Arrigato, Japan!

For our last day in Japan we did as the locals do and put on some super sweet facemasks. Maaaan, we look good. They are also pretty uncomfortable.
EVERYONE CALM DOWN. I found Domo. He was tucked away in an shop under the weird Nagoya oasis (a third story observation deck with a glass bottom pool in the middle). It is also his 15th birthday and he is celebrating by dressing as a strawberry. As you do.
Today we leave the land of cute for Vietnam - which neither of us have been to - woohoo!  Byeeeeeee.

Andy, Karen and Jefferson with masks - so sexy.

Andy and Jefferson looking quite handsome.

Us at the Nagoya Oasis.

Meatlaaaand!

Andy took us to one of his favorite restaurants last night, Meatland, and it sure was tasty! Delicious lumb, tasty t-born, (honestly really good food) and a cool atmosphere at a tiny modern place. Nom nom nom. Plus the lady gave us hand warmers as we left to use in the cold weather - how freaking nice!

Tasty T-born steak, mmmmm

Delicious Lumb!

Go ahead, it won't kill you.

Meiji Shrine, Tokyo, Japan

NOM NOM NOM

And with that ringing recommendation, (which so far is true) we have had raw horse meat (three kinds - none good), beef stomach stew, lots of different kinds of octopus, plenty of sushi (none with cream cheese, dangit), donuts (mister donut!), Zima (it still exists!), squid, tempura, chicken skin (straight up), Mexican food our first night (it's tradition), and the list goes on.  Last on my list before we go is kobe beef - and we'll hopefully find that tonight.

Mexican for dinner! (with zebras)

We've been in Japan for six days now and are doing really well with the time change.  I really liked Tokyo a lot and we did a ton of walking around there - through Harajuku, Shibuya, Yebiso and Shinjuku.  We only got to see a few of the Harajuku girls (who are famous for their super crazy dress - like anime cosplay) probably because IT IS COLD HERE.  I knew it'd be in the 40's and 50's - but it's been more like the 30's and 40's and I packed for a more tropical climate.  Tokyo also had their first snow in about 15 years - we must have brought that from Chicago.  You're welcome, Japan. 

Harajuku candy shop

We found a candy shop that let us watch them make the little hard candies - which was pretty cool (plus we got free samples).  And of course, we went to a beer museum that also had free samples (I really like the beer here - right up my not-much-flavor-alley), but the whole tour was in Japanese so we just nodded and smiled a lot and drank our beers.  They had us play one game on the tour that really confused me - "five-two-zero" - until I realized (much later) that it was rock-paper-scissors.  Perhaps the beer was stronger than I thought. 

Zima ztill zucks in Japan

A list of things from the states that I find amusing to find here: Frishes Big Boy, Garrets Popcorn, Denny's, Krispie Kreme (NOM NOM NOM) and Zima (I know, second mention, but who has had that in the last 20 years besides Jefferson yesterday?). We also watched a crazy documentary on the host bars in Japan called, "The Great Happiness Space" - and then we saw real hosts on the street (men with hilarious hair-do's trying to attract women) - I highly recommend watching this.

 

Yebisu Beer Museum

We are staying with Andy Lee right now at his Nagoya apartment - which is the same size as our apartment in Chicago - so we feel right at home. Today we're on our own to explore Nagoya so we're going to hit the cat cafe (where you sit with cats while you drink your tea/coffee), shop for things with funny English on them and try desperately to find anything with Domo on it.  Andy says he rarely to never sees Domo and thinks he may have gone out of style for now UNTHINKABLE.  Unacceptable, JAPAN.  You may rest easy at night knowing that Beavis and Butthead live on strong here, though.
 

We will be avoiding bunny island, cat island and monkey park, but we'll let you know of anything else post worthy happens to us in our last two days in Japan - and then we're off to Vietnam on Monday - woo!

Jefferson at a noodle shop