Kashiwa

Our first day trip was to a shopping district called Kashiwa, very close to where Rikas parents live, in Chiba Prefecture.

It's kind of a mini version of Tokyo. I found many unusual things to photograph in Kashiwa.

This is the "UFO Catcher."


These must be the UFO's?



Yep, we enjoy with you.


Go Team Golden Golds!


You too can have this fruit for a mere $81.00!!


Interesting how they incorporated the tree with this building, which happens to be a headstone business.

Noda Sensei prepared a beautiful dinner called Mabo Nasu (stirred eggplant with ground pork, bamboo shoot rice, and muscle soup and Seishu Sake.) It was fantastic! They offered me a fork, but I continued to use chop sticks - with success.

Banpeiyu for breakfast

Our first breakfast with Rika's parents felt symbolic, as Noda Sensei prepared a fruit called Banpeiyu, which came from a tree in his mothers garden. After breakfast Rika told me that he prepares this fruit when a special guest is visiting.

Banpeiyu is a citrus fruit with a soft rind that is over an inch thick. It looks like an orange on steroids. It tastes like an orange but not quite as sweet, more mild.

NOW we are in Japan

Everybody told me I would encounter vending machines all over Japan. It's true, it's like going to Vegas and seeing slot machines everywhere (supermarkets, laundry mats, gas stations, etc.). I decided to indulge in the experience the minute we exited the aircraft. I ordered a coffee for 200 Yen. It was very hot, but not very tasty, much like the coffee vending machines in the States.

Are we in JAPAN yet???

NOOOOOOO...
Here is not Japan, here is a Cherry Blossom tree blooming in San Francisco. (Japanese girl is still authentic)

It's January 13th

It's 62 degrees in San Francisco.
It's 38 degrees in Tokyo.
It's approximately 52 degrees in the Japan Town parking garage in SF.

This is not Japan. This is the parking garage in Japan Town, SF. (with authentic Japanese girl)

I'm going to Japan!

I'm so excited, my good friend Rika and I are going to be traveling to Japan for 3 weeks this Feb. I am studying all things Japanese to figure out what I want to do while we are there.