20
Feb
Spam Omusubi
Topic: Japan 2007
[mpiphoto=117,left,scale,250] This post is dedicated to John S, a regular reader and commenter on this blog. John has a peculiar fascination with Spam (but I don’t mean to imply that he actually likes it). Before I left for Japan, he and I joked about Spam sushi. I told him I doubted anyone would ever create such a heinous thing, but that I would let him knew if I ever saw any. Well, I didn’t come across Spam sushi, but as you can see in the photo, I did come across Spam omusubi (spam inside a rice ball). I didn’t actually dare to try it, but I figured the photo of this banner provided sufficient evidence of its existence (this was outside a convenience store, about a 10 minute walk from the Ebisu Yamanote line station). It’s my understanding that this vile concoction comes from Hawaii. If you’d like to make your own Spam omusubi (or perhaps some omusubi with a more traditional filling), here are some nicely illustrated instructions.
[tags]Tokyo, Ebisu, Spam, Omusubi[/tags]
February 20th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
The sign is beautiful. I wouldn’t eat it either. Thanks!
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:52 am
Hmmm. On second thought…Maybe you could steal that sign for me.
I hear the japanese court system is a push over.
March 14th, 2007 at 1:59 am
Hi,
I just found your site by searching Google for Japanese themed birthdays…your website is great. My son,also named Kai,will be two in May. My husband and I will be bringing him to Tokyo this summer. Any suggestions on how to make the trip easier on our son?
March 14th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Hi Lauren. Assuming you’re on a long flight from the US, I’d recommend knocking him out with some Benadryl. I normally wouldn’t suggest something like that, but it’s a very long flight (about 16 hours from the east coast) in a very confined space, so it’s really tough on toddlers. Depending on the kid, you may need it to get him to take a nap anyway, as he may not otherwise be able to get comfortable and fall asleep. Give it a trial run before you get on the plane though - some kids actually get wired by Benadryl instead, which is not something you’d want to discover on the flight.
Also, try to get a flight that arrives in the late afternoon or evening, Japan time. The flight is so long, and the time change so drastic (especially from the east coast of the US) that you’ll probably want to sleep regardless of your body clock time. That will get you started on adjusting to the local time, and you don’t have to endure trying to make your kid stay awake all day, right after a long flight.
For your stay here, just try to plan your days so your son isn’t strapped in a stroller all day. Most parts of Tokyo have parks, so try to work them into your daily plan, to give your son some time to run around. Be warned though, most Tokyo playgrounds are horrible. They are typically old, dirty, and sometimes even dangerous. They stand in remarkable contrast to the cleanliness and modernity of the rest of the city. You’ll probably do better just seeking out some open green space rather than looking for playgrounds.
Having said that, Tokyo does have a number of great places that are just for kids. A lot of my blog posts are about them - if you scroll through my blog you’ll find them.