Climbing Mt. Fuji

       There are some experiences in life that are pivotal. They change your perspective and the way you want to live your life. For me, it was climbing Mt. Fuji. It was easily one of the best experiences of my life thus far...Perfect weather conditions, low traffic on the trail, breathtaking views, good company, and good conversation. Also, for me a HUGE personal ACCOMPLISHMENT! Check another one off my personal Bucket List... I embraced the challenge, I climbed the Mountain, and I saw the World.


This post is more of a photographic commentary, as mere words can't do the experience real justice. 

My sister and I at the 5th Station. Ready to Take on the Fooj! We are too cute and we know it.

The four of us at the starting point, 5th Station on the Subashiri Trail. Start of the Best Double Date EVER!

The trail starts out in the forest. The path is steep and very rocky and
most of the time.

After about 30 minutes up the trail, this is the view of Lake Yamanaka. The weather could not have been more perfect. We could see all the way to the Sea of Japan.

At cloud level . Looking down on the 6th station. I have to say it's amazing to be sitting up in the clouds as they blow through.

Among the clouds... on the way to the 7th station. Look at that trail!

At the Original 7th Station. This is where I was struggling to from the altitude and just wanted to sleep. So  I laid down and sucked some O2...while he chilled on the edge.

The steepness...

One of the two 7th Station's.

More rocks...Above the clouds...

 Looking up at the 8th station.

Started getting cold; very steep and sandy near the 8th station. We get our first glimpse of the path down.

It's like sediment rainbow!

Are we there yet? 

YES! At the summit. Passing under that Torii Gate was a glorious moment for all of us! Mostly because we knew there was food at the top ;) After all we still needed the energy to get back down,

 and not miss our Bus. 

My Love and I on top of the World. 

This clown literally sat on the edge of the crater for this picture. That sucker was so big and deep I couldn't even see the bottom! ...and he almost fell. WARNNG: Do not do this, it is extremely dumb! It is very windy at the top of a Mountain. 

The Summit Hut

Beginning the long and horrific descent.

Sometimes you just need to squat it out.

If you look closely, you'll see our creative attempt at trying to "sled" down this ankle deep loose sediment on our butt. Needless to say, it didn't work out so well...to many large rocks. 

Overall, climbing Mt. Fuji was absolutely monumental! The path down was fun for a little while. The descent trail was much different than the ascending trail. Basically flat and straight down, in ankle deep volcanic ash and rocks until the last foresty bit where it started getting dark (we didn't bring a headlamp :( ). So it got old after a while. It was also a little bit of a race against time for us, and I think mentally it just felt like forever. Our bus was departing at 7:30 p.m., but we made back to the 5th station in time to celebrate with ice cream cones and chocolate (for me) before hopping on the bus. 

I recommend doing it if you ever get the opportunity. I plan on doing it again next year if possible. All in all it took us about 6 hours to reach the summit and 3 1/2 or 4 hours to get back down. Warning, you will be very sore for a few days after, especially if you are not in tip top shape! However, you will feel an incredible sense of accomplishment and have memories to last your lifetime!

"It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves"
Sir Edmund Hillary

Hold the Noodles, Bring on the Mountain.

   

       Last time you heard from me I was in deep in the world of Noodle-y gluttony...I still owe you a post on the last two types of Japanese noodles. Udon and Somen....until then I feel the need to write about my current endeavors. Things in our family have pretty much changed in the way of consuming noodles. I will still continue to write about Japanese foods, but as of lately the focus in my life has been on being truly healthy. This year I have decided to take control over my life. At least over the parts of it that I can control. Mainly that regarding my body, mind and spirit. I'm not doing it for any reason other than I want to do this for me. Call me selfish. I have long realized the errors of complacency, and nutritional ignorance (mainly brought on by the marketing of American agencies and corporations) and have been moving in the direction to change my life for years. Making small changes here and there, so that they are permanent, not just temporary. I'm tired of being overweight and out of shape. I'm tired of going nowhere, and I'm tired of excuses. I'm done with it. I want to climb a mountain. Both literally and figuratively.
       I have always considered myself a relatively active person, I love taking walks, hiking and generally being outdoors. But for some reason I have always been a bit overweight. Since around 8 years old I started getting chubby and the only time I was really fit was in Junior high when I swam on a competitive team for 2-4 hours a day, but still weighed 140 lbs. as a 5'5" 12 year old girl. I graduated high school standing 5'6", and weighing about 170 lbs. However, for the last 10 years I have hovered around 200 lbs. Generally maintaining my weight, but  fluctuating between 185-205 lbs. and the American average size of 12-14 throughout the years. Since the birth of my son I have gotten a bit larger around the middle and I know that is bad for overall health, but generally stay in the same weight zone. I am well versed in nutrition and healthy lifestyle as I find that topic generally interesting. Medical science tells us that too much fat, especially around the mid-section is bad for the function of our vital organs and increases our risks for all kinds of diseases and social stigmas (which are no bueno for mental health). Perhaps the worst side effect of obesity is how much it can affect our loved ones and those closest to us. I don't want to face any of these issues and I certainly don't want to negatively impact those around me.
         Many people have never been overweight and have no idea how much your own body can feel like a trap, being overweight can hold you back from living your life. I know far too many beautiful, bright young people with serious health problems I wouldn't wish on anyone. I hate seeing my peers struggle with their health. We're only in our 20's and 30's for gods sake! My husband has seriously high blood pressure despite being a fit and healthy young man, and we don't know why other than "it's probably genetic". He is also in the process of being officially diagnosed with Celiac's disease. Using genetics as an excuse. Genetics are a part of it, but our diet can alter our very genome (Epigenetics) and those altered traits will be passed on to our children effecting future generations. Read: Time Magazine Article: Why your DNA isn't your destiny.
       At only 28, I have already had several friends battle cancer and have even lost one of them. Many have genetic or diet related diseases that have caused a lot of pain and discomfot over the years. While I don't believe cancer is avoidable given the modern chemical and GMO filled world we live in, I do want to do what I can to stave off other physical and mental diseases. I want to live my life with no abandon and know that if I do ever get sick, maybe it wasn't my fault. I'm done being limited by my physical self, but more importantly I'm over it. I have accepted me for who I am, I love myself and most days I think I'm unique and beautiful. I am at a very happy place in life. That being said, there is most definitely room for improvement in all of us. I want to know what it feels like to be really fit and healthy. There's a saying that goes something like "If you can't find time to exercise and eat healthy now, you will have to find time to be sick later." While I do believe in general this is true, it is not so for everyone. We could get sick at anytime, so we had better live our life to the fullest while we can. When I am old, I want a clear mind. When I die, I want no regrets.

     I don't want to get fit to look better, or be seen as socially acceptable by others. I want to do it because I want to feel good about myself both inner and outer. I want to harness the unique endurance and power of the human body and challenge myself physically. I feel there is something mental and spiritual to be gained from becoming connected to our physical self. If we can understand our physical, mental and spiritual selves the we can really learn to love our entire self...and if we can love ourselves, then I think we can truly love others. No more waiting, the time has come. I've started setting goals for myself, and by the open season this year I intend to be climbing to the top of Mt. Fuji. This year is all about self-discovery. This year I will conquer myself.

 
        Three months ago I walked into the gym for the first time. I mean, I've been to gyms on and off before...but this time it's different. This time I mean business. I decided running was my challenge. I mean in high school P.E. I once snuck into the woods to smoke a cigarette during the mile run and only actually did two laps. Running was NEVER my thing, so since I'm a human I'm making it my thing. The first time I got on the treadmill I couldn't even run for two minutes straight without feeling like my chest was going to explode. My body freaked out, my heart rate shot up to around 180 bpm because it couldn't quite cope with the larger amount of oxygen I needed to move like that. But, I didn't let that discourage me. It only ignited the fire more. I saw it as a challenge. My goal for month one was to get my body used to processing oxygen faster. Which come to find out is largely as mental as it is physical. With the help of my asthma inhaler, I go back every other day and usually push myself a little bit farther. My heart and lungs are coping very well at this point and I'm hoping to eventually beat my asthma all together.
        This week I was able to run/ jog a 5K for the first time in my life with out stopping to walk. It was tough, but dammit I did it! Many people do this daily, and with ease...but to me it was quite a sweet victory. It only took me working out 4-6 hours a week for 3 months (I also had a bit of a setback and was off the machines for a few weeks with a sore knee). Many people watch 4-6 hours of TV in one day! I'm still quite slow, but my next goal is to run the mile and half within good military standard times. Then once the weather is a bit warmer, I will take it outdoors and try to run in a local 5K race. After that I will take on Fujisan. As far as actual weight, I haven't lost much at around 10 lbs. Which is fine because I feel amazing. Some days I get discouraged when I look at the scale and the number is always the same, but I have never seen my body change shape so quickly. Things are getting smaller, fast. The huge butt I thought was genetic is quickly disappearing, even my arms are smaller. I feel stronger both physically, and mentally. I feel extremely motivated. A fire has been ignited...one could say "I am a girl on fire".  ; )

     
      Aside from the exercise, I have also made a few simple dietary changes to help, again not just aimed at weight loss, but overall health in general. You can count calories all you want, but at the end of the day if you've eaten 1500 calories of junky processed food or 1500 calories of real, organic, and unprocessed foods you will FEEL the difference. I want to rid my body of the trash and fill it with more good stuff. We have implemented some principles of the ever so trendy Paleolithic diet in our family eating habits. Not to a pretentious level, but definitely as much as we can. I mean we live in Japan, some of the less common paleo friendly ingredients are just not available, or if they are they cost way too much for me. Basically we replace whole grains and other carbohydrates (like potatoes) for more meat and vegetables, and very limited amounts of sugars. Aside from my multitude of food allergies (nuts, seeds, legumes, etc.) which I am now more careful to avoid I have also stopped eating any dairy products except butter. Removing milk, and dairy has actually made some of my food allergies less acute and much easier to cope with. Also I have cut way back on any grains (including corn), I usually only eat something made with regular grains/ flour 1-2 times per week, after all a bit of carbs are great before a good cardio workout. Also, eating healthier is easier for me if I've done some exercise. I don't really stress eat anymore (except for some dark chocolate in the evening), because exercising reduces my stress/ boredom level greatly. I don't crave fatty, high carb foods at all and actually they are beginning to physically repulse me. Food is becoming fuel for my body, not simply a mindless quick fix. I'm also not depriving myself of anything. If I really want to eat something I will, because I LOVE FOOD! If  I eat something "bad", generally I don't think too much of it. I might just try to make up for it by working a little harder in the gym, or eating better the next day.

These are some things that keep me motivated towards my fitness goals:
1. I LOVE music, so an awesome playlist on my ipod is a MUST. When I start to get tired and think about getting off the machine/ stopping I play that one song that makes me wanna do a ridiculous dance and BAM I push myself a bit harder! Don't let your brain play tricks on you, you'll often find you can keep going for quite some time even when you think you need to stop! Also, I add and delete any songs I get tired of every few weeks to keep it fresh.

2. Mix up my workout. Doing the same things everyday gets boring pretty quick, so use a combination of machines and if you aren't sure see if your gym has a free session with a personal trainer.

3. Set Goals. Start small. Maybe today you will try to run for 3 minutes without stopping, then maybe 4 minutes the next time and before you know it you'll have gone a mile!

4. I like to work out in the morning, it helps me de-stress and also to control my appetite throughout the rest of the day. Also, I tend to have more energy throughout the days I do cardio.

5. This is most important. Don't give up, and DO NOT MAKE EXCUSES! I have had some cruddy respiratory cold/ allergy stuff for like 3 months. Guess what... I still go workout with my handy dandy inhaler. I mean if you are seriously ill, then I understand. Some days I can only manage a 40 minute workout because I'm tired or feel bad or whatever, but I still workout and usually I feel better than I did before. There's nothing like the adrenaline rush of a good workout!


    So after these three months I am only down ten pounds, but I have definitely lost several inches and gained a lot of muscle. I pretty much have guns now...which is pretty awesome. Jk....but, they're getting there. The best part is that I can run a mile now...nonstop.

Noodles Part 2: Soba

Dried soba noodles.



      Soba noodles are definitely Nihon ryori, or a uniquely Japanese food. They became popular in Japan during the Tokugawa or Edo period (1603-1867) when many Japanese (especially the poor) subsided on white rice alone. Because white rice has insignificant amounts of B vitamins many people suffered from a B vitimin (Thiamin) deficiency called Beriberi which causes terrible symptoms in the nervous system as well as in various other functions of the body. It was discovered that by eating soba which is high in Thiamin, one could avoid the debilatating syptoms of Beriberi.
     Soba is a favorite among Tokyoites, whereas in other areas of Japan Udon is more popular. Soba is probably my favorite type of Japanese noodle. They have a nutty, slightly sweet flavor and a less glutinous texture that I'm quite partial to. It is somewhat similar to a whole wheat thin spagetti. Soba noodles are thin and made of newly harvested buckwheat called shin-soba. Soba is a fast growing grain that takes only three months to harvest, so it can be harvested up to four times in a year. It also grows well in mountainous regions with poor soil. Often, there is some wheat flour added to soba noodles as a binder to the gluten-free buckwheat flour, usually a ratio of 80% buckwheat to 20% wheat flour, but you can find high quality 100% soba noodles in Japan. There are fresh handmade varieties as well as dried ones. I typically use a dried variety that comes in individual portions (as pictured below).



       Soba can be served both warm and cold. The most important step in preparing soba is to wash the noodles by gently rinsing them in cool water and rubbing them to remove some of the starch off the surface of the noodles. This process allows the flavor and texture of the soba to stand out better. At that point the noodles can be served with a strong flavored dipping sauce, or in a more diluted hot or cold soup called mentsuyu. Mentsuyu is a broth made from kaeshi (sauce of soy sauce, sugar and mirin) and diluted with dashi (basic Japanese stock made from konbu (kelp), katsuo boshi (dried fish flakes), and/ or dried shitake mushrooms). You can find instructions for making your own kaeshi and dashi on the awesome website below. Remember: Kaeshi + Dashi = Mentsuyu

Making mentsuyu: http://justhungry.com/basics-kaeshi-soba-and-udon-noodle-soup-or-sauce-base

Detailed instructions for cooking Soba: http://justhungry.com/basics-cold-soba-noodles-dipping-sauce  





Benjamin loves eating soba...

    We eat soba very often at home as it makes for a nice quick and light dinner. Benjamin absolutely LOVES soba, you can ask him any time of the day if he wants some soba and he will undoubtedly answer "Yes" with enthusiasm, and then ask for green onions and fresh ginger to mix into the mentsuyu. That kid LOVES ginger, he eats huge piles of pickled ginger when we go out for sushi...but that post is soon to come. The following is something I have been cooking up for vegetarian nights at home lately. It is a very non-traditional soba preparation, but my soy allergy has been rather unfriendly lately and I have been doing anything I can to avoid soy sauce, so I use Oyster sauce and Sriracha instead as flavoring in my recipe for Soba-don (Soba bowl). You could of course add any other desired ingredients for more flavor. I hope you will try it!




                                                                Soba-don
Ingredients:
3-4 portions of dried Soba noodles (I make one extra for the husband)

5-6 cups chopped veggies: Bok choy, mushrooms: enoki, shimeji, and shitake, and eggplant
* Use what's available to you. Shelled edamame, any mushrooms, diced sweet potatoes and cabbage would be great in this too.

2 tsp. vegetable, or coconut oil

Green onion, 2 stalks whites and greens

2 cloves garlic, minced

Black pepper

Oyster Sauce (to taste, up to 3 TBS.)

1-2 tsp. Rice vinegar

Toppings:
Sriracha, sambal or other chili paste (to taste)

fresh grated ginger

*Yuzu paste, wasabi, sesame oil, and sesame seeds would all be good too.

Directions:

Cook soba noodles to package instructions. Typically they will take around 5-7 minutes on a low boil. You can follow the directions on the link above for cooking perfect soba noodles.

Prep all of your veggies. Chop them into 1/2 inch, to 1 inch pieces for easy chopsticking. I slice half of the green onions in the veggie stir-fry and dice the other half  to reserve and use as a topping. Heat a large frying pan or wok on medium-high heat and add oil. Once oil is heated add your veggies that will take longer to cook, I usually give the eggplant an extra minute or two before I add the rest to prevent over cooking. Toss in your minced garlic and the remaining vegetables and stir-fry until tender and start to brown up a bit, about 3-5 minutes. Next, add in your oyster sauce and season to taste with black pepper and rice vinegar. Stir-fry for one more minute and turn off the heat.

At this point I take my rinsed soba noodles and run them under hot water to warm them up a bit, just for a few seconds so they aren't chilly. Then I portion them into bowls and cover the top with the stir-fried vegetables. I garnish with the diced green onion, a bit of fresh grated ginger and of course lots of Sriracha!

Takes about 20 minutes to make and serves 3-4 people.


Japanese Dining Custom:

Benjamin typically reminds us before we start eating to be thankful for our meal. Every night at dinner he stops, makes eye contact with each of us and we take his lead. He puts his hands together palm to palm and loudly expresses his "Itadakimasu!" with a slight bow of his head... it's amazing and wonderful how easily kids pick these things up. So without hesitaion, we have incorporated this custom into our daily dinner ritual.

In Japan you start your meal by saying:

Itadakimasu! (ee-tah-dahki-mas)- literally "Thanks for this feast!"

and when you are finished eating you say:

Gochiso sama deshta! (Go-chee-so-sama-desh-tah) - which means "it really was a feast!", and show completion and gratitude for a full stomach.



Here are some videos I thought were interesting regarding Soba:

Interesting travel video on eating Soba in Izushi, Japan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F2wrQsK4S4

If you are more visual and prefer to see someone make soba, here is a cute Obachan (Grandma) making Zaru soba with subtitles in many languages:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLnKQJJX3gw



Arigato Gozaimasu Readers!

Noodles Part 1: Ramen

Shio Ramen with extra egg from Kamome-syokudo ( No. 5) at the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum

       There was time in my life when Ramen noodles were just those little square blocks of dried noodles with little packets of  thoroughly MSG-ed flavoring...Though that technically is "Ramen", once you have the REAL stuff, I promise you, you will never willingly go back to those little blocks. Well, maybe if you liked them more than I ever did. I still daydream about the first time I had the real deal in Vancouver, B.C. last year...it was by far one of my most memorable meals. It was a cold, rainy February night as we waited in line to get into Kintaro: Handmade Tonkotsu Ramen. Finally we were packed into the warmth inside, placed our orders with the lady at front and then we were assigned seats at chairs elbow to elbow with strangers. Soon after we were served up a huge bowl of piping hot, rich, porky broth that had been carefully tended to for several hours, swimming with handmade noodles and tender slices of roasted pork topped with extra pork fat, green onions, corn and a huge scoop of garlic....one word...eyes closed...Mmmm. I was instantly captivated at the culinary promise of my future home in Japan.
      Now after spending almost a year in Japan I have tasted many varieties of Ramen in which there are literally endless combinations of flavors. I'll bet you could spend each day eating a different bowl of Ramen and never have exactly the same combination...in your life. Maybe I'll actually do the math later...okay probably not. Instead, here's a little bit about Ramen.


History:
      Ramen (actually all noodles) originated in China nearly 4000 years ago...which means the Chinese were slurping down noodles well before Jesus was born!  Since there is no "L" sound in Japanese and the "R" sound is pronounced somewhere in between the English "L" and "D", a dish originally called something like "La-Mien" in China, is now referred to as Ramen. However, Ramen didn't become widespread in Japan until much later during the Meiji Period (1800's). After WWII, Ramen noodles became a much needed source of calories for the starving Japanese population, many of who had spent most of their lives eating only rice. Over time the Japanese carefully fostered the elements of Ramen and have created what is now a uniquely Japanese food. In fact, it's one of two official National dishes. Every area of Japan has it's own unique style of Ramen. In 1958, the founder of Japan's Nissin foods, Momofuku Ando, discovered the method for making instant Ramen noodles propelling their popularity all over the world. The instant variety has since become a Japanese Cultural Icon.

*I can't wait to visit the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama!

Noodles:
      The noodles are made of wheat flour, salt, water and kansui (a special water that contains both sodium and potassium carbonate). The minerals in kansui are what give Ramen noodles their signature yellowy color. There are several varieties of noodles, it varies by the people making them. They can be as thin as angel hair pasta, or much thicker than spagetti they can also they can be curly (wrinkled), or flat. It looks to be quite a feat of physical fitness just making these noodles in the traditional way! Here's a link to a cool video of some noodles being made up in Hakone Yumoto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c5kmVgYXHXk

4 Main types of Broth:

     The broth for Ramen is typically pork-based, but can be made with any combination of pork, chicken, vegetables, dried shitake mushrooms, konbu seaweed, katsuo boshi (dried skipjack tuna flakes), or niboshi (small dried sardines). Each broth is then seasoned to in one of the following ways.

Shio - "Salt" a lighter, often clear broth seasoned with salt. The noodles are often straight, but my favorite has large flat noodles. Common toppings include green onions, garlic, cabbage, beans sprouts and soft-boiled eggs.

Tonkotsu-"Pork bone" This stock has a rich, hearty pork flavor. The thick, creamy broth (almost like gravy or melted butter) is the result of a very long cooking process that allows the fat and collagen from pork bones to become suspended in the liquid. It takes at least 12 hours of cooking for this to happen, and some tonkotsu broths are cooked for up to 60 hours. Most often has thin flat or straight noodles. Common toppings are pickled ginger, green onions, sesame oil and of course cha-shiu (roasted pork belly).

Shoyu- "Soy Sauce" Since the main flavoring of this broth is soy sauce, it is often recognized by it's clear, brown color  this broth has a savory, salty, "umami" flavor. It often has curly (wrinkled) noodles. Common toppings are corn, nori (seaweed), menma (marinated bamboo shoots),

Miso- "fermented soybean paste" This is the "uniquely Japanese" type of Ramen originated up in Japan's North Island of Hokkaido. A Chicken, or fish based broth is seasoned with substantial amounts of miso paste making for a rich, thick and nutty soup. I have also seen sesame paste and peanuts included in some miso ramen. Common toppings are butter, corn, steamed greens (like spinach or bok choy).

In general:
 Ramen can be any combination of these broths, toppings and flavors. There are also several spicy variations that use spicy bean paste, spicy sesame oil, chili garlic or even a special hot sauce may be an option. Each shop will have a small array of toppings at your table so you can season your Ramen to suit your individual tastes. This is the line-up of additional seasonings at our regular Ramen joint.

Additional seasonings include: Sesame oil, white pepper, sesame seeds, chili bean paste,
ground garlic, pickled ginger and some pretty amazing hot sauce!

                           

                                 Special salt (Shio) Tonkatsu  Ramen from the above place.

Thick,  flat noodles...there are always WAY too many noodles for me...but look at that broth!

Thank goodness I have a noodle disposal system so I can mostly drink the delicious broth...

   Marcus and I recently took advantage of a free day while Ben was at school, so in the name of "research" we went to the Shin-Yokohama Raumen ( I don't know why they used this spelling) Museum. This place is really cool, it's an "eating amusement park" of sorts that takes you back to the year that Instant Ramen was invented, 1958 (the Showa Period). There are nine Ramen-yas from all different areas of Japan, each specializes in a different type of Ramen. Check out the link to their website below for more information. Here are pictures of what we tried:

We started at Shop No. 9 (Nidaime-genkostu-ya) a Tokyo style Shio Ramen place, but sadly I didn't get a picture before we tucked into this one...Hey, we were both really hungry....and it was really tasty. Their cha-shiu pork belly was exceptional, and I loved the way the green onions are chopped up really small so you can drink them up with the soup. This was our favorite by far. The others were just okay, but it was a very fun experience and we can't wait to go back and try out some other stuff.

Shio ramen, with flat noodles

From restaurant No. 4 (Taiho Ramen), on (L) Basic tonkotsu, and on (R)Spicy tonkotsu with Black garlic oil and fried garlic bits. I was greatful to find that each restaurant offers a small bowl for around 550 Yen (about $6) so you can have a good taste, but don't get too full so you can try a few other places.

From No. 5 ( Kamome-syukudo)
      We tried the ramen pictured at the very top of this post, but I saw this pork belly on the menu and had to try it...it had a little dollop of spicy chinese mustard on each slice and it was as delicious as it looks.

    Ramen has quickly become one of my ultimate comfort foods, there is nothing better to warm you up on a cold winter night or to nourish you when you are feeling a bit under the weather. To me it's just as fun to eat as it tastes good. There's a sweet satisfaction to the rythym of loudly slurping your noodles and filling your spoon with tasty broth to wash them down. You always wear the evidence on your shirt as there's an inevitable bit of splatter. The toppings are just, well the icing on the cake. I crave Ramen often and I am glad there are so many options, because Ramen is a meal than can be somewhat healthy, or can just as easily leave you comatose.  Sometimes it's just so good you can't stop eating. I'm looking forward to continuing to try as many different Ramen shops as I possibly can in the next few years. I hope you will try to find a good Ramen shop in a city near you...and if you can get the oppurtunity to go up to that spot Vancouver, B.C. it will be well worth it.

Links:
Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum   http://www.raumen.co.jp/ramen/

Cup Noodles Museum http://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/english/index.html

My favorite Japanese Food blog: http://www.justhungry.com/visit-shin-yokohama-raumen-ramen-museum

Typical Japanese TV program that is showing how Ramen is eaten...notice the slurping! It's quite entertaining. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZhvSSyotA0

Other Credits:
ramenlicious.com/encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen

So it Begins: The Japanese Food Series

     So I have finally come to the point where I am comfortable enough to start writing about Japanese food. I am by no means an expert on Japanese cuisine, just a gaijin (foreigner) who has become captivated by the fare of my host country. From the outside Asia is often seen as the land of rice, and for Japan (at least to me) it was the land of rice and fish. Before I moved here I knew very little about Japanese food, other than the typical "Americanized" sushi and Gyoza joint...and as for Teriyaki, it's not even really Japanese food. Being that there is a Teriyaki place on nearly every corner of the greater Seattle Metro area, they had me fooled. Yummy, yes. Japanese? No. I have yet to see Teriyaki chicken anywhere, or a California roll for that matter. I have only seen it offered as a burger flavor.
     
      There are two sort of categories within Japanese food, the first is Nihon Ryori. These are unique and traditional Japanese dishes. Things like Miso soup, Soba and udon noodles and sushi are only a few examples of Japan's homegrown foods. There are a multitude of fish, shellfish, seaweeds and other ocean based items, as well as many vegetables and some fruit. Japan's climate and terrain doesn't offer much in the way of raising animals or growing large grain crops. So they were forced by the landscape to rely mainly on the bounty of the sea.

      The second type is called Washoku. Washoku are foods that have been imported from foreign countries and adapted to Japanese tastes. This is similar to much of American cuisine. Just as in the US, you can find Italian food, burgers, pizza, curry, bakeries, coffee shops and even Mexican food everywhere. Ramen is actually also a Washoku food, since it originated in China. The only difference is that these foods that are familiar to Westerners often have a Japanese twist, sometimes it's awesome, and sometimes it's just...different. For instance, you may go into a place with a name like "Fresh Burger" and order what looks like a typical hamburger...but find that it has a soy based sauce and the burger is actually made out of ground pork instead of beef. It's not bad, just maybe not quite what you'd expect. The reality is that beef is very expensive in Japan. So pork is used more often, also it may just be that the Japanese prefer or have grown to prefer the taste of ground pork to beef. I have found much of this food to be very good though, some of it even better than what you would typically find in the US.

        The thing that really stands out about the food you find in Japan (and Japanese culture in itself) is the careful attention to detail. People in general tend to put much more care into their work here whether they are making sandwiches behind a counter, or painting your house. I have yet to witness an employee being unprofessional, disrespectful or careless. Employees of fast food restaurants don't face the same social stigma as they do in America. They are paid better and generally at least seem to have a little pride in the job they do no matter what it is. I have said several times that everything seems to be just a little bit better here. Sometimes the smallest things really make the biggest difference.

Four main kinds of Japanese Noodles: Udon, Soba, Somen and Ramen (clockwise).

   
     So anyways...my point is that I am going to start writing a series of entries based on various foods I have happily discovered while in Japan. My first entry (we'll call it a mini series) will actually be broken into four parts. Each part will cover one of four main types of noodles eaten in Japan. Before you read on there are some things you should know about NOODLES!

- Noodles are a staple in Japan and are eaten just about as much as rice.


-Noodles made their appearance in Japan somewhere between 794-1185 AD.

-ALL noodles in are served both hot and cold depending on the season of the year.

-MOST IMPORTANTLY: It is polite to slurp your noodles! Eating loudly is seen as a compliment. It let's the chef know you are enjoying your food. Some say it also makes the noodles taste better. I know this is hard for some of you whose parents stressed table manners, but I promise you...breaking your parents rules is fun! Manners are different in any culture, and the Japanese do respect that by differentiating. There is little slurping of Italian pasta for example.

I hope you enjoy! Please feel free to comment, or ask any questions!



P.S. I apologize for the serious lack of photos...I am having some issues with blogger not allowing me to upload photos. So instead heres a link to ridiculous video of small Japanese ladies engaged in a noodle eating contest...I urge you to watch...it amazes me!

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPVHueU24yY

Trip to Guam U.S.A.

      In September Ben and I flew to Guam to visit Marcus on a port call during his deployment. I have always wanted to go back to his beautiful Island where I spent my most awkward preteenage years. The Island's location from Japan couldn't be better which allowed me the perfect chance to return. After about a three hours by train and a three and one-half hour flight away from the busy Narita Airport we arrived to peaceful sandy beaches and tropical fishy seas all on a tiny American territory. We arrived to Guam in literal sea of Japanese tourists, recovered our luggage and then waited in another sea of patient Japanese tourists for our Car rental attendee to call our name. We waited...and waited...and waited and then finally we were the only two left when the representative finally showed up. First challenge, driving the incredibly spacious Hyundai Accent hatchbatch (comically huge compared to our super tiny Japanese car) on the right hand side of the road...and find the hotel. So after about 10 minutes in the car, mostly sitting in traffic on "Hotel row" we arrived at the hotel in Tamuning.
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     The next day the ship pulled in so we went to the Naval base to pick up Daddy. We spent the next few days hiking, snorkeling on the beach and exploring the Island. Overall, it was a nice trip though far from perfect. We went through three rental cars. The first got a flat tire, the the second one's check engine light came on, the third was the charm in our case and a boat by Japanese standards (Hyundai Elantra). We also had to switch our hotel room after the second night because of a water leak. The weather wasn't very nice as it was the middle of rainy season, it was a cool 81 degrees and rained almost everyday. Despite the various problems setting our plans back a little, we didn't let it ruin our plans and the rain was no issue for us. We spent every day out in seclusion. Literally every beach we went to, there were little to no other people. We enjoyed snorkeling, and Ben swam alongside us and even tried to snorkel a few times, but the mask was too uncomfortable for him. With the help of his life jacket he floated and swam alongside of us as we snorkeled for hours. What a little champ, we were so proud of him! The tourists tend to stay in the tourist area of Tamuning, and locals go to the other, harder to access, beaches. Since it is rainy season, not even the locals are at the beaches. It was nice, relaxing and quality family time. We really only ventured to "Hotel Row" in the evenings for some ice cream and a few amusement rides for Benjamin.

Hiking in the wrong direction looking for Sharks'Cove.

 

Coral rock piles (?) in the Jungle on our way to Shark's Cove.




Shark's Cove

During our drive around the Island.

Bridge at Talofofo Falls...Marcus kept shaking it...I wasn't happy about that.

One of the two Talofofo Waterfalls.

We're still wondering how Sweet this tuba really was.

On the beach at Anderson AFB before some good snorkeling.




Asan Beach, one of two landing spots for U.S. Troops in WWII where thousands were killed by the Japanese.

Ben's first Bumper car ride on the "Boonie" Bumper cars at Talofofo Falls. Just look at that face!

Visiting Gab Gab Beach, my favorite childhood beach.

 

Close up of Hotel Row from our hotel room.

   After only three days with Marcus we had the sad duty of dropping him back off at the Pier...that was not fun and left both of us feeling not so happy. Ben and I still had two days left on the Island and of course they were both 95 degrees and sunny. So we went to the Aquarium in the tourist area, and caught up on some rest. On the last day we spent 4 1/2 hours at one of the water parks slathered in sun block, where we floated on the lazy river and Ben learned to boogie board in a matter of less than an hour. Overall it was a really nice vacation from Japan's busy streets, but we were both so ready to come back home. Thank goodness for the free whiskey and soda's on Japan Airlines...they are doing so many things right!

     

Information on Guam and map courtesy of : http://www.lonelyplanet.com/guam