Visit to my house

Y brought her dog to my house. The first thing Spin did was to dump shit in my house lol... Happened too fast and too sudden.... Luckily the shit was hard so no big damage or require cleaning (Just threw the daiso mat away).

so cute!

asking for help for my Japanese sentence structure. Hideji must be wondering how come they could sit on the sofa instead of him

One coin lunch promo @ Yakiniku House (Misawa) 

Forgot to add this picture of surf clams goods i brought. 

Omiyage from Y when she went back to Okinawa

First time another dog stepped into the house

第17回三沢ほっきまつり (Misawa Surf Clam Festival 2017)

Annually Misawa will hold the Surf Clam Festival in March, its actually a type of clam only available in Misawa and only release for sale (either available supermarkets or restaurants) during winter season (From December to end March). I don't find it particularly tasty or at least to the extend I have to eat before the surf clam season end. However S and my friend loved it. Yuka took me to the festival (never went even though I had stayed more than 3 years in Misawa) and we even went before it started because she had researched and found free tasting of surf clams while stocks last. Pretty shocked to see the long queue even half hour before the festival started. There were 2 queues, 1 for free tasting of surf clams and another was to buy surf clams in bulk (very cheap compared buying in supermarket). The queue to buy surf clams was much longer than our queue, guess mostly locals. 

The festival was quite small scaled with most of stalls selling various surf clam products, we finished touring and eating within half hour. It was delicious and I brought some for S since he was working that day. He was quite envious that I could go and told me I "must" buy something for him lol. 

The grilled surf clams tasted so good! Best I ever eaten so far,

All types of surf clams products: bento, onigiri (rice ball), korokke and even chowder soup!

Many buying the donuts 

The actual image of surf clams

こだわりとんかつ かつ勝 Tonkatsu Restaurant @ Hachinohe

Friends found a Tonkatsu Restaurant near our school and we went to try it. The price was higher than normal restaurant around 1200 yen onwards but their rice and cabbage is refillable. Kind of underestimated the waiting time to prepare the meal for us. By the time it came, we were wolfing it down to rush to our class. Its better to come here when we have time to spare, the portion of the meal was big with side dishes. S would like this!

Facebook link for かつ勝

My oyster set. I love Japanese oysters!

Their set

Interior 

In hurry to go off to lesson, only realised its blurry when I uploaded now.

Random Update - Furry experience with H

Hideji winter fur was dropping everywhere in the house... The volume of the fur and even the slightest movement from him send countless of fur flying to the ground would shock you (actually...S and me lol). We combed him everyday but seemed like there's little impact to reduce the amount. As a result, S went to research online and brought expensive de-shedding tool and both of us were grooming him (One combing, one vacuuming) for a hour. Both of our vacuums ran out of battery and were packed with his fur. We were so exhausted after the session. End result exceeded our expectation, he became slimmer (no more winter coat) and the fur was greatly reduced! Hooray! 

A shiba that naps like a cat lol...

In Japan, if you buy stocks, they will either give you vouchers or their company products. As money is taxable but vouchers and products are not. 

S made delicious thai style vermicelli noodles and crab mixed with egg and celery! 

Caught his weird sleeping pose again

His winter fur started to drop and even combing through lightly resulted in this amount of fur

Salon De Cafe ( サロンドカフェ) @ Oirase

Yuka recommended a restaurant and it turned out to be the place S and me always drove past but we never dare to stop. The location is really far away from main street and located around love hotel, its really surprising that anyone want to open at that location. The building looked like a new white residential house at first glance. 

Coincidentally, in Yuka's workplace, her colleague's daughter is working part time at the restaurant and therefore her colleague recommended her to try the place. Heard that the owner came from Okinawa and hence their dessert ice cream have all sorts of flavor unique from Okinawa (Its an American ice-cream brand actually). Love the atmosphere, with grand piano and a bar to lounge at night.


Operating hours: 11.30 am - 8pm (Last order end at 7pm)

Lunch time from 11.30 am to 2pm

Closed on Wednesday  (Please check their website for current information)

http://www.cafe.meka.ne.jp/

Found the cat sleeping in the carpark

romantic atmosphere 

uni pasta, so good!

Okinawa brand ice cream, can't get it in Misawa

Exterior so discreet, always pass by but don't dare to go in 

Setsubun (節分) - Mamemaki (豆撒き) Bean throwing festival?

My Japanese class has started again after the long winter break, we took the tollway and missed our exit (!!!) Our original exit would have cost 160 yen ($2plus) but we ended up paying 760 yen ($10). Thankfully with the help of GPS, we managed to find our way to the school. The only good outcome was we found many eateries located behind the school. New places to eat! 

The teachers brought peanuts for us to have a taste of Japanese culture - Setsubun (to celebrate end of winter and welcome spring) with Mamemaki (豆撒き). Usually the head of the household would wear the demon mask and the kids will throw the beans chanting "go away evil, happiness come in". We were having ball of time throwing the peanuts at our classmates and we were supposed to pick up the beans and ate it (peanuts amount should be your current age + 1). I ate a few as I felt its was dirty to eat those peanuts thrown on the ground lol...

One Coin Lunch @ はーぽ 十和田 (Towada)

Went to Towada to settle our tax. Based on our past experience, it would take less than 2 hours to settle it but this time it took us 4 hours! Yes! S waited in line (no seats) for 4 hours, its not like in Singapore where you press to get a queue ticket and sit and wait for your number to be call. Here (at least in Towada), everyone was standing in line for hours. I was waiting in the car studying (since I knew it would be long) but eventually gave up (No way I could have study for 4 hours right and I was freezing and hungry in the car). We reached at 10.30am and left around 2pm. 

Apparently Japanese government started a new registration system from last year, sending all Japanese resident a card called My Number マイナンバー). Its like our NRIC or social security number to trace everyone and to streamline government agencies  (Surprise right? Japan did not have this system since last year so tax evasion is done easily or cheat welfare benefits and each government agencies have no access to one another). Anyway, this year in the taxation paperwork, everyone has to fill in this "My Number" and almost all the elderly did not know about it. Hence it took double amount of time to explain what is "My Number" to them and best some were hard on hearing. So S spent 4 hours waiting behind those people who were struggling or half deaf.....  

Finally when it ended, we went to the cafe to have our lunch. Their menu was overwhelming, I would prefer the menu stated which are the recommendation and some pictures of the food. It just 1 page menu with 40 over choices. 

https://tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0203/A020304/2002358/

Antique atmosphere (Plants or withered plants with old decorations). Stepped into another era. 

delicious but too much. Could not finish it

Located near driving school and veterinary university. 

Farewell Party

My Malaysian classmate from my Japanese class in Misawa is leaving! His agriculture visa is due to expire and he planned his own farewell party before he leaves lol... Since the start of winter, I have yet to resume my class (no car, too cold to get S to cycle to work, even on days I have car, no confidence to drive on icy road). Fikri messaged me the actual morning and told me he is coming for class for his farewell party (2 of us did not attend Japanese class at all), I was like: What?! Today?! Let me check if there are even class today lol...

 

Quiet sad he is leaving, its like my ASEAN neighbour is gone lol.... Fikri said he might be back in August to help his home stay farmer with his crops for a month. However it might be Misawa or somewhere else in Japan. Hope I can get to see him again in August!

Just nice the next day is Valentine's Day

Fikri prepared everything for himself, we tried to do the icing on the cake but failed. lol...

His farewell speech

Group photo!

Sachiko san came to say good bye.

One Coin Lunch @ Cafe MatiereIKEZAKI (Misawa)

Went for lunch with our one coin lunch book, decided to visit the bakery cafe used to locate in Sky Plaza and relocated somewhere else. They are also the bakery that sell the famous Misawa burgers in the airport. Its only available for sale in airport, they do not have it in the cafe. S love their lunch menu but since I do not like bread that much (bread with meat is another thing), we rarely go. This time, the cafe actually offer one of Misawa burger with the book, and came along with fries and drink. Super good deal! The burger was so crispy and filling.

Here is the new address and link: https://tabelog.com/en/aomori/A0203/A020303/2002730/

Currently its pretty lacking in reviews and photos since they are not using their old link anymore. Do give it a try!

S's acquaintance came from Takko Town famous for garlic and they even have garlic coke! She heard I was interested in it and brought it for me!. Thank you!

Ordered extra ham and egg croissant,  260 yen. Crispy outside , tender inside! 

Yummy burger! Fries for 2 person since S went along. All for 500 yen! (Do note that this is under One Coin Lunch Hachinohe Book Promotion, have to buy the book to enjoy the promo. They do not sell the book in the bakery, you have to buy it in bookstore)

Interior 

Free sample (New product) by the chef! Kinako bread (Roasted soya bean flour). Tasty!