Before I got on the train today I stopped by the combini and picked up one of my favorite drinks. I actually don’t know what powers are hidden in the Japanese beverage classic Pom Juice, but I do know it’s a tasty combination of orange and mikan (tangerine or Satsuma) juice. The biting acidity of …

On the way back from our trip to the zoo in Ehime, we picked up some omiyage for the rest of the family. I snapped a few photos around the shop while we were there.

One of the great Japanese traditions is buying Omiyage (souvenirs), which in Japan are usually food items- either a local delicacy or the local snack.

Examples of Omiyage:
Kagawa : Udon
Hiroshima : Momiji cake
Okayama : Kibi Dango, white peaches, Muscat grapes.

Most cities and prefectures have quite a few different snacks.
One that we picked up on …

I’m not a big fan of zoos. Maybe they are ok for chickens, ducks and some other small animals, but I feel bad for the lions, tigers, elephants, etc. that are caged up and have no space to run. As you can expect, most Japanese zoos are quite small and often consist of rows of …

This morning, since it wasn’t raining we decided to hit the road for a little drive to the zoo in Ehime. Ehime prefecture is next to Kagawa prefecture and is famous for its mikan (mandarin oranges) and pearls.

The great thing about driving on the weekends in Japan now is that the toll roads are only …