Camping in the Country

During my parents recent visit, they brought along a suitcase for us that included a new tent, sleeping bags, and camping accessories that I ordered online and had shipped to them. Most American outdoor gear has a HUGE markup in Japan, and the Japanese brands aren't much cheaper because they typically have a luxury focus. If you live in Japan and you like camping, I recommend having visitors shuttle cheap gear for you!

With our new gear, we were finally able to go camping. We did a bit of research on places that were within driving distance and picked a place just over an hour away in a rural part of Sanda. During our research, we noted that a lot of camp grounds are not cheap, which defeats half the purpose of camping! The Sanda Yagai Katsudo Center was one of the cheap ones though.

It was amazing to drive just over an hour away and suddenly be in tranquil, rural, farm country. The camp ground was small, but nice. There was a good hiking trail up the little mountain beside the camp, so we got in our exercise. We made some delicious yaki niku (Korean inspired Japanese-BBQ), and it was my first time using a Japanese grill by myself. The charcoal here is not quick-light, so you essentially have to build a small fire beneath your charcoal to really get it going.

The Kobe Sanda Premium Outlet mall was on the way home, so we stopped there and made a great camping weekend even better. We need a few more bits of gear to be ready for any circumstance, but expect to hear about more camping trips in the near future!

Vegetables: For your Health!

While Mom & Dad were here, Mom helped us finally get our garden planted. We decided to start small, only utilizing a small portion of our "back yard." In the bricked area, we have eggplants, cucumbers, various kinds of tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce. The grassy area is home to one watermelon plant.

We also watched the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" while my parents were here. It was about a guy who was unhealthy and who decided a 60-day juice fast might be his last ticket to turn his life around. I highly recommend it, and it prompted us to buy a new Breville juicer. The new juicer, new garden, and new Costco that opened a few months ago create the perfect storm for the Stock's to get super healthy in Japan!

Golden Week 3: Tokyo

We traveled to Tokyo on the Shinkansen, or high-speed bullet train, which everyone should ride at least once if they visit Japan. We stayed at a ryokan, or traditional inn, that had a great location in central Tokyo. We spent our first afternoon exploring the modern side of Tokyo, checking out cool boutiques and browsing Omotesando Hills, a high-end mall built by famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando. We spent a little time taking in the famous Shibuya crossing that evening, which is supposed to be one of the busiest walkways in the world.

We started day two at the beautiful Rikuigen Garden. Afterwards, we met a friend at a wondrous place called Namja Town. It is owned by the arcade maker Namco, and in American terms, can be likened to a cat-themed Chuck E. Cheese's on steroids. We had fun exploring and getting treats as adults, so I can't imagine how fun it is for kids! For dinner we had tomato ramen, which merges the deliciousness of ramen with Italian flavors: fantastic.

Day three was meant to start in Asakusa, one of the historical areas of Tokyo, but we stumbled upon a Bandai building while walking from the train station. We couldn't resist snapping a few shots with the cartoon characters. Asakusa itself was very touristy but still lots of fun. The soon-to-be-opened Tokyo Skytree, Japan's new tallest building, snuck its way into several of my shots.

After Asakusa, we took a relaxing walk through the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. Finally, we met some new friends, who we learned were in Tokyo at the same time as us. We got Chicago-style deep dish pizza at a new place called Devil Craft Pizza. The pizza and craft beers were fantastic, and I highly recommend it for anyone in Tokyo who is craving something American.

Golden Week 2: Kyoto

The second day of our two-day pass was spent going to Kyoto. My parents had been to central Kyoto on their previous trip to Japan, so this time we went to Arashiyama in the northwest part of the city.

Arashiyama is famous for its bamboo-lined walking path. It's also home to Tenryuji temple, one of Kyoto's five most famous temples. We also went to the nearby Kinkakuji, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, another one of the big five.

On our way home from Kyoto, we stopped in downtown Kobe and ate Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is one of the most famous foods in the Kansai region, and in my opinion, one of the best Japanese foods that hasn't really been exported much to the rest of the world. It is often described as a savory pancake, but that doesn't really do it justice. This particular okonomiyaki had less batter and used egg as a binding. Make sure you try it if you ever visit Japan!