Crunch time

Rice crackers are the cracker of Japan.  They are everywhere.  They are offered at tea time with guests, munched on as a snack in the afternoon, and grabbed for a late night salty snack.  Rice crackers come in all shapes and sizes.  We recently bought cat face shaped rice crackers at Asakusa.

Finding unique rice crackers (beyond shape) can be quite the challenge, but every once in a while we stumble upon a find.  On my last trip to Kawagoe, I found "make your own rice crackers" where you take the dry, thin dough and bake it or fry it until it puffs up and becomes a yummy cracker.

I stuck them in the freezer to keep them fresh

until we were ready to cook them.

We were excited to see this fun activity, but even more so when we saw it was gluten free.  (Many rice crackers contain soy sauce, which is not gluten free unless it is made in the traditional way or is specifically labeled.)  We have friends with celiac that we're always keeping an eye out for treats that we can enjoy together.  This fit the bill.

When the friends were coming over for a movie night - Pete's Dragon! - we thought it was the perfect opportunity to try the rice crackers.

Using the fish oven on our stove, we laid the hard pieces of cracker dough onto the rack.  After a minute or two, we used long cooking chopsticks to flip them over.  We kept a careful eye on them to ensure they wouldn't burn.

They puffed up to triple or quadruple the thickness, and nicely toasted on the outside.  A few of them produced bubbles on them, which added an extra crunch.

The cooking was quick and easy, but it was so much fun to make them.  And everyone agreed, it was even better to eat them.

A second walk through

There are plenty of museums that I would never return to.  They may be interesting in the moment, but once you've seen it there isn't any reason to relive the experience.  There have been quite a few museums in Tokyo that definitely do not fit into this category.  They capture my attention and make me want to learn more.  They are also big enough that I don't feel like I absorb everything it has to offer in one go.

Today I took my cousins to the Edo Tokyo Museum.  I could wander through this museum again and again.  Between the dioramas, full scale replicas of homes and businesses, as well as tons of artifacts, there is so much to see and learn. 

Today, I learned about the black markets in Japan during and immediately following World War 2.  I never thought about it, but people weren't looking for knock-off designer bags - they wanted house goods!  People desperately needed shoes, dishes, rice cookers, and kitchen knifes.  They couldn't get them in stores, so they had to rely upon these markets.  I can't even fathom having to sneak around to purchase a rice bowl for my child, but that is exactly what people had to do during that time.

My favorite thing to see today was the step-by-step process of making woodblock prints.  I had seen it the last time we visited the museum, but I didn't have the ability to really stop and take in the whole thing because I was preoccupied with our friends.  This time I could read all about it and really look closely at the blocks and prints.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to go back to this beautiful museum.  It is so well put together and chocked full of information and visual history.  I definitely think this place should be on everyone's must see list!

Stumbling upon a park in Asakusa

With my cousins in tow, we headed to Asakusa today.  I wanted to show them one of the most famous temples in Japan.  From now on whenever they see a photo or shot in a movie of the big red lantern, they will be able to say "I've been there!"  It was also here that I was able to give them a quick lesson on the importance of Buddhism in Japanese culture.

Although I have been to Sensoji Temple several times, I am always discovering something new in the area.  Today's find was a small play park right next to the temple.  We were taking a less crowded stroll back to Asakusa Station, when I spotted a climbing structure right next to a bell tower perched on a retaining wall.

It turns out that the retaining wall held Benten-do (another Buddhist Temple) and just beyond it was Bentenyamajido Park.  The park consisted mostly of climbing structures and monkey bars, but also had swings, a three person rocker, and a random plastic hippopotamus that children can climb through the mouth.

For my five year old, it was the perfect way to burn some energy after dealing with the crowds of tourists.  He didn't care that there were huge puddles from yesterday's rain under the swings and single bars.  He chose to scale the various climbing apparatuses instead.

It is so nice to stumble across these small parks when you have a young kid.  It gives them the mental and physical break they need to keep trekking in this huge city.  I still struggle with the appearance of hard dirt ground, as I'm so used to American parks with shock absorbing materials covering the ground, but I still appreciate the place to let out some steam.

Next time we share this landmark with visitors, I will definitely stop by this park with my son.

Just checking

In order to pick up my cousins from the airport, I had to get my son from school earlier than usual.  My husband sent an email to the school to inform them of this schedule change, just in case what I told the teacher wasn't actually what I told the teacher. 

The school just happened to be having health checks for all the children today.  When I realized this, I had my husband call to make sure the health check would be complete before I arrived.  Part of universal healthcare is making sure everyone has access to health benefits.  So, schools have health professionals come in throughout the year to provide various general screenings.  Since the beginning of the school year in April, my son's classmates have had a cursory screening of his teeth and eyes.  We were on vacation for the eye exam, so we were given a paper to go to a local eye doctor to complete the exam.  But my son was at school for the dental exam.  He reported the dentist just used a mirror to look into his mouth.  My son, who loves going to the dentist, was sad he didn't get to sit in the "fun" chair. 

When I arrived at the school, my son's class was lined up in front of the teacher's room.  Each child was wearing their school uniform smock and shorts, sans shirts.  Many of the boys got a hoot out of me feigning shock when they opened their smocks to bare their chest.  From where I was standing in the school entrance, I could see a doctor in the teacher's room.  Each child approached the doctor with the aid of the vice principal.  The doctor listened to the kid's heart and lungs, as well as checked their skin (I heard that they are checking for signs of physical abuse in addition to skin abnormalities).  If there are any issues, a note will be sent home for the child to seek further medical attention. 

Although my son was not ready to leave when I had specified that he needed to be ready to go (which is very not Japanese), I was glad I was able to see the how the health check worked.  It is one thing to get a 5 year olds interpretation, and something else to actually see it with my own eyes.  It reminded me of the scenes of children getting their polio sugar cubes in the 60's.  Line 'um up and get it done!

Here they come!

The last night before guests arrive is always so exciting.  The anticipation of spending time together gives me a thrill.  I love hosting people, especially when they are traveling so far to see my family.

My cousins arrive tomorrow for two and a half weeks of exploration and expanding horizons.  Although they are both teenagers, they are seasoned travelers and excited for their first trip to Asia. 

On my part there is a bit of fretting as I figure out what we will do and when we will do it.  I want to make sure they get to see everything they want to see and experience lots of Japanese culture.  I like to show all of our guests a behind the scenes look at Japan.  Anyone can come to Japan and see the sights, but I want to share more than what they can find in guidebooks.  I want them to go back home loving Japan and appreciating what it has to offer.

I've had to learn some balance over the past guests we've had.  Although everyone thinks they can go until they drop, day after day of that isn't appreciated and can influence the joy of the trip.  It is important to stop and smell the roses as you absorb the city.

So, tomorrow I go and pick them up from the airport.  Their adventure will begin (as I insert another chapter in this crazy adventure novel of a life I am currently living). 

An impressive procession

The sun has come out in Tokyo and it feels a lot like summer, just without the suppressive humidity.  Today we hit a very warm 34°C/93°F!  So what does one do on a hot day such as this?  They go to a festival of course!

Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku was holding a large festival, Hanazono Jinja Reitaisai.  It is held every year at the end of May.  People come to enjoy food and games from the over 100 stalls set up around the shrine grounds.  However, the main attraction is the procession of mikoshi (portable shrines) through the neighborhood. 

Hundreds of men and women carry the shrines on their shoulders as they lightly step to the same rhythm.  The whole area is filled with sounds of clapping wooden blocks and people chanting as they keep time.  It is quite noisy and I found myself bending at the knees along with the beat.

I appreciated seeing the matching hapi (hap-pea) coats worn by each group of mikoshi carriers.  Of course, I don't think I've ever seen someone carrying or pulling a mikoshi without one of these lightweight coats with loose sleeves, but they still bring a smile to my face every time I see them.

At today's festival, we were joined by one of my husband's coworkers.  She was visiting from Singapore and had never been to a Japanese festival before.  From the food booths to the mikoshi, she was mesmerized.  And she really cracked up when my son wanted to eat all the healthier foods like cold, salted cucumbers and chocolate covered bananas (and not all the fried noodles and sugar laden goodies). 

We made sure to teach her the proper way to pray at the shrine (money, ring bell, bow twice, clap twice, pray, and finish with a single bow) and explained about each mikoshi being unique.  It was so fun to share her first festival experience, as they are really energetic and entertaining events.

Despite the heat, we had a great time celebrating along with the residents of Tokyo.  I think it was a great way to prepare us for the intense heat and humidity to come in the next couple months.

Growing my own

I planted chamomile last year to have a few flowers in my garden.  It attracts lots of beneficial bugs like lady bugs and butterflies, so it is a good thing to grow.  However, it is know to take over if it isn't carefully controlled.  I took the risk and planted it anyway.  Last year I just let it grow and do its thing.  I didn't harvest it or pay that much attention to it. 

This spring, I wasn't surprised to see several chamomile plants taking root without any help from me.  I pulled several plants, but left 2 to grow and flower. 

It is now in full bloom, so I harvested the blooms to dry for tea this winter.  I simply plucked the flowers, careful not to get any stems (which can be bitter). 

I let the harvest sit in the sun for an hour to encourage any bugs I might have accidently put into the strainer to fly away.  I then laid out the blooms onto a baking sheet and put it into a dark drawer that I don't open very often.  This will allow the flowers to dry in darkness and not loose their color.

I'm looking forward to enjoying chamomile tea all winter.  Chamomile tea isn't very popular in Japan because it isn't "really tea", meaning the beverage doesn't contain any tea leaves.  But I like to drink it, especially if I am having a hard time sleeping or if I don't feel well. 

From the pages to reality

Last weekend my husband and son came home from the store with a magazine geared toward kindergarten kids.  It was very bulky and included a toy.  It surprised me that my husband would purchase such a frivolous thing, as he tends to be more conservative when it comes to purchasing things like books, magazines, and toys.  Yet, here came two gleeful boys, excited to dive into "Yochien" magazine.

The monthly magazine comes in several versions, broken down by age range.  They purchased the kindergarten version.  There are also magazines for older kids as well.  My husband actually bought some of these magazines when he was a kid.  No wonder he wanted to share it with our son.

The first thing I saw them playing with was the build your own yakiniku (yah-key-knee-ku) or Korean barbeque set.  They punched out lots of paper and wove them together in the slots provided.  Suddenly the grill and slices of meat came to life.  There were even plastic tongs to flip the meat that was raw on one side and cooked on the other.  It turns out that kids can actually play a game with the meat, which made me laugh.

The magazine was really impressive.  It included stories, comics, an educational piece about digging for clams, a recipe activity, and more!  I've noticed my son reading it by himself and with his dad all week - a sign of an excellent periodical.

When deciding what to have for dinner tonight, it was easy to pick yakiniku.  Our son's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.  He ran to his magazine to review the steps of cooking yakiniku before we hopped on our bikes to ride to the restaurant.  As soon as we arrived, he declared he was going to be doing the cooking.

From the moment the meat arrived, he wielded the tongs and did his best to man the grill.  It was fun to see him take charge.

Overall I was very impressed with Yochien magazine.  My son and husband are already looking forward to the next issue, while still enjoying the current issue.

Traditional meal, with a twist

The last time I lived in Japan, I nearly went broke eating American food.  I didn't know how to cook very many Japanese dishes and finding ingredients that I did know how to use was typically hard to find and pretty expensive.  I often tell the story of my $100 pan of macaroni and cheese.  I had to travel all over Osaka to find real cheese (made from milk, not oil) and noodles.  Finding these ingredients isn't the challenge it used to be, but they are still pretty expensive.

While in the US, my husband did most of the Asian cooking.  We kind of joke that he wouldn't even let me cook the rice.  When we moved to Japan, I had to take the reigns of cooking Japanese food.  It was a financial decision as well as one of convenience, since I was planning on being a stay at home mom and my husband was going to be working.

I've gone through phases of learning to make new dishes, and relying on standbys.  One of the quickest and easiest dinners to make is grilled fish, miso soup, and rice.  But we can only eat that so much.  I'm one of those people that can't eat the same thing day after day.  So, I'm constantly trying new things.

One of the most popular standbys in my house is oyakodonburi (oh-yak-o-don-burr-ee), chicken and egg rice bowl.  Simply put, it is chicken simmered in a savory broth and covered in egg, served over rice.

This quick and easy recipe was an easy choice for tonight because I had everything but the chicken at home.  Rice was already cooked and waiting for us in the rice cooker.  All I needed to do was swing by the store and pick up the chicken.

Of course, I have to put my own little twist on it.  I add whatever vegetables I have on hand.  I can't believe how many recipes in Japan don't include any vegetables.  It goes against my nature, so I add as much green, orange, and red (basically anything I have in the fridge) to whatever I am cooking.

Dinner took only 15 minutes to prep and cook (because I didn't have to wait for the rice to cook).  It is super simple, yet tasty and filling.  And everyone in my house was happy.


****Here is the recipe if you want to try it****
4 portions of hot rice
1 chicken breast or 2 thighs
2 long onions (leeks can also be used)
1 large handful of mushrooms
1 bunch of greens - Typically I use kale, but today I had chrysanthemum leaves. (Do not go out an eat the leaves off of your flowers!  These are an edible variety available at Asian stores.)
2 cups of dashi stock
3 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
4 eggs

1) Make the rice.
2) Cut up all the vegetables and chicken into bite size pieces.
3) In a large skillet, combine the dashi stock, mirin, and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Taste the broth to make sure it is very strong.  If not strong enough, simmer for 5 more minutes.  A weak broth will make a flavorless meal.
4) Add the chicken, onions, and mushrooms.  Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender.
5) Top with the greens.
6) Beat the eggs and gently pour them over the stock in a circular motion, taking care to cover everything evenly.  Cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat.  When the eggs are set, but still runny, turn off the heat and leave it covered for another minute.
7) Put the rice in bowls and spread the chicken and egg mixture over each bowl.  Serve hot.

Haha to Ko no Mori

There are days that I just want and need to get out of the city.  However, sometimes that isn't an option.  Running away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo takes time, energy, and planning.  The trick is to learn how to lose yourself within the city.

Whenever I get the scratch to get away, I do it the easy way by checking out the beautiful parks within the city.  There are so many to discover, each with their own hidden gems.  Sometimes I will visit a park and completely miss the best it has to offer because I'm so distracted by other aspects of the park or I simply don't know where I will be most entranced. 

This past weekend, I checked out Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, especially the rose garden on the grounds.  But I totally missed their Mother and Child's Forest or Haha to Ko no Mori.  Just the name itself begs for exploration by me and my son.  So, today, along with some Hike it Baby friends, we explored the corner of the park that we had previously neglected.

One of the families had been there before, but the other family, just like ours, had not been to this corner of the park.  I was expecting trails and woods.  At first, all I saw was well worn paths, cement sidewalks, and wooden raised walk ways.  It was fine.  I was having a great time chatting with the other moms and watching our kids wandering around.

As we hiked deeper into the forest, we were suddenly greeted with the image I had created in my mind.  Dirt trails, log steps, and a lovely stream that made me forget that I was in the city. 

My son was super excited to play in the stream.  He found a fish that captured his attention for quite some time. 

Another one of the kids was completely mesmerized by some pigeons eating berries from the branches of a tree.  I, too, enjoyed watching them dine.

I found myself being completely enraptured by the space.  I loved being in the Mother and Child's Forest.  It felt like hiking in the forest and not like a city park.  It was a great place to really get away from it all.