Shopping at UNIQLO

It's getting cold here.
I went out to prepare for the winter!!

I was really surprised to see around shops because they're decorating stores with CHRISTMAS STUFFs!!!!!!!
Neither Halloween nor Thanksgiving hasn't come yet but here, in Japan, Christmas goods are already available. We don't enjoy Halloween so much but Halloween goods are filled with the stores just for decorations. In case of thanksgiving, many Japanese don't know what it is. As a result, Christmas decorations is coming up right after Halloween here.

I went to UNIQLO to get a fleece and some T-shirts (Speaking of UNIQLO, the store opened in Paris right?). These Heattech T-shirts were sold so much last year and it's still popular this year. The size I got is XL but I want to insist that this XL is totally different from the one in the States!! This XL size in Japan is like M size in the States.
UNIQLO used to have a image of reasonable stuffs. Now, it's not like that. This Heattech T-shirt cost 1,000 JPN (10USD). It's getting colder and colder. Don't catch a cold, don't catch a flu~~.

Sunday lunch

Today's lunch. It's pretty much healthy Japanese food, a little bit expensive though.
Yesterday, I was working all day. I'm still so tired~~~~~Have a good rest of weekend=)

Sliver Week has come!!

Hi there~~I'm good, not deadly tired now. Some friends have concerned about me and gave warm words to me. I really appreciate it=)

From today, 19th, so-called Sliver Week started!...You have never heard this word? Actually, I knew this word a few week ago.
Some of you already know 'Golden week', a string of national holidays on May (see http://ilovegrapefrui2.blogspot.com/2009/05/day1-in-gw.html)
Then, what's sliver week?? This is also long string of holidays from today Sep 19th~23th. This is the first time to get such a long holidays on Sep in my life. Because national holidays fall on from Monday through Wednesday THIS YEAR, we've got 5 days holidays including Sat and Sun...

You may see Japanese around your place...If you see them, you can just say 'what's your sliver week going?' haha.

Next time, this sliver week will come in 6 year...I want to upload blog so much as I can during sliver week!

ps. Today's drink---メープルティーラテ＝Maple tea Latte.

Yumyum

Ah~yummy.

Salt-vanila Lassi, available at Family Mart (convenience store)

Family Mart( we call it FamiMa) has many kinds of drinks. I gotta try others.

One more day to weekend! Cheer up, myself!!!

Saturday afternoon

It's 1pm in Japan time. I'm watching high school baseball game now. It's so exciting game, you know!!!!!

Summer, summer, summer

As I mentioned before, I had been working from July 27th to August 7th, for 12 days in a row. It must have felt better if I didn't have to overwork. Actually, I got "a big project" so that I stayed until late in my office during that days. That made me tired so much. In the end of 12 days, I was always yawning. It seemed my face implied my excessive tiredness. This past weekend, I just relaxed myself...shopping, reading books, taking nap...

The biggest festival in Akita was already over while I was into my job. That is, Kanto festival from August 3th through 6th. Refer to the posting I put last year http://ilovegrapefrui2.blogspot.com/2008/08/kanto-festival_06.html

I didn't have chance to go to the venue to watch this festival this year but I could see the performance. The performance team from one of local companies played Kanto in front of my office. Actually, I work for a general hospital and that team performed Kanto to have patients in hospital see it. You can hardly tell many patients in the right side of this picture.

Now, students are in the summer break. It's crowded everywhere I go.

Here, it's really summer right now.

I know this summer sky will go quickly and autumn will come soon. Then, loooong winter will follow.....Nope, I should not think about it lol. I should just enjoy summer now! (nothing special, though kk.)

Peaceful moment

Almost 3 months has passed since I started to work. I'm really getting used to working. When I had many things to do, I was really thinking of them even after I came back to home. It's like my mind was still in the workplace. This made me feel tired so much. Then, I realized I should not bring jobs into my private time. That is, I should enjoy my time outside workplace more. Actually, that's the one of my resolutions I made before I started to work. Now, things are going well.



On 23th, I got my bonus. My dictionary says everyone cannot get bonus in the states usually. Here, even freshmen like me can get bonus. Because of economical crisis, some company cuts bonus. I'm lucky to get bonus in this situation.



I decided to give some of bonus to my grandparents, who helped me much so far. Yesterday, I went to see them. My grandparents were pleased to get it, which made me happy. It doesn't matter how much I can give them. It was my pleasure to show gratitude to my grandparents.



We talked on the spot we can see the backyard. It breezed. It was really good time. Can you see two chairs and tables which are made of rattan? My parents gave them to my grandparents 24 years ago. It's right before I was born. These chairs and I were same ages!!




Chatting, eating cherries, drinking tea...It was pretty peaceful moment.

Day1 in GW

GW, the word I mentioned in the previous posting, stands for Golden Week(,not Ghost Week!)

May 3th, 4th and 5th are national holidays. Then, this year, 2nd is Saturday and 3th is Sunday. Therefore, many people enjoy 5 straight holidays! (Of course, there're many people who are working during GW like one of my coworkers) We call these holidays in the beginning of May Golden Week.

In fact, April 29th is also national holiday. If you are allowed to take paid holiday, you might be able to take successive holiday like...29th(natl' holiday), 30th and 31th(paid holiday), 1th-5th(holiday), 6th and 7th (paid holiday), 8th and 9th(weekend=holiday)...12 successive holidays!? It seldom happens though...

Usually, we cannot take such a long vacation until August as summer vacation or the end of year as new year holidays. TV News says lots of people went abroad for travel and Many people who live apart from their hometown went back to their home etc...

Well, my plan....rather, in my family's case, my grandparents will visit our home. It's been long since the last time they came here. My grandma somehow recovered from a decease so we want her (of course, grandpa too!) enjoy at my home. Now, my grandparents live a little bit far from here like for 2-hour by car but our city is the place where my grandma was born. Many things have changed as time goes by. Still, I think my grandma will be looking forward to coming and seeing 'her hometown'.

Today, I just went to hair salon to get a haircut. Then, I walked down to the library. This pic is on the way to the library. I should have come here earlier because cherry blossoms are gone. They are at their best last week but it's raining all the time, gosh...I borrowed some books and started to walk down to downtown...I swung by bookstore and CD stores...Now, surprisingly, the best selling CD is "carpenter's best" in Western music. I realized the charts of western music issued in America and in Japan are pretty different.

Tomorrow, what will I do? Any recommendation??

Commencement

I didn't log in my blog for a long time...

At first, last Sunday, I graduated from my university.

In Japan, females like to wear kimono (strictly speaking, this is called hakama. We wear kimono and put 'hakama' which look like skirt on kimono) for commencement. I also weared it. This is my own kimono.

(This is the first time to show my picture on the blog.)

I studied in my home university for 4 years and in St. Cloud state university as an exchange student for 1 year. In total, I stayed in 2 universities for 5 years, graduated with 186 credits.

I thank my parents, who gave me chance to study in Japan and in the States, and my friends for their friendship=)

I will start to work from April 1st as a member of society, not student anymore.

I will have many difficulities after I start to work. It'll take time to get used to my job but I want to enjoy with them. I want to be a person who tries to enjoy even if it's difficult time.

Soup curry

On Wednesday, national holiday, I had lunch with my friend. We ate 'soup curry'.

We usually eat sticky(?) curry sauce (not soup one). This soup curry is famous in Sapporo, Hokkaido, the northern part of Japan. It started to become popular several years ago in entire Japan. There're not so many restaurants we can eat soup curry.


This soup curry includes boiled egg, 'Kakuni' which is braised pork dish, eggplant and green pepper...We soak white rice in this soup and eat it. It made us feel warm...We're convinced that people in Hokkaido, a cold place, like this soup curry.


For some of you guys, it may be familiar to this type of curry. What's curry like in your place??

Dining outside

I finished my last biggest paper in my college life on Monday, so my dad planned to conguratulate for it by having dinner. My family dined at an 'izakaya' (Japanese style bars which serve alcohol and food).

In bar counter, many bottles are displayed.Sushi role, sea food salad and fried chicken. This salad contains tuna, salmon, octopus.

Sashimi/Sliced raw fish


Potato with cheese and bacon...It's like pizza.

Tsukune/meatball. This is Hinai-dori(chicken). Hinai-dori is a specialty of Akita. It's one of big three chickens in Japan. This egg comes from Hinai-dori. We put this Tsukune in the egg. It's delicious! I didn't drink alcohol cuz I needed to drive a car. This Tsukune made me feel drinking pretty much!!We ordered too much...Everything was pretty nice!!

Ah~~~It was nice time to have delicious food...Thanks dad!!

Thank you!!~New Year's card from South Korea

I got such a nice greeting card on the first day of this year from my friend, South Korea. This year will be nice!!

We exchange New Year's cards in the beginning of Jan. We usually start to prepare for cards from Dec. At first, many people buy blank New Year's cards in post office. We make cards the way we like. If you're good at drawing, you can do. Cards reflect each person's characteristic.

Then, we drop them into mailbox. Mailmen start to deliver them from Jan 1st. If we mail them until Dec 25th, cards will be sent on Jan 1st. (I always drop my New Year's cards around Dec31st. That means, my friends cannot get my cards on Jan 1st. Well, we celebrate New Year not only on Jan 1st also until 3rd. I hope it's not so problem my friends cannot get cards on exactly New Year's day hehe. )

I hope my friends both in Japan and abroad enjoy my New Year's cards. They're not so special but I wrote down messages, remembering friends' faces.

Back to normal life

Are you guys already back to normal life? Here, many people finished cerebrating New Year and started to work from today. My father also finished new year's break and went to office.

In our university, classes will start from 13th, next Tuesday. This is not the beginning of the semester. The semester started from last Oct and will last until the middle of Feb.

In my case, I'm taking only one class for writing grad thesis. Basically, from Jan, I just need to concentrate on writing grad thesis by myself. So, I decided to start working on the thesis from today.



Well, during new year's break, my family stayed at home, having delicious food and relaxing.

My family visited a shrine to pray for new year on Jan 2nd. This is called Hatsumode (はつもうで・初詣). We make wishes for the new year.


This year, we went to a shrine we had never been. It's smaller than the shrine we usually go. Many people visited this shrine.

May 2009 will be fruitful!

Thanks goodbye 2008

2008 is almost gone.

I'm watching Kohaku uta gassen(紅白歌合戦), annual famous music show on TV.

We'll go to new year in 15 mins after this music program.



2008.

I started this year in MN, USA.

(I never forget the temperature on that day. minus28℃!)


I visited many places---San Francisco, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Minneapolis, Chicago (twice!), Beijing China---

I met many people---I don't say their names here. When I had hard time, you guys helped me a lot.

2008 is almost gone.

I really thank you guys.


I will give you one of favorite songs this year, GIFT by Mr.Children. I listened this song and played it with piano often. (Right now, Mr.Children appeared on music show to sing this song!)

GIFT by Mr.Children



May the new year bring happiness to you guys, my 'sisters and brothers' all over the world!!
来年もあなたにとってよい1年になりますように!!

JP-standard Christmas song

How do you spend Christmas Eve? I'm preparing for tomorrow's class..gosh. haha

I already had Christmas dinner with my family yesterday because 23th, yesterday, is one of national holidays. I guess some people did enjoy Christmas dinner or party like me yesterday.

On TV, many Christmas songs are aired like All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, Last Christmas by Wham and Happy Christmas by John Lennon...

Let me introduce a Japanese standard Christmas song here.

Christmas Eve by Tatsuro Yamashita (1983)



Can you feel a little bit solitary atmosphere? The motif of this song is lonely Christmas. It seems he also sings this song in English. You might feel it from lyrics http://www.uta-net.com/user/phplib/Link.php?ID=31317.

Sparkling night

The moon between the Chiristmas illuninations

Last Friday, my mom and I joined one-day bas tour to go to Sendai city, Miyagi prefecture.

Before seeing the illminations, we visited a brand-new outlet mall. It's like typical malls in America. There're many stores to see...but, we had only 3 hours to enjoy there. I bought a sweater. The tag price was almost 100 USD but I could buy it for around $30! Good deal.

After leaving that mall, we headed for downtown in Sendai. My mom visited a department store and I wandered around the downtown and saw some shops. Pictures below were taken around Sendai station.

Flower shop

After shopping, we went to the main street which was decorated with illuminations.

It's really fantastic....but, I'm not sure if you guys can feel it from these pictures...It's really hard to take these illumination beautifully...Last Friday, this illumination event started so many people were gathering this place. You can see this until the end of December.

Official homepage for this event called 'Sendai Pageant of Starlight'. It's Japanese only but you can see more beautiful pictures there.

'http://www.sendaihikape.jp/index.html

Lunch!

Today's lunch~Pescatore. It's 1100 yen ( 12 USD)
I feel 1100yen is kinda expensive for lunch but it's really good.


Compared to restaurants in the States, it'll be reasonable I guess.


One of favorite points about Japan is that we can visit restaurants if we don't have so much money. In case of America, I feel I will need $20 dollar at least to eat such pasta stuff (Regarding to chained stores, it will be another story though) Oh! and also, we have to keep in mind that we have to give some tip in the States. In Japan, we don't have to think about a tip. If it's 1100 yen, it's the sum!

Time flies!

This year's thanksgiving day has past...Now, it's already December!!

December 1st, yesterday, let me down every year. On this day, I notice I have only 31 days left until next year starts. Then, I start to recollect some resolution I've got on Jan this year. I ask myself how much I could attain my goal. What did I learn this year? How much did I grow up? Rather, what did I do?---I always somehow regret for something undone every year haha.

Then, I notice I have STILL 31 days to try my resolution. Oh yeah, I can do it!! I say it to myself. That's my typical Dec 1st lol.

Well, there're many Christmas decoration outside now. Actually, we can see such decoration easily everywhere after Halloween. Our country enjoys events such as Chiristmas the U.S celebrates EXCEPT Thanksgiving. It's one of really important events for people in the States but Japanese don't know it. I was really surprised to know how much significant this event was. In Japan, malls and department stores decorate with Chiritmas stuff right after Halloween. I hope I can show some scenery to you through pictures later.

About this photo, It's not relevant to this article though...

this matcha latte was yummy. Available at convenience store. It's like 1.5 USD.

THE autumn scenery

Last week, I went to the spa on the mountain near my home. On my way to the spa, I found really good scenery!! I'm really confident I took superb pictures of Japanese autumn!!
As I said before, I guess these red leaves are characteristics of Japanese autumn. Enjoy!!

The best shot!!

This gradation reminds me of Hawaiian gradation??

Cute, isn't it??

I hope you could enjoy Japanese fall scenery through these pictures=)

Autumn Scenery 2

I wish I had had my camera...I went to university. I was touched by this scenery and thought I wanted you to see it. I just took this pic with the cellphone-camera. um~~the real view was really fine though...