Night out in town (in moderation) Y(^^)Y Part 1

     Last night was my first night out back in Yokohama. I naturally started with my favorite hole in the wall Chinese restaurant/pub or izakaya. I used to spend at least two to three nights a week here as it was a popular hangout for my LE counterparts as well. It was a rendezvous and starting point for many an escapade.

     Only a counter for 10 people or so and a kitchen. We could see and wait with anticipation the next dish to fill our tummies! A great way to learn Chinese cooking! (^^)

     Naturally I  bumped into a former counterpart and then it was the usual pace of a Japanese night out.

TORAKICHI, My Yokohama Hangout and starting point for nights out.

Tora, owner chef of  Torakichi.

Cashew nuts and chicken with peppers! Yummy

Deep fried Kurukun or was it Gurukun? Oh well.

Sign advertising bars in one building (small size for Yokohama) . Ten floors with three bars each. There are oodles of these in the drinking district.  Imagine hitting all the bars from the top floor!

A day of chillin (no Joke) before the Storm!

     At a late night family conference (Michele worked until 2100) it was decided to go to Disneyland for her graduation travel. Well, it is a lot cheaper than flying to Ishigaki Island south of Okinawa. So I shouldn't complain. You might wonder, a graduation trip before the graduation ceremony??? Fufufu. It was also decided that Michele needs to go to driver education and get her license as many companies require it.
WELLLLLLLL. Drivers Ed in Japan costs a whooping $3,000 buckaroos and it is government mandated.
Smell something fishy??? She will be attending a Gasshuku so she can get "educated" in two weeks vice going for a year. (**#)

Typical Drivers Ed School

     So, I'm spending today just chillin (not really my generation's vocabulary), visiting areas in  Yokohama that I used to hang out. Thought I'd put up some pics for your enjoyment. No karate for week or so.

Sorry Tony. Sometimes it is better to stay away so when you resume practice it feels GREAT!

As I wrote previously, with the almighty dollar soooooo weak here in Japan, I need to keep a tight tab on  my expenses. To start off I am staying a hostel which costs 2,500 ($31.00)  a night. It comes with heating, mini regfrigerator and flat bed TV. Also has WIFI for internet (FREE!!!!!) The room is 3 and a half mats with one mat being 6 ft long and 3 ft wide (typical Japanese mat) The shower is communal as well as the head. Both are kept spic and span. I love it here! The only minus is there is no elevator and the rooms are on  the fifth floor! Oh well daily exercise.

My room (^^) with typical Japanes style bedding. You can see my clothes hanging on the side.

The opposite side (^^)

     Woke up early and went up to the roof to do some Kata, but.......it was too cold for me! Snuck back down and brewed myself a cup of Japanese tea. Had to go the bank to change some $$ for tomorow's trip to Disneyland. At the first bank the bill checking machine kept rejecting all my $100 bills...(**;), the clerk started to get nervous...luckily it was decided that the machine was not working and off to another bank.

Luckily, this time all went smoothly. HmmmmI wonder if my pic on from the surveillance camera was distributed for possible counterfeit scam. Gahahahaha.

     Rest of the day I just wondered around the city until my legs started to complain. Tonight I'll replace the lost lubricant. (^^) but have to wake up early tomorrow so I'll have to keep its short!

Cat Cafe

Passed by this "Cat Cafe". It offers kitty companionship while you sip your coffee and eat some pastries.

$15 for one hour including drink and snack. Not a bad idea,if you like cats. For an instant I visualized  bringing Yuta, my Chihuahua here! (^^) 

Guess what this place offers!

Typical Restaurant displays

One thing you find all over Japan are displays for restaurants. The samples are soooo real looking and it whips up your appetite.

Fresh Fugu (Ballon fish) anyone???

MORE TO FOLLOW !!! STAY IN TUNE!!!

Let me see, how many 1,000 yen bills do I have left??? AIII YAAAAH! (**#)

I miss the days of 260 yen per $..........



Sorry for being Awol!

     Had stoppped by Nagoya after Ishiyama, Shiga Prefecture. Due to the extreme budgeting the next hotel I stayed at did not have any internet connections! At 79 yen a Dollar, need to squeeze as much as I can while in Japan.  I was able go see Hayashi Shihan at the All Japan Taekwondo Poomse Championships held at Okazaki which is about  one hour south of Nagoya. Although I wanted to stay the whole day, transportation was very limited and with the danger of a two hour hike to the nearest train station I left while the bus (one a hour) was still running. Hayashi Shihan place second this time around.
     I am back in Yokohama now, catching up on laundry and such. Now I am connected so I should be able to report back more regularly. Some more pics from my journey.

Nagoya is famous for its Miso Katsu (味噌カツ）Deep fried pork cutlets drenched in sweet miso sauce!

Another Nagoya delicacy is the Tebsaki (手羽先）BBQ'd chicken wings.

Now, guess what this is! (^^)

Looks like it's a favorite of mine! Fufufufu. Haven't figured out how to adjust the pics. (**:)

The answer is 白子

More to follow! The night life is calling me.............(^^)

Day 2 in Shiga.

Got to have a good breakfast to start the day! Japanes and Western combined!

View of Lake Biwa from Mt. Hiei

Ringing the bell at Hieizan Temple. Yes it was snowing!

Old fashioned water spigot! (^^)

Aummmm.

Noodles and tempura for lunch. Yummy

Members of Kusatsu Police Department and Karate club members.

(Video will be uploaded soon of demo)

It was a very busy day (so far). The snow on Mt. Hiei caught even Lt Tao by surprise! Inspite a busy schedule officers of Kusatsu Police department put on a short karate demo for me. We then shared ideas on Kata Bunkai and techniques for Police work. A great and fun session was had.

Of course we had time for some Afternoon tea and cakes! (^^)

It was an open kitchen and we could see them making all the yummies! 

Pretty and tasty!! Y(^^)Y





Ahhhhh Japan (^^)

         Day three in Japan. I am currently in the town of Ishiyama, Shiga Prefecture. The area is famous for Lake Biwa and Benkei Bashi (an interesting story, please Goggle it!). The bridge was one of the access bridge to Kyoto in the "old days". I came here to see an old friend of mine, Lt. Tao of the Shiga Prefecture Police. It is coooooold at night. During the day I could get along with just a sweater, although everyone around me was bundled up! (^^Y)
      Yesterday morning met with my daughter Michele and her mom for a breakfast family meeting to discusss her future follwowing her graduation (**#). Fufu Strange how I felt as though I was talking my "little Michele" rather than Michele, the college graduate. Once a Daddy always a Daddy? Daughters never grow up? Gahaha

My first breakfast in Japan. Still having jet lag. The toast was sooo thick and yummy! (^^)

A strawberry parfait for dessert. Pikachu is for size reference, It's usually hanging on Michele's bag.

Hmmm. Decesions! Decesions! What to eat on the Bullet train!

Here comes my ride! Sleek and fast.

What shall I drink? Too many choices! Only in Japan are the vending machines safe and sound from vandalism! (^^)

You can always keep up on the news!

First dinner in Japan with the Tao family.  Regional Japanese Beef. So tender! Yummy

Yes, Yachi, I ate my veges also! The dressing was sooo refreshing.

Lt Tao and his son.

Of course I would be remiss without a pic with Mrs. Tao!

More adventures to follow!

OFF I GO!

The day has finally arrived! (^^) Off to Japan I go! Hope to be able to post on the blog during my stay.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that North Korea is just puffing hot air as usual and not start fireworks.
Every day will be hectic!

Sleep

Drink

Eat

Practice?????

Hina Matsuri (Girls Day)

Typical Hina Ningyo (Girls day dolls) Modern

Upcoming March 3rd is Hina Matsuri aka Girls Day. The purpose of the celebration is to hope that the girls in the family will continue to grow up healthy.  There was an ancient custom in Japan called Nagashi Bina, where girls would breathe on paper hina dolls, run it over their bodies to rid of impurities ands then place the doll on little boats and float it out to sea, taking all the bad things with them.

The custom of displaying Hina Dolls which continues today started in the Edo period, circa 1600s to 1800s.

Girls Day is also known as Momo no Sekku (festival of peaches). The peach blossoms projected the images of good feminine qualities of serenity, elegance and poise.  The dolls became part of a dowry gradually becoming elaborate and expensive. I shudder just thinking of how much my daughter Michele's set cost!!!

A doll set is bought for the first born daughter and is passed on to their daughters. Sisters are not privy to a complete set of dolls, only partial.

There is also a superstition that removing the dolls late will make it difficult for the daughter to get married!

The dolls are usually set up in February after Setsubun and displayed until March 3rd. 

Back in the old days.