This week Annie gets to visit an Elementary School and practice proper business card etiquette for introductions. Zeb is preparing for his biggest cycling race of the year this weekend, the Ontake Hill Climb, and Annie went on her first bikepacking trip in Toyama Prefecture. We also navigate the international shipping process for packages, and share the things we learned to do next time.

How’s the camping and biking on the Amaharashi Coast? Is mid-May the best time to visit Japan? And what do you call a litter box in Japanese?

This week we try to get rid of one yen coins, go on a school field trip to the Kanazawa castle park, visit the eye doctor, and talk about how drivers say thank you in Japan. Another week talking about new experiences, mundane errands, and all the things we learn in between while navigating life abroad. 

This week we share Zeb’s Ibukiyama cycling race result, share a listener email, talk about making kites, flying carp for children’s day, eating kashiwa mochi, and trying wisteria flavored ice cream. It’s Golden Week in Japan!

More about the...
Ibukiyama Hill Climb Cycling Race: https://jbcfroad.jp/race/14267
Golden Week: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html
Ashikaga Flower Park: https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/english/
Kashiwa Mochi: https://www.justonecookbook.com/kashiwa-mochi/

Can you believe we’ve recorded 100 podcast episodes? This week we’ll look back at things we wish we did better, things we’re planning, and what we hope for the podcast in the future.
Plus, we’ll ramble about things like soot sprites, coffee, buying postage stamps, and “slice of life” manga.
Thank you so much for listening along on our living abroad journey!

This week we talk about Zeb’s first bike race of the year (a hill climb up Ibukiyama!), Ishiura Shrine (the oldest shrine in Kanazawa with a cute dog mascot), and an evening fish auction on the Sea of Japan. We also talk about the mossy Natadera Temple, battle history at Sekigahara, and what Japan’s prime minister gifted to the US (from the nearby Noto Peninsula)!

This week Kanazawa has been covered in pink cherry blossoms! We talk about getting to enjoy a hanami (flower viewing) picnic on the Sai River, where the tradition of these picnics started, and typical things you might eat and drink to celebrate.

Speaking of food, we’ll also talk about the Japanese “food pyramid” or the dietary recommendations, and compare them to American food and nutrition.

This week we’re talking about one of Japan’s most famous cycling routes (the Shimanami Kaido), soy sauce that spends three years in an open fermentation, and what the end of the school year is like here. It’s Spring Break in Japan, and the cherry blossoms are just starting to bloom!

More about the...
Shimanami Kaido: https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/cycling/en-02.html
Tobishima Kaido: https://setouchicycling-tobishima.jp/
Yumeshima Kaido: https://cycling-ehime.com/en/routes/the_yumeshima_kaido/
Okamoto Soy Sauce: https://okamoto-shoyu.com/

The Hokuriku Shinkansen Line was extended for the first time since 2015, and we got seats on the very first train from Kanazawa to Tsuruga, the new end of the line!

Why did we wake up at 4am? How was the train journey? What did we do in Tsuruga? We’ll talk about all that this week!

Links to articles about Tsuruga that we mention:
Why Tsuruga? https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15200878
Impact of the Line: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15201001
Anime statues in Tsuruga: https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/371/

We have a big life update this week - we’re moving to a new country in the Fall! We’ll talk about where we’re moving and some of the factors that led to our decision.

We picked today to talk about this since March 20th is Vernal Equinox Day and the spring equinox is traditionally seen as a time of new life & renewal. We thought it would be a poetic time to share a big change in our life!

But don’t worry - the podcast will still be focused on life in Japan content through August!

We got to ride the Berumonta, a scenic train in Toyama Prefecture! This train has a sushi chef on board, you can get sake delivered to your seat, and local fans that wait along the line to wave as you go by.

Here’s more info about the train: http://berumonta.jp/You can reserve seats for this train by asking at any green JR ticket station window!

We also talk about the origins of Mister Donuts, the beloved chain in Japan, thanks to a correction from a listener email! Finally, we’ll talk about eating eel bones, the mountain town of Johana, and what makes a ramen shop “welcoming to women”.

This week we read a listener email about a farm in Wakayama, talk about our friends visiting from Australia, and why there are so many “Little Kyotos” in Japan. We also talk about language in travel writing and tourism vocabulary, and mountain biking in Gunma Prefecture. Ever wonder what life abroad is like? Listen to our podcast about living in Japan!

This week we talk about cycling along the Tedori River Canyon Road in Ishikawa, aizuchi, talking to yourself, food on kids menus around the world, nearly naked men, and the first person Japan sent to space.

We have a new monthly newsletter! Sign up at www.ramblingramsbothams.com/newsletter

More about…
The Tedori River area in Ishikawa: https://hakusan-geo.jp/en/area/234/
The first Japanese astronaut: https://neojaponisme.com/2011/06/07/japans-forgotten-first-astronaut/
Aizuchi: https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/aizuchi-japanese-listening/
The last “near-naked men” temple event: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15170934

We have a new monthly newsletter! Sign up at www.ramblingramsbothams.com/newsletter

This week we’re talking about train deals to save money on a trip to Kanazawa, the emperor’s birthday, sake brewing, giant peach babies, samurai swords, and tiny bars. 

Thanks to National Foundation Day in Japan, Zeb had a day off from school this week! We got to spend the day in Kanazawa city, having lunch and checking out a new cafe. Annie also saw ten thousand dandelion puffballs in a small & interesting art gallery named Himito on the Saigawa River. Speaking of cafes and lunch spots, we also talk about the concept of “third places,” and unique examples of these in Japan. Finally, we talk about describing cardinal directions in Japanese. Did you know that the language you use can change the way you think about direction or time? 

Hello from snowy Ishikawa once again! We’re starting off this week by answering some listener questions - has the “coming of age day” cut off divided friend groups? We also talk about clickbait when it comes to travel and promoting Japan. 
Finally, February 3rd was Setsubun (節分), or the “seasonal division” marking the day that winter ends and spring begins! We celebrated by throwing beans at the devil and silently eating our ehōmaki (恵方巻). 

This week we visit Kenrokuen (兼六園) in the snow, very early one morning! Zeb included some recorded soundbites from our walk - did you know that every morning there’s a time you can enter the garden for free? We also talk about a coworker’s tip for making supermarket sushi taste better, a kotatsu river boat, and some superstitions from Japan. 

This week we talk about a new dating app in Japan created by the Tokyo government, the history of kotatsu (& a kotatsu train), and a special stamp collecting event in Wakayama Prefecture for cyclists. We also talk about strawberry day, the phrase ichigo ichie (一期一会), and other Japanese idioms (or yojijukugo).

Should you visit Kanazawa right now? What do you do with New Years decorations after the celebrations end? When do you eat kagami mochi? We’re talking about these questions this week, plus the annual Japanese university entrance exams, soy sauce ice cream, why turning 60 is so special, and the unluckiest ages to turn. 

This week we’re happy to be recording from back in our apartment! We’ll start with an update on how things are going after the Noto Earthquake, and some news about the area.

Donations for the Ishikawa Earthquake can be given to the prefecture directly through this link: https://www.pref.ishikawa.lg.jp/suitou/gienkinr0601.html
English information on donating to Noto Earthquake relief fund can be found here (a non-exhaustive list): https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/where-to-donate-to-help-victims-of-japans-2024-noto-peninsula-earthquake/

We’ll also talk about Year of the Dragon facts, omikuji fortunes, coming-of-age day, and the kanji that was chosen to represent 2023.

This is a slightly different episode than normal, but here are some updates regarding the earthquake that happened here in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecuture, and spread widely across the west coast of Japan. We are safe and things are generally ok in Uchinada - we are thinking of those farther up the peninsula and hope that everyone stays safe!