Nagashi Somen!

 We went for some Nagashi Somen about a week ago and I forgot my camera—it's kind of creepy that most of the times I go out with Sato Mieko-san I forget my camera; and it really is on accident!

Nagashi Somen is something Sato-san translated as "Japanese floating noodles." Somen are thin, white noodles, and on this case they come out of a pipe floating on a stream of water. You then catch them with your chopsticks, dip them in soy sauce and eat them! It is really, really fun.

I was lucky to get these awesome pictures from her:

This is the Nagashi Somen place. It was really, really nice to have an open-air restaurant. And, this might sound stupid but, the waterfall in the background made it feel like the noodles were coming from the waterfall xD

Right out of that pipe is where the flowing Somen came out of

Accompanying the dish was a roasted, salted fish, some tempura herbs, and the soy sauce.

The fish was especially strange for me since I had never eaten the whole fish like that. It was genius, though

After the Nagashi Somen we went to Azuma Sports Park, where we walked around and saw some traditional Japanese houses in exhibition

Abura zemi (Japanese cicada)

Traditional mochi (rice cake) maker

It was super strange, but we found some crayfish on our excursion. Sato-san explained that crayfish are not really eaten in Japan. 

At the end of the day, Nagashi Somen was one of the most awesome eating experiences I've had in Japan!

A Day With Sato Mieko-san—Soba and Mount Shibu-yama

Sato Mieko-san is the kind of person anyone would be lucky to meet—energetic, high-spirited, knowledgeable, positive, and kind. 

Yesterday we visited a quite genius handmade soba (buckwheat noodle) shop.

The wall decorations were made from Obi (the sash on a kimono). Sato-san explained that many women are handed down kimonos from their mothers and grandmothers that they don't use, so they find creative ways of keeping them around. This is really funny, because I don't see myself creating a wall decoration from my mother's hand-me-down clothes, but this really works out well!

I have to say that I am forever grateful about these tables: many Japanese restaurants, even today, have low tables where your legs die half-way through the meal from sitting on them. These tables are low, but there is a cavity under the table to rest your legs.

As Sato-san explained, it takes over 100 kneads the make these handmade noodles "adequately chewy." The side dishes were vegetable tempura, and pickled cucumbers (kyuri no tsukemono). After we finished the soba, they gave us something Sato-san called "soba juice" which I'm guessing was the water that remains after boiling the noodles—that is what the taste was like, anyway.

The women at the shop were curious about my origin and, after I presented myself, they gave me a handmade coin purse in the shape of a sandal as a thank-you gift for having visited their restaurant. This is one of the greatest things I have experienced in Japan: the ability of people to make you feel welcome, it is simply heart-warming.

After the soba, Sato-san wanted to go to Mount Shinobu-yama and on our way up we went by a shrine.

 The small lady there, that's Sato-san! 

You see those red posts? Well, Japanese people take their new cars in there. Then, the "shrine master" will bless the car and protect it for "Japanese people to have a safe trip."

  

I saw a "shrine master" from afar, and I had to take a picture of him, he's so cool!! ^_^

This is showing the animal whose year it is on the Chinese calendar this year being the year of the snake.

And, yeah, sorry for the poor camera skills >_<

Most Japanese people have a Shinto altar at their home. One of the key aspects of the altar is the kamidana, the home of the kami (god) that the altar is dedicated to. 

After a Japanese person dies, the kamidana can't be thrown away as trash, so it is taken to a Shinto shrine to be re-blessed by a "shinto master." 

Kamidanas

Many Japanese also keep Omamori (talismans) dedicated to a series of petitions such as good health, happiness, love, a safe trip... or some even have them personalized for purposes such as doing well on an exam or finding a good partner to marry. 

Just like kamidanas these items are considered sacred and cannot be thrown away, so they are also taken to a shrine.

This is a Torii, it is a symbolical entrance to a shrine, marking sacred space.

We came across this sign exiting the shrine. It says "Do not park, God is watching" lol

After the awesomeness of the shrine, we went up Mount Shinobu-yama, and it was great!

Small shrine on the way up Shinobu-yama

A sight of Fukushima City

At night, after a long awesome day, Shimada-san prepared Miska and I some dinner. Miska is the other volunteer and he's from Finland. Shimada-san is another remarkable woman that I will definitely introduce on my next blog!

Italia born in Mexico who comes from America

It’s no secret that when a foreigner hears the word ‘Fukushima,’ the first thoughts are flooded with radiation, disaster—and more radiation!

I even found videos that could make anyone believe that all of Fukushima looks like an abandoned wasteland.

I can’t really say that there is not a part of Fukushima that looks like that, but I can say that the part where I'm at really doesn't. I guess the whole reason why I’m writing this is to show the whole other side of Fukushima: the one filled with beautiful scenery, awesome food, and lots of karaoke. As my stay has extended, this place has definitely began to feel like home to me, and I wish to share the awesome findings I have come across!

Hello everyone, my name is Italia and I am 18 years old. I have been living in Niwasaka, a small town in the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan for a little over two months.