What I Loved About Japan This Week

The cutest gift from the sweetest Japanese friends. It. Has. Miniature. Pom Poms. Ahhhh!!! It is a traditional Japanese style cotton weave towel - in a baby hooded-towel version.

Just 'cause.

My favourite local bakery by night, My Heartful Bread, is still open at 7pm! Not sure if that is a good thing. On which note, it is now fully dark by 6pm here! Winter beckons...

... along with breathtaking sunsets.

And because this is my all time favourite Japanese ice cream, Jumbo. It is basically ¥80-¥120 (like 80 cents to a dollar 20), crunchy wafer, creamy vanilla ice cream, and two layers of chocolate - one through the middle, the other lining the whole wafer. It pretty much makes my day whenever I get one. (Which is frequently.)

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

When Mums Come To Stay: Part 3 - Exploring The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Higashikurume And Haneda Airport

The final stages of my mum's visit to see us included a trip to The Hakone Open-Air Museum (feeling as if I'm saying goodbye to her again?! Seriously, so hormonal!) This is literally the view when you come out of the tunnel and enter the expanse.

Those splashes of colour? Children. Diving around inside a giant, silicone, honeycomb climbing apparatus. If I wasn't pregnant...

After walking, a natural hot spring awaits (or foot onsen), tapped from the famous hot springs in the volcanic mountainous area.

(P.S. Total bonus, the open-air museum also had the most incredible Picasso collection and exhibition I have ever seen. It was outstanding. Completely and utterly one of the best exhibitions I have ever seen in my life.)

Great, a shot of empty plates. Well done, Kirrily. It only occurred to me after eating, that I wanted a photo at this pub. Our fave local, with about 10 tables, you call out for service, and the smoky charcoal hits you the second you slide open the door. We had bowls of edamame, beers (I had no beer, chill), grilled spicy wings, smoky yakitori (charcoal grilled sticks) of chicken, leeks, onions, stuffed capsicums, as well as a plate of karage (crispy fried chicken). We ate chicken, ok.

Mum and I took a stroll along the river near my house - ok - until now, this was always a river. My mum's arrival now means I can no longer hide the truth - it is now, "a creek, Kirrily." Slightly less impressive sounding, but by Australian standards, undoubtedly the truth. (It is barely past your ankles 99% of the time, unless post-typhoon, in which case 'gushing river' is definitely appropriate.)

Turns out Mount Fuji is 'at the end' of our street in Higashikurume.

People, Haneda Airport? Seriously? It is amazing. Who knew plane watching, reasonably priced cafes, and sunset views of Mt Fuji are only a ¥750 train ride away from Ikebukuro?

Miss her! Thank you for coming, mama!

When Mums Come To Stay: Part 2 - Exploring Hakone And The Magnificent Fujiya Hotel

The Fujiya Hotel.

So this side of Japan utterly takes my breath away. Welcome to the mountains of Hakone and the completely magnificent Fujiya Hotel...

We arrived in Hakone by switch-back train, that slowly edged its way up, going from left to right, over and over again. This tiny stamp of a platform was our stop.

Shortly after - The Fujiya Hotel, in all its greatness - old and magnificent. Think The Grand Budapest Hotel of Japan, a.k.a. a movie set waiting to happen.

The completely abandoned, mist-encased swimming pool.

A lounge.

The view. From our room. I can't even.

The tiny hallway of a tea room, overlooking the damp Japanese gardens, umbrellas at every door for your possible stroll.

A conservatory lounge.

We ventured 'down' to Lake Ashi, 700 metres above sea level. Pause at this slice of bliss, Bakery & Table. We may or may not have had Salted Caramel buns, Cranberry And Dark Chocolate rolls, hot and melty Garlic loaf, and a crunchy Apple danish.

Two caramel lattes later. 

Giant cedar trees lined a path cut out through the mountains for travellers hundreds of years ago.

And Lake Ashi itself. I was in mist, dew fallen, fog and mountainous heaven. 

Part 3, the final instalment of Mum's trip next - The Open Air Museum, Life Around Home In Higashikurume, And Haneda Airport - random, but sunset views of Mount Fuji on the train and the stunning observation deck for plane watching and cosy coffees were perfect for a slightly teary farewell.

When Mums Come To Stay: Part 1 - Exploring Tokyo And Surrounds: Kawagoe And Yoyogi

Kawagoe (an old town), Tokyo

So make that 3 weeks! (I had a teeny rest. Hey, I'm pregnant, gotta make the most.)

But now I'm back! Two weeks of bliss with my mother in Tokyo, exploring, having coffee, and planning all things baby - a new mama and grandmama-to-be in the same room... well, I'm sure you can imagine.

Here's some photos of our trip, if you would like to see...

Abandoned building in Kawagoe, an old town, in Tokyo. Total perk for tourists: there are none! So we could be tourist and felt like locals.

 Heavenly door action. In an old Samurai home, Kawagoe, Tokyo.

You can't beat the streets - street food yakitori (smokey grilled perfectness over charcoal) in Kawagoe, Tokyo. 

Yellow.

The main street in Kawagoe, Tokyo.

Not a good photo, but a great memory.

Apparently Yoyogi Koen (big central park in the middle of Tokyo), has a different food festival every weekend. HOW did I not know this? This week: India. 

Mama not quite understanding our excitement at freshly cooked naan and curry - with spices! SPICES, I tell you! (The delicacies of Japanese cooking utterly depend upon allowing the subtle flavours of each piece of food on a plate to speak entirely for itself - hence spices are practically unheard of, well from my extremely novice experience anyway.)

How to make Kirrily sing for joy? Mum's home cooked Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding. Dream. I actually got up in the middle of the night for a leftovers fridge raid for this.

Dang. Sprung. The only downside of having a mum come to stay: she will take photos of you at McDonalds. 

Oh, and a little bit of stroller (!!) at Japan's famous Air Buggy store. I'm trying to look cool and super natural. Inside = bursting. In. Love.

When Mums Come To Stay: Part 2 (Hakone and the utterly breathtaking Fujiya - think The Grand Budapest Hotel in Japan) coming soon.

Miss you already, mama!

What I Loved About Japan This Week - And See You In Two Weeks!

This nashi pear, practically a national emblem of Japan. And our sweet neighbour for thinking of us.

This slice of heaven, a breathtaking saloon of a bar and lounge on the second floor of an equally stunning book store, Tsutaya at the Daikanyama T-Site, Tokyo, (just casually open from 7am - 2am, like any cool place in Tokyo). Thank you to the best tour guide ever and lovely new friend for taking me there! Note: this place has even been described as, "Tokyo's Stunning Palace For The Printed Word," by CNN, and although an elaborate title, it's no joke.

A rainy day didn't put off these Matsuri (Summer Festival) preparations at my teeny local community centre.

How I imagine The Wizard Of Oz would be like, if it were set in Japan.

And because rargh! Another unknown fact I learned the hard way - Japan has nasty insects!! This tiny sucker fell out of a tree into the crook of my elbow and proceeded to send a burning pain through my entire arm. Why did I love this about Japan this week? Because I grew up in Australia, and I am convinced it was my immunity built up from having been stung from way worse (not a great advertisement for Australia here) that stopped the burning pretty soon afterwards. Hah! Take that tiny ninja stinger thing!

My mother is coming to visit us (happiness overload!) in Tokyo tomorrow for two weeks. We are planning a few trips away, some sightseeing, and plenty of mother-daughter-'bub' time. I will be back around here after she heads home (please time go slowly!) to Australia.

I hope you have a great weekend and next couple of weeks!

A Sweet Relationships Idea: At Your Next Dinner Time

My husband and I were Facetiming a couple the other day, and it was dinner time, so they proceeded to cook (an amazing) dinner, and afterwards headed over to the couch with their food to continue chatting.

Jesse astutely noticed that as they sat on their couch, they had only one plate between them and a knife and fork.

Given the closeness of our relationship, Jesse right out and joked, "Either you guys have a ton of dishes in the sink and this is your last plate, or you guys are pair eating."

(Me: Pair eating??)

Turns out, they often sit on the couch together and share their meal, having come from a tiny apartment where the habit of eating together on the lounge just stuck. And also, from the brilliance of wanting less to wash up.

This is me: Sweet. Insanely practical. Genius.

And apartments here in Tokyo are not exactly huge for the majority population, and kitchens even drastically tinier (it is not uncommon to have a single burner for all your cooking needs in a studio).

Having lived in a couple of tiny apartments in the past (i.e. here is our kitchen, dining, living, while turning around in a circle without moving), and definitely having had our share of a cosy dinner on the couch with a movie (or pjs and toasted cheese sandwiches, let's be honest), all I could think of was WHY have I never thought of that?

I have since tried said method. Happy to report that less dishes is indeed as satisfying as it sounds.

So pair eating (is it a thing?). Would you do it? Do you do it?

Pregnancy And Working From Home: Zaitakukinmu (I Think)

We've established I have some time on my hands, and I have been loving the freedom of pursuing being a writer, actor and model, as well as the general preparation for becoming a mother in 12 weeks (woo!) and settling into living in Japan.

Old news, I know.

But another of my dreams, or regrets really, was that I never studied business in high school. I thought it sounded dry, and there were other more interesting subjects (like Chemistry, Economics, and Maths?!) that I apparently wanted to do instead! Does anyone else look back on high school, or university for that matter, and go, what exactly was I thinking?

No regrets.

Since then, I've always wanted to start a number of businesses, but always felt a little bit like, a). How on earth would I have the time because I work full time and write in the evenings?, and b). Where would I even start?

Well. This little course came across my emails (thank you amazing husband, without his brilliance I'm sure nothing would get done).

Launch Your Profitable Online Business
By Remit Sethi
Time: About 1 hour a day for 5 days
Cost: Free (at least for the next few days, but there is a ton of great free material on his website too)
Content: Mostly videos

And I'm letting you know I'm doing it. (It is only 5 days, so let's not get too big headed Kirrily.)

Stay tuned for some 'zaitakukinmu' ('working from home' in Japanese, I think, I hope)!

What about you? Have you done any courses on the side that you recommend?

My Local Farmer's Stall

Every photo I've posted of where I live in Higashikurume, has so far been fairly conservative. This is the real deal though.

There are rivers. Fields. Shrines. Actual houses. And, as I said, limited coffee options. It is what people who live in central Tokyo call 'inaka' (rural).

Although, let's take a step back here. The suburb is still 13km² with just under 120,000 people living here. Compared to the Lower North Shore of Sydney, which is 80km² and about 250,000 people. So, Higashikurume is packing a ton of people, and only 20 minutes train to the centre of Tokyo. But, we cannot deny, there are fields (which, let's be clear, by the way suits me perfectly).

And this here is my local field. (There are actually like at least 5 of these in walking distance from me.)

And that is real raw ginger! I have never in my little life seen it before!

And total bonus - Higashikurume comes complete with chestnut trees! A little walk and you are foraging for chestnuts. I've never roasted some before, but if these turn out well, I'm going back to gather for Christmas time!