Appreciating Japan

I feel blessed to have so many amazing experiences. My journal keeping has been anything but exceptional and I feel the need to re-cap recent weeks. This feat is of course impossible, so the most memorable moments will be documented.

My first encounter with a Japanese church was in English, but I felt that the style and people were not a perfect match. I began going to a church less than ten minutes away by walking. It was in Japanese, but that made me like it even more. The church itself is beautiful, with high ceilings paved in stone. In the back, a small cavern type area with a statue of Mary, seemingly identical to Notre Dame's grotto, provides a peaceful getaway. I have come to learn that it is called a ルルド, rurudo. Outside the church, a man from Fukushima prefecture comes every week to sell produce and some homemade candies. Upon browsing the items, I began speaking with the older woman helping. This has been one of the other best moments of my stay in Japan so far. (Perhaps I say this a bit too often, but I have had many moments worthy of this comment.)

Meikosan, as I have come to know her as, is undoubtedly obachan age, but she has been a very important person to me. The first time I went to her house, she invited me over around 9:00, where we chatted for around 2 hours. She offered me tea and sweets and gave me my first introduction into a Japanese home. As her husband is a businessman, one son lives with his wife, and the daughter who lives with her was also at work, it was just the two of us. This was the beginning of her endless Japanese lessons.

The following week after mass, she invited me to her home for dinner. From 630-930, I was continuously fed extraordinary food while enjoying fantastic conversation with her and husband, Papasan. The main dish was chirashi, which was different than my understanding of the dish. Usually, I see chirashi as sashimi over white rice, but her chirashi was a delicious blend of mushrooms, imitation crab, and vegetables, among other things. At the dinner, she and Papasan offered to let me use her bike, since they never use it. As I spend an hour walking to and from school everyday, I was more than happy to accept.

Another Sunday after mass, she invited me over for lunch with her and Papasan. As usual, it was the highlight of my day. Removing my sandals and putting on her house slippers, I know it will be a special day. We ate 冷や麦ーひやむぎーhiyamugi, cold noodles served just like cold soba, along with さつまいもーsatsumaimo-sweet potato, and various side dishes. The sweet potato was merely roasted, but being a different variety than the large orange root Americans are used to, it was sweet, tender, and dessert like. After, I enjoyed matcha ice cream.

Most recently, I went to her house to make tempura for the first time ever. I had no idea it was so simple, yet I know that if I made it alone, it wouldn't be as tasty. I ate squid and some vegetables that I had never enjoyed as tempura before. Before every meal, she puts food out for her ancestors; it reminded me of Grandma Helen putting out manju in the wooden ancestral box in the back room of the first floor. As we ate, I heard (yet didn't understand) the nonsense programs and Olympic games being played on their television.

I love every moment that I spend with her and cannot wait until the next time. I couldn't meet her for our planned outing on Thursday due to a school event, but hopefully the next time won't be too far in the future.

After climbing Mt. Fuji and haven't an amazing experience, I have realized that I shouldn't hold myself back from traveling if I don't have a companion. Feeling as though my time is limited, i have been on a trip planning frenzy. This weekend I will go to see matsumoto castle, Nagano's Zenkoji Temple, and Nikko. I also have tickets for a Tokyo Giants versus the Tigers baseball game next Wednesday. Considering the fact that Japanese people baseball fanatics and the Tigers are their rival, I'm pretty excited.