*maiko in training*

A couple weeks ago Ashley Asao was in Tokyo with a few other students and professors from the occupational therapy program at the University of Puget Sound...I haven't seen her in a long time so I was really excited to see a friend from home (especially because I know she loves shopping and eating)! I took her and her friend Lesliann to Harajuku, Tsukiji, and Asakusa. Right now it's rainy season again in Japan so the weather was really ugly but we still had a good time!

Ashley writes a food blog for fun..You guys in Hawaii and the bay area should definitely check it out!
www.epicureanappetite.blogspot.com


free hugs in harajuku

cos-play


me, ash, and lesli

tsukiji (again!)


the long line to get into sushi dai @ 7am

we're almost in!

i've been there so many times this sushi chef recognized me...he thanked me for always bringing in my friends hahaha...then he asked how i found out about sushi dai and i told him jake was actually the one who told me about it, and he got all excited because he remembered jake too and he's a big fan! :)

greatest sushi ever

this thing was moving

the only place with good uni

good stuff

sugoi oishiikatta

tsukemono-ya in tsukiji

yes that's right! $100 for 2 mangoes!!!

$80 box of cherries!

ashley and lesli buying knives in tsukiji

getting it engraved

after tsukiji it was off to asakusa


yaki senbei on a stick...too good for words


kappabashi dori (the kitchenware district)

thousands of dishes...how do you choose?

fake food!




"what?! i can't eat this??..."

we had a lot of fun...the weekend went by too fast. i'm excited to go home and join ashley on the search for good eats in honolulu. ashley also loves to cook authentic japanese food, so i told her i'd pay her to cook for me when i get home :) she also makes weekly trips to marukai and shirokiya, yay she might be even more nihonjin than me!

the following weekend we all gathered in tokyo again to celebrate allie and naho's birthday. naho's contract is up at the end of this month so it was the last time seeing her. :( allie is staying with mito amity until december and she's also coming with us this obon trip to thailand and laos :)


kim and her four japanese hostesses

never buy wine that comes in a cat bottle...it was horrible


the girls on the yamanote
we ended up going out in shibuya again...we were out dancing until 5am. we didn't get back to the hotel until 6am, and had to wake up at 9:30 to go to katsura studio to get our maiko pictures taken :) when kim's mom came to visit during golden week they got to dress up as maiko's in kyoto and take pictures. when we saw them we knew we had to do it before we left japan, so i found this place in tokyo that did it. allie was supposed to come with us too but she uhh...wasn't feeling so well that morning :) hahaha..





whoa...kowaii yo! obake mitai!


i look so angry in all of my pictures...

i kept cracking up, so this is the face i had to make to try and stop smiling


my kimono




i was disappointed with my studio pictures because i look so pissed off in all of them hahahaha...you're not allowed to show teeth, so i felt like i was smiling but apparently i was not. overall though it was such a neat experience and i give those maiko and geisha a lot of credit because the kimono plus the wig and hair accessories were SO tight and heavy!! i felt like i was going to topple over with the slightest movements.


byee naho :( best of luck in DC!


matcha and oreo mcflurrys at mcdonalds are out, and milk tea mcflurrys are IN! kore mo oishii!


natto temaki in ume rice from 7-11...whoevers idea this was had me in mind :) i eat it almost everyday!

AHHHHH in one month the new girl will be here! i was really good this past weekend and shipped home another box. i also cleaned for 7 hours on saturday, but somehow my apartment is still full of stuff! the countdown is on...