Our coffee shop hosts allowed me to paint their sign; the blue paint marker was unintentionally drippy, but the result still had appeal, so we left it.
Jenny and Parker warming up from the freezing January temperatures in northern Japan and enjoying a morning sip from some unique mugs.
Matcha Everything
I was lost in Tokyo until I found this matcha waffle at a Starbuck’s with wifi to guide me back to our hostel.
Allie has a reputation for trying and eating anything matcha. On this occasion, we were giving a musical performance outside a mall, dancing to stay warm, and passing out fliers to invite people to English Café.
Does it taste good? I think so, but since half my teammates don’t enjoy matcha, could I be biased to like a treat that I don’t have to share??
Almost Familiar Treats
Eric told me it smelled peachy.
Baumkuchen: It’s German, not Japanese, but it’s a popular cake at 7-eleven.
Still not sure what this one is–is it styrofoam, dipped in cocoa powder and chocolate?
Inedibles
Looks tasty, but this garden is actually public art situated in the middle of a sidewalk. I’m still in wonder at how it could grow in such cold.
Groceries
Can you tell that these carrots are extraordinarily long??
The cheapest way for us to feed our entire squad of nearly 20 people three meals a day within our budget is to pool our food money, buy groceries, and cook at home. The challenge of meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking as a team has created some of my favorite times for team bonding!
Whale burgers
Our friend, Joe (left), took us to eat whale burgers–one of his favorite foods in Japan. It was a little fishy and the flakiness of the patty reminded me of baleen whale teeth. I’d eat it again.
Sushi night
A conveyer belt ferried plates of sushi by our table. We could take any plate that looked good to us, unless it was someone else’s special order from the menu. Try something new, like Parker, who ordered angler fish liver sushi.
Cow tongue
Wendy, top right, took us out for dinner at a restaurant that specializes only in various recipes of cow tongue. And, oh! It was delicate and delicious…
Shall we just point to one?
That moment when you don’t know what the menu is saying and there are no photos to help you order… Adventure awaits!
Presentation
Wendy, enjoying the beauty and art of food presentation.
Who pays how much?
We try to remember how much our order costs so that when the bill comes in characters we don’t understand, we already know who owes what.
Picnic
Susanna and I got some 7-eleven meals and picnicked by the river in Tokyo our last morning in Japan. Precious times!
