This blog post is a few weeks late as we've had two groups of visitors over the past three weeks! More about that in future blog posts - as we spent a lot of time exploring new parts of Japan and enjoying getting to show our guests what life in Japan has been like for us!
On July 4th, we celebrated not only America's birthday - with the most American meal we could conjure up in Japan - randomly finding Johnsville brats definitely helped - but also the quarter completion of our stay here in Japan! It's rather wild that six months have passed already!
In mid-June, Kaz's coworkers invited us over for a gyoza making party...so I thought that gyoza would be a good food to feature in this blog post. I have to say that gyoza is one of my favorite Japanese foods...and was one that I loved even before coming to Japan (You can find them in many international grocery stories in the US). I would say that gyoza closely resembles a mix between a dumpling and a potsticker.
Gyoza actually originated in China (where they are called jiaozi) and are typically filled with ground pork, chives, green onions, cabbage, ginger, and garlic. Then, they are dipped in a sauce which is a combination of soy sauce, vinegar, and a few drops of sesame oil. Gyoza can be steamed or panfried. I tend to like a combination of both - you panfry them to get them nice and crispy and then steam them at the end to get them nice and hot. YUM! :)
And without further ado - here's month six!
Places Visited (and Activities)
-Belgian Beer Festival (Osaka): As I was researching some fun things to do in Japan, I stumbled across a Belgian Beer Festival that was taking place in cities all over Japan. So, along with our friends, the Bauer's, we headed to Osaka to enjoy the festival. We had a lot of fun trying new kinds of beer, yummy snacks, and even enjoyed listening to a band from Belgium. I am quickly realizing that Japan goes all out with their festivals - making them as real and authentic as possible! 
-Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum (Osaka): Yep, you are reading that correctly! Japan has a museum dedicated to instant ramen noodles (and the person who invented them). The museum is actually really neat and quite informative. I never realized - or gave thought - to the fact that the invention of instant ramen noodles helped to feed so many people after the war. At the museum, you get to make your own instant ramen noodle cup to take home with you...and you can also enjoy a nice lunch of ramen noodles too. They have vending machines FULL of ramen noodles from all over Japan! YUM!! 
-INAX Tile Museum: I joined a few other expats and explored the INAX Tile Museum in Tokoname. Tokoname is about a 30 minute train ride from Nagoya Station. The museum has many exhibits featuring tile replicas from all over the world. There is also a studio where guests can make their own tile designs. I made one of Mt. Fuji! 
-Hiking the Magome to Tsumago Trail: Kaz and I spent an afternoon hiking a portion of the old Nakasendo (the road that connected Tokyo and Kyoto during the Edo period - 1603 to 1868). We started in the post town of Magome, which was really beautiful. The roads were cobbled and lined with shops and restaurants. Along the way, a man waved us into his house (or maybe garage) - which he had set up as resting spot for hikers. We enjoyed some tea and met a group from Scotland. We enjoyed lunch in Tsumago, which had a slightly more rustic feel. Both towns really gave you the feeling that you were stepping back in time! Along the way, we passed many bells meant for hikers to ring in order to keep bears away - thankfully we didn't see any! It might have been because I was sure to ring every bell! 
-Nagoya Aquarium: Kaz and I spent an afternoon at the Nagoya Aquarium. I really enjoyed the whale, beluga, and dolphin shows. They felt a bit more like Sea World to me than what you usually see at the aquarium. The dolphins even bowed to thank the audience for coming! I also learned some Japanese names for the marine life (whale: シャチshyachi; dolphin: いるか iruka). Most of the exhibits did not have English translations (which is typical) - so I was glad that aquariums are not a new thing for me.
-Rugby Game: Kaz and I attended our first rugby match ever. We headed up to Toyota City to watch Japan play Scotland. Neither of us have ever watched rugby - so we spent the train ride trying to get a basic understanding of the rules. Overall, we enjoyed the game - I was shocked that more padding wasn't worn by the players...and I found it to be more entertaining than American football!
-Kirin Brewery Tour: Since my 30th birthday fell on a rather rainy weekend - we enjoyed some fun activities around Nagoya. We toured the Kirin Beer Brewery (which is about a 25-minute train ride from Nagoya Station). The beer tour was free and featured a 25-minute period at the end where you could drink and sample as many beers as you wanted. I have noticed in Japan that they rarely - if ever - check IDs. Instead you have to verbally state that you are over 20 years old and you have to tell them how you arrived at your location and how you will be getting home. If you are driving a vehicle of any kind, you are not allowed to drink. The have a 0.00% rule here.
Cafes Enjoyed
Ants (Osaka)
Tully's Cofee (we had to go to the cafe with the same name as our cat!)
Elks Cafe
Trunk Coffee
Kit Kat Flavors Tasted
None this month...I am having a really hard time finding new flavors. I am starting to hypothesize that perhaps no one eats Kit Kats in the summer months?!
Victories
-June marked the end of the Nagoya International School school year. I have really enjoyed the past four months at the school and have learned a lot! I am excited to start a new school year in August - and to have the entire year to learn and grow even more.
-I got my first haircut in Japan. The salon was recommended to us because the owner worked in New York City for several years and has great English. Kaz also goes to this salon - so he was able to let them know that his wife speaks very little Japanese. I was happy with the way my hair turned out - and I LOVED the head massage!
-So far rainy season has been very...dry! Which is apparently quite atypical. For the most part, I haven't had to battle mold or too many bugs just yet. We still have a few weeks - but hoping this dry spell continues for our visitors!
-Kaz passed his driver's test and now has an actual International Driver's license! This whole process has solidified to me even more that I am just fine not driving while in Japan.
Goals
-Next month, we have two sets of visitors arriving in Japan. Since Kaz will be at work most of the time - I am going to be doing a majority of the speaking and navigating on my own. I hope I am up for the challenge - and that I am able to "go with it" the best I can...especially when things don't go exactly as I want them to...which is bound to happen!
-Figure out how running will work in the heat, humidity, and possibly rain...I struggle with this type of running weather!
Sunny Moments
-The sunniest moment of this entire month was definitely the surprise video that Kaz made for my 30th birthday. Without me knowing, he emailed many of my family members and friends and had them record a birthday message for me. On my birthday morning - there was a card sitting on the computer. It read "push play" - and when I did...the video sprung to life. I cried, laughed, and felt SO much love! Being able to see and hear people - as though they were in the room with me - was amazing! I have watched the video many times since then!
Cloudy Moments
-Being illiterate. Some days the fact that I can't read much of anything in Japan can really get to me. Signs, menus, our mail, and even random texts look like meaningless scribbles. Sometimes I can read parts of the message if I take my time - but it usually doesn't help me to even figure out the gist of the message.
-This month has brought lots of births and big events for family and friends - and it's hard not being there in person to share in those special moments! It's times like these that really make me realize how far away I am!
Sun, clouds, and lots of love!
~Jaime
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