Two Quick Things

First, while on the train to work, I noticed a store called "Antiques & Junk." Just thought it was great that the store was honest about what it wants customers to pay for!

Also, on the way back from "downtown Ueno" the other day, I was walking along a sidewalk near Ueno Park. I saw one homeless man pointing at a sign and talking to his buddies & he was in front of my path. As I neared, I realized I couldn't walk around him (there was a little metal barrier preventing me from just going into the street), so I came up behind him and said "sumimasen" (excuse me). He turned, looked & me, flashed a big grin, and said, with minimal accent....... "oh, sorry"
Maybe he's a graduate of Tokyo University that fell on hard times, but it made me very happy to interact with a surprisingly friendly member of Tokyo's Kojiki community!

More Food!

This stop in my online culinary tour of Japan is a restaurant you all may have heard of. It is called "Denny's".

No "All-American Slam" here though.
I've got rice w. salmon & salmon eggs, and a soup with all sorts of local stuff. Of course, it's complemented by an "Asahi" Beer!
The soup had mochi, a big tenpura shrimp, many mushrooms, and some other local things that I can never really identify, but seemed tasty!

Another Great Item from Makku Donarudo

Allow me to introduce シャカシャカチキン (or, spelled phonetically, shaka shaka chikin)

This wonderful item on the 100-yen menu is a reasonably sized piece of fried chicken. It is presented in a bag with a choice of 1 of 3 flavor packets (so far I've only tried "hot chili", but there's also "lemon pepper" and "cheese").
When preparing to eat, you open up the bag, cover the chicken in a flavored powder, then fold the bag and shake it (thus making the "shaka shaka" sound)

Always thinking ahead, the folks at McD-Japan perforated part of the bag so you can rip off the top, and eat the chicken while only touching paper (thus, not getting flavor powder all over the place!) - ingenious!!



To allay fears -- McDonalald's items here are unique and easy to explain.
I'm devouring lots of Japanese things here, but when every ingredient requires translation, it's easier to post マックドナルド ads!

For example, I love "konyaku", but fully explaining it requires the reading of a wikipedia entry!

Watch this video -- it is the Samurai Way!

All credit for this find goes to John Moffett.
Also, I consulted the accuracy of the video with the Kaneko clan, and they all verified that it is 100% correct! I can attest to this, since when Eiji poured my beer last night, he said "ma ma ma ma ma", while I responded appropriately with "o to to to to to".
It should be known, I was afraid I was witnessing a faux pas which might have to result in some せっぷく　(ritual suicide) when Mr. Kaneko poured his own drink instead of having the Missus do it for him. However, I was informed that when one needs sake with a passion, they are to throw all caution to the wind and serve themselves -- it is the way of the Shogun!

Funny story!

Today I taught someone who spent some time in the UK.

He said, "at pub, everyone drank pints of beer, but that was too much for me. I wanted to order half-pint...... but that would be"..... waiting & thinking of right word........ "gay"....!!!!

Truly, the best lesson I ever taught!

Update

Internet is limited.

However, today I walked around the emperor's house. (approx. 5km)

Some photos!

Emperor Day

So, I saw the Emperor. About 10 seconds into his appearance, I waved my flag with so much enthusiasm that the "Hinomaru" launched away from the stick it was on and into the throngs. Thus, I picked up my cell phone to take some footage while the yelling was going on.

Behold:

(This is very similar to Dennis Moffett's video of December 23rd, except the resolution from my phone is significantly worse -- however, you can hear some good enthusiastic shouts at about 14 secs in!)

Following that (very similar to what I posted exactly one year ago) a bunch of us went to Yasukuni Shrine to pray for the spirits of everyone who's ever died in wars (with a special emphasis on the Japanese side of things).
After the shrine, we hit the "Sapporo Lion Beer Hall" which has been in operation since 1899.

Tenno Heika, Banzai!

New Year festivities in Japan are not complete without a visit to this man for his New Year's benediction!



Akihito, son of the late great Emperor Showa (aka- Hirohito) will greet the commoners who gather round the palace early this year.
So, on the 2nd I'll be heading to see his first appearance (around 10 AM) and the whole imperial family should also be there, even Akihito's new grandson who will eventually be the Emperor himself one day (that was big news sometime this past year, I believe!).

Following our observation of his eminence, we'll be heading to the Yasukuni Shrine to pay our respects to Japan's war dead, then we're likely going to continue the New Year festivities by eating & drinking a lot. Photos will come! (or, just scroll back in my blog to last January, since this is becoming a yearly tradition!)