Day two; moar pictures!

Again, mostly pictures from the 15th! Enjoy!

お茶タイム! = Tea time! This is a local confectionary. A soft meringue-like shell, and the inside is sweet white bean paste. That sounds way less appetizing than it is. It’s really good!

“Take these with you to Tokyo, okay?” is what Reiko told me, as she handed me two bags of high quality green tea.

Reiko and Shinji cook, and I do the dishes!

Reiko asked to anonymous, hence the mask…
- Just kidding; it’s because she has some kind of allergic reaction and get slightly red. It’s pure vanity!

If you quickly dump raw harusame (mung bean sprouts) in hot oil, you get these curly thingies. Decorative and edible!

This is what a 1000yen meal at Art&Space Café in Taketa looks like. You get rice or noodles on the side.

Lunch! Tempura udon! Tempura is the deep fried toppings, udon is the noodles.

A kind of dried kaki, as far as I understood. Very sweet, very good.

I’ve been taught how to make maccha (抹茶), high quality powdered green tea which you whisk, creating a foam.

Beat dat tea~! Pardon my hair.

出来上がり! = Done!

A cup for me and a cup for Mai-san, the Gotous’ daughter in law. Sweets to the left.

Today was like the white one I posted earlier, only covered with chocolate.

I don’t know what to think of this. An item that caught my eye in their little shop (not the café).

Little Kei-chan, Mai-san (mother), and Kazuko-san, Kei-chan’s great grandmother (and Reiko-san’s mother). Kazuko-san is senile beyond belief, but the sweetest thing.


Tonight is すき焼き! Sukiyaki! First for me, but it’s SO good! Meat and different veggies cooked in a sweet and savory sauce. You just take it as it cooks, and dip it in raw egg before eating. For sure not my last time!

Shinji-san to the left, Reiko-san holding the meat, Mai-san eating mochi.