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| Rose and Isla eating sushi under the Peace Pagoda |
Japantown seems to be spread out over about 6 blocks from Filmore through to Laguna and Sutter down to Geary. The centre is dominated by a huge five tiered pagoda in the Peace Plaza, surrounded by fountains and cherry trees and on either side stretches the 3 square blocks of The Japan Centre, filled with shops, restaurants, teashops, and peaceful seating areas (although not when we arrived!).
All the restaurants have plastic sushi and noodle window displays with little tags labeling what they are. The lucky cat waves from every shop doorway and there are many places that we looked at selling miniature notebooks and pencils in fabulously kitsch colours and patterns.
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| One of the larger Lucky Cats we saw |
We visited the famous Kinikuniya Bookstore where I got myself my first Japanese cook book and the girls sat and read fairy stories in Japanese.
We wondered around soaking up the atmosphere and getting a feel for life in Japan. Japantown is steeped in history from when the Japanese first came to the area after the 1906 earthquake and then the evacuation of all Japanese into camps during the war. There is a beautiful memorial and historical reminder in the Peace Plaza.
Owen wanted to buy some chop sticks so we headed to the hardware store (that a mother at school had recommended) and found a huge selection with special plastic holders for the children to get used to holding them. We also headed to the Japanese supermarket and loaded our basket with rice, miso paste, tofu, noodles and seaweed. It had been decided that we were so inspired by our visit, we would have a japanese meal that evening!
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| Hand made sushi by Owen Rose and Isla |
We came home and made our own sushi, teriaki chicken and ramen noodles with edamme beans and ate it with our new chop sticks.
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| A chop stick pro |
We will be revisiting Japantown on a regular basis for the supermarket, restaurants and particularly the Cherry Blossom Festival in April.
oh clever youOwen. I still cant use chopstix my food seems to end up every where but in my mouth. I obviously need one of those plastic guides.
ReplyDeleteThey are very cool Anne, do you want me to pick you one up so you can be a chop stick pro too...?
ReplyDeleteooh yes please. going to try to send pic next week of tennis pals. that's if i can work out how to. will ask keith if nec. x
ReplyDeletewell done making your own sushi, did I see a love heart one?? - thats fantastic!!. You will have to make one for me when you come home x
ReplyDeleteThe Cherry Blossom Festival sounds beautiful, make sure you tell us all about that please x
ReplyDelete