How does your garden grow?

I just finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  However you may have felt about The Bean Trees in high school, this new book is worth a good read.   More personal family memoir than novel, it's focus is on the Kingsolver family's year of eating almost exclusively locally produced foods. 

 This book is neither an attack on industrial farming institutions nor a how-to guide for taking yourself "off the grid" of our current agricultural infrastructure, though there are interesting commentaries which touch on both of these subjects.  Rather, it is one family's experience with the pleasure of eating seasonal foods in season and the value of supporting local farmers by buying their products rather than (lower quality) imports supported by corporate farming interests. I have a hard time believing people will be able to find fault with either of those points, but I'm sure some will. 

Regardless of your political leanings or diet, I seriously suggest you check out this book. 

Mata ne,
Melissa

Elle and Julie: This is my vote for next month's book club.  I'll even skype in!

pathetic 65

I am not sure who decided that it would be a good idea to put the word "pathetic" on a shirt, but clearly they have no idea what it means and no understanding of why someone would not want that written across their chest.

This was not on Takeshita street in Harajuku where one expects to see "Engrish" shirts, but in a reputable store that is known for selling suits!  Japan, your difficulties with the English language astound me.  In one word: pathetic.

Mata ne,
Melissa

Hakone Ahoy!

The last big adventure we had with Jeff's brother and sister, Michael and Sara, was a trip out of Tokyo to Hakone, a town known for it's beautiful landscape and onsen.  We got up bright and early to get on the train for our almost 2 hour trip out there so we could have a full day to enjoy ourselves and take in the sights.  By far the best deal is to get the Hakone Free Pass in Shinjuku (good for two days even though we only used it for one) which includes transportation to the area, several unusual forms of transportation within the area, and discounts on attractions within Hakone for 5000 yen.

We took the regular Odakyu commuter train for the long trip out to Odawara in the morning.  My three companions slept the entire way - essentially from the moment the train started moving until the moment I informed then our stop was coming up.  This was no comfy express train either.  It was the bare bones, florescent lighting, sideways facing bench, commuter train.  They must be heavy sleepers in that family.  By the time we got to Hakone they were well rested and ready for adventure.  I immediately got myself a coffee. 

Being somewhat close to Tokyo, Hakone is quite a popular tourist spot, and apparently there is a set route which people often take which maximizes the fun stuff they can do. Trendsetters that we are, we decided not to follow this route.  Instead we got on a bus (which was free thanks to the Free Pass!) for a roller-coaster ride to our first stop.

Now I enjoy roller-coasters, and have been known to drag people around for entire days begging them "just once more!" but this 40 minute ride was a bit much even for me.  I'd liken it to being driven around the Bershires, with steep grades and hairpin turns galore, by a fourteen year old who thinks he's playing Mario Cart for Wii.  Our bus driver was apparently unaware that there is something in between speedy acceleration and slamming on the break.  We fortunately made it safely to our next mode of transportation/adventure.

A freaking pirate ship!

(Hey, move lady, you're messing up my picture!)

I am not sure who decided that a pirate ship was just what this small, inland lake in Japan needed, but they are probably related to the person who thought it would be fun to tell people there are whales in Seneca Lake.  The pirate ship is on the route that most people take through Hakone, "sails" (notice the folded up sails on the boat) on Lake Asahi providing awesome views of Mt. Fuji, and comes complete with unconvincing and underpaid teenager (really, whatever they were paying this kid, it wasn't enough) walking around dressed as a pirate captain offering to take a picture with you.  We politely declined. The pirate ship ride was free with our Hakone free pass (notice a pattern here?)

Once the pirate ship ride had taken us to the other side of the lake, we rushed past every single other person on that boat up at least 4 stories worth of stairs (there was an escalator, but I'm boycotting escalators right now) to be first in line for the next mode of transportation/adventure.

Gondola!! 

There were actually three sections to this gondola ride it was so long.  The views, as you can see, were spectacular.

 

No, not that one!

Ahhhh.  Fuji-san.  We will meet someday.

And guess how much this little ride in the clouds cost us?  Zero dollars yen.  That's right, covered by the Hakone Free Pass. 

Since the trip was in three sections, we had to switch to a new cable car twice.  At one of the stations, you're able to go out and explore the mountain area where the hot springs are.  Well, you're sort of able to walk near it.  It was all roped off and it really wasn't all that exciting.

There are the heavy sleepers at the hot springs with all the steam rising out of the ground behind them.  Noticed the slightly pained looks on their faces?  Thats because it smelled soooo bad.  Once the steam really got going we got out of there.  Fast. 

While we were there though we had to try the eggs boiled in the sulfurous water - they turn black!  I am not sure why we had to do this.  Wait, I remember.  Jeff insisted.  And in fact was so excited he ran ahead of us to buy them.

There's my black egg.  Of course, we were in for a BIG disappointment when we peeled them and they looked and tasted exactly the same as  a regular egg.

We're not sure why they boil eggs in the sulfur water, but all the tourists buy them and eat them anyways.  I think the man who put pirate ships in the lake had his hand in this. Michael saw through the black egg scam from the beginning, and was very proud that he hadn't bought into it like the rest of us. 

After the last section of our gondola ride, it was off to our next (free - thank you, Hakone Free Pass!) mode of transportation/adventure.

Funicular!  

Ok, I know this just looks like regular train tracks, but I promise, it was on like a 30 degree incline!

(This was far less adventure and far more mode of transportation.)

When we got to the bottom of the funicular, it was way past time for food, but being in a tourist town, off season, there were very limited options.  We managed to find a place that had six meal choices: two Japanese dishes, one Mexican dish, one Thai dish, and one that I can't remember now.  So strange. That not being enough, we looked for a little something to top off the tank.

These tasted about as appetizing as Michael is making them look.  Eeew.

After a long day of exploring an area essentially known for it's ridiculous forms of transportation, we were in the mood to relax.  Fortunately, Hakone is also known for its ridiculous onsen.  Ok, most onsen here (and everywhere else for that matter) are not ridiculous, but the one we chose was... interesting.

We went to a "resort onsen" called Yunessun that had not only the traditional Japanese hot springs baths, but also themed spas and an amusement park style onsen area for families (where bathing suits were required).  In addition to a Roman bath and a kids area complete with water-slide, there was a chocolate bath, a coffee bath, a sake bath, a green tea bath, a dead sea bath (with high levels of salt - you do float!), et cetera, et cetera.  We didn't bring our cameras to take pictures of the bathing-suit ones, although apparently this is totally kosher, and for obvious reasons we couldn't take pictures of the traditional baths (For an idea of what an onsen - the bathing part - is like, see here).  I can assure you, however, a good time was had by all.

For the trip home, we decided to spring for the extra expense of taking the RomanceCar (yes, really what it's called) rather than the regular commuter train.  Let me tell you, spend the 850 yen!  We rode home in comfort, each enjoying a snack and a chu-hi in our own chair.  The chairs even swiveled so we could all face each other. 

Truly a fun-filled day in Hakone.  I don't think anyone would need to stay for two days, unless maybe the weather is really nice and you can go hiking (hmm, hiking in Hakone then onsen - what do you think Jeff?), but we managed to fit in everything on the typical route (while not following it the right way) in one day. 

Best part:  Gondola ride
Most ridiculous part: The wine pouring "event" at the onsen.   They did a "presentation" and poured a bottle of wine into the spa as greedy cupped hands tried to snag some before it hit the water. (We actually witnessed one child lick the bath water after the wine had already entered it.  Gross.)  
Game ball goes to: Hakone Free Pass

Mata ne,
Melissa

ongakuka - musician

Today I went to the library and signed up for my very own library card.  Actually, Jeff signed me up for my very own library card.

I skipped over to the three rows of English language books excited about my new found freedom to actually select one and remove it from the premises.  I happened upon a collection of sketches by John Lennon that he used while studying Japanese.  (Yoko Ono, remember?  It took me a second too.)  It's called Ai, which means love, and has funny sketches that illustrate the words and concepts on the page.  From the cover of the book you'd swear it was titled Japan through John Lennon's Eyes, but Yoko set the record straight in the introduction.

I now have two weeks learn all the words John Lennon can teach me before moving on to the extensive collection of Lonely Planet guides and cookbooks (many of them baking recipes for which we have no oven).

There were also several shelves of Japanese literary classics (translated) that I've got my eye on.  I think I'm going to start with What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.  I need all the inspiration I can get in that area right now.

(editor's note:  Jeff claims there were more than three rows of English books.  We will have to wait until we return to settle that score.)

Mata ne,
Melissa

Big Buddha

The last few days have not been all that exciting in the lives of the extended honeymooners.  Unless, like us, you find locating a new library to study in exciting.  We've also cooked several meals at home, and worked out a bunch.  Not exactly happenings worthy of a post, I know. Lucky for you, I am a delinquent and still have one more picture to report on from Michael and Sara's visit. 

Photo #6

Yes, Mom (and Cindy), this was taken in Kamakura at the Daibutsu, or Big Buddha, as we affectionately refer to him.  At a commanding 13.35 meters tall this is not the biggest Buddha in Japan, or the only one known as Daibutsu, which literally means "large Buddha."  He is among the oldest, having been built about 1252 entirely out of bronze. Originally, the statue was housed inside a wooden temple, but the original temple was destroyed (the information at the temple site said it happened twice!) by a tsunami. 

AND, for only twenty yen (that's like twenty cents!) you can actually go inside the big Buddha.  Of course, we chose to do so.  How many of you can say you've been in the belly of a Buddha? We did take pictures inside, but it was dark and looked like what you'd guess the inside of a statue looks like.  We did have our fun taking pictures in front of the big Buddha before going inside him.

Doesn't look so big there, does he?  It should be noted that people - many of them, in fact - are actually there to pray, too.  They place an offering (usually pocket change) in the money-collector-thing right in front of the altar, or in this case, Buddha, and clap twice, bow, and pray.  Or something like that. 

Interestingly, the travel guides we consulted all mentioned the purple potato (it's common in Japan and similar to a sweet potato) ice cream available at the shop at the entrance to the shrine.  We were so intrigued we had to give it a try. 

Just as you'd expect from purple potato ice cream, it tasted like a potato.  It wasn't bad exactly, just not what I am used to.  Somewhere in the world right now there is a Japanese girl trying peanut butter ice cream for the first time having the same exact response. 

Mmmmm.  I could really go for a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup right now. 

After our fun with the Big Buddha, Jeff led us on an expedition through a bamboo forest.  Yeah, for real. 

Doesn't that backpack make him look like kindergartner?  It is sooo big.   I bet he could pack every single item of clothing he brought to Japan in that thing.  Of course, that's not saying much, since he brought three outfits. 

After emerging from the woods, I decided to give the purple potato desserts one more shot with a filled doughnut hole.  It was quite good actually, with cinnamon and sugar topping!

After our half-day excursion, we decided to go for a full day trip to the onsen in Hakone.  It was an onsen experience like none other.  More to come...

Mata ne,
Melissa

Totoro and Kamakura

Ok, back with part two of the answers to the Where in Tokyo is Carmen Sandiego post.

Photo #3

This picture of Jeff and I dwarfed by the robot soldier from Laputa Castle in the Sky, a film by Miyazaki and the Ghibli Studio, was taken on the roof of the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, west Tokyo.  If the films Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, or Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea mean anything to you then the Ghibli museum should be on your must-see-in-Tokyo list.
It should be noted that tickets are not easy to get, even with a husband who speaks Japanese.  One must purchase a reservation ticket in advance (well in advance if you intend on going during the New Year Holidays as we did) at an ATM-like machine in the konbini, though apparently you can get them from overseas as well.  When you get to the museum you trade in your reservation ticket for a real ticket which contains three frames from one original Ghibli film strip.

As with many museums, pictures aren't allowed in the museum, so we took them on the roof and just outside the door of the cat bus (watch Totoro for more information) with the very powerful drinking fountain.

The museum's brochure urges visitors "let's lose our way together" and there is no set route to follow through the museum.  Rather, you're invited and encouraged to explore all the exhibits at your leisure.  There is a short film available for viewing only in the museum; when we were visiting, a cute brand new one about mice sumo wrestlers.  The coolest thing to see - I think Jeff could have stayed there for several hours - was a spinning carousel-like display with characters from Ghibli films posed in a circle in slightly different positions.  When a strobe light flashed at the spinning models, it lighted each of them in such as way as to create the illusion that they were moving.  I wish I had a video to show, because my explanation can not possibly do this awesome display justice.

Photo #6

This photo is not of the shop at a shrine, but is actually the offerings that people have made at the shrine in Kamakura.  I did get yelled at while taking this picture I'll have you know.  I did not, however, get asked to erase it, so I think we're ok here.

For those of you paying attention, yes, you do see everything from sake (a lot of it) to miso to coca-cola to potato chips.  I am not sure of the criteria used in determining what would be a good offering, but judging from this display it is something along the lines of "what I would bring my college student on parents' weekend".  I wonder where all of this goes when it gets too full and they need to make room for new offerings?  I am guessing you've got some happy monks those days.

Well it seems I've spent too long blabbing on about these two pictures and now it is late and Jeff and I have big workouts planned for tomorrow (slowly but surely, I am building my mileage back up!).  The last picture and our big trip out of Tokyo will have to wait till tomorrow. 

Mata ne,
Melissa