Blue Lotus

麻婆豆腐

One of my favourite Chinese foods, mapo doufu (tofu in spicy pork sauce), is also a favourite in Japan. Called mabou doufu in Japanese, it tends to be a bit wimpy here, lacking both spice and the rich flavour of Chinese fermented black beans. My recipe is a bit of a compromise, using proper Chinese ingredients easily found in Japan (and most anywhere else, I imagine) but with a bit less heat than the authentic Sichuan version.

These are the ingredients for mabou doufu, minus the pork (click on the picture for explanations). Notice that they've already been measured and prepared and are all ready to go: if you don't normally cook like this, you'll want to make an exception for Chinese food. Getting everything ready before-hand makes a long ingredient list a bit less daunting, but the real reason for doing this is that once you start cooking, you won't have time to open packages, chop ingredients, and measure.

麻婆豆腐 (Mabou doufu)

• 800 gr (25 ounces) momen-doufu (firm tofu), about 2 packs
• 350 gr (12 ounces) ground pork or beef
• 2 Tbsp touchi (fermented black beans)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp shisen toubanjan (Sichuan style chili bean sauce)*
• 1 Tbsp tenmenjan (black bean sauce)
• 1 large knob of fresh ginger, grated (about 2 Tbsp)
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed (about 2 Tbsp)
• 8 hosonegi (thin green onions), thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 500 ml (2 cups) torigara soup (chinese chicken stock) or beef broth
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce, or to taste
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 1/2 Tbsp katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch
• 1 to 2 tsp sanshou pepper or Sichuan pepper

Wrap the tofu in clean dish towels and sandwich between 2 cutting boards. Place in the sink with a pot or other weight set on top, let sit about 30 minutes. Just before cooking, unwrap tofu and cut into 2 cm (1 inch) cubes.

Heat the oil in a wok or large pan and stir-fry the pork and touchi, using a wooden spoon to break any lumps and crush the touchi. When pork is almost cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes, add the toubanjan, tenmenjan, ginger, garlic, and most of the hosonegi (reserve about 4 Tbsp for garnish). Continue to fry for about 3 minutes, then add stock and tofu. Stir carefully (or agitate the pan) to mix without breaking the tofu.

Let simmer 5 to 10 minutes, add soy sauce and salt, taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Mix 1 1/2 Tbsp water with the katakuriko, then slowly pour into the pan, stirring gently or agitating the pan to mix. When thickened, ladle into shallow bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of sanshou and the remaining hosonegi.

Makes 4 large servings.

* Regular toubanjan can be used instead.   

Dinner

• Miso soup with fresh wakame seaweed, shiitake, okra and negi (long onion)
• Tofu salad, with wakame and katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• Onigiri (rice balls)

This dinner was a team effort, with Hideaki making the soup and onigiri, and me making the salad and fillings for the onigiri (as well as the rice itself). Our little kitchen is not really built for two cooks, but having to squeeze past or reach around each other makes cooking together kind of romantic.

The rice is a mix of white and brown (brown rice by itself is not sticky enough for onigiri), and there are two fillings: shio-jake (salted salmon) and kombu no tsukudani (kelp simmered in soy sauce). The kombu (kelp) in the kombu no tsukudani was frugally recycled: first it was cooked with the rice, to add umami; then it was thinly sliced and simmered with soy sauce, sake, mirin (sweet cooking sake) and sesame seeds. When liquid was gone it became kombu no tsukudani, a perfect filling for onigiri.

Kombu used to make dashi (Japanese stock) can also be "recycled" this way. I wonder if there are other ways to reuse this precious (and expensive) seaweed?

Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce

• Salad of shrimp, broccoli, sweet peppers and edamame dressed in a dressing of ponzu (citrus soy sauce), olive oil, black pepper and sesame seeds
• Crusty bread with extra virgin olive oil
• Spaghetti in fresh tomato sauce with katsuobushi and shiso

The sauce is part of my ongoing experiments with fresh tomatoes, which started here. This time I tried to add a Japanese twist, adding some katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) leftover from the yakisoba my husband had cooked the day before. I figured the katsuobushi would add a bit of umami as well as a nice smoky flavour, and it did. I liked it so much that I added another pack, and decided to continue the Japanese theme by adding some thinly sliced shiso (perilla, a unique Japanese herb). The shiso didn't add much to the dish at all though, so I think I'll have to try this again with basil. And maybe mozzarella. Expect a recipe soon!

Hideaki cooks

So my camera is back! All fixed up and better than ever, although it makes a funny noise when the lens opens-- perhaps from mold damage. Apparently one of the problems was that there was kabi (mold, mildew or fungus) in the lens-- no idea how that happened or how to prevent it from happening again. Any advice?

Something else is new around here: Hideaki (still between jobs) has become something of a househusband, doing more cleaning and cooking than he ever has before. OK, let's be honest. He's doing more than I ever have, especially in the cleaning department. He does the jobs that I hate, like cleaning the floor-- and he won't just vacuum it, he'll wash it too. Whereas I was content with the occasional sweep, only washing the floor a few times a year. If that. He also makes the dishes disappear right away, rather than letting them gather in the sink for days (and if they all get put away wrong, I'm not complaining).

But as much as I love the clean floors and the magically vanishing dishes, it's the cooking I like best. I've been rather busy recently, and it's so nice to have my husband in the kitchen, helping with the chopping or washing up. Even nicer is to stay out of the kitchen altogether and have a meal presented to me.

This was my dinner on my first day back from camp, when I was still too sore and tired to go out: kaiware-na (daikon sprouts) and okra dressed with sesame and ponzu (citrus soy sauce); sui-gyoza (boiled dumplings, store-bought); and yakisoba (fried noodles) with pork and cabbage, topped with katsuo-bushi (bonito flakes).

It's quite a step up from the usual man style cooking, in that it doesn't all fit onto one plate, and there is more than one vegetable. And it was innovative: he made the kaiware-na dish up himself. And above all, it was delicious.

As much as I love cooking, and as much as we need a double income, I am really enjoying this and secretly hoping things continue this way for a while.

Izu Oshima camp

Another reason for the lack of posts recently: I was away at a second summer camp. This time English Adventure headed to Izu Oshima for 4 days, and it turned out to be my favourite camp so far. Oshima is the nearest and largest of the Izu Shoto (also known as Izu Shichito, or Izu Seven Islands), a string of islands that stretch into the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo (Mikurajima, which I visited last year, is also part of the Izu Shoto).

We started early in the morning at Takeshiba Pier, where we (31 campers and 6 staff members) boarded a high-speed ferry to Oshima. The view from the ferry was great, with good views of Tokyo landmarks like the Rainbow Bridge (above) and Haneda Airport, as well as a glimpse of Mount Fuji.

An hour and forty-five minutes later we were on beautiful Oshima. A bus took us to Oshima Park, where we checked out the small zoo. It was actually pretty good by Japanese standards (it didn't make me cry, at least) and although it was free it was nearly deserted so we had the place to ourselves.

Another bus brought us to Umi no Furusato Mura, our campsite. It was nicely situated, with views of the ocean and surrounding mountains.

After settling in a bit, we were divided into our groups. Here is my group, the A-team! I actually had 12 campers, but one (who lives on Oshima) joined us after this picture was taken.

The place had all the usual campsite amenities plus a few extras: a large saltwater pool, a rocky beach, and a cool suspension bridge. 

Wild monkeys (apparently descended from zoo escapees, since monkeys aren't native to the island) could be seen at the other end of the bridge at the crack of dawn, which gave the early risers a big thrill.

The tents were comfortable, cool, (mostly) bug-free, and stayed dry during a few rainstorms, thanks to being pitched on top of a raised wooden deck.

Unlike at the Chichibu camp, we made all of our own meals. Since this was our first time letting kids help cook, we kept it simple: hot dogs, hamburgers, and curry rice. The curry was definitely my favourite.

The beach was rocky and not great for swimming, but it had a pier that was perfect for jumping and diving. Most of the kids took a turn, as did all of the staff-- except me. My LASIK earlier this summer was a good excuse to pass, but I don't think I actually fooled anyone as I'm well-known as a scaredy-cat. I did have fun swimming (gently) around in the water and helping kids climb out of the crashing waves.

The jumps looked like a lot of fun though, and I hope I can muster the courage to try it next year.

The beach next to the campsite was just as rocky, but featured cool tidal pools. We had  a few nature study sessions there, learning about tides, salt and sea creatures.

Plenty of pretty shells were collected, and we caught fish, rock crabs and hermit crabs.

We had a campfire, of course, and before we broke out the marshmallows we sang some old camping songs that really brought me back. It turns out that Derek, a fellow counsellor, is also from Brampton and attended exactly the same summer camps as I did, so we know the same songs. He sings them way better though, and knows all the dances.

Oshima features Mt. Mihara, an active volcano which last erupted in 1986. I guess the chances of it erupting twice in 21 years is slim, because the thing to do is hike up the mountain and around the edge of the caldera, which is just what we did. Unfortunately we had a lot of fog and didn't have great views of the caldera, but it was a good trek.

After the hike we rode a bus to a public beach. It was a real treat to be on a real beach with real sand-- never mind that it was black volcanic sand.

The kids had a great time in the water, swimming, snorkeling, playing water volleyball or just floating around in tubes (next year I'll have to bring an adult sized tube so I can do the same). And there was plenty of activity out of the water too- building sandcastles and canals (one little guy dug himself a private hot spring) and hunting for shells.   

After four days, I came home feeling like I always do after camps-- completely exhausted. Yet I also had so much fun that I'm still not sure if I should be getting paid for the experience, or paying for it. I hope the kids enjoyed it as much as I did.

箕面滝

My husband's parents live in Minoh City, in the mountains of northern Osaka. The main attraction in the city is the Meiji Memorial Forest Minoh Kokutei Koen (a mouthfull more commonly known as Minoh Koen, or Minoh Park), known for its beautiful momiji (Japanese maples), wild monkeys, and the Minoh Otaki waterfall.

One of the oldest parks in Japan, Minoh Koen was once a popular resort area, with ryokans (Japanese style inns), shops and an onsen (hot spring). Though people still come, the once-vibrant entrance area of the park seems faded, with many shops boarded up and few shoppers at the ones remaining.

The 3 kilometre paved path from the station winds along the river, offering pretty views, and although it is uphill to the waterfall, it is an easy walk. Autumn, when the momiji turn red, is the most popular time to visit, but I like it in the summer. The heat keeps away the monkeys (which are cute but quite aggressive), but the trees offer shade and the mountain breeze keeps the area cooler than in the city. Plus, the shallow river is a great place to splash around and cool off.

Don't let this picture fool you: the area around the falls was teaming with people, who were milling about taking pictures and eating snacks from several little shops. Still, it wasn't too crowded to get a good view of the beautiful 33 metre falls.

After jogging most of the way down (I was ready to collapse the whole way, but got a real kick out of the admiring looks people gave us, as if we were marathon runners or something) we went to Minoh Onsen Spa Garden, a hot spring facility. The place is old and rather run down, and we've never bothered to visit before. But the signs advertising "fish therapy" enticed us: they had a foot bath full of doctor fish.

The little fish love to eat dead skin, giving you a gentle cleaning and exfoliation. It was a very wierd sensation, and extremely ticklish at first, and afterwards my feet did seem a bit smoother. It wasn't as effective an exfoliation as that provided by a good scrub with a pumice stone, but compared to the slightly rough texture a pumice will leave behind, the doctor fish left my feet soft and polished.

My husband was especially popular with the fish. He has eczema so has lots of dead skin to spare, and within seconds of putting his feet in they were covered with fish. When a staff member encouraged him to put in his hands as well, so many fish swarmed him that the other customers started complaining (only half-jokingly) that he was using up the fish. His skin looked much better afterwards, and in fact doctor fish are known as a treatment for psoriasis, with sufferers going all the way to Turkey to bathe in pools full of the fish.

The rest of the onsen was less impressive. There are several large baths and saunas, including a rotemburo (outdoor bath), but the place is old and shows it. Still, it was nice to wash off the sweat after our 6 kilometre walk/jog, and the doctor fish made the visit more than worthwhile. Admission to the onsen and 15 minutes in the doctor fish bath costs 1400 yen for adults.

With our newly-smooth feet, we walked back to the station, stopping to buy some momiji tempura. These are deep-fried momiji leaves, with a thicker and crunchier coating than regular tempura, flavoured with sugar and sesame seeds. Several small shops sell it, frying it right in front you. 

One of these days I'll have to buy momiji tempura when my good camera is working. But trust me, they are a beautiful and delicious snack, and everytime we buy them we always wish we'd buy more.

That night we caught the night bus back home to Tokyo, and since then we've been riding out the rest of the Obon holidays (and the record-breaking heat wave) quietly at home.    

神戸花鳥園

While we were in Osaka we drove with the in-laws to Kobe, the capital of nearby Hyogo prefecture. Many things come to mind when you think of Kobe. As a cosmopolitan port city city with a large foreign population, Kobe is famed in Japan for its superior western style cakes and confectionery; while throughout the world the city is known for its beef. Kobe is also known for the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995, when much of the city was destroyed. But for many Japanese the name "Kobe" is synonymous with pork barrel politics, with the city constantly starting expensive and largely unnecessary building projects. Massive land reclamations, needlessly impressive road and bridges, and a recently completed-- and hugely unpopular-- airport have made Kobe the most indebted city in Japan.

And our destination of the day happened to be located on one of these pork barrel projects. Man-made Port Island is billed as a "cultural city on the sea", but what I saw out of the car window was just a sprawling landfill topped here and there with charmless convention centres, hotels and housing projects. And then we reached the far end of the island, where Kobe Kachoen is located, and my opinion changed. 

Kachoen literally means "garden of flowers and birds", and that's exactly what this place is. My mother-in-law had been looking forward to visiting since it opened this spring, and although I was prepared to be underwhelmed (Japan is full of disappointing museums, zoos, flower parks and the like) I ended up falling in love with the place. We started by having lunch in the cafeteria, which was housed in a large greenhouse lush with hanging flowerpots. At first I thought the plastic chairs looked a bit cheap, but then I noticed the many sparrows flying about and realized that ease of cleaning was probably a bigger factor when they chose the chairs (luckily we didn't get pooped on).

I wasn't expecting a great meal. Indeed, in this beautiful setting, almost anything would have seemed delicious and most tourist attractions could get away with offering bad, overpriced food. But the buffet was surprisingly good, and at 1380 yen was not a bad deal at all. The buffet featured a large selection of mostly Japanese food, with an entire table was devoted to healthy Japanese appetizers which I loaded up on. There was also a snack bar selling drinks, ice cream and bento (boxed lunches).

This certainly wasn't the best food I've ever had in my life, but the setting was lovely enough to make it a memorable meal. If I lived nearby I might come here just for the buffet. Wait, forget that. The best was yet to come, and if I did live close by I'd be coming regularly for the birds. 

Kobe Kachoen is especially known for its owls, with dozens of varieties. The cages were so small and bare that I took them for displays at first, and since the owls were completely still I assumed they were stuffed. Not until one of them blinked did I realize they were real, and I could't help feeling a bit sorry for them in their little prisons. About a quarter of the cages were empty with signs saying the owls were temporarily absent, so I guess they're all allowed out once in a while (although that's most likely just to pose for pictures with visitors or do flying shows).

After getting our fill of owls, as well as checking out two ponds full of waterfowl and penguins, we checked out the flowers. The trumpet flowers and several types of begonias were especially pretty, but my favourites were the water lilies. They were beautiful and came in more varieties than I knew existed, all of them clearly labeled; the waters were swimming with minnows and goldfish. I was very sorry I only had my cell phone for pictures, and if my camera had been working I could have spent hours here.

The next section featured peacocks, guinea fowl, ibises, swans and more, with little cups of pellets for sale to feed them with. And then more owls, looking much happier and cuter in slightly more natural settings (although they were tied up).

The last section was definitely the best. Toucans, turacos, parrots and other tropical birds flew freely around, and were happy to land on your arm if you happened to be holding a cup of fruit (100 yen per cup, with fabric arm guards offered free of charge). I dug deep into my pockets and gave several beautiful birds a good meal, and it was fascinating to see-- and feel-- them up close. The first bird to take the bait was the relatively plain turaco below, and I was just blown away-- check out my goofy look in the picture: a mixture of nervousness and fascination than perfectly reflected how I felt.

You can see that I quickly warmed up to the birds, and they to me. This conure was particularly friendly, spending a long time on my hand licking my fingers, which felt really cool. I suppose that sounds gross if you've never been licked by a bird before, but it wasn't-- its tongue was dry felt kind of nice and tickly and the bird was very gentle and cute. It was such a good experience that I am toying with the idea of getting a bird as a pet. I've never been into pet birds at all and could never understand why they are so popular, but now I think I get it. I am almost certainly anthropomorphizing, but this little bird felt so gentle and sweet and  intelligent, and I even felt like we were communicating or connecting on some level. Surely its brain was the size of a pea and its only interest in my hand was the trace amount of salt in my sweat (we were in the middle of a heat wave), but I came away feeling like we'd bonded, and it gave me the same relaxed, happy feeling that I get from playing with a cat or dog. Ugh, that doesn't sound like me at all, but that's how I came away feeling. Any bird lovers out there know what I'm talking about?

After expecting to be disappointed it was so nice to visit this place and see all of those birds and flowers (it's also nice to know that Kobe doesn't completely suck). I definitely want to go back. Kobe Kachoen is well worth a visit if you have any sort of interest in birds and flowers and find yourself in Kobe. And if you have kids the place is a must-see; watching childrens' amazed faces was almost as fun as interacting with the birds, and I doubt there is a kid alive who wouldn't enjoy this place. Owl flying shows, penguin feedings, and photo opportunities are scheduled throughout the day, check the schedule (Japanese only) for details.

Kobe Kachoen is located next to Port Island Minami Station (a 14-minute ride from central Kobe's Sannomiya Station). Entrance is 1500 yen for adults with discounts for children, seniors, and the handicapped (the place is fully wheelchair accessible). Open 9:30 to 5:30 year-round. The free full colour pamphlet is in Japanese, with an English map available; all flora and fauna are labeled in Japanese, English and Latin. The website is Japanese only, but Kakegawa Kachoen in Shizuoka (there are 5 similar parks throughout Japan) has a good English website.

Kobe Kachoen
         078-302-8899       
7-1-9 Minami-machi, Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi

お盆

My husband and I just returned from Minoh, Osaka, where we spent our O-bon holidays visiting his parents. My husband is currently between jobs, so to save money we took the night bus-- an 8 hour ride each way. The experience was quite a bit better than the night bus I took to Kyoto last year, but it's still not exactly a comfortable way to travel, so we're a bit tired. And with my camera is broken (again), my cellphone pictures don't really inspire me to blog. But it's been a week since my last post, so I better give it a go.

As usual, my in-laws fed us well. Above is our first dinner: shishito (Japanese peppers) and eggplant sauteed with miso; enoki mushrooms and green beans simmered with shaved beef; cold braised chicken; and scallops sauteed in butter served with cabbage. In true Japanese style, I saving my rice for after I've finished with my beer.

We had a nice dinner at Kamizono, a Japanese restaurant near Minoh Station. The place bills itself as a katei ryouri (home-style cooking) restaurant, but is a bit fancier than that, with well-exectued, seasonal food featuring plenty of vegetables. Among the many small dishes I was served, I especially liked the tomato oden (a whole skinned tomato simmered in dashi stock).

The hamo no bainiku ae (grilled pike conger dressed with ume, or Japanese apricot) was also nice, as was the wa-gyu tataki (seared Japanese beef), inventively served wrapped around parcels of thinly sliced sweet onion and kaiware-na (daikon sprouts) and dressed with ponzu (citrus soy sauce).

Kamizono is small but well worth a visit if you live in the area (that's probably just you, Kat!), and apparently has a great 1000 yen lunch deal.　　　

My in-laws don't really do ohaka mairi (visiting the cemetery to clean the family grave and pray to the ancestors), at least not for their own families. But they do visit the grave of one of Hideaki's friends, who died when he was just 18, so we came along to pay our respects. The cemetery is an especially large one, sprawling up the side of a mountain with trees seperating each large section. But despite the greenery, I was struck by how grey and depressing Japanese cemeteries tend to be. And as year is the 20th anniversary of the friend's death, this was an especially sad visit. I was touched to see my mother-in-law crying and really think it's incredible that she continues to visit after all these years. It's very different, and I think nicer, than the way death is dealt with in Canada, with the dead often forgotten as quickly as possible.　　　

O-bon is about more than just cemeteries-- visits back home are the time to catch up with old friends. We met some friends of Hideaki's and went to a bar that serves chicken in every possible style, including sashimi. Above is an assortment of sashimi, including breast, which was soft and tender, and heart, which I didn't try (I'm not very adventuresome when it comes to organ meats).

Here we are in front of the bar. At bottom left is Hoda, whose wedding we attended this spring. Great news- he and his wife are already expecting! The baby is due in March and I hope I get to see it (but I won't hold my breath-- two of Hideaki's friends are fathers but I've yet to meet the kids).

朝霞彩夏祭

This weekend was spent at the Asaka Saikasai, a large local festival featuring an excellent fireworks display. We liked it so much we went on two days, once with my sister-in-law joining us and once just Hideaki and I. The main draw to any summer festival in Japan is the food: a wonderful assortment of junk food favourites like yakisoba (fried noodles) and kakigori (shaved ice). But there's always plenty of other stuff to do, and this time Hideaki was thrilled to see a Honda exhibition with a few famous vehicles, like the one above. He was a professional motorcycle racer in another life, and recognized the man pictured beside the motorcycle as one Nicky Hayden. It seems that Nicky had a habit of passing my husband during races-- when he was 13. Not surprising that he's a champion now.

We found a new treat at the festival: billed as "the latest thing in France", it was a tube of crispy bread rolled in sugared coconut and sprinkles. Wish I could remember what it was called. Oh, I should explain the goofy towel around Hideaki's neck-- it was extremely hot and humid that day, and we devised a clever way to beat the heat. Just put a small ice pack (the kind that cake shops give away for free to keep your purchases cool) in a tenugui (a long hand towel) and wrap it up length-wise. Place the centre of the towel, where the ice pack is, on the back of your neck and tie it in place (placing the ice on your forehead is nice too). If you think you are too cool to wear this contraption in public, then you have probably never experienced a Japanese summer.

The highlight of the festival, of course, is the fireworks, with 7500 blasts going off pretty much non-stop for an hour. With my camera broken I could only use my cell phone, but the pictures didn't come out as bad as I'd feared:

 

More pictures here.

And tonight we are off to Osaka for the obon holidays. We're taking the night bus and I'm hoping to get more sleep than I did last time (which was a year ago when I got approximately 0 hours of sleep). Wish us luck. And I wish you all a great summer!

Summer camp

If you're wondering why I haven't been posting recently, it's partly because my camera is broken, and partly because I'm busy. And most of the busyness comes from working at English camp last week, which is where these pictures are from.

As usual, it was an English Adventure camp, and it was just as fun as the others. This time my husband and I went up to the campsite, located in Chichibu, one day early. Our plans to relax and enjoy nature were somewhat dampened by the storm that started up shortly after our arrival, but luckily our log house was comfy and had a balcony with a roof and a bbq so at least we got in some good eating.

Dinner was yaki-niku (Korean bbq), with beef, pork, eggplant, green peppers and kabocha squash marinated in a Korean-style sauce. Brunch the next day was rice and tonjiru (miso soup with pork and vegetables). Both were yummy, hearty and easy meals that also happen to be classic outdoor foods in Japan.   

The heavy rain and fog continued until the next morning but pretty much cleared up by the time the campers arrived, which was great for the kids (and not so great for my husband, who headed home without ever seeing the sun). 

They were a great group of kids, a bit younger than usual and very very cute. We did hiking, nature games, martial arts, a big campfire, and plenty of just playing around the campsite. The grounds were huge and despite plenty of roaming around we only saw a bit of it (here is a map of the camspite with clickable icons, and here is what the tents looke like)

My main activities were uploading pictures to the camp blog (which I'm afraid is private, but if a child you know might be interested in attending a future camp I can give you the password) and t-shirt painting. That's my t-shirt above-- the hearts seem a bit silly, but they are actually just a clever way to cover up some spilled red and pink paint.

Lunches and dinners were served buffet-style at the camp cafeteria, and the food was pretty good. The lunch options included curry every day, which the kids were really happy about (me to--I can never get tired of curry rice) and there was plenty of other yummy stuff. This was a typical dinner:

Miso soup, rice, olong tea from the drink bar, spaghetti with bacon and cabbage, salad with beans and carrots, a cabbage roll, yakisoba (fried noodles), minchi katsu (deep-fried cutlet of minced pork) and fried fish. And yup, I ate that much at every meal, and sometimes more! I'm hoping I got enough exercise to balance it out...

冷麺

Despite all the good food I had on my visit home, I frequently craved Japanese food. Nothing fancy, just simple stuff like onigiri (rice balls), miso soup, and soba (buckwheat noodles). And the thing I craved most of all wasn't really Japanese: it was reimen. Reimen is the Japanese version of naeng-myun, noodles in cold broth. It is very refreshing after a greasy meal or in the summer, and on my trip to Canada we had exactly the kind of hot weather that makes me want to eat it.

So this was one of my first meals when I got back to Japan. Chewy, elastic noodles in a cold chicken-based broth, topped with sliced cucumbers, char-siu pork, kimchi (spicy pickled napa cabbage) hanjuku tamago (a half-cooked egg) and sesame seeds. Not necessarily traditional toppings, but my husband doesn't like fruit in savory food so I skipped the traditional sliced Asian pear. Served with a salad, more kimchi, and moyashi namuru (mung beans dressed in sesame oil), this was exactly what I'd been craving.

Eyes, teeth, and ankles

My trip back home to Canada was not just about eating-- I actually had a few other reasons for going. One of them was LASIK, a procedure that is not yet very popular here in Japan. It does exist and I could easily have done it here, but with the language barrier and my general dislike for the Japanese medical system I decided that Canada was the place to do it (plus it's quite a bit cheaper there).

The surgery was done exactly one month ago. I was terribly nervous but the clinic was efficient and comfortable and everything went very smoothly. Everything, that is, except for meeting a disgruntled patient as I was waiting outside the operating room. We struck up a conversation and it turned out he had already had his surgery, which naturally led me to ask how it had gone. "Great, except that I can't see at night" was his reply, and then the nurse called me in. The sedative they had given me earlier had been working fine up to that point, but now I was ready to make a run for it. Somehow I didn't, and a few minutes later it was all over.

There was never any pain, although few hours of extreme sensitivity to light made the ride home pretty uncomfortable and my eyes were pretty dry. I was supposed to rest in a dark room and not read or watch TV for the rest of the day and had anticipated being bored, but I mostly just slept. And when I woke up the next day I was fine.

My vision is now 20-20, and yes, I can see in the dark. Strangely, being able to see hasn't had the big, dramatic impact I had expected, perhaps since I always wore contacts anyway. It's not like when I first got my glasses (back when I was 12 or so) and spent the ride home from the optometrists with my face glued to the car window, amazed at how beautiful everything was. I remember how thrilled I was to be able to see the individual leaves on all the trees. But LASIK was not like that, and the only time I really notice is when I reach for my glasses in the morning and realize they're not there.

But there have been other changes, one of which was completely unanticipated:

• My eyes are very dry, and may continue to be so for several more months, but the problem is nothing that eyedrops can't fix and is actually not as bad as the dry eyes I often had with contacts.
• My morning and evening routines are a lot quicker without having to fiddle with my contact lenses.
• Traveling and camping are so much easier since I don't have to lug around all my gear.
• I no longer have the scary red eyes I frequently got from wearing my contacts for too long.
• There is way less gunk in the corners of my eyes.
• I look better, with the dark circles under my eyes less noticeable. Maybe because I'm not prodding my eyes twice a day putting in and taking out my contacts?
• My allergies have disappeared. I have no idea how