Friend’s Wedding -Part 2-

It was very nice spring day. Warm and sunny.
I always think Kansai area (Western Japan) is too hot in summer and too cold in winter, though.

While at the waiting room, I met one of my high school classmates for the first time after gradation.
Old friends gathered at the classmate’s wedding and it brought back many fond memories.

Well, a wedding party comes along with great food.
As it was a exclusive Japanese-style restaurant “ryotei“, obviously, the food was divine.

Wedding cake. I got the mango ;)

February 5th, 2011

My dad came to Tokyo for shopping. In the last 2-3 years he has gained a lot of weight and become “big”  and now he is having a trouble to find his clothes at the local shops. Still, he can find some but there are not many choices. In Tokyo, there is this shop “Sakazen“, which sells both casual and formal clothes from regular to big size and is often introduced on TV as a big-and-tall shop. So, we headed to Shinjuku, where there is one of their biggest branches right after we met up at 11am!

Setsubun, the last day of winter

“Setsubun“ is February 3rd or 4th, the day before the beginning of spring according to the old Japanese calender. This year was today.

In my family, we only perform “mamemaki” on setsubun. Throw roasted beans inside and outside the house saying “Oni ha soto! Fuku ha uchi!”(Demons out! Luck in!)  to drive away evil spirits. And eat beans of your age plus one.  Also, I remember my grandmother used to prepare sardine heads and hiiragi holly leaves and put them up on the front door.

A few years ago, I learned people eat sushi roll called “eho-maki” facing to a certain direction on this day. It is a custom only in Western Japan, but a major convenient store chain started to sell it and now many people recognize this custom in Tokyo. So, I follow the tradition.