I am in Japan! Bobby and I left NYC last Tuesday afternoon and arrived in Japan Wednesday night. We were on the plane for 16 hours and we crossed the dateline, hence the entire day+ difference. The flight is only ~13 hours, but there was a problem with the plane’s toilets and we ended up sitting on the plane while they fixed them.
I can’t remember exactly what I ate that Wednesday but it included this:
A surprisingly good airplane dinner of beef and veggie stir-fry, shrimp cocktail, a little salad, and bread. The meal came with “buttery spread” which is really margarine-like. I am not sure why people are still eating margarine. It should go the way of large sugary sodas in NYC. Dessert was a small cinnamon brownie.
There were a few other surprisingly OK airplane meals, and then we were in Japan. We found Bobby’s mom in the airport, and then hit up a Starbucks. Did you know that Starbucks has a “short” size? They do – but it’s not listed on US menus. If you ask for it though, apparently you can get it (I believe only for hot drinks; I haven’t tried yet because I didn’t know until this trip). The tall is so large – I don’t usually want to drink that much coffee/frappuccino/whatever.
After 1.5 hours on a train and subway we were at Bobby’s aunt’s house in a suburb of Tokyo/Yokohama. A veritable feast was laid out for us of amazing Japanese food. Most of the daily eats in Japan are macrobiotic. I wish I could remember each dish. Some where – rice (they eat white here; brown is rare), a stew with konyakku/lotus/daikon, hijiki salad, and more. And kabocha is also ubiquitous here.
And finally – shower and bed. I find that the best showers come after long days of traveling. This was possibly the best shower of my life.
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Here are some more pictures from the trip so far:
Me enjoying a Japanese grocery store.
A double yolk egg. Did I mention that egg yolks are this really intense shade of orange here?
Not from the trip… but I miss these guys. My friend is taking care of them.
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Signing off for now. Have you ever been to Japan? What about another Asian country? I have not – this is my first time. I have traveled to Europe and Canada and that is about it.
Welcome to Japan! I live south of Tokyo and have been following your blog for a while. Enjoy your time here.
@Kirsten: thanks! Had an amazing time. We were also south of Tokyo in a suburb of Yokohama. I also follow your blog 🙂
yay!!!! I miss Japan so much 🙂
so excited for you — have a wonderful trip!
@thedaintypig: thanks!! it was incredible. ate lots of kabocha 😀
Wee!! So excited for you Maggie! I once bought a dozen eggs and each one of them had a double yolk!
Have a ton of fun! My Mom went to Japan on business when I was in high school, and next spring is going there again with some friends – she’s a world traveler. Me? I haven’t been further west than DesMoines, Iowa – how sad is that?!
@Biz: that is nuts! i had to show this comment to Bobby – neither of us had seen a double yolk before. we think it’s good luck – so you must be very lucky!
Did not know you we’re going to Japan!!! Eats lots of kabocha for me and can’t wait to see more pics. 🙂
@HEAB: ate TONS of it! everyone like kabocha in Japan.
i have ALWAYS wanted to go to japan! i’m so excited to see your photos from the trip! have a great time 🙂
@the delicate place: it was so amazing! you should definitely go. was very cool to go here after going to paris last year. the culture in japan is so different from anything i’ve experienced before (in a good way of course). had a great time. if you don’t speak the language i think it’s easiest to say in the Tokyo area and do a lot of planning beforehand. (and get an international data plan for your phone.)
This would definitely go into my budget this weekend. I’m soo loving Japanese food. When my friend introduced me to it just last week I fell in love with it completely.
Love the green purse!! I love ordering the short at Starbucks–if the advertised it they would not make as much moola!! 🙂