♦Guest post by Holly and Bobby Brewin♦
Arigatou Gozaimasu Japan!
Well we did it!! But not without lots of help. Indebted to mine and Bobby’s parents as well as my mom’s twin sister Margy for caring for our girls while we were exploring Japan.
Quite honestly we did not think that this trip would happen. And we were not the only ones. I do not believe that Alysia and Jimmy thought we would come half way around the world for a visit. Well surprise!!
Alysia and I met my freshman year at UNF. We played volleyball together and were roommates throughout our time in Jacksonville. We connected immediately and were pretty much inseparable from that moment on. Alysia was a superstar setter and volleyball player and academically well she was on another level. The standards she set for herself were very very high and I think her presence made me have higher aspirations for myself. She helped make me a much better volleyball player and student-athlete. And I don’t believe I ever thanked her. So Alysia thank you for helping become a better version of myself. And thanks to you and Jimmy for inspiring us to do something that we never imagined that we would do. I believe our paths were meant to cross and I am forever grateful for that.
Here are a few things we loved and were surprised by during our time in Japan. Overall the places that we traveled to were very clean. The people young and old were extremely nice and helpful. Complete strangers would notice our look of confusion and offer up help before we had to ask. A lot of Japanese people speak good English. And English can be found just about everywhere which made travel using public transportation much easier.
Mayuko’s little kitchen
We scheduled a half-day private home cooking class with Mayuko. The food did not disappoint, and this experience was definitely a highlight. At Mayuko’s quaint home setting we learned how to make homemade Japanese pan-fried pork dumplings and homemade miso soup along with multiple other classic dishes.
We learned how to do a typical table setting and had wonderful conversation about the culture and traditions of Japan.
Not only was Mayuko a great instructor, she was very sweet and funny. We still laugh about a phrase that she taught us. “Your welcome” in Japanese (Doitashimashite) can be very difficult to remember and pronounce. But, she said it is similar to an English phrase. You just have to say it quickly and you can totally get away with it…“Don’t touch my mustache”! And you bet one of us was brave enough to use it later that day…Bobby!
Sakura season
We walked from Mayuko’s home to a nearby park and saw a few cherry blossoms in full bloom. The trees were gorgeous with variations of light and dark pink and white blooms. We saw large crowds gathered around each tree and families eating picnic lunches and taking pictures. In the Japanese culture when the cherry blossoms are in bloom they will often take off work and gather together and bring pictures of loved ones from the past and all enjoy the beauty and fellowship. And judging by what we were seeing in the park that day I can see why!
Kanpai (Empty glass)
As we sat in the back room of a Yakitori restaurant eating hot skewered meats right off the grill and spicy noodles it finally hit us. We were in Tokyo, Japan and soaking up the sites. Maybe it was the multiple glasses of the best Sake we had ever drank that made us realize this. We ordered more skewers as we rang the service bell and our waiter came running.
He over flowed each glass with Sake into a bamboo box (a symbol of prosperity that you can overflow the Sake). We could not wait to see what the rest of the trip had in store.
Abbey Road
We headed out to see a Beatles cover band at a small bar called Abbey Road. We didn’t know what to expect. A Beatles Cover band in Tokyo? Jimmy said he had several people give the experience good reviews, so why not. Wow!! Once we sat down at our table we did not move. Not a single patron left early and it seemed like the band left everyone wanting more. And as we sat in the dark bar drinking bourbon and cokes we enjoyed listening to some of the best Beatles songs renditions. We seemed like the only Americans in the bar and we watched and listened for about 3 hours as everyone knew the songs. What an incredible night with our tour guides Alysia and Jimmy. We found out later that “The Parrots” cover band had been hired by Paul McCartney himself to sing for his wife’s birthday.
Tsukiji Fisher Market
We knew we were in the right place for sushi when we saw a giant blue fin tuna head sitting out front of each restaurant.
We were at Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo and as expected we saw some of the freshest seafood you might find in the world, some of it still swimming around. But as we watched in awe at the sites we noticed that all the local sushi restaurants were packed. As luck would have it again we asked a hostess about the wait and were pulled to a separate downstairs sushi restaurant. We had the local beer Kirin or Holly’s favorite The Premium Malts and dined on some wonderful raw high grade sushi and the rice was of course perfect.
The Turtle and the Crane
They were just rocks, pebbles to be exact, but they each had their precise spot and significance. Millions of small pebbles raked into perfect formation by Monks each morning at a Zen-Buddhist temple. We didn’t know what all the rocks symbolized until a friendly elderly Japanese lady began to tell us the story of the turtle and the crane. She explained that the raked pebbles represented a river that signified each person’s journey in life. Then she pointed to a larger rock shaped like a turtle and she explained that the turtle represented the low times in life because the turtle swims under water. And then we noticed a taller rock that stood above the others, it represented the crane. The crane represented the high times in life. As we walked to what opened up into a large perfectly raked area that was considered the ocean. Our newly acquired tour guide explained that the river runs into the ocean and that the crane and the turtle are with you along the way. And while we would only like the “crane” moments in life one must also experience the “turtle” time too. We left with a better understanding that you cannot have the high times without also experiencing low times.
We took back more than souvenirs
As we watched the bartender carefully mix each drink taking his time to ensure that each ice cube was correct, each pour was precise and that our drinks were perfectly made, we remembered the words of Mayuko. She said that Japanese people take pride and care in everything they do. And that Japanese culture stresses doing things to bring pride and honor to one’s family and self, no matter what the task or job. Mayuko stated that “even if no one is watching the Sun is always watching.” We tasted our cocktails and looked out over the skyline of Tokyo and pondered why more people and cultures couldn’t do the same.
Maybe we could be better at everything that we do, maybe we could be better people, maybe we should take something away from this trip other than typical souvenirs.
Check and check
We saw and did so many wonderful things in Japan.
Meiji shrine
Bold, creative, quirky fashion
Imperial Palace
Imperial Palace gardens
Jim Gaffigan stand-up in tiny 50 person bar (don’t miss his best line at the start of the page)
Tokyo Tower
Hachi the dog memorials
Crazy Shibuya Crossings and Shibuya Station
Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) Curry
Ironically, some of the best Indian food in the world at Priya. Jimmy has been going here for years during business trips.
It seemed as if each experience topped the next one and then the next one. We left very impressed with Japan’s strong sense of culture, beautiful and meaningful sites and destinations, and the variety and delicious foods. This trip changed us and made us want to see more of the world. Therefore, we have both decided that this will not be our only “trip of a lifetime” it is the first of many. Thank you Alysia and Jimmy for everything!
Great post. I enjoyed every word and so happy that the two of you got to experience this trip. Thank you Alysia and Jimmy