Flats McFarlane's First Comp!

Last Saturday, we took off at Midnight and drove to Motegi where they have this big race track compound owned by Honda Motors. They test race cars, motorcycles, host competitions and have recreation stuff. Matt's bike trials competition was in a recreation area called "Hello Woods." On two hour's sleep, he competed all day! Motegi is several hour's North so I got to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom...like a bonus round!

Behind us is the number one ranked Japanese trials bike rider. His father is a champ of the original trials style on motor bikes. Those are the sons of Enamoto San, a guy that Matt befriended riding one day. His kids are both into the sport. They are a genuinely nice family and Enamoto San took care of registering Matt and everything!

Matt's practicing for the next comp in May. I'm stoked to watch him compete, see the elite level riders do their thing plus explore new sections of Japan that I'd otherwise not see. Gambate Mattoo San!(that's what the boys call him:)
(Motegi Speedway, Japan)

Just When I Thought Japan Couldn't Get Any Better...

...they go and invent this stuff! Yes! It's self-heating sake on-the-go! Perfect for two gals looking to get a little toasted while soaking in the Zen, Kamakura atmosphere. This nifty invention is some sort of physics miracle with a cup of sake in the middle. You turn it over, remove the seal, push the button and flip it over. Wait patiently for two minutes (one if you're my boozie sis,) and open the lid to enjoy nice, steaming sake on a mildly chilly March morn...

I think my hiragana is getting better (or Adrienne's constant nagging for katsudon made me more aware,) because I've never noticed this restaurant right outside the Hase stop on the Enoden line yet I've been here a dozen times and he's been here that many years at least. There was only one fella running the line, serving, cleaning and ringing up the fifteen seats and yet it was packed. It's pricey at twelve bucks but that man does something to his bonito stock because that's the best damn katsudon I've ever had!

Here's an obligatory photo of my smelly sister stinking up the beautiful photo of the Hasedera temple. (Just checking to see if she's reading my blog like she promised to. If not, I take it back--she really does reek a bit. )

"Brochure-inspired," but it's hard not to....

I always feel annoyed when I meet gaijins that haven't at least been to this location when living in the Miura Peninsula. It's like living in Florida but never seeing Gatorland.
On second thought, it's like living in California but never visiting Disneyland. You know what, forget it. It's just lame! (Daibutsu, Kamakura)
What the f-? How'd we end up here? Yumi, that's how! She knows I'll try anything and she's an awesome saleswoman! Next thing you know I've got THIS in front of me! Oh, and if you still haven't figured it out--that's an entire hoof of a pig. Nails, claws, talons--whatever! It's a mass of marrow, bone, nails, fat, skin and a bit of meat. In case you don't understand my reaction...
...maybe now you will. It's HUGE right?! So I've got to be polite and make a decent dent in this thing while Yumi and her parents nod approvingly and I look to my loyal little sister and motion to her like "dig in and help me why don't you?" Her reaction was "I'm full, sorry, not another bite!" What a traitor! So I downed bits of marrow and fat and sucked on pig nails for for an hour (Yumi was quick to point out that there was "much more to eat," halfway through,) before admitting that I was finished. Thanks Takahashi's for my first (and last) pig foot ever and thanks to my little sister FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. (Hideyoshi Yakitori, Kamakura)

"White Snow and Black Eggs"

Hakone was coated in a thick layer of fluffy white powder yesterday. Luckily, it was the day that Hideyoshi closes so Yumi and her parents drove A and I up the foot of Mt Fuji and one of the "Fuji Five Lakes," for a day of sightseeing! At Hakone Jinja, Adrienne and I got fortunes that were identical! Out of over one hundred available types, we both grabbed #46 (Daijo!) out of a box that read we'd have the best fortune available!

This is a kurotamago (black egg,) that is cooked in the hot spring water heated by lava. Something makes the egg's shell black but the egg is totally delicious. Each egg you gobble gives the eater seven extra years of life! As we started descending the mountain, a few large flakes came swirling past us. Within seconds, it was a flurry of soft, powdery snow!!! What a wonderful experience as the powder was totally different from the icy snow we got here a few weeks ago. Adrienne hasn't seen snow in fifteen years so it was a real treat for her!

Our final visit was to a famous soba (buckwheat noodle,) restaurant in a two story traditional Japanese home. We sat on tatami floors, sipping brown tea before eating tempura udon, above. Two large shrimp are battered, fried and placed in a hot bowl of fish stock with some local veggies. Sounds of slurping filled the room and within minutes, we were all fat and happy.

Some of the ugliest things taste the best!

Chikuwa: Sounds cute, looks repulsive but tastes DELISH!
This is a tube that the Japanese consider to be a "fish cake." It's part of a kelp stew called oden that is popular when it's chilly. I've had these at low-end places where they are like chewing on sponges. This one was meaty, not fishy at all and changed my mind about the funky looking fish cake.

Pass Me the Sake, I'm Going In...
I like nothing better than eating something that my Japanese friends assumed that I wouldn't. I think I do it more for their surprised expressions and exclamations of "Eeeehhhhh! Jessica ate that?" This is diced, raw octopus marinated with the wasabe radish. Verdict: once you get past that slimy start, it's killer! The bursts of spicy wasabe are fun!

The Best Gyoza I've Ever Had!
Okay, this isn't ugly but I had to share it anyway. After blossom viewing, we ended up at this Chinese-themed restaurant and ordered gyoza (pot-stickers,) with flour made with shiso, the fragrant and delicious leaves that it seems, the Japanese eat with everything!

Plum Blossom Viewing Slideshow

Ramen for Breakfast: The Animal Edition!

"Animals think...they're pretty smart
Sh*t on the ground...see in the dark"
~The Talking Heads~

while my folks were here in Dec/Jan, we were at Hachimangu Shrine when Matt disappeared for several minutes to take photos of squirrels. (If you really know Matt, this doesn't surprise you.) Look at the look on this guy's face! It's total wonder and confusion and yet--he looks like the cutest little stuffed toy ever, doesn't he? Aw...Japan....even the squirrels are adorable!

Forget double negatives, this sentence is beyond fixing! After much thought, my dad and I finally figured out that if you DON'T have a pet, you CAN'T sit here which is exactly the OPPOSITE of what this cafe meant to say. "
A few weeks ago, Matt finally nagged me into hiking this trail behind our house. It's six miles long and is full of climb after climb. The view from the top was worth it and I think we got above a smog line or something because my lungs haven't expanded that fully in a looooong time. It literally hurt so good to get a fresh breath breath of air! We hiked past temples and shrines, a small creek and ended near a rock climbing area, "Shonan Takatori" maybe??? Since our friend Liz remarked that I never mention Matt in RFB--here he is, Liz--alive and well!

This is a melon. In a supermarket. For roughly $115 American dollars.

It's the norm to give fruits as gifts here in Japan. My Japanese colleagues and Mat and my Japanese friends present tangerines, apple pears, strawberries, persimmons and other fruits as "thank you" gifts, souvenirs from travel and especially when dining at our house instead of the American standard--a bottle of wine or flowers. You're probably wondering "well, does it at least taste as much as it costs?" Most of the time, yeah. The grapes from Katsunuma for example, taste amazing and don't come cheap. Japanese apple pears come individually wrapped in Styrofoam netting and, at five dollars or more a piece, will pour juice down your arm after the first bite. Nobody has bought me a hundred dollar mellon yet but if you plan to--don't. Buy me a premium bottle of sake will ya?!?

A Golden Sh*t to Celebrate the New Year

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Perched on a shelf in the living room is a tiny creature made of glass. It's a handcrafted, adorably round pig (buta in Japanese if you bother to learn anything while reading my silly posts,) a gift from my good friend Yumi to celebrate the New Year. So why does a seemingly sophisticated, world-traveled kinda gal give her friend (tomodachi if you're taking notes,) a chubby pig with a pile of golden poop (unchi if you're a teacher's pet,)as a gift? Well, we'll ask Yumi to step up, comment and make it all clear to us.

Yumi??????

What a Wonderful Surprise (and so much for Setsubun!)

We woke up to a rather cold house. I could barely wipe the crust from my eyes before I heard "Jessica Chan get down here now!" I threw off the covers anticipating that somebody had robbed us before Matt finished "There's snow EVERYWHERE!"We spent the morning making "yukidaruma," watching Luci try to chase snowflakes and destroy our snowman and cuddling in the living room watching the snow fall.
We were pllanning on throwing soybeans at devils and dining on yakitori in Kamakura but will have to wait again for Setsubun 2009:)

The "Rents"...the Final Chapter

My folks departed earlier in the month. We spent their last day bouncing around Kita Kamakura from temple to temple before finishing off the day with dinner at Hideyoshi.




According to dad, these are old storage houses for crops and stuff.

Monks' Shoes


Pretty Pattern


Daffodils were one of the only flowers blooming, but Plum Blossoms are coming soon!


My folks on top of a hill overlooking a temple.


This fella brought us this milky, unfiltered sake with ginger. He said it was to wake us up for the new year or something like that. It was really sweet with chunks of rice cut by the spicy ginger bits. If anything, it warmed up our appetites for dinner!


Somebody Important's Tomb (If You Know Who, Please Comment)




The sun set quickly while we were at Engaku Temple behind the main drag in Kamakura.


New Year's decorations for sale.


Sign from a ramen vendor. There were all sorts of vendors with food and New Year's decorations/good luck charms. I bought a good luck charm for my car which is a popular thing to do.


This was pretty lucky! I was about to toss my ten yen and ring the bell to wish for a longer life when these two gentlemen showed up to decorate the brand new rope! I got to be one of the first people to ring the bell after he decorated it with various good fortunes.


Sweet Finish to a Great Day: After our meal at Hideyoshi Yakitori, Yumi's parents presented us with delicious dried kaki, or persimmons. See all that sugar? I though that after the kaki were dried, they were rolled in powdered sugar. Yumi's mom explained that that sugar comes from the fruit itself during the long drying process