Osaka

My Senpai(senior friend) who I met in Buffalo came from Tokyo so my friend and I took him to look around Osaka city. He helped me a lot when I was in Buffalo so this time I wanted to do something for him.

We went to Aquarium, Dotonbori and Umeda Sky Buillding, and ate some kinds of Osaka food such as Okonomiyaki and Kushiktsu. It was pretty fun. We didn't meet each other for a year since I came back from Buffalo, and we had a lot of things to talk about.

There are still many places where I want to take him so I'll do that next time he come here.

New Year

Happy new year!
3 days have already passed since new year's day.

Now I need to change my mind to the next step.

Unlike every other year, my family and I didn't visit my father's grandparents' house so my new year was kind of simple than last year.

While I was spending my new year's day in here, I realized that there were less New year's mood than before in the town.  I mean, usually many kinds of new year decoration and music were everywhere in the town, but this year weren't.  I don't know, maybe I just felt like that, but it's a little bit sad if it's true.  I think we are gradually losing our sense of season.  However, I still can see some kids and their father were flying a kite in the park, and bunch of people were going to shrine in the new year's day so I felt relieved.

And my family and relatives were also still trying to keep doing a traditional way of celebrating new year's day.

But not like normal Japanese family.  Japanese people usually eat "Osechi (new year's food in kinda big bento-box)", but both of my parent' family don't have that custom.  I just ate Osechi one time 3 or 4 years ago because Osechi looks so beautiful, and I really wanted to try it once.  Honestly, Osechi was not that so delicious than I thought.  

Anyway, this year I went to my mother's parent' house, and they served Ozoni (Soup for new year), Sashimi, and spareribs(Japanese style).  In their most traditional way, they serve 3 kinds of Ozoni, and there are goat meat in it.  But goat meat is not good for the old people's health so we don't do that anymore.

I really enjoy listening those kinds of story related to new year custom, and I think I'm lucky to have these old-fashioned family and relatives.


By the way, I also went to shrine and made some wishes.

It's Kiyoshi-Kojin shrine.  My written oracle said my year will be so-so.  Hm...but this shrine's written oracle is famous because it's really harsh so so-so is great for me.


Anyway, those are my new year's days.  Happy new year for everyone, and hope you have a great year.