Traffic ---> Italian and Crazy Stores!

A few days back I took the kids out to grab lunch on a rainy Saturday. Daddy was gone, so the kids and I were excited to explore a new place. Well, traffic had different plan. We couldn't get anywhere near the place. Not even close.  

So, I pulled out my brand of Cra-Zy and turned their whining complaints into a goofy song. Laughing made the standstill traffic so much easier to stand. We tried for over an hour to get closer to the place, but eventually gave up.

Out came the cellphone and into Google went "family restaurants in Japan". Wouldn't you know, there was a "Fast Food Italian" chain restaurant about 3 miles from where we were. It sounds close, right? Well, that 3 miles took us about 49 minutes, but we got there.

The place was... well it was rundown. That is putting it nicely. Most places in Japan are incredibly clean. This place was like old wallpaper and 70's decoration. But, the tables and food looked clean.

I asked the kids if we should try to find something else. They just looked at me. And all four- at the same time- shook their heads "NO!"

Yes, it is difficult to find places and travel around in Japan. The kids can only take it so long. I can only take about 30 seconds longer than they can. We stayed at Saizeriya.

The waitress was incredibly friendly, the food was pretty good and the cost was low. The kids got 'typical' Italian pasta dishes, like broccoli and penne.

Baby girl got the kids meal. It is really the only choice, other than pasta, and she was not "in a pasta mood". Whatever. The dish was sausage and meat, which my carnivore loved. But that's not why I am showing you this picture. Her dish allows me explain an interesting phenomenon that I have not seen outside of Japan. 

Clearly, Japan is known for eating a ton of rice. It is served all day long, at almost every meal.  Somewhere along the way someone must have gotten sick of plain old rice. They decided to add "shakey" flavors to their cool creations. Now, the flavors are vast and widely available. My kids favorite flavor is "egg" or "egg and veggie". They love plain rice as well, but is stick the flavor packets in their lunch every now and again to keep things interesting. 

You can also see on her plate a small almost jelly-size packet that has an apple on it. That is a cross between a fruit cup and jello. You open the package and swallow the whole thing at once. What? Wouldn't that be a chocking hazard you ask? I thought so the first time, so I tested it. It dissolves so quickly that chocking is jot an issue. Taste, however is a tad questionable in my opinion. 

We also ordered "corn pottage". Miso soup is the most common here, but several places carry corn pottage. The interesting thing about this one, besides the random swirl of cream, was that the soup is served cold. Yep, cold. I was surprised, but we liked it.

Another new found favorite of the kiddos is Melon Fanta. It is less carbonated that some of the drinks here. I think they get it because it looks cool to drink bright green liquid? (I have no idea why, but most of the sodas here knock you down they are so overly carbonated. And don't get me started on the tragedy of coke zero here. Dreadful what has happens to that taste translation!)

All in all Saizeriya was an average, fast-food Italian joint for these Americans in the heart of Japan. Wow, that's a weird sentence. Wow, that's my life :)


There were a few store fronts I wanted to tell you about. Japan has some pretty good shopping. It is not all really exciting to me, but the names of the stores crack me up! I just had to share a couple of them. 

Here we are walking towards the shopping center. It is officially 'outside' under the awning in the middle of the picture. It is a little rough to truly shop when you are freezing in the winter and burning up in the summer. Somehow, if I need something bad enough, I can manage.

Welcome to "Wants". Hubby says they need a store next door called "Needs". Then, we could teach our children- and the rest of America- how to use money responsibly!

There are more and more American companies moving over to Japan. I had never heard of "Mister Donut", but our friend from CT said she had one growing up. Their donuts aren't that great in general, but they give us a little taste of home.

You don't like Mister Donut? Well, feel free to to walk next door to grab a slimy squid!

 Or, do you need a massive ET? You can have this one for about $500! 

You know you have ALWAYS wanted to go to the "Yellow Submarine"! Now you can and while you are there you can book a trip with this crazy named travel agency.

There apparently is a massive run on Australian Jean Stores? Why else would you name a store "Jeans Mate"?

Then there is the ever.so.random clothing store name "Womb". My only problem with it is it is a store for MEN? Seriously, do men want to shop at a 'womb'?

We have some amazing friends with the last name Amos. Low and behold I found THEIR store! "Amos Style" would be a sure hit with the man of that house!

Finally, another couple of very wild burgers served at McDonalds here. Right now it is the Hawaiian season. I have no idea why. Here is what the eatery.com says about the new fare, "Hawaiian Barbecue Pork Burger, which features a pork patty topped with pulled pork "slow cooked for four hours," plus coleslaw and pickles. The Loco Moco burger will feature two burger patties, a cooked egg, lettuce, and a gravy sauce.

I enjoy seeing new places to both shop and eat. I giggle at the names, and cry a little at the tiny sizes :)

Have a blessed day in your world- where ever you are!

Sippin' on Sweet Tea,

~Aggie Amy

Tokyo for Ten, Fashion for NO ONE!

It took three trains, two transfers, over an hour and more than a tad of patience, for all ten of us to get into Tokyo. What to see a bit of our journey? Here we go.

From our small base it is only about 25 miles southeast of Tokyo. But, as I have said in previous blogs, it takes quite awhile to go those 25 miles!

Driving that distance wouldn't be too bad. It's about an hour drive. The problem is TRAFFIC.

Traffic in Japan is unlike anyplace I have ever been. Literally. Traffic in Japan is not only cars, it is people! It's like you are an ant in an ant farm. No, that's not crowded enough. It's like Black Friday at Walmart in a large city. And...They are selling a new car for $1. And... there's only one Walmart in the whole world. It's like THAT.

There are people, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, walker, runners and even more people everywhere you look. I have no idea where they all come from. Or where they are all going. I just want to get out of their way. Plus, most of the time the kids stop to stare at us. So, then we cause more of a crowd. Have mercy, I never-ever wanted to know what it was like being an urban girl. Now, I know.  I don't like it.

 Tokyo is close, technically, but going for a visit is an all day affair. Travel time is totally up to the train traffic of the hour, how many events are occurring that you have no clue about and if there are any accidents along the way. It would probably be safe to say that you are no in control at ALL of how long travel takes you. It is simply easier once you accept that truth.

We are off for the day with loaded down backpacks. Yes, we travel with water & snacks even in a top notch town like Tokyo. If our previous travels have taught us anything, it is that we are whimps! And, by that I mean, I am a whimp! The kids are much better travelers than I am.
My hubby is a traveling machine. He could go all day long... and I do mean A-L-L day without water, snacks or even a potty break. It is just some sort of sick manly soldier thing that I cannot grasp. The kids are pretty great at putting up with the drama of traveling as well. They can go hours without anything but a sip of water. I, on the more spoiled side of the house, really like to sit every now and then. I enjoy a sip of water, or some good ol' Coke Zero, maybe a nibble or two on something you are supposed to eat only on your birthday. That's the kind of girl I am. Sue me.

Hubby hates to buy food while we are out. I live for it. The joy of learning the local food it is almost as much fun as actually visiting the place, for me anyway. We have always had this debate battle.  We work it out, but when we are going to be gone for a long time I try to keep the peace by packing well.

 We set out toward Tokyo at our local train station. It is open, very clean and laid out easily. We quickly found the handicap entrance for the wheelchair. We also discovered the elevators quickly. Our station is always busy, but rarely crowded.

We knew a ton before we left the house.  The fabulous app on our iPhones tells us: which trains to take, how much the tickets would be and the time of each departure. It even warns us if they are accidents on the tracks, and an alternate route to take.



Can you figure out which train you are supposed to take from the picture below? The little girl in the hat can and she is in FIRST grade! She is alone and not worried a bit about getting lost. Smart chick! (A few seconds after this picture the screen changes to a little bit of English, not enough to tell us everything, but it gives us a clue.)

Our goals when we arrived in Tokyo: visit a Hello Kitty for Little Miss A, cross at Shibuya crossing and check out Harajuku.

It sounds simple, but we are still in Japan where nothing is quite so simple.

We wanted to see the statue of Hachiko as well. Never heard of Hachiko? Clearly, you are not a 'dog' person. Hachiko, an Akita dog, was owned by a professor who took the train at the Shibuya station each day to work. The dog would wait at the same place, at the exact time, every day to be there when his owner would get off the train. Then, while at work one day, the Professor had a cerebral hemorrhage and died. He never returned home to the train station where Hachiko waited. Apparently, no one could convince the dog that his owner was not coming home. He came back everyday for NINE years waiting for his owner. He become very popular and well known by the locals, and then all of Japan when a reporter told his story. People would make special trips to pet the dog or offer him food and water. Hachiko died on his way to the train station. Hachiko's stuffed and mounted remains are kept on display at the National Science Museum of Japan. The story of Hachiko is taught in schools and passed on from generation to generation. It is Hachiko's legendary faithfulness are a national symbol of loyaly.

Part of our group is flashing the ever popular peace sign, that Japanese are so known for.  I'll get her for that later. 

Next stop was Shibuya crossing. The famous pedestrian crossing at Shibuya ("sh-boo-ya") forms an "X" on the road. The crosswalks, literally, crisscross the roads allowing hundreds, if not thousands, of people to flood the road for every crossing. At lunch during the week, on average, 3,000 people cross the road EACH time the light changes. Can you imagine crossing the street with 3,000 of your friends? Here's a picture of part of the crossing when it is not crowded.

Here we are crossing. Clearly, we avoided the rush times and had a leisurely stroll across the station.

We found the Hello Kitty store! Hooray for Little Miss A. This is a typical 'store' in a 'mall' here. You walk into a building and walk directly into a 'store'. There are no doors or ways to 'lock up' the merchanidse. Often, shoppers roam around from 'store' to 'store' and then make their way back to pay for the items they want to purchase. I have tried to get pictures to show how the stores are laid out, but not many people let me take the pictures. It is so different from shopping in the US. 

While Little Miss A was thrilled, we were... shocked! Look at these prices! Shoes for $144. Cell Phone covers for a whopping $264!

Miss got a few of the reasonably slightly overpriced items. She couldn't wait to show of her new Hello Kitty goods!

As we walked around Tokyo, we were reminded that smoking and walking are not allowed! These signs are on the ground around crosswalks. Smoking is only allowed in 'hidden' areas. It cracked us up! Seriously, at Disney and all over Tokyo, smokers are hidden away from view and out of the 'public's smell. Awesome protection.  The yellow 'raised dots' on the street tell blind Japanese not to step too close to the road. Just part of the amazing system of accessibility the country of Japan has set up. 

We stopped to get some grub when the snacks were gone. What can I say, I talked hubby into it. I can be very persuasive.  Then, we passed by the 1964 Olympic Park. We saw the Meiji Shrine entrance, but we decided we were all shrined out.  

We wanted to see Harajuku, which is considered a 'birthplace' of Japanese fashion. It is a district in Tokyo where shopping and crazy, wild fashion are a site to behold.  Along the way we hit a snag or two. I convinced the group to go a certain way. It ended up the only option for crossing the street was a very large stairway over the busy street. Luckily, our men and big & strong. They carried Little Miss up and down the stairs. The locals just passed by and watch our crazy actions, not understanding. We are so thankful for their muscles :)

We finally found the way to Harajuku, which most Americans only know about because of Gwen Stefani's line of crazy clothes at Target. Harajuku is such an interesting place. First of all, this is the entrance of an alley-like walkway that has  crazy, fashion stores off of it. Now, we aren't really in to fashion. Still, when in Rome do as the Romans do.

So, off to look at fashion we go???

Check out some of this "fashion".


We saw more Caucasians in Harajuku than we have seen in all of Japan. Apparently, it is a tourist trap. There were a ton of locals as well. And, quite a large group of Africans with a French accent selling shirts? Life is just a little strange.

 Would you want to shop at a store where teddy bear heads had been put on the mannequins? Strange...

 Have you ever seen a creepier shirt than that? The people have three eyes each? What is that about?

We did find some pretty awesome crepes though. And, as you know, I am keen on snacks. The 'sweets' are not nearly as 'sweet' as they are in the States. That is a good thing in my opinion.There were 84 options! We avoided the 'fish' ones and stuck with typical dessert flavors.

 We ate our snacks standing in one place. I did tell you that it is considered rude to walk AND eat, didn't I? You can do one or the other, but walking while eating is a no-no. Even if it is water. It just isn't done. You have to stop and eat or drink, then continue walking. OK, I will follow instructions.

We loved Tokyo, but we were exhausted. Off to the train station to find our way, through three transfers this time to get home. Can't you tell by the map? God Bless that App we use!

It was starting to get crowded. Don't worry, we don't stick out or ANYTHING? Every time we were stared at I started humming, "One of this things is not like the others...." from Sesame Street. The adults rolled there eyes and the kids didn't get it. But, I did and it made me smile.

We, finally, arrived home. I won't tell you about the unfortunate event we came upon by the train in our town. (Kids read this.) Let's just say people got there in time.  Japan has an awesome country, but they still need to work on helping those who suffer with mental health issues.

Our sweet friends left shortly after this. It was a ton of fun showing them around, and learning more about the Land of the Rising Sun. Now, we have to actually plan for our next adventures instead of just asking them what they want to see. 

And, just in case you wondered, we didn't actually buy any crazy fashion. I'm NOT that crazy.... yet!

Living Life in my Jammies,

~Aggie Amy

Japan has gone to the Dogs!

Japan takes their dogs (and cats) very seriously!

We decided to go check out the "Dog & Cat Joker" store. I have no idea who comes up with these names!

The puppy store is at an outdoor outlet 'mall', similar to the US. 

This 'mall' has about 30 stores. We walked around for a few minutes just to check things out. 

We knew we were getting close when we saw this sweet guy.

We walked in and found three large glass rooms. One was for kittens, one for puppies and one was for animals who weren't behaving. 

The puppy room had several levels, some crates, quite a few toys, and puppy pads down. There were about 8 puppies out crawling all over each other.

There was one kitten who had decided to test the border. He jumped up on the ledge and watched for a few minutes before the puppies noticed. Oh no! The puppies went crazy trying to get to her! 

Finally a worker came and brought the kitten down to into the middle of the puppy room. It was hilarious! The pups went wild! The customers were all laughing and pointing.

The locals bring in all their own dogs to watch the little puppies. They are a captive, and gorgeous, audience!

The puppies are adorable and the the kittens are just so cute. But, here are the prices...

Yes, this puppy really is ¥180,000 which is a whomping $1,800!!! 

Really?

These are the outlet prices???

There is a grooming room called, 'Doggie Cloak & Wash'. 

The store also has a 'Healing station' where they give massages to the animals. Wow, can a Mommy get in there? 

The retail part of the store is amazing, and very expensive!

You can get all sorts of adorable accessories. What puppy wouldn't love a bonnet?

Or, does your puppy need a $42 Traditonal Japanese Kimono? Come on, it even comes with a bell, which is like the ones often used at shrines to 'wake the gods up so they listen to your prayer'.

Or, how about a puppy stroller? 

You can have this lovely stroller for only...

$520! If you want the upgraded fabric, that model is $561. 

Oh, I forgot to add the almost 10% sales tax. That stroller would be over $600! 

Seems reasonable to me ;)

Outside the store, there is fresh water, puppy bags to pick after your pup and a small turf area. 

(Sorry bad picture since I had to zoom way too much.)

The locals clearly love this concept. We saw dog after dog as we walked around. 

The store made us miss Aggie even more. Aggie is in Japan, but at the kennel. She is not allowed to stay in military lodging. We can't wait to get our sweet Labrador take her shopping!

Puppy Love & sweet dreams,

~ Aggie Amy