Yochien festival, Nikko camping, More Kit Kats...

This week the Yochien (pre-school) behind our house had a small summer festival. The community was invited to go, not just the students and parents of the school, so Kate and the children headed over for the evening. There were drums and plenty of fair food to keep everyone happy.

The next day Liam and Colleen caught a huge bug out in the yard. It is difficult to tell from the picture, but it is probably the size of an adults palm, but the antennae stick out much farther than that. Liam had it in his bug container for a bit to study, but let it go before we headed camping for the weekend. He was actually taking pictures of it when he let it go and it flew right at him, I could hear him squeal from inside the house..

On Saturday morning after a bit of a rough start we finally got on our way to camp near lake Chuzenjiko (the lake in the Nikko mountains) We were invited to camp overnight with Arnulfo and Dinorah, Hiro san, Makiko san, and their son Tora kun, and Chiharu san and Yuski san. It was our first try camping in Japan and so a bit of a challenge getting everything ready for the trip. Upon arriving at the lake Arnulfo and Dinorah met us at the parking area with one of the many carts the camp grounds have to move goods to the camp site. This is helpful because it is not possible to drive the car up to the camping area. It is not quite as hard to pull as Dinorah is making it look..

Tora kun enjoys playing with Liam and Colleen. It didn't take them long to hang out together. Here they are trying to make Jiffy pop, that Makiko san brought, on a small campfire. I have never been able to pull it off on a camp fire as the temperature is not easy to control. This attempt was not much different and they ended up with a lot of burnt or un-popped kernels. Regardless it is always entertaining for the children to make.

Later we broke out the ball-slinger game we brought from the US. After a little coaxing we convinced Chiharu san and Yuski san to give it a go.

Everyone was able to enjoy playing and as always it was fun to see the looks from the other campers trying to figure out what kind of game it was. One woman in particular wanted to know the name of the game. First we said Hillbilly golf, and she stared blankly so we said, ladder golf, still nothing, so finally in Japanese Dinorah called it stairway golf. That was enough to satisfy her curiosity.

Hiro and and Makiko san brought 花火 (Hanabi). The Kanji means flower and fire, we know them as fireworks. The children all enjoyed lighting them and swinging them around, they were basically sticks that shot sparks out the end.

Later in the night Arnulfo introduced us to Hirezake (hot sake with Tiger Fugu fin). I have attached a link on it if you are interested to see. Basically it starts with heated sake, and then seared Fugu fin is soaked in it for a bit. Prior to drinking the alcohol vapor is lit, sounds like for additional excitement. It really had an interesting taste, It is possible to taste the fish flavor in it, but it is not strong. An interesting experience for us all..

http://kyotofoodie.com/home-cooking-hirezake-hot-sake-with-tiger-fugu-fin/

Kate and Dinorah giving it the smile of approval..

In the evening we only had rain for about 20 min. Not long after the rain the clouds cleared and we could see stars. It was a great evening.

The next morning as usual the sun came up super early. Our family gave in to the sun and got out of the tent at 6:30 am, but the sun had been up for some time prior to that. We were greeted with a beautiful view of the lake in the mountains.

This is the side the tents were located on. Sleeping was great with the cool air coming in across the lake.

With the sun really warming up the day the children put on their suits and got in the water. I thought that because the lake is in the mountains that it would be too cold to get in, but it was not so bad and the children really enjoyed it. There was a sand bar a short ways out. It took Liam a bit but he finally decided he could walk out to it, after that Colleen gave it a go. Tora kun wanted to go, but was a bit scared, so Liam and Colleen came back and each held a hand. That was enough to give him confidence to do it and all three enjoyed walking around on the little island for a short bit.

Liam and Colleen have both grown about 2 inches in the last year. Recently I can really notice a difference in them..

Before leaving the camp ground we posed for a quick picture. Dinorah asked us to make a silly pose, so I whipped out a move I have been practicing that I saw in an add when we went to Tokyo. I still have a little work to perfect it, but it is getting closer every time I break it out. Colleen is also now working on the same pose. For some reason it looks more appropriate when she does it...

Before heading down the mountain we stopped to give some of the swan boats a try. These boats were not in the best condition, but they were cheap ($15 per boat/30 min). Our family grabbed one boat, Arnulfo and Dinorah another, and the third by Hiro san, Makiko san, and Tora kun.

30 min does not sound like a lot of time, but when your paddling one of these things it turns out to be plenty. Here Kate enjoys hanging out the front window as we cruise around the lake.

When we took Erin to the airport to head home we discovered a few different Kit Kat flavors that we had not yet tried. The first and the best of this bunch was the Soy Sauce flavor. It had a white chocolate with a hint of soy flavor to it.

Second was a citrus blend. The citrus flavor was a bit strong for me, as a result not my favorite.

Melon flavor. This was a bit more mild of a flavor and it went well with the chocolate.

And the final flavor was apple. This would sound like one of the better flavors, but I didn't like the apple flavor in combination with the chocolate.

That is all for this post, have a great week..

To Tokyo to send Erin off, Geisha and other stuff...

This Sunday Erin headed back home to the US. Before she left we decided to take her to Tokyo to see the city. Being that she is now 18 we figured she could really enjoy a exploring Tokyo a little. We debated how to go as we also had to escort her to the airport on Sunday to see her off. Finally we decided to drive the car and park near the airport, then take the train from Narita to the city. Then on Sunday we could just go back to the airport and drive home. This turned out to be the cheapest and easiest solution with all the luggage.

I took a few days off of work to ensure we had adequate time to see the city. On the first evening we took the subway back to Ueno and explored the shops under the tracks and the 6 story toy store near the station.

Friday morning we boarded a train towards Mitaka. It is the location of the Ghibli Museum. This is the museum created by Miyazaki san the man behind movies like Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, etc... This was Erin's idea and both Liam and Colleen were excited as well as they also enjoy his movies.

When we got off of the station there were two options, ride bus or walk. Since the distance was about 1.2 kilometers we decided to walk. The route was well marked with signs periodically stating the distance left until the museum.

When we did get there, we knew we were in the correct place by the huge Totoro.

Pictures are not allowed inside the museum and as a result I could only take a few in the outdoor areas. I checked the internet and could not really find any pictures so the rule must be well enforced. This picture is the robot from Laputa on the rooftop, but actually my favorite was display was on the first floor. There was a display with a number of figures fixed to what looked a little like a ferris wheel. It would periodically spin and a strobe would flash. The figures were solid, but each with a slightly different position and so when the strobe would flash it gave the illusion of motion to the figures. Erin said it looked like live action claymation and I would agree.

We also had the opportunity to see an exclusive movie by Ghibli studios that is only shown at the museum. There were a number of scenes we could really relate to, now that we have actually lived in Japan, although it would be impossible for me to explain. The children really enjoyed the museum and the gift shop. I enjoyed the museum, but about went crazy in the gift shop. It was tiny and packed with people and merchandise. There was almost no room to get around and finally I ended up deciding to just wait outside.

When we finished up at the museum we went back to Shinjuku station for lunch at El Torito for Mexican food. There are not many options for Mexican in Japan and we found this place over a year ago with Dan Croasmun when we went to the fire walking festival so we knew it was good. It was nice to have good Mexican again and after we hit the Krispy Kreme for dessert.

When we finished up and were leaving the rain really let loose. It rained pretty hard for the rest of the night. After a short stop at a book store in Shinjuku we took the subway to Shibuya to see the huge intersection. Kate and Erin went to a clothing store called Shibuya 109 while Liam, Colleen, and I went to Tokyu Hands to look around. While walking to the store the rain really let loose and we had to stop to buy a cheep umbrella to try to keep dry. Our upper bodies were OK, but the river we were walking in soaked our shoes. Here is the huge intersection from the Starbucks on the corner. I like the view from here, but it is never any fun to find a seat and enjoy the view. Fortunately I could find two seats for the children to use while we tried to dry a bit and waited for Kate and Erin.

After that everyone was tired and so we headed back to the hotel. There is a pet shop close to the hotel and the children always enjoy checking it out. This time along with the monkey, they also had an owl for sale, and on the first floor we found what we dubbed a Mogwai. There were two and they were tiny monkey like creatures. I have never seen anything like them. One was $6000 and the other was $16000. We couldn't make out the kanji but it looked a little like "Do not get them wet!!" There were signs that said no pictures, so I didn't snag any.... maybe next time.

The following day we woke up to beautiful weather, in fact it was possible to see Mt Fuji from our hotel in Roppongi. This was a first for me and we have stayed here multiple times.

Today was the day Kate scheduled for Erin to do the geisha photos in Ginza. Kate and Colleen stayed in with Erin during the preparation phase while Liam and I hung out in the lobby. First step is the white face paint.

Then a dash of color is added..

And after the wig and kimono the final touches are added.

We were then loaded into a van and driven to a nearby park for the pictures. The weather was perfect for the pictures and Erin and the park were beautiful.

The studio workers were all very friendly and helpful during the photo shoot. This gentleman's name Yuta and he had a very positive energy about him. This really helped all of us to enjoy the day.

The pictures on the blog are all taken by Kate. In about a month we will receive the studio pictures and they should be even better quality (although I have to say Kate's came out pretty good.) The park was open to the public for a fee and so it was fun watching people stop, comment about how pretty Erin looked, and then take their own pictures.

While Erin was getting her pictures taken the children explored around the park a little. They found this bright red dragon fly as well as turtles, fish, and a number of bugs.

In the end it was a great experience for everyone. I would have no trouble recommending the photo company to anyone. I can't find the name of the company tonight, but will add it on here later in case anyone would like to find them later.

After the pictures were finished we hit a pizza joint in Ginza near the station. Many times the pizza in Japan is a little different than what we are used to in the US and this shop was no exception. I ordered the seafood pizza and it came out with a big variety of seafood on it. Octopus, full shrimp, oysters, ect.. Erin said we should take a picture as it was definitely not your ordinary pizza. It was delicious and I ate more than my share of it.

To finish off the day we went to Harujuku. I think this was probably Erin's favorite place. I have to admit not my favorite, but we weren't there for me, so no worries. I caught Kate in the middle of saying "Harujuku......aawwe yaaayaah." That is why she is sporting the wicked cool expression.

As it was mostly shopping in this area and we were all a bit tired from all the walking I don't have so many pictures from this area. Kate is better at remembering to take a lot of pictures so I should have had her carry the camera..

Today's main focus was working our way back to the airport to make sure Erin could board the plane and get home safely. There is an add campaign we found in many of the subways now advertising the Japanese lottery. The adds show people very excited after winning a some of money. Kate and Erin stopped to pose with one of the signs and pretend that they were one of the winners.

Onto the Skyliner and back to the airport. We were able to get her back with no troubles. I certainly hope she was able to enjoy her time in Japan. I know we were happy to have her visit.

That is all for this post, have a great week..

This week (July 2) was Erin's 18th birthday. Happy Birthday Erin...

I still can't believe she is already that old. I still remember riding in the car listening to Sesame street tapes to keep her occupied as we drove. I don't think she listens to the same stuff now.

For her birthday we went to Utsunomiya station to pick up a cake from a bakery. It was the same place that Warren and Jim bought a cake for me from last year at my birthday. They even through in 18 candles for us to put on the cake for her. It was a delicious cake and I think Erin was able to enjoy her birthday.

This week Kate participated in an international cooking class. We met the instructor at the Takanezawa Eco Center event that the children did the hot air balloons at.

The food for this class was Indonesian. Kate said it was very tasty, but a lot of work to make. Kate has really been enjoying cooking lately and has had the opportunity to learn a number of different recipes. She has been writing them down so that when we go home she can continue to make them.

For the weekend we headed to Oarai. It is a town on the east coast of Japan. We have been there a handful of times now, but always enjoy it. First stop was a kaiten sushi restaurant as it was lunch time. The sushi here is huge and can not be eaten in one bite.

Next up was a tour of the fish markets. A variety of seafood can be bought at the shops. Our biggest problem is that we don't really know how to prepare most of the food and so even though it is fresh and a great deal it is not often that we actually by anything. We just enjoy the experience.

Here are some interesting crabs we saw on this trip. I have never actually seen this type before. I was able to find them on the internet. They are called Spanner crabs and they come from Australia. They are unusual in that they walk forward and backward rather than sideways like most crabs. If you want to know more you can check out the link below.

http://www.sea-ex.com/fishphotos/crabspanner.htm

After the market we went to the beach. I took a different route this time that drove along the coast and we saw two distinctly different types of ocean front. One was very rocky and looked fun for exploring and the other was sandy and good for hanging out and going in the water. We decided to go to both on the way home. The children enjoyed looking for sea life in the rocky area and we probably spent about 1 hour there.

We even found some colorful starfish amongst the rocks.

Next up was the sandy area to play in the waves. The last time we went the children got wet and sandy and we did not have towels. This time the as soon as the children heard we were going to the beach they gathered up their swim suits and towels. It was a good thing too.

All the children hanging together.

As the children were playing kelp was washing up on shore. Liam and Colleen decided it would be fun to collect it and put it in a pile on the beach. We dared Liam to put it on his head like a kelp dread lock wig and he agreed to do it. Both funny and gross at the same time..

Colleen found some really green stuff and decided to do the same. Hers was much smaller.

On Sunday we went to a catfish festival. At the festival a bunch of fish were released into a small channel and only children were allowed to go in and try to catch them with their hands.

Liam and Colleen did not fair very well in the catching part. This was our first time and we had no idea what to bring or do. The children with gloves faired much better as they could grab the slippery fish better. We observed other tactics, but were never able to help the children. In the end the children were not able to catch any, but as Colleen got out of the water she was given one in a bag. Originally we thought the fish were released into the nearby river. We quickly learned that they were to be kept for eating. Only problem is, I never learned how to prepare a fish like this. As a result we slipped the fish into someone else's bucket when they were not looking. It was funny to see his reaction when he discovered an extra fish in his bucket.

The fish that were released into the river were young fish to re-populate the river. We were given small containers of them to release and everyone lined the river to release them at the same time.

After the release there were a variety of other activities to try, one of which was canoeing. Kate and Colleen rode together and Liam and I rode together. There was a short course up and back along the river the fish were released into.

Next up was the tight rope walk over the river. At the side of the river there was a practice rope. I did not fair so well on the practice rope, but it was very loose and as a result very difficult.

The actual rope was over the river and if you made it there was a prize of about $300US. Of course the children were interested, and I thought maybe this rope would be a bit more taught and for the chance to win $300 I figured I should give it a go. I am calling this a rope, but actually it is a giant strap with a ratchet on it. First up from our squad was Liam. He actually tried a number of times and gave it a good effort, but in the end he just got wet.

Colleen was next and actually came the closest of the three of us to making it, but in the end she also went swimming.

On my turn I realized immediately that the rope was not tighter and new I was in trouble. I was not able to stop from shaking back and forth and figured the longer I stood in one spot the more likely I was to fall and so I tried to make a run for it........Fail.. I got wet as well.

Part of the festival also included food. I had Udon, but Kate and the children tried the soba slide. For a set fee of about $1 you were given a cup of sauce and a pair of chopsticks. Then you had to stand at a chute and catch the noodles as they slid down the slide. What you caught you got to eat.

The children were able to get a photo with the Takanezawa town center mascot. It looks a bit like a Pokemon.

On the walk back to the car Kate snapped this picture. As you can see the rice is already getting really tall.

That is all for this post, hope everyone had a great 4th of July...