A New Year in Japan – Two Trees or One?

We’ll be leaving for home soon. We’ve decided tenge train route. We both have a couple more days off work, but our daughter goes back to her nursery tomorrow. But this post has nothing to do with that. At my wife’s grandmother’s house, there’s a black pine. Here it is.

But then, there’s also this.

They’re different. One’s thicker, the other is spinier. But they’re on the same tree. Don’t believe me? Look at this.

There you go. The shorter spiny needles are newer, I believe.

Anyway, we’ll be going home soon. And it’ll be back to normal blogging.

A New Year in Japan – A Temple Visit with Luck?

We went to another temple, this time Monjuji in Saitama City. I’ve been there before about three times. This time, things were a bit different.

The main gate of the temple.

The main hall of the temple.

We went next door, to an attached building, where most of my wife’s family went up for a New Year’s service. My sister-in-law’s husband and I stayed downstairs to watch my daughter and his daughter. The cousins played while we waited. After that was over, it was time for something a bit different.

My daughter got to drink some amazake, a sweet drink available at New Year’s.

We waited in line to go up to the temple, ring the bells, toss in a coin, and pray or make a wish for the year.

And then, I got an Omikuji. This is a fortune. I was trying my luck.

It turns out my fortune said suikichi. That means future luck. So, I should have luck later on this year. It said I shouldn’t rush into things and take my time. When looking for a new job, I should be patient, and one will come. Health will be better, and to stay the course in my studies.

I wish I had luck after that because when we returned to my wife’s grandparents’, we had lunch. It was a good lunch, and we ate a lot. However, my daughter had diarrhea. We had no change of clothes and ran out of wet wipes. We returned to my wife’s parents’ house and did laundry. I am now waiting for it to dry in a coin laundry.

Well, that’s it for now. We’ll see what’s in store for later.

A New Year in Japan – Day Two Begins With More Family

We headed out early in the morning to see my wife’s maternal grandparents. It was a very eventful trip. But first, some buses and a train.

It was a sunny, but cold morning.

We got off the train at Kita-Urawa, and went to another bus.

At the grandparents’ house, we were greeted with green tea and senbei (rice crackers).

But our second temple visit of the year was to begin soon. That’s in the next post.

A New Year in Japan – On the Train

The rest of our New Year is with the in-laws. What came next was a train ride. And this is the train we took.

A closer look. It’s a Romance Car. It’s an express train with reserved seats with Odakyu.

On the train, we got a view of Mt. Fuji.

At Shinjuku, we changed trains to the Saikyo Line.

On the train, my daughter fell asleep sitting up.

And in Saitama, we could see Mt. Fuji again. But it’s a bit farther away.

Coming up next is lunch!

Life in Japan: My Travels

I came to Japan to see it all. Did I? No, not at all.  But there are some things I am very happy to have seen.  This week’s question is from S. R. Carrillo. She asked many questions, didn’t she?

Where all have you traveled?

Odawara Castle in the rain with a couple cosplayers in front.

Surprisingly, I haven’t traveled very much in Japan. I live in Kanagawa, which is just south of Tokyo. I’ve also been to Tokyo, of course. The other prefectures I’ve been to are Saitama, Chiba, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka.

In Kanagawa, I’ve lived in Yokohama, Kamakura, and now Fujisawa. I’ve also visited Odawara, Yokosuka, Kawasaki, Sagamihara, Isehara, Chigasaki, Hiratsuka, Zushi, Hayama, Miura, Oiso, and Yamato. I think the highlights are Kamakura (many temples and shrines), Odawara (castle pictured above), Fujisawa (with Enoshima), and Yokohama (technically the largest city in Japan).

In Tokyo, I’ve been mainly around the main city area, but I’ve also been to Machida and Hachioji (Mt. Takao).

In Saitama, I’ve been to Saitama, Warabi, Tokorozawa (for a baseball game), and Kawagoe (a city with many old buildings).

In Chiba, I’ve been mainly to Narita Airport.

In Yamanashi, I’ve been to Mt. Fuji.

In Shizuoka, I’ve also been to Mt. Fuji, but also Atami and the Izu Peninsula, which is famous for resorts and hot springs.

Out of all the places, I think my favourites would have to be Kamakura, Tokyo, Yokohama, and Mt. Fuji.

If you have any questions about living in Japan, please see the original post and leave your questions in the comments.

Trouble with Trains

We paid for green car tickets from Urawa to Tsujido at 4:03. Turns out that train was cancelled. We had to get a refund and pay for another later train that doesn’t go that far.

Our new train is at 4:18. And my daughter is being rather impatient and constantly trying to run away. Very dangerous for her to try that on a train station platform.

Lunch at Big Boy

I finished. I had hamburg steak and cut steak plus the salad bar, soup, and curry.

My daughter had the children’s hamburg steak set.

What did you have for lunch/dinner/breakfast?