313 replies to this topic

[Hiroyuki]

Good evening! My name is Hiroyuki, I'm 46 years old, and I live in a rural, snowy, rice-producing district in Niigata prefecture, Japan, 210 km to the north of Tokyo. I work at home as a freelance translator.

Just an introductory post for now, before I go to bed. It's about 10 o'clock in the evening in Japan.

I have a wife (45), a son (11), and a daughter (7). Unfortunately, my wife cannot join in my foodblog for the reason to be described later.

I'm not a food lover, I'm just a food eater, and now that I'm in my late 40s (and besides, my children are still small), I'm more concerned about health aspects of food than other aspects.

Shortly after she gave birth to her second child (daughter) in 1999, my wife developed some kind of disease, requiring me to help her a lot, especially in cooking. Early this year, her symptoms got worse, and now I am the main cook in the house. When I received a PM from Suzan (snowangel) in early March, asking if I was interested in foodblogging, I was in a very awkward situation. On April 13, my wife was finally hospitalized. Ironically, her hospitalization has made it possible for me to start foodblogging. I still feel uneasy about foodblogging, considering the situation I'm in, and I also feel somewhat guilty, but I hope I can finish my foodblog to the end.

Teaser photo:
The photo was not meant to be a teaser photo. It's the Komako statue, standing on the premises of Yuzawa Station. Komako is a geisha who appears in Kawabata Yasunari's masterpiece, "Snow Country". I was in need of a teaser photo, and I selected that one because I thought it was representative of the area where I live.

Here is a full version of the photo:


My foodblog will focus on home-style Japanese cooking because that's what I can talk about Japanese cuisine, and it will also focus on a tour of Snow Country and surrounding areas.

As you can tell, English is not my native language, and I'm not very familiar with colloquial expressions because I studied it mainly from books. If you find any errors in my posts, fell free to let me know.

Lastly, my sincere thanks to Susan, who did all she could so I could start blogging in time. (I notified her of my intention to start blogging only a few days ago.)

My blog officially starts tomorrow. Until then, good night!

P.S.
Pan:
How did you know it was me?

Edited to add: Made a correction.

Edited by Hiroyuki, 24 April 2007 - 03:59 PM.

[yunnermeier]

Hi Hiroyuki!

I'm so glad you're blogging (I read your posts in the Japan forum). I'm sorry you're going through a bad period in your life.

I'm really looking forward to your blog:)

[AzianBrewer]

Hiroyuki-san..Looking forward to read all your good words!

[Carrot Top]

I've always enjoyed your posts, Hiroyuki, so am glad to see you blogging, though it *is* a truly awesome task to undertake, in my opinion. Deep appreciation to you.

Your writings have touched upon some of the traditions that exist in your culture as a part of food and dining, and I really do love to hear about those.

I actually thought you were raised from youth bi-lingual, your English is so very good!

Perhaps within the blogging our good-energy thoughts of your wife will be sent, and will be received.

Thanks!

Edited by Carrot Top, 24 April 2007 - 06:58 AM.

[srhcb]

I've always enjoyed the threads and posts from Japan here on eGullet.

The shopping experience, especially the combini, interests me as much as the cooking and eating. Please take us along on some of your shopping trips.

SB (who also wishes to compliment you on your English )

[Domestic Goddess]

Hiroyuki, my prayers and thoughts are with you and your wife. I am really looking forward to your blog, your posts, your thoughts... everything.

[therese]

Very much looking forward to this blog, Hiroyuki. Thank you for taking the time to do it, and perhaps we can offer some support along the way.

Thanks also for the photo: "Snow Country" is one of my favorite books. Perhaps I'll be inspired to read it again.

[OnigiriFB]

Yay! Looking forward to your blogging. Sorry to hear about your wife. :(

[MarketStEl]

Please accept my best wishes for a full and speedy recovery for your wife, and for the strength to carry on for you.

As I almost never set foot in the Japan forum, all of this will be an education for me. I look forward to receiving the lessons.

Your teaser photo, however, leaves an opening for one of my other big areas of interest and curiosity, which those who've read my own foodblogs and posts on various boards already know. So to get this out of the way so we can get on with the food:

Yuzawa station is on the Japanese (National) Railways, I assume? Regular service or bullet train? Is this the closest station to where you live?

[Peter Green]

While I'm saddened to hear of your wife, I'm looking forward very much to your blog, Hiroyuki.

And my compliments on your choice for an opening picture, setting the stage for yukiguni.

Peter

[Priscilla]

Hiroyuki, I have long valued your input and look forward to your blog. Your children are adorable.

Whatever small help it may be, you and your wife certainly have a whole slew of people around the globe sending good thoughts your way, to which I add mine.

[insomniac]

While I'm saddened to hear of your wife, I'm looking forward very much to your blog, Hiroyuki.

And my compliments on your choice for an opening picture, setting the stage for yukiguni. 

Peter

Looking forward to seeing and reading about snow world Hiroyuki, blog on, hope this will interest your wife and distract your children for a while....

[jgarner53]

Wow, what a story! I add my wishes for your wife to those of everyone else here and also really look forward to your blog!

[Chufi]

I will be following this blog with great interest! I've never been to Japan but have an inexplicable fascination with the culture and the food. I look forward to a slice of true Japanese life.

Also, you're brave to take on blogging at a time which is obviously stressfull and difficult. I hope that maybe, blogging will take your mind off other stuff, and that our questions and comments will inspire you the way they inspired me when I was blogging!

[snowangel]

I love that you will be talking about home-style cooking! And, assuming that your children are in school, will you please tell us about what they eat for lunch at school? Do you prepare a lunch for them, or do they purchase lunch at school? What do they eat for lunch on school days? Do your children help in cooking?

[mizducky]

Hiroyuki, please know that I too am sending positive healing thoughts to your wife, and supportive thoughts to you and your household.

I have always appreciated your posts too. I happen to think the plain old slice-of-life everyday cooking info from around the world is one of the best gifts that eGullet has given me. And as you know I am keenly fascinated by the cooking of all the Asian countries, very much including Japan. Your posts have taught me a lot--and I look forward to learning more from your blog. I'm especially looking forward to learning more about rural Japan, as I think most of my expsoure has been to the more urbanized aspects of Japanese culture.

I might not get to comment on your blog a whole lot as I'll be traveling this week, but I'll definitely at least try to browse whenever I get my hands on an Internet connection. Good luck, and blog on!

P.S. I also think your English is great! Especially when I think about what it might take for me to master written Japanese to anything approaching a similar level!

[SuzySushi]

Woo-hoo! You know I'll be an avid reader of your blog!

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's hospitalization. I didn't know about her illness. What a stressful time this must be for your family! I'm sending lots of good wishes her way.

[Kouign Aman]

Japan sounds like fun, right now. Thank you for blogging.
I hope the blogging turns out fun and not too much of a hassle for everyone.
Best hopes and wishes for you and your wife and your children.

[sanrensho]

From one translator to another, I wish the best for your wife and hope that you and your kids are able to cope through a difficult period for your family. I am sure that it will bring you even closer together as a family.

I look forward to pictures of your countryside and garden.

[petite tête de chou]

"...a rural, snowy, rice-producing district..." What a beautiful description. I'm thrilled that you're blogging, Hiroyuki. Best wishes for you and your family.

[torakris]

I have been hoping you would do a foodblog!
I am also very sorry to hear about your wife, this must be a very difficult time for everyone. We will be keeping her in our thoughts.

What is the weather like up there?
Do you have any plans for Golden Week?*


*Golden Week normally runs from about 4/30 to 5/5 and nearly everyone in Japan is off from work and school, it is a common time for vacations abroad and within Japan. This year it is broken into two parts 4/28-4/30 and 5/3 to 5/6, the schools are in session and most people will be at work for 5/1 and 5/2.

[hathor]

Hiroyuki, I always enjoy your posts. You are very generous with your knowledge.
Thank you for blogging this week, I look forward to learning from you!
Please let me add my good wishes for your wife's recovery, and an extra hug for you and your beautiful children.

Can you talk a little about bento boxes? It seems as if they are an important part of Japanese culture and the arrangement and ingredients are symbolic of different things.

[Hiroyuki]

Thanks everyone for their welcoming, sympathetic, and complimentary messages!!
And I do hope my wife gets well soon.

therese:
I read the novel both in Japanese and English versions. I can assure you that the English version is as good as the original.

MarketSeEl:
You are correct. Yuzawa Station is a JNR station. You can use Joetsu Line, Joetsu Shinkansen (bullet train), and Hokuhoku Line (which actually starts at Muikamachi Station).
Yuzawa Station is the nearest bullet train station, about 20-minute ride from my house. Shiozawa Station is the nearest JNR station. It's on Joetsu Line.

snowangel:
I will post some info about my children's school lunch later.
They don't help me cook very much, and I don't ask them to. I'm sorry about that, but it takes a lot more time to cook with them around me.

torakris:
No, no major plans, except that I will go to Yuzawa Flower Festival on April 30.

I reread my initial post here and found an error. (blush)

[Hiroyuki]

Can you talk a  little about bento boxes? It seems as if they are an important part of Japanese culture and the arrangement and ingredients are symbolic of different things.

Hathor:
OK, I will see what I can do, later.

I'll be back with breakfast photos.

[Hiroyuki]

Before the breakfast photos, I'd like you to take a look at some other photos that I took this morning.

Negi:

My father, who lives in Chiba (adjacent to Tokyo), is retired (ran a small construction company), and grows all kinds of vegetables and fruit. He kindly sends some of them to us. These negi are just one example. I like to eat them with natto (photo later).

I usually wake up between 5:30 and 6:00 in the morning, but today, I woke up at five. I knew I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up, dressed, went out, and took this photo:

The mountains are still capped with snow.
My area, Snow Country (with a capital S ), usually has up to 3 meters (10 feet) of snow in the wintertime. But in this particular winter, we had much less snow.

Fridge photos (obligatory? )

Appearance:

Coincidentally, Kristin, the host of the Japan Forum, has exactly the same model. Even the color is the same .

Uppermost refrigerator compartment:

Not much to see. My fridge is usually this full. I don't want to pack it with too many things. I usually go shopping twice a week.

Middle ice cube and partial freezing drawers:

You are going to see some of the items here cooked for supper.

Lower vegetable compartment:


Lowermost freezer compartment:


Freezer compartment, with the tray pulled back:


Sorry, I need some green tea now. I'll be back soon.

[sanrensho]

My father, who lives in Chiba (adjacent to Tokyo), is retired (ran a small construction company), and grows all kinds of vegetables and fruit.  He kindly sends some of them to us.  These negi are just one example. 

I'd love to hear what your father grows in addition to negi, and how much he is able to consume himself.

[Hiroyuki]

So much for fridge photos.

(BTW, it didn't realize that image uploading takes so much time...)

Next, some items in my kitchen.

First, microwave/oven combo, Milser (small blender), and toaster oven:

When I say that I have an oven, I mean that I have one of those microwave/oven combo, like tens of millions of other Japanese. Few houses in Japan have an oven preinstalled. Japanese cuisine doesn't require an oven, anyway.

Rice cooker and thermos:

They are both indispensable in a Japanese home.

Gas stove:

When I planned my new house back in 2005, I didn't think of having an induction stove installed in my kitcken for possible health hazards. I learned then that 18% of new home owners opted for an induction stove (as of 2005).

Sink:


Salt, instant dashi, black pepper, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, etc.:


Soy sauce, mirin, oil, sake, vinegar, etc.:

These seasonings are about all I need to make Japanese dishes.

I'll be back later.

Edited by Hiroyuki, 24 April 2007 - 05:10 PM.

[Abra]

Hiroyuki, I think you win the prize for having the neatest fridge and freezer in any blog! What is usually in the thermos?

I look forward to your blog, and send wishes for health and happiness to your family.

Edited by Abra, 24 April 2007 - 05:15 PM.

[BarbaraY]

I'm so glad to see you are blogging. I find your post in the Japan forum very enlightening.
As to your English, it's better than many native speakers so don't feel self concious. You're doing fine.
No questions at the moment but carry on, I'm sure there will be some.

[MarketStEl]

That is not only a very neat fridge, it's also well designed! Especially the separate doors for the ice compartment, barely-freezing storage for meat and fish, and vegetable crisper.

You say Japanese cooking really doesn't require an oven. I thought that, like most Asian cuisines, it made no (or next to no) use of dairy products either. Yet those look like milk cartons in your right-hand bottom door shelf, and there's something by Kraft right above that -- I can't tell whether it's cheese or some other dairy product, but it sure looks like something made from milk. Do you drink a lot of milk? Are these used in cooking at all? Do dairy products figure into Japanese cuisine in some way?