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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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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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. |
Below are some more pictures of our friends, and of course Mr. Nutcracker, the special guest of honour!
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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 favourite
for hole-in-the walls/rundown restaurants and food stalls featuring yakitori (BBQ chicken skewers), intestines, and drinking.
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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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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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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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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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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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My parents, Ikumi and I went down to the U.S. to do some ‘Day After Christmas’ shopping in Bellingham, the Premium Outlets and finally Seattle, prior to our flight back to Tokyo the following day. With the strong Canadian dollar, prices in the U.S. were even better than ever!
Mr. Nutcracker seemed to enjoy his visit to another country as well!
Afterwards, we had dinner with my aunt, my cousins Amy and Jennifer, Jennifer’s boyfriend and my cousin’s wife and his kids.
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