tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88918592077292273502011-11-08T02:04:54.491+09:00Koriyama, located in the Fukushima prefecture on Honshu, is our home from the end of January 2007 and the following three years. This blog is our way of capturing our life in this for us so curious yet fascinating part of the world. It also gives our family and friends a chance to see what we are up to. Feel at home :o)Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.comBlogger1181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-28381858796754451162010-07-16T05:38:00.009+09:002010-07-27T16:44:54.065+09:00

The Japanese monsoon hit again yesterday with some thunder and ligthening thrown in here and there. The sewage couldn't quite cope with it why roads were covered by inches of water erasing all visibility of crossovers etc.  The level of noise created by the rain was extreme. After such an evening, - waking up to this beauty of a sunrise was incredible. The rainy season is supposed to end this

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-37212507683726243552010-07-14T19:56:00.009+09:002010-07-27T16:45:10.876+09:00

Love this video. Makes one wanna run: http://vimeo.com/4600647

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-44419312359810595362010-07-12T09:54:00.055+09:002010-07-14T13:20:15.315+09:00

This blog has been quiet for years. Focused on enjoying our lives here, taking the time to cave the thousands of moments has been left in the darkness. On the stepping stone to new adventures, it's about time to re-initiate the quest of capturing as much as possible of the beautiful 4 year long stay we have enjoyed in Japan. There will be a lot of nostalgic blog writing going on here, with new

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-85284993581758345132010-06-28T07:25:00.018+09:002010-07-27T16:46:11.109+09:00

Since loosing the game to Japan, this happens whenever we tell a Japanese that we're from Denmark: We get a merry laugh, - and a comment about us being very good friends of Japan. Well, we are very good friends of Japan, so dear Japan, - big congrats to you. This pic was taken at the fish market in Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-6294814440074191202010-06-10T20:30:00.015+09:002010-07-14T15:37:17.457+09:00

In Copenhagen we got a chance to meet up with our very special Brazilian friend Luecia, whom we hadn't seen for two years. Catching up whilst indulging in a goat cheese & watermelon salad is just as perfect as perfect can be. It felt like we hadn't been apart for a minute.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-41344959630111476962010-06-09T10:06:00.010+09:002010-07-13T15:21:06.879+09:00

Since October 2009, I've eagerly jumped out of bed on Wednesdays to meet up with some of my best friends in Koriyama at the local Starbucks when it flungs the doors open at 7:30am.This Wednesday I was in Copenhagen though. And it rained. And my Danish friends were either still sleeping or on their way to work. So what to do? I trotted to the nearest Baresso, - the Danish equivalent to Starbucks,

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-73152047006407258752010-04-04T09:45:00.037+09:002010-07-14T19:05:12.157+09:00

The beauty of Adatarasan greeted us on a crisp Spring morning. With o bentos and water supplies stuffed in the backpacks, clutching the ski sticks there was only one way to go, - up. Adatarasan is a 1718 meters tall volcano. It killed 4 tourists in 1997 with it's poisonous fumes, and it is still possible to see fumes today. Henrik is as always trying to orientate, - not that it's necessary, -

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-14419373504790397302010-03-31T22:52:00.008+09:002010-07-14T12:58:27.952+09:00

Together with Meg, Z and Keiko I(B) went to a treasure of a soba place. I swear, - this place serves the World's best soba salad.Handmade cold soba noodles, thinly sliced radishes and daikon, grinded sesame seeds and topped with daikon sprouts, served with a yummy tsuyuu-like dressing and wasabi.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-83718922882393083082009-12-22T14:29:00.016+09:002010-07-12T15:53:23.386+09:00

On our way to New Zealand this sight of a 3.776 meter tall beauty captured our eyes awaking the desire to reach the top someday.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-91982884065666088182009-07-28T19:13:00.020+09:002010-07-14T13:34:25.697+09:00

Since the arrival here in Japan some two years ago, I(b) have been taken lessons in the art form of Chigiri-e. Though I continue to feel challenged during the lessons (especially when it comes to sketching), I do love the hours flooded with creativity once a month in the company of a lovely group of women. As a side bonus, - the classes always doubles as culture lessons.Always being considerate,

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-35256794753078296652009-07-25T08:38:00.052+09:002010-07-13T14:54:10.924+09:00

One of our favorite restaurants in Koriyama is tucked away behind one of the many parks. It comes with a superb view of the cherry trees during Spring and the place is the perfect goal for a random Saturday midmorning walk which is just what we were in the mood for today. The set course (the only thing on the menu) consists of 6 different dishes and is build around seasonal Japanese ingredients

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-91308910682349526782009-07-20T16:12:00.006+09:002010-07-13T07:08:56.151+09:00

Japans strong culture of gift exchanging is ever present in our daily life. A co-worker brings cake for Henrik to pass on to me (whom he has never met), friends bring souvenirs from recent holidays or day trips, the neighbor stops by with home cooked food, teachers bring flowers from their garden and strangers share knowledge, advices and rice crackers as we hit the road touring the country.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-31471861191367241452009-07-08T20:25:00.006+09:002010-07-12T22:42:09.759+09:00

...moments spent in a Brazilian hammock together with the nephews. Vi savner jer. xox

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-37734944223161619712009-05-16T20:18:00.007+09:002010-07-12T23:11:51.702+09:00

Shopping for eggs in Japan isn't quite as simple as in Denmark. This picture was taken at the farmers market attached to the outlet mall in Nasu.At the local supermarket in Koriyama, we also tend to have a good selection to choose from. Some eggs are with high levels of Omega 3, others with Iodine etc. We do miss having the choice of simple free range organic eggs though. Japan might be able to

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-31331375395190503452009-04-24T15:08:00.011+09:002010-07-13T14:55:55.351+09:00

Henrik succeeded in granting two month leave of absence from work, so we dusted off the backpacks and went off to India for a two month journey to experience the country while spreading the word about diabetes. The journey began 25th of February 2009 and we returned to Japan in mid April 2009 after the fierce sun in Rajasthan had proven stronger than us. India left a tremendous impact on us and

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-83118726018873088642008-11-19T21:43:00.007+09:002010-07-13T09:25:11.559+09:00

Persimmons are hung in rows to dry, for later to be enjoyed as a C vitamin rich snack.A natural ailment for sore throat. 'Karin' pickled in honey. My Ikebana teacher surplied the fruit. The honey was bought at Kokoroya, an NGO helping mentally challenged people and local farmers, while promoting chemical free produce.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-40531060919236603042008-11-03T23:21:00.007+09:002010-07-13T14:56:24.821+09:00

'Bunka no hi' is the National culture day in Japan and therefore a tea ceremony was arranged in one of the local parks. A good friend and her mother invited me(b) to join, and that is an invitation I would never turn down. The atmosphere alone is reason enough to join, the air tingling with respect, humbleness and discipline. The joy of being surrounded by beautiful kimono clad ladies is another

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-51948893706701517442008-11-01T18:15:00.006+09:002008-11-04T08:00:48.133+09:00

As expatriates in Japan the question we seem to get most often is "Are you speaking Japanese?" Our answer continue to be the same, that we are trying to learn it, - hoping someday to make it to 2-kyu, but doubting that it will ever happen.One's level of Japanese is measured in kyu's were 1-kyu means you are 100% fluent speaking and 4-kyu means you are on a very basic level. We are somehow in

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-38340693991475300602008-10-02T19:12:00.023+09:002008-10-06T16:03:19.548+09:00

I always have food cravings. Food cravings for any kind of Japanese food. Preferably Japanese food cooked by Japanese people. Food here is made with such care. Focus is solely on the ingredient, its quality and freshness. The Japanese acknowledge that food taste better when it is in season. It's common to shop for groceries almost every day, thus securing fresh ingredients for every meal. The

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-52259834288679818882008-09-28T07:44:00.041+09:002008-10-09T17:01:24.022+09:00

After only three hours sleep due to Mikas wedding yesterday, I am surprised I didn't fall asleep amongst the ricestacks near Yabuki, an hours drive from Koriyama. But no, today was all about harvesting rice, so no time for idyllic napping, despite the inviting laid-back atmosphere that always greet you on the countryside. I love the countryside.The trip was organized by a threesome, - a local

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-69147440946802739172008-09-25T10:15:00.020+09:002008-10-04T09:26:41.354+09:00

Today's Ikebana decoration was chosen to honor the fact that Mika is getting married in two days. The small bell peppers you see at the bottom of the decoration symbolize fertility, so this was Gunji-sensei's way of wishing Mika a happy and productive marriage. Here is Mika with Gunji-sensei's decoration and Mie-chan: Ikebana was also very special today because my sis attended the class.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-25934311963536118772008-09-15T09:36:00.004+09:002008-10-03T09:52:01.341+09:00

Who says, that just because you are a dog, you can't dress up for a day's fun? This picture was shot at the newest (and biggest) outlet mall in Tohoku region, located in the outskirts of Sendai. Dressing up your dog is sort of normal here in Japan, and you can find racks of dogs clothes in every other well-stocked shopping center. This fellow is well above the average though, even wearing a

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-47758205224396173382008-09-10T18:35:00.002+09:002010-07-13T06:47:19.742+09:00

These lovely adzuki bean filled sweets were a gift from our neighbor. Love, love, LOVE anything filled with adzuki bean paste.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-75415902442531370652008-09-10T13:06:00.019+09:002008-09-16T13:16:31.250+09:00

There is one sight we never seem to grow tired of, - the rice fields. No matter what time of the year their way and color attract us. Maybe it is because rice (or products made of rice like sake, sushi and mochi) take an important role in most Japanese ceremonies and festivals thus are continually forced upon us seeking to gain knowledge obout the Japanese culture. Maybe it is because rice is the

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-66367135926697792912008-08-29T09:40:00.016+09:002008-09-01T18:16:46.812+09:00

Its Autumn now. Despite 28 degrees Celcius, shops agree that Autumn is over us or at least around the corner and thus decorate to celebrate the second most beautiful season in Japan (First one being Spring with the Cherry-trees in blossom of cause). Red maple leaves in plastic decorate the hallways of the malls, and national produce like beer has leaves printed on the cans. The restaurants and

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-58104546992984885272008-08-24T16:21:00.003+09:002009-03-04T21:31:23.769+09:00

Warning: This blog entry is no more than a simple description of an average Sunday in our lives.”A rainy Sunday in August” might sound a little depressing to most people. It does not have to be though. A rainy Sunday in August can also be just to live and enjoy life. So how does a rainy Sunday in Koriyama look like? In this case it starts 7am with H going out for his daily run, in his

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-57765533114763939292008-08-03T07:00:00.004+09:002010-07-13T12:17:16.648+09:00

Yesterday, our kind neighbor stopped by to check if we would be home for lunch today. We confirmed, so today she came by with a full lunch menu for us: cold somen noodles and crisp warm tempura. Sometimes living in Japan can feel like paradise.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-49917432652481039152008-07-26T08:30:00.013+09:002008-08-29T15:47:56.576+09:00

7 years has passed since I (H) have studied for real. Of course there has been various courses and training activities provided at work since I left the Technical University in Lyngby, but this summer I returned to the real school bench again as I attended an eMBA class at Temple University’s Tokyo campus titled: “Managing the Enterprise from a Global Perspective”. The aim of the course has been

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-69853868089901567192008-07-24T16:20:00.023+09:002008-08-29T13:30:18.967+09:00

As Mika-san and I(B) had arrived early for a Nuka-lesson at Gunji-sensei's house, we were invited as guests to a tea ceremony class. Its always hypnotizing to watch the details that a 'go Teishu' (tea ceremony master) puts into preparing the tea, so of cause we joined in. One student had studied for 20 years, another for 17 years...kind of indicate the complexity of this art form right? The

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-79709288753500485072008-07-17T06:50:00.001+09:002010-07-13T07:22:21.731+09:00

Banh Trang stuffed with salad, carrot, cucumber and shrimps/ham and with the most delicious spicy-sweet dressing on the side.Another tasty gift from our neighbor dropped off at dinnertime.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-78993478497862421832008-07-03T16:24:00.017+09:002008-07-14T14:00:47.517+09:00

Todays Ikebana project. This time, Gunji-sensei had prepared a decoration pre-hand for us to copy. The copying went so well, that she for the first time ever didn't changed a single thing about my decoration. I guess she was in a very good mood today.After class we had a great lunch at a local healthy restaurant. After I've changed my diet, my friends do their best to support me which I really

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-39016888030772132102008-06-28T14:33:00.023+09:002008-07-01T16:49:02.993+09:00

Fans are not only a tool for Geishas and Samurais. During the humid hot summer, fans come in pretty handy and they are not difficult to get hands on. Two options: 1) Spend a minor fortune on a beautiful handicrafted one in Kyoto. 2) Accept a fan for free from the many guys who hand them out on the streets. This will turn you into a walking commercial for a karaoke bar, a real estate agency or ...

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-40059563185087185532008-06-22T11:54:00.003+09:002008-06-23T17:45:52.536+09:00

This evening we had the great opportunity to attend a concert performed by local citizens, here amongst our good friend Keiko-san whom is an accomplished piano player. Together with a saxophone player, she filled the room with Brazilian inspired music. She played absolutely fantastic and we are very proud to know her. Koriyama is a very musical city, as you will notice when you walk down our

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-13120333177116780182008-06-22T09:39:00.008+09:002008-06-25T16:16:56.677+09:00

We have found a great Farmers Market in Koriyama which we try to find our way to every Sunday morning 9 o'clock sharp. And we really do mean sharp! 30 minutes before the market opens, cars start to gather on the parking area in front of the indoor market. The drivers stay put in the cars watching the invisible queue to the market. As soon as a line actually starts to form, people jump out of the

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-29217463642313877702008-06-18T14:23:00.009+09:002008-08-31T22:12:59.974+09:00

Blue Mountains is just a train ride from Sydney and where the bride and groom (G&C) grew up. We knew the place had to be special since G&C who had seen the whole world still choose to live there so we wanted to check this presumably paradise out for our selves.After recommendation, we took base in an idyllic little town named Leura, named after the many volcanic stones found there (Lava means

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-91244158914424755962008-06-16T06:07:00.005+09:002008-09-01T10:24:43.981+09:00

We didn't get to see the Platypus :-( as they tend to hide during winter, but we did get to see a whole lot of different animals while touring the shores and the hinterland of Byron Bay. We always get a great kick out of watching wildlife in their natural environment. The Rainbow Lorikeets were easy to spot with their bright colored feathers, - and if you couldn't see them, you could for sure

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-667092995826647072008-06-15T14:22:00.011+09:002008-09-01T10:22:50.996+09:00

The Wedding took place in the most eastern region of Australia, famed for hippies, surfers and a warm climate. June means winter in Australia – but we still had above 20 degrees in Lennox Head. Nice! Due to Henriks work we were left with only 10 days for our first visit to Australia. Our main reason to go to Australia was to participate in the wedding, but since we were there, we might as well

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-48842624925100137682008-06-15T14:21:00.018+09:002008-09-02T08:55:21.638+09:00

During our backpacker trip in South America 2006 we met two wonderful people in a random hostel in the old Inca capital, Cusco in Peru.The couple (G&C) did what we still only dream of; travelled around the world for a year (actually we dream of doing it for three years, but that's another story), and when we met them they had made it just about half way and were flying on a pink cloud of love as

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-568886461071244852008-05-24T13:37:00.027+09:002008-07-02T18:58:45.954+09:00

We are fascinated by the rice fields and their beauty, and to plant them has been something we wanted to try since we read an old diary of a Dane that did it while living here. Last year we had to turn down three invitations due to a busy schedule, so we hoped to get another chance this year, which we happily got. Unfortunately H had to go to dk on business trip, so I ended up joining alone, this

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-26176021378232124582008-04-21T09:31:00.008+09:002010-07-13T14:58:47.845+09:00

As a birthday trip for my(H)'s dad we went to Matsushima in the Pacific, - one of Japans 'Nihon Sankei' (Three great sights).The bay in Matsushima has around 250 islands covered in pines and a small cruise between the islands is the way to experience them. We spent an hour sailing between the islands, watching the islands and soaking in the nature and abundant bird life in silence.In the

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-8660104106117289672008-04-17T17:18:00.006+09:002008-06-28T15:08:57.887+09:00

If you were living in the Japanese Alps during winter where the north winds carry as much as 70-80 cm of snow in just one night and the temperature drops to minus 10 degrees, wouldn't you choose to escape into the nearest 41 degree warm hot spring? We would, - and so does the Japanese snow monkey we have heard, so together with Henriks parents we went to see for ourselves. Only little snow

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-2487246987446395232008-03-25T20:54:00.003+09:002010-07-15T07:06:57.815+09:00

One of the most visited parks for ohanami aka 'cherry flower viewing' is Ueno park in Tokyo, so of cause I had to take Annette there. The flowers had just started to bloom. Lots of people. Lots of beautiful flowers. For dinner we ordered the special 'Sakura set menu'.   Everything is possible in Tokyo, - even a cute bear playing trumpet.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-2715705272242724252008-03-22T20:25:00.000+09:002010-07-14T20:26:02.707+09:00

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-59389385657205523202008-03-22T20:19:00.003+09:002010-07-14T20:23:11.909+09:00

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-52348714429103782212008-03-22T20:06:00.001+09:002010-07-14T20:18:23.355+09:00

Photo from Tokyo

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-68268760654338324862007-11-15T17:57:00.001+09:002007-11-18T10:40:52.582+09:00

The Danish Election made it to the frontpage of one of the biggest newspapers here in Japan.Lost in translation apparently works both ways.The article was published in the Daily Yomiuri the 15th of November 2007

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-89536055594327118812007-10-22T21:00:00.043+09:002008-07-02T18:55:58.677+09:00

B's grandmother came for a three weeks visit to Japan, which meant a great opportunity for us to spend some rare quality time with her, as well as to see a bit more of Japan. We were excited about both and worked out an itinerary for her stay with highlights being Geisha hunting in Kyoto, Island hopping in the tropical part of Japan and Kabuki show in Tokyo. First and most of all though we wanted

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-19075944678641478602007-09-20T20:09:00.037+09:002008-06-27T21:15:32.769+09:00

'O Bento' is the Japanese refined version of lunch boxes. It's either home cooked (eg. B always brings one for her Chigiri-e class) or bought in convenience stores (which we btw have zillions of), supermarkets, department stores, train stations and specialized o bento-shops. You can find them in any price range.The main ingredients are typical rice, meat/fish, cooked vegetables and pickles. But

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-51574207671547088482007-09-12T19:40:00.009+09:002008-06-27T15:07:59.902+09:00

B's never ending journey into the world of Japanese culture has this time let to a Take Sumi class with the Chigiri-e group. On the country side amongst rice fields a retired man has set up a work shop to keep him self busy in his golden age. It is quite common, that Japanese men tend to find a hobby after retiring from their ordinary work. So what is Take sumi? 'Take' means bamboo and 'Sumi'

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-56833870498616753562007-09-08T09:22:00.002+09:002008-06-23T12:12:40.298+09:00

Yay! Finally a blue sky again!!! The last couple of days has been nothing but grey and quite wet, probably because of the Typoon that past over Koriyama. "Fitow" gave 600 mm of water, or the same as what we get in Denmark in a whole year! It hit hard, with windspeed of 180 km/t according to the Danish Meterology Institute.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-34653267824040997352007-07-02T11:48:00.007+09:002008-06-27T15:09:28.501+09:00

Tsuyu - the rainy season has started. This means rain pouring down for hours - even days. Somehow though we have been very lucky - the weekends so far have meant lots of sun. As the region where Koriyama is located is famous for its rice - and we do have many rice fields scattered all over, - the raining season is very important here. The most beautiful symbol of the rainy season is the Ajisai

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-17913899034981983472007-06-22T13:11:00.004+09:002008-06-23T20:38:20.306+09:00

After a couple of months hunt, we finally succeeded in finding a Tempura restaurant in Koriyama. Tempura is the Japanese version of deep fried food, less greasy than any variation we so far have come across in Europe and one of our favourites when it comes to Japanese food. The restaurant was empty when we arrived, so we had the chef and his wife all by our selves. It turned out that they had

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-50122063594631173262007-06-21T13:24:00.003+09:002008-06-28T06:31:06.738+09:00

I received a present from my Sensei today. It was a kind of tool to maintain Kenzan with. Kenzan is the spiny plates you use to attach the flowers to - the round one on the pic.As Dad has borrowed me many of mums old Kenzan, it came in very handy! The day's decoration was difficult as always and I have still only a vague idea of what to do,- its all about triangles and making miniature of the

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-82158575892981015862007-06-15T16:45:00.011+09:002008-06-23T19:15:16.124+09:00

A new product has found its way to the Japanese shelves: A very green cucumber flavoured Pepsi! What does cola and cucumber have in common? (Please let us know if you figure it out). Having said that,- it does feel good to be in a place where we are frequently amused by the great variety of products - many we have never heard of or could imagine. Where else can you meet square melons and tomatos

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-48771209220929839322007-06-15T11:56:00.002+09:002008-06-23T11:47:38.240+09:00

We just did a scary thing. We signed up for the official Japanese test, despite our teachers recommendations. The 'Japanese language proficiency test' will take place in early December. To pass the test we need to be familiar with the basic grammar, know the meaning of 800 words and be able to read 100 Kanji. Also, the whole test will be written in the Japanese letters, hiragana, katakana og

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-15705151808566174352007-06-14T19:50:00.000+09:002008-06-23T20:31:41.889+09:00

It was with big expectations I went to China to visit my colleagues in Tianjin and Beijing. China is in many ways having a hard time and it was interesting to get a first-hand experience with this so criticized country. The first that struck the eye, was the differences in infrastructure and ‘driving-culture’; where Japan is maybe one of the safest and organised countries in the World to drive a

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-2903126636684539352007-06-14T09:55:00.004+09:002008-06-27T15:11:01.018+09:00

When expatriated to Brazil, we remember our first home visit to Denmark. We remember the pain we felt arriving in Montes Claros again. An almost unbearable home sickness showed up as soon as the plane from dk touched Brazilian ground and we passed through the toughest weeks ever being abroad. In the end, you all know, we ended being very happy in Montes Claros, but one can never know pre-hand.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-62545411145031850192007-06-14T09:08:00.003+09:002008-06-23T11:35:22.295+09:00

One of the most curious foods we so far have come across in Japan is Natto. Especially in our region (Tohoku) it is a very popular eating for breakfast, but we haven’t really had our way around it, wholehearted, yet.But there is a first thing for everything. Our Japanese teacher knows how fond we are of trying the local dishes, so when she yesterday went to a neighbouring city that apparently

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-61276197648424938342007-05-16T16:51:00.000+09:002007-05-16T19:09:56.694+09:00

New thing learned. When paying a teacher the teaching fee, we should always use NEW money (easily changed in the bank), to show respect to the teacher. Even 'simple' things are not as simple as first thought...How many other mistakes do we yet have to correct?... Wonder how many people we are offending every day, unknowingly :-S

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-26174246262264748192007-05-16T13:02:00.032+09:002008-09-01T18:24:04.028+09:00

Apparently today's plan was to go hunting for fresh bamboo shots in the mountains with the chigiri-e group. Unfortunately I had forgotten the plan, so the rest of the gang had patiently waited for me, for over an hour before they finally decided to call me...Embarrassed? Me? I bowed and gomenasaied like I had never done before! Anyways, - off we went. First stop was at a stream to stock up on

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-68343315005668459812007-05-13T22:32:00.000+09:002007-05-14T07:59:46.113+09:00

A laid back weekend in Koriyama included great food, rice field watching, new company, lots of shopping, lots of blog updating and hours of sunshine and strong wind. We discovered a couple of new eateries. A ramen restaurant with modern style decor and good noodles, a cool restaurant with bamboo all over the place, plates decorated with orchids, modern food from asian countries and a waiter that

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-23119832356971040702007-05-10T14:38:00.000+09:002007-05-13T18:57:09.807+09:00

Ikebana is the Japanese way of arranging flowers.The tradition of Ikebana origins from monks hundreds of years ago arranging flower offerings to Buddha. The inspiration for Ikebana is found in the nature and in the end the Ikebana creates a link to the nature. Ikebana is said to have a deep philosophical meaning, thus the work with the flowers are best done in silence. Ikebana is in fact

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-66451691382313541452007-05-08T18:48:00.000+09:002007-05-13T19:04:42.465+09:00

When we came back from South Korea, many of the rice fields in Koriyama had been planted. It is a very speciel sight to see the many fields covered with water, with strings of the tiny rice plants. The fields are not very big, but endeed there are many of them,- squeezed in whereever there are a piece of empty land. One evening we went to take a closer look. Here is our shots:

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-84525822496588748982007-05-07T23:07:00.000+09:002007-05-13T23:14:03.667+09:00

In Kalmia, b had the opportunity to learn how to make chinese dumplings, as another member gave a lesson. It was a fun day - the best detail being the making of the stuffing with only chopsticks! Asian style of cooking :-)The dumplings ended being delicious. Love them!!!

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-32003570657036039342007-05-05T16:15:00.001+09:002007-05-23T04:19:08.348+09:00

In the homeland of taekwon-do, we were fascinated by the excellent skills and the perfection by the Korean fighters.By coincidence, we found a 1½-hour demonstration in front of one of the palaces.Jumping this high must have been difficult for even Michael Jordan:This fighter has just walked several meters blindfolded (!) and is kicking of an apple from the tip of a knife!This kicking technique

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-61101485204269657752007-05-05T16:11:00.000+09:002007-05-13T23:27:03.196+09:00

Since the founder of the Joseon Dynasty moved the Capital to Seoul in 1394 many beautiful palaces have been built.We visited four of them: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyenggung and Gyeonghuigung. They all had many resemblances, though the 'newest' one had western furniture and an old Lincoln parked. Feng shui had an important role in deciding the location of the palace.At the Gyeongbokgung

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-4456340655630092622007-05-01T16:10:00.001+09:002008-06-25T16:19:50.245+09:00

The food culture in Korea is quite different from Japan, - whereas food in Japan tend to be mild and delicate and mainly consist of fish, the Korean food is indeed spicy and can be very meaty. The most famous dish in Korea and unavoidable no matter where or what you eat is kimchi, which is spicy pickled cabbage. It is always served as a starter and comes in endless varieties. The photo shows a

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-3530721959512299102007-04-30T16:07:00.000+09:002007-05-13T18:34:19.204+09:00

Drums and gongs with the “samul nori” tempo, dominate the Korean traditional music, which we got several chances to experience.The music is widely used as entertainment, in Buddhism and traditionally in the farmer villages to ensure a good harvest.This is an example from the taekwon-do demonstration:The fierce looking women demonstrated an amazing rhythm:This drum really takes a beating at the

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-85319863247121063832007-04-29T16:04:00.000+09:002007-05-13T11:13:49.269+09:00

Buddism takes up an important part of the Korean culture. There are more than 9000 temples and 11 million followers.In Seoul we found a whole road dedicated to Buddhism where colourful lotus lanterns, monk clothes, prayer beads, Buddhist writings, drums, incenses, music for meditation and so one is well represented. It is a kind of weird browsing through these shops, but in a fun way. On this

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-49912480025721707642007-04-28T16:03:00.000+09:002007-05-14T08:06:47.535+09:00

The demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the border between North Korea (The Democratic Republic of North Korea) and South Korea or “ROK” among friends (The Republic of Korea) is one of the most surrealistic places we have ever experienced.The initial briefing in the Joint Security Area (JSA), started of with us all signing a document (Click on the photo to enlarge). The first line of the document says: "

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-14029772405200602082007-04-27T15:49:00.000+09:002007-05-14T08:01:14.339+09:00

Here starts our update from our 8 days trip to South Korea during Golden Week. We thought we would spend a few days in the big city(Seoul) and then head for the mountains, the temples and the coast. Instead we ended up staying in Seoul the whole week, - so much for our longing for backpacker-days. (We did change hotel bed four times in eight days though, which must fully legalise our backpacks

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-19411730427171239562007-04-26T07:16:00.000+09:002007-04-26T08:06:22.515+09:00

Many national holidays take place during the upcoming week. April the 29th is the Showa Day - the birthday of a former emperor. May the 3rd is the Constitution Day. May the 4th is Greenery Day and dedicated to the environment and nature, and finally May the 5th is Childrens Day where the Boys Festival is celebrated with samurai dolls and carp streamers. So many holidays in a row, means many

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-9603062025339668872007-04-25T18:50:00.000+09:002007-04-25T19:16:47.243+09:00

Today I(b) spent a whole afternoon out. It went okey, I thought I blended in, I relaxed and well, of cause some people stare, but that has been the case for more than three years now, so it is sort of normal. I enter our building and head for the elevator. When the elevator arrives, a Japanese woman and her mabye 3 years old daughter show up as well. I enter the elevator and holds the door for

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-21889522168627435662007-04-24T19:50:00.000+09:002007-05-13T18:52:12.964+09:00

Due to a business trip to Nagoya, I(h) got a chance to see one of Japans many castles. As most of the major castles in Japan, the original was destroyed during World War II. The reconstuction was still impressive though:The biggest impression left in Nagoya was not the castle though, but a visit to the Toyota factories in Toyota City (yep, Toyota has a city named after them!). The visit left a

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-31771001461393849552007-04-23T18:06:00.000+09:002007-04-25T19:16:16.559+09:00

Today two western guys passed me(b) on the pedestrian walk, which have only happend one time before, since we arrived here. The guys greeted me, and as a reflex I greeted them back, the Japanese way: I bowed my head for them and then looked down. Why???

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-1056041444881271042007-04-22T19:15:00.000+09:002007-04-24T21:56:37.323+09:00

Aizuwakamatsu used to house a great Samurai klan which is hard not to notice wandering around the historical sights. We went there to admire the castle and the many blooming cherry trees:The original castle dates back to 1384, but it has been redesigned and rebuilt various times and the current version is from 1965 - an replica of the castle tower as it looked before it was demolished by the Meji

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-33574902952514467812007-04-21T13:16:00.000+09:002007-05-07T08:24:30.521+09:00

On our way to Aizuwakamatsu, we stopped for lunch at a Japanese BBQ-place. We received a big plate each with pieces of raw meat and the grill in the centre of the table was lit.As we sat there enjoying the food adventure, Henrik suddenly became serious and asked for the camera. He took a picture of a sign on a building on the other side of the parking lot. Here is the picture::-)

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-4315756857429252922007-04-21T09:38:00.000+09:002007-04-24T14:06:54.347+09:00

Saturday morning on our way to Aizuwakamatsu, we noticed a huge statue reminding us of Virgin Mary. We decided to stop and take a look. Soon we found ourselves inside the most beautiful Japanese park, with full blooming cherry trees, various types of plants, bushes and trees, children feeding carps, a small shrine, a 14 meter reclining statue of Buddha and many great picnic spots. The park was

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-10152692860109567672007-04-20T18:15:00.000+09:002007-05-12T17:01:05.066+09:00

This friday we received a whole day of training in the Japanese culture. We were surprised of how many things we have already picked up unconsciously, nevertheless there is plenty of room for improvement. From now on we will in particularly focus on loosing our Danish habit of constant eyecontact with whomever we speak to, we will put an effort into understanding the codeks around the hieracy, we

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-59862833297425901582007-04-20T09:13:00.000+09:002007-04-23T18:49:20.267+09:00

This morning we drove to Miharu Takizakura 6.30 a.m. Miharu Takizakura is a more than 1000 years old weeping cherry tree and on the top three list over great cherry trees in Japan. In 1922 it was declared a national treasure. (Notice how small the man is, in the left of the picture).We arrived at the site around 7 o'clock, assuming we would have the place pretty much to ourselves, so we were

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-32861634991485939622007-04-19T12:48:00.000+09:002007-04-20T19:49:15.767+09:00

I had a conversation the other day, with a Japanese woman. She said she soaked in the bathtub, every day in the evening as it is so relaxing. She never takes a bath nor shower in the morning. I said, that many people in Denmark, me included, take a shower every morning - as it gives a refreshing kick start to the day. It makes it easier to wake up.What a contradiction. To use the purification

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-63035202298076301422007-04-19T09:14:00.000+09:002007-04-19T13:04:17.351+09:00

Last weekend we went to the showroom of the biggest toilet producent in Japan, Toto, and tried their state-of-the-art toilets. We had great fun pushing the different buttons on the remote control for the toilet. We did not go on fire though: Pas på - Toilettet brænder! & Japanske toiletter bryder i brand

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-83264039529170070862007-04-18T18:23:00.000+09:002007-04-25T08:32:53.823+09:00

In the end of this month the gouvenor election will take place in our prefecture. That shouldn't really effect us in anyway, being gaijins, but yet the election campaign is taking up a big part in our life at the moment. Our appartment is located on the main street in the city, and the walls are apparently thin, as we all day long can hear the 'onegaishimasu' yelled in the speakers on the passing

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-35698677980910965082007-04-17T18:52:00.000+09:002007-04-24T13:52:16.317+09:00

The day's subject was the most difficult so far: To make a landscape. If you think it turned out well, it is because the teacher(sensei) helped generously! In honor of the blooming cherry trees, sensei served cherry blossom tea for us. 15 years ago, she herself had picked many blooming cherry blossoms. Then she had dried them and salted them. Even though 15 years had passed, just 2 flowers was

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-29934464215068307322007-04-17T08:08:00.000+09:002007-04-17T17:58:27.204+09:00

Everything here is well.We just spent a great weekend in Tokyo that included crazy architecture, French gourmet, Brazilian company and clubbing in the expat district, Roppongi.In Roppongi we also visited two huge shopping complexes. One of them, the one month-old Midtown Tower has the tallest building in Tokyo Prefecture (248 m.), and the other, Roppongi Hills, is the one with the spider

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-24702049923984559032007-04-11T20:30:00.000+09:002007-04-18T19:27:52.880+09:00

They finally arrived!The manyfold little pink flowers are covering the more than 1300 cherry trees in Kaiseizan park in Koriyama. Many of the trees dates back to the Meji period(1868 - 1912). We went there this evening and admired the many lit up trees among many Japanese families whom like us, strolled on the quiet trails in the park.Afterwards, we headed for the nearby shrine where a group of

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-57405162338449891542007-04-10T15:51:00.000+09:002007-04-10T18:05:57.119+09:00

To celebrate one of our anniversaries, we had made reservations on a local restaurant, Ikkon.The great thing about Japanese restaurants, is that when you make reservations, you can either select something from the menu - or have what ever you are in the mood for. The choice is all yours, as long as you tell the chef a couple of days in advance so he can shop for ingredients.We asked for the chef

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-25622354786452146072007-04-09T16:05:00.000+09:002007-04-10T08:29:28.992+09:00

Our Japanese teacher brought us these lovely cakes today as an anniversary gift, as it is 13 years ago we met.The two round cakes (the yellow, and the one with pattern of cherry blossoms) are normally used in tea ceremonies.The others are typically spring cakes, decorated with cherry blossoms and a leave. Made with such accuracy and aesthetics, they are beautiful.

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-51732366443805726712007-04-08T15:56:00.000+09:002007-04-10T10:20:28.829+09:00

This weekend we had a small break from Japanese food. Saturday the sun was leaving more than 20 degrees on the balcony, which inspired us to fire up our Brazilian barbeque for the very first time. We even managed to make Feijao Tropeiro. Delicioso! Many thoughts were sent to our Brazilian friends that day. We miss you. Sunday we tried to make our own little Easter lunch, with ryebread, colored

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-24655539191307676722007-04-06T15:22:00.000+09:002007-04-06T15:40:39.574+09:00

Even though Easter does not exist in Japan, we are trying to let Easter in to our home anyway. Well helped by the 'gækkebreve', candy and spring flowers we have received from some of you in dk. Thank you.On Sunday, we are planning to have a 'traditional' Danish Easter lunch, followed up by a visit to a local temple to watch the celebration of Buddha's birthday. What might seem like religion

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-53444536689248409142007-04-03T08:45:00.001+09:002007-04-03T14:10:43.222+09:00

You know this feeling, when you have had a little too much to drink and everything seems to spin around?Well that is what you worry might happend in a split second until you realise that you havn't been drinking anything and that the flowers in the vase beside you really are shaking....We felt two more earthquakes this weekend - but very small ones: The lamps didn't bother to move this time...

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-20400469012653169182007-04-01T11:30:00.000+09:002007-04-03T14:22:39.132+09:00

Going to a hairdresser in Japan could be just another routine task if it wasn’t for the 'small' language barrier and the fact that all the magazines at the saloon only contain people with black straight hair and thus does not offer an option that could work out for a curly darkblond guy.What would YOU do? Well, Henrik used his well prepared ace: A picture he had cut out from a Danish magazine (we

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-83010737039713844002007-03-31T20:03:00.000+09:002007-04-03T13:43:06.799+09:00

Henrik had arranged a water rich Saturday for us. We packed the car and drove for 1½ hours until we reached the Pacific Ocean on the east coast of Japan. Here we were in the densest populated city in Fukushima, in a place called Iwaki. The place is famous for its spas, its reasonably priced sashimi restaurants, its beach and an aquarium with numerous kinds of fish found in the Japanese waters.We

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-63584460405696706022007-03-27T08:34:00.000+09:002007-04-03T14:21:05.351+09:00

This week Barbara joined her second chigiri-e class. The picture she made shows a warrior’s helmet, but something got lost in translation (again), so this warrior’s helmet is pink… Anyone thinks it looks frightening? The helmet is one of the symbols of the Boys Day, the 5th of May.The class also opened the door to the Japanese kitchen. Together with the chigiri-e group, Barbara prepared lunch. It

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-30152724719849215102007-03-25T23:19:00.000+09:002007-04-03T08:56:25.329+09:00

This morning we felt our sofa vibrating, the dining table lamp was dangling from side to side and our closets were making strange sounds. Automatically we listened with tension to hear if we had made a huge mistake by putting all our crystal glasses on shelves, as we felt our first real, though relative small earthquake.We cannot say it felt dangerous, but there is some sort of excitement to the

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-3985471392119297312007-03-22T21:11:00.000+09:002007-04-03T13:47:54.499+09:00

Imagine picking up, every single item in your home, relate to it and decide where it should live. You would be surprised how much history and how many memories each little item have captured for you. In the everyday life, the significance of the things tend to blur away on an unconscious level, but when you receive 126 collies of you personal stuff ( = nearly all your belongings) you have not

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-6566953075656244242007-03-18T22:26:00.000+09:002007-04-03T14:19:23.837+09:00

Another weekend just flew by. We stayed home for once and enjoyed the tranquillity of not doing much, but had a lot done anyway. Letters were written, delayed birthday cake made, new shopping centres discovered, video watched and Nintendo DS played.In the city, we were, once again, amused by the numerous signs of Denmark around us. We can’t figure out, if they are there, because we seek them, or

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-63876147339799444782007-03-16T21:55:00.000+09:002007-04-03T09:24:52.262+09:00

Japan has three alphabets; Hiragana and Katakana, which are the two small Japanese alphabets of 'only' about 2 x 48 characters, and Kanji, the Chinese alphabet with tens of thousands of characters.We have been studying Hiragana since we started Japanese lessons in Brazil, which meant that we quite fast learned that again here, and this week we have almost learned Katakana.To show you how Katakana

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-90710555620590091862007-03-13T17:35:00.000+09:002007-04-03T08:59:54.287+09:00

With all this talk about cherry blossoms, we thought the spring was just around the corner, but yesterday we woke up to icicles, snowflakes and minus degrees, and people saying that the winter does continue for quite a while here. Having spent the last two winters in the Brazilian sun, the warmer weather is surely missed. It doesn't get better seing all the beautiful pictures of the Spring that

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8891859207729227350.post-43750931445919454412007-03-11T22:05:00.000+09:002007-04-03T14:11:49.666+09:00

In Koriyama the inhabitants have two favourite sports; during summer (and many times winter) they play golf, and during winter they ski. We have never tried either, but when some of Henriks colleagues invited us to join them on their yearly ski trip, we didn’t hesitate to say yes.It takes less than an hour to drive to the resort by car, so to go there and back in one day is pretty normal, but we

Henrik and Barbaranoreply@blogger.com1