Living in the North

For those of you that don't know, I live in Hokkaido Japan. It's the most northern island of Japan. It is also close to Russia and its in the North, so it can get quite cold. So, in true Japanese style there are a TON of winter festivals.


My town's winter festival involves running outside in Japanese traditional underwear and throwing hotspring water everywhere, and playing horse to try and win. The losing team has to carry the penis float around.



A favorite of mine, and most world known is of course the Sapporo Snow Festival. Every year they build HUGE statues of snow, light them up at night and people from all over come to see them.



Then there is the Otaru candle light festival, which was really pretty. They even light up the famous Otaru canal.



There is also smaller festivals like Sunukyo, in which they make a lighted up ice castle of sorts that you can climb around in. And in Monbetsu you can go out to see the ice glaciers as they come from Russia.



So although living in Hokkaido is SUPER cold....the winter also has some of the best festivals around.

Kyushoku

Kyushoku is the Japanese word for School Lunch. Every day I am feed a well balanced lunch, though sometimes it can be a bit heavy on the carbs. Each school lunch contains anywhere from 600 - 750 calories. So, it can be pretty calorific. However....its SO much better than what the kids in the states eat. Not only that, but often times when I don't want to eat something on my plate the kids usually tell me that I have to eat it weather I like it or not. Also although kids have a difficultly when I ask them what kind of snack they like, they can always answer what kind of fruit they like. I think our kids could learn something from them.

Anyways, this is a week of Kyushoku. It changes every week so its never quite the same. But Mon, Wes, Fri tend to be rice days. Tues, and Thurs tend to be noodles or bread.

MONDAY:



"Rice, a form of seaweed, and kimichi pork soup"

TUESDAY:


"Udon Pork soup, strawberry yogurt and a meat/potato filled coroke ball."

WEDNESDAY:

"Udon, Rice, Hijiki"

THURSDAY:

"Spaghetti, Bread, custard pudding"

FRIDAY:

"Rice, Chinese soup, and gyoza"