Sushi done right!

Chandra — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:59:44 +0000

For the Japanese Sushi is a meal for any time of the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all acceptable times to have fresh sushi. Accompanying sushi is usually an egg custard, miso soup and hot green tea. The best part is that most sushi costs the equivalent to $9 USD for the entire entree. Take a look at my spread…

The Japan Times

Chandra — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:21:01 +0000

The Japan Times

During my stay in Tokyo the hotel has delivered the English version of the Japan Times newspaper to my room daily. I find it interesting what topics are of top interest for the Japanese. I have taken photographs of many of the comic strips and other important messages I have seen throughout the week.

Radiation readings for the country of Japan - updated daily

On top of the minds of everyone in Tokyo is the damage nuclear power plant near Sendai and the radiation levels that are still being monitored. Every day the newspaper prints the latest radiation readings for the country of Japan.

In other news the Japanese are closely following the Rupert Murdoch/phone tampering investigation, the European Union’s decision to bail our Greece and their debt and most importantly the United State’s inability to pass a bill that will increase the debt ceiling. Also, having won their first world cup in soccer the Japanese women soccer team is all the rage!

Streets of Tokyo

Chandra — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:50:07 +0000

Today I wandered the streets of Tokyo with my friend Yukie-san. She took me to some famous shopping areas and streets and even helped me master the Tokyo train system. We visited the famous Hello Kitty “Kittyland”. Hello Kitty was created in Japan in 1974 and has remained a favorite for kids and adults all over the world ever since. I also crossed the famous “Shibuya Crossing” located in the heart of Tokyo. Approximately 14 million people cross this intersection every day and there are 14 places to cross. The crossing was made famous in America in the movie “Lost in Translation” in 2003. Below are some pictures from the streets of Tokyo I have taken over the last week.

Meiji Shrine

Chandra — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:24:03 +0000

Today I visited the famous Meiji Shrine located in the heart of Tokyo on 175 acres of evergreen forests . The trees planted within the grounds of the shrine we all donated as a gift to the emperor. After the death of emperor Meiji in 1912, the Japanese Diet passed a resolution to commemorate his role in the Meiji Restoration. An iris garden in an area of Tokyo where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken had been known to visit was chosen as the building’s location. The shrine was completed in 1915. Before entering the shrine every visitor must wash his or her hands and mouth with water as a show of purity. Just after the entrance of the shrine are a series of sake barrels donated as a gift to the emperor. At the shrine I tossed a coin into a grate, clapped and then with my hands in a praying position asked for a specific blessing. This is the ritual performed by thousands of Japanese at this shrine everyday. Within the shrine complex there is a blessings screen holding plaques filled out by visitors in which they request blessings for their home, families, etc. The day was overcast and quite grey but I am attaching the pictures I was able to take during my visit.

Tofu for you?

Chandra — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:35:20 +0000

This evening I was treated to a restaurant specializing in Tofu dishes. Tofu is one of the healthiest dishes you can possibly eat but just the thoughs of soybean curd does not seem appetizing to most. My experience tonight changed my opinion on Tofu. The restaurant we visited is nearly 320 years old. All tofu served here is handmade and is silky smooth. Our dinner started with the purest of tofu. Blocks were served with sea salt, toasted sesame seeds and tiny green onions on the side. You add toppings as you wish but salt is a must! Though I was a bit apprehensive I followed the instructions of my Japanese friends and gave it a try. It was terrific! Nothing like I expected. The dinner continued with an egg strata baked with tofu, a tofu and shrimp crispy pocket, spicy tofu with braised pork belly, pan-seared chicken stuffed with tofu and ham and topped with a poached egg, tofu and noodle soup and a baked fig topped with candied beans and mint. All of the dishes were simple but very tasty!

Squat, Sit or Stand?

Chandra — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:12:03 +0000

The Japanese seem to have a fetish with toilets. They come in many varieties each with their very own personality. Today I found myself in a train station faced with the dreaded “squatter”. This is the most common toilet across Japan and for me the most intimidating. I found myself wondering what I should do with my pants. Then I spotted an “instructional sign” to help westerners learn the art of the squatter. Yes, instructions…who knew something some simple could be so difficult? I ultimately decided to remove my pants out of fear that I might just lose my balance :>

My hotel room is equipped with a Japanese “washlet”. These are increasingly popular as they offer amenities such as a seat warmer, a bidet (water spray that washes you while sitting) and a drier that completes the process. The washlets are being installed as a way to cut down on the amount of paper consumed annually in Japan. There are also instructional signs for the washlets in Japanese warning not to stand on the seats! The office building I am working in this week also has washlets but even more modernized as these play classical music, have automated lid openers and water pressure controls for the bidet.

Perhaps the biggest shocker of them all was when I entered the restroom and there were two people standing (backs to me). I realized at this point that the restroom is unisex and the standers were simply men at urinals (of the squatter variety). I asked the ladies in the office about it and they informed me I am just to ignore the men and move on the stalls…YIKES! What an eye-opener today was…

Japanese Noodle Adventure

Chandra — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:47:53 +0000

Today was my first full day spent immersed in the Japanese culture. My day started with a short, and expensive, taxi ride to my place of work. I was meeting, for the first time, the Japan team I have been working with for months. They are such a terrific group. Though we do have language challenges they all speak enough English so that I can work with them well. For lunch they took me to a traditional Japanese Noodle restaurant for soba and tempura. I was a bit skeptical and worried but it turned out to be one of the best asian meals I have ever eaten.

The meal began with a green tea service. The waiter placed green tea powder into the bottom of each cup and then added a slightly sweetened, hot water. The tea was really, really good. Our meal consisted of soba noodles which the Japanese place into a bowl of soy sauce to “soak”. While the noodles soak you eat the vegetable and seafood tempura. Today I had two prawns, sea bream, potato, eggplant and shiso leaf tempura. The shiso leaf is a herb that is part of the mint family. It is a beautiful, green leaf with jagged edges. Very tasting when fried in the light tempura batter. The sea bream was a big surprise to me. It was just heavenly and I could have eaten several strips given the opportunity. Our meal was rounded out with a green tea cheesecake. It came shaped as a heart and was such a nice surprise.

On way my into the office this morning I walked by a street vendor selling breakfast noodles and snacks. One snack in particular caught my eye. It was a matcha (green tea) Kit Kat. I couldn’t resist. I bought one for 350 yen (about $3.50) and headed into work. When I returned to my hotel after work I decided to take a look (and taste) the green tea Kit Kat. It was creamy, mildly sweet, and laced with the undeniable perfumed taste of matcha powder. They seem to have induced a craving effect as I can’t seem to stop thinking about it. I will definitely be bringing some of these home for friends and family. They are something special.

Konnichiwa Tokyo

Chandra — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:50:49 +0000

Hello from Tokyo! After a very hard day of travel I have landed in the exciting and fast paced city of Tokyo. My flight from Singapore was cancelled due to an aircraft maintenance problem so I boarded a later flight which landed me in Haneda instead of Narita early in the morning. The drive in was interesting. The taxi or tak-shi driver did not speak any English but lucky for me I had the address of my hotel printed in Japanese to give to him. The taxis all have side-view mirrors mounted on the hood of the vehicles rather than on the side panels. Tokyo at night is unforgettable. All of the skyscrapers are lit with mandatory red lights which blink. This is to prevent small aircraft, such as helicopters, from hitting them. Tokyo reminds me of New York City times ten. It is enormous! With 27 million people the buildings are taller and the space is larger. My hotel is very nice. I am on the 37th floor with panoramic views of Tokyo to the south/southwest. For those of you that have seen the movie “Lost in Translation” I can tell you that it is a perfect match for how you feel landing in Tokyo. Everything is just so foreign. The people are very nice and it is very safe but you have no one to talk to and very little you can read.

There are few countries which rival the United States in terms of technology but Japan is one of them. Everything here is highly advanced from the light switches in the hotel room to the fiber internet connection to toilets which play music, have water spray cleaning and heated seats (see pic below). The metro system is the most advanced in the world with the bullet trains that reach about 220 mph.

I will be taking a Tak-shi over to my office tomorrow to meet the team I have been working with via phone over the last 18 months. I am looking forward to talking to learning more about this great city and all it as to offer.

Songs of the Sea

Chandra — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:52:05 +0000

Tonight I attended the highly rated laser light and pyrotechnics show called “Songs of the Sea. The show is about a boy with a wonderful singing voice who can restore lost talents to creatures living in the sea. When the show first began it seemed very much geared towards small children. However, once the water, lights and fire pieces began I was captivated. It was a truly amazing show. I was sitting in the VIP section, center stage so I had terrific seats. In addition, I am fairly certain that I was the only Caucasian, American in the crowd. And my blonde hair announced it to everyone. The small children sitting around me wanted to touch my hair. They told me I was and angel! It was the first time since being in Asia that I felt completely like an outsider. Wasn’t necessarily a bad thing just different. I took some pictures and video of the show tonight to share. Enjoy!

Palawan Beach

Chandra — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 04:32:06 +0000

Today I visited Palawan beach. It is the southernmost point of continental Asia. This is every child’s dream! Palawan beach is protected from the waves of the sea by a string of barrier islands. There are swinging rope bridges connecting the mainland to the barrier islands. On the barriers are tall observation decks, sun chairs and showers. The water is very calm and at high tide only reaches about 8 feet deep. There are beach shops lining the road and they sale everything from ice cream and beer to flip flops, sunglasses and sunscreen. The island features a sound system playing beach tunes throughout.