Merry Christmas, Fuyu!

 I hope you can put up with a few more Japanese lessons...I am having fun with all these new words to play with!

"Fuyu" (pronounced foo-yoo) means Winter...and Winter has definitely taken hold of Tokyo!!  Next month the only pictures  might be taken from my chair where I'm burrowed next to the fireplace, so enjoy these while you can!!

Snow-covered Fuji on a beautiful, crisp day...took this from inside a train.

All the stores and streets are full of holiday decorations now.
Beautiful trees, twinkling with lights, line the sidewalks, and the shops and streets of Hiroo, Azabu-Juban, Omotosando and Ginza...ALL OF THEM...are bustling with bundled up shoppers.

JE likes Lego Santa!

We are getting very excited about being in the States for Christmas and seeing all the family back at home!!  Meanwhile, we have been learning about...

                      Holiday Season Tokyo-Style!

It was pretty hard to create our usual Thanksgiving atmosphere in Tokyo, and it was a regular work day here, so the kids and I were on our own to find creative ways to commemorate our American holiday. First, the children and I spent one day sightseeing in an area called Asakusa (pronounced "Ah-SOCK-sah.)  We walked for miles looking at all kinds of local crafts in this ancient business district that spreads out from the base of Tokyo's very modern Skytree. We have still not yet toured Skytree itself, but Asakusa had plenty of vendors and plenty of crowds to keep us occupied for hours.

The shopping streets of Asakusa have a very old-world-Tokyo atmosphere

                     

                      Can't Miss the Golden ????

In the next photo, you will see the Skytree Tower and the shorter black building to the left that is part of the Asahi Beer Headquarters.  The French artist who designed the building intended for the black vase-like shape to represent a glass of beer and the"golden flame" to represent the golden foam on top.  However the Japanese public have their own impression of the design, and the landmark building is referred to by the locals as "the golden turd."

Asakusa, Tokyo

As we wandered aimlessly among the crowds around Asakusa, we came across this restaurant window display:

Fugu, made into hanging lanterns, are hanging above a tank full of live fugu destined for dinner plates.

Preparing fugu for human consumption is illegal in many countries, and the practice is highly regulated in Japan, since one mistake by the chef is fatal for the customers.  The fish is highly poisonous and, if improperly prepared and ingested, there is no known antidote.  The victim becomes completely paralyzed and unable to breathe.  Many Japanese consider fugu a delicacy well worth the high risk.

This fugu just saw one of his tank mates getting chosen to be an entree.

Freshly caught Fugu at the Tsukigi Fish Market.

                Smell You Later...Time to Visit a Mouse!

      After walking until nearly dark, the kids and I were very                              ready to hop a train towards Disney Station.
                            We were NOT disappointed!!

Just arrived in the Disney Subway Station!

We spent Wednesday night at the Sheraton right next to Disney on Tokyo Bay, where the kids enjoyed swimming, basketball and just living large "hotel style" with room service and fun restaurant options.

JE's favorite at the hotel was the "Wonka-like" dessert buffet!

Massive!!

We watched the gorgeous sunset over Tokyo Bay from our hotel room balcony!

On Thursday, Dad got away from the office for a full day at Tokyo Disney.  Disney Sea and Disney Land are two separate parks connected by monorail, but with separate admission tickets.  We chose Disney Sea on the recommendation of friends, because it had rides geared more toward the teen crowd.  Turns out most rides were bigger and scarier-looking than JE was willing to attempt, but there was still enough to keep her entertained.  The lines were long, as we had been warned, but the worst one was 45 minutes, as opposed to the 80-minute (eeek!) sign they had posted out front!!!

At the entrance to Disney Sea

JE skipped the Indiana Jones roller coaster, but the expression on G's face is priceless!

Mermaid Land at Disney Sea...JE's favorite

Nothing too scary here!!!

Trying to touch the moray eel hologram...

We stayed the entire day just to see the fireworks and light parade!

                                         Culture Note

A lot of people in Tokyo tend to stay up VERY late.  We think this is why so many of them sleep, and I mean fall-over-into-your-neighbor's-lap-asleep, EVERY day on the subway!!!  

Men and women just keel over left and right onto the person next to them as the train throws their limp bodies around. 

 No one seems remotely phased by having  someone flop over into their lap.  I'm amazed that they even wake up in time for the right stop.   Or maybe they don't...

So my child is adapting to her surroundings....when in Tokyo as they say...

JE completely crashed on the way home from Disney

One more "Fun Foodie" outing to report this month!   We had dinner at an amazing sushi restaurant the week after Thanksgiving. The locals would like to keep this little gem to themselves, but we were invited by a Japanese businessman who was very eager to show it off after he heard how much I loved sushi.

The place is called "Hourai Sushi", and it was nearly impossible for even our cab driver to find, so I'm not sure I'll ever find my way back.   We were the only "gaijin" (pronounced guy-jeen and  is a mildly derogatory word meaning "annoying foreigners") in the area.  The chef did not speak English, but gave us a picture menu and prepared each piece as we ordered.  The chef and I were good friends by the end of the evening...I tried and LOVED everything he made!!!

The fabulous chef of Hourai (pronounced "hoo-rye") Sushi

Our dinner options

I had two of everything you see below...and a few others, but these were my favorites!

Yes, ¥500=$6.00...and we got two of almost everything.  We had been warned not to offend the chef by lack of enthusiasm, or we would make our dinner partner lose face.

So dinner that night ran about $600....but we weren't paying!!!!

Oh well...eventually we did crash back to reality...
Just in case you need a better idea of my daily Japanese grocery runs, the little tiny room with the bright lights at the bottom of this very skinny building is "my regular grocery store."  Nothing remotely like a Publix, huh?  I ride my bike here every day, load up my backpack and pedal back home.  Most stores are this skinny, so grocery carts aren't happening.
A few shop owners have arrows painted on the floor because the aisles are just wide enough for one person at a time, and if you go clockwise instead of counter-clockwise you cause a major traffic jam...
and the looks we get for still doing it wrong....scary!!!!

Also seen around my 'hood....a new hair salon.  I'm still trying to understand the sign.

A man can get a B0-ZU for only 1000 yen...but I'm too much of a Leady to ask what that is.

Our neighborhood store also has a petite 6-foot tree for ¥42,000...works out to over $500, soooo...think we can pass on that ...American Home Depot, here I come! 

Last but not least, my sweet friend next door just had a precious little boy on November 18th.  I love holding little Hugo to get my "baby fix!"  Here he is with his adorable 3-year-old big sister, Elena.

and here he is with his proud mommy!!!  We are so lucky to have such nice neighbors!!!!

I will be coming home to the States in a few days, so no more news until January!!

                  Merry Christmas, everybody!!!!

Tokyo, 2012