Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Alittle Cherry Blossom Viewing, 花より団子 ^_^

I went out today with some good friends~ For alittle Cherry Tree Viewing and Picnic.

On Tuesdays, I have been helping a small group with their English Conversation. This group includes three ladies I was able meet a few years ago in Victoria at the VNCS Japanese Culture Fair.

Anyways, We decided to go out doors to today and just have some fun :)

A wonderful day!!

-Tom

<-- Missing Mr. Murayama <-- The view from our little picnic spot. <-- Setting up <-- Wow.... Lots of wonderful food!! Thanks Everyone!!!! ^_____^

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Monday, April 14, 2008

Alittle time out

After along drive, we arrived at Grandma's house in Kuzumaki~
Satoko and I have been trying to find some time to get out of Morioka and just take a time out.
What better place then Grandma's house? Fresh Air, Good Food and Great People! ^__^

< -- Wooden Stove ^__^ <--- Huge Crackers! <--- Getting ready to head out <-- Ice Cream!! ... Wow.. that isn't such a great picture.... Oh well..

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Friday, January 4, 2008

Trip Back to Grandma's House

Well, I went back to Grandma's House up in Kuzumaki yesterday!

It was soo cold!! I was able to meet Satoko's whole family and had a few drinks with her dad.

We ended up staying over night, and having some really good food. : )

Quite the experience ~

Enjoy the photos



You can see the snow, higher then the car.
Making some tofu snacks.

s


Standing in the cold outside the house.




The Awesome Cows! I want one!!
:)

Cheers
-Tom

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Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years Everyone! I ran off with Satoko, her sister and her sisters friend today to Hachiman-gu. Like all good people, we ran up there, threw our 15 Yen, claped twice and climbed out of line....
Crazy Crazy Crazy.... But not as bad as Narita last year, Just a lot colder...

Enjoy the Pictures

-Tom












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Saturday, December 8, 2007

Dinner with Yuji

When I first moved to Morioka, I moved into the Morioka University Dorm. Anyways, I make a really good friend there, but I haven't seem him for sooo long since I moved out of the dorm.

Anyways, I had dinner.. or 3 dinners with him today. Oh man he can eat alot!
I couldn't keep up with him....

We first went for Ramen at someplace on Oodori.














Then after that we went for Hot dog's














Than after all that!!! We went for Chanko Nabe (Sumo Style Soup with Noodles).
Oh man... You really got to see it for your self...














This thing is HUGE!!! Like, enough to feed a family of 5.
Oh yea...
The Udon noodles haven't been added yet.

ha ha haha
....

*CRY*
Anyways we barely finished it. But it was soo good. I was talking with Yuji, and seems that Chanko Nabe is rather hard to find, or rather hard to find someone that can make it.
Well, I meet the owner of the restaurant briefly, and yes... he was a Sumo. Or rather his family is a family of Sumo's turn cooks. His hands were huge and looked very jolly..
I might go back there some time.... but not soon..


Half Way~~~~ Before we added the noodles....


Go Yuji Go!!!!
Yea...~ Thats some good Nabe


Done.... Excuse me while I go Explode somewhere....

Cheers
-Tom

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Thursday, November 1, 2007

Happy Birthday!

My friend Satoko's Birthday was today. We got together and played some Ping-Pong and Pool. Then later on we ate some cake at my friends cafe near Sakana-cho.
^_^
Anyways, Happy Birthday!









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Saturday, February 24, 2007

Onsen in Appi

February 23-24, 2007
Yo! , This friday I ended up going to another Onsen! (Japanese Hot Spring). So Awesome! A friend of a friend was able to hook us up with a nice discount at a posh Onsen, about a 45 minute drive from downtown Morioka towards Iwate Mountain.
After getting lost once and weaving though some highway construction, we arrived in time to get settled and have dinner, (Really great food!).
After bathing, we cracked open the beers and started drinking and playing different games of sorts, which didn’t really end till about 4 am. The last remanding few of us, hardcore late-nighters, headed for another bath! Anyways, I really needed to take a leek so I started heading for the can. Upon opening the door, I immediacy stopped.
There was an arm and hand coming out from under one of the stalls. (Not moving).
Not sure what to do, I called back to my friends who were just entering the bath. Rather confused with my language barrier, the two girls didn’t know what I was trying to say. Was I really asking them to going looking into the boys washroom?
Or was trying to say something else.
We all went in the boys washroom and there was a moment of silence… The girls didn’t know what to do, and I still wasn’t sure. First we banged on the door but there was no response. So we tried touching the arm, and started bagging on the door some more. No response.
After trying a few more things, I was able to unlock the door. Lying on the ground, face pressing up against the wall, laid a high school kid.
He was breathing, so we knew he wasn’t dead. But, we had shouted pretty loud and he still hadn’t woken up. We thought it would be best, not to move him by way it looked like he had fallen. I got someone to call the manger. After waiting a few minutes. The very tried unhappy looking manger came down the stairs.
As soon as he saw the kid he looked furious. He bent down and punched kid on the ass, and was shouting something I didn’t understand. The kid started moving and squirming. He was drunk as a skunk. After a bit more shouting, the kid was up on his feet, but still really drunk as the manger walked him to his room. Later, I gave it some thought.
If this were to happen in Canada, what would have happened?
Most likely, a call for an ambulance and a stretcher, wasting a huge amount of money on a kid that most likely drank a few beers too many, or rather two beers looking at his age.
Anyways, after thanking the manger, I was able to have a nice night bath.
-Tom


Oh yeah, Showing some leg. ( I put on some pants after see this picture.) ^__^

I tried to get a picture of inside the onsen, but someone told me I shouldn't.

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Out with New friends

Today, I went out with some of my friends from Mori-Dai. We walked around the city, shopped around, found Victoria’s totem pole, and ate a hamburger paddy?!?! (Huh Where’s the bread?)

We also went to the top of Morioka’s tallest building, Where I took a really good picture of Iwate-san!! All in all, today was a pretty good day.

-Tom


Yo! Iwate-san!!

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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Welcome to Morioka Party

Hey! Remember I was talking about Toshiko wanting to have a welcome party for me!?
Today was my welcome to Morioka party!
I had a really really good time!!~~ A lot of Toshiko’s friends came and we had a great feast!!
The people in Morioka are very friendly! Noriko and Nachiko, the other two nice ladies whom I meet in Victoria also came!
It’s times like this that I’m really glad to come to Morioka.
Going to a different country is stressing, but having gatherings like this really take that away.

Toshiko and her husban also play the guitar ! (Wanna See? Click here - Morioka Welcoming Music)

Thanks everyone that came!!!!~~~~ I had a great time!

-Tom


Funny, How Music and Food always come hand in hand...... Great Acoustics, Toshiko is really skilled!
It makes me wish I could play!!~~

(****** Click Here to watch Toshiko Play *********) - Same as above...


Look at all that food!~ Yummmm.... Smiles everyone!!!

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