Posted on March 22nd, 2008 by admin
Stuart who previously lived in tokyo, came back for a visit.(I met the others through the Japan Australia Uni Club).First, we started out at the Dubliner’s Irish Pub in Shinjuku.
Afterwards, we went to Shinjuku’s Shomben Yokocho (Piss Alley) — always a favouritefor hole-in-the walls/rundown restaurants and food stalls featuring yakitori (BBQ chicken skewers), intestines, and drinking.
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Filed under: Japan, Personal
Posted on January 20th, 2008 by admin
My wife’s coworker who came to Tokyo to help out with a project has sent us a loaf of fruit-cake like bread. I think Mr. Nutcracker was very pleased to see it!danke schön - Mr. Nussknacker
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal
Posted on January 19th, 2008 by admin
My wife, Mr. Nutcracker and I had a craving for Korean BBQ and Makori (Korean-style sake). One of our favourite places is called Jijimi which is located in JR Hirai station.
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal, Taste of Asia
Posted on January 13th, 2008 by admin
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Each year, my wife and I try to host a shin-nenkai which is basically a party to celebrate the New Year. We also like to share a bit of food culture from her hometown, and so this year, we prepared a Kiritanpo Nabe (hot pot) amongst other things. Kiritanpo is basically smashed rice that is shaped into paper-towel rolls. It’s roasted and then cut up and put into a specially prepared soup. |
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal, Taste of Asia
Posted on January 7th, 2008 by admin
About a week prior to Christmas 2007, Ikumi and I attended a friend’s Christmas party. During this party, we participated in a gift exchange whereby we pick a gift, and somebody else can then steal that gift or pick a new gift. During one of the rounds, Ikumi decided to steal the nutcracker from another person (I believe the free beers from around the world that came with the nutcracker also gave her a bit of an incentive). We later found out that the nutcracker has changed ownership amongst our group of friends for the past 4 years. In many cases, the nutcracker was relegated to the owner’s broom closet.
As we want to make up for lost time, we’ve decided to take the nutcracker with us on our travels throughout Japan and other countries around the world.
Over the course of the year, we plan to update this blog section with news about the nutcracker’s travels.
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Filed under: Nutcracker
Posted on January 4th, 2008 by admin
My friend Evelyn was visiting Tokyo.Incidentally, we’ve now met in 4 or 5 different countries now!After visiting Tokyo Midtown, we headed to my fave chinese restaurant in roppongi called Cafe 8 located across from the Hyatt in Roppongi Hills. Cafe 8 is a Hong Kong style restaurant with an interesting, slightly erotic decor. In the middle of the room is a huge phallic shaped gong. The food was great — we had Peking Duck, Spicy Fish Soup, Sweet and Sour Pork and a bunch of other dishes.Afterwards, we headed to the Absolut Ice Bar in Nishi Azabu.It’s quite expensive, but was an interesting experience — everybody has to wear special protective wear — we all resembles eskimos in an Igloo.
From their Web site:ABSOLUT ICEBAR TOKYO is the first permanent icebar in Japan located in Nishiazabu. Experience the extreme - the ABSOLUT ICEBAR is kept at minus 5 degrees Celsius year around and everything inside is made out of crystal clear ice transported down from the Torne River in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. Step into an environment where the walls, bar, tables, and even your own personal glass with a vodka cocktail is made out of ice.
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal
Posted on January 3rd, 2008 by admin
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On our return trip from Morioka to Tokyo, we took the Shinkansen (Bullet Train). As it was a fairly long journey that took us through lunch, we decided to buy a couple of Eki-ben. |
Eki-ben which is short for Eki-Bento is essentially a lunch box that is sold by the station. Throughout Japan, each station will have its own lunch box speciality based on ingredients or specialities from the area. In our case, I had their assorted mountain vegetables and chicken rice set; while my wife had the sea urchin, salmon eggs and rice set.
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal
Posted on January 2nd, 2008 by admin
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As is the tradition, each year we have family dinner at my wife’s hometown. This time it was at one of her Uncle and Aunt’s place. Yumi-chan took a bit of time to get acquainted with Mr. Nutcracker though. |
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal
Posted on January 1st, 2008 by admin
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On January 1st (or sometimes New Year’s Eve or even 1 or 2 days later), people will visit a temple or shrine to wish for health, happiness and prosperity for the year ahead.Thankfully there aren’t so many people living in Hanawa so we could get some good pictures. |
I remember when I first came, some friends and I stayed up all night and ended up in Enoshima to watch the first sunrise of the year, and afterwards went to the Meiji Jingu Shrine — I heard that a million people visit the shrine over the course of a couple of days. Each person then throws money into a huge collection box. They were letting people in, in groups of 100.It’s no wonder monks are one of the highest paying professions (apart from lawyers, accountants and doctors) in Japan!
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker, Personal
Posted on December 31st, 2007 by admin
As is the case every year, Ikumi and I went back to her hometown in Hanawa (near Morioka) to spend the New Year’s. We also don’t like the traditional food so much and therefore improvised. I prepared: scallop and crab with ginger sauce; bak kuh teh (Singaporean soup-like dish filled with pork ribs and garlic); and diced almond chicken stir fry. Ikumi made salmon carpaccicio; deep fried renkon (lotus root) sandwiches; and some pickled veggies.Of course, NYE wouldn’t be the same without alcohol and Mr. Nutcracker!
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Filed under: Japan, Nutcracker
