Adachi Ko-en

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

Photos of a back yard? BFD, right? But when the back yard is as big as a ko-en, it's a big deal, especially for Japan. The Adachi family shrugs it off, but their plot of land is much larger than the average American yard. The Adachi family is 10 generations strong in Hamamatsu City and this ancestral land has been in the family. The family compound has 4 family homes plus their soy bean processing factory. And don't forget Adachi ko-en. There's even some more land beyond the hilltop.

The kids pointed out the different young bamboo growing; for our dinner, Masae-san and Adachi-san's mother picked vegetables from the garden; and the kids and I picked some "dai-dai" (a Japanese citrus fruit) which would be added to the sho-chu.

Adachi-san's mother heard that I love sansho for its spicy and numbing yet lemony taste, so she brought me to her tree and picked some leaves for me. It's used as a garnish, but I munched on it on the train ride the next day.

Squeaky Clean

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

The Adachi family invited us to partake in a typical Sunday: breakfast, lunch and a visit to an onsen. Ever so polite, they wanted to make sure we were okay with the day's plan. Masae-san, Adachi-san's wife, wanted my reassurance and reiterated the point that at the onsen, everyone is nekkid. I had no issues, as long as I could be discreet. At the onsen, we separated - Norv, Adachi-san and the boys to the men's section and Masae-san and I to the ladies. Without Masae-san, I don't know that I'd have remembered all of the rules and social norms to follow.

I appreciate a good soak and I succumbed to the local culture and soaked, experienced skinship and had girl talk with Masae-san. I know most folks would freak at the thought of sittting nekkid in an outdoor hot springs pool chatting with their gal pals but don't worry. It's not like the gym, where the exhibitionist women in the women's locker room prance immodestly like they're on the catwalk. It's all about modesty here and how one holds a towel strategically!



These photos were from the sento at a ryokan in Miyajima, which I had all to myself on most occasions. The bad part was, I freaked out because I thought of her.

Kids, don't try this at home!

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

Tenkin, is one of the rare finds, that without a local, you wouldn't know it was there. It's yet another sliver of a restaurant, down a narrow side street. Adachi-san told us it would be special, not only because the food was oiishi, but also for the unique skill that the tempura chef wields: his hands are his utensils to add battered food to the pan of hot oil! Over the course of our lunch, the tempura chef would crack an egg and very gingerly add it to the oil so it wouldn't break. I counted about 2-3 seconds of his hand submerged in oil. The chef's father also cooks tempura this way; the chef insists that anyone can learn how to cook tempura in his family's tradition!

We enjoyed a lunch of miso with tender clams, tempura shrimp and fish and pickeled vegetables. The best tempura was fish rolled in nori, then perfectly seasoned with a dash of sea salt.

Big Hamamatsu Welcome

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

In the Lonely Planet series, Hamamatsu City gets a scant mention. For most, it's not a tourist destination and may very well be the San Jose of Japan - it's more industry than obvious tourist draw. For tourists, it is a stop en route from Tokyo to Kyoto. Lucky for us, we do have a reason to stop in Hamamatsu City and that's to visit the warm and wonderful Adachi family. If you're lucky enough to meet them (and you're not that lucky), they'll dispel any stereotypes that Japanese are reserved towards foreigners.

Can you not feel any more welcomed than this?

Unfiltered...

In addition to being called "the Lumpia", Norv's friends started referring to me as "the Filter". As in, acting as the agent that removes the impurities from Norv's playful repartee. Sometimes, the Filter is a little slow, like when I'm taking in an impressive sight.



Norv's response upon our approach to Sanjusangendo? "Benihanaaaaaaaaa!!"

Too Much Hanami

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

During the Cherry Blossom Season, Hanami parties are held at the local parks, to hang out and enjoy the flowers. Many offices take to the outdoors as well, sending an underling to save a good spot for the rest of his/her co-workers. This poor soul was bundled up and left to recover while his or her friends socialized elsewhere.

After visiting Chion-In, we unwittingly stumbled onto Maruyama Koen and the Hanami parties clustured around its famous weeping cherry tree. It was like a festival here, with food booths serving takoyaki,; college boys slamming down beer or chuhai and building pyramids with the empty cans; vendors selling antique kimonos and people chatting and milling about.

Hanami

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Originally uploaded by me-spirit.

We thought we missed Hanami but when we arrived in Kyoto, we were welcomed by an abundance of sakura, adding to Kyoto's allure.

We felt lucky to walk the Path of Philosophy during this time of year otherwise, the walk wouldn't have been as enchanting. One of our favorite days was a leisurely walk spent here.

At Himeji and Nijo Castles as well as Fushimi Inari and Chion-In, Cherry Blossoms were at their peak

The Kimono

The Kimono appears to be a hot trend on the catwalk. If I were taking the aforementioned pilates classes and had money (or a sugar daddy) to boot, I'd pick up the Alexander McQueen number.

All inspired by the wrap, fold or print of the traditional kimono:

To Boot

I've been a bit of a fashion whore, buying shoes and checking out magazines and deciding whether the latest look is too young for me. While I was in Japan this past Spring, BOOTS with anything seemed to be all the rage. True to the fashion rule of thumb, trends happen abroad in Europe and Asia before they hit our shores. The latest Lucky mag had quite a few spreads with women dressed much like this:



I don't know if I can rock the boots and mini look without booking a twice weekly pilates class.