Boi 3- Goodbye (｡•́︿•̀｡)

As this experience comes to an end, I am able to reflect fondly on the memories I have made and things I have learned while in Japan. I will be forever grateful for moments I shared with my new friends. During my reflections it is easy to notice the important role food has had during my trip in many different ways, and how a culture can be shared through it. Whether it be memories of relaxing after morning classes in the cafeteria, speculating on the days upcoming events over a warm plate of food (for me, it was always katsu curry), or going out to eat with newfound friends and trying new things, I believe that I will cherish these times forever.

I’m frankly a bit overwhelmed by all of the new experiences I’ve had, but it’s definitely in a good way. I never truly thought I would make it to Japan, let alone spend over a month here (I stayed a little longer, though the last two weeks have been slightly lonely as everyone returns back to Canada). This trip has been much more than a mere learning experience to me, it’s really a dream come true. I wasn’t expecting to feel so at home in such a foreign environment, and even if I’m not the best at handling the Japanese language, day to day life here just felt so natural. I don’t want to get too personal here but being in Japan brought me a great sense of peace and stability. And, truth be told, I didn’t expect I would bond with other people here, whether it be others on the trip or Japanese students, the way I inevitably did. I’ve made new friends and connections that I never anticipated and will be eternally grateful for, and I can only hope to further nurture these connections in the future. 

I felt that I was able to come out of my shell while in Japan, to sing freely with friends at karaoke, and go out to try new exciting foods, things that I didn’t really expect to be honest, I don’t really go out much in Canada. I had the chance to go to Shabu Shabu (Japanese hot pot) with my wonderful and ever amusing roommate, Misaki, as well as try some uncommon (in western a.k.a white person standards) cuts of meat at Yakiniku with Madi and Madi’s conversation partner Ayumi.

I feel like I have grown during my time in Japan and hope that I can carry this growth with me back to Canada, I will definitely try my best to.

I will never have enough words to describe how I felt during my stay here, but the thought of leaving in a few days, while I’m excited to get back home to my cats, leaves my heart heavy. One day I hope to come back, if possible, maybe study here for longer, and of course try more foods while I’m at it.

Until then I’m happy that I had this opportunity, and I’ll never forget the things I learned and experienced while in Japan. Until next time!

-Sarah

Boi 2 - Last Entry

Heyo it’s ya boi, boi2 aka Nicha, back again for the last blog of my Japan trip. As my trip is coming to a close, many things are running through my mind. The memories, the experiences, the things I’ve learned; out of all these new experiences, one of the most prevalent is the food in Japan. In my honest opinion, Japanese food can almost be treated as a delicacy, due to their process and presentation; always with allure and precision. 

I consider myself very lucky to get to experience different cities in Japan and see for myself, the difference in their foods. I am currently located in Osaka, but has been traveling around the area ever since the program ended; namely in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka area. Since my topic is bento, I will be focusing mainly on that for my blog. In my previous blogs, I’ve only written about the bentos in Tokyo, but now I will highlight some contrasting details I see in the bentos in these different cities. 

Although bento is still widely available in the Osaka area (basically everywhere in Japan), there are some differing details I see in the bentos from city to city; in Tokyo, a variety of bentos can be seen, but the most common topping on rice is meat, mainly katsu. But here in Osaka, I feel like the most common topping is tempura, and a variety of those at that, from shrimp to vegetables. Probably because of the abundance of seafood available here in the area. When I went to Kyoto, the most frequent topping I’ve seen is probably fish. But to be fair, I did not really see any food places in Kyoto, if any, they are udon or soba places. Another detail I noticed that was different was that in Tokyo, bentos can mostly be found sold just as is, it’s own separate dish, and to go. Maybe it’s because life in Tokyo is very busy and fast paced, so everything needs to adapt to the same lifestyle. But in the Kyoto-Osaka area, they are sold in sets, as in a sit-down food, with soup and a side to go with it.                                       

Being in Japan has opened my eyes to a whole new side to food I didn't know existed before. In my opinion, Japanese food does not contain a lot of strong taste, but rather, they focus on the depth of flavors instead, as what Japanese people called 'umami'. And one of the most common way to eat a meal in Japan is in the form of a bento; I feel like this is a very smart way to do so, because not only do you get a variety of foods along with their distinct flavors, but you also get a healthy balance in each meal. 

Anyway, this experience has taught me a lot, not just food wise, but I got the experience of a lifetime, and I am so grateful I got to be a part of this group to Japan. Japanese food is something undeniably unique, and I can't wait until the next time I get to try authentic Japanese food again. I will definitely come back again. 

Boi 1 - Last Words (Blog 4)

Hey guys, Boi 1 (Andrea) here to give you one last update on Japan's delicious cuisine. Unfortunately, I'm no longer actually in Japan--I had to come back to Calgary because I felt guilty asking my manager at work for more time off. I left with part of the group on June 8th, and have been missing Japan like no other since then. From the punctual (yet confusing, from time to time) transit system, to the yummy food and snacks that I was able to eat every day, memories made in Japan seem like a distant dream now. I wish I had been able to spend more time in the country and travel more--it would have been a great chance to discover more of the local delicacies that I had researched on previously. However, given that I am no longer in Tokyo, I guess I will have to make do.

Given that our topic is food, I think I will focus on that for this last blog entry. There are many things I could say about Japan, but alas, I will have to leave such praises for another time.

First of all, I'd like to comment on how ridiculously cheap food is in Japan. Immediately after coming back to Canada, that was the first thing I noticed. If you know where to look, you can get a whole meal for no more than $7 (CAD), and for this reason, I ate as much as I could while I was in Tokyo. For this reason, Senshu University's cafeteria became the love of my life (and while I am not able to go to it now, it will forever live in my heart). A plate of katsu curry rice was as little as 400 yen! Ramen, udon, and meal sets ranged from as low as 280 yen (I recommend the tanuki udon--the noodles are soft and the broth flavorful), and I never saw a single meal go over 600 yen. As a struggling university student, I was instantly hooked. Meals were cheap, but never tasted bad. This was a pattern that I noticed throughout my stay in Japan--very seldomly I found meals to be poorly made.

This brings me onto food quality--even the cheapest meals were almost always made with the utmost care and skill. Japanese cuisine seems to focus heavily on presentation, as I found to be the case when visiting anything from ramen shops to cafes. The food is always arranged nicely and in an appealing manner--it's almost a shame to ruin the chef's hard work! Taste was always flavorful and different. In Japan, I tried many meals that I am not normally able to find in Calgary, in terms of both taste (Japanese people like to play around with flavor more, it seems) and actual food type (e.g., in Calgary I have yet to find a cafe that is able to compete with Japanese parfaits).

Sadly, I do not think I will be able to indulge in food this good for a bit now. Currently, I have no plans to go back, but I know that I will jump at the first chance that presents itself. Given that the spring course was only a month long, it makes sense that it would be packed with classes and activities, so the next time I go, I am determined to explore different areas. But for now, this is all I have, so with that, I bid you adieu!

This has been Boi 1, signing off for the last time. May we meet once more!

Boi 4 will surely miss Japan

Hi hello, for possibly the last time. It's ya boi 4, Lucia, back at it again with... just some parting words. I don't have much to say in terms of new insights on fruits in Japan. I think I've already covered what I wanted to cover in my previous blog posts. Sorry if you were dying to find out more about the riveting differences in the culture surrounding fruits.

I think this entry will be more of a reflection on how this whole trip has been. I think it's pretty fitting that I write this entry now, given that my flight back home is tomorrow. In sooth, I deeply feel attached to Japan now. A part of me doesn't want to leave, and thinking about going home triggers some mixed feelings.

Without a shred of doubt, the food in Japan is pretty outstanding, but I miss my parents' cooking. I miss my family and friends back home. I'm not used to being away from them for so long, but...
I've had a wonderful time here in Japan. Not only have I made incredible friends in this program, but I genuinely feel like my Japanese skills have improved, even if just by a little. I find that my listening comprehension has improved most significantly, but I also gained some confidence.

Speaking of confidence, in class, we were to identify what kind of personality we thought we had and to share what our aim was for this semester. I said that I was somewhat of a shy person and that I was hoping to gain more confidence. At the time I shared this with my peers, this confidence was more in reference to my Japanese conversational skills. I didn't want to be hindered by acknowledging my limitations. I wanted to brave human interactions in Japanese and be experimental with my grammar and... and just get a little bit closer to becoming fluent.

And, indeed, I do believe a part of that dream was fulfilled throughout this trip.
But more so than that, I feel like I gained confidence in other areas of my life as well. Back at home, I don't hardly ever eat out because I get anxiety when talking to cashier or waiter/waitresses. In fact, I feel like I seldom leave the house at all. I've gotten better over the last few years or so, but... but in Japan, it's totally different. I find that I can order for myself and for my friends, and there's... very little stress.

The other day, I was dressed in a yukata for a farewell ceremony. but I was super hungry. Another friend was also hungry so we trekked to the cafeteria in another building and ate curry. When I was paying for it, the cashier lady commented on my yukata and I readily told her it was for a farewell ceremony. I think at that point, literally on my last day, I realised how far I had come on my journey of learning Japanese.

Just yesterday, I was buying something for my mum and after the standard exchange between cashier and customer, the cashier asked me if I was living in Japan. I told him I wasn't, and he complimented my Japanese. I guess I have been hearing similar compliments throughout my time here, but the giddiness of being called 上手 doesn't fade. I think Japanese people somewhat admire the foreigner's effort to pick up the language, and I appreciate this somewhat of admiration.

Ah, but perhaps I'm being a little biased. On the day I left the dorm, another dormmate, an RA, tried talking to me. I couldn't pick up 100% of what he was saying, and even if I understood his question, I wasn't equipped with the vocabulary to properly reply. After a bit of struggling on my part, he said, "Thanks, Lucia." I thought this didn't fit the conversation at all. When I asked him why he thanked me, he said that he appreciates me always trying to communicate. He thanked me for my effort. That... made me quite happy. I have a long way to go, but as long as I keep going, I'll get there eventually, ね？

Japanese fluency, watch out! I'm coming for you.

Boi 4, out.

Boi 1 - Back at it Again with Local Delicacies (Blog 3)

Hey guys, it's Boi 1 (Andrea) here to update you on Japan's local delicacies! Unfortunately, due to the fact that we have class on weekdays and scheduled activities on weekends, I'm not actually able to travel to nearby cities and try some of their delicious cuisine. However, I have managed to try two of the items on my presentation list! These were okonimiyaki (delicacy of Hiroshima and/or Osaka--which region it is actually from is a hotly debated topic by the residents of those cities), and monjayaki, Tokyo's own delicacy.

The okonomiyaki I was fortunate enough to try was actually made during class time, in our dorm. It was led by our teachers and fellow RAs. Now, since this was a student-made okonomiyaki, I'm not sure how authentic it was (though I do believe I heard that Akagi Sensei was from Osaka?), but it sure was yummy. Apparently, the word "okonomi" translates to "what you like" (while "yaki," as we know, means "fried/grilled"), but man, do they mean it! In it, there was cabbage, eggs, onions, flour, and I think we even added seafood to it? There were these little tiny fish it in (the name, I unfortunately don't remember), and fish cakes in it too. However, you can add anything you want to it! Once the ingredients were added and the mixture was thick enough, it was fried in a teppanyaki grill, where we had to be careful to not burn our lovingly made concoction. Once grilled to golden perfection, we added BBQ sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise, bonito flakes, green onions, and shredded nori. It was--to say the least--delicious! However, it was very filling, which left me with limited room to eat more. However, I hope that I am able to eat it again once more in the future.

During my homestay with the Nakashimas, they taught me how to make monjayaki. My host mom, Megumi, told me that it might not look very good, but that looks were deceiving. We bought a mix at the supermarket (very easy to follow, and it didn't have as many ingredients as the okonomiyaki, so it was a quick and easy food to make) and set to it. Once the ingredients were mixed, we grilled it on a teppanyaki grill as we had with the okonomiyaki. This mixture was a lot thinner than Osaka's delicacy, though, which i was a little confused about. Megumi told me that you're supposed to leave it on the grill for a bit and mix it around--it doesn't fully cook, but instead stays chewy and nice. Also, you eat it with these little metal spatulas! It was very different compared to the other foods that I've tried here, but it was very yummy. My host family added shredded cheese to it at some point, and it practically melted in your mouth! I would definitely recommend it to those that liked the okonomiyaki.

Given that we have such little time left, I'm not sure I'll be able to try any more local delicacies of Japan. However, when we went to Kamakura and Enoshima, I noticed that a lot of foods focused on shirasu! It looked interesting, but I was too scared to try it unfortunately. The shirasu look so small I'd feel bad eating them! Maybe I'll give it a try one day, but for now, that's all I've got!

Thanks for keeping up with the blog--see you guys next time!

Boi 4 - Fruit rambles of a humble boi

Hi hello! It's ya boi 4, Lucia, back at it again with the scoop on fruits in Japan.

Well, actually, my last blog post was pretty informative, I thought, and I haven't really hit the fruit books since then. As such, a lot of today's blog will be derived from personal experience. I hope that's okay. ^~^ I mentioned at the end of my last blog that some of my former perceptions about fruits needed to be adjusted. Let's start with that, shall we?

Before exploring the actual state of fruits in Japan, I had the image that all fruits in Japan were expensive. I knew this sounded extreme, but sometimes it feels like anything can be the case in Japan. Japan is just so... different from what I'm used to that even things that sound odd still seem plausible in Japan. For example, we went to a bookstore that held so many books that the store itself had several floors and even a part of a nearby building. Or, for another example, the 100円 store actually sells items for 100円, haha.

Anyway, back to fruits. I realised pretty soon after I started paying attention that fruits are actually quite accessible and that the prices for lower quality fruits (ie. fruits that aren't raised like royalty) are relatively reasonable. While the prices for normal fruit in Japan may be higher than what I might find back home in Canada, it's not all that terrible. I see my friends eating fruits all the time, precut and packaged into containers or used in desserts and stuff like that.

I don't think it is in Japanese culture to eat fruits very recreationally, but as a foreigner, I find that I can still maintain the fruit eating habits I had back home. Last time I was in Japan, while I had the assumption that all fruit were expensive in Japan, going out and buying fruits was never a high priority. I suppose that's why my misconception on fruit prices in Japan persisted throughout the entirety of my last time here.

This time, however, I've been going out and exploring a lot with new friends that I've made on this program. Starting this week, I started using the dorm kitchen to help make dinner. In preparation for dinner, we go out the a nearby grocery store called Life (ライフ). Since I've been tasked with researching fruits, I've been a lot more attentive to fruits as I walk through the grocery aisles. Sometimes the arrangement of fruits and such remind me of grocery stores at home. Perhaps the fruit supply is noticeably less, but vegetables and other ingrediants seem plentiful.

Overall, I think there was a little bit of truth in my former perceptions of fruits in Japan. They do seem to tend to be more expensive than their Canadian counnterparts but not too unreasonably so. A fruit-lover going to Japan would not find themselves in much strife, I think.

Well, anyway, that was a fun little spiel. I'm gonna get back to work now. There's a fourth blog in the works, so I guess I'll catch y'all then. Boi 4, out.

Boi 2 - My Experience with Japanese Bento

Hello, it’s ya boi 2, Nicha, back at it again with the third blog for my time in Japan. I am still in Tokyo, Japan, and I must say it is a city with many appealing variety of food and drinks. But since my topic is bento, I took the liberty to try out some bento all around Tokyo. The first obvious choice is the bentos from the school cafeteria; since we have to spend half of our time there, and after we get out of class, we are always extremely hungry. Surprisingly, the school has many choices of bentos to choose from, from katsu bento to curry bento. The price of these bentos seem to be constant at around 350-400 yen, not bad for the things that come in it. The next bentos I’ve tried is the convenience store bento; these are a little more expensive, being priced around 500 yen. These bentos (unsurprisingly) were also delicious, but if you were being picky, there weren’t freshly made like the school bentos (not warm, but it was fair that they had to keep them refrigerated). Then I went to actual bento shops, it was in a narrow alleyway somewhere in Shinjuku this time around. The place offers eat-in-bentos and take-out bentos. I got the eat in bento. They were served hot, and it was extremely delicious, probably why they costed most, being around 900 yen. No matter where the bento came from, these bentos always include rice, a protein and a vegetable side, as mentioned before in the previous blogs, this makes for a very fulfilling meal, in addition to being delicious.

I also did a little more research into my individual topic of the competition between moms that have to wake up at ungodly hours to make bentos for their kids, even if it took an immense amount of effort to make. I found out that the number of females who are in the workforce is on a rapid increase in Japan, in other words, even moms or homemakers are seeking employment. This means that there is little to no time for these moms to make their kids elaborate lunch boxes for school to compete with other kids. The easiest solution for these homes is to buy premade meals to take for the next day(s) after. Even easier is the parents can give their kids money to buy their own lunch, either at the convenience store or at the school cafeteria, which might be a better option since the school cafeteria is generally cheaper than store-bought food. However, I’ve been to some super markets that sell these premade meals, and tried them back at the dorm. I must say, they’re definitely not as good as the bentos you can get at the places I mentioned above. It is undeniably missing the handmade feel, the human element that goes into a packed lunchbox. Next time, I will venture out to other stores as research, and/or find even more alternatives for people that don’t have their moms making their lunch for them.