Japan Day 6: One fish, no fish, raw fish, goatfish
<p>On the morning of our sixth day in Japan, we planned to go to Tsukiji fish market with Rachael.</p> <p>Key word: "planned".</p> <p>We dragged ourselves out of bed around 3am. Neither Son nor I are morning people (we're more likely to be going to bed around 3am), so there was definite dragging involved, however before long we were up and ready to go see some fish!</p> <p>And then we got stuck in our hotel.</p> <p>Seriously.</p> <p>As I've mentioned
Japan Day 5: Amazing Kate!
<p>On our fifth day in Japan, we spent the morning without Rachael and her family, as they had another commitment.</p> <p>So what did we do with our time by ourselves? Well, our first order of business was Beard Papa's. Which, by now, probably doesn't surprise you one bit.</p> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/7534753330_5f7d514113_c.jpg" alt="Coffee cream puff"/> </span> <p>On this visit, we got two types of cream puffs.</p> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm9.staticflickr.com/8039/8066302740_f1a28aa337_z.jpg" alt="Coffee cream puff inside"/> </span> <p>This coffee cream puff had a
Japan Day 4: Mt. Fuji Adventures!
<p>On our fourth day in Japan, Rachael's husband rented a car (both he and Rachael are licensed to drive in Japan) and we went on a road trip!</p> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm9.staticflickr.com/8460/8038222374_33f9418e4f_z.jpg" alt="Driving to Mt. Fuji"/> </span> <p>This was especially cool, because this meant Son and I got to see a side of Japan we would have never gotten to see if we were there by ourselves, taking the trains everywhere.</p> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm9.staticflickr.com/8457/8038223440_f1275077ab_z.jpg" alt="On the road"/> </span> <p>One such example
Japan Day 3: In which we eat the Tokyo Skytree
<p>A big part of why we went to Japan this summer was to be there the same time <a href="http://lafujimama.com">Rachael</a> was there. Since she's lived there before, speaks and reads Japanese fluently, and - oh, yeah - we have <a href="http://misofy.com">a podcast about Japanese food</a> that we do together, we decided that we should definitely, absolutely take a trip to Japan together.</p> <p>She goes to Japan every summer because her husband's company sends him
Japan Day 2: Take me out to the ball game…
<p>Our second day in Japan began with onigiri. Delicious, delicious onigiri.</p> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7641562518_99b257de4e_b.jpg" alt="Onigiri display at Mai Mai"/> </span> <p>We found an onigiri specialty shop in Shimbashi station (when facing the entrance to the JR lines, it's in the far left corner) called Mai Mai.</p> <p>(We went there so often, the woman who works there started bringing out the English menu whenever she saw us coming!)</p> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm8.staticflickr.com/7264/7641566844_c147809cb3_b.jpg" alt="Mai Mai"/> </span> <p>(And what is it with Japanese women
Japan Day 1: We came for the ramen
<span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540w_18640000_75___farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/7534705772_dc50f0f894_b.jpg" alt="View from our hotel room"/> </span> <p>Day 1. Our first full day in Japan. We woke up to find we had quite a lovely view of Hamarikyu Gardens from our hotel room.</p> <p>Since we weren't able to get our JR Passes <a href="http://sushiday.com/archives/2012/09/10/japan-day-0-not-so-plain-plane-food/">the previous evening when we arrived in Japan</a>, off we went to Shinagawa station, where there was a JR Exchange Office.</p> <p>And back we went to our hotel room, because someone
Japan Day 0: Not so plain plane food!
<p>As some of you might know, in January of this year I started a podcast - <a href="http://misofy.com/podcast/">Miso Hungry Podcast</a>, all about Japanese food! - with Rachael Hutchings of <a href="http://www.lafujimama.com/">La Fuji Mama</a>. (And if you didn't know, then you should definitely <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/miso-hungry-podcast/id495535054">go listen to one of our 25 (plus 2 mini) episodes</a>! Seriously, go. Now. This post can wait, promise. ^_^)</p> <p>A couple of months into the podcast,
Tokyo, Japan: Our last two days, and a visit to Bassanova!
<strong>If you're looking for the Tour de France post, check it out on my other food blog, <a href="">Fridgg</a>! :D</strong> <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540we_18640000_75___farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4779055031_4dc04052dd_b.jpg" alt="Robot statue"/> </span> On our second to last day in Japan, we visited the Ghibli Museum. You know the Japanese animated films like Totoro, Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service...? Well, Ghibli is the man who did all the art for those movies, and this museum is dedicated to him
Nagano, Japan: Snow Monkeys!!!
<span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540we_18640000_75___farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4714496883_b69fa8eccb_b.jpg" alt="Grilled mochi with red beans"/> </span> Our sixth day in Japan started early, so we ate breakfast on the train... grilled mochi filled with adzuki beans that we had purchased the night before. Yum. <span class="bigPic"> <img src="http://img.fridgg.com/540we_18640000_75___farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4715127794_6603dcb221_b.jpg" alt="Nagano houses"/> </span>