Cherry Blossom challenge!

I was super excited for the cherry blossom season as I should have been. It was amazing and beautiful. Unfortunately, the season only lasts for one week so I set a challenge for myself: have a picnic under the cherry blossoms everyday possible for lunch. It was an awesome experience and I'm so glad that I went through thith the challenge. To make it more interesting, I tried to go to a different park everyday and actually made it to three different parks in the four days that I was able to have a picnic lunch.

Day 1:

On my first day, it was a gorgeous spring day. I went to a nearby park that had about four trees, some awesome picnic tables, and a great play set. I got a seat right under one of the trees and had a bento from 7-11.

The view from my table

My tree!

Day 2:

I almost didn't go on the second day. It was overcast and chilly. All of my coworkers thought I was crazy but I was determined! I got an easy and portable lunch in case it started to rain. This was probably my least favorite park. It actually wasn't much of a park. It was one tree with a small amphitheater. I still had a good time though.

I sat right under the tree on the benches

So beautiful!

 Day 3:

This was my favorite picnic day. This park was just a row of cherry blossoms. It was a gorgeous day outside as well which helped with my attitude. This park didn't have any benches though so I had ot bring my own blanket which I didn't mind. It's also close to the local bakery so I got to have some awesome fresh cooked bread for lunch. Two of my treats were shaped like famous Studio Ghibli characters Totoro and Ponyo. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect picnic under the sakura.

Stunning

My view all during lunch

Delicious Totoro and Ponyo bread! The Ponyo one is filled with ham! Love it!

Day 4:

My last day was also a bit overcast and chilly but I knew that it was supposed to rain the next day for sure so I wanted to get out there and go once more before the season was over. I went back to the same park I went to for day 1 but sat under a different tree to get a new viewpoint. I liked this viewpoint better as I could observe the cute kids playing. I enjoyed a bento box from 7-11 again.

My last day

I was so glad I followed through and went all four days. It was an unforgettable experience!

First Hanami

I have been waiting for this moment for a while in Japan, it's almost sakura (cherry blossom) season!! I went on a hanami with my friend about a week too early. Hanami is the name for a traditional picnic under cherry blossom trees. It's super fun. Everyone here does them. As I said, we went a bit early. There were some trees that were in full bloom but not as many as we had hoped. We grabbed some food and headed over to Shinjuku National Gardens in hopes of having a great picnic.

It was a beautiful day so the park was still pretty crowded. We went to the traditional Japanese portion of the garden and grabbed a seat right under a blooming sakura tree.

Me under our tree

My lunch box: fried pork, rice, tamagoyaki (fried egg), and green tea

I absolutely loved. We just sat there and absorbed the natural beauty around us. I adore the attitude that he Japanese have about sakura season. Everyone stops their days to admire the trees and enjoy a relaxing picnic. I think so often we blow past all of the natural beauty that is around us. We are so bust we never pause to reflect on the stunning things around us. It has really been a wonderful change in attitude for this amazing spring season.

After lunch, we joined everyone in taking pictures of our tree. I think I caught some pretty great pictures.

The obligatory close up

The park in the background

We walked through the rest of the park trying to find some more awesome trees. Luckily, we found some perfectly blooming ones.

Yes! I have a picture of me and the tree!!

So basically, I had an awesome time and can't wait for peak season!

Family Vists Days 1 and 2

Sorry that I have been absent for the past couple of days BUT my family came to Japan to visit me over my winter break! YAY! We had an exciting 10 to 11 days which I WILL write all about :D
So, let's begin with days one and two!
I had to go pick up my family from the airport first which was an adventure all on its own. See, Narita airport is about 2 and a half hours and a special express train away from me. I was meeting them at 5 but I left Honatsugi by 2. I took my normal express to Shinjuku and then hopped aboard the Narita Express, a special limited express train run by the JR. It cost me some good money but it was worth the time saved. Plus, I got to sit in a reserved seat which I have never bought for myself before.

Why hello fancy train

I waited for about 30 mins before we finally spotted each other. There was much hugging and talking. We had to wait a good hour for the next train bound for Shinjuku so we just sat and chatted. They were exhausted by the time we got on the train. Everyone plopped their luggage down and wanted something to eat. We ran over to one of the only places that is open at 10:30 PM and gives you food fast: McDonalds. At least they got to have some uniquely Japanese flavors. Me and my sister got a shrimp burger and my mom and brothers grabbed a teriyaki burger.

We all settled into my apartment, which was a bit cramped but we managed to find everyone a spot.

Jenny and Chris claimed to corner

Tommy slept in my kitchen

The next day, I started them off with an afternoon in Atsugi. We went to my one hundred yen store (dollar store basically) and the grocery store where we bought food for lunches and breakfast. I also introduced them to bento boxes and we grabbed a couple for their first lunch in Japan.

Yummy!!

After that, we went to Harajuku which is the fashion district of Tokyo. First thing we did was visit Meiji-jingu shrine which has one of the largest tori gates in Japan.

Then, we headed off to the main street, Takeshi-dori. Jenny and I popped into a couple of shops and marveled at the fashion. I bought myself an awesome pair of imitation Converse heels.

So fun!!

It was a nice slow and relaxed day to ease them into Japan.
Next time, we visit the only place I asked to go: Tokyo Disney Sea!

Food spotlight: Bento box lunches!

One of the many highlights of living in Japan is the FANTASTIC food! I've been meaning to start a segment on some of the more traditional and unique foods that I am in love with so let the fun begin!
My favorite thing to do for lunch here is to go across the street to the new 7-11 and buy myself a bento box lunch.

SO CONVENIENT! I adore 7-11s here. I'll gush about convenience stores in a new post soon, I promise!

Bento boxes are traditional style Japanese lunch boxes. They generally have some rice and assorted meats and pickles such as fried pork or a cute little hamburger patty. I also love the little sushi boxes!

Some sushi and unagi (eel)-It's delicious!!

They warm it up for you as soon as you buy it which is amazingly nice to have a warm lunch despite not having a microwave in the office.
I also recently bought my own little bento box and have been trying to make my own lunches. They taste delicious but are not pretty at all.

Lookie what I made!

Part of the culture is to make the bento's cute or at least appealing. Mine are never such lol. Normally people at least have plastic containers to separate all of the aspects of the lunch. I bought my bento box at the Daiso (100 yen store) so basically it is not big enough to fit the containers. Oh well, I wish my bentos looked like this...

What a good and creative bento box looks like lol

 

Photo credit: http://blog.modes4u.com/products/cute-kawaii-bento-boxes.html

 I'll keep working at it. Who knows, maybe one day I'll make some super cute bento box lunches!