Toyoko Line Love: Tamagawa

Tamagawa station always seemed to me to be mainly an extension of the terribly tony Denenchofu, big faux-European houses and snooty restaurants... and to some extent that is true.

However thanks to his collection of magazines, Matcha-kun (whom you can see trying to sneak out of the photo below) found out that it is also home to a nice park, where we hoped to chill in the shade and catch the breeze.

Since I was starving, after rushing from my morning koto lesson in Saitama, the first order of business was a quick late lunch at the Denenchofu Club. I had actually seen the building (and people enjoying their dinner on the private 3rd floor) from my train window on the way home several times, and so was happy to finally figure out what it was. Lunch was a good deal, and came with two complementary rose-infused macaroons.

Tamagawa Park itself is actually quite sizeable, with a few hidden surprises (like a waterlily pond populated by tons of dragonflies) and a nice view over the river. Since the trees are quite dense and it is on a hill, the breeze is delightful.

Passing a little shoutengai, where a wagashiya makes fresh ayu-shaped sweets, we also visited Denenchofu Sengen Shrine, a branch of the big shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji. Instead of the usual ema, you write your wishes on little plates. As a big festival had just occurred, there were still strings of wind chimes criss-crossing the path, tinkling away with their cooling sounds.

Summer Days

One of the most awesome benefits of my sharehouse: free, fresh cherry tomatoes, still warm from the sun. Truly the most perfect food known to man.

Summer has arrived with its usual sudden slam of heat, leaving those of us stuck at our desks in a state of stupor. We lump around like annoyed cats, trying to keep out of the sun, and spend small fortunes on sunscreen and cold tea.

I used to be fine with the heat, but for some reason this year it is getting to me. Must be that one extra year that has just been tacked on, officially taking me over to 'the dark side' of my twenties. Running the same distances I did with ease two weeks ago, when the breeze was still cool, now seems to take superhuman efforts.

 Thankfully the gorgeous Yokohama summer sunsets work overtime to keep my mind occupied.

Soon it will be matsuri and fireworks time, and Matcha-kun will return from Singapore. Looking forward to both things.

Hmm

On my way to and from work I have been distracted by the televised ads for a certain English conversation school (which will remain nameless). There are a couple different versions, so it took a few views for it to finally hit me.

Basically, one of the ads shows a man going into a one-on-one eikaiwa session thinking: 'Me, alone with a foreigner?!'  (and yes, it is written out exactly like that)

Sincerely, I find it rather annoying, bordering on the offensive.

1- I hate the term gaijin/gaikokujin. It still smacks of that 'everyone over there, who isn't us'. As if other countries are all the same, lumped together by their non-Japaneseness. I can deal with oubeijin,as I know it is very difficult for non-EU/US citizens to distinguish between Western countries. Nonetheless, I never use those terms, usually saying 'non-Japanese' or indicating someone's nationality specifically.

2- What is with this 'omg, I will be alone with someone from another country! What will I do? Will he/she try to eat me?!' mentality. Others have written extensively (and far more eloquently) on the subject of (especially non-Asian) 'gaijin' not truly being viewed as actual people.
And this is the problem. Because most people would not say 'Me, alone with another person?!', unless said person was a recognized axe-murderer, known flasher or other dangerous critter.

No matter what my boss says on the subject, it is subtle discrimination, from what I can imagine very similar to that African Americans face in the US. The constant 'oh, your Japanese is so good' comments. They are fully acceptable if you are a student. Not if you work full time for a Japanese company, and still occasionally get the keigo wrong in your frequent e-mails. The questions like 'are foreigners ever shy?'. Who? Everyone outside of Japan? 10 people, 10 colours ya'll.

Okay, enough from me. I shall go have a cup of tea and stop being crabby.

Long Weekends: Adventures in the City

Three-day weekends are the best. It is so great to get to Sunday evening, and whilst mentally preparing for work the following day realize: 'Hey, tomorrow is a holiday! Woohoo!'. While often these are perfect for a quick getaway, spending time in the city is equally great. My recipe for a perfect long weekend includes the following.

 

*Brunch. Possibly the best meal ever invented (although it may be on par with second breakfast). Matcha-kun has recently discovered the joy that is brunch, and so all recent outings have included some form of this glorious repast. The start of this culinary love affair was going to Bubby's in Sakuragicho. Beware, for their dishes are not only delicious, but also fully American-sized. I ordered eggs Benedict with spinach and the special blueberry compote pancakes, which was probably enough for two people... however I scoffed it all with delight.  

Just for good measure, I feel that I should also mention Bake Shop in Jiyugaoka. Since it is hidden on the 4th floor of one of the many oshare buildings, it is actually possible to walk in around noon and get a table. Matcha-kun went for another round of eggs Benedict, while I had the tasty huevos rancheros and a banana-yogurt smoothie, Le yum.

*Walkies. While trying to fit in all the weekend activities, plus doing all those essential little things one never finds time for during the week (like laundry), sometimes you just can't fit in a truly leisurely stroll. On Monday I introduced a friend to the YaNeSen area, and managed to find a few new treasures. After lunch at Yakuzen Curry (which I have written about before), we waltzed about and eventually ran into an adorable washi store, Isetatsu. They specialize in Edo style prints, and the interior is a total riot of color.

*Cooking. This long weekend happened to occur right before Valentine's Day, so Wave-chan was in full sweets production mode. I got to try the rejected cakes (oh, how I suffer) and helped her wrap up her order for a wedding (aren't the little flowers adorable?). Since the object of my affection is not a fan of sweets, I decided a homemade bento would be better appreciated.

Obsession

Recently my obsession with sunsets (and presumably sunrises, should pigs fly and I decide to become a morning person) has gotten more pronounced. I cannot help it, and the fact that my window faces the sunset makes it far too easy to take a picture... or 50.

The colours are just so beautiful! And the shades and patterns change every day, making it impossible not to watch the sky slowly turn dark. The sky over Yokohama is so wonderfully dramatic, thanks to the proximity to the sea.

Toyoko Line Love: Hakuraku, Myourenji and Okurayama

Train stations in Japan have ranks. Express trains only stop at the 'important' stations, leaving those who live near a minor station to switch to the slow, local trains (which however have the pleasant aspect of usually having lots of empty seats).

Particularly as you get to parts of the Toyoko line that are neither really part of Tokyo nor Yokohama, the smaller stations have that pleasant, vaguely inaka-ish feeling to them. Last weekend, in an attempt to work off  an incredibly large brunch, we took a walk from Hakuraku to Myorenji.

Hakuraku has a awesome covered shoutengai (called Rokkakubashi), all rickety and time worn, filled with the usual collection of odd little stores and restaurants. When helping Matcha-kun in the search for new housing (as real estate is one of my passions) we ended up spending a lot of time running around the shoutengai, trying to keep out of the rain. While there are lots of worthy purveyors of tastiness, our personal favorite ended up being a little oden place. It may have a name, but mostly it is a local hangout (and the oden is quite good too). We had a great time speaking with the other patrons, and as soon as the weather warms a bit we will definitely be back.

Waddling on towards Myorenji there is a koto/shamisen store, a true rarity in these days of Rakuten-based music stores. A little further is a dry cleaners with the wonderful name おしゃれ共和国 (aka The People's Republic of Fancy). There is also a rather nice park with a pond and oddly placed boats.

Myorenji gets its name from the nearby temple, which is quite large and has a very aurally pleasing little waterfall. The plum trees are just starting to bloom, and I look forward to checking their progress. Not far from the station there is a bright yellow and red restaurant called Booo (you have to wonder where that name came from), which is always packed! Yet another place I need to try out.

A little further away is Okurayama station, one of my haunts. Not only is it home to the cheapest greengrocer in the area (half a melon for 50 yen, be still my beating heart!), as well as a wonderful tailor/cobbler duo, but half of the main street has an eccentric faux-Greek vibe. Up the hill there is also a park, which houses the dramatic structure above. Apparently it is used as a concert hall and gallery. Tucked under an awning there is also an awesome little bakery, Totszen Baker's Kitchen, who are famous for their 'banana of happiness bread'. Oh course, having the sense of humor of a 13 year old boy, I spent a good 15 minutes sniggering about the 'banana of happiness' into my koala bread.

Anyone else have little gems they want to share?

-2 Karma Points

Once a week I hit up my hot yoga studio, to combine a tough workout with a mental scrubbing. The fact that the room is deliciously hot is a big plus as well.

Depending on the teacher, the music and atmosphere will be a bit different. N-sensei prefers no background music, and instead does some vedic chanting at the beginning and end of the session herself. Some of the more old-school instructors use Adiemus, and others seem to like gamelan music.

The other day the soundtrack started off fine, semi-decent new-agey music. As we started moving through the Sun Salutation there was a kind of squeal mixed in. A couple positions later there was giggling, and I started to have a sense of foreboding. The chattering and squealing soon after confirmed my fears: babies' voices had been added into the music.

Why?! How in heaven's name is that relaxing in any way? It will distract those who have or want children (apparently it is an instinctive response) and is disturbing and irritating to those of us lacking maternal instincts.

I was hoping that the yoga class was going to help me unwind, but I ended up leaving more wound up than a cuckoo clock and eating an entire bag of crisps.... (okay, so that was my own choice, whatever.)

Toyoko Line Love: Motomachi Chukagai

I feel that Yokohama is somewhat overlooked. Although a 30 minute train ride from Shibuya will get you there, somehow it has been submerged, taken for granted as a part of the sprawl that is Tokyo.

Admittedly, to some extent I am also guilty of this. A lot of my time is spent around Tokyo, with occasional side trips. To remedy this on a fine day we went off to explore the Motomachi/Yamate area, with its air of Meiji nostalgia and opportunities for walkies.

The old houses of diplomats and other of Japan's first non-Japanese residents sit upon a hill, brilliant in paint and copper, interspersed with fancy tea houses and the Foreign Cemetary, a testament to Japan's evolution towards being a more cosmopolitan nation. I was pleasantly surprised to see that many non-Japanese women were buried with their Japanese husbands, which gives me yet more ammo for when people say that the 'gyaku-kokusai couple' is a recent phenomenon.

The Motomachi shopping street is full of expensive stores, fine for window shopping but obviously mainly targeting an older, more monied set than myself... although the store with the oversized chair in front of it was a hit!

Ready? Set. GO!

The wind rushes past me in the morning, almost as if it might miss the train to work. It brings the lingering scent of ripe persimmons and a freshness very much welcome in these un-autumnly warm mornings.

After the relative quiet and leisurely work pace of the summer, it is a little bit difficult to readjust to the busier schedules of the autumn and winter. In addition to my actual job, I also do some freelance writing for a magazine, along with some music work. Infact, in early November I will have my first on-stage koto performance in Japan, so looots of rehearsals with the ensemble.

Oh yeah, and a social life and all that. I try to keep up with everything, but with all the various nomikai, meet ups, dates and general rushing about, sometimes even that is tiring. So I go hide at Lu's Cafe (yes, again) and scarf down some of their new menu items, such as the highly satisfying tomato and mushroom omraisu, while curling up in the big leather chairs.

Still, I can't help but look forward to the next couple months. Nabe and oden make their appearance once again, as does the plethora of delicious autumn foods like matsutake mushrooms, pumpkin, new rice and various sorts of sake. Soon the leaves will change colour, and we will be able to spend hours wandering under the beautiful trees, bathed in that special (and highly flattering) soft light.

And it means new clothes! All the running, yoga and weight-training have shrunk me down a bit, so a lot of my clothes are now too big. So, off to Uniqlo, where I discovered I now fit into their pants, (this is a big deal, people!), and promptly snapped up some new jeans, skinny black pants and even turquoise shorts. Love it.

Recent Lovelies

Hmmm, it seems like Autumn has forgotten to show up... despite everyone already promoting autumn foods, beers and Halloween decorations.

However, this does not stop me nor my crazy appetite for lovely tasty things. Especially when it comes to gyoza. I love gyoza, so very very much. But, not surprisingly, it is extremely difficult to find vegetarian gyoza in Japan... until now!

A five minute walk from the West exit of Ikebukuro, hidden amongst a plethora of rabuho (including the rather nice Petit Bali) is 線條手打餃子専門店 (sorry for the kanji, but I cannot remember the correct reading), which has any kind of gyoza you can imagine, including a couple vegetarian options. The style is Taiwanese, so they have a more complex flavor than your average gyoza. I had two platefuls of sheer joy, and they also have cheap teishoku sets if you want a more balanced meal.

Another recent lovely was a Hash run in Shimokitazawa, where besides enjoying abundant portions of Indian food and a long trail, I also came across this hyotan store. The gourds are, for some reason, immensely fascinating and cute to me, and apparently here you can make your own... probably quite a niche market!

One non-lovely thing is that my camera has sand stuck in it, so needs to go for a professional cleaning... and I am stuck using my phone to inadequately try and capture the deliciousness of the coconut cocktail at Teyantei, which is a really awesome Okinawan joint in Shibuya, and the coffee and quiche combo from Paul Bassett in Shinjuku.

But, to return to happier things, a non-Japan related lovely, but long standing passion, are corgis. Seriously, the corgi is possibly the most amazing canine breed ever. I miss mine terribly, and thus squeal delightedly every time I see one nearby. All corgis seem to love me, although sometimes their owners are a bit taken aback. Mine has a tendency to give me looks like the second corgi in the line below, always wondering what weird thing I am doing today.

What to do on a rainy weekend

Just my luck. After planning to spend Sunday having a nice stroll around Yamate and Motomachi, perhaps stopping somewhere for tea, the weather gods decide: 'Hey, its time for some rain!'. Admittedly, the downpours have definitely cooled down the city, which is nice. But it still feels like such a waste when it is grey and rainy for an entire weekend.

So, what DOES one do on a rainy afternoon in Tokyo or Yokohama?

Go to the Spa, of course!

There are several to choose from, depending on your location. LaQua in Tokyo, EAS and Manyo in Yokohama, Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Chiba. What is great about these places is that they not only have onsen, but also ganbanyoku. The spa provides you with a set of clothes, which you wear to enter the ganbanyoku, so genders are mixed. Naturally these places tend to be popular date spots, but they are also really good for those who want a bit of a spa experience, while avoiding the nakedness requirement of onsen.

We went to EAS, and spent a good hour or so trying out the different heated rocks. My favourite was the quartz-floored room, which also had big blocks of slowly evaporating sea-salt. The sauna, scented with essential oils, was also lovely. Having tried out one of those 'fat-busting' massages (it was cheap, and an excuse to get a deep massage on my ever-tight calfs), followed by a fast training run, my legs were tired. However, after stretching out on the rocks and a few minutes in the onsen (including a wonderful sparkling water bath), they felt light and bouncy again. You can literally spend the whole day there, and there are lots of resting rooms where you can nap and relax.

While EAS has several cafes (and a tabehoudai right outside, oy very), it is also very close to my friend Wave-chan's cafe. I had gone there before and really enjoyed it, so it was time for another visit. Lu's Cafe is a puppy-friendly cafe, with a good basic menu and large portions. We opted for a couple types of pizza, the blueberry-mint soda and a chocolate chip chiffon cake. Amazing!

 The reason I can fully recommend their desserts is that Wave-chan makes them all! And, as her sharemates, we often are set the taxing task of sampling her experiments... I know, my life is sooo tough.

 So, thats my two cents (two yen?) on making the best of a rainy day: spas and tasty cafes. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Toyoko Line Love: Denenchofu

After goro goro-ing (is that a word? if not, can we make it one?) and enjoying the summer wind blowing through the house until 4pm,  Matcha-kun eventually succeeded in convincing me to go out for a walk and a drink... although it took a while, as post-business trip exhaustion seemed loath to leave me.

Denenchofu proved to be the perfect place. One side of the station leads to a nice old-fashioned shoutengai, with a series of tasteful little kimono stores and an unusually high number of dentists. As in, literally, one at every corner (like Starbucks in the US! or pharmacies in Italy!), including one with a sign in German, the main medical language until not so long ago. Perhaps the residents all have a sweet tooth?

It is obvious that the heyday of Denenchofu was during the Bubble era, as most of the buildings have that typical 80's decor, although interspersed with my favorite 'live-over-the-shop' dark wood constructions.

The opposite side of the station leads to a much fancier area, with houses the size of small castles, once again graced with odd, out-of-date features. Nonetheless, as this part is on top of a hill and covered with trees, it makes a lovely spot for a late afternoon walk, and is wonderfully cool and breezy. The celebratory drink and cake were at L'Epi D'Or, which fits in perfectly with the surrounding Bubble nostalgia: brass accents, piano in the corner and floral chandeliers ahoy!
Their seasonal cakes sell-out quickly (and we showed up at 5pm), but my fromage cake was delightful and well-priced. The iced cafe' au lait was very tasty (and served with coffee ice cubes, a nice touch) but 800 yen seems a tad steep.

A last twirl around the neighbourhood brought a couple interesting restaurants to my attention. Pasta Ri (housed in the vaguely British-looking building in the first picture) seems to have a terrace and really good reviews. Something to keep in mind for a girl's lunch or perhaps a date? A short walk from the station Daigo Sushi does Kansai-style sushi, including several types of sushi that went out of style after the Edo period! Chakin sushi (sushi wrapped in a thin omelette parcel, which apparently used to be served after tea ceremonies, according to the ever well-informed Matcha-kun) seems to be their strong suit, but they also do beautiful Kyoto-style oshi sushi and kiku sushi (chrysanthemum sushi)!

Returning home I was greeted by one of Yokohama's trademark sunsets, bursting with soft pinks and blues, a cool breeze from off the sea... and another series of carefully chosen L'Occitane goodies... seriously, how did he find out that verbena (lemon grass) is one of my favorite summer scents?! Perhaps he is a member of PsyCorps? (if you get the reference, you are awesome).