Shopping and Feasting

On Saturday there was a typhoon making its way up the Sea of Japan, between the west coast of Japan and the Korean peninsula.  We are on the east coast of Japan, so not in its path. However, typhoons, as is also the way with hurricanes and cyclones, tend to spread the love so the wind and the rain drift away from the main event and cover places much further afield.

Saturday was therefore marked with bouts of heavy rain, strong wind, dry-ish spells and occasional hints of sunshine and much humidity.

Austin, Lindsey and I managed to get to the lolly shop and the storage facility to retrieve one of Austin's suitcases without getting drowned. Why did we need one of Austin's suitcases?  Well - Lindsey's suitcase, which had set off from Melbourne with all four wheels attached, had arrived in Nagoya with only three.  It can be fixed, but probably not until we get back to Oz.  Lindsey didn't want to spend a fortnight dragging a three wheeled suitcase with her.  She borrowed one of Austin's for ease of travel.  We've left the original suitcase with Austin, filled with things we won't need until we go home - such as many packs of lollies - and he will bring it to Osaka when we meet there.

What to do on a reasonably inclement day?  We went to a shopping mall for a wander around and for lunch. We went back to Austin and Kaori's place for a potter about at home.  And then we went to a yakitori restaurant for dinner.  Tatsuki LERVS yakitori!

Waiting for dinner

Kaori did the cooking

Me, waiting Hugo-like for my next piece of steak

Sunday dawned bright, warm and shiny.  The typhoon had given up on us.  So we squished Tatsuki, Kaori and Lindsey into the back of the tiny car. Austin drove.  I passengered in the front. And we drove up through the mountains to a shopping outlet up in the mountains.  It was a beautiful drive, although I fear that Kaori might not have enjoyed it quite so much, squished in the middle. The car is only designed for two passengers in the back.

As a shopping outlet, you might almost have been anywhere in the world.  They don't really vary much:

And then you look out at the view.  Definitely not Ballarat!

Mind you, we were surprised to find a Tully's up there.  Although it was a coffee shop rather than a produce store.

Austin, Lindsey and I had burgers and chips for lunch. The burgers came on Turkish bread.  This is a variation that I might well use at home.  Burgers go very well on Turkish bread!

Cheeseburger and chips, Japanese style

Back to Austin and Kaori's place, and then it was time for Lindsey and me to make our way to Nagoya.  The plan had been that Lindsey and I would share a twin room, with Austin, Kaori and Tatsuki in the room opposite.  In the event, I am using their room.

Lindsey had planned that we would go to a BBQ restaurant near the hotel for dinner last night.  Alas, it was closed for a wedding party. So we fetched up in a random udon place across the road from the hotel.  I have to say, it was absolutely delicious. The udon, not the restaurant :-D