Rice Field (Tanbo,田んぼ）
Before going to Japan I had a preconceived image of the country, which was fabricated through popular media. After years of yearning to visit Japan, that wish came true when I studied abroad. Leaving the airport that preconceived image slowly changed the further we traveled through the countryside. One of the common things I saw was rice fields. I remember riding my bike with friends on roads next to these fields. We would yell TANBO TANBO (rice field) to make sure we would not accidentally fall into one. I didn’t have the chance to see the harvest season for rice.
Udon
Udon is a simple filling meal that is soup based. In the picture it has thick buckwheat noodles, thinly sliced green onions, kamaboko (fish cake), and seaweed in a mildly flavored broth. There are other versions of udon, but this one came with the set. Before going to Japan I did not know that udon can be served cold. The first time I had cold udon was at a food court in a shopping center and I was curious on the difference between the two temperatures. I feel like you get more of the flavor with the cold udon rather than the warm. I like adding a poached egg to my soup for extra taste. I recommend trying cold udon if you have never had it before.
Glico sign, Osaka
One of the most tourist things to do in Osaka is to find this Glico sign and imitate the exact pose for a photo. This Glico sign is one of the distinct features of the Namba shopping area. You probably have seen pictures of it, but never knew where it was. When I first visited Osaka I did not do the pose because I did not want to be like other tourist. The second time I went I made a spectacle of it. I posed like the Glico man and yelled who’s number 1. My friend acted like he didn’t know me when I did that and walked away. It was still fun to do.
Flight to Japan
Flying to Japan can cost you a pretty penny, but if you are going to spend the money then make sure it is equipped for international flights. There is someone airlines that go international, but are equipped for domestic flights. This means it will be more cramped and have no entertainment available other than your window. For my trip I went with Korean Airlines because I’ve taken it before. They had a wide variety of movies, K-dramas, TV shows, music, and games. If you are a trained couch potato then watching 3-4 movies will make the flight seem like nothing. I had the chance to play some old school Street Fight II before I fell asleep. Otherwise have some form of entertainment available for a 10 plus hour flight from the states.
Thousand Sunny at Tokyo Tower
During the cherry blossom season we decided to pay a visit to the Tokyo Tower for some great views of the city. Arriving at the location I did not know it was One Piece themed. It was a great chance to get a picture on the Thousand Sunny once people were done with their photos. It would have been awesome if the boat was real. Also it seems that there is a special One Piece exhibit inside the tower available to the public who want to pay for it. Being tight on cash I was unable to go to the exhibit, but next time I’m in Japan I will for sure go.