Emiko and Food
So today I went out with Emiko, Mr. Ihara's brother's wife.
First, she had a music lesson, so I played pokemans for an hour (yay!) while I waited for her. After that, we met up with a friend of hers and went for lunch.
Now, I think I will take a moment to talk about the food I've been eating lately. Most of it has been either familiar or good, and I've tried anything that was offered to me. I've found out that the concept of "ham" seems to be a bit much for Japan*. Either that, or I've suddenly discovered the other breakfast meat**. I am served in the mornings a substance that, while pinkish and definitely protein-based, lacks any further resemblance to ham except it's name of "hamu." I'm not sure whether this is a Japan-wide syptom or an Ihara-specific quirk.
Nevertheless, last night I was quite delighted by dinner, which was spare ribs. Mrs. Ihara made a sauce to go with them that was absolutely divine. I think it was mostly ketchup, but that doesn't make me love it any less. It was just the right amount of sweet and salty, and there were all the yummy browned bits from the bottom of the skillet mixed in. Mmm...
Anyway, today I made another excursion into a restaurant usually frequented by only Japanese patrons in Tokyo.
Now, dear readers, if someone ever tells you that they are going to order a dish that is "not very well known outside of Japan," think twice. There is probably a reason. If they tell you it's called "manja," run for the hills.
Back to my story. We went a little tradition Japanese-style house, and arranged ourselves (kneeling or sitting on the floor) around a table that had a large square hotplate in the center. The first course was a strange sort of savory pancake with cabbage and bacon, garnished with a dark brown sauce, that was actually delicious, though I had trouble breaking it apart with my feeble chopstick skills.
The second course was manja. It was... Really hard to describe. Mixed veggies, more bacon, and fish eggs. I couldn't eat more than a bite. It was really strange, but Emiko and her friend really seemed to enjoy it. It was mostly a loose sauce that was fried, then scooped up with a little metal spoon and pressed against the griddle until brown before being eaten. If that's confusing... Well, it was.
The final course was (I think) called sobayaki. It was noodles and veggies and (yet more) bacon all fried up like chow mein, and was infinitely more palatable.
After the meal, we went out to a big temple that was flooded with tourists. It was strange to suddenly be able to look around and see gaijin faces, redheads, African Americans (or just black people; for all I knew they were from France,) and I found myself offering and receiving private smiles. It was as if we saw each other through the crowd and recognized our kinship as perpetual outsiders. Yes, our glances said, I think this is nuts too.
The walk to the temple was lined with shops, and I got to taste something called anko which is sweet bean paste inside a warm, soft cake. It was freaking delicious. Up at the temple, I took a few pictures, got my hikuji (a fortune like one of those from the machines with with cackling lady, you know?) and went to peer in at a bunch of Buddhist monks who were chanting something. Emiko offered to let me have some money to pray (apparently you have to pay the gods, or something) but I declined. When I said I was Christian, she looked surprised and said she was too.
After that, we went to a little cafe and had shaved ice. It was absolutely wonderful, since it was such a hot a humid day.
That's pretty much everything. Thanks too all of you who've been emailing me with positive comments and encouragement, and I'll try to get off replies to all of you before school starts. After school begins (Sept. 1) I'll probably be too busy to do much more than dash off quick status reports during the week. Did I mention yet that I have school on Saturdays? Anyway, I really love getting emails, even if it's just to say hello, so don't hesitate to send me a message.
---
* I love Japan, and I say this in the most affectionate and amused tone possible.
** It's an inside joke.
ETA: Something else random about today. I've been thinking about Heroes (the TV show,) like all freaking day for no apparent reason. Seriously. I'm totally jonesing to watch the whole thing again and maybe actually shove my way through the second season, if I can. Though, it's pretty much impossible from my present position. Anyway, just thought you should know. Yep. Things like that little tidbit are what separate this blog from my monthly emails.
First, she had a music lesson, so I played pokemans for an hour (yay!) while I waited for her. After that, we met up with a friend of hers and went for lunch.
Now, I think I will take a moment to talk about the food I've been eating lately. Most of it has been either familiar or good, and I've tried anything that was offered to me. I've found out that the concept of "ham" seems to be a bit much for Japan*. Either that, or I've suddenly discovered the other breakfast meat**. I am served in the mornings a substance that, while pinkish and definitely protein-based, lacks any further resemblance to ham except it's name of "hamu." I'm not sure whether this is a Japan-wide syptom or an Ihara-specific quirk.
Nevertheless, last night I was quite delighted by dinner, which was spare ribs. Mrs. Ihara made a sauce to go with them that was absolutely divine. I think it was mostly ketchup, but that doesn't make me love it any less. It was just the right amount of sweet and salty, and there were all the yummy browned bits from the bottom of the skillet mixed in. Mmm...
Anyway, today I made another excursion into a restaurant usually frequented by only Japanese patrons in Tokyo.
Now, dear readers, if someone ever tells you that they are going to order a dish that is "not very well known outside of Japan," think twice. There is probably a reason. If they tell you it's called "manja," run for the hills.
Back to my story. We went a little tradition Japanese-style house, and arranged ourselves (kneeling or sitting on the floor) around a table that had a large square hotplate in the center. The first course was a strange sort of savory pancake with cabbage and bacon, garnished with a dark brown sauce, that was actually delicious, though I had trouble breaking it apart with my feeble chopstick skills.
The second course was manja. It was... Really hard to describe. Mixed veggies, more bacon, and fish eggs. I couldn't eat more than a bite. It was really strange, but Emiko and her friend really seemed to enjoy it. It was mostly a loose sauce that was fried, then scooped up with a little metal spoon and pressed against the griddle until brown before being eaten. If that's confusing... Well, it was.
The final course was (I think) called sobayaki. It was noodles and veggies and (yet more) bacon all fried up like chow mein, and was infinitely more palatable.
After the meal, we went out to a big temple that was flooded with tourists. It was strange to suddenly be able to look around and see gaijin faces, redheads, African Americans (or just black people; for all I knew they were from France,) and I found myself offering and receiving private smiles. It was as if we saw each other through the crowd and recognized our kinship as perpetual outsiders. Yes, our glances said, I think this is nuts too.
The walk to the temple was lined with shops, and I got to taste something called anko which is sweet bean paste inside a warm, soft cake. It was freaking delicious. Up at the temple, I took a few pictures, got my hikuji (a fortune like one of those from the machines with with cackling lady, you know?) and went to peer in at a bunch of Buddhist monks who were chanting something. Emiko offered to let me have some money to pray (apparently you have to pay the gods, or something) but I declined. When I said I was Christian, she looked surprised and said she was too.
After that, we went to a little cafe and had shaved ice. It was absolutely wonderful, since it was such a hot a humid day.
That's pretty much everything. Thanks too all of you who've been emailing me with positive comments and encouragement, and I'll try to get off replies to all of you before school starts. After school begins (Sept. 1) I'll probably be too busy to do much more than dash off quick status reports during the week. Did I mention yet that I have school on Saturdays? Anyway, I really love getting emails, even if it's just to say hello, so don't hesitate to send me a message.
---
* I love Japan, and I say this in the most affectionate and amused tone possible.
** It's an inside joke.
ETA: Something else random about today. I've been thinking about Heroes (the TV show,) like all freaking day for no apparent reason. Seriously. I'm totally jonesing to watch the whole thing again and maybe actually shove my way through the second season, if I can. Though, it's pretty much impossible from my present position. Anyway, just thought you should know. Yep. Things like that little tidbit are what separate this blog from my monthly emails.