Summer tastes and autumn views

Since I've skipped all August, I decided I'll do one more post related to summer. More specifically about summer tastes. I might have said before that in Japan many specific flavours of certain products get sold only in specific seasons. Mint chocolate is a summer flavor, while pumpkin and chestnut flavoured sweets are sold in autumn only. Fruit flavoured KitKat is also for the summer, while in spring you can get sakura-cherry (blossom) flavoured ones. That's the system here- I like it and hate it at the same time. It's fun because you get to try new flavours all the time. It sucks, because you can't eat your favourite stuff throughout the year. Plus, if that flavour doesn1t sell well, you won't see it next year. I think seasonality is a food issue everywhere, but in case of sweets the variety is more or less constant, with a new flavours being added from time to time. No flavours disappear  temporarily. Once they disappear it is most likely forever, unfortunately.

So, this summer the two most unusual things we have tried were tomato chocolate and salty watermelon pepsi. The pepsi was forgettable. You can't really taste the salt, which is frequently added to summer drinks here to prevent hyperthermia. Last year we tried the "azuki" bean flavoured pepsi, that was horrible. Compared to that, this one just tasted  like carbonated watermelon juice.

Btw, it has nothing to do with coke. Absolutely nothing.

The other outrageous food we tried was tomato chocolate. It doesn't even sound right. I'm sorry to say this, but in terms of western clothing and food, Japanese people tend to have no sense at all when it comes to mixing flavours or materials/colours/styles. Older generation women who grew up adoring Audrey Hepburn, and were longing for Chanel do have a very good sense of style, these days might be a bit too formal, but very elegant and feminin nevertheless. Most young Japanese adults, however, are following Lady Gaga like futuristic and surreal fashion trends that make them look like homeless beggars, or recently escaped patients of the psychiatric ward, rather than fashionable people. 

Anyway, let's get back to the tomato chocolate, this odd creation of some aspiring employee of a chocolate factory. It's supposed to be healthy...hmmm...if I want to eat healthy, I would rather eat fresh tomatoes I guess... So I don't really get the concept, and let's not even talk about the taste. It's like eating tomato, except the texture is the same as chocolate. The taste doesn't even remind me of chocolate-it's basically hard tomato cream that melts in your mouth...and I don't even like tomatoes. 

No wonder, that after one bite, it all ended up in the trashcan. neither of us could eat it, so we had no other choice but to acknowledge the defeat, loss of about a 100 yen, and get rid of it forever. I mean, Jesus, who would even think of mixing chocolate with tomato?? What's next? Spinach chocolate? Brokkoli pudding with whipped cream? I wonder if the people who created this chocolate have actually tasted it before releasing the product for mass consumption.

My mouth started to taste bad just by bringing up this memory, so let's change the subject. Autumn. Autumn has came, and it brought about some nice changes in the weather. Humidity is no longer making us sweat all day, and the temprature fall a few degrees, so you can feel the coolness of dawn and night. It feels fresh, and it brought a little bit of melancholy that sets in every year, gets worse in winter, just to make spring feel even fresher and happier for us. But I like this melancholy, although I'm officially a summer girl.

The autumn equinox was not long ago. The Japanese celebrate both Autumn and Sring Equinox due to Buddhism. It is called 彼岸 (higan) in Japanese, and the flower that blooms around this time is called 彼岸花　(higanbana). I've never seen this flower before, so I had to look it up on the internet for an English name. It's called hurricane lilies or cluster amaryllis, also known as Lycoris. It's beautiful. For about a week or two, I've seen them blooming on the way to my school. 

This fella frequently walks/flies me from the station to the school and back :) In spring and autumn :)

Mind blowing....

News title on Japan Today, September 19th 2012:

"Man who cooked, served his own genitals sent to prosecutors"

I just don't know what to say. There are a lot of sick, very sick people out there. I remember this news from spring, but still, even now, it's shocking to read the title and comprehend the words.  We can still consider it a good outcome, that he didn't hur anyone else.

Typhoon season

August to October is the thyphoon season. This is nothing new to us, although I haven't really experienced a real typhoon so far, as they usually avoided Osaka. Wakayama prefecture is the one who get's hit the most in the Kansai area. So, far we only had strong winds, and quite heavy rains, but that's all.

Two weeks ago we booked a 3 days trip to Okinawa. Starting this Sunday. I decided beforehand that on Wednesday I'm going to stop worrying about a typhoon coming. If there will be  no typhoon in the area by Tuesday, it should be safe (it always takes about a week for a typhoon to reach Japan).  Well, I was wrong. And the Japanese people, who reassured me, too.

Wednesday, at my part time job, I mentioned my travel plans to one of my students, and she said: "Oh, but a typhoon is coming. I've just heard it on the news. And it's heading right to Okinawa." What other reaction could I have than a big "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!"-in my head, and an audible "Really? Are you sure?" -still hoping that she was listening to the news in English and had misunderstood something.

Unfortunately she was right. We are sitting in our room, packed, with a brand new camera, and playing russian roulette with the weather. If our flight is cancelled by the airline, we get back all the money. No problem. But what if our flight can still take off and land safely? The typhoon is going to reach Okinawa Sunday evening according to the current forecast. But what's the fun in staying at the hotel for 2-3 days? You can't really even go outside! No marine sports, no sunbathing on the sandy beaches. What kind of holiday is that? In that case I'd like to cancel it the day before, and go somewhere nearby instead. But if we cancel last day, 40% of the money we paid will be taken as a cancellation fee. My boyfriend thinks that would be a waste of money, so he still wants to go. But I don't want to sit in the hotel room for days. That sucks. Even if we can go out ( our plan includes rental car), it's dangerous to drive in the rain. Plus, it's no fun. Who likes sightseeing in the rain? Sorry guys, I ain't no Frank Sinatra...can't even sing, rain or not, so please pray for the typhoon to take a right turn and disappear somewhere over the ocean. Thanks. 

I'M BAAAAAACK!

My Dear Readers,

Sorry for the long silence. I took a month summer vacation to go back home and relax a bit.

I had an amazing time, but I won't go into details since this blog is supposed to be about Japan.

So, you can start looking forward to my next post.

1000 Views

JUST A BIG THANK YOU GUYS for more than 1000 VIEWS!!

Kalocsa fever in my high school

In the beginning of the school year the home economics teachers approached me, and asked me to teach a few home economics lessons later this year in English, and teach my students how to make Hungarian food.  I was very happy that they want to integrate me more into the curriculum, and give me an opportunity to teach something other than the usual English grammar lessons. The English teachers let me plan my own lessons, but they usually give me grammar points to focus on, and certain grammar points you just can't make into a fun lesson, although I try my best every time.

Then, later in spring I wore my embroidered self decorated denim jacket to school, and one of the home economics teachers saw it. Oh my God was she all over me about it. What is it? How did I make it? How long did it take? Was it difficult? etc...I like wearing unique clothes and accessories, but I never thought this one would get so much attention. Maybe you remember the jacket I posted pics about it last autumn. I post them again just in case.

Kalocsa (pronounce it as kalocha) style flowers.

Anyway, she asked me to teach the embroidery to the home economics club next month, so at the cultural festival they can sell bags from the 100 yen store with embroidery they put on them. I found it was a great idea, so I immediately agreed. My English club members heard about the idea, and when they saw the pictures of the Kalocsa and Matyó style embroideries I printed out, they decided to join the home economics club learning how to do it, and we are going to make coasters that we will sell with cookies and drinks at the cultural festival in September.

A table cloth I'm working at right now.

I'm just so happy it turned out this way. Finally, I feel I can contribute to the students education in a way that no other NET and no native English speaker ever could. Finally, I feel I'm irreplaceable, and I can be proud of who I am, where I'm from. That's very important to me after being treated as a second class gaijin for years. I'm even thinking about doing this kind of embroidery as a profession if I ever quit teaching...which won't happen in the near future, as I really enjoy teaching right now. 

The first year in this school was difficult, but now I know which teachers I can trust, which ones I should avoid, and the students have become more friendly. After being scolded by a few teachers in the year opening ceremony for not greeting the teachers, they finally do say "hello" or "good morning" when we meet.

I'm quite comfortable now. I only wish I wouldn't have to get up at 6:30 in the morning to go to work.

Sorry for the spalling and punctuation mistakes. It's quite late, and I'm feeling crappy all day with low blood pressure and headaches, ever since rainy season set in. 

Souvenir shopping trip in Kyoto

Every time I go home, I travel to Kyoto to buy souvenirs. For family, for friends, for unavoidable to meet relatives, neighbors etc. The best place to get good stuff is Kyoto, since people back home kinda expect to get Japanese style stuff. They never believe me when I say, that actually, buying European or American style things here is much easier, because that is what sells here. Traditional Japanese souvenirs sell only among tourists. Anyway, best place to go in Kinki area is Sanjo Teramachi, only five minutes walk from Keihan Sanjo station. A bunch of covered streets full of stores selling food, clothes, and lots of souvenirs, and handmade Japanese products. So, that's where I went. 

Kamogawa River near Sanjo station

A cormorant...maybe.

This building is a Starbucks. I just love the whole atmosphere of this place.

Oh, Dear Kamogawa...how many hours we spent on your banks with friends talking about LIFE after school ends, about love life troubles and family secrets, about hopes and dreams. Ashley I miss you sooooooo much dear!

Sorry for the emotional breakout (^_^;).   Too many fond memories from my one year as an exchange student here...Kyoto was THE Place to go at the time.

Let's get back to shopping. First I found this little candy store that sells traditional candies in all flavours, including green tea (that I refrain from buying), in lovely boxes and wraps. Look!

Candy store. They even gave me some candies as a present...already ate them...

Look how beautifully shaped these jelly things are (525 yen a box), and those round little packs are so cute, and they were only 250 yen each!

On the way to the covered shopping street you can find Meidi-ya. This is a really good imported food store, but it's a bit expensive. This is the only imported food store I found that sells Tokaji Aszú, a very famous brand of Hungarian wine. (^^).

Finally I reached the covered shopping street area. They have a lovely cake shop here too. Have eaten there a couple of times. Beside the small souvenir and food stores you can even find shops selling alternative clothing for visual kei fans. Used to love these kind of stores...I think I still have the skirt with coffins printed on, and chains attached to it, that I wore to an Antic Cafe live, and the checked pleated skirt I wore to Charlotte's live...R.I.P. Kazuno. 

Finally, arrived  ( ^ ^ )

Yummiiieeeee

That strawberry mousse cake and the walnut cake in the back looked really tempting....OMG!

VK clothing

This was a rather interesting shop window....I wonder what message they were trying to convey.

I got a few packs of cookies, some of them with a geisha's portrait on them, some with kimono sporting Hello Kitty, some with pictures of Kyoto's famous sightseeing spots on them, and some traditional crackers with cinnamon and banana flavour. And a few other gifts, like 3D picture covered nootebooks, a small hand towel, plum tea, and some pottery I won't show here, because the person who 'll get it is reading this blog from time to time  (^_^).

Cheap but stylish presents.

My favourite is the notebook with the 3D pic on it.

There are plenty of other presents I already bought, I just shared the more traditional Japanese style ones with you. Hope you enjoyed reading.