Big snow

This constitutes as a big snow in Kumamoto, hehe.

Write up: Hakkeijima

Well this is my first writeup for my trip last Nov-Dec. Its rather late, but I just didn't seem to be in the mood to write any blow by blow recaps of my travel adventures. I got in the mood for it after visiting some other very nice blogs that featured many pictures and nice explantions of their activities. I became nostalgic for Japan and decided to go ahead and do some write up even though they are awfully late haha.

First up is my trip to Hakkeijima island with Shouma. This island is basically a large aquarium/amusement park. It was terribly expensive, as many things are in Japan, we both purchased day passes for about 45$ which allowed us to enter all attractions in the park. I mean without the pass riding the rollarcoaster once would have cost us 1000yen each o_O;; Basically there were about 5 rides, an aquarium, a touch aquarium and a dolphin house where you could walk through a large tube and enjoy watching dolphins swim all around you.

First we had to ride the bus to the train station. As always the bus was clean, quiet and on time.

Looking out the window of the bus. This is a Kaiten Sushi place, which I passed many a time but never got to eat there even though I really want to j-j
From the bus we got to the Negishi train station and took a train so a private station where we boarded a train that had no drivers. It was a rather nice train but it was really well heated. We rode that until we got to the stop for Hakkeijima.

This is the station stop at Hakkeijima, you can see the exit on the left side of the pic, and a hint of the combini attached to it on the right side.

Looking out from the station was a lovely view.

First we had to walk down a long rode way to get to the gates of the aquarium, then we wandered around in main plaza before heading over to get the tickets. We argued about which type to buy before settling on the most expensive. We then walked past the tallest drop tower ride in the world? in Japan? which Shouma boldly told me he would force me to ride. We then entered the Sega Arcade they had there and I got to do puri kura for the first time! It was so fun but Shouma decided to tell me I had to pick 4 of the pictures with only about 3 seconds left, so we ended up getting only 1 pose for 5 bucks ><**

Then we went into the aquarium. They had lots of wonderful animals I had never seen before, it really was a lovely aquarium. The pegiuns were very popular!


This was a really neat escalator that went up through a large aquarium full of sting rays.

After the aquarium we went and walked trough their mall sized complex of independant gift shops. They also had a gashapon arcade and 100yen shop. I raided both, haha! I got a mirror and cute towel from the 100yen shop, I think I got something else, but I can't remember... After that we ate at a place that advertised as being an all-American restaraunt. I got a cheese pizza, it had a very flat, thin crust, but wasn't very good. Shouma was a bit disappointed in his restaraunt choice after he learned there were a couple all you can eat buffets there.

Then we went to the Dolphin house and rode some rides. We rode the rollarcoaster twice which was one of the least frightening ones I ever rode, but it was fun. Of course Shouma told me not to scream alot so he didn't become embarrased, but he ended being the one who screamed. Ha. We also rode a little viking ship, however it didn't do 360 and was rather boring. However it seemed to elicit many a squeal from the Japanese patrons, including Shouma. He also chickened out of riding the drop tower, thankfully.

We ate some crapes from a stall next to the drop tower instead, they were good I guess. The last thing we did was go to the touch aquarium. We got to pet dolphins, a small whale, sharks and sea-cucumbers. We had to wait a long time to touch the dolphins and whale because they really didn't seem to want to be touched. So we stood there waiting and waiting and Shouma kept getting sprayed by the whales when they came up to breath. Touching the little sharks was the most fun, but Shouma was kinda squeezing and upsetting them. By then it was dark and cold, so I got a folder and super cute cellphone charm and we headed home.

This was a tower ride we rode between rollarcoaster rides. It shows a lovely 360 view of Hakkeijima.

Kinda like chemical warfare

The most recent event in the Sea Shepard Conservation Society vs. the Japanese whalers has a bit of a terrorist like feeling. Today the SSCS harrassed the whalers by throwing bottles of rotten butter and slippery oil on the decks of their ships. The rotten butter, besides causing a terrible lingering stench, also releases the chemical Butyric acid which is an irretant to the skin and eyes.

A crew member of the whaling vessel and 2 coast guard officials complained of having stinging pain in their eyes. Japan's Fisheries Agency plan to file complaints with Australia and the Netherlands (SSCS fly a Dutch flag). Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson says they didn't do anything harmful since the Butyric acid hit actually hit the crew member's bodies.

Read the article here.

Personally I feel this is a rather childish and nasty way of protesting. I don't think it does much more then cause some minor bodily harm to the crew members. I am in no way supporting whaling, and am I also in no way supporting the Sea Sheppards antics.

Also it seems that a lot of western people think that the Japanese are a whale hungry, blood thristy, ignorant bunch of thick-headed freaks. Most people do not consume whale meat, it's not a commonly available item. There are even Japanese who oppose whaling! Oh shock and awe! I think Shouma basically summed up Japanese feelings towards/reasons for whaling - they whale certain types of whale that are big eaters of fishes Japanese commonly eat. So less whale equals more fish. It's not kind to whales, but it does hint of some sort of logical thought patterns.

However, nothing is going to be solved by cheap chemical warfare, I'm afraid

Art Museum Trip

Well one of our local art museums around here had a Japanese art exhibit as their traveling/special exhibit. I went with my mom to check it out, sadly it was mostly screens and kimono. The kimono were lovely, don't get me wrong, I was just expecting something a little more well rounded I guess.

Also annoying were the sheer amount of older people, who didn't seem think it rude just to get closer and closer then entirely push me out of the way. I hate how you have to walk all slowly through a museum and when you get to something you'd like to look at for a few moments you quickly get shoved aside. I just kept thinking about the Edo-Tokyo Museum and how much fun that was. I wish I could go there with my mom.

Plathora of Pan: a list of Japanese breads

Okazu pan: any pan with a savory filling

Curry pan: this is in the Okazu category. Curry pan is filled with a thick, paste like version of Japanese style curry and is fried.

Croquette pan: filled with deep fried mashed potato.

Yakisoba pan: a long roll filled with fried noodles and pickled ginger.

Spaghetti pan: similar to yakisoba pan, except with spaghetti!

Mentaiko pan: filled with marinated pollock roe and mayonnaise.

Kan pan: bread that is packaged in a can.

Koppe pan: a soft french roll

Kashi pan: bread with sweet filling inside

Katsu san: Included with the pan is this sandwich filled with fried pork cutlet.

Melon pan: a sweet pan (first image) that doesn't taste quite like melon but has many varieties including chocolate, strawberry, cream filled, green tea, custard filled, chocolate chip and coffee.

An-pan: a roll like pan filled with sweet red bean paste. There is also a fried version, which is referred to as a donut.

Cream pan: Similar to the an-pan, but filled with sweet cream flavored custard. Other flavors include peanut and chocolate.

Jam pan: very simply, breads filled with jam usually strawberry.

Koshian-pan: Topped with poppy seeds, stuffed with a smooth sweet red bean paste forced through a fine strainer

Uguisu pan: filled with green pea filling.

Korone pan: a counch shaped roll filled with cream or chocolate flavored filling.

Amashoku pan: a sweet bread roll.

There many many more pan including pan filled with sweet potato, raisins, walnuts, and pretty much anything else you can think of! I once ate a hotdog encased in a roll with ketchep and most likely mayo. That was different haha.

Conbini Food, Oh Oh!

I'd have to say, by far, one of my favorite things about Japan is the food. Possibly that's the reason I gained about 4kg in Japan. And the fact I visited a conbini every 3rd day didn't help much at all.

Well for those who may not know, conbini or konbini is the Japanese term for convenience stores. Conbini happen to greatly differ from their American counter-parts in the sheer amount and variety of goods offered. You can go buy your favorite porn mag, grab some sushi and pocky for dinner and replace your torn socks. The local conbini (there's usually one every 2 or 3 blocks) is really a one-stop shop, and truely lives up to the name convenience so it comes to no surprise that they flurishing in Japan. The top three conbini are: 7/11, Lawson, and Family Mart. Some other common conbini are AMPM, Mini-Stop and Sunkus. For more info on conbini, look here and here.

The conbini I frequented most often were Lawons, 7/11 and Ministop (in that order) location did play a hand in what conbini I went too most often at first, but after awhile you find there's items carried by only one chain of conbini. Often I'd find myself walking a couple extra blocks just to get that particular drink or that certain pan.

The following are come conbini food I loved -
Pan (bread): Bread in Japan is far more then just white or wheat. It includes all sorts of sweet, filled, fried and unusual bread products. One of my personal goals in Japan was to eat as many different type of pan as I could. Sadly I was often side-tracked by pan I knew I already liked. My favorites are melon pan, and cream pan.

Banana Castella: this is a (usually) banana shaped fried castella cake filled with a mashed up, sweet banana filling. See the image to the left. I first tried this by recommendation, Shouma thought I would like it and like it I did. After the first time I tried it, I couldn't find it for awhile and I found it again at a Mini-stop. I also found a bag of mini banana castellas shaped like animals for 100yen at Sunkus. It is perhaps one of my most favorite items.

Chips: Japan as a wonderful and wide variety of chips available, in just about any flavor you can imagine. I did find it difficult to get cheese flavors however. Most were delicious, or at least interesting. The only variety I really disliked was Doritos Pizza-La flavor. See this link for a great over-view of some Japanese chips.

Apple juice: Apple juice in Japan is an entirely different affair than it is in America. It's think, strong and pulpy. It's not nearly as sweet, but it's way more tasty. The closest juice I had to American apple juice was produced by Fanta, but it was carbonated.

Onigiri: Rice balls, usually triangular in shape and covered in portion by a piece of seaweed. They can be filled with a variety of food including pickled plum, fish, or even chicken! I really liked the chicken onigiri I had on the way to Narita airport, even though it was one of the worst days of my life haha.

Green tea ice cream: Just as the title implies, this is green tea flavored ice cream, and it's just lovely. I usually bought a single serving size, touted as having only 80 calories. I have also heard of sweet potatoe and mochi ice creams, I wish I could've tried those ones as well. But squid ink ice cream ... I'll pass.

Strawberry, banana and vanilla milk: I bought one of these almost everyday. They are usually very delicately sweet and just make you happy as you drink them. The strawberry flavor is apparently too girly for Shouma, but banana is ok.

Well that's all the food I can think of right now, it always makes me hungry when I think about Japanese food. I think America really lacks the innovativeness and openess to create varied food items like Japan. But I think more and more people become interested in unique and international food all the time so perhaps we can look forward to Japanese food being more widely offered here in America someday!

Waiting in Ueno Station

Book Corner: Confessions of a Yakuza

I recently finished reading Junichi Saga's book entitled "Confessions of a Yakuza"

I have to say, I found this book down-right delightful. The basic premise of this book is the recounting of Ichiji Eiji's life and rise as a Yakuza during the 30's and 40's. It is written as a dialog between and to the Doctor, as the author, and at time's it feels as though Ichiji is telling you directly the intimate details of his youth.

Events include multiple incarserations in jail, serving in the military, falling in love again and again, and living by the code of Yakuza. All the while the details are explained as simply and straight-forward as though you were speaking with a friend. You really feel like you are right there, in 1930s' Asakusa.

I recommend this book to anyone, really, if you like Japan, history, biographies - it's just insightful and personal. You are able to understand what life really is like forYakuza, they don't carry around swords and draw out guns at the drop of a hat. They really do chop off their fingers however, Ichiji looses 2 for one woman. So give this book a reading if you have the chance, I doubt you would regret it!

Another Poisoned Product

I'm sure by now that everyone has heard of the 10 people in the Kanto region had been poisoned by gyoza manufactured in China.

Well today frozen food company Takamatsu recalled 19 products processed on June 5th at two Chinese factories in Shandong Province. Poisoned frozen mackerel was impetus of the recall. The mackerel had been tainted with a pesticide apparently called "dichlorvos" and were well over the limit of .01 parts per million. More about this can be read here.

It’s interesting a similar case of food poisoning would arise so quickly, one after the other. But it seems that almost every month there is a new case of something poisoned coming out of China. Some people have expressed their opinion as people are over-reacting to the 10 cases of gyoza poisoning.

But I think, how many people does it take before it becomes important? Its true people all over the world are food poisoned every day. But in reality the food industry should be doing its best to reduce food poisoning, and China is just not cutting it. Besides these recent cases in Japan, China has sent poisoned pet food, toothpaste and toys to the US. Another huge problem is all the counterfeit drugs being produced for export in China.

It seems a majority of Japanese are now either going to avoid Chinese produced food or limited their consumption of it. However this is going to be a very difficult task, as a great amount of the food in Japanese supermarkets is either blatantly Chinese or Chinese food that has been repackaged and labeled as "Made in Japan".

Onsen in Snow