DONUTS!

Don't get me wrong, Mister Donut is great, and their 100 yen specials make them even better, but Japan definitely lacks in the donut department. If you're looking for a big, mouth-watering, melt in your mouth, glazed donut, you're not going to find it in Japan. At least no where near Fukuoka.
BUUUUT now that Southern Maid Donuts opened in Nishijin, there's salvation at last! They make fresh, BIG donuts that don't lack in their taste or their appearance. Sure, they're a bit overpriced, but what isn't in Japan? They're delicious and that's all that matters. Take a look for yourself!

Coming of Age Day 成人の日 Seijin no hi

This day celebrates all young adults who turn or are turning 20 years of age during the year. 20 is considered the year when children become adults. They are allowed to drink, vote, and smoke. haha
Coming of Age Day or Seijin no hi ('seijin' meaning adult or to come of age, and 'hi' meaning day) comes every year on the second Monday in January. The girls dress in extravagant kimonos while the boys wear suits. Everyone flocks to the nearest shrine, praying for their futures, while picking their omikuji (a sheet of paper that tells them what their fortune for the year will be).

My omikuji.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine by one of my JTEs in Kurume. She helped me to read my fortune, which advised me to always ask questions because I get lost a lot when I travel. It also predicted a new love interest....hmm....

Brrrrr it's cold!!

TIME FOR SOME NABE!

Winter in Fukuoka doesn't get toooo cold since it's located in the southern part of Japan. However, it still experiences snow. Temperatures, for the most part, stay in the 40's.
But after a long day of work and after peeling off your millions of layers of clothing, it's nice to warm up to a nice steaming bowl of nabemono, or nabe for short. Nabe, being the Japanese word pot, and mono being the word for things. It's basically a hot pot, with whatever broth you want, with whatever ingredients you want. Popular broths consist of miso, butter, or kim chee and popular ingredients include any type of meat, and tons and tons of vegetables. Cabbage, bean sprouts, tofu, udon noodles, mushrooms, and green onions are a must.
Not only is nabe super easy to make but its also tasty and healthy (depending on the broth). It makes for a good last minute dinner. Just throw everything into your pot, turn up the heat, wait for everything to soak in the flavor from the broth, and eat! Deeelicious.

There's a Menchanko-Tei very close to my apartment. It specializes in Chanko-nabe, a specific nabe that sumo wrestlers eat, due to its high amount of protein. I ordered a set, Chanko-nabe, gyoza, and a bowl of rice. The nabe includes aburage, which is a fried tofu, and a large piece of mochi. Geez, loading up on carbs with the Chanko, be prepared!

Outside of my jutaku on a snowy day.
Now doesn't looking at this make you want to warm up to a nice hot bowl of nabe???

Christmas in Hawaii

It's always nice to go home for the holidays but things were extra special this year since it was the first time I was returning home after being abroad. I was able to acknowledge and appreciate the Japanese influence I have in my family. Things like the traditional kagami mochi, and kadomatsu, were normally overlooked and unacknowledged. But this year, when I looked at them, I realized how much of the Japanese culture my family embraces. Then it got me thinking about all of the other Japanese traditions we follow that not only stem from the Japanese culture but also from Buddhism. I've forgetten about so many traditions and customs as many of them stopped when my grandma passed away. Things like ozoni, sushi, fresh sashimi, Buddhist shrines, omomori, kanten, nishime, etc. are no where to be found these days. I'm thinking I'll start bringing some stuff back into my family's Christmas traditions, all can't be lost while someone in the family is living in the motherland, rrrright?

Man, I love Christmas. It's unfortunate that Japan doesn't have Christmas trees.

Kagami-mochi with kadomatsu standing nicely in the background.