Japan Adventure

Wow - Look at Stan's lunch! Beautiful fresh seafood & veggies. I had sushi, but forgot to take pictures . . . and we both had an icy beer to cool off.


This sushi chef remembers us every time we eat there - it's our favorite restaurant in Tsuwano.


We made a new friend who spoke a little English & with our very little Japanese, we could communicate quite well. He generously bought me a small dish of eggplant that was stewed & served icy cold - VERY refreshing & delicious. And he bought Stan a tall glass of his favorite shochu - VERY strong rice wine (more like sake, but distilled). He said it was 30% alcohol (YIKES!) & Stan said it was the best shuchu he had ever had!


He wanted us to join him at his nearby favorite coffee bar so he could watch the HS baseball playoffs. The local team was competing in the finals & everyone was very excited. Before he left, he arranged for one of the employees of the restaurant to "guide" us to the coffee bar - we told him we were on our bikes. So, when we left the restaurant, there was our guide on a bike waiting to lead us. And off we went, down several very narrow streets and hoping we could remember how to find our way out! (Japan may be the only place in the world where it's safe enough to do something like this . . .)


And after only a few twists & turns - here we are! We thanked our guide and parked our bikes. Like many businesses in Japan, the upstairs is likely where the proprietor lives.


Beautiful flowers & plants growing in the entry. UCC is a coffee brand so we've learned that whenever we see that sign, it's served there.


Inside we found our new friend (watching the game) sitting at the bar. We think the lady behind the bar was his girlfriend (maybe?) because he pointed to her and said, "I love you."


And of course he bought us both an iced coffee, but to Stan he gave yet another tall glass of shochu. This time with a sour cherry in the bottom. He showed him how to stir it up to crush the cherry.


Then he said to drink a little & then pour in the iced coffee. So he did & he said it was quite good.


We were soon joined by another of his friends who works with him - he told us he builds houses & his office is just across the street. And we think the lady behind the bar is probably the proprietor of this bar / coffee bar. She was lovely.