Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 Aya and I were lucky enough to catch Santa while he was in our neighborhood

I learned that Santa is much smaller at the beginning of his journey before he bulks up on cookies and milk

Santa explains to Aya that she has to be twice as good as she was if she expects to get all of the things on her list 

Our Japanese Christmas tree.  Just like the real thing only smaller.  Much, much smaller.

And finally Christmas dinner at 'Osho' one of our favorite places for yaki-gyoza.  Nothing like living a scene straight out of A Christmas Story.

We hope everyone has a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,

Brian & Aya

Yuri & Yoshiko's Birthday Dinner

We celebrated both Yuri & Yoshiko's birthdays by going to a restaurant that specializes in tofu.  We did a party course that consisted of 13 courses built around tofu in all its forms and flavors.  It was delicious and a fun evening.  Looking back I should have been taking pictures of each course when it arrived but I simply did not have the willpower to wait the 5 seconds that would have taken before tasting each one  

 Yuri models the birthday top hat which seems destined to become a common theme for birthday celebrations going forward.

Now it is Yoshiko-sans turn 

 Kompai!

 I did manage to get a picture of the special desert for Yoshiko-san.  That is probably only because it was not in front of me.  It's was funny because the desert was only 1/2 of the size of the one pictured on the menu, literally (we held them side by side).  It was even funnier when Miyakoda-san pointed it out to the waitress who did not know how to respond.

Miyakoda-san wishes the desert goodbye and then take his turn 

 In case you were wondering once the birthday girls modeled the birthday hat it spent the majority of the evening on Miyakoda-san who was also celebrating his birthday...in August 

 Miyakoda-san shows off the fall treat that Aya & I gave to Yoshiko-san and told her she could share if Miyakoda-san was good.

I think he likes it...or maybe he is daring us to try to take it away.  

Yanaka Day Trippin

Aya and I enjoyed our "Health & Sports Day" national holiday by spending the day touring Yanaka.  The holiday is celebrated on the 2nd monday of October to commemorate the opening of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.  Its a shame they did not win the bid to host the 2016 games...I am sure no one would turn down another holiday.

Never thought I would see the dixie flag on a side street in Tokyo... 

...especially at an R&B bar, but I guess both are southern and go with Jack Daniels.

A long line for famous menchikatsu, think breaded and fried meatloaf and then immediately get in line

One of many temples located around Yanaka 

 A cool "sticker" on the gate to enter the temple

I am fascinated with the alleys in Tokyo 

Another alley that has been turned into an arcade and houses many small restaurants and food/snack shops 

 A Japanese senbei (rice cracker) shop 

 Aya and I both really like this house.  It is so simple yet has so much character.

 A modern wall made using tradition tiles to create patterns in the stucco...

 ...and a historic earth wall directly across the street

I am also fascinated with the old derelict buildings in Tokyo 

 Time to enjoy a beer and one of those world famous menchikatsu while we rest our feet after a long day of exploring

there is not a line in the world long enough to make me pass up fried meatloaf 

the view from the makeshift street 'bar' in front of the woman on the lefts alcohol store 

doesn't every dog need a pair of overalls?  Tokyo makes me realize how ridiculous American dogs must feel walking around 'naked' all the time.

B Boys

In Kiyosato we went to the Nakamura Keith Haring museum which was featuring an exhibit by wood sculptor Taku Obata entitled "B-Boy."  

 As you can tell this work is influenced by breaking (aka breakdancing) and the "B-boy" culture popularized in NY City, which was also influential in Keith Harings' work.

Not to be outdone Miyakoda-san demonstrates his pop-lock/mr. roboto technique

Pigeon Hole

Kind of like cornhole, only our bags are filled with bird food because corn feed is hard to find and expensive...

...and we put the hole on the lower slope of the board, so you have to land at the top and make your bag slide backwards.  Gravity works a bit differently on the other side of the world.

Miyamoto-san (Miyakoda-san's friend who does all of the woodworking for most of our projects) made these boards, and they are the nicest boards I have ever seen.  The wood he used is actually a purple colored heart wood known as 'purple heart' finished with a clear coat, no paint or stain.  (But they are heavy - not a problem since there is no tailgating in Japan)

Miyamoto-san and I make a few tweaks to get the holes on the right side of the board...I guess I need to work on my detail drawing.

that's looking a bit more like it

Let the games begin!!!

 Miyakoda-san liked the idea of having a pine tree as an obstacle in the middle of the field (in case you have not picked up by now, he prefers not to do much of anything the conventional way)

 Kinoto & Yuri handmade the bags and they are awesome

Now that it is dark it is time to move to the lit field of the outdoor stadium (back deck)

 A great place to play late into the night

 I think Yoshiko-san likes this game

So does Yuri 

'This is an american game, I am an American, and I will puff my chest out after a good shot if I want to.'  (I hate sharing this picture as I know I will never hear the end of it)

Foot fault.  Not really, but I will do anything to win.