Trip to Japan

Sounds like you had a great time. Real nice of you to share these pics with us, as it's the closest some of us will ever get to Japan. I could never go, because I would have to take my own pillow. Can't leave home without it. I really enjoyed the tour, thanks.

echose, I rarely leave home w/o my own pillow either and I've bought pillows in Scotland and a few other places as preferable to the hotel issued ones.

Surprisingly, in the Sapporo hotel, they seemed OK. They were a hybrid - definitely like a Japanese pillow on the bottom part, but with some polyester or other soft substance on the top. I was quite surprised that I found them reasonably comfortable. The bottom part was filled with cylindrical bits of plastic, I think. The would flatten if squeezed, but were lighter than in the Ryokan.

Like sarv I was wondering how you found the food Anne? I've sampled Sushi a couple of times hoping that the last time was a fluke and this time I'll like it (unfortunately my first impression hasn't changed). Is it ever made without using nori ? For years my DS was fascinated with Japan and wanted to be a teacher there (he started to rethink that after having a couple of Japanese dishes).

Vann, what a wonderful series of pictures. So glad that you had the chance to enjoy yourself so much. I love your kimona.

Thats funny Pam. When I'm too tired to cook, I order sushi far more often than pizza or something else.

In BC most of the bigger grocery stores like Thriftys make it daily. Maybe only on tthe island and lower mainland.
inanda

When we were having the Japanese meal in the Ryokan, it was fun to have 4 of us. One by one, we would say, what do you think this is? Mostly, it was very good. And, of course, the presentation is always wonderful.

For sushi, the types we see most often are Nigiri and Maki. The Nigiri usually doesn't have nori - just a ball of rice with the fish on top (and generaly more expensive). The Maki is the roll and it gets filled with all sorts of things - a great venue for fusion cooking in North America (California Roll and others). I like nori; so I'm OK. I tend to draw the line with fish skin though and in Japan we found the shrimps were raw -here they are generally cooked. I ate them and they tasted good, but weren't my favourites.
info about sushi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi

Interestingly, in 1988, converyer belt sushi restaurants were all over the place. This trip I only found one and didn't get to it because the others I was with didn't like sushi as much. There was one store we went into several times (it was the route to the 100 Yen shop) which sold only food of all kinds. And we got into a couple of food shop in the basement of department stores. I think many Japanese these days buy take-out because you could get virtually everything there and ready made sushi rolls to take home and cut as well. I should have had my camera out when I got into those stores, but didn't.

Breakfast in the hotel was combined Western and Japanese breakfast buffet and we could take a combination for sure and often did. Miso soup was available at every meal. I didn't much like the Ghengis Khan dinner because I don't like ANY fat on my meat (what little I eat) and there was quite a bit on the lamb. With only chopsticks as utensils, it wasn't realistic to cut it off; so I cooked lots of veggies.
There were two conference meals at which there were masses of food (and lots left over. I hope it was salvaged in some way). With a buffet style meal (both stand-up buffets), people could try Japanese dishes but also choose from more traditional fare.

They sell Sushi in the Deli department of our Grocery stores here in the Interior too. I guess it has to be an acquired taste...never did much for me. :-/

Don

They sell sushi here in Ottawa too, but not the way you see it in Japanese stores.

It always looks so interesting so I keep hoping and sampling it. The first time was in Winnipeg at their multi-cultural shindig. The most recent time was in Regina at a restaurant where it was made right in front of you. I remember having a friend who refused to eat seafood period (she once had had a fresh warm lake caught fish and thought all fish, including those caught from the ocean, would taste the same). She later took a teaching position in Japan and ended up staying there for 10 years. She is now a fan of Sushi (she is currently working in a Japanese restaurant in Victoria......and keeps applying for a teaching position there) and now I shudder (to me the nori tastes the same as that fish she had years ago). Our neighbours also had a student from Japan stay with them and she had me sample some of their fare (again with seaweed).......I think I'm going to have to make an effort to try some of their other delicacies.

Thank you Ann for relaying your experiences there to us.......I'll show them to DS the next time I see him.

Nishen Goten could pass for coastal Newfoundland! I heard that northern Hokkaido was similar to Newfoundland...they also have arctic ice in winter like we do. needless to say, plants from there do very well in my area.

ViolaAnn
Thankyou for sharing! When I was growing up my family often had a visiting Japanese coach staying with us so I have fond memories of their tales of home. Its super to see such lovely photos.
Thankyou.
Ann

Looks like you had a wonderful trip, ViolaAnn! Thank you posting your memories.
:) Donna

Ann,
I've been hoping you'd post some pics of your trip. Thanks for the little taste of Japan. Your links certainly added to the story. Very interesting! Great pics too.

Sandy

I just realized that one pic I intended to post didn't make it. Let's see if it will post correctly.

This was another pretty rose which we saw, but I was fascinated by the name. The Japanese lnaguage does not have the L sound and as a result you see all sorts of strange juxtipostions of R and L which are, to us, sometimes quite amusing.


Well I guess pics still aren't posting correctly. I'll try again in a day or so.

This message was edited Sep 18, 2006 11:21 PM

I'll try that pic again since apparently some people are having success.

Well Dave says it's fixed. Let's try again. ----- Yippee, it worked!

This message was edited Sep 19, 2006 9:57 AM

Queen Erizabeth (lol!) is very pretty.

Sandy

Ann,

Looks like you got to see a lot and try a lot of different things. Lovely pics and very interesting links. I had to laugh at Erizabeth also,,,,

Kelly

The rose label is the best. Way to top off the tour.

Ann, for some reason I thought I had posted to this thread already, but I'm not seeing my post!
I thoroughly enjoyed your pics and this is probably as close to Japan as I'll ever get! I could hear the disappointment over lack of hostas coming through,lol (me too!).
My favourite photo is of yourself wearing the kimono....just love it!

Tks,
Erynne

Thanks, Erynne. Don't give up hope of getting there. It's worth a visit.

What a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing all the photos.

Ann, it's not that I can't afford to go or can't make time to go.....it's just that...I'm nervous about planes.
I've only ever been on one trip on a plane, to Vancouver & back. I was so scared that I made myself sick over it each way. I know it's a safe way to travel, but me and planes just don't go together.

Now that's another issue. There IS therapy available. Or your doctor might offer a medical solution. But it sure would take a long time to get there by boat.

Ann