Here's a pic of the breakfast I was talking about. So good and healthy! Click on the pic to zoom in. See the little shrimps? They just eat those whole, and they eat the big ones whole, too! The soup was my favorite because I love clams AND miso.
One day at school I went outside and here was a tree cutting crew and I just thought it was cool. Japanese gardening style is all about manipulation and contoling the plant, topiary I guess, but in a more extreme way. Although I prefer the natural wildness of the plant, I really think Japanese gardens look so cool when they're matured.
My neighbor, Kukuchi-san is a very famous oil artist in this region, and luckily he was outside one time I was driving home and he came over and asked when I could have dinner with him and his wife and son. We had AMAZING food! As fresh as can be! His name is the same as a particular type of flower, and the yellow dish you see near him is flower is the Kikuchi flower petals that have been pickled and sweetened. They really smell like flowers as you're eating it. A meal like this would have cost around $50 in the states, easily.
Two of the teachers I work with at my school came over for yakiniku at my house. This is Dai (Big) sensei on the left and Takuya sensei on the right. All the girls say Takuya is so cute. This was my first time hosting yakiniku at my house and it was a success! Ahh the magic of meat!
Finally, just last weekend was Corrie's birthday (2nd from right). In Japan, any kind of buffet is called, "Viking" which cracks me up. This buffet put all American buffets to shame. They have: a sushi bar, make your own soba/ramen bar, salad bar, yakiniku meats to choose from (see the cooker in the middle of the table?), fried foods bar, crepe making area, cake case, ice cream case, make your own cotton candy machine, drink bar, and of course the staple steamed rice. All for one price of about $18 and you can't go wrong. Check us out, we got our money's worth. I've probably gained 10 lbs this month. Afterwards we went to bowling right across the street. Next time, Asobihodai! (all you can videogame)