Skip to main content

One-Five [Ichigo]

On Sunday I was invited to go strawberry picking.  I jumped at the chance espcially since I had heard some rumors that the way they grow strawberries in Japan is quite different than the way they grow them in the states.  I can now say that the number one difference is the season: it is still freezing out and they grow them in greenhouses to have them around during the Christmas and Valentines Day holidays.
I met my friends at 9:00 am and we drove for about three hours to a place just past Toyhashi.  I wish I could be more specific but I still do not know where we went.  When we got there we had an hour to pick and eat as many strawberries as we wanted!  It was the healthiest and sweetest "all you can eat" that I have ever experienced.  Of course we had to mess up the healthy part with some condensed milk and whipped cream, but for the most part strawberries are good for you right?  
Once we had our fill of strawberries we made our way to a rape seed flower field.  It was another strange thing to see a field of flowers in full bloom at a time when it could be cold enough to snow.  Even so, the flower fields were beautiful.
 
On our way out of the city we stopped for some delicious oysters.  At the same stop we found a store selling all different vegetables for 100¥.  We all jumped at the chance to buy cheep vegetables.

Before we made our way back to Nagoya we stopped at one more place: Takeshima.  Takeshima means bamboo island.  Takeshima is an island with a circumference of 2000 feet.  On the top of the island lies the Yaotomi Shrine.  We walked up the stairs to Yaotomi Shrine then walked down to the other side of the island.  From there we were able to walk on a little foot path around the island.  The view, along with the wind, was breathtaking.

It was a great day trip with many unexpected Japanese wonders.  I even learned a few new Japanese words.  I'll leave you with this:  

Ichigo ga suki des. I like strawberries.   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Countdown: 4 days.

I have packed one box of books to put into storage, I have not picked out anything I am bringing to Thailand, my room is a mess with suitcases and laundry thrown everywhere, and I leave in 4 days.  So of course, instead of packing or cleaning or moving,  I decide to start my blog.  I hope to keep up to date on the adventures I have in Thailand, although I cannot promise anything.  But as of now, it is time to get my act together and get things in order for my departure on Thursday.   Next time I write it will be from Thailand! 
7 comments
Read more

Akame Shijuhachitaki Falls

Last Sunday, the lovely Sachiko brought Phil, Dominique and myself to the Mei prefecture to hike to see the beautiful Akame Shijuhachitaki Falls.  Akame Shijuhachitaki Falls is a series of crystal blue waterfalls that covers around 4 kilometers.  Overall there is said to be 48 waterfalls.  We didn't see all of them, but there is no way to tell how many we did see.  There were waterfalls of all sizes and who am I to judge whether a waterfall is big enough to be considered one of the 48 waterfalls of Akame? We headed to Nagoya station at 8:30 a.m. and took three separate trains and a taxi from there to get to the entrance.  Admissions to the falls also admitted us to the Japanese salamander museum.  There we saw some of the largest salamanders of our lives.  We renamed the display "This kids, is why you shouldn't swim in the river!"  
The given name "Akame (Red Eye)" is based on the legend in which Fudo-Myoo , commander of the Wisdom Kings i...
Post a Comment
Read more

AkemashiteOomedetou Gozaimasu - 明けましておめでとうございます

This new years I had two celebrations.  I had the countdown in Tokyo and I was lucky enough to be invited over to my boss, Mitani-san's, house for a traditional Japanese new year bento box.  The Japanese celebrate new years as we celebrate Christmas in the states.  It is a time for families to gather, dine and relax.   While the concept of New Years in Japan is similar to that of Christmas in the states the cuisine is very different.  Every family makes a osechi ryouri.  Osechi ryouri is supposed to be made before New Year’s Day dawn, and to last for days without refrigeration during the 7-day New Years holiday. The original reason for this period of rest or non-cooking was supposed to be to appease the fire god, Kohjin, who might get angry if one made fires so early in the year. Then in later years, this period of non-cooking was ostensibly to allow the wife (or cook of the house) a rest and time to spend with the family.  Mitani-san st...
Post a Comment
Read more