Lost In Translation

Teppanyaki At The Intercontinental Hotel

Kraig, Dad, and me with our chef Maeda san at Teppanyaki at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel. This was my first time to have a proper teppanyaki meal. It was much more reasonably priced for lunch as well-highly recommended.

The first course was Hirame (flat fish) and shrimp-served live!

Eviscerating and cooking the shrimp.

The finished product. All dishes were served withe seasoned salt or sea salt and we were given the choice of three dipping sauces: garlic ginger, onion, and soy based sauces.

This appetizer was aki (mackerel).

The vegetable course included pumpkin, snow peas, bean sprouts, and Korean mochi (pounded rice and dango).

The presentation is always impressive in Japanese cuisine.

Dad and I had sirloin and Kraig went for the Tenderloin. It was Dad's first time to eat wagyu beef.

Big fire!

The set also included rice (garlic rice optional, which I ordered), pickles, and miso soup.

Happy diners.

The view from the 37th floor.

 

In the lobby.

I really enjoyed this meal and highly recommend it!

Family Visit March 2012: Part 3

Lunch at an undon shop, Kraig and Dad got the beef udon noodles with fried rice and pickles.

We shared karage (fried chicken).

I got udon with tempura.

Dad had to use a children's fork for the meal...

I took Kraig for a tour of Harajuku/Omotesando/Shibuya before going out for dinner. Here at Meiji Jingu Shrine at the tori gate.

Nihonshu (sake) barrels.

 In front of the shrine proper.

A statue in Omotesando.

The Prada building in Omotesando.

Children's Museum.

Shibuya Crossing.

Dinner at Andy's Shin Hinomoto with Darrell.

Deep fried oysters from Hiroshima for Dad.

Sashimi (two kinds of tuna and hirame) for Kraig.

Karage (fried chicken).

Mahi Mahi (John Dogherty).

Tempura (Lotus roots, anago/ eel, eggplant, pumpkin, shrimp, etc.).

Tokyo Internaitonal Forum.

Me and Kraig at Mucho.

Shinjuku at night.

Studio Alta.

Family Visit March 2012: Part 2

On the 28th we started out the day in Shinjuku Gyoen. There weren't many trees in blossom, but this one was.

In front of one of the tea houses in the park.

The Docomo Building looms in the background.

Near the large pond on the grounds.

Next we had shabu shabu (similar to sukiyaki in which meat is cooked in a broth and dipped in sauces) at Nabezo.

We ate pork and beef.

Before coming to a boil...

Next it was onto the game at the Tokyo Dome, this is a shot of the amusement center La Qua near the Tokyo Dome.

Pre-game ceremonies, the Mariners won the first game 3-1 in extra innings.

Refreshments served up by girls with kegs ontheir backs.

Contemporary Writers: J.G. Farrell

I stumbled across Contemporary Writers: J.G. Farrell (1986) by Ronald Binns at a convenience store in Bangkok of all places. I had just finished Farrell's impressive tour de force, The Singapore Grip and was interested to learn more. Farrell's influences were wide ranging and among some of my favorite writers and books: Malcom Lowry's Under The Volcano, Tolstoy's War And Peace, Conrad, Nabokov, and Stendhal among others. It seems much of Farrell's fiction sprang from his family history as an Irishman whose father served in India. Of course his political leanings and literary inspirations provided much inspiration as well. I think Binns did a great job in analyzing and putting Farrell's work into context. I was especially interested in his discussion of the previous two installments of his empire series, The Troubles and The Siege Of Krishnapur. These are two books that I plan to read in the near future.

The Artist / Warrior

The big winner at the Oscars was the silent film homage, The Artist. I can see why it was so popular and enjoyed it myself, however, it felt a little slight to be the Best Picture winner. I'm guessing that it was the entertainment aspect that was most appealing for the voters.

If you see only one mixed marital arts movie this year, it should be Warrior. Plenty of action, but at heart a family drama about brothers, fathers and sons, broken families, atonement, forgiveness, and hope. Nick Nolte again plays a man with a troubled past trying to atone for past misdeeds.

Family Visit March 2012: Part 1

Me and Kraig at Ushi Tora (a craft beer bar) in Shimokitazawa on his first night in town on the 26th. Inexplicably, we ran into his co-worker who also was in Tokyo on vacation.

I forget the name of the brewery, but it was a Pilsner from Hokkaido.

In the genkan (door way) of my old Shimokitazawa standby, Isaka Ya Ism ,with my brother (my father decided to rest up instead).

On the morning of the 27th before my curriculum meeting with my Dad in my office.

The view from the Observatory Deck of the North Shinjuku Government Tower building in West Shinjuku.

Kraig with some campaign girls.

Piss Alley in Shinjuku.

A beer and a snack in a ramen shop in Piss Alley.

Making yakisoba at the ramen place.

Followed by sushi and...

...atsukan (aka hot sake).

Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves

Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves (2005) is a good introduction to the samurai film genre, but it is not complete and it is not an academic foray into the subject. That being said, there's lots of good information and it has inspired me to search out some of the titles that I was previously unfamiliar with. However, I would liked to have had more commentary about the authenticity and tradition per se. Since this book was published in 2005, there have been several samurai films made by the likes of Yoji Yamada and Takashi Miike-so the tradition hasn't completely much like the western equivalent, the western. It is a good reference book, but it is far from being the definitive samurai film book.

Yasai Sakeba

On the North side of Shimokitazawa I found another lunch gem, Yasai Sakeba. You have  a choice of seven main dishes (I chose fried chicken above) to go with miso soup, multi grain rice, and six vegetable side dishes.

Shingo's Wedding Reception

The groom and bride ready to greet the many attendees.

The greeting lineup...

The band below the wedding banner.

There was dancing and apparently some Laoation dances closely resemble line dancing...

My birthday was not forgotten.

Joma Cafe: Luang Prabang

The Joma Cafe has locations in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Hanoi. This was my wifi hangout for my last trip. Good coffee and great sandwiches, pizza, soups, salads, and bakery goods.