Time For An Apology

An apology and a thank you.

A big fat juicy thank you to my dear friend Yuka (first my older sister’s friend after doing a high-school exchange in rural New Zealand) for allowing me to stay.

I believe very few people can truly understand how happy I am to be here. Really, you may think me melodramatic or this an exaggeration, but I almost feel as if I’ve fled prison! My soul is rolling on the grass and my heart is breathing in mouthful after mouthful of fresh air.

Before beginning my apology, I’d like to say that no one forced me to sign up for the JET programme. As continuously reiterated to participants, each JET experience is different. This is because, as expected, the lifestyle and mannerisms of each student, school, Japanese teacher(s), contracting organisation and geographical location will differ – in both good and bad ways. Without getting into specifics, my experience happened to be extremely unpleasant (put politely). However, as you may have seen from my previous posts, I tried my best to make the most of it – my life. I made many friends of all ages and partook in various activities every-single-day. Again, no one forced me to stay, I could have left at any moment. However, I felt a strong responsibility to my students, colleagues and myself to see things through to the end. Even through the difficulties and even through the heartache. And though I made some unforgettable memories with my dear students and friends, I still finished my contract with a heart full of sadness. Sadness at mistreatment, of lack of apology and of prejudice. I felt disheartened because I felt I had so much to give. For goodness sakes, I was an ENGLISH major. English was my passion. English is my passion. Still, I was underutilised and unappreciated. I remember thinking to myself that if there’s one thing I’ve learnt from this experience, it’s to never ever be unproductive.

As for my apology, again, I would like to first thank Yuka. For in the mere three days that I have lived in Osaka, I have felt more good energy and positive vibes than I had for a year and four months. I had so many back-to-back negative experiences that I’d convinced myself I hated Japan. I couldn’t understand how others were having a pleasant time here. Weren’t they being stared at everywhere they weren’t? Wasn’t the doctor refusing to treat them because he or she didn’t speak English? Weren’t they turned away every time they went to class? Weren’t they frowned upon for wearing a singlet, riding a bike, having their hair out?

Osaka is a wonderful city. I mean, I have only experienced a small part of it but what I have seen emits great spirits. People are always out and about. They have blonde, purple and blue hair. They sport tattoos and piercings alongside formal and traditional attire. Mothers ride their bicycles in floral dresses as their loose hair dances out back and their front seated toddler watches in amusement. Business men carry stylish briefcases and smell like heaven and young girls are so damn fashionable they put me to shame.

I would like to apologise because I based my perception on a small minority of Japan. Even though I knew it couldn’t all be like this, I still couldn’t really believe it. Osaka or city-life, whatever it is, has changed my awareness. I am so glad I could/can experience this side of Japan. I’ve decided I could easily live in this city, forever.

For Robin

I’m gonna have a short proud moment, just this one time, and say that this rural area of Japan didn’t have much (if any) English info on food before I got here. I dedicate this post on my favorite food places in the north Okayama/Tottori area to my successor, “Robin from England” whom my students (can I still call them my students? waa) are so super excited to meet come August.

Robin, I speak for all of us (my followers and I) when I wish you the very best of time in Ohara. We hope you make the most of every day and cannot wait to see this place from your pespective in future pictures. So without further adieu…

For contemporary-style cafes try: Cafe Roca in Tsuyama

or Moco Lifestyle Store  in Tottori

For a contemporary-style cafe with WIFI: try Dot Diner&Cafe in Yunogo or Nambate in Ohara or Motoyu in Nishiawakura

For the world’s fluffiest pancakes: Cocogarden in Tottori (Mochigase)
Arrive super early or be prepared for a long wait. Also sell udon, fresh bread and omelette crepes (go figure). Open daily from 10am. I recommend the milk soft serve and the organic eggs.

For Thick crust pizza: La Gita in Katsumada

For BIG and I mean, gigantic thin crust pizza, Pizza King in Wake Town
I recommend the spinach pizza.

For the best counter sushi in Japan: Yoshinoya in Mimasaka but only on a Saturday
Every day else, this place is an izakaya (Japanese bar).

For contemporary cafe-style food with the best view: Yukkuru Terrace in Yunogo

For a super cheap sushi train: Sushiro in Tsuyama

For a fancy sushi train: Hokkaido in Tottori (go figure)

For a very beautiful and very Japanese and slightly expensive place to take your parents when they visit: Mitaki-en in Chizu Town

For REAL bread (and takeaway pizzettes): Hugo et Leo in Nishiawakura

Or
Aiyuuwaie in Yunogo

For incredible burgers (and good conversation): Shuvi Du Bar in Tottori
For good Indian with naan the size of your mattress: Sivam in Yunogo (or Sivan – still don’t know which)
For fancy Italian try: Terra in Tsuyama
I recommend the chef’s choice set menu. 

For super fancy Italian: Ristorante Cielo in Tsuyama

For vegetarian: Cafe Bonheur  in Tsuyama

Or Gemmaishokudourakudokan (yeah, it’s a tongue twister)

For fresh gelato: Hashimoto Farm in Tottori

Or Latte in Tsuyama

Ok desu. Think that’s probably enough for now. Happy scoffing, buddy!

Okayama Table Terra Take Two

Remember this?  My lovely Japanese parents took me to Terra one last time, seeing as I’d previously enjoyed it so much. We had a seven course (yes SEVEN) course meal where only the Pizza pictured was shared. Everything else, is portioned for one. To say that I was full is an underestimate. The first time we visited Terra, we joked that we had gate-crashed a zucchini party because it seemed to be in every dish. This time, to my absolute delight, the zucchini was avocado. As in, most of the dishes were with avocado. Sah yum.

1: A trio of corn pudding with lemon cream sauce, Tottori tuna, avocado and ratatouille caprese, and grilled vegetables.
2: Raw veggies with an anchovy sauce
3: Cold cream of potato soup
4: Gluten-free pizza margarita on a rice-flour base
5: Main dish of pork with panko (Japanese bread-crumbs), potato salad stuffed grilled tomato and avocado and roe eggplant pizza.
6: Vegan hand-made fettuccine with avocado, tomato and burdock.
7: Tea cake with vanilla ice.

Most ingredients local. All ingredients yum.

Thank you so much Terra! Oishikata (it was delicious).

PS the head chef walked us to the parking lot to say goodbye! Now that’s service, am I right?!

 

An Open Letter To The Mimasaka Board Of Education

To whom it may concern

I am writing this letter to let you know that I will be retiring from my position as Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) on July 22nd.

Please know that I have had the most negative experience here. The Mimasaka Board of Education has continuously surprised me with their unprofessionalism.

I have not recieved or been notified of important information. I was never invited to the ALT orientation or the ALT camp (both of where I would have had the opportunity to make foreign friends in my position and/or receive answers to my countless questions). When information has been given to me, it has been given to me late. For example, the forms for relocation were given to me well past their due date. My emails and phone-calls have gone unanswered. And time after time my supervisors have approached me with requests for large amounts of surprise payments due on the same day.

It is unfortunate that I will be leaving Mimasaka with a heart full of sadness. I have given all of my spirit and energy to my students and in return I have been faced with repetitive negligence.

As a guest in your country, you have made me feel incredibly unwelcome.

However; I am smarter than to judge the entire Japanese community by a small minority’s actions. As a full-blooded Iranian, I know the effects of such ignorance first-hand. I will not be a part of that blindness. For many people of your community have shown me more love and respect than some individuals of my home country and/or race ever have. If it were not for their kindness, I too would have broken my contract like my predecessor.

My wish today on Tanabata is that my successor will not have to go through the same unfair treatment and excruciating pain that I have.

Anisa Kazemi  

 

A Beautiful Saturday With My Japanese Parents

During my time here, Yuko and Papa have done SO much for me and my family. Over and over again, they have shown us, once strangers, now family, unconditional love. Last weekend, I had the pleasure of spending the day with them and my oh my was it a day. Finally today, on this very rainy morning (as it is now rainy season – ahhhh) I have the chance to sit down and tell you about it.

So, first up, Japanese soba (super healthy buckwheat noodles) at THIS PLACE. Next, fresh mochi (Japanese rice cake) with kinako (roasted soy bean flour) at the highway rest area made by the world’s second cutest chef (the first cutest is my sushi chef friend of Yoshinoya). Last, Hiruzen HerBill Garden. This place was SO beautiful. Like, I can’t say enough. Embarrassingly, all I could think about while there was how nice it would be to get married there! So pretty. So many flowers! I love flowers (if you can’t tell). After exploring the garden, we drank herb tea in their cafe. Apricot and peach something. Delicious. For more info click HERE.

 

Okayama Table Terra

For my little sister, Juri’s birthday, my Japanese parents took us to Okayama Table Terra. And oh my goodness. This place was SO delicious. I could not believe it! I wish I had discovered it earlier.

Terra is two storey and the interior is gorgeous. White chairs and dark wooden tables. Big mirrors, open kitchen, wonderful service and pot plants. Perfect for any occasion. Especially a couple date! EEEE

We had the chef’s choice set menu and it was to die for! WOW! I can’t wait to go back. Is the chef single?! Can I marry him? More details HERE.

Because I can’t fluently understand Japanese, I can’t give you the exact description of each dish, but what I can say is we started with an antipasti plate (featuring zucchini bruschetta), followed by a variety of vegetables served with an anchovy dip, then cold new season cream of potato soup, next delicious eggplant pizzas topped with cheese and mince, next pizza margarita and last but definitely not least (because it was our favorite), a vegetarian zucchini and soy-bean “bolognese”. WOW it was so delicious I wish I could eat it for lunch today. Heck, also dinner.

At Terra, we also had coffee and a little cake. At home, we had tea and a big cake (gluten, dairy and refined-sugar free) – which I made. Recipe HERE. Except for Juri, I doubled this recipe: made two cakes, placed them on top of one another and spread an all-natural raspberry jam in the middle of them. Mama Mia.

Day Six: Okayama

WOW what a day! Lunch at my all-time favorite (and organic) Japanese restaurant: nonocafe followed by a visit to Okayama Crow Castle (because of its black colour), Okayama Korakuen (apparently Japan’s third best garden) and lastly, a healthy picnic dinner in Kurashiki Ivy Square. Note: the woman posing in the eight picture after the fish tehe.

Pull Up A Chair

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
― Ruth Reic

Had the most wonderful Saturday yesterday and I couldn’t wait to tell you about it but I just crashed when I got home. Tis what good food in belly does to you, people! First, a delicious home-cooked and I mean, really home-cooked meal by my dear friends, Mina and Shogo: vegetable medley, cabbage salad with koji dressing (like a super healthy fermented salt) and home-made kimchi (thanks Leo).

Next, we made hummus (to take for dinner later). We made two kinds using this recipe. The one difference being, we used homemade peanut butter for one and for the other, homemade tahini – which by the way, is essentially, blitzing 100% peanuts or 100% sesame seeds in a food processor until they naturally release their oils and a paste forms. Both good.

Next, Yukuli Cafe (third picture) in Setouchi where we had delicious Americanos and even more delicious sweets: traditional lemon and blueberry cake (the owner’s mom’s own recipe) and apple, cinnamon and walnut sponge cake. It was my first time at Yukuli and I felt the place (and the owners) had great energy. Perhaps the large glass windows letting in all that glorious light were to account for. Anyways, definitely a place worth visiting. Even more so for the English menu and late opening hours (23:00).

Last but not least, Munchies Pizzeria (coming soon) where I finally ate REAL pizza in Japan. And perhaps even better than the pizza (if there is such a thing) were the passionate owners who I wish I could have taken home with me. Absolutely precious couple. So so sweet. What a day!

Happy Valentines Day everyone. Or Galantines day? That’s the new trend, is it? Clearly, as you can see, I’m in an open-relationship with munchies (of all kinds).

A Cheap Organic And Entirely Vegan Lunch For Under 8 Bucks

I had the most amazing lunch in Setouchi, Okayama the day I tried on that glorious Kimono. It was BIG, ORGANIC, ENTIRELY VEGAN and only 880 yen, about $8USD (the lunch not the kimono). The cafe itself, was super cute, all nice and wooden with glass windows providing a lovely sea view! Speaking of lovely, their one and only chef, an adorable woman (late 70s) sporting the sweetest uniform you ever saw is definitely another reason to go. We ate this humongous tray of brown rice topped with crushed sesame seeds alongside a bean, potato and homemade “ham” stew, daikon soup, raw daikon and kabocha squash salad, tofu and “mince”, sesame tofu and orange marmalade for dessert. Full, is an understatement.

So healthy, so cheap and so good. MMM!

Click HERE for more info.

All You Can Eat Strawberries In Japan

Oops I did it again.

I went strawberry “picking” at Nishiyama Farm which is actually an All You Can Eat (40 minute) strawberry buffet, if you will. And it was just as good as the first time. So many sweet and humongous, seriously these things were the size of my fists, strawberries. Yum yum yum. I highly recommend you go. The 1800yen is SO worth it. And, you get to wear a ridiculous hat (if you like) for hilarious Instagram opportunities! Oh! And and and, it’s so warm in the glasshouses that you’ll forget it’s winter or that it’s snowing all together! Hashtagonlyinjapan.

Open NOW. More details HERE.