Driving in Japan presents obvious challenges--you know, driving on the left, not being able to read traffic signs, turning on the wipers when you mean to hit the turn signal, and so on. But one of the biggest sources of stress for new drivers in Japan comes from parking the car--specifically at automated parking lots with car-trapping …
Category: Uncategorized
So You’re Coming to Tokyo!
A few weeks ago a former classmate reached out with a question: I'm bringing my son to Tokyo for a visit. Any tips? My brain immediately starting buzzing with ideas, and here is what I have come up with so far. But first, the disclaimers: I don't live in Tokyo itself, but in Yokohama--about 45 minutes …
Girls’ Weekend: Monster Cafe, Harajuku, and Shibuya Crossing
This past weekend Mark and Cy set out for their boys' ski weekend. That meant a second girls' weekend in a row for Tessa and me! We haven't ventured into Tokyo as much as I'd like, so I planned an outing to some pop culture sites in the Harajuku and Shibuya neighborhoods. Our first stop …
Continue reading Girls’ Weekend: Monster Cafe, Harajuku, and Shibuya Crossing
Shared Bath? No Problem!
I learned something incredibly cool about Gala Yuzawa, the area we are visiting this weekend. In an earlier post I mentioned that Gala Yuzawa is one of the only Shinkansen stations right at the base of a ski resort. The other day our lodge's owner told me that the gondola to the top of the …
Ishiuchi Maruyama
Our lodge sits at the foot of at Ishiuchi Maruyama ski resort. So this morning we woke up at 7:30, had a leisurely breakfast at 8, and hit the slopes. A snow gauge showed a depth of about 1.5 meters, all of it natural. I didn't notice snow making equipment anywhere. Last night the hotel …
Bullet train!
Tessa and I are on the Shinkansen bullet train bound for Gala Yuzawa, a ski area about 250 km from Yokohama. We boarded the train at Tokyo station. But first, we picked up snacks for the ride: a sandwich for Tessa and bento for me. Inside the train looks about as unexciting as your …
It’s Sky Mall, Only On the Train. And in Japanese!
Tessa and I are on our way to Tokyo station to catch the Shinkansen to Niigata prefecture for our ski weekend. Our current ride is the Limited Express, with seats more like a commuter train--and Train Shop magazine! Train Shop offers the same goofy wares as the late, great Sky Mall, only better ("I …
Continue reading It’s Sky Mall, Only On the Train. And in Japanese!
That’s One Strong Cat
The elder child and I are off on a ski weekend this Friday! When we last skied in early January we took the whole family and drove in an overstuffed rental minivan; this time the two of us will travel via the shinkansen bullet train. We will board the shinkansen at Tokyo station, an hour from our local train station. …
More Adventures in Baking, the Lemon Tart Edition
On Saturday night Mark and I set out to a small party at our friends' house, and I offered to bring a lemon tart. Friday night I started gathering the ingredients and realized that I didn't have enough all purpose flour. Of course I noticed this after I came home from my bi-weekly trip to the commissary (the …
Continue reading More Adventures in Baking, the Lemon Tart Edition
A Morning Stroll in the Neighborhood Cemetery
On weekend mornings, Mark ventures out on long walks with our pup Ruby. Recently he discovered a huge cemetery about 20 minutes away and invited me to join him and Ruby. Because who doesn't love to visit cemeteries! I have always found cemeteries fascinating. As a child we lived in the outer suburbs of Chicago, …
Continue reading A Morning Stroll in the Neighborhood Cemetery
martayaki 