Japanese Pancakes

Well.. it really isn’t pancakes.. but sorta.  It’s actually called Imagawa Yak.  Definitely missing it right now.. and wished i could sink my teeth onto one of this sweet and sugary thing.  Made of eggs, flour and sugar.. it’s pretty popular as a afternoon snack in our office.  Plenty of them sold in the shop houses in Japan - Tokyo .. where office furniture are sold and around Asia.   I love the one in Azabu Jyuban because it was near our office..  at $1 a piece .. you can’t really go wrong with it.   Comes with fillings of red beans.. cheese and peanut or custard, i always get the red bean ones.

Red Candle Table Lamp

I have been asked many a times.. if in Japan.. do the folks there use lamps like these.. that you can find in the West.. in speciality shops.  I have to let you know. .that yes.. some do use these lamps.. and please be made aware that those manufactured in Japan are definitely different . .than those you find manufactured in China.  In Japan.. the japanese believed that quality is above everything.   Everything you see here .. to make this table lamp successful is all hand made.. and inspected personally.   So yes.. as long as I see that sign “Made in Japan” .. well you know .. you can trust that they are quality product.

Japanese Homes

Traditional Japanese homes in Takano River looked like that. In the cold winter months, it would really be nice to have a tankless water heater.  I remembered my host family having to take turns because they wouldn’t have so much hot water to go round the entire household and i feel extremely bad, because they always let me have a hot bath first.. since i am the guest.  I really wished i could send them one now .. since they had been so nice to me.. during my 6 months stay in Japan.

Relocating To USA

My friend Chiko- San has just gotten a job in the USA and she and her whole family is moving there together.  We all know that moving or relocating is no fun and needs a lot of work and planning.  She is very excited but was getting stressful too because she didn’t know who can help her or how she can move everything from Japan to the US.

A good place to start for someone like Chiko-San is Relocation.com.  They have the resources and information you need for your move.  On this site you can find all the information you need, from buying a new house, moving, renting an apartment or even get some mortgage info.  Need a shipping quote? No problem!  They have all the info for folks like Chiko-san who is moving internationally.

First Snow

December 19 was the day I remembered that I saw my first snow in Japan .. while i was there on a project.  I remembered the date so well.. because my daughter was also born on this day.  I was certainly not hoping to get so much snow.. after all, I’ve seen enough snow in Canada eh.  But i was glad that the hostess of the place we were staying in .. had  electric blanket ready for me when I got home from work. I love my host family.

Traditional Japanese House

I love the Japaneses traditional houses in Japan.. they are so simple.. yet very zen .. but don’t be deceived by these houses and think that they drink from the well.  Nope..! they are just like us and have the same kinda kitchen faucets like you and I have at home.The friend of mine that this house belongs to, was worried about not having a environmentally friendly building materials, so they build their house with an all wood theme. And it was on a hillside that looks down a valley that they chose the spot to build their home.  It was pure serenity.. and calmness when we visited their home. Gomanasai !

Hotels In Osaka

This is the Swissotel Nankai in Osaka, being a hotelier before with the Swissotel group, i had the privileged to stay in their complimentary rooms when i was on vacation in Osaka many years ago.  When we had first decided to choose Osaka as one of our destination, we didn’t know that Osaka is actually a very vibrant city.  The hotel itself is at the heart of Namba .. where you can just shop till you drop because Takashimaya which consist of a 7 storey high shopping arcade is just beneath the hotel.   And when you are tired out with the shopping, you can just head back to the hotel’s 9 different restaurants and bar and i have to specially mention their  bar stools because they were really pretty and comfy. You bet it was expensive.. !! had we not had gotten complimentary rooms, I doubt that we could have afforded to stay a week in Osaka.

Noren

Noren are decorative silk-screened curtains used for centuries by the Japanese as door curtains, wall hangings and window curtains. Traditional noren are split down the center - allowing a person to pass through from one room to another. Commonly found also in japanese eateries.

These imported Japanese noren are true collectibles - many produced on premium Japanese cotton and hemp fabrics and depicting kabuki and geisha images taken from ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints. Their beauty and style suit most modern decor and they can readily be mounted and framed or used as wall hangings in addition to their traditional use as room dividers.

Bamboo Handle Autumn Leaves Standing Lamp

Handmade using authentic Japanese washi paper, this lamp shaped like an elongated bag, is original .. and charming. I love the autumn leaves on it.. simple yet so pretty… brings a warm to your heart. A curved handle on the top makes it easy to move the lamp anywhere around the house. This floor lamp has a dimmer switch, so that one can set the soft warm mood to just the level you want. Some easy assembly required but pretty easy .. and doesn’t take Einstein to figure it out. Plug/Switch can be adapted for any region or country. Crafted with pride in Japan and cost $169 .. a good deal.

Hello Kitty Toaster

An imprint of Hello Kitty on you toast.. and of course the cute toaster.. is really amusing.. and i bet would make your home something for others to envy. I think the toaster is for adults and children.  6 shades of settings, removable crumb tray, wide toast slots for bagels, decorative cool touch exterior, self adjusting bread guides, cord storage at the bottom.  Only at $36.99 … maybe this would entice my kid to eat toast.