Glance Of Sakura

We're so blessed to have all the beauty of sakura near our apartment but I didn't even recognized it coz I was very down spirited because of what's happening in Fukushima ( most of you probably know ) until a friend reminded me of spring and hope. We went out for a quiet walk like we always did every spring time but I don't know why, this year's hanami ( flower viewing ) was different. The bright blue skies and cherry blossoms seems like a sign of hope for me and it feels like that everything is more colourful and more alive! Although sakuras are short-lived, I found happiness of those blooms of hope. 気持ちが落ち着く!

Brought some homemade lunchbox and had our lunch under the gorgeous sakura trees


" One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching "

~ Anonymous ~
Sakura burst into full bloom!

Us, enjoying every moment of spring in Japan!

Haruka chan gladly posed for me ^_^

Wakaba and Haruka played at the park~ it was good to see them running around and that day was especially fun because they were playing mostly indoors during the past weeks.
Wakaba chan
I pray that those who suffer and grieve will find strength and courage to carry on and that they may have hope.

Food Trip Friday--Undokai Bentou

---Inarizushi---

Wakaba had their Sport's Day at primary school last Sunday and made my very own homemade obentou to eat for lunch. It is always a tradition for me to make lunchboxes whenever we had gatherings outdoors. Wakaba had a lot of fun at the undokai and so are we! Well anyway, I'm gonna introduce you my bentou that I made for Wakaba's Sport's Day. Photo above is called the Inarizushi or the so-called the stuffed sushi or the sushi in a bean bag. My kids loves it because of the sweetness in it. Inarizushi is very time consuming if you start making it from scratch so what I did is that I bought a prepared bean bags ( inarizushi no motto) and prepared sushi rice (chirashi no motto)and all you have to do is read and follow instructions of the package.You can buy your inarizushi no motto and chirashi no motto at your fave asian supermarkets by the way. I made two varieties of inarizushi, the plain (sushi rice mixed with sesame seeds ) and Egg and Meat Soboro..

---Fried chicken, nugget, veggie stick ham wrapped, honey glazed chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds and star shaped potato---

---Futomaki or the Thick Sushi Roll---

What I did here is that I deep fried a pork cutlet( let it cool and cut them lengthwise) and prepared the sushi rice. Put a sheet of nori ( dried seaweed ) on a bamboo mat. You can also do futomaki using a wrapper if you don't have any. Spread a cup of sushi rice on top of the nori sheet and place some lettuce lenghtwise (on the rice)then the porkcutlet and spread some tonkatsu sauce or worchestire sauce. Roll up the bamboo mat pressing forward ( press it firmly) then cut the sushi roll into size bite pieces. Arrange the sushi rolls to your lunchbox. Easy, right?^_^

An entry for

For Food trippers join us here. Chibugan na!!! \(^0^)/

PBW---Licca's Castle

We treated our kids to the Licca's Castle before going to my PIL's place for the Sansai Matsuri during the Golden Week . A big event was held at Licca's Castle because it was Licca's birthday ( last May 3, she will be always an 11 years old for eternity ) but we went there a day before the said event coz of flooding of people and we don't want to get stuffed by there. Not only kids but also grown up fans are expected to be there and joining the fun. Licca chan is Japan's Barbie doll and is loved by many around the globe. It wasn't our first visit there but still my kids loves to go back there again and again.
Kids and adults ( women only)are allowed to rent for a free Licca's official gowns/dresses after getting your entrance ticket to the place and be like Licca. You will be greeted by Licca chan as you entered at the lobby and you can also experience her world at the party room, her dresser, her room, the museum, factory,etc. I was amazed of those lovely dolls most especially at the Castle collection but it's so pricey. Since my kids has their own Licca chan at home, we bought some dresses and accessories for them although they're itching to have a new one ( they have to wait until their birthday lol!) and played outside the castle after the tour.
--Party Room at Licca chan's castle---
---Licca chan's dresser-- Wakaba seems like to love the dress and be like Licca chan of her dreams--- ---Licca's Room---
---Study desk and randoseru of Licca chan---
---Little town of Licca!---
---Castle factory, this is how and where Licca chan's dolls is produced. Inside the castle!! There's also an option where you can paint, assemble, dress your own Licca chan doll and some other workshops---
---First Generation Licca dolls at Licca chan Museum---
---2nd Generation Licca Dolls---
---Marie Antoniette, Licca version---
---Gorgeous Licca dollies in Kimono ---
---So elegant!---
---Licca chan's Kimono set for 3,675 jpy! Takaii!!--
---Very tiny Japanese Licca sandal---
---Wakaba and Haruka, fishing for Licca chan's dress---
---Us, choosing some shoes, boots, hats and sandals for my kids Licca dollies---
---Having fun on a kiddie train---
My kids are growing up fast but not old enough to still want to hold their father's hands ^_^

For more Pixel Bug Weekenders, head up here
Thanks for always dropping by!!Have a nice week ahead to everybody!!^_^

Food Trip Friday--Sansai

One of the highlights of our Golden Week is the Sansai Matsuri held at my Mother-In-Law's ramen shop--- Sansai by the way is the Japanese wild vegetables, a seasonal, organic and has low-calorie. We went early ( before everybody else does ) to the mountain ( a secret place )to gather wild goodies from nature and yes, we're called as the 'sansai hunters' ^_^ There are lots of sansai found everywhere at the mountain ( some from inaccessible places ) during spring and this year the growth of it is somehow late but was glad that we had harvested all kinds of edible grasses and get them ready for selling for the sansai matsuri. Some city folks went their way all the way here just to buy these wild vegetable delicacies and I tell yah, they all taste good! I had a hard time of harvesting the taranome coz of the thorn that's hurting me whenever I grabbed the branch. Sansai goodies is best to eat as tempura ( sprinkled only with salt is highly recommended), ohitashi ( it is boiled, added sesame paste and soysauce), pickles, etc. You can buy anywhere this seasonal goodies from supermarket or order them at a Japanese restaurant but definetely at a highest price! It's luxurious to to have a feast with all these fresh, wild veggies from nature! And again, another fun and new experience for me!! ^_^
---Kogomi------Zenmai------Warabi--- ---The heavenly Taranome, best for tempura---
---Yama Udo---
---My lunch, Sansai Soba topped with sansai tempura, never mind my beer lol!---
---Sansai, packed and ready for selling---
---Mixed Sansai Tempura, just sprinkle a little bit of salt or you can add directly the salt to the tempura batter. That's how my MIL's way of making her sansai tempura---
---My MIL's Sansai Okowa, it's a seasonal sticky rice with all sorts of sansai mountain vegetables. Not much with savory dashi but more on the natural flavor of sansai and is healthy ---

An entry for

For Food trippers join us here. Chibugan na!!! \(^0^)/

Golden Week Episode---Sansai Matsuri

It is a tradition at my MIL's ramen shop to held a Sansai Matsuri ( sansai means Japanese wild vegetables and if you don't have any idea of it, you must go back here for my Food Trip Friday entry) during Golden Week ( longest holiday here in Japan ) and just like of last year we went to their place to help and not only us, my Sister and Brother-In-Law are also present. We had our tent set and displayed all sorts of fresh, wild sansai goodies from nature and was packed and ready for selling. Some are tempura-ed and given to costumers who ordered at the omice ( shop ) as service and some are for free tasting. It's a great feeling to see costumers with a smile on their faces! As usual and as expected, tiring but F-U-N!!

Sansai is a seasonal wild vegetables found at the mountainside( that's our bukid of tralala ) and that's why some city folks come over yearly to buy sansai at my MIL's omice. The Sansai Matsuri lasted for 5 days but we helped for 3 days coz we also have to treat the kids since it's a holiday. You can also read our Golden Week Episodes here. ---Kabu, Japanese turnip---
---Kabocha Manju, a Japanese steamed cake ( pumpkin dough ) with anko ( red bean paste ) filling---
---Fresh and large asparagus, from my Great Granny's backyard---
---My dear husband is packing some sansai tempura, deep fried by my Mother-In-Law---
---Our lil helper, Wakaba tried to do her part to help---
---My SIL and myself, during breaktime---
---My kids plus the cousins------Our kiddie costumers waiting for their order with SIL---

---My MIL is fooling me up coz I'm drunk already and it's still noon lol!---
---Breaktime---
---Just having so much fun!---
---How envious lol!

Have a nice day to everybody!