A Train Trip to Fukuoka

Mid December we decided to take a trip up to Fukuoka for the weekend, using the train and testing our chops at navigating one of Japan's most heavily utilized modes of transit.  Knowing Aria would be especially happy to ride the train, we picked a weekend, woke up early, and headed out.  

While it may be the biggest station in our fair city, Sasebo train station is still relatively small.  So getting through there wasn't difficult.  We made our requisite stop at Trandor, a bakery inside the station, and purchased many tasty goodies to be consumed as breakfast on the train.  With that, we found the unreserved train cars, found some seats, and settled in.  

It took about 2 hours to reach Hakata Eki (Hakata Station), and once we did, we were surrounded by the sights, smells, and sounds more readily associated with a major Japanese train station.  Countless people bustling about, the dull roar of a crowd all politely trying to navigate past one another.  And the smell of bakeries and noodle shops and tonkatsu stands and fish houses all co-mingled inside this massive building.  Myriad shops and stands lined up beside the few major department stores that served as large guiding posts in the lab mouses' labyrinth that is a train station when you can't read the signs.  We few lost Americans uttering in a thin echo across the stores: 

"We passed this cake shop twice already!" 

"No we didn't!  That was the other cake shop.  This one is next to the place that sells cookies shaped like little chicks." 

"Well that doesn't help us any."

"Wait, look for the place selling the fish roe."  

"The big one or the small one?" 

"The one with the yellow roe, not the pink and red roe."

"Stop eyeing the sushi we need to focus."

"Wait I want to just take a look at this mochi kiosk here."

"No, I found the yellow fish roe! Let's go before we get lost again!"

As stressful as it can be, it's also a heck of a lot of fun.  :)  The discoveries one can make and the tasty things one can try make the utter confusion well worth it.

Finally meandering our way out of the train station, we headed to Canal City Mall.  We had heard great things about this allegedly huge shopping complex, and sure enough it didn't disappoint.  We found a huge and elaborate H&M there, along with innumerable boutiques and restaurants, including this little Engrish-labeled gem.

  

 

We ended up indulging in a tasty pizza-based buffet at Shakey's, a chain that started in the states.

Our kiddo was exhausted, as were we, so we caught a cab and headed to our hotel.  In the lobby we ran into our neighbors two doors down!!  Quite the pleasant surprise. 

Once we got settled in for a little while on the single bed we discovered in our tiny room, we all took a nap.  Hubby and I more than Aria, I think.  After waking up we headed out to find dinner, which turned out to be no easy task.  We trekked about outside for a while finding countless restaurants which were all full or reservation only.  So we finally ended up at.... um... hang on...oh yeah!  A noodle shop in the basement of the train station.  I now remember the argument that ensued over picking a place, and the nearly intolerable tantrum Aria threw while we were there.  Humiliating and completely draining.  The noodles were yummy though.

Our stomachs sated, we headed outside the station to see the beautiful lights they had up for the holidays.  Take a look.

Once again Aria was a big hit with the people who were SUPPOSED to be taking pictures of the light displays.  She walked into one lady's shot, and though we tried to scold her, the lady begged us to let her pose with Aria instead.  This girl is being made far too aware of just how cute she is.

  

The lateness of the hour and the frigidness of the air finally convinced us that bedtime was calling.  So after a short stop at Family Mart (a "combini" or convenience store chain here) we got to our hotel and back in proper bed sharing position.  

The rest of the night was spent by Hubby and I being kicked ferociously and repeatedly by the tiny (but ever so strong), sprawling creature in the center of the bed.

Morning brought a Japanese breakfast buffet that was light and healthy and delicious; rich with grilled fish, miso soup, rice, vegetables, and lowfat yogurt with fruit.  

We decided thereafter to go back to Canal City, before we caught the late afternoon train.  While walking to Hakata Eki where the taxis were, we found ourselves in a sudden, but relatively short, moment of snowy fun.  Five minutes of snow was just enough to bring out our happy inner children, without dragging out the grumpy, cold, pragmatic adults that would have followed 20 minutes later if the snowfall continued.

After another full day of exploring and people watching, we got back on the train home to Sasebo.  We managed to maneuver properly when told by the conductor we'd have to switch train cars before a certain stop, so as to avoid being left behind when the train was split into two segments heading two different directions.  Traveling WIN! 

Shellfish and Ships

This past Sunday was a particularly special experience for our family.  

Having been tipped off the previous week to an Oyster Roast that happens every November at Kashimae Pier (near the 99 Islands and Pearl Sea Resort), we decided to do it up right and bring a bunch of delicious food along to grill up outdoors.  

The way it works is a group pays to use one of maybe 150 or 200 grill spaces, along with the charcoal and shucking knife.  Then you can buy bags of fresh oysters, or you can buy fish, squid, other shellfish, and other delicious ocean-based food items.  Then you sit on tiny folding stools near your little grill and grand tastiness ensues.

The problem, we learned after our first time at the Oyster Roast, is that there aren't any sauces or vegetables for sale.  Luckily, you are allowed to come prepared with "side dishes" and sauces.  

So this time around Hubby and I wanted to do it up right.  The night before, we made deviled eggs.  We made all sorts of vegetable skewers (including eggplant and asparagus).  We brought marshmallows.  We brought 5 or 6 different sauces.  And the piece de resistance... I made my father's famous omusubi sauce and 11 perfectly shaped omusubi (my mother would have been so proud to see them).  Then we stepped back, looked at all the food, and realized it was WAY too much for our little family to eat alone.

Simple solution.  Invite our dear friend Yuri and her unjustifiably adorable daughter.  Luckily they were free and agreed to meet us Sunday morning.

With that the fun began.  The food was so delicious, though we did learn Japanese Kabocha squash does not grill up well on that particular grill.  But everything else was so tasty, and my dad's secret sauce was a really big hit with everyone, which made me immensely proud and happy.

An especially entertaining moment throughout the memorable morning was the moment Yuri and her daughter had roasted marshmallows for the first time.  They compared it to eating extra-fluffy whipped cream.  That also made me proud and happy, because you can only have your FIRST roasted marshmallow once in your life, and I am glad I did such a solid jobs so as to make a solid first impression.  I was told a few days later that Yuri went out and bought two bags of marshmallows to roast with her husband.  So between the sauce, the deviled eggs, and the marshmallows, Hubby and I can put this bbq experience in the "win" category.

Afterwards we parted ways with Yuri and her kiddo, but didn't quite feel like going home yet ourselves.  So we asked Aria if she was interested in going on one of the tour boats at the Pearl Sea Resort.  Though only a month and a half ago she was adamantly against it, this time she was firmly in favor of the idea.  So we all enthusiastically power-walked toward the Pearl Queen, and made it just in time for their next tour.  

Up on the top deck, we enjoyed a beautiful view of perhaps 50 of the 200+ islands in the Kujukushima cluster.  Weaving in and out between the islands, hearing the recorded tour guides giving us valuable information about each island in Japanese, then English, then I believe Mandarin, and perhaps also Korean(?), Hubby and I did our best to keep Aria from sprinting around the deck, touching floatation devices, and generally from jumping overboard in her excitement.  The intense wind did not seem to bother her, and she demanded Daddy take her up to the very top observation platform, designed somewhat like a crow's nest.  I, trying not to look terrified, took pictures from below.     

  

Mt. Atago, the mountain by our house.

This island apparently looks like a proud lion lying down.  I sort of see it.

Hubby putting on his best submariner face with the island that looks like a submarine in the background.

As the tour was winding to a close, we headed down below to the second deck, for refreshments.  I bought these adorable boat-shaped cookies, which Aria demanded she be allowed to eat.  After some stern reminders on the polite way to ask for things, she was given a pirate ship cookie.  Which she dropped accidentally on the ground perhaps 2 minutes later.  Sigh...

Despite the wasted cookie, the day was anything but wasted.  We can't wait to repeat the experience.  Apparently they have Oyster Roasts in February as well. :) :)

Shrine

I am not going to write a lot on this one, other than to say we visited a beautiful Japanese shrine about halfway between Sasebo and Nagasaki.  And we took some pictures, which we wanted to share.  Though it was a bit chilly, we couldn't have asked for more beautiful sunlight and blue skies, nor for a more serene and revitalizing ambiance.  Hope these pictures help capture that.

Feeding the koi.

   

  

Various shots from the garden.

The "to-ri" (gateway) to the shrine grounds.

Japanese Maple

    

A leaf bug and/or grasshopper we found.  Just like the grasshopper in Mikawachi, this little guy (or gal) was completely at ease around Aria.

Halloween

The past two Halloweens, Aria has been too young to really have a say in her costume choice.  Year one she was a hot dog, and I was Kobayashi.  It was a delightful costume, and she was insanely cute.  Needing to top that, year two was Muppet Show themed.  Hubby was the Swedish Chef, I was Chocolate Moose (Mousse), and Aria was a Lobster Bandito.  I think we successfully outdid ourselves. 

But Aria is effectively vocal these days.  So when we asked her what she wanted to be for Halloween, we figured she'd throw out something random like "a tv."  But she said very clearly, "I want to be a fairy."  

Baffled, we asked her again a few hours later to see if her mind has changed as toddlers' minds so often do.  But again, clear as day, she said, "I want to be a fairy, Mommy."  And with that we were off to buy a fairy costume at the NEX.  Though she initially wanted to be a strawberry fairy, we settled on a spring flower fairy costume instead, since our tiny NEX's costume selection was pretty minimal.

I spent the next 3 weeks trying to figure out how to turn that costume into something unique and special.  I bought strawberry shaped beads to make Aria strawberry necklace and bracelet.  I went hunting for strawberry iron-on patches to no avail.  I looked for strawberry hair clips, trying to transform this costume into the Strawberry Fairy outfit of her dreams.  

She wasn't really interested in wearing the necklace or the bracelet once I had finished them.  I should have expected as much.

About two weeks before the big day, we tried on the costume to make sure it fit.  Immediately two things were clear.  Aria was NOT interested in trying on the wings, and she was NOT interested in taking the costume off.  So I had a wingless fairy running about the house for the rest of the afternoon.

Then October 31st rolled around, and I realized she didn't have a magic wand.  It had completely slipped my mind.  Ever the crafty parent, I finally settled on buying a stem of fake flowers, wrapping it in ribbon, covering it with glitter (fairy dust), and BAM! Instant magic wand for my Spring Flower Fairy.

Earlier in the day I had called my mother, and she reminded me it was the anniversary of my grandmother's passing.  Mom was making a special sweet potato and rice dish, but lamenting the fact she had to use American sweet potatoes instead of Japanese ones.  So in honor of my grandmother and my mother, I went out and bought Japanese Sastumaimo and tried making the dish myself.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I just followed my heart and my mother's guidance, and it actually turned out delicious.  I sent a picture to my mother for approval, and received glowing praise, which made me feel very happy.  I hope my grandmother enjoyed the offering as well.

Just 15 minutes before we had to leave, I noticed a bald spot on Aria's costume, where she had accidentally torn out the tulle running around the house two weeks prior.  So with no time to spare, I fashioned a really pretty bow out of ribbon I had left over from the wand project, and sewed it onto the bald spot.  Just like that, my kiddo had a one of a kind costume, in spite of the fact there would inevitably be other girls wearing the same fairy tutu (like I said, the NEX had a limited selection).

While the weather has been relatively temperate here in Sasebo so far, this past week things started to get chilly.  Seemingly out of nowhere the heat just went away.  So one thing was immediately clear.  Aria was not going outside in JUST a fairy costume.  After telling her "you're going to be a warm fairy," I put her in a turtleneck and leggings, then pulled her costume down over it.  We battled back and forth about the wings for a while, and then after a brief pause to pet the cat we semi-adopted, we were off to get some candy at base housing.

We had been warned the Japanese love Halloween even though they don't celebrate it nationally, because the prospect of dressing up and going to people's houses to get candy is just universally appealing.  Though several people dressed up their kids, in dresses and suits, because the concept of "dressing up" to go trick-or-treating was taken quite literally.  While the misunderstanding was somewhat giggle-worthy, it was still really adorable to see.  But the result of Japanese people in a Japanese city latching on to the idea of trick-or-treating when the base housing is only so big, is that trick-or-treating became a bit of a cattle call.  There were kids EVERYWHERE.  Parking was a challenge to find.  And candy was running out much quicker than anticipated.  

Lucky for us, Aria only had so much interest in being outside with demons and monsters and ghosts running around.  We got her to put on the wings, and she did a very good job saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" at every one of the 10 or so houses we visited.  And she demanded Daddy carry her between houses, so she wouldn't have to walk with all the scary costumes nearby.  

The only really heartbreaking thing for me, was that the very first house we hit, had these really cute Satsuma jack-o-lanterns.  Aria was immediately enamored with her "little pumpkin" and wanted to carry it everywhere.  So guess who got to carry the magic wand she worked so hard on.  Yup.  This gal.  :-/  

Whatever.  As long as kiddo had a good time, that's what Halloween is all about. :)

A few days later I called my mother to thank her.  I said to her:

"I remember all those costumes you made for me.  And I don't think I ever appreciated them fully when I was young.  But I was talking to Hubby about it the other day.  How amazing you were, how you created so many costumes with so much love.  And I remember how I always fought with you about keeping warm.  The year I wanted to be like Princess Jasmine, and you refused to let me go out with my belly exposed, so you used flesh-colored fabric and sewed together a costume with long sleeves and tummy coverage, just so I wouldn't freeze to death.  I know I fought you so hard on that, and that I was so mad.  But thank you.  Thank you so much for caring that much.  I put Aria in a turtleneck and leggings and told her she was a 'warm fairy,' and I know now I will have the same arguments with her that you had with me.  I'm sorry I fought with you about that.  You're a really good mom.  Avery didn't even care about the wand or the strawberry jewelry I made her, and I guess that's okay.  But it really made me want to call you and say thanks."

Being able to follow in my mother's footsteps and make Aria's Halloween special (whether she knows it or not), with my own little handmade, love-filled touches to her costume, was so rewarding.  I can't wait for next Halloween now.  Or this Christmas.  There are few things more thrilling for a parent than getting to create magic for your child.  

This Halloween, I became so grateful for every day that my daughter teaches me how to appreciate MY parents that much more. 

Atago Part 2

Just some more photos from my second climb up Mt. Atago.  For the record, the 500m marker only made things worse this time around, because I knew exactly how exhausted I was going to be.

Below is proof the stone steps were made for smaller feet than mine.

A really cool (and rather large) twisted vine creating a critter bridge above/across the trail steps.

Sweaty and gross, but feeling pretty good about myself and the world and life, just the same.

AAAAAND bamboo for extra mystical Asian forest effect!

Morning dewdrops on the grass as I walked home.