Memories in Mexico ～ the problem is......

As you can see, I went to many places and ate many kinds of Mexican food. The people are so nice and very kind to me. I had a great time there. Let me say this trip is perfect! But I can't say that , although it is so pity. After thinking for a while, I decided to write one thing which made me so disappointed, because you may be ready when you go to Mexico as a tourist.

When my mexican friend and her parents took me to the mexico city by car. As my friends father asked a policeman to show the right way to the mall, it happend. When he spoke to us, eeryone looked upset. (of course I couldn't understand at all)
They are trying to say something to the policeman, and my friend made phone calls to relatives.. It was so nervous moment. Guess what was mattered with us??

I don't know exactly. In Mexico city, the authority limited driving car by the last number of their car number plate for the air pollution. For example, if you have a car with a number plate xxxx1, so you can't drive on Monday until 10pm. To our unluckey , the day we enter Mexico city was the very day we were not allowed to drive inside Mexico city. Actually we didn't know that, I mean my friends knows the rule, but didn't know details. Before and after we entered to the city, we never saw
any sign about this rule.

Well, the policeman found my friends car number, he asked us the money in bribes. Of course we broke the rule,but.... In whole my life, it was the first time such a thing happen to me. I have read the books and articles about mexico. So I knew about this. My friends were so angry and upset. Me, too. I felt so sorry to them , because I went to Mexico, they took me to the travel. I asked them they can call the authority about this. But they said it would be a waste of time. It happen everywhere. It was so pity. The problem is ... how will they improve?? How do you think?

Memories in Mexico ～Food photos

Green Chorizo








Pine with chile









Nopal(Cactus) candy









Tacos









Icecream shop on the street









Blue tortilla!








Don't remember name...let me know if you know!







Chilaquiles? maybe...








Don't remember name...let me know if you know!

Memories in Mexico ～Boda! Boda! Boda!

The word "Boda" means wedding party in Mexico. Actually I went to Mexico for my friend'S BODA. "Wow, It is very first time for me to attend non-Japanese wedding"

MUY INTERESANTE!!!!(very interesting!)

It started from chatedral. So serious.Even I couldn't understand spanish the prist and couple saying. It was touching. The weather was perfect.













At night , the boda started. It continued until 2 am. Wow it won't happen in Japan.　I could find many difference between Japanese style and Mexican. Great experience.






Dance! Dance! Dance! Music Music Music.
This is the Mexican wedding.(Actually we usually don't dance in Japanese wedding. When I told mexican people about it, everyone asked me "why not???" I don't know why.....)







These are dishes at Boda. MUY RICO(very delicious).....It was so luckey they were not so spicy Because I don't care for spicy food.

*Chile Hojaldrado(A chile inside the pie.)
*Medallones de pollo rellenos de camaron en salsa de salmon (Chiken with salmon sause)
*Delicia de fresa(strawberry desert)
*Pay de Guayaba(guava desert)

Memories in Mexico ～Day of the dead in Michoacan

These are the photos of graves at night in Island of Janitzio.

Day of the Dead in Janitzio




These are the photos in Morelia. The color they use for the decoration is so great. There are big difference of the concept for dead people between Mexican and Japanese.We have similar event called "obon" The Mexican way to welcome the dead people is to have more fun. Yes , if the dead people saw those decopration, they must be enjoyble. I can see.

Memories in Mexico ～Day of the dead

I am home!
As you know ,I went to Orlando and Mexico. YES I had really good time there.I want to show you some photos of my journey.

Luckey me! I was in Mexico on DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (Day of the dead). Everywhere in Mexico , I could see many calavera(skulls) and Catrina.












I could manage to go Janitzio aisland ,(Isla de Janitzio) midnight. It is one of the very famous place of Day of the dead in Mexico. It was so great experience to see many decolation for the graves. Only one pity thing is that we saw many many drunken people there. I saw one guy was almost falling down from steps since he wasn't able to walk by himself. Many of them must have came for the beer....

This is a short notice!!

Recently I have been busy and havn't written this blog so often! Furthermore　I won't be able to post at least about this coming three weeks.

Because I am going to Orlando and Mexico about two weeks. So exciting;)
I have to prepare !!! I am sure I wil take a bunch of photos, actually I purchased additional SD card. I will post some of photos on this blog!!!

Adios!!!!

KidZania

Have you ever heard the word "KidZania"? It is a themepark which is originally from Mexico and has just started in Tokyo. According to the media, it looks so fun, I want to go there, but to my pity, I can't go there. Could be in the future. Why???

That's because KidZania is just for kids under 12. There kids can have many kinds of Job experience. For example, fire fighters, flight attendants, doctors, bankers, pizza shop clarks, and so on ... more than 70kinds.

KidZania is a very town for kids , whose size is 2/3, and there are a hospital, a TV station ,a hair salon ,a bank ,a theater, a airport and much more. It is a just miniture of the real, because many company have invested a lot as a sponsor.

Kids can get instrucutions and put on the uniforms before they work, and have a part of job, after they finishes their job, they can get salary by their current money called "Kizos" that they can used only inside KidZania! And then they can use their money to get food, and shopping ...

Sounds fun , isn't it??? Not only fun, kids can understand economy.
Nowdays birthrate is very low, a number of kids is much less than before, but instead of that many family spend much money per a kid. Yes , I think it will be successful here in Japan. I read some blogs that wrriten by mothers about their kids' Kidzania experience, most of them seemed satisfied.
Oh, I want to go. It is not allow to enter only adults there, and even inside park adults can jutt watch kids.

Should I borrow my nephew to go???

related news
KidZania Japan official web site only in Japanese
KidZania Mexico

SWEET!!!!!!!

Sometimes　I get email from the readers of this blog. Many of them are
interested in Japan or Japanese culture, I am happy if writing this blog is
helpful for someone.


The other day I got an email which is written a question about good sweets
stores in Japan. So I decided to write about sweets store.

My reccomendation for sweets stores :
All of them are NOT Japanese sweets shop. Maybe I can say some of they are French style, although I think you can find they have Japanese taste, I mean, for example they use Macya(Green tea) for the cake.

Note; some of them are difficult to bring your home country as a souvenior!!!!!


【自由が丘ロール屋/Jiyugaoka　Rollya】
http://www.jiyugaoka-rollya.jp/
As for Rolled cake, this shop is best! Just always so crowded
ADD:1-23-2 Jiyugaoka Meguro Tokyo
TEL:03-3725-3055

【SATSUKI】
http://www.newotani.co.jp/tokyo/restaurant/satsuki/
Expensive, but worth it. When I ate one piece of cake costs 1575yen! , it made me so smile.
Add Hotel New Otani 4-1 Kioicho Chiyoda kuTokyo
Tel03-5275-3177


【モンサンクレール/Mont St.Clair】
http://www.ms-clair.co.jp/item/index.html
Patissier Mr Tsujiguchi is very popular!
Add 2-22-4Jiyugaoka Meguro Tokyo
Tel 03-3718-5200

【しろたえ/shirotae】
http://gourmet.yahoo.co.jp/0000643347/M0013000521/
cheese cake shop, especailly rare cheese cake is so popular, and just 210
yen, reasonable price. They say 500 cheese cakes are sold everyday!
Add: 4-1-4 Akasaka Minatoku Tokyo
Tel: 03（3586）9039

【パティスリーサダハルアオキ/PATISSERIE SADAHARU AOKI PARIS】
http://www.sadaharuaoki.com/
Wow, they have a shop in Paris,too!
They are now preparing online shop to all over the world!
Add　3-4-1Marunouchi Chiyodaku Tokyo


【テオブロマ/Theobroma】
http://www.theobroma.co.jp/top.html
Baked cake is so tasty! It has many branch shop in department store!
Add 1-14-9 Tomigaya Shibuyaku Tokyo
Tel 03-5790-2181


【イデミ・スギノ/Idemi Sadao】
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/cake/net/tokyo/idemi/idemi.htm
Patissier Hidemi Sugino is very famous, who has broadcasted on popular TV program. You have to line for a long time.
Add 3-6-17 Kyobashi Chuouku Tokyo
Tel 03-3538-6780

I just listed a few stores I know.
Sometimes you feel hard to find the shops like above if you don't live in Japan.
Then I reccomend to go to department store as Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi, Isetan and Odakyu, and you will find many sweet sores in basement floor usually!

ASIMO

Do you know ASIMO?
My co-worker has brought to some cookies of ASIMO. He is a humanoid robot which is able to go upstairs. As for myself, I had seen his walking once before in some kind of show. Do you know he is Japanese ???? He is produced by Japanese automobile manufacture HONDA, and still been getting improvement.

He is named ASIMO with meaning of "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility". We have another meaning in Japanese.
in Japanese
Asi means "legs"
mo means "too,also"

According to the official web site, he is tuning &years old on this coming Oct31. In Suzuka he gonna have a birthday Party!! When I was a kid, on 21th century I would imagine Robots could do anything as human, for example doing homework insted of me, hehehe. Now still we have many things which only human can do.


ASIMO official web site in English
ASIMO official web site in Japanese

WATER

When I was a kid, I used to drink tap water without any care. Nowdays I rarely drink tap water, if possibele it is because I grow up in a countryside, and now living in Tokyo. I don't remember since when I started to buy bottle water insted of drinking tap water. The other day on TV I got information of the one bottle water which is the very tap water of Tokyo. It sounds fanny???

Accoding to that program 20-30years ago in Tokyo, the tap water is said "Not tasty!!", although it is clean enough. So the authority have been stressed on the taste as well as quality. The bottle water which I mentiond above are sold well as a souvenior. I have never tried that, since they are sold in limit places. If I found it , I want try it. Yes but it must be the same taste with tap water......

The other day I found "FUJI Mineral water" in a starbucks. It says they are sold since 1929, contains a lot of minerals. The package is so cute!!!


Just water, but water......

Americanized "Japanese food" by Japanese

Like a riddle ?????


The other day I hanged out with my friend, we found the beautiful rolls at the department store. We decided to buy them so quickly , it was so delicious.



Sushi is originally Japanese food. I think many people know about it.

But those colorfull rolls like califolnia rolls are made by people　in U.S.A. When I went to a Japanese restaurant in other country , to my surprise they have many kind of these roll. Some is beyond the Japanese sense, for example fish with seafood.

Recently some place in Japan they serve these kind of sushi roll as well as original sushi rolls. But the shop I found in the department store sell only those colorful rolls. It is interesting American people made new taste of Japanese sushi , which reimport to Japan. Sushi is already global food, isn't it???

Natsubate but time to be healed

It's been a long time since my previous post, how are you all doing? Some of you might be worry about me during my long absense from this blog, at first I couldn't post because of ill. But after getting over, I didn't feel like to do anything. Why??
I am sure it's because of "Natsubate".

Natsu means summer in Japanese.
Bateru is a kind of slung word means "got exausted"

Every year the weather of Japanese summer is making me feel very tired. Especially the difference of tempreture of inside or outside building. It is more than 30c degrees outside , Inside like my working place it is so cold by air conditioning system.

This year rainy season called "tsuyu" is longer than usual, so it suppporsed to be shorter summer , I think, but still we have hot and humid summer.

Although I have been suffering from "Natsubate" during summer, the other day I got time to be healed. Thank you for my friends Aime san, Rey san, Ami san and Megan san, I could joinen the healing party. I had great healthy meal - I loved the cheezecake, got massage -feel relaxes so much, facial treatment - such a luxuary time, and finally I did Yoga outside. I am sure my body is very delighted.




Sometimes I feel less enjoyable this humid summer , but I really want to enjoy the rest of this summer;)

tanabata

Tommorrow is 7th of July, many Japanese wish it will be a beautiful wether , especially at night , because we have a fairly tale as follows.

******
Once upon a time a beautiful woman lived in the bank of the Milky Way which shined in a night sky, her name was Orihime , and a daughter of an Lord of the Heaven. She followed orders of her father ,and worked very hard as a weaver every day.

As for the cloth which Orihime weaved, it was wonderful, and the Lord of Heaven admired her working.But to his pity, the daughter worked too hard to spend time for herself- like putting on her make up, and dating with a boy friend.

So he decided to let her marry Hikoboshi who was also hard worker ,lived in the west of the Milky Way ,and a cattleman . Then Orihime and Hikoboshi began new life in this way.

However, after their marriage , they were enjoying everyday, actually it was too much, they didn't work any more. At first the Lord of Heaven let them do, but finally he got angry, and said to them to live separately - made Orihime live in the one side of Milkyway ,and Hikoboshi live in another side. And the lord of Heaven said to them "If you work very hard, I will let you meet at the night of 7th July "

Orihime was so sad, but decided to work very hard, Hikoboshi as well.

However, when it rains on July 7 when two people longed for it, the volume of water of the Milky Way increases, and Orihime cannot go to the opposite bank.
*****

The father was so strict , wasn't he??? Once a year???

Now in Japan, we wish the good weather, and same time we make a wish ,writing it on small piece of paper, and hung the bamboo tree on 7th July.



So we can see the bamboo with papers in many place in Japan, there are tanabata festival in some place.

minus ion and Kamikochi

Three or four years ago, the word "minus ion (actually it is japanese English, in real English it means negative ion)"　was akind of a boom If you go near waterfall, you can refresh and relax, we say it because munus ions happen naturally. It may reduce your stress. Then many products was on sale, for example bottle of water, air conditioner and so on. Actually "minus ion" is not nomenclature, is not chemically demonstrated. But now many Japanese people know this word, and recognize its function.

Last Sunday I went to the highland basin in Nagano prefecture called "Kamikochi" where is the gate of Japan Alps, sorrounded many mountains, and known as a beautiful scenery. There are some walking area ,some of them are by the river, during summer season many people go to the summer resort escaping the big city.










I am not sure about minus ion ,but surrounded the nature made me feel relax and better, although we got soaked because still it is Tsuyu(rainy season.)

Live camera in Kamikochi

Hidetoshi Nakata

Hidetoshi Nakata.... He is a very famous football player, actually my favoriteI mentinoned about him sometimes on this blog. Today,, just 2hours ago we got a news which made me so shocked and sad. On his official website, he anounced his retirement as a player. Many people thought he might retire Japanese national team, but never expected he decided to retire. On TV news program the news has been treated as a breaking news.


He is the very first football player who play in Europe for the first time. Since he was a junior high school student, he has been always a member of national team of his generation. He is so stoic and so severe to himself, sometimes to the other players, that's why he sometimes seemed to be isolated. But most of his fan -including me have been support him, and on his side. After the match vs Brasil on FIFA world cup more than 50000 emails were sent to his website.
He is so smart as well as he is a great player, the way of his doing something is always cool. He can speak many languages so fluently, he is engaged in management of one Japanese sweets manufacture.

I am really sad, and to my pity, I never seen his play at the studium. Many people think it too early to retire. But I am happy that I could have been watching his play. I want to say Thank you and Good luck to him.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060703p2a00m0sp025000c.html

It was the first time ....and Okonomiyaki!

Hi, thank you for reading this blog from all over the world!
The other day I had great time. Guess what??? I saw some people who read this blog. It was the first time to see somebody whom I know by the internet. Even Japanese people, I have never saw anyone. She sometimes left her comments on this blog from Cambodia . She came to Japan as a business trip. I saw her and her co-worker in Tokyo, and we had dinner together. I felt little nervous at first, but it was so fun. Just two hours meeting, but we talked a lot,as if we knew each other before. Hope they spent a good time in Japan, and they like here. I feel like I wanna to go Cambodia to see them and Angkor Wat. Anyway I have a long list where I want to go. hehehe!!!


Well at that time we ate Okonomiyaki in popular restaurant"Sometarou" Asakusa. So I will write about this food today!!!
Okonomiyaki is a kind of Japanese style pancake which is basically made of flour and cabbage. The word "okonomi" means as you like, and "yaki " means cook. , literally you just cook what you like. You can add whatever you like, for me I like to add cheeze, seafood, mochi (rice cake) etc .

Actually there are some way to make okonomiyaki , but the majorities are two ways from Osaka prefecture and Hiroshima.

My mother was grew up in Kobe which is next to Osaka, she would cook very often when I was a kid, so I love it , too. At home I cook by a frying pan or hotplate. When you go to the Okonomiyaki restaurant , you would be seated aroud the table with a teppan. I could find some recipe by internet. If you wanna eat, you can!!! it is very easy.

okonomiyaki recipe
about Osaka-style
tokyo foodpage
japan guide com

Sayonara samurai

For us, FIFA world cup was done early this morning. Many of Japanese were wishing "Miracle in Dortmund, Germany",it just finished. Even though Japanese football level is getting up, but still far away from world level.

I just wanted to write Thank you to Zico Japan, am looking forward to 2010 in South Africa.

Japan national football team

New taste

By the other post I introduced kit kat ujikintoki flavor. I found kit kat new taste in stores. It is suprising Nesle Japan's creative power. They are making new taste one in a few mouth- even though they are seasonal.　I wonder they are thinking about new ided always. Here we are.....


This is Azuki taste. Azuki is the name of one kind of beans, in Japan usually we use them for japanese sweets for example as Anko(sweet beans paste)Japanese people love these stuff. To be honest, I don't care for Anko so much. Anyway it is sounds interesting.


Wow, this is brandnew taste. Universal Studio Japan 5th anniversary version "Wishing upon a star" Sounds Romantic. I haven't tasted it either. It is designed like the Milky Way which is known as a Amanogawa in Japan. We have a traditional story of Amanogawa , I will post about it on someday soon.

Do you wanna try them???

ap bank

It is natural for me to be here, at times I have to think I am lucky to be born in this country, and on this time, although usually it is not so easy to think about these things. So many people who have power -like movie star, artist often start movement for something.

For example, Audrey Hepburn worked for UNICEF for Child Protection. The song "We Are The World " is famous for the charity.

Now there is a nonprofit financial iorganization named "ap bank" (it is not a bank formally, is a kind of loan supplier) which furnishes projects for various environmental safeguard such as a natural energy, energy saving in low interest, because it not only one time charity, make the activities keep to the future.

It was founded by Japanese very famous artists, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kobayashi , and Kazutoshi Sakurai.

Why am I writing about ap bank today? I mentioned before sometimes I am a BIG fan of Japanese pop group Mr.Children , Kazutoshi Sakurai is the vocalist of it.

"ap bank" has anounced they will have a live events "ap bank fes'06" this coming summer, which is held to let people know their activities through their music , and to make people have a prompt, trigger. Not only themself , but also many artists who are sympathized the idea will join the live festa. Needles to say, all profit will be used for the ap bank.Last year they did the same event " ap bank fes'05" which was so successful.



The other day I watched Mr.Sakurai's interview. He said he started thinking after he got a baby. For his kids and all kids he thought he had to do something which he can do.

Fortunately a few days ago I got a ticket of 60000 of that event. All artists are very famous here, it was so hard to get it. Of course I am so happy I will be able to listen their songs there.(Actually I was jumped with joy when I got a ticket.)But not only that I want to get something by going that event. I will write after the event.

National Diet

The other day I had a chance to go to the National Diet Building. Wow. Sounds interesting ? Or boring???? ;) I had to go nearby on my job, and I had a plenty of free time, actually I had to kill my time, Suddenely I hit on my short field trip to the National Diet Building.

In Japanese we call it "Kokkai gijido". I watched many times on TV , and saw from car window, but never been. There are HOUSE of Councillors and HOUSE of Representatives of the Diet Japan.

Basically it is said to open to everybody, so on weekdays everybody can join the on e hour visitor tour, A tour guide took the public gallery , the Emperor's room, the imperial family's room , Central hall, the front courtyard , and so on. In most of place they are not allow to take pictures. It was a not fun , but interesting.
To my surprise, there is a room which is locked , and never used before. Guess what for the room???? It is a bathroom for Emperor. He ocassionally comes to the National Diet Building , but he always stays there only 20-30minutes.So it has never been used.

theme restaurants

The post about "MOE" and "maid cafe" I wrote the other day was attentioned by more people than I thousht, I decided to introduce some more funny or interesting place to eat. They are actually theme restaurants like "Planet Halliwood", "Reinforest Cafe", and so on.

*NINJA restaurant Maybe as you know Ninja is a kind of spy long time ago. There is a restaurant which has a theme of "Ninja" in Tokyo. In fact, I never been there, but one of my friend used to work as a part time job. She said it is quite expensive, but so enjoyable.

*VAMPAIRE CAFE This cafe is thought as a Doracula castle. The seats' name is a little bit scarely like "VICTIM","CROSS","COFFIN" etc.

*ALCATRAZ E.R+According to the web, it is a colaboration of the famous prison Alcatraz and hospital. The name of menu are also creative, for example, "Nurse call course", "Emergency opelation."

*The Lockup I have been there. It is like a prison, when I went to there, policeman came to arrest me with cuffs, and it was fun to see the show.

Do you have somthing funny place to eat in your country as above?

SAMURAI BLUE 2006

Wow, I am so excited. I can't wait, too. Because of the FIFA world cup Germany. Tonight we will have hottest night to enjoy the our very first match versus Australia. As people in many countries, here in Japan many people have been looking forward the game.(To my pity, it is impossible for me although.) Many Japanese have been or will go to Germany, I read one article of some people who quit their job to go there. Wow.

As I wrote several times before, I like to watch sports. Tonight I won't be able to leave from TV absolutely. To be honest I am planning to watch the game by Huge screen in Saitama stadium. But after the game we will miss the final train to my room. we decided to give up. It is a pity.



This year they use the slogan "SAMURAI BLUE 2006". The other day I went to the park for supporters which called "Samurai blue park" . Like these photos. there are so many stuff which is concerned Japan team.


Less than 7 hours to kick off at Kaiserslautern's Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Germany. My heart is beating :)