My Next Door Neighbor

My next door neighbor is .......a Temple!!
YES!! A Temple! It`s called  Niioson, named for the two temple guards housed in the two gate houses in front of the temple.
Japan is an interesting mire of Buddist temples and Shinto shrines with a few Christian churches interspersed.
The basic way to tell the temples and shrines apart is..... the shrines have to red "torii" at the entrance and the shrines have two large temple gates usually housing the temple guard statues.

Today`s pictures are of the temple next door to "Our House".

 

Say What???????

I decided to add a (Say What????) category to my blog just for fun.
Sometimes English usage here in Japan can be very strange.
Packaging is created to be eyecatching and using English IS eyecatching. No one reads it so it doesn`t matter much WHAT it says. So when I see something of interest, I`ll put it here on my blog. Please feel free to laugh.

Product is toothpicks......Word for word......On the package:
"It has a meal by the smile every day.
Family terms are good has a meal.
The easiness to use it "it is the best"is a toothpick.
Today`s meal is delicious.
SMILE/MAMA/COMPANY
S&M  "

SAY WHAT????

Michi-no-Eki

According to Wikipedia....Michi-no-Eki is a roadside rest area found along highways in Japan. In addition to providing rest areas for travelers, they are also intended to promote local tourism and trade. You can often find shops selling local produce, snacks, souvenirs, and other goods. According to government figures, there are around 900 Michi-no-Eki around the country.

Couldn`t have said it better myself!!

There are three Michi-no-Eki within comfortable driving time from my home. I like to visit and buy local produce and products. There are usually decent Food Court areas selling fast food and local menus.

Yesterday, Teru-chan, a good friend, and I went to a newly opened Michi-no-Eki in Sawara City. I am sorry to say that this is the first Michi-no-Eki that I was disappointed in. Maybe it will get better....

Anyway, we had a nice drive and lunch and on the way home we stopped in at a produce store and got fresh veggies!

All is well that ends well,Yes?

Have a nice day!!

Planting the Rice Paddies

This is the time of the year to plant the rice paddies(ta ue, in Japanese) here in our area. By the time Golden Week is finished, most of the rice paddies are planted.

First of all, the paddy is plowed and the enbankments between the paddies are repaired and fortified. Next, the paddy is filled with water and plowed again .Then the paddy is planted with the seedlings that have been grown in a much smaller area.

My explanation makes it sound very easy, but , as all farmers know~it ain`t! Much time and sweat goes into the paddies.

I love to watch the process from preparation to planting to harvest( ine kari, in Japanese).

Have a nice day!!

Cartonnage

Please allow me to use the term cartonnage for this box....although I am using it very loosely. In actuality, cartonnage is a much more intricate art. The artist makes the piece from scratch, making the box.I`ve seen some absolutely beautiful pieces while surfing the NET.  I`ve just covered a box that I thought was cute. It`s a fun project and is good for packing Birthday presents or packaging homemade cookies even.

Japan`s Golden Week

We`re coming up on Japan`s Golden Week. Golden Week gets it`s name from Golden Time, or what we call in the USA (Prime Time) like on radio or TV. Golden Time or Prime Time is the time when the most people listen to the radio or watch the TV, right? Well, Golden Week is when the most people travel and /or play in Japan. The week has three National Holidays, so depending on the day of the week that they fall on, a trip out of country is even possible. This without having to delve into your annual leave time. Nice, huh?
The three holidays are 1~ May 3 Constitution Memorial Day, 2~ May 4 Greenery Day, and 3~ May 5 Children`s Day, or Boy`s Day to distinguish it from Girl`s Day , which is on March 3. Just before Golden Week, on  April 29 is Showa Day, which is the Birthday of the deceased Showa Emperor Hirohito.Although Showa Day is not part of Golden Week, it is considered by some to be included.
Constitution Day and Greenery Day aren`t special, but Children`s Day has it`s celebration. Usually, starting  a few weeks before Children`s Day, families rig up the Koinobori in the yard. Koinobori is a set of windsocks made to look like carp, Koi. They"fly" these koi on poles in the yard. They are very large and "fly" beautifully in the wind. Much smaller ones are also made for people who live in apartments to "fly" on their verandas.
Why carp(Koi)? They are very hardy fish and they represent courage and perseverance,  characteristics parents want for their boys to have.
I`m sure many of you have seen these windsocks. In The USA I`ve seen them used a wall hangings. I also once saw one rigged up as a shower curtain, which was pretty awesome! I`ve included some pictures in the hope that you can get an idea of how they are used. They are really beautiful "flying" in the wind!

Doctor Fish

Have you heard of  Doctor Fish?
(According to Wikipedia: The Doctor fish or "Garra Rufa ", also known as the nibble fish, is from Turkey. It is used in Turkish spas as a treatment for skin diseases such as psorisis. The fish only consumes affected and dead skin leaving healthy skin to grow.)
The Hotel I stayed at in Okinawa had a setup in the shopping area, the setup being a small pool with benches surrounding the pool . You set on the bench and dangle your feet in the pool. The fish nibble on your feet ....yes , they nibble on your feet! The first minute of this was like nothing I`ve ever experienced! It doesn`t hurt! It tickles? Vibrates? I`m at a loss for words! If you make it through the first minute without loosing it... it`s actually a vibrating massage feeling that feels good! (I paid 500 yen for 10 minutes, about $5.) After 10 minutes my feet were very smooth and the dead skin was gone! PLUS...I felt quite refreshed! The tiredness I had felt in my feet was gone.
Hey, don`t take my  word for it! If you get the chance...try it!
I highly recommend it!

Doctor Fish!


Have a nice day!!

Okinawa R&R

Took a "Girl Trip" to Okinawa! The ultimate R&R! Don`t want to knock trips with my husband, but Girl Trips are really fun! Non stop giggling, and talking! True " Rest and Relaxation"!! My travel Buddy was Teru.... we travel well together....hehehe!!

I`ve been in Japan for over 40 years, and this was my first trip to Okinawa.

Okinawa is part of Japan, but it`s like going to another country. Even the Okinawans consider themselves Okinawans first and Japanese second!

We came with a tour group for two nights and three days. The good thing about tours is that everything is all set up for you so. No fuss!

The first day, upon arriving at Ishigaki Island, we stopped on the way to the Hotel to visit some beautiful caves!

The second day we left the Hotel early and took a trip to a nearby island, Iriomote Island, where we took a "Jungle Cruise" through the mongroves. Talk about breathtaking! Mother Nature surely outdid herself when she created the mongroves!

Then we took a short ride on a water buffalo cart to a smaller island that is a botanical garden. Lovely!

After returning to the Hotel, Teru and I took a walk to a nearby Super Market. What better way to get to know a place than to go to the market? Real "Girl Country"! If I were many years younger, I would probably say that the bars are the place to go to get to know the people, but I`m a Granny so cut me some slack, OK?

The third day was spent on Ishigaki Island. We took a ride on a glass bottom boat. WOW! I now understand why Okinawa is a scuba diver`s paridise! The beautiful tropical fish, the coral, the unpolluted ocean water, these are all God`s gift to the Okinawan people, and they are taking very good care of these gifts.

In between seeing all of these attractions there was alot of shopping. This is the only problem I have with tour groups. So much shopping time! I`m not that big of a shopper! Oh well, just use that as "Chill" time!

We had a great time ! Three days of "talkin` story" and still things to say! Girls! Let`s do it again soon, Teru! And for those of you who visist my blog.....I highly recommend Okinawa to add to your "Wanna GO""Wanna SEE" lists! My rating is Five Star PLUS!!

Cherry Willow

This is a Cherry Willow in full bloom and majesty! The flowers are a deeper pink than regular Cherry blossoms and have a longer tree life.

It`s on the grounds of the Shrine next door to our place. It looks like it`s been pruned and shaped, almost like a Bonsai tree. This is " au natural"! It is just soooo beautiful, I had to share it with whoever visits my blog!

Isn`t it breathtaking!?!

Cherry Blossom Experience

Spring in Japan is Cherry Blossom Time!

The country becomes completely tied up with Cherry Blossoms.
The News even broadcasts the Cherry Blossom Forecast!

There are other flowering trees in Japan, but none has the devotion and love that is given to the Cherry Blossom(Sakura). The Sakura is truly God`s gift to Japan. The lovely, fragile, short lived blossoms captured the hearts and souls of the Japanese people centuries ago and has remained number one. The Sakura has been the theme of poems, stories, art, and legends. Special Tours are planned by Tour Companies to take us to the more famous and beautiful locations. There is Sakura flovored gum, tea, dumplings, candy, ice cream, even cocktails.

A common greeting in the Spring is "Have you been to "Hanami"?( "Hanami" roughly translated is "Cherry Blossom Viewing") Hanami is basically a picnic under the cherry tree when it is in full bloom. There are Company`s Hanami, Organization`s Hanami, Club`s Hanami, group`s Hanami,
family`s Hanami , formal, informal, day and night when the cherry trees are lit up with floodlights. Daytime Hanami is more for families and other groups. Companies and Organizations go more for late afternoon and lasting into the night. These usually include drinking "sake" or beer, "karaoke" and general boisterousness. The formal Hanami will include the "tea ceremony" and "kaiseki",which is a traditional Japanese style meal.

Spring and Hanami!!
Don`t you just love it?!

You can even plan your trip to Japan around the Sakura and create your own "Cherry Blossom Experience"!!

Have a Nice Day!!

Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ Ｔｅａ Ｃｅｒｅｍｏｎｙ

I had the pleasure of being invited to attend a Japanese Tea Ceremony last week. My dear friend Mariko teaches the tea ceremony and knows that I like to "partake".
If you ever have the chance, I highly recommend it as something well worth experiencing. Just tell your host that it`s your first time and you need instructions.
The tea ceremony is highly structured and has many rules. As a guest, your host will instruct you and help you enjoy. As you learn the rules, it`s even more fun.
In olden days the tea ceremony started with a meal and ended with tea. Now it`s just tea. There are different ceremonies for different seasons and occasions. There are also different "schools". It`s quite interesting but very deep. People spend their whole life just in the study of it. That is one of the reasons that I prefer to be a guest.
Thank you, Mariko, for inviting me.
It was lovely.

Cuff Bracelets

I just LOVE crafts! Making things, using them, giving them to friends......love it all!
Today`s crafts are some cuff bracelets I made for a Bazaar to raise money for my Grandkid`s Pre-School.
I`d simply love to take credit for this idea, but I won`t! The originator is Lee Meredith at her ( leethal blog) www.leethal.net. Really awesome blog! Lee is a knitter......I`m not. So I took the idea and used string and macrame cord. I crocheted, and used macrame and nauticcal knots. I`m quite happy with the way these turned out and am planning to make a few more for gifts for friends.

OBON

This is OBON season in Japan.

OBON is a Buddhist festival to honor one`s ancestors. Because the festival includes visiting and cleaning of ancestor`s gravesites, it has also become a family reunion time. In different areas of Japan OBON is celebrated at different times. Tokyo, Yokohama, and the Tohoku areas celebrate in July, but for other areas , the more common time is August.
OBON is a three day festival. It`s believed that family ancestor`s spirits come "home" during the three day celebretion.
OBON IRI is the first day....ancestors are welcomed into the home where the altar is maintained. The way of welcoming the spirits is different in defferent areas. The family might go to the gravesite with a CHOCHIN, a lamp, to guide the spirits home. Some areas burn small fires at the entrance to the home to welcome the spirits. The home will usually have an altar prepared for the ancestor`s spirits with offerings of food, fruit, and MANJU, a pastry made of rice flour with sweet red bean past inside. Lovely CHOCHIN are also set up to light the altar area. Here for three days the ancestor`s spirits are treated to food and prayers.
On the last day, usually late in the day or even after dark, the spirits are sent back to the gravesite, either on foot with a CHOCHIN to light the way or another small fire at the home entrance.
Although this is not a national holiday, many businesses close during the period or give their employees the days off.
Although I`m not a Buddhist, I think it`s lovely, and the heart of the festival is warm and loving.

Castle Town

Yes, Sakura City is a " Castle Town". In the days of warlords and samurai there was a Sakura Castle.

The central government in "Edo", now Tokyo, sent their officials out to the various areas. In order to insure these official`s loyalty to the Edo government, their familes remained in Edo, hostages? To show how important the officials were , there were very large entourages. Always included in the entourages were "intellectuals". "Intellectuals" in this period were priests. Officials took good care of their priests. Where ever they were stationed the officials built the priests temples or shrines as dwellings.

Another way that Edo insured their official`s loyalty was to move them around. This insured that the officials never became to close or chummy with the locals. When the officials were transferred their entourages went with them. The shrines and temples were left without priests.

If they were kept up, it was by the hands of the locals. Some, of course, fell to ruin.

Here in our small district of less than 70 households, there are two shrines and one temple.The residents have taken care of these over the years. There is a separate roster for each, and when your name comes up on the roster, your group, usually 3 or4 households, is expected to take care of that shrine or temple for that month. This means raking and sweeping the area and making it presentable for anyone who may come to pay their respects to the shrine.

Pictured today is the smallest of the three. Our group of 4 households was responsible for this shrine last month. We went in on the first and the fifteenth to clean up. I think that you can see by the picture that the shrine is well taken care of and loved.

If you stop by my blog, please feel free to leave a comment. I would truely love the feedback.
Thanks for stopping by!
Have a nice day!!

Summer Pickles

It`s SUMMER!!

There are lots and lots of fresh garden grown veggies!! I love to use these veggies for pickles.

cucumber 2
carrot 1
daikon(Japanese radish) 100gr
green, red, yellow, orange peppers 2@
celery 100gr
califlower 100gr
mushrooms 60gr

garlic 2(crushed)
salt 30gr
water 120cc
vinegar 360cc
sugar 70gr
only laurel and rosemary are required but dill, coriander, mustard seed, poppy seed, black pepper can also be used

1. put everything other than veggies in a saucepan and boil...set aside to cool
2. cut veggies into bite size and dump in a saucepan for a few seconds
3. put the veggies in a large jar and pour the cooled liquid from (2) over them
4. put a lid on the jar and refrigerate...usable after 1 day.... best after 2 days... keeps about 1 week to 10 days

Green beans, snow peas, corn, cabbage, onions, many variations are possible. Try them and find your favorites.
This makes a great side dish or addition to a green salad.

Sorting Garbage

Here in our City garbage is sorted before it goes to the curb.
There are six different categories that are sorted ,bagged and taken to the garbage sites.
1.Brown bags...Combustible garbage including kitchen scraps.　Pickup 3 times a week.
2. Blue bags...Landfill garbage...ceramic items, light bulbs, lighters, razor blades, etc. Pickup once a week.
3.Red bags...Cans...Pickup once a week.
4.Green bags..Bottles...Pickup once a week.
5.White bags...Other paper containers including tissue boxes, paperboard boxes,paper bags, etc. Pickup once a week.
6.Yellow bags...Other plastic containers and packages. Pickup once a week.
These six categories all go into city bags that can be bought at markets.
In my kitchen I have cabinets with pull-out hampers for the 6 different types.
Other types of garbage...
*Oversized garbage,which includes bicycles, pots and pans, furniture, bedding, etc. Collected on
a reservation basis for a fee.
*PET Bottles...plastic water bottles, etc. Markets have collection sites.
*Used cooking oil. Pickup once a month at specified sites.
*Used Dry－Cell Batteries...anytime at collection sites.
*Used Florescent lights...At collection sites such as storefronts.

Isn`t garbage a bore!
But it`s for the good of the planet...so I`ll do it!
How `bout you? Are you doing your part?

Remake Coke Crates

Here`s another remake that I`m quite happy with.

I`ve had these two Coke crates for a very long time. When the kids were very little I used the crates as shoe racks. Little shoes fit perfectly into the compartments. But... as we all know, children grow up, right? So eventually, their shoes got to big to store in the Coke crates anymore. For a while, I used them in the kitchen, but I was on the lookout for a better use.

Then a couple of years ago, I decided to do a complete remake on them. One that holds some of my sewing equipment has two shelves and a drawer.The other is now a magazine rack. I really like the new lives I`ve found for the crates.

Whaddaya think?

Have a nice day.