American food and Japanese Family

 This week I decided to share a couple of Camp Zama discoveries.

American style SUSHI

I love sushi. I had never tried it until I met Kimball. The first bite was very unique...I wasn't sure...but by the second bite I was hooked! Since then I have learned to make a simple version of maki sushi and I've tried lots of other kinds. They are all good - no bad sushi in my opinion (except natto)!

But I must admit, my favorite kind of sushi is the American nouveau style - I love fancy, cream cheese filled, eel sauce topped, crunchy type rolls. Unfortunately, that is not the stuff you find in sushi restaurants in Japan.

A week or so ago, while riding our bikes around the base, we came upon this huge advertisement -speaking right to ME!


The place is not too far from the base, the staff speaks English and they do take out! Score!! 

I've already tired it out and it was delish! Super expensive compared to Japanese style sushi, but I guess its a niche market. 

Here is a picture dad took of me before the bike ride. He is mocking my decision to wear a hat under my helmet. But it was a little cold.




Uncle Masamichi at Sobudai

When we found out we were coming to Camp Zama, dad told me he thought Grandma O's 
brother had been at this same installation near the end of WWII. At that time (1938 to 1945) it was called Sobudai and was the Japanese equivalent of West Point Military Academy. After talking more with Grandma O. she told us Uncle Masamichi was only 16 when he came here and was the youngest student ever admitted!

There is a small Museum on the base and one day I stopped in and asked if they had records of students from the 1940s. They did - and with the help of several Japanese soldiers who work in the office building where the museum is located, we finally found the name Masamichi Ikeda with the class of 1943-44.

Below is a picture of the listing and the soldier who found it is pointing to Masamichi Ikeda.




There is a large monument on the base that was placed here and dedicated by the Emperor when the Academy was opened in 1938. (one of the main roads in this area was built especially for him to be able to travel to Sobudai) When the Japanese army abandoned the camp as the war was coming to an end they were afraid the monument might be destroyed so they buried it before they left. A few years later the Americans learned what had happened with the monument and they requested it be dug up and replaced at Camp Zama.

We took a picture of dad standing by the monument. I think its so cool that nearly 80 years after Uncle Masamichi was here, dad has come to the exact same place!








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