Kyoto and Brian's Visit

We are so lucky to have had Brian here for the past two weeks. I feel like part of the reason I haven't blogged in a while is that normal life kicked in, I stopped staring wide-eyed out the window everywhere we went, and it was hard to remember all the things that blew my mind when we first got here. It's crazy, but I think that's how the brain works - we adjust, adapt, and then carve out functionality for ourselves. It's amazing, really, but it's also a little sad not to be awestruck all the time.

Well, having Brian here has brought back so much of that and made things new and fun. We are so similar in the things that amuse us and make us laugh - he ended up buying so many of the same souvenirs that I did even when we weren't together. It was great being able to point out funny or different things and remember how it felt the first few weeks. 

We have done a few outings and day trips, but our main event was our weekend trip to Kyoto. 

It was our first: 

1. time using Airbnb
2. experience being/sleeping in a Japanese house
3. time driving for more than an hour in Japan 

and many, many more. Overall, Kyoto was really cool. It was a bit early for the fall colors, but it was such a fascinating place with truly all the elements of a more traditional Japanese experience. Our apartment was a three minute walk from Kinkaku-ji, a super famous Zen Buddhist temple. The accommodations were large by Japanese standards, but were a little on the tight side for 6 people. The host was awesome - she gave us toys for the kids and fun gifts from the 100  yen store and a bottle of wine (which we politely declined). It had some fun elements, like heated floors and a TV in the wall of the bathroom by the tub. The kitchen was tiny and the storage options were limited, so it was difficult to imagine a family living there, but I'm sure they do fine! 

I didn't get any pictures, but Luke took this one of bathtime with Japanese cartoons. Seriously, the girls stayed in there for hours.

And then June took all the these. She's totally obsessed with using my phone to take 100 pictures at a time and it's my fun job to pick out the gems. 

Okay, on to the good stuff. We woke up bright and early and walked to Kinkaju-ji. It was a beautiful, crisp morning with rain on the forecast but none in sight. 

It really was stunning. Some sights are a bit underwhelming after all the build-up, but this was so beautiful and peaceful, even with the crowds. 

And then June took some pictures of Brian...

And Ivy took an instagram worthy shot of her feet...

And this cute one of June.

We walked all around the little pond, through the little gardens and few wishing wells, to a stand selling prayer candles. 

You might not be able to read on the boxes, but some of the different candles represent prayers for "be in safe and sound," "family in safety," one's heart desire," "schoolwork accomplishment," "a got of marriage," and "do a brisk business." 

The girls each took a candle and added theirs to the rest. It was a really beautiful "ceremony," with the scent of incense wafting through the cool air. 

Brian tried his luck at a fortune, which was pretty all encompassing.

We then headed over to Fushimi-inari Taisha. It is a Shinto shrine that is famous for the thousands of torii gates that cover the paths leading up the mountain behind the shrine. 

The walk up to the shrine was awesome - tons of food stands and shops that looked so fun. Maybe if we were on a more spiritual journey, it would have been offensive. But as commercialized tourists, we loved it :)

William is so done with my agenda.

Ivy found and petted the world's nastiest feral cat. All the Japanese people were taking pictures of her, so I did too.

On the way down, we got a little grapefruit juice

and some "potato tornadoes"

and a QUAIL with the HEAD still on.

The less said about the quail, the better. Needless to say, Japanese people must not mind eating tiny bone splinters in their game birds. I can't say the same for myself. Our dinner that night was awesome yakiniku (charcoal grill at each table with raw meat and vegetables) and was delicious. You win some, you lose some. 

It was a great trip and an awesome experience to assimilate more into a Japanese lifestyle, which we definitely don't get living on post. I'm ashamed to admit how relieved I was to go to our commissary (American grocery store) on base when I got home. As a parting note, the rest stops off the expressway were incredible. So. Many. Stalls. 

With this fancy screen to tell you where the open stalls were, which ones had the changing tables, baby holders, which were "Japanese style" (ie. glorified hole in the floor" and how not to get lost in this massive facility. Surprisingly, the Japanese style ones were often occupied. I suppose the older generations prefer to squat. The "western style" stalls featured full pod-style rooms with no awkward eye contact through the door cracks, heated seats, bidets, and all the things I have come to know and love about bathrooming in Japan. 

My in-law's come about a week after Brian leaves and we are so thrilled to have them! My girls call Luke's mom their "hot chocolate grandma" because of her seemingly endless supply pouring from her Cocoa-motion machine. Who wouldn't be excited to see their hot chocolate grandma?! 

After they leave, we don't have any visitors until March. So if you get the itch to come, come. I can promise you weird and wonderful food, quirkiness galore, and the best bathroom experience of your life.

Japanese Candy and More!

I can't say that I have ever had a major craving for Japanese candy the way one might have for, say, German chocolate or French pastries. Before moving here, I had tried the Hi-Chew candies and the Pocky sticks. Both fine. Both kinda forgettable. 

Last night we went to a Japanese grocery store a few minutes from our house and I was immediately in love with it for one simple reason: 

Cushy, reclining stroller carts and toddler seat carts. I'll take three.

My elation was somewhat dampened when we came to a little sample tray containing these weird, wiggly tiny white FISH with EYES. Of which Ivy had three servings before I could even say "Awwww heck no!" I love how adventurous she is, but the rest of us decided to abstain.

It's the black eyes on their milky white little bodies that does it for me. 

All this fresh, cheap sushi! That's the kind of food I can get behind.

"Okay, okay," you say, "but I was promised candy." Indeed. Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination!

Candy mini food. I hope?

Cookie/gummy versions of popular foods out here. 

Jelly is a very popular treat here. The texture is a little gross to me - sort of a clumpy, watery Jell-o, but my kids love it.

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This lazy egg guy is my favorite. I laugh every time I see it. PLEASE watch this video. That's the character and it's really popular here as well, sort of a lesser Hello Kitty type character. 

These are so good. Milk candies that taste like that Hokkaido ice cream that I can't stop talking about.

New varieties of Pocky sticks that I am excited to try! Plus the Men's version for that special someone in your life. 

Coconut pineapple and grape mentos. It is of note that the grape flavor out here is far superior to the states. Seriously, what is wrong with grape in the US? It's like cough syrup, especially comparatively.

Mango "Adult Hi-Chew." I have also had bitter orange, which is my all-time favorite.

Kristen, I'll be sending a bag of these your way. Haha!

Little gummy fruit with toothpick included for easy eating.

ALL THE CANDY. 

These little boxes were packaged together and I was curious about their contents, so I bought them. It was like $1. 

The top box had little heart candies and the bottom box had this tiny, wooden ladder car (firetruck?) that I love. So cute. I want to go buy 10 more. 

Then there were things I bought just because they were adorable.

We are settling in to our new life! Ivy has started preschool and loves it. She always comes home with news, which June and I soak in like sponges - what did she have for snack? Was Aaron a jerk again? Who laughed at her joke? We MUST know. June and I usually eat a late breakfast and just enjoy a more relaxed few hours together before we walk over and get her - a 7 minute walk. 

There are a few things about living out here that are...different. We do most of our grocery shopping at the commissary on post, which is just around the corner. It's always an adventure since the produce section is a combination of very expensive Japanese produce and very expensive, low quality imported produce. I am not complaining - there are many things that would be difficult or impossible to find if we didn't have the commissary, but it makes meal planning difficult. 

Like the time I planned a whole week's menu with the intention of buying a big ol' box of mangoes from Costco...only to find that they were out of season and were not to be had, even for ready money, in the entire country of Japan. My options were thus:

Another hard thing that we discovered this weekend is the limitation of health care. There is a great clinic out here that is unfortunately not open on the weekends. I learned as much when I called to inquire about the removal of a poly bead from June's nose. Our only option was to drive to Yokosuka Naval Base, which can take two or more hours with traffic, and wait in their emergency room, effectively destroying any Saturday plans we might have. 

Fortunately, I don't care THAT much about my children's safety, so we opted for a quick internet search. I found this article and did a little magic, and soon the offending bead was out. Gross. But very satisfying. 

I hope you have sufficiently gained and lost your appetite several times during the course of this post. Have a great night!