Roving Japan

Day 65 Photoset

Tomorrow we are heading off to Yousuke’s sisters cabin for a couple of nights, so our last day at Yousuke’s house in the city was pretty relaxing. We didn’t do much, just made sure that I cleaned my smelly backpack.

I got the 7 year old to stomp on the bag while it soaked in some water and soap. Then we let it dry outside. I hope it worked!

Yousuke got a sweet toy in the mail today. He received a massage bed, complete with leg squeezing wraps and a neck massage attachment. A foot massage thing also came in the mail. I guess as Yousuke inches towards retirement, he is ready to relax!

We all took turns on the bed and everyone gave it high marks. I usually don’t like massages, but this one was actually pretty good!

As we travel, the people we meet are constantly impressed at my claim to like “all Japanese food except natto.” During dinner, Yousuke gave me something called mozuku. He didn’t believe that I can eat just about anything, so he went out of his way to get something particularly disgusting to serve me. In this case, it was mozuku, which is basically 4oz of vinegar with some seaweed floating in it. You’re supposed to drink it.

Now, I don’t know about you, but drinking a shot of vinegar isn’t something I want to make a habit out of. The seaweed was fine, but really Yousuke? You gave me a shot of vinegar to drink. This is what my grandma prescribes for a sore throat, not something you have with dinner. Yousuke was really proud with himself that he had found something I couldn’t finish.

After the vinegar shot, we talked about the differences between Japanese and American breakfasts. I explained that it isn’t typical to eat a dinner salad first thing in the morning. A typical American breakfast would probably be something like 2 eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, maybe some pancakes and orange juice. The image of breakfast without veggies shocked him. No lettuce?!

So I think I have my revenge for the vinegar planned out. Risa and I are going to make a classic American breakfast for Yousuke. I can’t wait! We’re going to buy the ingredients tomorrow, then we’ll cook the next day.

Before going to bed, we took some good-bye photos.