Sweets Paradise
Here I am in Nara…trying to take my biscuit back from a wandering deer at “Deer Park”. The deer in Nara are so typically Japanese; they bow before taking your biscuit. If you bow, they bow and then you have to give them a biscuit. The biscuits taste like oatmeal cookies without sugar and flour. So maybe not actually a cookie…
I was on a school trip a few weeks ago to Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. We did not have a Spring Break at Temple University but we did get a rare 4-day weekend. I thought Kyoto’s shrines were beautiful but the city as a whole was too touristy. Osaka was absolutely amazing! Everyone was so kind! It has the cool city feel of Tokyo but the relatively small population of Kyoto. And everything there was so cheap! I did not realize how expensive Tokyo was until I ventured to other cities in Japan. It was shocking when I paid for dinner. A huge meal for four people was the price I normally paid for one person in Tokyo! Surely the waiters had made a mistake.
My host parents said that a lot of Tokyo-ites want to go to Kyoto for vacation but I think Tokyo is the best city in Japan. My host father said that it was only because I had a home in Tokyo, which is quite true.
My hometown, Machida is really far away from school but I prefer it to central Tokyo. I can jog on the weekends without cars blaring and businessmen running around. I know some of the neighbors and I can enjoy good tea and cake in a small shop without people streaming in constantly. Of course, if I need some noise and activity, I take a 20-minute bus ride to Machida center. Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, you name it and Machida Center has it. I love Machida Center because it is newer and cleaner than hotspots like Shibuya and Shinjuku (both of which are visited by literally millions of people a day). Two weeks ago, there was a Sweets Festival and “Famous Foods in Japan” Festival, both of which were amazing. So, I feel quite lucky to have been selected to live with my family in Machida.
My host family is without a doubt, the best one. They are not obligated to, but they take me out every weekend. We go grocery shopping, visit parks, museums, and watch “Lost” together every weekend. Since the Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) season started, we have been out every weekend in parks.
Cherry blossoms line the streets in my hometown. I can't possibly capture how beautiful it is. And when the wind blows, the petals fall like snow. Sakura blossoms bloom and in about a week, they die. My host father says the lesson of the cherry blossom is that "Life is short." So...I am going to enjoy it as much as possible. Which means I will eat as much as possible.
Me and my host father...eating fish on a stick, a popular festival and camping food. Trust me, it's good.
I thought this was funny...my bite.
Yesterday, we were at one of Tokyo’s Top 100 places to visit; a park conveniently located in Machida. It was beautiful! We had a picnic and then strolled around the enormous park. When we came home, Misato-san (my host mother) started preparing our birthday dinner. Ah, I forgot to tell you that my host mother’s birthday is on the 13th and mine is the 16th. So, naturally we had a dual birthday party. My host mother made my favorite, eel over rice. I love eel! I have not had it in a very long time so my host mother surprised me with it. Afterwards, we had cake with Earl Grey (which I am loving in Japan…I normally drink green or oolong tea. Earl grey is black tea for those of you who don’t know). To top it off…chocolate cake with strawberries. Normally, Japanese people have white shortcake with strawberries for birthdays but because I am such a chocoholic, my host family bought a chocolate cake. As a birthday present, Aina (my 2-year old host sister) bought me a notebook, pencil, and bookmarks with her favorite cartoon characters. My host parents bought me a beautiful lacquered accessory box. I have wanted one for ages, ever since they took me to the museum exhibit in Roppongi that showed famous export lacquerware. It is difficult to make (because the sap is poisonous) so it is actually quite expensive. I was waiting to purchase it so I was really happy to open my box and discover it inside. I wasn’t expecting anything so wonderful. Seriously, I considered the eel a present enough. The chocolate cake and presents really got me wired. I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited about the whole day. How can I leave now?
Birthday dinner...eel. :)
Me, host sister, and mother blowing candles
My gift. A lacquer accessory box.
There is so much to do (and eat) in Tokyo. I have yet to visit all the patisseries I have heard about. I went to a place with my friends in Ginza called “Sweets Paradise” on Saturday. It was a buffet…with cakes. All the cake you can eat in 90 minutes. I was overwhelmed by the beautiful cakes and ice cream and wagashi (Japanese sweets). There was even normal food like pasta and sandwiches and even curry. I had two pasta plates and 3 plates piled with beautiful cakes. And of course tea followed. There were like 20 flavors. I did not know what to do so I made 4 cups and tried different teas with my cakes. I was afraid my heart would burst from all the excitement.
My third plate at "Sweets Paradise..."
My dear roommate pointed out that my blogs are always about food. I reread some and am now giving her credit for her keen observation. It did not start in Tokyo though. It really started ages ago (with my picture of the Won-ton Soup, please refer to my January 2008 blogs). It is ending soon though. A little under 2 weeks. I am currently making a list of patisseries I have to go to before I leave. When I finish...I promise to post all the pictures. Wish me luck!
After eating at Sweets Paradise...my friends and I took a 3 hour walk. Surely it helped...Here we are in front of the Imperial Palace.
