It has been 2 years - Osaka, Kobe, Awaji (part 1 of 3)

Ever since a trip to Nara and Osaka in January 2020, our family has decided to hold off returning to Osaka due to rising concerns about Covid. It has been a difficult decision, but one that we have felt was best for our family. We have missed it dearly.

Since Tokyo's Covid numbers have been in the single and double digits since October, we decided it was safe to go for a visit. We talked about what our tolerance was, and finally decided that we would ride the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka, but rent a car to drive around Osaka. This was the first time since moving here that we have rented a car in Osaka, allowing us to go much further in our exploration than on previous trips.

The Shinkansen was peaceful. We passed through a bit of snow in the Nagoya region, which made our son very envious. He has been wanting it to snow in Tokyo, but the weather has not granted his wish. The car rental place was located right at Shin-Osaka station, which made for a very easy transfer.

We first drove to the family cemetery, where we paid respects to my husband's family. It is a very important part of Japanese culture to pay respects tho those that have passed. While at the cemetery, we wash the headstone, place fresh flowers in vases built into the headstone, light candles and incense, as well as say prayers. Since several family members are entombed within one headstone, the honoring of those passed is done all at once.

We then drove to our beloved Miwa Jinja, our favorite shrine in Japan.

We wrapped up the day with a family dinner with relatives we have not seen for a very long time.

We stayed at an amazing hotel overlooking Osaka Castle. Although we were there to only sleep and eat breakfast, it was a wonderful experience as Osaka Castle is an amazing site to behold. We decided that the only way to improve our experience there would be to go when the cherry or plum trees are blooming, as the gardens surrounding the castle are filled with blossoms at that time.

To be continued...

All I want for Christmas

I doubt it comes as any surprise, but all I want for Christmas is… family and friends and good cheer! As the big day draws near, I am working hard to make it the best Christmas in Japan yet.

I still have to remind myself every year that Christmas is not a holiday in Japan. It is simply a fun commercial experience that many people have bought into. I was overjoyed when I realized that this would be the first year since moving here that my husband and son would be home all day for Christmas! No work and no school!!! I can’t wait to have my boys all day as we open presents, eat a wonderful meal, and make it as joyful as we can.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to teach a cooking lesson to a small group of moms from my son’s school. They wanted to learn what American’s actually eat on Christmas (some people still think everyone in the US eats fried chicken from KFC). I decided to teach them to make dressing (as I never stuff a turkey) and fudge. One of the moms offered her kitchen and another mom helped me shop for ingredients. This past Tuesday, we all gathered for a lesson and lunch. It was so fun teaching these moms how to make foods that represent the holiday for me. Beyond the dressing and fudge, I brined chicken breasts and pre-made cranberry sauce. This, combined with a salad, served as our lunch. While eating, we talked about Christmas traditions and how it is celebrated differently in the two countries. I went home with such a full heart. It was an incredible blessing to be able to share with these ladies.

Little did I know, the real warm fuzzies would come today. Starting first thing this morning, I started receiving texts as the moms started the process of recreating the meal for their families. I was overcome with holiday cheer as a teacher and as a fellow mom, knowing that they were sharing their new knowledge and it was blessing their tables.

Whenever I have felt exceptionally distanced this holiday season, little things have been gifted to me to bring me cheer. It is almost like little Christmas elves at work. Dark nights were combated with incredible illuminations (holiday light displays). Grumpiness over having to listen to 800 versions of “Last Christmas” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (songs that I detest) was irradiated when my husband made me a Christmas play list that only contains my favorite holiday tunes. And an isolated feeling will be demolished when some friends join us tomorrow for Christmas dinner.

As a special treat, my husband ordered a turkey on Amazon for us to enjoy on Christmas Day! It arrived 2 days ago, frozen solid. We debated for a long time about what size to get - our oven is about the size of a microwave! Despite knowing it was going to be a small bird, I still laughed out loud when I pulled the 6.5 pound bird out of the box. I swear I’ve cooked chickens that were bigger! But it doesn’t matter. I still, for the very first time, get to have turkey and turkey soup and turkey sandwiches!!! That, in itself, has brought me so much Christmas cheer. Getting to share it with another family will make it that much better.

While Christmas here will never be anything like Christmas with my extended family back in the US, it is nice to embrace it as our own and celebrate as much as we can.

Adventures with medical care

A while ago I started having difficulty swallowing. I ignored it for a very long time because I simply didn’t want to go to the doctor. It is such a frustrating process for me as I seem to run into a lot of language barriers and different expectations of care.

A friend finally convinced me it was time to go. I swallowed my pride and had my husband seek out an English speaking doctor.

He actually found one not too far from our house. I went by myself, hoping for a quick consult and a simple solution. Instead of what I wanted, he gave me a referral as well as an unexpected opinion on my lack of Japanese skills. (It is so interesting how people like to give opinions here for things that are really none of their business.) Despite his critical comment, he took quite a bit of time to ensure the doctor he was referring me to could speak English.

A few days later, I was headed to the hospital to see the specialist. To an American, heading to the hospital is sounds pretty unnerving, but here it is more like going to a clinic with a whole bunch of departments. Shortly before my appointment, my husband informed me he was going to come with me to my appointment. I was grateful to have him join me to help with all the paperwork I knew I would need to fill out.

The morning of my appointment was a whirlwind of paperwork and waiting. Lots and lots of waiting! When we were finally called back, we were greeted by a different doctor than the one I was referred to. I softly asked “can we talk in English?” The doctor replied “I can understand everything you are saying, but I don’t have the confidence to speak to you in English.” At that point I was very, very grateful to have my husband, aka my translator, along for the appointment.

The doctor decided that my issue required a bit more investigation and we scheduled another appointment.

Last Saturday my day finally arrived. Since my husband was once again accompanying me, I needed someone to watch our son. Luckily, our beloved neighbor was free and more than willing to spend a few hours with him. She arrived with a bag of fun to keep them occupied while we were gone - including a gingerbread house! My son was over the moon.

The comfort I felt, knowing he was with someone I trusted, was pretty overwhelming. Since he was in trusted hands, I was able to relax for my appointment and focus on my medical care.

The appointment went smoothly (weirdly all in English), revealing there was nothing to be concerned about.

Throughout the whole process, I kept thinking how up a creek I’d be without my lovely husband as well as the support of friends. They keep me going, encourage me, translate for me, and even watch my kid at times. I’m so grateful for everything they do for me.

A whole lot of cabbage

As the cold weather takes hold, I am eager to eat all the comfort foods of fall. Images of warms bowls of soup, thick hearty stews, and filling casseroles delight my mind and make me hungry.

Earlier this fall my husband entered a lottery to win the chance to go to a local farm and harvest vegetables. Our family was blessed with this opportunity this year. Unfortunately, our son happened to have school on the same Saturday, so it was just the eager adults attending.

The weather was chilly, but sunny, encouraging us to bundle up for our bike ride over to the “farm”. (I use quotation marks because it is so small, I have a hard time using the term. But it is his business, so it is the correct term.) We arrived a few minutes before 9 am.

We lined up to hear the farmer and city employees give us a few instructions as well as inform us how lucky we were, since we had a 1 in 8 chance of being selected. We would be able to take home 3 carrots, 2 daikon (long radish), and 1 napa cabbage.

We started with the carrots, pulling 3 big ones easily out of the dirt. Then we walked over to the cabbage patch, where the farmer chopped the biggest napa cabbage off its root that I’ve ever seen. Finally, my husband pulled 2 enormous daikon from the ground.

My husband and I quickly started discussing what we cook with these gigantic vegetables. We quickly decided we needed to make nabe (soup) with, at least, part of the cabbage. There is a popular nabe known as mille-feuille nabe. The cabbage is layered with thin slices of pork, looking very similar to the famous dessert with the same name.

That evening my son was eager to help his dad with preparing the soup pot. They worked quickly to stack everything and create a beautiful flower design. My husband added a simple broth, and turned on the stove to let it cook. He also simmered some daikon in a different broth as a side dish.

Soon, dinner was on the table and we were all enjoying the nabe. We all agreed that dinner was delicious and we would happily eat it again and again. It is a great meal to warm us up through and through - and so easy to make!

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Mille-Feuille Nabe
Serves 3-4

1 napa cabbage (about 6 lbs/2.7 kg)
1 1/2 lb/750g sliced pork belly
5 cups dash (Japanese soup stock)
2 tbsp sake

2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
Optional - ponzu for dipping

1. Cut the napa cabbage to the desired height - 2 to 2 1/2 inches or 5 to 6 cm.
2. Place each slice of pork belly between the napa leaves. If the pork is too long, you can trim to the desired length and use the excess in another layer.
3. Start packing the layers of napa cabbage/pork belly from the outer edges of the nabe pot (or whatever pot you are using). Work your way toward the center. The layers should be packed tightly as they will become loose as it cooks.
4. Work until the entire pot is filled. If you run out of napa/pork, you can put other ingredients in the center, like enoki mushrooms or mizuna (a bitter green).
5. Combine the dash, sake, and soy sauce. Pour it in the pot. Start cooking on high heat until boiling. Skim any foam. Then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes until the napa is tender and the pork is fully cooked.
6. Serve hot by itself or dip into ponzu.

A little this and that

I’ve had a couple pokes and prods to get back to writing. I didn’t really intend on taking a break. But, suddenly I realized it had been almost two months since I last checked in. Life has been continuing to pass day by day. The autumn leaves are finally out, which always delights me.

At this point with COVID, we are still avoiding big crowds and rarely take mass transit. Therefore, we are still spending lots of time at home and only traveling to places within biking distance.

This past week, my son had a day off of school (recognizing Labor Thanksgiving Day or Kinro Kansha no Hi, which has nothing to do with turkeys and everything to do with giving thanks for labor and production), giving us a chance to go check out the colors of the season at Heirinji Temple. The day included a long bike ride, a few brightly colored trees, carrot udon noodles, and lots of laughs.

We have rented a car a few times to get away for a day or night. These trips have been sanity savers on so many levels.

At the end of October, we rented a car and drove to Kawaguchiko. We made a pit stop along the way to visit our friends at Kasamatsu Farms. We had never met face-to-face, but formed such a connection over the past year and a half that we took the chance while we had it. It was quite dramatic getting there between a delayed rental car, horrendous traffic, and a kid suffering from horrible car sickness; but we eventually made it. Our visit was short, yet heartwarming as we immediately confirmed our friendship. This family business has not only supplied our tables with amazing vegetables, but also provided a lifeline of sanity, knowing that not everyone in Japan wants to triple wrap every item in plastic and sustainable practices are achievable here. At some point, I really hope to go back again and get my hands dirty!

After our visit, we finished our trek and explored the Kawaguchiko area. We went to a magnetic train demo museum, hiked up a hill to see a famous view of Mount Fuji (only to discover the viewing area was under construction!), and took our son to experience a ninja school (Oshino Ninja Village). While the activities were fun, the real treat were the amazing views of Mount Fuji. We could not have had better timing, as the mountain was not hindered by clouds the entire time we were there. We would gasp in delight every time we had a new view. The trip was one of the most revitalizing experiences we’ve had in a very long time.

The sunrise view from our hotel room!

While out and about in Tokyo recently, I was introduced to an old co-worker of my husband’s. She was super fun to meet and we clicked right away. At one point in our conversation, she asked me if I liked living in Japan. My husband and I both laughed. I can honestly say that right now I don’t enjoy living in Japan. I feel more isolated that I have ever felt in my life and the challenges of living in a foreign country feel extremely magnified. For the past two years I find myself being excessively irritated by things that would normally roll off my shoulders and my general enthusiasm has tanked. I find myself not wanting to talk or communicate with people because my list of angst far outweighs my joys. I don’t like feeling this way, but it is my current truth. Without my American breaks (visiting friends and family in the US), I am struggling. I increasingly find it hard to cope.

My frankness evolved into an interesting discussion about life, basic needs, and our desires.

At home, not much is going on. We get through each day as best we can. My son goes to school and studies tons of kanji as well as his multiplication tables. My husband works from a desk in our bedroom, peaking his head out for tea and random chats. I spend my days reading, watching too much tv, tending to our house, and getting out periodically for groceries, friends, and volunteering. Earlier this week, I was able to buy 30 organic yuzu (which is really hard to find) and I made ponzu and yuzu honey.