Stuff we ate in Japan
Besides the wedding, the majority of my time in Japan was spent eating, shopping and hanging out with friends and family... but mostly eating.
Sashimi after the wedding rehearsal.
This is Shiso. I'm always going on about how much I like Shiso and here is what it looks like (the leaf). It tastes so good with sashimi OR, as I discovered later in the week, as a shredded topping to pasta.
For whatever reason, it is so hard to come by where I live. I totally broke protocol and snuck some seeds back in my luggage. I'm going to plant it in a pot, so don't freak out. Actually, on the back of the seed package, it said that the seeds where cultivated in the USA, so.... no invasive species danger? Whatever the case, I hope I can successfully grow some.
There are many rotating sushi bars in the city, but this is my favorite! I was so happy to go back.
Now they are covered. That is a nice change. I wish we would have rotating sushi bars in the States, but people around here are such jerks, they would probably do stuff to the food and wait to see who eats it OR steal the plates so they wouldn't have to pay for the food.
Kani Miso.... Crab and Crab brains. Foolishly I thought it was the miso of miso soup. I realized once I ate it how wrong I was. Oh well.
Kyohei ate this one
Sukko's favorite (and one of my favorites too) Cream Corn sushi! I could eat 12 of these
gold plate= expensive
look at the stack of plates growing
I think this was ika shiso-- Squid with shiso! LOVE
I am not all about the salmon roe
Count up those plates and give us our check!
I love vending machines. Georgia Blend canned coffee and Royal Milk Tea are my favorites
Kyohei has a thing for Hokka Hokka Ben... it's a chain of boxed lunches to go stands. It's OK
Starbucks.... I think it tastes better in Japan.
delightful green tea mini-cakes
Maki, being an excellent Japanese wife now, made Shinsuke, herself and I bento lunches for our visit in the hospital. How cute!
Of course we ate at Kyohei's family restaurant a few times... but I mean, how many times can you eat Kobe beef and foie gras in one week. 
I know, I know, champagne problems!
The Tanabata- themed cakes were already out.... so we indulged.
Ohhhh Misu-Do! Or Mister Donuts. How I love thee
I think this was some sort of meatloaf wrapped in croissant-type pastry. More of Kyohei's scene.
Fresh tomatoes from Kaori's mom's garden! What a treat.
Always with the damn fish head. I cannot escape it
This was some good izakaya food though. A good find by my friend, Nolits!
Fried Chicken!
Come to think of it, I ate a lot of sashimi this time around.
Good ol' potato salad and sliced tomatoes... see it's not all raw fish
and sometimes the fish is grilled with some sort of irregular breading so it looks really scary, but is actually delicious!
More cake! These kids... oh I love them! I used to teach them English after school once a week. Now Taiga is 12! He was 5-6! Wow... it's really been that long since I lived in Japan. Anyway, they are still great kids and I was happy to get to play with them for an afternoon.
Japan, the kingdom of green drinks. Here: melon soda and green tea latte. Where else, at GUSTO! It's like Perkins of Japan. I LOVE IT.
More sashimi and sushi. I should have myself checked for mercury.
Whatevs, it was good!
akadashi-- soup
A thing of beauty, really. Now that I am back in the States, I can resume eating 'sushi' with cream cheese and avocado. 
I always talk about how much I like corn dogs in Japan. I finally got one for the bus ride to the airport. Just another example of Japanese people taking an American idea and making it so, so much better.
Look at that! A little packet that evenly distributes ketchup and mustard on your corndog! It's amazing. No fumbling with messy little packets, just one bend and there you are!
I also got another favorite convenience store snack: onigiri! A clump of rice with different things in the middle (tuna in this case), folded into a beautiful seaweed triangle. hhmmmmm. I wouldn't have made the pilgrimage without these little treasures.
gyudon, beef bowl at the airport...
