KELCIE VISITS - PART I

A while back, my good friend Kelcie (who I've known since I was in Elementary School), told me she had a short break from grad school and was planning to come to Japan in March. The timing worked out perfectly since my schedule is a bit more relaxed this time of year! A bonus was that Kelcie brought along her friend Michelle (who everyone calls Shimmy) and the three of us hit it of like sisters! 

A throwback photo for reference (this was at GVBC summer camp). Kelcie has always been one of my friends that makes me laugh the most. This might have something to do with the fact that we grew up going to summer camp together where we found the most random and creative ways to occupy our afternoon free time. I clearly remember this one day at Alpine Camp when Kelc, Naomi, Dresser, Jamie and myself did this dance video around our cabin. The cabin was comprised of three rooms that made a circle, so we set up the video camera on the floor and opened all the connecting doors so we could strut around in a continual circle while dancing. We were busting up laughing for hours doing this. Pure ridiculousness... and some of my best childhood memories. You could imagine the adventures Kelc and I were about to have in Japan...

First stop was Disney Sea! We spent all Saturday here and it was perfect. I love friends that love Disney. A few highlights were being able to rock my pink fuzzy mickey earmuffs, seeing a group of random girls perfectly posed wearing matching pink pig outfits, and grubbing on the cutest Alien mochi. GOOD DAY! 

On Sunday, Kelc and Shimmy joined me for church and we had a blast worshiping the Lord together!! My favorite thing is bringing all my friends to meet my church family here in Japan. After service we grabbed some udon (with mini curry on the side) at the station and headed down south an hour or so to our next destination...ODAWARA. 

This is a fun travel story...Kelc and Shimmy weren't quite sure their whole itinerary when they arrived to Japan, so on Friday night Kelc and I literally sat down on our computers and said "Where do you wanna go?" I recommend playing this game with friends, it's pretty fun hah! We decided to stick within an hour or two of the Tokyo area and settled upon the Odawara/Hakone area. We pulled up Airbnb and booked this place called "Plum Hostel" for $20 a night. dope! 

more on this hostel later in the post...but i mean, how cute is the entrance?? 

We unloaded our backpacks at the hostel and walked around town to find dinner. Look at Kelc giving me the "SMIZE" here - diva!

And then we found this shop, famous for kamaboko (fish cakes). I grew up around kamaboko and always avoided it as a kid (wait, I still avoid it as an adult) but I had to appreciate the CAR AND BARBIE SHAPED KAMABOKO for sale. Whaaaaat?! That is next-level-Japan status. 

We cruised around a few shops at the station mall, and then ate bentos for dinner (since they were one sale!). Kelc got that maguro bowl for literally $3 (unreal) and Shimmy and I ate a yummy beef bento for $4. dowwwwn! 

Ok now a little bit more about this hostel... It was cute, cozy, clean and perfectly Japanese. 

The hostel entrance had a reception desk, a kitchen and a little upstairs hang out area. So cute right!?

We stayed in the "female dorm" which was basically a TINY room with 5 beds (bunks). Since we took up 3 of the beds, it kind of felt like our own private cabin and we goofed off for an hour or so just taking photos. 

The beds were super cozy and they had a little night light, bedside shelf, outlet plug, and curtains to close off your area to feel private. 

Sunday after dinner and taking a bunch of photos...we spent the night chatting about all God is teaching us in our lives. There was this moment when Kelc was up in the bunk above me and Shimmy was in the bunk next to me and we realized, "doesn't this feel exactly like church camp?" We had a good laugh at that moment...that Kelcie and I grew up together bonding at church summer camp, bunking together as kids, and there we were 15 years later in bunk beds in the middle of Japan doing the same thing. I love how God works!!! 

many more photos coming...

LIFE LATELY

1. SEASONAL TREATS 

My coworker made sakura-mochi which is a famous seasonal treat this time of year. It's mochi with red bean inside covered in a pickled sakura leaf. The leaf is supposed to add a strong and salty flavor to balance out the sweetness of the red bean. Usually it's a bit too strong for me, but this homemade version was THE best i've ever had! 

2. MARATHON TAIKAI (SCHOOL 5K) 

Every year in February, our school (and most schools in Japan) host a 5k. This is a crazy event to me because every single girl student is required to run a 5k in 30 minutes and every boy student is required to run 10k in an hour. And...every single student does it! 

In proper Japanese 5k fashion, students are served a hot bowl of pork soup and a banana. I sprinkled some peppers in mine and it was BOMB. *side note: I also RAN in the 5k (yes you read that right) because they needed a few teachers to watch the students on the route and help any girl students who lagged behind. It was good practice to remind myself that it wasn't about the pain in my legs or the fact that my body hasn't moved that actively in a loooong time (haha so sad) but it was more about encouraging the students and helping them cross that finish line in time. 

3. COWORKERS LUNCH OUT! 

And then, just for kicks, my coworkers and I decided to eat some curry for lunch at this popular place in Kashiwa called Bombay after the 5k. Ikeda sensei has been raving about this "extremely hot" curry for some time now and we took this day to all check it out together.

SUUUUPER SPICY chicken curry right here. YOWZAH. It's the kind of spice that starts off sweet and you're like 'hey, I can do this' and then 5 seconds later you regret every morsel you let in your mouth hahaha. A few guys around the restaurant were straight up dripping sweat. We ordered one order for all 8 of us to try, and still couldn't finish it!

I opted for the really yummy veggie curry which looks like a big mound because it's sitting atop a tomato. And they serve you really strong coffee after, I'm assuming to kick the curry taste out of your mouth.

Tamaoki and Tanaka sensei...awesome coworkers and two guys I really look up to! I am truly thankful for the people I get to work with at Ichikashi. They are all so kind and warm hearted and I am so thankful to spend time with them! 

4. A FEW GOOD SPOTS

Two other great meals recently...more korean BBQ and the best burger spot in Kashiwa, VIBES! I ordered the seasonal special, strawberry cheddar burger! FOREAL! And it was bomb. Praise God for good food. 

5. ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

And lastly, a few snaps from my time visiting Elementary and Junior High Schools in February. I get to visit about 5 schools every year and teach some lessons...but the best part is always eating lunch with the kids. A true Japanese experience. 

Pork veggies soup, rice, veggie salad, fried fish, sweet beans, an orange and milk. The soup was amazing. 

This school had a crazy lunch this day...bread rolled in chocolate and kinako (soybean powder), noodle soup, pineapple salad, dried fish, an orange slice and milk. Whatttt!!!!

Life has been good lately! Thank you Lord!

SKIING SHIGA KOGEN - NAGANO, JAPAN

After spending Saturday at the monkey park, we drove up the mountain to the ski resort area. We stayed at the Prince Hotel (West) and skied Shiga Kogen! It was rad. 

Nothing like a hot can of cocoa from a vending machine on a cold day

Now, let's all remember that I am a born-and-raised southern California beach dweller...so every single place I looked while staying up on the mountains was jaw dropping. This was the view from the elevator and I was slightly freaking out..."OH MY GOSH. IT IS JUST SO BEAUTIFUL!" 

Shiga Kogen is an awesome place to come skiing because it is still quite untouched by foreigners (aka less crowded) since it isn't close to a main train station. I mean, from Nagano station you have to take a 2hr bus ride just to get to this area! I liked that it felt  very quaint, full of local Japanese peeps, and had so much fresh snow! 

beautiful day out!! 

This was my first time skiing so I'm not sure if this is the case for every ski resort in every country...but here in Japan there were some TINY kids skiing like professionals. Seriously, every few people coming down the mountain was a 5yr old child going so fast. I saw one family where this little boy was skiing down the mountain with his dad behind him...his dad pushed him once in the back and said "GO STRAIGHT!!! FASTER" haha!

the bunny slope where I played with the kids and practiced skiing haha. 

Is this guy skiing with no poles? 

Quick shout out to Emiko (read HER BLOG!)  for this amazing dutch company's bag. 

tiny cutie!!! 

At the kids area they had these cool bikes with skis on them!

So we skied Saturday night and Sunday morning...and then I had to catch a bus at 4pm Sunday afternoon to head home.

The bus stop I waited at! haha...am I in Antartica right now or what? 

Thanks for a good stay Prince Hotel! 

My journey home...2hr bus ride to Nagano station---1.5hr shinkansen to Ueno station---35min train ride back home to Kita-Kashiwa station. Good thing I had a bento dinner and fresh apple juice on the ride. 

Such a jam-packed fun weekend. I was so thankful to have spent it with great friends out in God's beautiful creation. Staring up at those incredible snow covered mountains I couldn't help but thank the Lord for His beauty and majesty. What an awesome God we serve! 

p.s Check out Nathalie's photography BLOG! She's amazing! 

JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK - NAGANO, JAPAN

See snow monkeys soaking in an onsen in the middle of Japan.
...check that off the bucket list! 

My good friends Nathalie and Tony, their two kiddos and I decided to head for a weekend in Nagano to visit the famous snow monkeys that reside in Yamanouchi. We left Tokyo Saturday morning around 8am and got to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park at around 12pm! 

Since Tony works at the embassy, they have access to the embassy store which has basically every necessary American imported food item AKA...MUENSTER CHEESE, SLICED TURKEY BREAST...AND WHEAT THINS! I was in heaven. 

We knew we arrived when we saw monkey logos at every possible place.

Quick shout out to my mom who sent me these boots for my birthday last year. I had no idea she was going to send them...so one day I came home to a huge rectangular box thinking, what could this possibly be?? And boom! new boots! Being a socal girl, I never knew the need for such legit boots...but my mom has a way of knowing what I need even before I know I need it haha...so thanks mom! These were perfect for treking in the snow. 

Once we parked...we roamed around the base of the mountain taking pics and seeing a few monkeys already! We had to walk up a little hill to the entrance. 

Once you reach the entrance to the trail, they make it clear that you have to walk 1.6km in to the actually monkey park entrance. 

Although the path is a little muddy, there was hardly any incline which made it a real breeze. Also, the mountain views were spectacular. 

So once you walk 25 min in or so, you reach this cute little valley right at the base of the monkey onsen. There were a few monkeys roaming around this area and even a dude taking a bath in one of the onsens. He was BUTT naked for all to see. HAHA...gotta love Japan. 

Up the stairs to the entrance...

Made it inside! Lots of snow and monkeys (and tourists) roaming all over. 

I was surprised how close we could get to the monkeys without them freaking out or anything. I've seen monkeys in Vietnam and Uganda before and they were much more aggressive (well, in Uganda they were straight up baboons) so we were joking that these were "Japanese monkeys" which made them naturally respectful and kind! haha. 

And the iconic onsen!! This was a mama monkey and her TEENNYYY TINYYY adorable baby. 

LOOK AT THAT BABY!! GAHHHH! 

Nathalie, Poiema, Khiro and I posing with our new monkey friends. 

hey buddy

Loved these dudes chillen in the sun. 

This mama was cuddling her baby and they looked so cozy. Pretty crazy being this close to nature! 

We spent a few hours in the park. It's not that big, and most people probably don't need to be there that long, but Nathalie and I are both photographers so we found plenty of things to occupy our time.

We headed back down the mountain and ate a quick afternoon snack at the cafe out front before driving to our next destination. 

From Jigokudani park we had a 40 minute drive further up the mountain to our hotel. The road was so windy and crazy but...nonetheless, very beautiful! (just look at the blue line on the GPS!)

Made it up the mountain just as the sun was setting down. What a good day!

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Seeing the snow monkeys in Nagano is DEFINITELY worth it. It's so epic seeing them bathing in the onsen like old Japanese Ojiisans. Especially if you're a photographer of any kind...you gotta go. The park itself isn't that big and theres not too much to do there besides take 1,000 photos for instagram (lol) so I would suggest booking a night at one of the hotels up the mountain and going skiing or snowboarding while you're up there. Nagano is pretty far from Tokyo so it's worth it to spend adequate time cruising around the mountainside. 

second day in Nagano coming next...!

WASTE

Just wanted to share a little recent doodle of lyrics from WASTE IT ALL by Christ McClarney (based on Mark 14:3-9 when Mary anoints Jesus with very costly perfume). These lyrics have met me many a times in life and have resurfaced recently to really encourage me in a season of doubt and uncertainty. To "waste" our work, our time, our effort, our desires, our priorities, our dreams and our future on the Lord is worth it every single time. Why? Because He is worthy. simple as that. 

i'm gonna waste it all on you.
I'm gonna pour my hearts perfume.
I don't care if i'm called a fool.
I'm wasting it all on you

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
1 Peter 4; 12-16