Now that Golden Week has come to an end I can only come to one conclusion: Japan must be one of the most beautiful and impressive countries I have ever travelled in. In just one week I have seen everything from snow-capped mountains and forests with Macaque monkeys to surf beaches and picturesque wooden houses and bridges. I have several hundreds of photographs to organize and will probably write a lengthy travel story in time, but here I will focus on the highlights of our trip.
Together with 3 other JPP students I spent the first leg of our Golden Week vacation in Takayama. This village in the Japanese Alps was praised by my colleagues as a connoisseur’s choice. They were right- it was great. We slept in a former temple turned into a youth hostel, but still with its characteristic features intact. There’s nothing like the feeling of bare feet on clean tatami mats after a long day of walking! The town itself was equally picturesque. With its wooden houses, narrow streets, traditional restaurants, morning market and countless rickshaws Takayama seemed almost untouched by modern times. Even more so was the secluded mountain town of Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its Gasshozukuri style houses. Walking around the green village in the blazing hot sun it was difficult to imagine that from November to April, this town is covered in several metres of snow, making it as isolated as Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country.
We did manage to see some snow during our trip when we went hiking at Kamikochi. This area is famous for its natural beauty- and rightly so. With the snowy mountains in the background, our hike past the river was amazing. Large chunks of snow lined the road, Macaque monkeys were foraging in the woods and the walk through the Takazawa marsh (walking on elevated wooden walkways) was very atmospheric. All in all, this was yet another great hiking experience in Japan- unbelievable how such a densely populated country can have so many areas of exceptional natural beauty. And the greatest thing about enjoying nature in Japan is that you can soak in an onsen afterwards, even if the water is so sulphuric you have to wash your hair twice to make sure it doesn’t smell afterwards.
The second part of our holiday was spent on laid-back Izu-Hanto, as we wanted to include some relaxation in our holiday as well. At the coastal village of Shimoda we relaxed on the beach and explored the exciting nightlife of the town (aka the Cheshire Cat Jazz Club, which was very cosy albeit a bit quiet). As this was also the landing place of the famous Black Ships, we decided to go and visit the Shimoda Historical Museum as well, which featured a large exhibition on Perry and Harris, especially on the latter’s maid Saito Kichi, whose tragic life story has been the subject of many books and plays. The exhibition also included a fairly large section on Harris’ Dutch interpreter Henry Heusken, who was assassinated a few years after their arrival in Japan. It was interesting to see how the Americans used several interpreters working in Dutch as well as Chinese to communicate with the Japanese.
The last stops on our journey, Matsuzaki, Dogashima and Shuzenji, are less historically important but were still nice. Highlights included joining the locals to pick flowers in the fields surrounding our gorgeous wafu youth hostel in Matsuzaki, taking a boat tour round the cliffs at Dogashima where I saw my first flying fish ever, soaking in a tiny cliff-top onsen with an amazing view, taking a stroll through the very picturesque village of Shuzenji and drinking matcha in the sunny garden of a small teahouse in the hills overlooking the town. I must say, the traditional red bridges and bamboo grove at Shuzenji were exactly what I imagined Japan to look like when I was a kid.
All in all this holiday was just what I needed and it has inspired me to plan more trips for our last months in Japan. I can’t wait to go out and travel through this country again.
Posts tonen met het label snow. Alle posts tonen
Posts tonen met het label snow. Alle posts tonen
vrijdag 9 mei 2008
woensdag 12 maart 2008
VI. Kansai
Checking out of the Asia Kaikan at 5.45 in the morning, I had a feeling that our trip to the Kansai region was going to be more than just a relaxing outing. I was right; although the trip lasted only five days, we experienced so much it feels like we’ve been away longer. Maybe we’re turning Japanese a bit, cramming so much sightseeing in such a short period and taking way too many pictures. However, I believe we all had a great time and got a good impression of the Kansai-region. Also, this trip was a great way to get together as a group for one last time before we would be separated.
Our guide Watanabe-san, although quite small compared to us Dutch people, was very much in charge and guided us firmly but gently from the Shinkansen into the tour bus, and then to temple after temple, all the while telling us about Kyoto’s history, its people and its peculiarities. At first I tried speaking Japanese with her but as all of us found her English to be incredibly good, we gave in and just spoke English with her. Of the sights we visited on our first afternoon in Kyoto, I liked Ryoan-ji’s rock garden best, although it was lacking in serenity because of the tourist crowd. I also enjoyed visiting the Kinkaku-ji complex, although up close the golden pavillion was slightly kitsch. Perhaps I should read Mishima’s novel about it.
Luckily we did find some serenity and authenticity at our mountain retreat at Hiei-zan. The view from our room was just amazing: a steep slope, going down endlessly, covered with fir trees under a thick blanket of snow. Equally wonderful was the communal bath: big, hot, with a view of the mountain. At night, we had dinner together in our yukata, enjoying a Buddhist meal that, although some of it tasted strange, at least looked gorgeous. That night was my first night in a wa-shiki room, sleeping on a futon. It was surprisingly comfortable and I loved lounging around on the tatami. Getting up the next morning at a ridiculously early hour was hard at first, but after another hot bath, the early morning’s zazen meditation and a brisk walk outside through the snow, I felt like a different person. I was glad I’d brought my walking boots so I could actually explore the area and visit some of Hiei-zan’s temples, as the snow was very thick on the ground. Also, thanks to Watanabe-san, I discovered the genius that is the heat patch. What a terrific invention! You just stick one on your shirt, wait a couple of minutes, and voilà, you stay warm, even though you’re up to your ankles in snow.
We definitely needed those heat packs during the next days in Kyoto. Although it was warmer than up on the mountain, the wind was cold in the city. But this didn’t stop us from using our first free afternoon to walk around in Higashiyama and Gion, looking for geisha’s. We didn’t spot any, unfortunately, although we did keep bumping into other JPP students. To compensate, we decided that if we weren’t going to meet any geisha, we should perhaps dress up like one. Giggling in the photo studio at Toei Uzumasa Movie Village, first dismissing it as a tourist trap, none of us could resist temptation once we saw our fellow JPP-students dressing up as samurai and geisha. Having my “authentic” Japanese portrait taken was hilarious, especially since I had to twist and turn in strange ways until I stood in the correct pose for the picture. A nice way to loosen up the muscles for the mock-sword fighting lessons that followed. It was very amusing to learn some Samurai-flick moves and appropriate grunts, but I am not sure I can take out an attacker when necessary, especially since I usually don’t carry a wooden sword…
Although I loved the temples we visited at Arashiyama and thought the bamboo grove quite impressive, I was happy to leave Kyoto’s picture-perfect Japan for a day and enjoy the bustle of business-city Osaka on Tuesday. I took an immediate liking to it and although I’ve only seen a small part of the city, I definitely want to go back to explore it a little further. I had thought about returning to Osaka the next day but decided against it. Instead, I spent a day exploring Kyoto by bike, together with four other JPP students. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. The weather was mostly sunny, the bikes were sturdy and our route took us right through the city. We first cycled from the hotel to Toji temple, to view the largest pagoda in Japan. It was interesting, but our next stop, Fushimi-inari taisha was much more impressive. Our route took us through a beautiful neighbourhood with temples at every corner and spacious traditional houses in between. Fushimi-inari taisha itself, famous of course for its endless row of tori’s, was incredibly atmospheric. Walking under this red-wood canopy in the middle of the forest felt like walking through a National Geographic photo shoot: too gorgeous to be true. The same can be said of the sunset at Kyomizu-dera. We had timed our arrival at the end of the day and although the view was a little hazy, it was great to look over Kyoto at sunset. This cycling tour helped me to really appreciate Kyoto. On the first day, racing from highlight to highlight, I felt no connection whatsoever with this famous city. Cycling through it at a much more leisurely pace, I got a very good impression of the town’s lay-out and feel- I definitely want to go back to Kyoto when it’s warmer. Another reason to go back there are yatsuhashi, Kyoto’s local delicacy. These warm black-sesame sweets were too good to be true, especially after a day of cycling through the cold.
And then, finally, Nara. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, I had been to Kamakura already to visit its famous Buddha statue. Now, standing in Todai-ji, gazing up at Nara’s slightly bigger and slightly more famous Buddha, I couldn’t help but liking Kamakura’s Buddha better. I think it’s more impressive, as it is sitting in the open air and you can walk around it more easily. Nevertheless it was great to be in Nara and view so many temples. My favourite has to be Nigatsu-do, as it is beautifully situated, has a great view and as there are less tourists than at other temples. Although Horyu-ji also deserves a mention, as it is incredible to see wooden buildings that actually date from the 7th century and are still intact.
All in all, our trip to the Kansai region was, of course, way too short- but this is a good sign. I had a great time and am definitely going to visit Kyoto again before I leave Japan. In the meantime, I will enjoy the photos and share anecdotes with my colleagues: they’re often amazed to hear that, being in Japan for just over two months, I have travelled quite a bit already. It’s a good start as it shows I’m interested in Japan, its history and its culture. Traveling as a networking tool… Who would’ve thought?
Our guide Watanabe-san, although quite small compared to us Dutch people, was very much in charge and guided us firmly but gently from the Shinkansen into the tour bus, and then to temple after temple, all the while telling us about Kyoto’s history, its people and its peculiarities. At first I tried speaking Japanese with her but as all of us found her English to be incredibly good, we gave in and just spoke English with her. Of the sights we visited on our first afternoon in Kyoto, I liked Ryoan-ji’s rock garden best, although it was lacking in serenity because of the tourist crowd. I also enjoyed visiting the Kinkaku-ji complex, although up close the golden pavillion was slightly kitsch. Perhaps I should read Mishima’s novel about it.
Luckily we did find some serenity and authenticity at our mountain retreat at Hiei-zan. The view from our room was just amazing: a steep slope, going down endlessly, covered with fir trees under a thick blanket of snow. Equally wonderful was the communal bath: big, hot, with a view of the mountain. At night, we had dinner together in our yukata, enjoying a Buddhist meal that, although some of it tasted strange, at least looked gorgeous. That night was my first night in a wa-shiki room, sleeping on a futon. It was surprisingly comfortable and I loved lounging around on the tatami. Getting up the next morning at a ridiculously early hour was hard at first, but after another hot bath, the early morning’s zazen meditation and a brisk walk outside through the snow, I felt like a different person. I was glad I’d brought my walking boots so I could actually explore the area and visit some of Hiei-zan’s temples, as the snow was very thick on the ground. Also, thanks to Watanabe-san, I discovered the genius that is the heat patch. What a terrific invention! You just stick one on your shirt, wait a couple of minutes, and voilà, you stay warm, even though you’re up to your ankles in snow.
We definitely needed those heat packs during the next days in Kyoto. Although it was warmer than up on the mountain, the wind was cold in the city. But this didn’t stop us from using our first free afternoon to walk around in Higashiyama and Gion, looking for geisha’s. We didn’t spot any, unfortunately, although we did keep bumping into other JPP students. To compensate, we decided that if we weren’t going to meet any geisha, we should perhaps dress up like one. Giggling in the photo studio at Toei Uzumasa Movie Village, first dismissing it as a tourist trap, none of us could resist temptation once we saw our fellow JPP-students dressing up as samurai and geisha. Having my “authentic” Japanese portrait taken was hilarious, especially since I had to twist and turn in strange ways until I stood in the correct pose for the picture. A nice way to loosen up the muscles for the mock-sword fighting lessons that followed. It was very amusing to learn some Samurai-flick moves and appropriate grunts, but I am not sure I can take out an attacker when necessary, especially since I usually don’t carry a wooden sword…
Although I loved the temples we visited at Arashiyama and thought the bamboo grove quite impressive, I was happy to leave Kyoto’s picture-perfect Japan for a day and enjoy the bustle of business-city Osaka on Tuesday. I took an immediate liking to it and although I’ve only seen a small part of the city, I definitely want to go back to explore it a little further. I had thought about returning to Osaka the next day but decided against it. Instead, I spent a day exploring Kyoto by bike, together with four other JPP students. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. The weather was mostly sunny, the bikes were sturdy and our route took us right through the city. We first cycled from the hotel to Toji temple, to view the largest pagoda in Japan. It was interesting, but our next stop, Fushimi-inari taisha was much more impressive. Our route took us through a beautiful neighbourhood with temples at every corner and spacious traditional houses in between. Fushimi-inari taisha itself, famous of course for its endless row of tori’s, was incredibly atmospheric. Walking under this red-wood canopy in the middle of the forest felt like walking through a National Geographic photo shoot: too gorgeous to be true. The same can be said of the sunset at Kyomizu-dera. We had timed our arrival at the end of the day and although the view was a little hazy, it was great to look over Kyoto at sunset. This cycling tour helped me to really appreciate Kyoto. On the first day, racing from highlight to highlight, I felt no connection whatsoever with this famous city. Cycling through it at a much more leisurely pace, I got a very good impression of the town’s lay-out and feel- I definitely want to go back to Kyoto when it’s warmer. Another reason to go back there are yatsuhashi, Kyoto’s local delicacy. These warm black-sesame sweets were too good to be true, especially after a day of cycling through the cold.
And then, finally, Nara. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, I had been to Kamakura already to visit its famous Buddha statue. Now, standing in Todai-ji, gazing up at Nara’s slightly bigger and slightly more famous Buddha, I couldn’t help but liking Kamakura’s Buddha better. I think it’s more impressive, as it is sitting in the open air and you can walk around it more easily. Nevertheless it was great to be in Nara and view so many temples. My favourite has to be Nigatsu-do, as it is beautifully situated, has a great view and as there are less tourists than at other temples. Although Horyu-ji also deserves a mention, as it is incredible to see wooden buildings that actually date from the 7th century and are still intact.
All in all, our trip to the Kansai region was, of course, way too short- but this is a good sign. I had a great time and am definitely going to visit Kyoto again before I leave Japan. In the meantime, I will enjoy the photos and share anecdotes with my colleagues: they’re often amazed to hear that, being in Japan for just over two months, I have travelled quite a bit already. It’s a good start as it shows I’m interested in Japan, its history and its culture. Traveling as a networking tool… Who would’ve thought?
woensdag 20 februari 2008
IV. Countryside
Week 5 in Tokyo went by so fast that I didn’t have time to reflect, let alone write on, all the things I did. Luckily I have the photos to go by. This week was the first time I ventured outside of Tokyo (not counting my foray into the Kichijoji suburbs). On Saturday, I went to meet an Australian friend who has been living in Tokyo for over a year now, and a German friend who stopped by on her round-the-world travels. We went to Yokohama for the day, which was great fun. As it was just days after the beginning of the Chinese New Year, we decided to go to Yokohama’s Chinatown. Unfortunately we didn’t come across any celebrations, but we did visit several beautifully decorated temples and sampled all kinds of Chinese dishes in an all-you-can-eat restaurant. I have had Beijing Duck before, but never just its skin. What can I say… at least it was served in a nice sauce. Other highlights included the giant prawns and the mochi filled with azuki paste. The rice cakes were covered in sesame, and hot! Which is the best way to eat them, as it keeps the azuki filling from being too overpowering. After enjoying Chinatown’s many attractions (including a shop stuffed with panda bears and Hello Kitty), we went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building near Shinjuku to enjoy the alledgedly amazing view. Allegedly, because when we got up there, it had started snowing. As the world down below turned into a fairytale-like scene with lights in the trees adding to the effect, the tower itself was surrounded by a thick white fog. Luckily, there were several amazing toy/gadget shops on the top floor of the building, stocking everything from tap dancing Disney dolls to electronic pets and musical piggy banks.
The next day, I went to study in Kanda, around Jimbocho, where the area is filled with second-hand book shops. One of them also had an entire floor devoted to English-language publications, from obscure books on gentleman’s fashion or Britain’s gardens to well-thumbed editions of Catcher in the Rye and the Graduate. I spent some time browsing through books in the shop, which was clearly modelled after British second-hand booksellers’shops –including heavy dark-wood book cases reaching up to the ceiling. This is an area many students frequent as well, and so I ended up memorizing my kanji surrounded by Japanese students at a nearby Starbucks, where I sat at a library-style reading table, complete with desk lamp. That night, I had my interview with Yanagisawa-san about the practicalites of my internship. There was a lot to discuss, but so far everything looks good. I’m really looking forward to working at Hitachi, and quite curious about what life in a Japanese company dorm will be like.
As this was a long weekend, I boarded an outbound train once more early Monday morning. With a couple of other JPP students, I went on a daytrip to snow-covered Nikko. Arriving at Nikko after the two hour train ride was simply amazing. The sky was a bright blue, the snow lay thick around the area, and behind the Chalet-style JR station we could see a nearby mountain range. As we had only one day, we decided to forgo the waterfalls and focus on the Tosho-gu complex instead. Walking up from the station we first passed the Shin-kyo bridge, which, with its red-laquered wooden structure and the mountains in the background, very much looked like the mental image I had of Japan before coming to Tokyo. The temple complex itself was equally wonderful: the elaborately decorated roofs were covered in thick snow blankets, and the setting in the middle of the woods added to the atmosphere. There were quite a lot of tourists, but not as many as we had feared beforehand. Of course, after visiting the temples, we climbed up the two hundred steps to Tokugawa Ieyasu’s tomb. It was surprisingly sober compared to the temples below, but the light coming through the trees in the grove was simply amazing. Having spent the best part of the day temple-viewing, we were chilled to the bone by the time we went back down into the village. We had dinner at a quaint little restaurant- which later turned out to be listed in all major travel guides. It was run by an elderly woman who turned out to be a great cook, and the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with visitors’ thank-you notes, drawings and meishi. The food was quite simple (yakitori, tsukune, soba) but the taste was amazing.
All in all, Tokyo still is an amazing city of which, despite my best efforts, I’ve only seen a tiny portion. Yet it was a terrific idea to leave the city for a change. Living in a cosmopolitan city like Tokyo, sometimes it seems like I’m not living in Japan at all, what with all the Western-style clothes, food and shops. The fresh air, the change of scenery and the historically interesting sights of Nikko have really done a world of good and made me very curious about what the rest of Japan might look like. I can’t wait to venture outside of Tokyo again.
The next day, I went to study in Kanda, around Jimbocho, where the area is filled with second-hand book shops. One of them also had an entire floor devoted to English-language publications, from obscure books on gentleman’s fashion or Britain’s gardens to well-thumbed editions of Catcher in the Rye and the Graduate. I spent some time browsing through books in the shop, which was clearly modelled after British second-hand booksellers’shops –including heavy dark-wood book cases reaching up to the ceiling. This is an area many students frequent as well, and so I ended up memorizing my kanji surrounded by Japanese students at a nearby Starbucks, where I sat at a library-style reading table, complete with desk lamp. That night, I had my interview with Yanagisawa-san about the practicalites of my internship. There was a lot to discuss, but so far everything looks good. I’m really looking forward to working at Hitachi, and quite curious about what life in a Japanese company dorm will be like.
As this was a long weekend, I boarded an outbound train once more early Monday morning. With a couple of other JPP students, I went on a daytrip to snow-covered Nikko. Arriving at Nikko after the two hour train ride was simply amazing. The sky was a bright blue, the snow lay thick around the area, and behind the Chalet-style JR station we could see a nearby mountain range. As we had only one day, we decided to forgo the waterfalls and focus on the Tosho-gu complex instead. Walking up from the station we first passed the Shin-kyo bridge, which, with its red-laquered wooden structure and the mountains in the background, very much looked like the mental image I had of Japan before coming to Tokyo. The temple complex itself was equally wonderful: the elaborately decorated roofs were covered in thick snow blankets, and the setting in the middle of the woods added to the atmosphere. There were quite a lot of tourists, but not as many as we had feared beforehand. Of course, after visiting the temples, we climbed up the two hundred steps to Tokugawa Ieyasu’s tomb. It was surprisingly sober compared to the temples below, but the light coming through the trees in the grove was simply amazing. Having spent the best part of the day temple-viewing, we were chilled to the bone by the time we went back down into the village. We had dinner at a quaint little restaurant- which later turned out to be listed in all major travel guides. It was run by an elderly woman who turned out to be a great cook, and the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with visitors’ thank-you notes, drawings and meishi. The food was quite simple (yakitori, tsukune, soba) but the taste was amazing.
All in all, Tokyo still is an amazing city of which, despite my best efforts, I’ve only seen a tiny portion. Yet it was a terrific idea to leave the city for a change. Living in a cosmopolitan city like Tokyo, sometimes it seems like I’m not living in Japan at all, what with all the Western-style clothes, food and shops. The fresh air, the change of scenery and the historically interesting sights of Nikko have really done a world of good and made me very curious about what the rest of Japan might look like. I can’t wait to venture outside of Tokyo again.
III. Settling in
It is strange to think that I’ve now been living in Tokyo for a month. The days are still passing way too fast, but the settling in has begun. I’ve now built up a routine of studying, shopping, going out for dinner, and I don’t need a map anymore to find my way around the JNI/Ginza area. As I usually prefer to go out and study in a café rather than staying in my Ajia Kaikan room, I try to combine exploring new parts of Tokyo with making my homework- until now it works out rather nicely. I am also busy looking for a choir in Tokyo. At first I wanted to join a university choir in order to meet some Japanese people as well, but as these choirs appear to be performing at a high level I don’t think they accept members for shorter periods of time (at least, the choirs I used to be in generally didn’t). So now I have sent an e-mail to the Tokyo International Singers, a choir which is at least partly Japanese. I hope to hear from them soon.
Apart from settling in in Tokyo life, I am also getting used to the way lessons are structured. At first I didn’t always know how to prepare or what was expected of me during tests, but now I am getting the hang of it. All in all, the language studies are coming along well. I am a big fan of the red 3kyu grammar book. I wish we had received it earlier on in Leiden! With its concise and clear explanations, examples, overviews and useful exercizes, it has become my Bunpo Bible. I use it all the time. I am also quite enthusiastic about the JETRO text book. I know that some of the other JPP students might disagree, but for me, learning business terms and practicing dialogues (making a business phone call, introduce oneself properly etc.) are very useful. Those newly learned words also come in handy during company visits, such as today’s visit to Canon. I am, by the way, quite a fan of these company visits. They are generally fun and they break up the week nicely, so that each Thursday I come to the language lessons with renewed enthusiasm.
During the weekends, I try to relax and catch up on my sleep, but of course I also want to see and experience as much of the city as I can. Each weekend comes with its own adventures. Last weekend, for example, almost all of us JPP students went to sushi-chef Suzuki-san’s restaurant, where he had prepared a huge multiple-course meal. It included salads, roast beef, Dutch cheese (!) and of course sushi and sashimi. But the most important course of the evening was the tuna head steak. It was brought in on a huge platter, and although cooked, still very much looked like what it was: a fish head. Including the eye. As he scooped up generous bowls, Suzuki-san explained that this was a special dish one rarely finds in restaurants. We now know why. The fish itself is quite tasty, but the texture of skin and eye ball sent shivers down our spine. Of course, since Suzuki-san was so proud of this dish, we felt obliged to help ourselves to seconds. Luckily our bravery was rewarded with very good sushi indeed.
On Sunday, we had snow. I decided I had to go out and experience Tokyo dressed in white. Together with Vivian I went to the Imperial Palace Gardens. It was cold, it was wet, but it was gorgeous as well. We took lots of pictures and almost had a snow fight, if only it hadn’t been snowing so hard… Maybe next time.
Apart from settling in in Tokyo life, I am also getting used to the way lessons are structured. At first I didn’t always know how to prepare or what was expected of me during tests, but now I am getting the hang of it. All in all, the language studies are coming along well. I am a big fan of the red 3kyu grammar book. I wish we had received it earlier on in Leiden! With its concise and clear explanations, examples, overviews and useful exercizes, it has become my Bunpo Bible. I use it all the time. I am also quite enthusiastic about the JETRO text book. I know that some of the other JPP students might disagree, but for me, learning business terms and practicing dialogues (making a business phone call, introduce oneself properly etc.) are very useful. Those newly learned words also come in handy during company visits, such as today’s visit to Canon. I am, by the way, quite a fan of these company visits. They are generally fun and they break up the week nicely, so that each Thursday I come to the language lessons with renewed enthusiasm.
During the weekends, I try to relax and catch up on my sleep, but of course I also want to see and experience as much of the city as I can. Each weekend comes with its own adventures. Last weekend, for example, almost all of us JPP students went to sushi-chef Suzuki-san’s restaurant, where he had prepared a huge multiple-course meal. It included salads, roast beef, Dutch cheese (!) and of course sushi and sashimi. But the most important course of the evening was the tuna head steak. It was brought in on a huge platter, and although cooked, still very much looked like what it was: a fish head. Including the eye. As he scooped up generous bowls, Suzuki-san explained that this was a special dish one rarely finds in restaurants. We now know why. The fish itself is quite tasty, but the texture of skin and eye ball sent shivers down our spine. Of course, since Suzuki-san was so proud of this dish, we felt obliged to help ourselves to seconds. Luckily our bravery was rewarded with very good sushi indeed.
On Sunday, we had snow. I decided I had to go out and experience Tokyo dressed in white. Together with Vivian I went to the Imperial Palace Gardens. It was cold, it was wet, but it was gorgeous as well. We took lots of pictures and almost had a snow fight, if only it hadn’t been snowing so hard… Maybe next time.
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