JapanGirl64

 This week we had several rainy days but on Saturday the sun came out we couldn't resist getting outside. We decided to visit Odawara to see the Ume (Plum) blossoms. Last time we went to Odawara we rode the Romance Train, but right now we are not allowed to use public transportation so we took the Purple Grape on a roadtrip! It turns out we were about a week early on the blossoms, but it was still worth the drive. Beautiful day and the sun felt so good! The orchard we visited has about 35,000 trees. It should be quite a lovely site, next week - haha We strolled through the orchard and came upon a map of the area showing points of interest. There is a view point just up on the hillside across from this orchard. According to the map there are roads that lead to the view point, but we found that was not quite the case. After making an interesting turn, we found ourselves struggling up this tiny dirt road in a very undersized car. The tires on the Purple Grape are maybe the size of the...

 You will think all we do on the weekend is hike - and actually that is somewhat true! Both Kimball and I enjoy the great outdoors and walking/hiking, but also we are not allowed (military base COVID-19 orders) to go into the big cities (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, etc...)  This weekend we decided to try a hike up Mt Takao. It's not too far from Tokyo and has its own train station at the trailhead. Normally it would be much more crowded, but right now the crowds are low, which is nice for us. Our military orders prohibit lots of things (eating inside restaurants, staying in hotels, riding the trains and buses, going to certain "Red Zones" - see cities listed above) but they encourage us to participate in outdoor activities and physical fitness. So, hiking it is! There are about 8 different trails you can take to the top of Mt Takao. (or if you prefer you can ride a chair lift or take a cable car - lots of options!)  The main trail #1 is paved all the way up. That is the on...

 Happy New Year 2021! For New Year's Eve I tried making Hoto soup. We discovered this delicious soup over Thanksgiving when we visited Yamanashi and Mt Fuji.   By doing lots of online searching and using Google Translate I managed to locate most of the essential ingredients. For a first attempt it turned out pretty good, but I need to refine my presentation. I started the soup too early so by the time we sat down to eat it the vegetable were a little too soft. I want it to look beautiful like the picture I found online. It will be my new project - creating perfect Hoto! Getting up to see the first sunrise of the year I am told is a Japanese tradition. We found the perfect spot on a hill at the 4th tee of the golf course here on base. The day was so clear and perfect Kimball and I decided to hike up Mt Bukkasan. It was a steep hike. There is a definite theme for all our hikes here in Japan - lots of steps going straight up.  But it was worth the effort for the amazing...