Memories of Japan

I just finished reading A Year in Japan (日本の一年) by Kate T. Williamson and every page managed to put a smile on my face. It's a gorgeous illustration book that captures the random but everyday aspects of Japan, details I think one would really appreciate if they've lived in the country. Some examples: bananas are sold sealed in a plastic bag, takeout sushi comes with a small fish-shaped plastic container of soy sauce, and Japanese winters are unbearably cold not because it is that cold temperature-wise but because the buildings lack central heating and insulation. (No exaggeration, it was the most MISERABLE winter of my life and we all know how cold it gets in Canada.) Random memories make me long for Japan. I thought I would make my own list of things I missed, though I limited this entry to ten items or else it would be never ending.

My mamachari



I was quite fond of my bike. It was what you would call a mamachari (mother or grandmother's bicycle) but don't let the name fool you because everyone rides these bad boys. This was my main mode of transportation the whole year round - in the freezing cold, during rainy season and in the humid heat. I was especially proud of the fact that my bike had a front AND back basket, as they were quite useful during grocery runs. The bike only had one gear but who cares, it was comfortable and easy to ride on. I would trade my current bike for my mamachari if I could.


Mikan



My students liked to tell me these are "Japanese oranges" but they are much more similar to mandarins. Seedless, easy to peel and deliciously sweet, my prefecture was known for producing a large amount of mikan so I ate an abundance of these during the winter.


The smell of tatami



I lived on top of a hill so during the summer, my apartment became an oven. On the positive side, the heat really brought out the smell of my tatami mats. Most mornings, I didn't open the windows in my apartment due to fear of rain (which would ruin the tatami) but mostly because I forgot or was in a rush to get to work. When I came home, my apartment would be filled with the distinctive, earthy scent of tatami.


Kabocha



Kabocha is a squash that has the texture of a chestnut and is much sweeter than a butternut squash. By far one of my favourite vegetable discoveries in Japan. I've since purchased kabocha in Canada but the quality just isn't the same, though that can be said about most things but this is especially true for fruits.


Watching the sunset by the waters





My town was right by the ocean and one of my favourite things to do was to go for a run and then head down to the waters to watch the sunset.


The smell of rice paddies



One of my first memories of Japan. It was the second day in my town and the veteran ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) took us newbies to a kaiten sushi (conveyor belt sushi) place for lunch. As we walked from the Board of Education to the restaurant, the smell of steamed rice overwhelmed my senses. It turns out my BoE was situated right beside a rice paddy. In fact, they were in the most random places around town and really, all over rural Japan. I've never been a fan of rice, but I love the smell of rice paddies.


Really good sushi



For a friend's birthday, we went to this hole-in-the-wall sushi place near his town (practically all the ALTs in my prefecture lived in the inaka or countryside, aka middle of nowhere) and it was there that I ate one of the best pieces of tuna in my life. The maguro was soft and practically melted in my mouth. I didn't eat raw fish before arriving in Japan so Japan has ruined sushi and sashimi for me forever. Also:



Look at the monstrosity of this tamagoyaki! I know it's hard to gauge the actual size in a picture but a hyakuen (100 yen) is equivalent to a Canadian quarter. The rice is sandwiched between the egg. In other words, this creation is BRILLIANT.


Onsens



I don't think I have to explain why I miss the onsen (hotspring) experience (nakedness and all). A trip to the onsen was usually followed by a day of activity (i.e. a soccer or basketball tournament, heck, even after a day at the beach) or just for the hell of it. Onsens vary in quality - some have breathtaking views (my favourite onsen was on a cliff with a gorgeous view of the ocean), others are filled with a natural element (sulphur - great for the skin!) or flavoured with tea or some other nonsense. The picture above was taken at an ancient, tiny onsen but the highlight was that there was so much geothermally heated water that it was used to boil corn, sweet potatoes and eggs for post-onsen snacking.


Beard Papa's



My friends are probably sick of me bringing up Beard Papa's cream puffs but my goodness, they are delicious. Freshly baked pastry filled with vanilla cream or whatever the flavour of the month or season is (my favourite is matcha) - my mouth waters just thinking about them. We finally have a store that opened in Toronto and I've had them in Hong Kong as well, but I beg of you to try them if you're ever in Japan because they are so much tastier there.

Also, I miss the two guys in this photo.


The kindness of friends, acquaintances and strangers



These two worked at my favourite patisserie shop near my apartment. I remember the first time I came in here, it was my first month in Japan and my grasp of the language was non-existent. However, Ryoko (left) was undaunted and proceeded to help me with her broken English. Time and time again, the Japanese showered me with kindness and patience, whether it was a salary man helping me navigate the complicated rail system when I took the train for the first time, a teacher at one of my schools inviting me to her home so she can teach me how to cook Japanese dishes or a complete random stranger offering to take me for a ride on his jet ski. (All of the above really happened. Really.)


Thank you, Japan, for a wonderful year.