Karuizawa Revisited

I'm just back from 5 days in Karuizawa.  It felt like at least a week more. But, no, I'm back in Ichikawa.  Tomorrow guests start arriving again after almost two weeks without any. So it's back to work. 

I promised something new in the way of Karuizawa pictures.  As it's one of my favorite places to go I have lots of pictures.  This time I did make it to the Outlet Mall, which I hadn't visited before.  Most of the stock is aimed for twentysomethings and most carry only Japanese sizes, even in the American or British shops (L.L.Bean, Burberry's). and everything is pretty pricey, or spendy or expensive.

I didn't expect to get to the Pearly Gates, and who knew it was a Golf Shop? And who can make sense of a golf shop being called Pearly Gates?  One of those inscrutable Japanese mysteries perhaps. Or is it a shop started in another country?

There was a quartet of young people playing wind instruments in a central area of the mall.  The music was classical and the young musicians disciplined as one begins to expect in Japan.

I came across this fungi family near our house.  They really looked like flowers, but are probably a kind of mushroom.

The last time I photographed this small lake near Ohga Hall there was a rather sizable bridge across it.  The bridge is no more, alas. I rather liked it. Don't know why they took it down.






So, back to the grind.  Still trying to get settled in my apartment. Wanting very much to start some sewing projects as few things I have fit very well. I'm stuck with super casual with a few pieces of dressier clothes, some of which fits and some too large.

Digestives

Living in a country where you were not born and brought up often presents challenges in the area of food.  At home I'm asked if I eat sushi. In Japan I'm asked if I eat natto. Those kinds of things one could anticipate.

Living where I do, I have come into contact with lots of people from the UK or former Commonwealth countries as well as Europe, N. America as well as Asia.  When you socialize you learn quite a bit about foods from where your companions grew up.  Actually I had come across Digestive Biscuits when I lived in Pennsylvania and met twins from Scotland - another long story - who I believe introduced them to me.

Digestives are made with whole wheat flour, butter, sugar/honey, oats and milk, leavened with baking powder. At least that is what this recipe called for.  These are square, usually Digestives are round.  They usually have holes poked in them.

Why would I attempt to make them myself?  Part of the reason is the difficulty I have finding them in the stores here.  There is a Japanese branch of the British Company, McVittes which makes Digestives, but for me it's rather like Hershey's having the contract to make Cadbury's in America. I could go on, but won't.

So, I looked on the Internet and found a couple recipes, one of which I tried today. When they were baking the aroma reminded me of the unleavened bread we used to make for communion. 

They aren't as crisp as commercial ones, which seems strange.  What if I replaced some of the butter with olive oil - you food chemists out there, would that make them crisper?  I want to reduce the sugar too, and add just a little salt for flavor.

They might not be authentic Digestives, but they will certainly keep me from missing Digestive Biscuits while they last.

I've actually put most of them in a tin and frozen them because tomorrow I'm off to Karuizawa for 6 whole days for my summer holidays. (See how the British influence creeps in?)  While I'm there I will try to get some photos of some things I haven't seen before, and will blog on my return.  I'm not taking my decrepit computer with me this time.

Rain!

And the promise of cooler weather for a couple of days.  Whew! We have had about two weeks of scorching hot weather for a city with only room air conditioners in most houses, and a campaign to save electricity in full swing.

At the beginning of summer at the OMF office next door, personnel who work weekdays were moved to the third floor to conserve power.  The computer system functions better when it's kept cool, so that's where everyone has camped.

I have been catching up on cleaning the Guest Home after having a full house several times in July and August with quick turnovers, which sometimes puts me behind where I'd like to be as far as having things in place for the next guests arriving. As of yesterday all the rooms and bathrooms are clean and made up for the next guests (August 28.) Kitchens and living rooms have been cleaned, and the new book shelf incorporated into the mix of books and games and videos storage. OMF members who stay here now are assisting with the clean up and its been a great help.

Yesterday the temperature was in the low 90's with the "feels like" temperature near 100 degrees. This morning I woke to overcast skies which have gradually given over to darker and darker grey.  As I opened the window in the office before starting this entry, I heard the rain start.  It's supposed to be an all day affair with temperatures cooling in to the 70's on the weekend.  Ah, now I hear thunder!

I will be leaving for my summer holiday on Sunday afternoon.  This year's trip is abbreviated quite a bit from last year's 4 weeks.  I could only find a week for myself (I'm the person who makes the booking schedule!) at the old Karuizawa House.  Maybe I'll get another week or two in the autumn.

This year, however, I feel my overall health is better. Just after my holiday last year I was finally diagnosed with Type II Diabetes.  In the intervening year I have lost 8 kilos (a math problem for my American friends ^.^) and the blood glucose test numbers have come down to very close to (and sometimes within) normal limits.

In a little while I will go down to Ichikawa Station, walking under the railway line most of the way, to get my tickets for the train on Sunday.  If I get a little wet, I don't think I'll mind at all!

Kamakura without the shrines

In Japan you quickly become inured to seeing shrines.  They truly are everywhere.  Down the back street from the Guest Home there's a private home with a wall around the back garden and just above the wall you can see there is a red torii inside. On the way to the closest railway station you pass two full sized shrines.

Today, Jaime and I went to Kamakura. It is a town steeped in history and is a popular tourist destination. It also has a high concentration of shrines and temples.  We went to see the big buddha statue and the surrounding grounds, we studied and photographed design elements and growing things. Observed people and looked at what was on offer for souvenirs.  Otherwise our day was spent shopping and visiting a couple of small art museums. One about Japanese film history, and another showing the pen and ink drawings of a venerable Japanese artist.

There's plenty to see - without the shrines.

Down the garden path

Jaime Marie is visiting me till Monday, so, what a great excuse to grab a little of my holiday time and take her sightseeing in Tokyo. 

Today we visited the Imperial East Gardens. I was hot, bright and sunny when we started out and became more and more cloudy and at one point thundered and dropped a few raindrops on us. 

So many beautiful greens.  So many kinds of bamboo - who knew?  So many opportunities to capture the ancient in the foreground and the ultra modern in the background.

We especially also enjoyed the exhibition at the small museum at the Gardens.  The had on display books of paintings from 1885 through 1981. This style of binding paintings by the same or various artists into an accordion book for convenient viewing and storage was popular in the Edo through the Taisho periods but gradually went out of style.  The newer books were made to be presented to the Imperial Family on various auspicious occasions. A very wide range of styles subjects and techniques was represented making it a very interesting display indeed. Sorry, no photos were permitted.

After the Gardens we went to Omotesando, Harajuku, then Akihabara and home.  Dinner at the okonomiyaki restaurant was really good.

And now to bed.

On the Downhill Stretch

Over the past few days I have said goodbye to numerous guests and washed sheets and towels and cleaned bathrooms and remade beds.  Today there remains one couple - here to next Wednesday and one Serve Japan worker who is spending one more night before he flies home, and a family of 5.  It sounds like a lot when I put it on paper, but compared to last week's mob it's really light duty.

After a couple of weeks with temperatures less than 30 degrees, Celsius it's starting to get warmer again.  I turned the air conditioning on in the office this afternoon to see if it would render me more alert and less sleepy.  The jury is still out. However, I do feel like the burden of the summer Guest Home schedule is lifting.

Tomorrow I will go lead the Free Discussion time for IVIS.  I haven't been able to do that for several months, and have heard that they have found some other people from some countries, where English is a second language, to converse with.  I plan to see what their plans are for their summer vacation or what their "dream vacation" would be. My job is to see that everyone has a chance to speak and express their ideas on the subject. 

Next week I will have a visitor from California! Yay! Visitors are good.  She is one of my Prayer Partners and has been doing some short term missions work in several places in Japan over the last month.  She'll stay with me for about 5 days and I hope to be able to show her some interesting things in and around Tokyo.

I've got some fabric and patterns waiting for me too, so it looks like it's goodbye drudgery, hello fun during the summer season at the OMF Ichikawa Guest Home.