A Most Japanese Weekend

hours in Japan: Food, Drink and Culture.

"Right now, I'm living abroad in Japan. My energy and money are spent... and people that I work with were involved in both. I'm Clare Dery, and today was the most Japanese day of my life."

Disclaimer: The following blog entry contains many images and videos filled with amazing contrasting traditional and modern Japanese elements. 

Click to proceed with caution.

Saturday 7th March 
20.00- 23.59 Nerimasu, Japanese restaurant

My coworkers and students shared a chargrilled tuna head. I indulged in the tastiest part of the tuna found underneath the eye!  However, I politely refused the eyeball itself ^^

01.00-02.59 Ekoda, Karaoke

Sunday 8th March
10.00-11.59 Oizumigakuen, Toei Animation Festival

Mazinger Z and a Pre Cure christmas tree!

 

Two kids who then shouted "Touchi o shita!" "I touched it!"

A Super Otaku (geek) poses with 2nd Generation Pre Cure characters

Another two random Otakus pose with 1st generation Pre Cure characters

 A live action show at a local school featuring a chef monster whose battle cry was umai = tasty! I loved the kids shouting ganbare!! to cheer the soldiers on!I was extremely pleased with my Japanese- I was able to follow the entire story ^^

Mochi-making requires precise timing of the hammer.

The freshest mochi (compacted rice) one can ever have- still warm!

13.00-17.59 Toshimaen, Koyama Teien Garden

 

First we ate homemade sweets representing Spring: a butterfly, a sapling and 'melting snow'.
Admiring the Seasons is an important element in chadou.

 The chadou Tea Ceremony, differs depending on the Tea Master who taught you. We bowed to each other and the tea server, admired the cup, and gave thanks to the men and women who grew the tea.

Decorating our sake bowls with Lacquer using mouse-hair brushes required a very steady hand!

Our group's effort- the butterfly and cherry blossom represent Spring, the fireworks Summer, the falling leaves Autumn, and the penguin Winter.

18.00-19.59 Toshimaen, Hana no Mai Restaurant

 Finally, we ended our 24 hours of non-Japaneseness at a Japanese Izakaya-style restaurant, and enjoyed raw tuna, rice, gyoza, chicken and beef.