan. It is hot, humid, and mostly sunny. Right now the sun rises at 4:30 AM here in Tokyo, and sets around 7 PM. June and July are supposed to be the “rainy season” in Japan. This is our second summer in Tokyo, and what we have experienced with rainy season, is just an increased “chance” of rain, and that the rain is usually light and misty in Tokyo. It is also typhoon season now — and we have had one minor typhoon already. So far, we have not seen a significant rain/typhoon during “rainy season.”

We came here from Atlanta — which is also hot and humid in the summer — but the sunshine here just seems so much more intense. And when you are outside, that thick coastal humidity seems to coat the skin like a blanket. Sweat pops out, clothing gets damp, and never seems to dry. Wearing cotton t-shirts and clothing starts to feel like wearing a wet dishrag all day.

Here in urban Tokyo, it is hard to escape the sunshine and the sweatiness, but the Japanese have found a few ways of dealing with it day to day. For businessmen who usually wear jackets and ties, after the 1st of May, most companies opt for short sleeves and no ties — known as “Cool Biz.” Women wear light, loose-fitting dresses and skirts, made of flowing moisture-wicking fabrics.  And no one leaves home without their washcloth-sized “sweat towel.”

Women here are very sun-conscious, and many cover up with long sleeves and long skirts and pants. Hats are popular, and long, fingerless gloves are worn to cover bare arms when short sleeves are worn. Many women walk under sun-reflective umbrellas. The only sunscreen I have seen here is SPF 50. Tanning is not popular, and even at the beaches, women stay covered as much as possible and sit inside small portable cabanas. Oddly, though, sunglasses are not worn by most Japanese.

Since I have been living here — and shopping in Japanese stores (UNIQLO is my favorite!!) — I have found myself adapting my wardrobe to fit in here. I wear skirts most days — knee-length and longer. Hardly anyone wears shorts here. I have bought a couple of hats, and even though I hate “hat hair” I actually wear my hats now. I have a couple of light scarves to cover my neck and shoulders when I am out in the sunshine. I bought a couple of light, knit, tech-fabric “sweaters” that cover the skin, but still allow cooling airflow. I bought a sun umbrella (but haven’t actually used it much yet.) I do still wear my sunglasses… and I still wear my sandals and flip-flops (not so popular with the Japanese women.)

It isn’t exactly like a prescribed “dress code” here, and no one forces me to dress this way. But I have found that they really do know a thing or two about keeping cool in the heat. These things all really do help when you are walking around in the hot sun and drippy humidity. It is kind of an interesting thing when you can pick out the tourists because they are the only ones wearing shorts and tank tops — and sometimes, sunburns, lol.

So this is a blog about Japan. But on occasion, my job gives me the opportunity to travel from Japan to another country. Last month, it was a trip to Paris, France.

My wife traveled with me on this trip. I had a week of meetings, then we took a few days of vacation to enjoy the city. We’ve been to Paris before, but the last time was several years ago. It was a good chance to see a city we really enjoy. Here’s how it went.

First of all, it’s a long trip from Tokyo to Paris. 12 hours of economy class Air France, to be exact. The flight crew works hard to make it as pleasant a journey as possible. But it’s a long trip.

Being familiar with Paris, we opted to take the subway from Charles de Gaulle airport to our hotel in the city. We managed to navigate the ticket machine with no problem, and we were on our way.

After being immersed in Japanese culture, and trying hard to learn some Japanese, it was a bit of a struggle to recall the limited amount of French I have learned in the past. Strangely, I found it easier to read French this trip. I think it is because there are some similarities with English, after being used to struggling through Kanji and Japanese grammar. Still, my ability to converse in French is infantile at best. Je parle un peu francais. Fortunately, most Parisians speak some English, and we got along just fine.

During my business meetings we stayed at a typical large business hotel. Nice, but extremely expensive. At the conclusion of business, we moved to a small hotel in Montparnasse, the Hotel des Bains. A small, quaint little hotel in a quiet neighborhood, it was our third stay there. Nothing fancy, but very Parisian. From there, we walked and took the subway across the city.

Farmers’ market near our hotel

Food market on Saturday, art on Sunday

Lot of good things a the market

There is so much to see in Paris that we only went to some of our favorites in the short time we were there. In particular, we enjoy Promenade Plantée, an elevated park converted from an old railway bed. Another favorite is Montmartre Cemetery, established in the early 1800s. It’s a fascinating look at Parisian history, and a quiet and relaxing place to spend the day. And we wandered to Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, Musee D’orsay,  Arc de Triomphe…a good look at some of the highlights of Paris in a few short days.

Morning at Arc de Triomphe

Paris subway is easy and inexpensive

Sacre Coeur

Muse D’orsay

Jardin du Luxembourg

Notre Dame

Lots of food choices in Paris

Sacre Coeur

Tomb in Montmontre Cenetary

Sun dog over Sacre Coeur

Statue in Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church

Tomb in Montmontre Cemetary

Of all the things I enjoy about Paris, the one thing I don’t like is the cigarette smoke. It seems like everyone in Paris — EVERYONE — smokes. In restaurants, at sidewalk cafes, walking, driving… cigarette smoke is everywhere. I realize it’s a cultural thing, and I try to deal with it as part of the experience. But really…smoking stinks!

But the end of the vacation came very quickly and it was soon time for the trip back to Japan. It’s a pleasure to visit Paris. The history, the culture, the food, and the atmosphere… Paris is a unique and interesting place to experience.

Tokyo is a great place with lots to see, but sometimes it is good to see something different. We had guests this week, so one of our activities with them was a short trip to Kyoto.

Kyoto is an easy trip from Tokyo. Getting Shinkansen tickets is the biggest challenge. Not that they’re hard to find. Just go to any JR train station. But my wife found that the Shinkansen person’s English proficiency was about on par with her Japanese capability. The tickets got purchased…but the process wasn’t exactly smooth.

The trip to Kyoto from Tokyo is an easy ride on the train. Smooth, fast, comfortable. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji as the Shinkansen speeds past.

When we arrived, our ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) was a short walk from the train station. We chose the ryokan Ohanabo. The staff was very friendly, helpful, and spoke good English. There is a traditional Japanese bath (separate for men and women). Our room was large and comfortable, with a shared toilet just down the hall. All in all, a place we would really recommend, although there are a multitude of western-style hotels in the area.

We spent much of two days in Kyoto. That’s enough to see some highlights, but it would take much longer to see all the attractions. During our trip, we went to Fushimi Inari Shrine – a short JR Nara line trip from Kyoto station to Inari Station. There are over 10,000 Torii gates leading up the mountain, and a multitude of shrines. Historic, dating back 1300 years. Good bit of walking, but an interesting place. Plan to spend at least two hours here… and be willing to climb stairs… lots of stairs.

During our short trip, we also saw Nijo-jo Castle, with its Nightingale floors, Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion), the Gion area (shopping and restaurants), Nishiki Market, and HigashiHonganji Temple (huge, just down the street from Kyoto station). We bought the Kyoto bus day pass – 500 yen for all day access to the bus system.

Our short trip came too soon to an end, but one more surprise awaited us at Kyoto Station. If you take the escalators up, there is a rooftop garden, with an amazing lighted staircase to the top. Huge station… at least 6 long escalators to the rooftop garden!

Two days is a feasible time for a trip to Kyoto from Tokyo. But in two days, you really just touch the surface of this fascinating city. We look forward to another trip back in the fall when it is cooler, and when we can enjoy the colors of the turning leaves.

As the “he” part of the blog team, back in April, I decided to invest in a new kasa (umbrella) in anticipation of the upcoming rainy season. I made the trek to Tokyo Hands, a kind of Japanese Home Depot-on-steroids with a store in Shibuya. After searching the myriad of options, I selected a fine Tokyu Hands windproof umbrella, for the not insignificant cost of 4200 yen (about $38).

I used said kasa a couple of times in some very mild rain and it seemed to perform admirably. But lo and behold, there turned out to be a broken rib, making my robust windproof kasa much less functional.

Returning defective merchandise is never fun, even when you know the language. When you have an infantile grasp of conversation, it’s even more intimidating. So with low expectations and high anxiety, today my wife and I made the trek to Tokyu Hands to see what could be done.

Our first step was the “information” counter. Eigo ga wakarimasu ka? Sukoshi – the person spoke about as much English as I do Japanese.  Not to fear, my wife was ready. “Kono kasa wa kekkan ga arimasu,” she confidently told the person – this umbrella is defective. Apparently that was enough, and we were directed to the umbrella department.

A short walk later, we again found the cheerful salespeople in the umbrella department. After the “kono kasa wa kekkan” phrase, I produced the broken bumbershoot and my sales receipt. The sales person looked at the broken rib, and said some apologetic sounding words. A few minutes later, he produced a new umbrella for me with a smile.

I’m not sure what the words are for “excellent customer service” in Japanese. But it was certainly demonstrated today at Tokyu Hands — a store I’m sure I’ll be returning to in the future.

Torii gate at entrance to Hakusan Shrine

What everyone came to see…

At the shrine

Sunlight through the kaleidoscope of leaf colors

Beautiful flowers, historic Shinto shrines, delicious street food, cold beer, and lots and lots of people. It’s the beginning of matsuri (festival) season in Japan, and that means many opportunities to experience Japanese culture.

Today, we visited the Bunkyo Ajisai Matsuri 2017, a festival featuring Ajisai (hydrangeas) in full bloom. A short ride on the Mita line to Hakusan station, it’s then a short walk to Hakusan Shrine. An important shrine built in the 8th century as a place to pray for a remedy for smallpox, today there are some 3,000 Ajisai plants in an array of colors.

So many varieties of hydrangeas

This being our first visit, we wandered into the shrine area, and took a left turn to see the street food displays. Takoyaki, yakitori, and other food adds wonderful aromas to walk through.

We soon walked out of the Hakusan Shrine area and wandered to the Koishikawa Botanical Garden. Like most Tokyo gardens, this one charges admission — 400 yen per person. But it is a large garden, with an amazing variety of plants and trees. We saw traditional Japanese water gardens, and specimen plants from around the world, including Sequoyah trees and tulip poplars from the United States. It’s a beautiful and relaxing place.

Monument to people living in the park after 1923 earthquake

Quiet lake in the park

Spiral plant

Many people walking through the park

Univ. of Tokyo Museum

Sequoyah tree in the park

A shrine guardian

Mother and daughter in the park

Another small pond

Torii gate leading to a small shrine

Park resident

Kame sunning himself in the lake

Nice afternoon for a stroll in the garden

Many people expressing their artistic talents

Linden tree smelled great, and the bees and butterflies love it

After some time in the garden, we exited through a Japanese residential area. Small houses and apartments, narrow streets, no yards…just a quiet place to live. Most houses have container gardens around the front doors, with flowers and plants. Very different from what neighborhoods we are familiar with in the US.

We made our way slowly back to the main road, and back to Hakusan Shrine. Found another area of beautiful hydrangeas that we missed earlier. So many people taking pictures and just enjoying the nice spring weather.

After making our way to the subway station, we made a brief stop at Hibiya Park. Springtime Oktoberfest/Beer Garden is in full swing there, with many examples of good German beer. But we decided to call it a day and head for home. All in all, a nice first weekend of the matsuri season in Tokyo.

I recently had an opportunity for my second business trip to Mumbai, India. My return flight was on All Nippon Airways – ANA – an overnight flight from Mumbai to Tokyo.

The Japanese flight crews on these flights are always good, but this one seemed even more cheerful, more attentive than most. I watched as they scurried around the cabin, taking care of passenger needs and pushing the heavy food and beverage carts down the aisles. Looked like a lot of hard work, and they were doing it efficiently and with great care.

When the flight attendant brought me my meal, I made an offhand comment, saying that I thought she was doing a really good job. It was just an observation of fact, and I didn’t really think anything about it.

Later in the flight, the flight attendant gave me a nice note, thanking me for recognizing her and saying how much it meant to her. I was surprised and pleased that such a simple gesture meant something to her. It all goes to prove that acts of kindness – even very small ones – can make a difference.

It’s the “he” part of the blog team, reflecting on Golden Week 2017. My wife explained what Golden Week is in the last blog entry. I’m going to follow up with what we actually did, and what we learned.

First, there are a multitude of things going on in Tokyo during Golden Week. We spent most of our time in town, with one day trip a bit further away. Many of the things we did are traditional, so it is possible to look forward to them in years to come. Here are some highlights.

Nezu Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Bunkyo, Tokyo, dating back to 1705. We visited during the annual Azalea Festival. Nice walk from Yanaka cemetery near Nippori station on the JR line.

Eko-in is a Buddhist temple in Ryogoku, Tokyo. Originating in 1657, today it continues to offer a resting place for any soul who did not leave relatives behind, including victims of natural disasters, prisoners, and animals.

Old Yasuda Garden, not far from Eko-in. Beautiful Japanese garden in the middle of busy Tokyo.

Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine. Adjacent to each other, a short walk from Harajuku Station. We saw a Cambodia festival, Caribbean festival and other celebrations.

Odaiba Island. Lot of activity, including beach games, Cinco de Mayo festival, and other celebrations.

Kameido Tenjin Shrine, beautiful grounds around this shrine. Wisteria Festival through May 5. Note for file – let’s go here in April next year, when the wisteria are probably at their peak.

Enoshima, a small island off the coast of Kanagawa Prefecture, about an hour and a half train ride from Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station. Known for Enoshima Shrine. Great day trip.

Looking out over the ocean

Torii gate on the island

Bridge leading to the island

Guardian of the shrine

Enoshima shrine

So many things to see and do in Tokyo! Golden Week gave us an opportunity to explore our adopted city and the area nearby. We look forward to more to come.

Pretty azaleas planted along the canals…

Tomorrow starts the Golden Week holidays here in Japan. Golden Week is the name that has been given to a group of public holidays that fall at the end of April, and into the first week of May. There are 16 national holidays in Japan this year, and 4 of them fall within this next week.

Tomorrow, April 29th, is Shōwa Day, and is observed to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa) who died in 1989. Then, May 3rd is Constitution Day, May 4th is Greenery Day, and May 5th is Children’s Day. But since Shōwa Day falls on a weekend, many companies  give a work holiday on the following Monday (May 1st, this year.) Not all companies do this — it is not mandatory — but many do.

This year that leaves only Tuesday, May 2nd, as the only actual “work day” next week, and many people just decide to take that day as a vacation day so that they can have the whole week off.

A lot of people choose to travel during Golden Week, and plans have to be made months in advance for these trips. Flights, trains, and hotels in desired vacation areas tend to book full during Golden Week, even though prices are often very high. Some people also choose to travel outside of Japan to avoid the crowds in the Japanese resort areas.

My husband and I, however, didn’t think about scheduling any Golden Week travel until it was too late! No hotels… no flights… no trains.  Looks like we will be spending our Golden Week here in Tokyo. But no matter… we still have plenty to explore here. And, maybe we will take a few short trips to the outskirts of the city:

• Kamakura — to see the shrines and temples, and see the giant Buddha (Daibutsu) statue at Kōtoku-in. Kamakura is about an hour train ride south from Tokyo. There are several hiking trails in the mountains around the north side of the city, and a beach on the south side. Kamakura is “Old Japan”, and is referred to by many as “Little Kyoto.”
• Enoshima is a small mountainous island off the coast — connected to the mainland by a bridge. It is a short train ride farther down the coast from Kamakura. There are many attractions on the island and in the surrounding area, including more shrines, an aquarium, caves, gardens, and the Sea Candle lighthouse.
• Mt. Takao — on the western edge of Tokyo — is a popular hiking area, and is easily accessible by train. We have been there several times. There are 5 trails up to the top of the mountain. An inclined railway, and a cable car can take you halfway up the mountain, where you can also see more shrines as you walk the rest of the way up the mountain. There is also a wild monkey park along this trail. Once at the top, there are restaurants, beer gardens, and snack and souvenir shops. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from the top of Mt. Takao. And if hiking up to the top is not enough, there are miles of more secluded trails to explore down the other side.

Some people have told us that it is actually nice to stay in Tokyo during Golden Week. Because so many people leave the city to travel elsewhere for the holidays, Tokyo attractions are less crowded than usual. We will see about that…

Spring is here. The sun is shining, and the weather is warm. Happy Golden Week!

My husband and I went to get haircuts yesterday. It isn’t the first time — this was the 3rd Japanese haircut for me, and my husband has had several haircuts at various places — but every time, it is still sort of a stressful ordeal… not just for us, but also for the hair-cutters, I think.

There are plenty of hair salons and barber shops here, and I am sure in the expat areas of town, we could find salons where they speak English, but we choose to go to local shops that are in close proximity to our apartment. These salons run the gamut in price — from no-frills 1000Yen shops (about $10), to full service cut and style salons that will run about 3000 to 6000Yen. Most will offer “katto nomi” (cut only) prices, as well as full service which includes shampoo, cut, style, neck massage — and for men — ear and nose hair removal (ew), as well as a straight-razor shave!

The first hurdle, of course, is making an appointment. Only the 1000Yen shops take walk-ins, so when we need haircuts, we have to first go in to make an appointment. I know, I know… we could just call on the phone, but the language issue makes that more complicated. It has been easier for us to go to the shops the day before to make an appointment: “yoyaku shitai kudasai” (I would like to make an appointment.) They point at available time slots, and we point at the one we want, and then write our names in katakana.

My husband has found a barber shop at Narita Airport that he likes, and he goes there when we happen to be at the airport. They speak English, and do an excellent job at a very reasonable price… but they don’t cut women’s hair. I tend to prefer the walk-in, no-frills-type salon — similar to what I use back home in the US — but the last two haircuts, we have gone to a little salon just down the canal from our apartment. The woman there who cuts my hair knows pretty good English and likes to practice speaking to me. I, on the other hand, know a tiny bit of Japanese, and like to try it out on her. Lol… she asks me about things she doesn’t understand with English, and then she gives me the “thumbs up” when I speak Japanese correctly to her. And, it works. It is a mildly stressful exercise for me, but hugely beneficial for my Japanese skills. [Just an aside — Yesterday she asked me why it is “bangs” and not just “bang”… Japanese has no plurals. “Pant” vs. “pants” is also difficult. Why do we wear “pants” (plural)???]

The men at this salon who cut my husband’s hair don’t know much English, apparently, and don’t usually communicate with my husband beyond pointing or gesturing. He has learned a few simple phrases to tell them what he wants done… “mata sukoshi mijikaku shitai kudasai” (make it a little shorter please), etc. And… it usually turns out fine. I feel like they are just as tense about cutting our hair (and doing something we don’t like) as we are about having it done. They tend to not cut it short enough, but they do a very good (and meticulous!) job of it.

This all goes into the category of “Things I Never Thought About As Being Difficult Until I Moved to A Foreign Country.” There are so many of those kind of moments here. But, still — we love Japan. And, we are still happy with our decision to come here to live. Living in Japan is definitely getting easier, but I think it will take a long time to be truly comfortable in this culture.