Uchiwa matsuri

The Uchiwa (fancy fan) Matsuri of Kumagaya City is a sight to behold, if you can stand the tremendous sensory overload that occurs when all of the portable shrines gather at the center of the city by the end of the night. Each shrine is manned by a musical army of taiko and flute players banging out a distinct beat on endless repeat. As with other festivals, the crowd is huge and tightly packed. Unlike other festivals, however, this one takes place in what has been called the hottest city in all of Japan. The humidity, coupled with the intermittent showers, makes for one hot and sticky night of merry-making.

A place for everything

Based on the variety of food storage containers available in the average Japanese grocery store, one might surmise that the people of this country are some of the most organized people on the planet. Behold, the banana case. You can buy one in almost any color you like. I have already told you about the importance they have started to place on this particular fruit, but dieting craze aside, I still think this idea makes sense. People who like to eat bananas every day might know that working them into your daily commute can be a bit of a hassle. They do not travel well and often end up bruised and slimy. I have never seen this kind of protection in the States, and after having checked in with people hailing from various regions of the country, I concluded that this product has yet to be introduced to the American market. Can you provide evidence to the contrary? If I am totally wrong, please let me know.

Tanabata, the star festival

In honor of Tanabata, the school cafeteria created this cute star-themed concoction for the kids (and the teachers, all of whom must eat the same meal as their students). As I munched happily on my far less processed homemade lunch, I felt slightly jealous for once. Stars are fun.

Fuji for real? Pt. IV

So the sunrise was a bit too cloudy to enjoy the way others have described it. Gradually, the sky began to clear, and we were privy to this beautiful vista. Despite the aforementioned complaints about my night on the mountain, there is a great sense of adventure and accomplishment that comes with completing any climb. I am proud of anyone who makes it up and down in one piece, even if you are part of some obnoxious caravan.

Fuji for real? Pt. III

Every couple of hours or so, hikers are able to rest at these ramshackle hut complexes and recharge. These structures accommodate everyone, especially those who have reserved sleeping space with their travel agencies. For those of us who opted to go all night, these places were merely good spots to rest and, amazingly, be served hot miso soup or ramen noodles. Oh, Japan. This is where the love/hate aspect of the intense tourism culture comes into play. As much as you dislike the competition for space on the trail, when you are cold and weary, nothing soothes the soul like boiling broth. On less crowded mountains, you don't usually get this kind of service. You can bet these huts would not be quite so well-stocked if the trails were only frequented by regular, unshepherded hikers. I will sheepishly admit to buying three different kinds of soup in total. And a hot chocolate. A word of caution, however: oddly, there is not a single public garbage receptacle on the entire mountain. Whatever rubbish you bring or accumulate must remain on your person until you leave the vicinity of Mt. Fuji. At least, that is what a worker at the fifth station told me. Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to disregard this bizarre attempt at waste management and end up littering wherever they please. Jake has the constitution of an ox and doesn't care how much you load up his backpack, so a few extra pieces of trash made no difference to him.

Fuji for real? Pt. II

Another disappointing thing about Mt. Fuji is that it is only beautiful when viewed from afar. I shouldn't complain about this since it is a volcano, after all, and forests do not really do so well above the timberline. Up until this experience, I had only hiked up mountains that were still lush at the top. This was the highest I had ever gone. The descent managed to amplify the ugliness of the terrain, forcing us to slide down long, monotonous switchbacks that resembled those runaway truck ramps you see on highways in places like Pennsylvania. Unlike other trails I had been on in the past, there was nothing pretty to see unless you happen to love heaps of multicolored gravel. Since this path is far easier to manage than the rockier trails, some people were actually using this route to go up. I cannot imagine having to follow that trail twice. At least the boulders on the Kawaguchiko trail made the crowded ascent somewhat fun.

Fuji for real? Pt. I

Full disclosure: we were unable to see the sunrise. We were dismayed by full cloud cover at the summit, just like the time we hiked up Mt. Sorrow in Australia. Although the view is supposed to be breathtaking, I remain unconvinced that this sight alone can make up for the colossal disappointment that is the rest of the Fujisan experience. First and foremost, the mountain is horrendously overcrowded. All sides are crawling with herds of tourists. Of course, I am a tourist myself and should not, therefore, look down upon those who simply wish to see more of the world than their own backyards. I have no problem, however, criticizing people who ascend in such painfully slow-moving flocks that the trail becomes one giant human traffic jam. We were stunned by the complete lack of oversight on the part of Japan's national park service. It would appear that there is little or no regulation with regard to how many travel agencies are allowed to book tours within the same time frame. Given that some of the trails can get rather narrow in spots, this presents a problem to climbers who are younger or fitter than the masses being gently coaxed from one boulder to the next. We found ourselves scrambling around group after group, risking some rather precarious footing in an effort to actually get somewhere before dawn. Even more incredulous than the Disneylandification of this national treasure was the preponderance of professional climbing gear on the poor souls who barely managed to crawl ten feet in ten minutes. Though they were clearly in no shape to be anywhere near a hiking trail, some of these people were dressed appropriately for immediate relocation to Mt. Everest base camp. Gear does not a climber make. I will say that the headlight I wore for the first time in my life was awesome and highly recommend it to anybody going at night. The people with hand held flashlights were less agile on the rocky parts.

Tackling Fujisan tonight!

Definitely share any suggestions or stories in the comments!

In the closet

One day, I went to visit a friend, but he wasn't home. Randomly, his mother (he still lives with her, as do most Japanese people these days) insisted on showing me the inside of his closet. Though slightly skeptical about the invasion of privacy, I gave in to my curiosity and was careful not to touch anything. He had this big walk-in space that would be just perfect if he had tons of clothes. As it turns out, it is also a great place to store thousands of tiny food-related replicas. I mean it. The place looked exactly like a miniaturized version of Japan, if you took away all the people, buildings, flowers and electrical wires. Food replicas are actually a huge industry in this country because most of the restaurants put out 3D displays of their entire menus in order to entice potential customers. It's great for people like Jake and me, because when we can't manage to read or say something, all we have to do is point. Anyway, there was such a staggering array of stuff in there that I couldn't possibly fit it all in one frame. So, I will have to let you into his magical world one photo at a time. Some particularly Japanese details in this installment include: the tatami mat and incredibly small vacuum cleaner, the low table, and the lone black cat (not a symbol of bad luck over here). I could be wrong, but I also think that's a pair of sanma in the lower left corner. Could you see yourself running your own mini-munchie empire? Did I mention this dude is a lawyer?

Coconut curry Doritos

Yummers.

Banana chocolate

I love bananas, but dislike artificial banana flavoring. Jake is just the opposite, which is lucky for him since this taste is commonly found in all kinds of Asian food products. He was a fan of this banana chocolate bar. Though I wasn't, I am a fan of the banana-flavored soy milk the Yakult lady sells on her weekly visits to our school.

Yakult Lady

Once upon a time, America had a special place reserved for women known as Avon ladies. They would go door to door, selling cosmetics products to housewives and grandmothers in their neighborhoods. It was a way for an average woman to make her own money and experience a little independence from the daily grind of making meals and cleaning house. I don't know anybody who uses Avon today, but apparently, this retro brand and its suburban sales associates are making a bit of a comeback given the current economic climate. I am reminded of this particular slice of Americana whenever I see the Yakult ladies making their rounds at local public schools. Once a week, they drop down on the floor in the hallway and set up shop with their portable coolers. Laden with a colorful array of dairy products, their little treasure chests become busy centers of commerce for the next hour. Some people seize the opportunity for refreshment and partake in a single bottle of drinkable yogurt or a box of juice. Others buy in bulk and bring their favorite products home to share with family. You always know when the Yakult lady has come because the faculty refrigerator is bursting with bone fortification potions afterward. I finally experimented with a couple items myself, and now I can't wait for her to come back. The fruity yogurt drinks make sweet and satisfying snacks, and the flavored soymilk boxes are great first thing in the morning.

Shiso Pepsi

Pepsi likes to unleash crazy flavors on the Japanese public every every now and again. Up until recently, I had only experienced the weirdly enjoyable yogurt version of fall '08. Then I noticed this radioactive bottle of green stuff glowing from inside the fridge at "7 and i holdings" (7 Eleven). I have to say that even the thought of shiso usually makes me cringe. I have definitely given it a shot on many occasions since the Japanese tend to include it in a variety of meals. Often referred to as Japanese basil, it can be served alongside sushi or fried tempura style. The latter is bearable because the batter drowns out the herb's strong flavor, but I simply cannot stomach the stuff raw. Surprisingly, this shiso soda is refreshingly sweet and pleasant to drink. It has a faintly minty. sweet flavor, and possesses none of the bitterness I associate with the actual leaf. Jake and I took turns sipping it and simultaneously sang its praises.

Sushi pizza

When you live in another country for more than a few months, it's inevitable that you'll start hankering for some familiar foods from home. Pizza is readily available in Japan, and some of it is actually pretty good, but they aren't exactly New York slices. Neither is the stuff Jake decided to experiment with in our kitchen the other day. When you can't replicate an original, the next best thing is innovating a style of your own. He resolved to incorporate Japanese ingredients as much as possible and ended up splitting his pie down the middle. One half was grilled tuna with black sesame seeds and goma dressing, the other is maguro sashimi slathered with wasabi, lying on a thin bed of grated cheese. Incredibly, the raw fish side tasted much better, delicious even. Of course, I usually dislike the taste and texture of cooked tuna, even with the help of a creamy sesame sauce. Stayed tuned for Jake's next Japanese pizza, because something tells me this won't be last.

Food with a face

This is not a guilt trip to promote vegetarianism. The faces on these food items are fake. Quail egg heads with nori (seaweed wrapper) hair and black sesame eyes were designed to evoke your average pair of Nihon-jin. Attention to detail is a hallmark of Japanese cuisine. While the upper echelon of Japan's culinary elite is considerably more cutting edge than cute, this grocery store display perfectly showcases the playful side of the country's cooking tradition. The platter touts the virtues of tofu pouches (the same kind used to make the sweetly stuffed inarizushi) as vehicles for various tasty fillings, from pickled daikon to ground pork.

Scene from a Japanese wedding

I picked up this sample wedding photography book lying around the travel agency when we went to apply for our tourist visas to China. We were waiting for a representative, and the company had a whole corner dedicated to destination weddings. I almost laughed out loud when I came to the end of one "couple's" dream ceremony and read this sentiment at the bottom of the page. Priorities out of whack or brutal truth? You be the judge!

Fromage au lait cru

Everyone always says that Tokyo is one of the best places on Earth to find good French food. While food shopping at the Isetan in Shinjuku, Jake was inspired to buy some unpasteurized, imported French cheeses (that have not been aged for at least sixty days). We made our way to the cheese corner in the hopes of finding something that is at once delicious and illegal for consumption in the US. They had lots of Camembert, but we went for something a little bit stronger and ended up loving it. Raw milk cheeses are just one of the foods that are becoming increasingly expensive these days, but it was worth the treat. I threw away the wrapper and forgot the name, though, so if it looks familiar to you, please let us know...

Le Daibutsu de Kamakura

When we visited Kamakura last year, I shared a few of our stories, but neglected to mention the reason why we made the trip in the first place. Recently, while flipping through an issue of Vogue (courtesy of the foreign books section at the local library), I came across a photo of a young socialite on holiday in Japan. She was posing in front of an enormous statue that I immediately recognized as the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha. Many must-see spots in Japan have some connection to Buddhism or Shintoism, and the variety of religious iconography across the country is an important aspect of its rich artistic and cultural heritage. Also, I suppose if a major fashion magazine is going to dedicate some space to this, then I should too. The Daibutsu is definitely worth checking out if you are in the Tokyo area and have time for a day trip to the country. We hiked a pleasant, easy trail from the train station to the statue, although you can also take a bus or walk the main road to get there.

Happy 4th of July!

Celebrating American holidays abroad is always a challenge. Understandably, nobody else knows or cares about the event, so the level of excitement is diminished. Sometimes, trying to prepare a traditional dish is difficult because the necessary ingredients are nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, we were determined to enjoy the beautiful weather this Saturday and prove that an expatriate is not the same as an ex-patriot. Luckily, rounding up a few hot dogs is never a problem in this country, and hamburgers are another easy food to prepare. We put a special Japanese twist on the dogs, topping them with tsukemono ( 漬け物, Japanese pickles) instead of relish. This variety of tsukemono is known as takuan (沢庵), and consists of sliced daikon sprinkled with sesame seeds. It's my favorite kind. Jake also slathered on some hot, wasabi mustard which ended up burning like crazy. He loves it, but I can only handle very small doses. As for the festivities, Japan appears to have very lax laws about the use of fireworks, or hanabi (花火). Of course, with no parties, family barbecues or picnics to attend, we have no use for them this year!

This bud's for you!

Retro American anime

Long after reaching the zenith of their popularity in America, certain cartoon icons are still going strong in Japan. I have not seen this much Snoopy and Carebears merchandise since I was an elementary student. In the eighties. Those of you who long for the days of early Disney would have no trouble finding an old-fashioned Mickey Mouse T-shirt here, in any color you like. All of these throwback toys provide an interesting contrast to the more modernized aspects of Japanese society, since they are worlds apart from the manga that dominates the rest of the animation market. Their persistent presence in stores always makes me think of Japan's elderly population, people who have lived through a period of tremendous change and, consequently, have nearly nothing in common with the country's youngest generations. They are living relics of a national value system that is slowly deteriorating as more and more Japanese youth succumb to the depressing reality of joblessness and cultural erosion. Of course, my perception of beagles and chubby bear cubs as paragons of moral rectitude might not paint the greatest picture of young Americans either...