Facts of Life Week #8

As of today we have been in Japan for 2 full months (& we’ve had 2,222 visits to our blog)! It’s been a whirlwind at times and we have a hard time believing that it is almost October! We are in no way homesick, but as Fall approaches there are a few things from home that make us feel a bit warmer inside.

Facts (Things) of Life…that make us feel at home:

1. Mexican Food: We bought over 100 tortillas at Costco this past weekend and with each bite we feel closer “to the border”.
2. Playing Tennis: Tyler’s family loves to play and Sunday we played with another couple for the first time in Japan.
3. Big Muffins: We also bought a set of giant muffins at Costco; this makes us feel at home in CO. Tyler’s parents’ (and our) friends Brad and Sue always bring these big muffins whenever they visit.
4. American Movies: We brought a few, borrowed a lot and have watched many online too.
5. Pizza: (Costco again) We ate pizza…er…GREAT Pizza on Saturday. The only thing missing was a football game and big American couches.
6. Mail from Home: Getting mail from America makes us feel at home because we get to catch up on all of the little things. It makes us feel distant sometimes too because it takes a week to get to us. Thanks Grandma S!
7. Skype: In past posts we sung the praises of Skype, but it truly makes us feel like we’re at home. Being able to see our loved ones and hear their voices warms our heart.

Autumn/Fall is a good time to think of home and family and all that they mean to us. We miss Colorado, Arkansas, and our family in both!

-Tyler & Alyssa

 

Day Trip to Osaka & Costco

Updated: If you are looking for info about Costco Osaka (and other locations) and how to get there skip to the bottom (right above the photos). 

We left our apartment early on Saturday and drove to Gifu City. There we met up with two friends and we all left at 8AM for Osaka. Osaka is Japan’s 3rd largest city (after Tokyo and Yokohama) and we could feel its immensity everywhere we went. Our first and only priority was Costco. There are only three or four in Japan. And Costco Osaka is the closest one (three hour drive). We stocked up on tortillas, beans, oatmeal, peanut butter, popcorn, Parmesan cheese and a whole lot of other goodies that we can’t normally buy.

We spent our limit and then ate the best pizza in Japan. Costco makes great pizza in the American style. Typically Japanese pizza is very thin with little sauce. At Costco though it has a big crust, perfect amount of cheese and sauce, and a very reasonable price. We might have to go back soon just for another one!

After we finished our mad grocery shopping, we drove a few more minutes into the heart of Osaka. It’s a great city! Although we didn’t get enough time there we were able to see a good bit. Lots of people and a lot of fashion. We saw a lot of different clothes and styles. We felt like we were in New York and L.A. (and maybe SanFran) all at the same time. We took a lot of pictures of the city and really enjoyed being able to walk among crowds again.

 

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Information for those in Japan (and trying to find Costco):

Costco Osaka is technically the Amagasaki Costco [Locations: Costco Japan (English Version)]

Costco Osaka Japanese Address: 兵庫県尼崎市次屋３丁目１３−５５

English Address: 3-13-55 Tsugiya, Amagasaki City, Hyogo, 661-0965

Get Directions

Phone: 06-6496-1600

➔ Just Google Map: “Costco Osaka”or click here. Or you can search 〒661-0965  OR  enter the Japanese address (above) in Google Maps. The Japanese Address will get you better results.　＊This is also a good time to introduce Diddle Finger to those that don’t already know about it. Diddlefinger.comallows you to check English addresses on Japanese websites. It can be extremely helpful.

➔ Be aware that Costco requires a membership, which costs somewhere around ¥5,000 or $50 (you cannot buy the membership with dollars of course).

➔ If you are trying to get there by public trans. you can by stopping at Amagasaki on the JR Kobe Line or the Sonada stop on the Hankyu Kobe Line. I haven’t tried these personally so do so at your own risk. You’ll still have a walk ahead of you. If you get lost ask someone! Costco in Japanese is pronounced コストコ(Kosutoko).

➔ For more info about Costco Japan and other locations look here: Costco’s in Japan (English Version)

➔ If you’re too busy or far from a Costco you can also use a Costco shipping service called Flying Pig (independent of Costco). I have never used this, but I have heard great things about their service.

➔ Typically you can only bring in 2 people with a card holder (3 people in total). So if you have more you may have to bring two friends in and then leave to bring in the others.

➔ If you have questions leave a comment and we’ll do our best to respond.

After your successful journey to Costco please leave a comment and let others know about your experience. This post gets a lot of hits because people are looking for info about Costco, but the more info about the experience the better. Please help others by leaving a comment! ありがとう！

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View Larger Map

Here are a ton of pictures we took with our iPhone! It’s handy and its nice because we don’t look like tourons (tourists) [except we do because we are gaijin/foreigners]. Enjoy! If you ever visit Japan go to OSAKA!

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Silver Week

Japan typically has two national holidays in September, Respect for the Elderly Day on the third Monday of the month, and the Fall Equinox, which happens to be on September 23rd this year. Due to relatively close dates of these two holidays, the Japanese government decided to add a non-descriptive national holiday on the 22nd of this year alone to create the five-day weekend. This five day weekend has been called Silver week: one because it is similar to Golden week (string of public holidays the end of April and beginning of May) and two because of its relationship to the elderly. Many people traveled this weekend, but Ty and I spent the weekend at home or at camp.

This weekend was our church’s family retreat. We spent parts of Saturday, Sunday and Monday helping out or attending family camp. There were many Filipinos, Japanese and Americans gathered together to worship and hear God’s word. Most important thing I took away from this weekend was a list of relationship questions that have given Ty and I a lot of food for thought.

The last two days were spent shopping at AEON in Kakamigahara, Gifu-kens largest shopping mall 30 min from Seki and simply enjoying the time off in our apartment. My task this weekend was to make our home more welcoming. I became a regular at our local dollar store buying picture frames, shelving, and dishes. Maybe one day we will even have furniture (living on the fourth floor holds a bit of a challenge).

Silver week is now over and I am entering exam week at both my schools. I will enjoy my week of lesson planning only to dive in until my next break – end of Oct.

Pictures from this weekend:

 

Harvest

With Autumn comes the harvest. Every day Tyler and I discover more harvested rice paddies. Our once lush green fields have turned into a muddy track of dirt. The rice paddies being harvested leave much to be desired.  In the stead of green stalks hundreds of beautiful red flowers called higanbana are shooting up. These flowers resemble the beginning of Autumn (higanbana meaning a “flower of autumn equinox”). In English, they are known as the Red Spider Lily. Higanbana don’t last long, but they are beautiful. It is said that if you plant these flowers in your home garden your house will burn down (a friend told us this). Here is a video and some pictures so you can experience some of the many sights we see everyday.

Or just click on the icon:

PICTURES:

 

Stuff Japanese People Like #2

SJPL: Backing Into Parking Spaces.

Japan is well known for its cars. Toyota and Honda seem to have taken both sides of the Pacific by storm in the past 40 years. People think of Japanese cars as long lasting, small and fuel efficient, but cars in Japan (or their drivers) all share one thing in common: they love backing up.

25 of 25 Cars Backed Up at the Mall

Japanese people like to back their cars up into parking spaces. It doesn’t matter if they are in a rush or can pull through, they would rather spend the time looking at all of their mirrors as they carefully (and perfectly) back up their car into a much too small place.

It’s everywhere and it seems so strange to us.  I thought it might be a law to do so here, but there is no such law. And if you ask someone here why they do it they might wonder why themselves OR they’ll quickly respond that it is easier! Easier? How? It’s easier because when it’s time to leave you can just pull out and go.

I mentioned this to a friend here the other day and he asked why Americans always pull straight in (and don’t back up). I’m not exactly sure why Americans do it, but I told him it is because we are always late and need to get out the car as fast as possible. I suppose both ways are simply habit.

It will be interesting to come back to America and have new eyes for the things and habits Americans like and do without realizing it…

For more Stuff Japanese People Like Click the Links Below:

SJPL #8 Hair Salons

SJPL #7 Fudebako (Pencil Cases)

SJPL #6 Baths

SJPL #5 (Fake) Food Displays

SJPL #4 Medical Masks

SJPL #3 The Playboy Bunny

SJPL #2 Backing into Parking Spaces

SJPL #1 Crocs