Food Coma

I have never eaten so much in my life!! I am stuffed full and happy as can be. Today we were lucky enough to be shown around a couple of the traditional sights around Ibaraki prefecture. Our first stop? Kairakuen, one of the top three famuos gardens in Japan and a wonderful place to see the plum blossoms. A little fact for you: the plum blossom blooms first in the season and is then followed by the iconic cherry blossom. Dr. Namura informed us that sadly the plum blossoms were blooming a little late this year so there would not be very many at the park yet, but it would still be beautiful. (I decided this just means I HAVE to come again sometime too see the trees in full bloom ;D)

A bus picked us us from the school bright and early and we headed out about an hours drive to the city of Mito. There we arrived at Kairakuen garden. As we walked along the path to the garden's entrance it wasn't long before we began to see stalls lining the walkway, each sporting various delicious looking foods. Dr Namura had had us stop by a supermarket prior to arriving at the park so we could pick up some lunch to eat while we were there but had I known this feast would await me I wouldn't have bought anything. However despite the fact I already had food in my bag there was just no passing up all of the amazing aromas drifting towards us.

My first conquest? A pancake of sorts filled with a warm custard. As the cook handed it to me and the warm smell filled the air, I knew I had made the right choice. I bit into it as we made our way towards the park entrance and I was amazed by how absolutely delicious it was. As my taste and smell were being gratified by the treat, my sight was suddenly filled with joy as we entered a path winding between blossoming plum trees. We were met at the front of the park by our tour guide who began leading us along a path that lead past a field where families were picnicking and listening to a group of elderly women who were playing some string instruments. We stopped for a moment to listen. It was beautiful.

As we continued on we saw a crowd of people surrounding some tables and being served tea by a group of kimono clad men and women kneeling in the middle. When we asked Maggie what was going on she explained that one of the kneeling men was playing a character from a famous Japanese TV show and they were holding a traditional tea ceremony that the guests to the park could participate in (if they were willing to wait in an hour or more long line). If I had not been obligated to follow along behind a group I would have joined in despite the wait, but alas it was not to be.

Moving forward, our guide led us along paths winding through the plum orchard. The bright pink and white flowers were beautiful. I only wish I could be here when they were in full bloom, as many of the trees we got to see were still only budding.Beyond the plum trees the scenery suddenly changed as we entered a new area of the park. Here we found ourselves surrounded by a grove of tall lanky trees packed in tightly with a canopy of green foliage spreading out at the top. The bamboo forest brought back memories of the pandas I got to see at the Shanghai zoo. The path through the trees led to a natural spring that they had rerouted up through a giant marble block. It was one of three such fountains found in the park.

We had made a full circle around the park and now we found ourselves back at the picnic area, the women still playing their instruments off to the side. We sat in the grass to eat our lunch; I had tempura shrimp and vegetables. Some of the various fried yummies you can get at any grocery store, and most convenience stores. We were released for some free time after that and I set off with Cynthia in search of the plum ice cream we had seen on sale when we came into the park. It was easy to find its large posters sporting purple ice cream cones and a couple hundred yen later I was holding the treat in my hand; eagerly savoring its tangy sweet flavor.

We decided to explore up and down the stalls to see what the different merchants were selling. I was pretty full by this time, but it wasn’t long before I knew that I was about to be a whole lot more full. I was roped in quickly as I rounded a corner and came face to face with a stand selling fried squid. Although they were cooking it differently then my dear friends at my Changzhou night market, I knew I had to have it. Cynthia had also found a stall selling large Takoyaki deliciousness. We purchased the two and decided to share then between us.

Food in hand we then decided to go check out what was going on around a large crowd that had gathered down one of the paths. As we approached we heard the loud high pitched voice of a Japanese woman coming from the center of the circle. We found a couple seats on a bench near the front and sat to observe as she showed off her pet monkey to the crowd. With drum in hand she called out commands to the small creature as she hit out a beat. She had him get up on some stilts and walk around jumping over hurdles and climbing sets of wooden stairs. All-in-all he was very well trained, but the animal lover inside me couldn’t help but cringe. I really couldn’t decide whether or not I should be entertained or upset by the display of human dominance over the tiny creature. It’s a fine line to walk I think. After all no one bats an eye when someone trains their dogs to ride skateboards, hop on two feet, or do back flips, but everyone freaks out when you try to do it with a monkey. Perhaps its because the dogs seem happy to do it, whereas that little monkey seemed rather ticked off at his predicament.

We quickly dissected the squid as we made our way back to the bus with our group, and the Takoyaki followed soon after as we drove to our next stop on the other side of Ibaraki prefecture. Beside the ocean along one of the sections of the coast affected by the tsunami last spring we came to one of Ibaraki prefectures famous fresh fish markets. My ears rang with the din of sellers and buyers haggling over fish as I breathed in the salty aroma permeating the air. Rows and rows of every fish imaginable lined the stalls, drying squid and fish hung from poles or were attached to rotating racks. Vendors served up fried shrimp, smoke oysters, and crab leg soup. We wandered up and down the rows admiring the fresh meat, and enjoying the free samples offered to us. I bought a hot cocoa out of a vending machine (one of the million that you can find everywhere offering any number of things to buy) and sipped it down as I munch on a Jumbo shrimp skewer, and before departing I bought myself a fish cake to enjoy later. By this time I was so full of yumminess I thought I would burst, instead I lay my head down and enjoyed a nice nap as we drove an hour and a half back to the school.

We had about an hour break before the students would meet us to take us out on the town for dinner. I stumbled up to my room and took a quick nap still a little dragged down by jet lag and then arrived refreshed to the community center. Our fare for the evening? A Korean BBQ :D For those of you who don’t know what that entails let me break it down for you ;) We arrived at the restaurant and were led back to a set of booths where we removed our shoes and climbed up onto a platform where the table was. I ordered a plate with slices of raw pork and beef that arrived at my table alongside a bowl of salad and some pickled sprouts and peppers. In the middle of our table was a small grill where we got to cook our own meat. It was SO MUCH FUN. It brought back fond memories of hot pot as I used the provided tongs to cook my meat to perfection. The thin slices were tender and delicious and probably one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. Honestly before dinner I hadn’t been sure I had room for more food, but boy did I prove myself wrong; THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE! :D :D

Back at the dorms I crawled into bed stuffed to the brim. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much GOOD food in such a small amount of time. I never knew what a true food coma was until that day, and as I slipped contentedly into slumber I knew for a certainty that this whole trip was worth it for all the amazing things I get to eat ;D