Good friends from Maine, Dallas and Miki Pyles, had moved to Tokyo 6 years ago and opened the August Moon Cafe, an intimate dining environment offering “home-cooked” meals that has attracted a loyal customer base.
We joined with some “regulars” and another Maine couple, Mike Yellen and Mikako Nishikawa (who will also be moving back to Tokyo in 2020) to celebrate the holiday season. “Good food is all the sweeter when shared with good friends” ….. and a great time was had by all!
We have completed Phase 1 of unpacking and organizing our personal goods. The included photos provide a glimpse of the primary living areas (living room, tatami room, kitchen and a work area tucked into the bedroom). It is a comfortable environment for Keiko, Toma and myself.
There is ample closet space for our selected current seasonal clothing and mandatory storage space. Unfortunately, a second bedroom is therefore now serving as a walk-in closet storing a surplus of various items –– mostly my books, collections and personal papers, a host of items we discover we really do not need and excess clothing. Dealing with all that is Phase 2, my focus in the new year. How to store/dispose of items and organizing the second bedroom as a sensible utility space that can be easily converted to a guest room when needed will be a challenge.
A good sized washroom with a shower/bath area that also houses the washing machine makes up the remaining space. The condo also provides a community bike storage area and the golf clubs are protected and stored outside on our deck area.
Not a day goes by in Tokyo that I do not observe something or someone that brings a smile to my face. This photograph of the front page of last Sunday’s Japan Times is one example. It introduces a story about the interest of Japanese people in Guinness World Records and attempting to set one or break an existing record ….. in this instance, the Most Baked Beans Eaten With Chopsticks in One Minute!
To read the complete story, click here: Breaking World Records in Japan
A small local Tenjin shrine tucked on a pedestrian walkway between a railway and apartment complex in the Umejimi neighborhood. Tenjin is the name of the deified spirit of the famous ninth century scholar Michizane Sugawara (845-903) and worshiped as the god of learning. The Umejimi Tenjin, and many others like it throughout Japan, is visited by children and their parents to pray for passing grades in exams and inscribe ema (small wooden plaques) with petitions for exam success and entry to the university of their choice.
The picturesque Yushima Tenjin shrine, Tokyo’s most famous shrine of scholars, is located near Ueno Park.
Omotesando Avenue is a long tree-lined boulevard in Tokyo’s fashionable Aoyama district. It is a haute couture brand shoppers dream. I lived in Aoyama in 2001-2 near here and spent many hours strolling the avenue. While shopping was beyond my budget, it was wonderful to window shop, “people watch” and marvel at the cutting edge architecture. It also offers many places to relax over good food and drink.
I recently met a new friend for lunch in Omotesando at Maisen, one of the most well known Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurants in Japan, and then took a long walk up and down the avenue. The trip sparked many memories of my earlier time living in Tokyo.
During the festive winter holiday season, the avenue is very creatively illuminated and Keiko and I will soon return together one evening to enjoy the experience.
Although it is far from the American Black Friday shopping experience, Japanese shoppers respond to discounts and the malls and other shopping districts were very busy this weekend. I was startled at first when I realized we were in Japan listening to “Here Comes Santa Claus” and other American Christmas classics –– all in English –– as we did our weekly food shopping! Home. sweet home.
I love the traditional Japanese diet and one of my favorite meals is ramen noodle soup. It comes close to being the perfect meal! It’s not only delicious; it’s a wonderful dining experience too.
From being loudly welcomed and greeted by the aromatic smell of pork and garlic when entering a ramen shop to being seated at the counter where you can be mesmerized by the cook’s tossing of noodles to enjoying your meal accompanied by a cacophony of clanking soup bowls and impressively loud slurping, it is a unique dining experience.
I am working on my sluuuurping (“juru-juru”) skills!
CoCoICHIBANYA (“CoCoIchi” to fans) is a popular Tokyo chain restaurant specializing in Japanese-style curry rice where you can customize your meal by the size of the rice portion, spice level, and nearly 40 optional toppings.
Keiko and I had lunch at our local curry joint yesterday. I had mine with fried oysters, Keiko with pork cutlet. Offering counter service, the curry is fabulous, the service fast, and the price is right (cheap). They also deliver.