On Sunday, Mum and Ted decided they wanted to explore a bit and do some shopping. The boys decided to accompany them in to the Kyoto Station area. The girls were off on an adventure with Senki and Lancy, to Osaka, to the K-Pop town. We decided to head into Kawaramachi and get some lunch. … Continue reading Takashimaya, Daimaru and Tokugawa Ieyasu
Saturday morning we had breakfast and headed out to one of the temples local to the guesthouse. This was my third visit to Kiyomizudera, Clear Water Temple, and every time it has something different to offer. I am really enjoying seeing the difference in the scenery of the places I know, in a different season. … Continue reading Antiques and Okonomiyaki
You can really get a feel for what this experience was like by watching a very short video here. Many areas of Tokyo have awesome "yokocho". Yokocho means alley and these alleyways are busy and bustling and full of amazing little bars and restaurants. They are loud and vibrant and narrow and a writhing mass … Continue reading Ebisu Yokocho
Yesterday morning I was up early, eager and nervous, to start my adventure to my school's (where I work) sister school in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. Chiba is next to Tokyo and not difficult to get to. Our sister school, Nambu Elementary School, is a primary school and I met the grade 6 teacher, Saeka-san, when … Continue reading Japanese School Lunch
We arrived at Narita Airport around 8:30am, yesterday morning, everyone slightly disheveled and sleep deficient. Mum hates flying and the kids are not great plane sleepers.... I had more sleep than I regularly do, and we hit the ground running. JR passes efficiently processed by the lovely Hashimoto-san in the JR East office at Narita … Continue reading Tokyo Never Disappoints
A couple of weekends ago, Super Sake Boy and I spent the day pouring sake for sake enthusiasts at the second Melbourne Sake Matsuri. A festival organised by Revel, in a very funky space in Collingwood, Sake Matsuri offers people the opportunity to try over 90 different sakes in one place, with the added benefit … Continue reading Super Sake Matsuri
When I think of female ninja, a picture pops into my head of a badass women, all in black, wearing tabi boots and carrying shuriken stars and swords. Sadly, this is not the reality of these women. They were definitely badass, but usually a little more understated and certainly less recognisable than their male counterparts, … Continue reading Kunoichi… female ninja
Last night I watched a documentary made by a woman, a well-educated and intelligent woman, who was raped by a well respected Japanese journalist. Her story was very sad and her outcome was not satisfactory. The case was dismissed, at the last minute, as there was insufficient evidence. The man was the biographer of Shinzo … Continue reading Women, criminals and other subversions in Japanese sub-culture….
Umami is a very misunderstood term in the West... although it has been understood for many years at a taste level by chefs and foodies alike. The usual translation is "pleasant savoury taste" or just savoury. It adds another taste to what was believed to be the four basics tastes of sweet, salty, bitter and … Continue reading What does UMAMI mean?
On Tuesday the 30th April history was made as the first Japanese Emperor in over 200 years abdicated from the throne. Emperor Akihito, who was enthroned in 1989, chose to step down and pass the responsibility to his son, who on 1st May was enthroned as Emperor Naruhito. The occasion was celebrated around Japan, as … Continue reading Heisei to Reiwa: A Golden Week to Remember
