Udon noodles with tempura vegetables and shrimp on top. We also had sushi rolls with natto (fermented soybeans). Those are one of the few things I dislike in Japan. But Ellie loves them!
Gyoza
Homemade gyoza, with a side of spinach, baked eggplant, Japanese vegetables, cabbage and seaweed soup, and rice.
Conveyer Belt Sushi
Conveyer belt sushi! We went to meet Aya’s friend and her husband for the day, and they took us to a conveyer belt sushi place. This was our first time at a place like this. There was a conveyer belt looping around and you could just grab whatever you wanted to eat. And if you wanted something different, you used the touch screen to order. And then a little race car or bullet train would zoom out right to your booth for you to pick up your food. Once you removed the food, you hit a button and it zoomed back to the kitchen. When you are done eating, they come count the plates and that’s how you are charged. We had a lot of plates!
Japanese Chicken Hamburg
Hamburg made from ground chicken and lenkon, covered with daicon, a side of broccoli, fried tofu, mushroom and seaweed soup, rice, and a salad. This has been Aya’s favorite meal her mom has cooked so far. Everything had such great strong flavors. It’s not exactly what I would call a Halloween meal, but I’m not complaining!
Japanese Fast Food & Pizza
Lunch: For lunch, Aya and I decided to stop for something quick and got fast food. We went to a place called First Kitchen that she always likes to go to any time we’re in Japan. She claims they have the best shrimp burger out of all the other fast food chains.(yes, other fast food places have shrimp burgers too) I don’t know if this chain has origins in Japan, but it’s a Japanese fast food burger chain. I got the double cheese burger with a fried egg on it, soy sauce and butter seasoned fries, and Aya got the shrimp burger with spicy cod roe (fish eggs) seasoned fries. But they don’t call them fries in Japan, they call them fried potatoes.
 Or shall I say, furaido poteto.
Dinner: For dinner we got delivery pizza. Every trip I have a mission to try something different food wise. I realized that I have never eaten delivered pizza. And from what I hear, delivery pizza is not nearly as common as it is back home. For one, extra large and extra cheese are not options. We didn’t get Pizza Hut because there wasn’t one around so we went with a local place. You got one size, and it wasn’t big at all. It was about the same size of a personal pizza you would get in a restaurant. We got three pizzas for four people and it was barely enough (considering how we eat). Aya’s mom made a salad to supplement.
Other than the size offerings, the toppings are a little different too. We got a seafood pizza with squid, scallops, shrimp, and octopus. Then a pizza with broccoli, black olives, and smoked salmon. And the third one had ground pork, tomatoes, and eggplant. All were on a flat bread crust. Some places have curry, or asparagus, or mayo as toppings too. The delivery guys drive mopeds with little warming containers attached to the back.
