Seattle has been quite humid and wet lately…and while quite unseasonable it is somewhat relaxing because it reminds me of when I lived in Japan. Every time I step outside I can smell the moisture in the air…with the warm breeze it just brings back memories of walking around Tokyo in the summer nights air. Oddly enough I think the homeland is calling me…it has been about 4 years since I have been back and every time I think about it there is a twinge of sadness that overcomes me for not going back sooner.
Now if I didn’t have other obligations I would start planning right now for a Spring trip to see the Cherry Blossoms. I can close my eye and picture myself in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the train stations…smelling roasting chestnuts, watching the cooks grill meat over charcoal grills, and seeing steaming bowls of ramen. I remember one of my favorite pastimes was just walking around the neighborhoods and seeing giant skyscrapers hovering above the city and then turning a corner and walking past an old mom and pop shop serving homestyle Japanese food for over 100 years. The bright lights, Pachinko machines, and endless rows of vending machines selling everything from cigarettes to bottles of wine. Sigh…I really miss Japan. And if it wasnt’ for family issues and important events happening next year that require my attention I would be back in a heartbeat.
Randomly enough I came across the following website while I was looking for a Japanese recipe.
http://erecipe.woman.excite.co.jp/
I was hopelessly trying to decipher the words…going between Katakana and Hiragana and tidbits of Kanji when I stumbled upon this other website.
http://www.rikai.com/perl/Home.pl
I was ELATED to find Rikai as it helped translate the tough Kanji into English for me. Not only did it help me translate the recipe but it also allowed me to brush up on my Japanese. Hopefully when I do make it back to the land of the Rising Sun my Japanese will be better than ever…at least in terms of food that is. LOL!
October 1, 2010 at 11:12 am
I know what you mean. Lately I’ve been dreaming about going back to visit Korea! It’s been over 14yrs since the last time I visited =(
I hope you get a chance to go soon.
October 6, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Shari – you should definitely go when you get a chance. Start planning now so when the opportunity arrives, you won’t have to start from scratch.
I had tried to get my butt over to Singapore for about 7 years (things kept happening that would stop me – job layoff, SARS, 9/11, no available flights, etc…), by the time I was able to go, I had just about every site, monument, etc… memorized. 
(and then my flight was delayed another day!).
A couple of years ago, I decided to take a Christmas vacation in Hong Kong. That was the 2nd time I had been there. I wanted to see everything that I missed the first time as well as visit some of the same places again. I went by myself and had a great time (even though I dropped my camera! UGH!).
I wouldn’t mind going back to Japan for a visit – I loved Kyoto and next time, I’m going to visit Gion to check out a Geisha show. I also need to find the Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station in Tokyo and get my photo taken there.
I also wouldn’t mind going back to South Korea for a visit too – I wasn’t able to see the palaces last time I was there, nor visit the DMZ.
There are also LOTS of places I still want to see in China too. Wudang Mts, Shaolin Temple, Pingyao, Harbin, Chengdu (and the Giant Panda Park), and maybe Tibet. There are oodles of places to see in East Asia and if I had things my way, I’d go there each year for vacation.