This winter was my first time living somewhere that is warm enough to grow citrus. Yet another reason I don’t want to leave Tanegashima. Mikan (satsuma oranges), Ponkan (Chinese honey tangerines), and Kinkan (kumquats) are the main players on this island, and they grow so abundantly that people have to give them away if they don’t want them going to waste. NASA people (some of whom would live on instant ramen and chips if they could) have been able to avoid scurvy thanks to the generosity of the restaurant, hotel, and store owners who can’t seem to give their oranges away fast enough.

Cody and I are trying to process the idea that we’re leaving this island, maybe forever, in three days. But it will not compute. Still, we’re loading up on souvenirs and eating at all of our favorite places one last time, proceeding as planned. Here’s hoping I can hold it together when I say goodbye to all the Sun Pearl people and my Tanegashima friends. Reality awaits.

So, this morning at 3am Tanegashima time, Cody and the NASA dudes completed their satellite mission. I was lucky enough to get to watch from the space center, so I had a decent view. Poor Cody had to be in a windowless room during the launch because he was part of the team that needed to monitor and control things if they went wrong. I’m not a photographer, but I lugged our giant camera to the viewing area, flipped the switch to “auto” and did my best to catch a few frames. If you ever get the opportunity to watch a rocket launch in person, I’d recommend taking advantage. It’s pretty dang beautiful, and the sound and feel of it is sort of hard to describe.

For video that pretty closely resembles what I saw, watch this.

For video that’s a good bit shinier than what I saw, watch this.

There are not many American foods I’ve missed during my three months in Japan. There was that one time when I really wanted a burrito. My only other longing has been for cheese.

While the sauce aisles, produce sections, and seafood departments of the grocery stores here in Tanegashima are gorgeous enough to make any food lover swoon, the dairy cases are abbreviated and elementary. So far I’ve found individually wrapped American “cheese” slices, little wedges of creamy cheese wrapped in foil, and cans of powdered “parmesan”. When I’m at home I like to keep enough real, delicious cheese on hand that I could grate it up and roll around in it if I wanted. But here I’ve had to console myself with meticulously prepared, charcoal grilled chicken. Which maybe undermines my whining completely…

My point is, when we landed in California last month, I had one immovable item on my agenda: find cheese and eat it (sorry family, priorities you know). Cody’s hometown of Sutter Creek has an adorable cheese shop where the owner hands out samples like her customers are starving, but I didn’t beat around the bush this time. I knew what I wanted: Two Sisters Isabella, and Lamb Chopper. Both aged goudas, one from cow, one from sheep, both sharp and nutty and utterly unavailable in Tanegashima. I cannot get enough aged gouda, and these are just different enough that I get to eat twice as much gouda and still feel like I’m having some variety in my cheese choices.

On the way back to Tanegashima I started devising ways to bring cheese with me. There was no way I was going another two months without cheese. Customs can be tricky though, so I found that giant department store I mentioned earlier: Isetan, home of the stink-less seafood department. They had a decent selection of cheese and I walked away with a wedge of parmesan, a block of some really rich swiss, a craggy hunk of mimolette, and a brick of basic yellow cheddar.  I promised myself I would share.

With the parmesan, I made a pretty successful risotto in the Sun Pearl’s kitchen with some gloriously starchy Japanese rice. Papa-san, your typical strong and silent type, actually spoke to me to tell me my risotto was “oishii” and it warmed my shriveled little heart. The rest I brought out to share with Midori-san and Suja. Midori had the funniest reaction to a little piece of parmesan she popped in her mouth. It was like the cheese was hot or sour – that kind of puckering squint. And this is a woman who likes spicy things and lives in a country where wasabi is liberally applied to 25% of the dishes. I tried to think of a dish that might elicit a similar reaction in me…maybe a huge mouthful of stilton? I’m just so used to Parmesan that her reaction was surprising and adorable.

It’s been about three weeks since I polished off my cheese stash, and I’m feeling…stable. But as much as I look forward to getting home and re-stocking my fridge with enough gouda and gruyere and feta to fill a human-sized bathtub, I know it means I’ll be giving up all my Japanese food crushes like crispy, charred yakitori shio and impossibly rich tonkotsu ramen. It will be interesting to see how long I make it in the US before I start getting rude cravings my favorite Japanese dishes. I’m anticipating a few desperate attempts at re-creating them at home, followed by an impulsive plane ticket purchase.

I’ve been a busy girl ever since we got back here to Tangeashima, going to parties and dinners and a glass-bead making class, learning to cook Japanese dishes, and eating everything within reach. My impending return to the states is making me sort of frantic to squeeze every drop of experience out of this trip. I even agreed to sing at this potter’s (yes, a person who makes pots and has a kiln in his backyard) open mic-night on Saturday. Just everything. I’m the “yes” woman right now.

But really quick let me tell you about Shibuya. Cody and I were only there for a couple of hours, but it made an impression. It’s crowded. There’s good shopping. And I ate some exceptional yakitori while I was there.

This is a much larger and more organized restaurant than I’m used to in Tanegashima. It had that same amazing charred meat smell though.

We’ve decided one of our favorite types of yakitori is this chicken and green onion combo.

And I can’t see a fried potato on any menu and pass it up. Below are some mashed potato croquettes.

Asparagus is good when it’s wrapped in bacon. Put it on a stick and grill it over coal and, well, guess.

Then some chicken meatball sticks with raw egg yolk for dipping. Cody passed. I didn’t.

And our last snack before our flight back to Tanegashima: purple sweet-potato flavored Kit Kats.  Not bad, but chocolate is better.

After a week in California we started making our way back to Tanegashima for our last month before the rocket launches.

We were sure to avoid thrombosis on our 10 hour flight.

The picture above, plus one cigarette and minus one pair of pants would make for a little ScarJo “Lost in Translation” moment. Wife of a guy who takes photos (but mine also works for NASA) living in a hotel in Japan…hmm. I’d argue my situation is a bit better than hers . If I were the type to argue a hypothetical comparison with a fictional character.

Here’s a little peek down a street in Shinjuku. It’s food food food food, pachinko, electronics, food food food.

This is one of those ramen places with the vending machine out front. This particular joint is pork-centric.

I had noodles with braised pork belly and cheese. Not bad.

Shopping in Shinjuku.

Legs of ham at a really really cool, really really big store called Isetan. Where I blew $50 on cheese to take back to Tanegashima. Have I mentioned that there is almost no proper cheese in Tanegashima? I realize $50 is a lot, but it was a lot of cheese, plus there’s supply and demand or somesuch thing.

Fish in Isetan. This was probably the nicest smelling seafood display I’ve ever experienced.

And Muji, which is almost kind of like a Japanese Ikea. But maybe better (they have an online store and they ship to the US and you’re welcome). I used to think that if I ever had a fat wad of cash to blow on a frivolous shopping spree, I’d take it to New York, but now? I think Tokyo is winning.

So the purpose of our leaving Japan was to take a little trip to California to visit Cody’s family. Cody’s sister just had a new baby and we got to meet him and hang out with our adorable niece Afton.

We basically had to trick Afton into putting on that kimono. She’s got spirit. But she eventually acquiesced and was epic cute.

Little Micah.

Afton posing for some family shots before our Sunday dinner. And I realized while making this awesome pork tenderloin recipe for the tenth time (which I got from Cody’s very sophisticated cousins) that I’ve been making this sauce, and it’s buerre blanc – which is kind of a tricky, old French master chef kind of sauce – and I had no idea. I may have to blog it.

Amador county has this great restaurant called Taste. We’ve been trying to go every time I’ve been in town but kept missing their lunch hours, which is the best time to go. This tortellini with butternut squash, goat cheese, crispy brussels sprouts and smoked eggplant kind of stole the show.

The burrito meter was on E. Not anymore.

They don’t really have Mexican food in Japan, or Costco. So we hit both.

And of course, In n Out.

Well, Cody and I are back in Tangeashima and going about our usual business. Yesterday I made risotto with Japanese rice here in the Sun Pearl’s kitchen and I think it’s the first thing I’ve made that Japanese people actually liked. While I was working I got to watch Papa-san slice up some sashimi (not his first rodeo) and he complimented me on my food (big win of the day). So we’re getting back into the swing of things, and enjoying the island weather (it’s been 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit since we landed).

Our trip to and from California went really well, no thanks to me and my very predictable airport rage (tell me I’m not the only one). On the way out we had an overnight layover in Narita which is an interesting area with too many good things to buy. The morning before our flight to San Francisco, we caught the bus into town and hiked to the temple which was decked out for the New Year. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but the New Year here is a big, month-long deal.

There were stalls set up all over the temple grounds selling food and good luck charms. The grounds themselves are gorgeous, with burning incense everywhere and little nature trails for sneaking off and being pensive I assume.

Before going in to pay their respects at the temple, people visited this fountain to wash their hands. You’ll notice the placard to the left of my dragon friend says “Hot Dog” so that’s what I will call him.

Be warned: blood and guts in this next photo. Narita has a lot of unagi restaurants and if you walk through in the morning you’ll likely get a little butchering show. It’s impressive and gross all at once.

And for the oddest possible juxtaposition to freshly slaughtered Japanese eel, how about some Japanese McDonalds?

The menu is pretty similar to the American version, with the addition of some kind of double-patty burger with an egg on top, and the absence of gigantic soda cups.

That up there’s a medium Japanese soda, which is basically a happy-meal size cup in the US. Below is my new favorite McDonald’s sandwich: Filet-o Ebi. The patty is made of shrimp, breaded and fried, and topped with spicy mayo. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.

More on the way! And it’ll be relatively quick now that my world is a bit more static.

So I’ve been in Japan for two months and I am getting a little melancholy over the fact that my time here is more than half way over. How can this be??  Cody and I are in Narita overnight, with a flight to San Francisco tomorrow to see our new nephew. After our visit with family we are headed back to Tanegashima until the satellite launch. Because my brain functions are stunted during travel, I’m offering a smattering of random photos to hopefully hold you over until I can do words again.

Spicy ramen at our favorite place near our hotel.

The mural at our favorite burger/jerk chicken restaurant: The Stepping Lion.

Jerk chicken platter at the Stepping Lion.

Japan is apparently the land of mammoth carrots. Potatoes on the left, onions on the right.

Fried rice and katsukare (curry with fried pork) at my OTHER favorite lunch spot in Minamitane. Fourteen dollars for everything in the photo.

Remember how I said KFC is real popular here?

New Year’s performance that is sort of a cross between Christmas caroling and trick-or-treating, but with drums and dancing and chanting and men dressed in kimonos. Very cute.

I really really like it here, you guys.

On Christmas/my birthday I woke up in our rustic little cabin on monkey island, walked out the door, and saw a rainbow. Not a bad way to start the best day of the year.

Determined to make the most of the culinary situation in town, we set out in the morning in search of french toast. Our target restaurant was scheduled to open at 9:00, so we planned accordingly, but they were closed for the holiday – much to our dismay. By the time we actually found a breakfast place that was open, we were starving and willing to eat anything put in front of us.

Which turned out to be a good thing. Salad, ham, and egg is a pretty typical “western” style breakfast in this area, but the spaghetti, fried chicken, and potato salad were unexpected.

After breakfast we wandered the town and found a cute Yakushima dog to pet.

Then we drove into the mountains and spotted a few Japanese deer. To me, they look like American deer chopped off at the knees.

That one is just a little bigger than Murdock.

Even though our hikes were basically rained out, the clouds made for some nice, moody lighting.

Dinner was pizza. Durn good pizza at a restaurant I’m going to write more about later.

The guy who makes the pizza on Yakushima also makes his own bread and oh dear. Such bread. It was better than most of of the European style bread I’ve had in America.

I flitted off in the afternoon for a massage at a fancy hotel and, while I was having my shoulders pinched and kneaded, Cody and our traveling buddies put together an impromptu party for me. With candles! I was genuinely surprised and maybe got a little misty-eyed but played it off super cool like I do. After cake we watched a Charlie Brown Christmas and, truth be told, I didn’t feel a twinge of homesickness all day.

No place like a cabin on an island for the holidays.

I’m kind of embarrassed I haven’t written more about the food I’ve been eating. Because I have been EATING. I want to do these places justice though, so be patient with me plz. Ok, so lets begin: one of my favorite restaurants in the town of Minamitane is Sama Sama. I have no idea what Sama Sama means, but when I hear it, I think of yakitori.

This is a plate of mixed yakitori shio (chicken skewers seasoned with salt…somehow they taste like more than the sum of their parts). If you’ve watched “The Mind of a Chef” season one with David Chang on Netflix, you know what the first skewer on the left is: a painstakingly unraveled chicken wing. The next is chicken with green onion, then a dark meat skewer, a thin-sliced pork belly skewer, and the last is white meat with wasabi. The Japanese word for what these are is oishii (meaning delicious). Oishii is one of the first words I learned in Japanese and I use it all. the. time.

That’s Masa-san, the cook/owner grilling some yakitori on the left, and a close-up of his handiwork on the right. Are you guys seeing how atmospheric this place is? It’s cozy and feels like every piece of it has been sort of, I don’t know, collected? The fact that it’s run entirely by two people helps too.

Breaded and deep-fried Camembert cheese. Yup.

All the salads in Japan are awesome. The national obsession with freshness is really highlighted in salads: no brown edges or soggy bits here. Sliced pork and sesame dressing on top.

This is yakitori tare (pronounced ta-ray) – similar to the yakitori shio, but topped with a sweet, brown sauce called tare which is sort of similarish to teriyaki. I should probably look that up.

That up there is a Korean style green onion and cheese pancake, cut into wedges. Nice and crispy on one side, cheesy on the other.

They have these mini table grills you can order to grill your own meat over Japanese white binchotan coal. Masa-san fills them with hot coals and sets a lava stone on top to use as the grilling surface. This one’s being used on some duck.

Masa-san torching some marinated mackerel, table-side.

These things are out of control. Chicken wings that have been carefully slit open and stuffed with gyoza filling.

Deep fried chicken. Wing. Gyoza.

Bottles of sake and Masa-san. This place has basically charmed my face off, and Masa san is a great cook. If you ever go to Tanegashima, head to Sama Sama and eat all the things. Actually, if you’re anywhere within a thousand-mile radius of Tanegashima it would be very much worth the trip to eat at Sama Sama. Just go, ok?