Imo Mochi

Posted by  Tsukasa Hellinger

I’m fortunate to work at a place where my co-workers come from a variety of backgrounds. In Okinawa when there is a hoji or a Buddhist service for the dead, people go back to their hometowns to offer food and drink to their ancestors. Recently, one of my co-workers had to attend one of these services and was kind enough to bring us back some mochi or rice cakes.

 However, these weren’t ordinary mochi. They 

were green! When I asked her why they are green, she told me that sweet potatoes are mixed in to the dough of the rice cake. This explains why they are called imo mochi; imo means potato. The outer layer has a texture that is a little less sticky than regular mochi, and the center is filled with a sweet bean paste. The bottom is covered with a getto or shell ginger leaf which gives it a nice spicy herbal aroma. My co-workers and I all love it!
A good feature of this sweet potato dessert is that you can wrap it with a plastic wrap and freeze it, allowing you to store it in case you want to enjoy it later. From my experience, it tastes great even after thawing it out in the microwave!
This product is unique to Ie Island, so you won’t find it anywhere. According to my co-worker, there are only two places that sell it; a store at the harbor of Ie Island and a store at the harbor of Motobu Town. Since there’s only a limited supply, if you want to get your hands on this rare item you’ll have to go there early. Otherwise, they will sell out!

Japanese Pro Baseball Camp!

Posted by Tsukasa Hellinger

The most popular sport in Japan by far is baseball.  Did you know that high school baseball teams from Okinawa have won the national championship four times?!  Even with such talent, Okinawa doesn’t have a professional baseball team.  On the other hand, even during winter, Okinawa has a mild climate which attracts many of the professional baseball teams here for camp.  Who wouldn’t want to trade the harsh cold winter of mainland Japan for a tropical paradise? 

As you may already know, there are many Japanese baseball players in Major League Baseball in the US; Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui to name a few.  Many Japanese people are such die-hard fans of baseball that they fly here from the mainland to see their favorite teams and players up close and personal.  Not to mention, they get to tour Okinawa! 

In this sense, baseball fans in Okinawa are very lucky because all the action and excitement comes to them!  Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to see these talented athletes.  You can see them for free at their training facilities, but you’ll have to buy tickets for exhibition games.  Tickets are available at convenience stores. 

For information on exhibition games see the link below.

http://english.okicamp-gogo.jp/

http://www.okiguide.com/event/detail.php?mm=2

Gaijin: The Okinawa Experience

   Being a gaijin, a foreigner, in Japan can be an adventure.  When I first started living in Japan, I was a bit of a hermit.  Why?  Because I was afraid to be in a situation where I didn’t understand what was being said to me or embarrassing myself because I couldn’t clearly express myself in Japanese. 

    For a typical westerner of non-Asian descent, most Japanese people will at least attempt to speak to you in a slow and easy to understand Japanese, if not English.  For me however, since I am of Japanese descent, people would assume that I was fluent in Japanese; For example, I once was talking to a worker at the airport, and she spoke to me in Japanese at a fairly fast pace.  When I asked her to slow down she gave me a look like “are you slow, or what?”  To say the least, I felt stupid.

    On another occasion, I used an elevator to go to another floor.  Along the way, the elevator would stop, so that people can get off and on.  I was standing in front of the elevator control panel, so it was my responsibility to press the buttons to keep the door open or to close it.  I was a bit nervous as the kanji, Chinese character, for open (開) and close (閉) are very similar, and I didn’t know which was which.  As the elevator stopped and the door opened to let people in, lo and behold, I pressed 閉.  The people entering probably thought I was an ***hole.  I was so embarrassed!  Luckily, the person behind me covered for me and pressed the correct button.

   In another incident, I was at my cousins house preparing to brush my teeth.  So I grab the tube of toothpaste, apply it to my toothbrush, and proceed to brush my teeth.  “Man, this stuff is gross!” I thought. Just my luck, it turns out that what I thought was toothpaste was actually facial detergent!

   I could go on and on about my gaijin experiences.  My advice to those that are planning to visit or stay in Okinawa for a while is to not let your inability to speak or read Japanese keep you from getting out, exploring, and enjoying all that Okinawa has to offer because that’s the only way you’re going to learn, improve, and adapt.  I have lived in Japan since 2003, and I’m still evolving!

Tanaga Gumui Plant Community

Posted by Tsukasa Hellinger   

    Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture, and as you might imagine, the summers here are blistering!  When most people think of Okinawa, Karate Kid, spectacular beaches, and tropical fish are probably the first things to pop up in their minds.  However, few people know about Tanaga Gumui Plant Community.  This is an area in Kunigami Village designated by the government as a natural monument.  The area is inhabited by several species of plants that only grow here.  

     In addition, there’s a waterfall there that is fed by Aha River.  At the base of the waterfall is a basin where the water collects.  So why am I writing about this?  That’s right; to help you escape the heat!  The water at this lake is cold, so on a scorching summer day, taking a dip here is so refreshing.  It’s located in a jungle like area, so it’s also a way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

      Getting there is a bit of an adventure, so put on your Indiana Jones action gear and watch out for habu, a venomous snake in Okinawa!  Once you park your car, you’ll walk down a path through the woods leading to the lake.  Before reaching the lake, you’ll also have to rope your way down a sharp slope.  What?!  That’s right; ROPE your way down, Indiana Jones!  I recommend you bring clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty because the soil there is clay. 

     Once you’ve made it to the lake, prepare to get wet.  There is a rope hanging from a tree branch at the edge of the lake.  Use it to swing yourself out and take that first shocking cold plunge, Tarzan!  Next, to generate a little body heat, swim to the other end of the lake where the pristine waterfall is.

     Now, as you can see in the photo, I climbed to the top of the waterfall.  (This can be dangerous, so take precaution.)  At the top of the waterfall, there is a shallow stream and large rocks to rest on.  The rocks are heated by the sun, so it’s so relaxing to lay on them after making that frigid swim!  

    Guess what?  Now you gotta swim back, climb back up that steep slope, and watch out for habu snakes before going home!  Don’t worry; it’s worth it.  Besides, most people need the exercise and to experience the feeling of being a kid again, eh?  Trust me.  Once you’ve gone there, “you’ll be back,” Terminator.