Atsuta Jingu

Atsuta Jingu is one of the most famous shrine in Japan. It is in Nagoya city but I haven't visited this place before. My friend visit Nagoya and so we went there together. Actually, our first aim to go to Atsuta is to eat Hitsumabushi. "Hitsu" means a wooden container of rice. And "Mabushi" means...? I am not sure. In some region (such as Kansai district) they call it also "Mamushi". I guess its origin is "Mammeshi" which means rice with eel. Yes, Histumabushi is rice with grilled eel on top.

A set of Hitsumabushi lunch! by Atsuta Houraiken

 There are three steps to eat this Histumabushi. 1st, Eat rice and eel simply. 2nd, Eat rice and eel with spices. 3rd Eat rice, eel and spice with hot soup called "Dashi".　Dashi is soup of fish or seaweed (In red pot of the photo above), often used for Japanese cuisine.

Next step is to visit the shrine. I was impressed with a gate of Atsuta Jingu because it was very big but not too shiny.

The gate (Torii) of Atsuta Jingu

With some woods around, it looked literally awesome. Especially,it looked nice on such pleasant day.

Hongu (Principle palace) of Atsuta Jingu

Here is a Hongu which means a principle palace. We pray just at the entrance of Hongu but we couldn't enter inside.

The entrance of Hongu where people bow and pray

We crap hands twice and bow. Then we pray putting hands together for a while. I am not religious person but I like this moment because I can be very quiet and calm. I often think about my family and someone who is very precious for me but not together right at the moment. I hope my wish reaches to the god and good things come true.

Inside of Hongu entrance

We cannot enter inside of Hongu. This makes us to feel the god of Hongu is so sacred. I imagine what is inside while it stays mysterious forever like this...

Ume (plum) tree with a lot of flowers.

Spring is the best season in Japan (I think). We can enjoy seeing flowers. It was too early to see cherry blossoms but we could enjoy plum flowers. I prefer plum as a symbol of my elementary school was plum. Plum is called "Ume" in Japan. Ume stays in cold weather during the winter and when the spring comes, they start to bloom at once. So with such cold winter, Ume can be beautiful. That was a way of teaching how to endure hard occasion to Japanese elementary students... When I was a child, I am honestly impressed with this story. I started to like Ume. In fact, the aroma of Ume is much better and stronger than cherry blossoms.

We see a couple just married by accident. They looked very happy and beautiful in the spring sunshine!

Just married couple

Then, at last... Sweets! This is a Japanese parfait with Marcha (green tea) ice cream, Dango (rice cake with a stick) and Anko (red bean paste). Also, there were some grains of rice at the bottom.

Dango parfait in Osu.

We had moved to Osu town in the center of Nagoya city from Atsuta. In Osu area, we can find many sweets shops and funny stores. It is very fun to walk around. I think Nagoyan (people in Nagoya) like Japanese sweets. I could find many sweets shops not only in Osu area but all over Nagoya.

Oh, I will stay in Nagoya only two weeks more. Next destination is not a bad place, but maybe I will miss Nagoya a little bit. A reason is... yes... Japanese sweets!

Happy Easter Holiday

Pineapple train of Dole Plantation

On Easter Sunday, we went to Dole Plantation in Oahu Island. A train called "Pineapple express" is a popular excursion of this park. Children like this train which goes through the pineapple field. So, we went there for my friend's daughter. They are very happy family and I really love to hang around with them.

My friend and his daughter waiting for the train

Family photo in the train "Pineapple express"

Do you know that pineapples are so delicious in Hawaii? Yes, it is very good because they are gathered when they are almost ripe. It's nice for us to have a piece of pineapple just after getting off the train. And another popular thing in Dole Plantation is Pineapple ice cream. I love it!

 

 

I am holding a pineapple ice cream (Waffle Cone $4.95)

Actually, the history of Hawaii is related to the pineapple and sugar cane fields. Many people came to Hawaii from Asian countries including Japan. I heard somewhere that the condition of labors were not so good.  They worked hard and feel the gap with their dream. Most of people from Japan expected to have easier life in Hawaii and that's why they decided to come to Hawaii. I was very happy to eat such delicious ice cream. However, the taste of history of pineapple plantation was a little bitter.

Anyway, the daughter of my friend were very happy with the train and ice cream. We shared two ice creams, but they ordered another one as it was so delicious!

After we get back to Honolulu, I introduced my boyfriend to them. This was the first time for me to introduce my boyfriend to someone else. So, it became unforgettable day for me.

Happy Happy Easter!!

Working for a cafe

Hello! I haven't written for a long time. I accepted by a professor in Geneva University in Switzerland, and will go to Geneva this summer. I don't know when I can go to Geneva actually because staying permit is under examination now. I quit my previous job related to disaster prevention in the end of April, but I need money for dairy life. Therefore I work for a cafe in Yokohama, now.
This cafe's name is "Lina's sandwich cafe". Original cafe was born in Paris. In Japan, there are two cafe. One is in Tokyo, and another is in Yokohama. You can eat delicious sandwich and dessert in this cafe.
I really enjoy working here. My colleagues are so friendly and gentle. Moreover, I can eat sandwich at a staff price. Staff price is about one-third of regular price. Sometimes, I can eat some dessert because it's almost passed over.
Last friday, I made an Italian dessert named "Tira mi sù"there. My colleague who is good at cooking taught me how to make it. Once I tried to make it, but unfortunately I couldn't whip fresh cream well. I wanted to know a knack for it. My teacher was good and I understood the reason of my failure. I hadn't cooled fresh cream and egg yolk. And so, the fresh cream hadn't become stiff.
Yesterday, I tried again. I cooled fresh cream and egg carefully and it became stiff! After all, I successfully make Tira mi sù. This time, I used Japanese green tea in stead of coffee and cocoa. Japanese flavored Tira mi sù is so new and exotic taste.
I dolce, per favore.

Black OTABE

In Japanese there are a lot of sweets made by ANKO. ANKO is the sweet bean paste. OTABE is the sweets in which the ANKO is included. ANKO was wrapped with the thin rice-cake and was dredged in the cinnamon powder. OTABE is always brown because the cinnamon powder is brown. However I saw the black OTABE today at Tokyo station. Some staffs handed out the black OTABE. I got one and ate it in my house. Then I understood why this OTABE is black. The black sesame was ground and mixed into the rice-cake. It was savory and delicious. If you like sesame, try it!
OTABE's homepage is here: http://www.otabe.co.jp/ (Japanese only)