Soon after we arrived in Japan, I learned of the Mister Donut point card and the merchandise you could get with with it. And for only 150 points, I could get an official Mister Donut coffee mug. The kind they actually use at the store! I made Aya ask if we could just buy one, but they said no. Politely of course. So, I set out on a mission to eat as many donuts as it took to reach my goal. And eat donuts I did. I love their custard and creme donuts here. But I even tried the soy sauce flavor donut to make me feel like I would actually deserve the mug. I’m happy to say after many donuts and coffee consumed, I did it!
A HOT SPRINGS JAPANESE BATH
Every time we go visit Aya’s parents, we always do an overnight trip to the hot springs. This is a very popular activity in Japan. What are the hot springs? Well, the Japanese love their baths, and they love fancy food, and scenic views. A hot springs hotel is a place where you can take a bath, eat a fancy meal, and take in a scenic view while you’re at it too. These places pipe in the natural hot springs water (they have some sort of medicinal effect) for you to soak in a big public bath… nude… with strangers. When this was explained to me on my first trip to Japan, I started to worry what I got myself into.
DENNY’S!
When I think of Denny’s, I think of two things. Old people eating the Grand Slam breakfast early in the morning, or young people eating the Grand Slam breakfast in the middle of the night. I think of greasy breakfast food that really tastes the best at 3am. I know they have other menu items, but I don’t know anybody that has ever ordered anything outside of the breakfast menu. Denny’s is a place you usually end up at because you don’t want to go home. You only go there because you can’t go anywhere else. Denny’s may be open 24/7 in Japan too, but it’s a whole different story.
INTERNATIONAL PLAY DATE
One of Aya’s friends, Kame-chan, just happens to live only 30 minutes away by train. They have been friends since they were in middle school and now they both have kids. And with her living so close to Aya’s parents, it was time for Ellie to have her first international play date. Since Ellie had to miss Japanese School this month, I thought this could be a great substitute too. Kame-chan’s son, Koutarou, is only nine months old and is just a crawler. So Ellie and her rambunctious almost two-year old self, plus a crawler, two languages and some good food should make for a pretty great afternoon, right?
DINNER AT THE BAR
Tonight we had dinner out at a neighborhood bar, which is very different from the bars we know here. There are no TVs, pool tables, juke boxes, and dart boards. You take your shoes off and sit on the floor and eat all kinds of things they call “bar food.”