Delicious Japan: Visiting Costco!

I love love love love LOVE love Costco.

My parents have had a Costco membership for as long as I can remember, and as a kid I would beg them to take me on their shopping trips. I would excitedly call up my friend who lived down the street and ask her if she wanted to come with us. Free samples, the food court that never disappoints, the aisle of office chairs that we used to stage races -- it was a magical place.

Although my days of armchair racing are over, it remains equally as magical because I can save money on things that I buy regularly. Until I studied abroad, I didn't know that Costco was an international chain.

How the conversation came up completely escapes me now, but I was lucky enough to be invited on a trip to Costco by a dorm mate who shared a membership with another student. Just like the trips I would make with my mom and dad, we went on a Saturday afternoon.

Getting there from our Tokyo suburb of Mitaka was something of an ordeal. It was a 15 minute bus ride from campus to the station, an hour and half train ride to Kawasaki Station, and then a loooooong walk to our destination...

...but the walk was so, so worth it.

Here's a short photo tour of my trip to Costco!

The Food Court

Almost the exact same setup as home. Some of the products were swapped out for more "localized" dining options... for example, the chicken bake was swapped out with a bulgogi (Korean beef) bake and the berry smoothie was replaced with a pineapple smoothie. I was surprised to see clam chowder on the menu as well, along with hot coffee and iced mochas... mmm!

I decided on just a regular slice of pizza. It was the exact same oversized, deliciously cheesy slice that you could get back in the US. Score!

The Food Aisles

Dorayaki (どら焼き) secretly disguised as pancakes --  maple & margarine flavor

In the refrigerator section: scallops, unagi (鰻) and whole octopus

Whole crabs for ~$15!

Samples of clementines. I don't think I've ever seen produce being sampled in the US...

Party tray of sushi -- only ~$25!

Smaller tray of sushi featuring sea urchin (雲丹) and salmon roe (イクラ)

Seafood pizza with whole shrimp, squid, and scallops

So much sake and shouchu (焼酎)!

Hard Goods

I didn't spend too much time browsing the non-food aisles (a.k.a a vast majority of the warehouse) because I knew it would be too hard to resist buying frivolous stuff. I couldn't help but snap a couple of pictures of these Japan-only items.

I could never use these... they are way too cute!

In case you ever need a bunch of perfectly square paper...

The Verdict

Costco in Japan is (unsurprisingly) every bit as awesome as it is in the US. It's nice to see that while they offer localized products that they still retain the same quality, quantity, and unbeatable pricing. Members in the US can use their membership in Japan with no cost, so it's definitely worth checking out if you are close to one.

The problem is that going to Costco without a vehicle was INCREDIBLY inconvenient. Since I was a study abroad student at the time I went, there was no possible way to do this. To carry my purchase back home, I purchased a jumbo-size reusable bag at the checkout line and ended up pulling a muscle in my side from carrying it back to the station. Not surprising, considering that it was filled with heavy jars, a 10 lb box of oats, frozen fruits in bulk, et cetera.

That being said, I can't wait to go back! I have already gotten my very own membership so I can go to the new location in Izumi after I get settled into my new apartment this summer! :)

Kanamara Matsuri: The Dick Festival

When you hear the name Kawasaki, you may think of fast motorcycles. You may not know that it's the 9th largest city in Japan, and is regarded as a mecca for professional sports as it houses a number of large stadiums.

You may also be surprised to learn that every year, on the first Sunday of April,  the city of Kawasaki is flooded with curious tourists, giggling teenagers, drunken revelers, and dedicated pilgrims who have all come to celebrate Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り) -- or more affectionately, the Dick Festival.*

*The formal English translation is the Festival of the Iron Phallus, but "Dick Festival" is a much more accurate description of the shenanigans that go down.

Festival-goers crowd the entrance to the shrine

Click to view the rest of this post!

Song of the Week #3

I meant to post the Song of the Week earlier today, but I was distracted by the sunshine and cool breeze! The rest of the week looks like rain though, so I can give my writing the attention it deserves. :)

Artist: Mondo Grosso feat. Monday Michiru
Title: Star Suite
Genre: Spoken word



This week's song is a collaboration between two artists: Monday Michiru, a Japanese-American artist, does the vocals and Shinichi Osawa (a.k.a. Mondo Grosso) provides the cool, jazzy instrumentation.

I've found that spoken word can either be really great or horribly cheesy... it's definitely not a genre for everyone. Great spoken word tracks will take you on a short journey.

They tell a story, you get lost in it, and come back again and again to experience the same thing.

I chose this track because it allows both artists' strengths to shine through. You get to hear the signature bossa-nova/lounge sound of Mondo Grosso and the sultry vocals of Monday Michiru.

Even though it's over sixteen minutes long (yes, 16!) it never becomes tedious to listen to. Verses are punctuated with soulful choruses and upbeat interludes that keep the listener wondering what will come next.

Happy listening!


My other favorite spoken word tracks!
Nujabes feat. Pase Rock - Sign
FlicFlac - Hope
Shing02 - 星の王子様 (The Little Prince)

Delicious Japan: Eggs!

Unlike here in the good ol' U S of A, you can consume raw eggs just about anywhere you damn well please in Japan. There are no worries about food poisoning, and even at fast food joints you can count on being able to purchase a raw egg to top your meal for less than a dollar!

Online menu from major fast food chain Sukiya
Image from sukiya.jp

As a college student studying abroad in Tokyo, eggs were my main source of protein. I could pick up a dozen for ￥98 at a nearby drugstore and have a week's worth of lunches. If I wanted to splurge, I could pick up some higher quality eggs and make tamago kake gohan (卵かけごはん). Literally... rice with egg on top. It's healthy, cheap and quick -- what more could you ask for?

An elaborate bowl of TKG

This delicious breakfast can be as simple as an egg cracked into hot rice, or be complex like the one pictured above which features sesame seeds and eel. My personal favorite way to eat TKG is to whisk the egg with soy sauce in a separate bowl before pouring over the rice. Add shredded nori and some chopped green onion that's it! For those who are wary about eating raw egg, the best way to try this dish is to use a low egg-to-rice ratio to start.

Since I have another 7 weeks until I can enjoy the delights of raw egg for every meal (kidding), I'd like to share a recipe for something equally as satisfying, simple, and delicious!


Vegetarian Eggs Benedict (serves 1)

1 english muffin, toasted*
1/4 of a ripe avocado
5 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup baby spinach
1 egg
garlic salt
pepper
chili powder
dried chives

1. Toast your english muffin. (I used 2 mini-homemade whole wheat english muffins.)
2. Layer sliced avocado on top of the english muffin.
3. Saute tomatoes and spinach with garlic salt, pepper, chili powder and dried chives until the tomatoes are soft. Adjust seasonings to your own preferences.
4. Layer the cooked veggies on top of the avocado.
5. Wipe excess moisture from your pan and lightly fry one egg. Make sure the yolk is still runny!
6. Layer cooked egg on top of the veggies and voilà! 

The finished product!

While this is not a traditional eggs bene recipe by any means, it's perfect for summer and definitely a recipe you can make anywhere - whether in the US or Japan! :)

Song of the Week #2

Artist: Kaori Mizumori (水森かおり）
Title: Hitori Nagaragawa （ひとり長良川）
Genre: Enka, traditional Japanese ballad （演歌）

I first heard this song on the Kouhaku Uta Gassen (紅白歌合戦), which is a huge music program aired annually on New Year's Eve. It features all of the big acts in the Japanese music world - both past and present - making it the perfect primer for someone unfamiliar with the music of Japan.

I have to be honest... I don't really know that much about Japanese music. I'm not much of a pop culture person in general,  but when I heard this song the relatively simple opening lyrics and unique falsetto caught my attention. Although the popularity of this type of music has declined in the past decades, the sound of enka music is regarded as timeless!



My goal is to learn this song before I go to Japan in August... so I can impress my future co-workers at karaoke!

More Kaori Mizumori!

Kaori Mizumori - Ise Meguri （伊勢めぐり）
Kaori Mizumori - Aki no Miyajima （安芸の宮島）

Song of the Week #1

Today I want to introduce my first choice for Song of the Week!

Artist: Kenichiro Nishihara feat. Substantial
Title: Rise Son
Genre: Jazz & Hip-Hop fusion

It's just barely starting to feel like summer where I live which means I don't have to worry about carrying a sweater with me everywhere I go.

It means walking barefoot in the grass and wearing my jean short shorts.

Most importantly, it means driving with the windows down -- this song from Kenichiro Nishihara and Substantial is definitely one to play in the car on a sunny day. 

Substantial's smooth and confident hip-hop vocals are layered over Kenichiro Nishihara's jazzy instrumental to create a track that simply radiates positivity. If you're a fan of the late DJ/producer Nujabes, you'll definitely love this song! I know I'll be keeping it on repeat all summer. :)

More Kenichiro Nishihara! 

Kenichiro Nishihara feat. Alison Crocket - Willing 

Kenichiro Nishihara - Weather Overtone

Kenichiro Nishihara feat. Monica Vasconcelos - Life is Like a Samba

5 Awesome Things About Tanabe-shi!

I figured it'd be important to write down my impressions and keep track of what to expect before I arrive at my JET placement in Tanabe (田辺市)! Here are five awesome things that I found out through a little bit of internet research:

1. The specialty of this region is umeboshi (梅干し).
   
   Umeboshi are delightful sweet-sour pickled plums. I love them so much that I'll keep eating them straight from the container until I have a stomach ache. According to this article from MSN Japan the Association for Kishu Plums (a.k.a. plums grown in a certain part of Wakayama prefecture) held events around the country to promote their product this past Friday. Events included a special ceremony at Kumano Taisha (Grand Kumano Shrine), which goes to show just how important these plums are!
   
   
   

   

   They may not look like much, but they sure are delicious...
   (Image from tanabe-ume.jp)

    
2. Speaking of Kumano Taisha (熊野大社)...
   
   The city of Tanabe falls along an ancient Buddhist pilgrimage route called the Kumano Kodo (熊野古道), which may date as far back as the 9th century! It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, so you KNOW it's a place worth visiting.
   
   

   

   I think my investment in hiking boots has already paid off.
   (Image from kumano-travel.com)
   
   

    
3. The city is also home to Benkei the warrior monk, who is a popular subject of Japanese folklore.
   
   Ironically, during my year abroad at International Christian University (国際基督教大学) I did research on warrior monks for my Medieval Japanese course. It's up for debate whether or not there really were warrior monks in Japan, but is still awesome to know that if such a badass monk existed, he came from Tanabe.
   
   

   

   Statue of Benkei in front of JR Kii-Tanabe. Scary, right?
   (Image from wikipedia.com)

       
4. There are many onsen (温泉), or natural hot springs to enjoy.
   
   Hot springs are one of those things that those who come to Japan either love or hate, since it involves public nudity (generally gender segregated, of course)! If you take a peek at what reviewers on TripAdvisor.com have to say, you'll see that the top-ranking activity in Tanabe is a visit to one of these traditional bath houses.
   
   The best part? A trip to a bath house is both easy on the wallet (admission is usually less than ¥1,000) and incredibly rejuvenating. Some locations even boast that a soak in their baths can improve health or cure physical ailments!
   
   

   

   Yunomine Onsen in Tanabe: the highest ranked activity in the town!
   (Image from onsenjapan.net)

5. Location, location, location.
   
   Even though Tanabe is regarded as the inaka (田舎) the location is still advantageous! You have the choice to either enjoy the nature surrounding the city while still being decently close to Osaka. When opportunities to venture a little further arise there are also cities like Kyoto, Nara and Kobe close by. It's also worth mentioning that Kansai International Airport is 1.5 hours away for those traveling long distances domestically!

These are just a few things I've dug up during my preliminary research on my placement city. Now just to sit tight until more detailed placement info comes from my contracting organization!

JET Placement Results

A slightly belated post, but after many painful weeks of waiting and obsessively checking my email, the results of my JET placement finally came in ...

*drum roll*

It looks like I'll be placed in Tanabe-shi, Wakayama-ken (田辺市和歌山県) in the Kinan region of Japan. At first I was confused because I'd never heard of this place, but it turns out it's pretty famous!

Now I'm just waiting to hear back from my contracting organization. Until then I'll be hanging out with these guys...

(Yup, this is an actual picture from my backyard!)

じゃ、また。