Another Christmas in Japan
Written by Billy W on December 24, 2009
In Japan, the Emperor’s birthday (December 23rd) is a holiday, so lots of westerners living here take advantage of the day to have their Christmas celebrations since they’ll likely be working on the 25th.
I have both days off. Well, the 23rd has come and gone already, and Christmas is tomorrow. To be honest, I haven’t thought much of Christmas since I was 20. In my early 20’s, I usually worked jobs that required me to have a Christmas-day shift, and sometimes a graveyard shift at that. Even though I tried to spend a little time with my family on those occasions, I never seemed to feel I was missing out on the holiday that was much more special to me in my schoolboy years.
After moving to Portland, OR when I was 25, I found myself usually joining the big Christmas Eve gathering at my aunt’s and uncle’s house. In those years, I kind of felt reinvigorated with the spirit of the holiday. My aunt would play guitar and sing Christmas songs in her beautiful voice while everyone sang along. Basically, in the middle of the party, there was a candlelit Christmas service for 30 minutes or so. I say was, but they’re still doing it these years.
So, tonight I sit here in my room in south Tokyo thinking about what Christmas means to me. On Christmas Eve in Japan, young couples get together and go out, often to romantic places. The holiday has a Valentine’s Day feel to it. I’m sure if I stepped out into the evening right now, I’d see a fair number of couples going in and out of the local train station. And, even though I’m separated by the largest continent in the world from my special someone, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on Christmas in Japan. Don’t get me wrong, I want to be with her more than anything right now. But, that’s got nothing to do with any holiday.
I do feel like I’m missing out on something else, though. My mother and father, aunts and uncles… They’re not young anymore. How many more chances will there be for us to have Christmas together? I know my mother and father miss me and would love to have me back in the States with them for the holidays.
For so many years, I’ve been able to take a pass on family Christmas gatherings without much guilt or too many feelings of sadness.
This year is different, though. I think I might make a New Year’s resolution about next year’s Christmas.
Posted in: Eating and Drinking, Journal
McRib Now in Japan: The Legend Continues
Written by Billy W on October 1, 2008
In my school days, I never really liked MickeyD’s; I was always a Taco Bell fan. And, for those of you kids from Cali, you might be able to understand why Del Taco was my absolute favorite fast food joint. However, there was one season when I visited the Golden Arches quite often; during McRib season.
For those who did their growing up outside of the U.S., let me explain what McRib was/is…
It’s a BBQ-ey, processed-pork-filled sandwich of delight. No, nobody in recorded history has ever consumed an entire McRib without staining at least a small portion of his/her shirt, but hell, you can always buy another shirt, right? McRibs are only ever around for a short while and letting a little thing like fear of ruining one’s garments get in the way of the pleasure of cramming one of these cholesterol-laden babies into one’s piehole is absolutely asinine, behavior which is unreasonable in my world.
Well, I’m happy to say today that the legend has arrived in Japan. Today, I walked into my local MickeyD’s for a juicy chicken sandwich when the glorious McRib poster caught my eye and led me in a mezmerized state to the counter. I quickly ordered a set and returned to my office for a chow-down. While not as delicious as I remember them being back home (the ingredients are not exactly the same, but at least the pork and BBQ sauce are), it was pretty damn decent. And, I managed not to ruin my suit. Definitely worth a try if you’re an established McRib fan, and even if you’ve never tried one before.
Anyway, like back in the States, McRib will only be available for a short time in Japan. According to Japan Today, it’ll only be available throughout the month of October. So, get your lard-ass in gear and get down to your local McDonald’s today!
Posted in: Eating and Drinking
Do Yakiniku Like the Cheap-Ass S.O.B. You Are!
Written by Billy W on September 25, 2008
Face it…
You’re
and
you’re an
And, you’re alright with that.
Otsukare, Amigo! The big day is finally here. Payday. You’ve been waiting for it for over a week and a half now, since the evening you realized you needed to borrow an ichi-man-yen bill from your drinking buddy to carry you through to this glorious afternoon. Over the past ten days you’ve lived on nothing but instant ramen and rice. Even furikake was a luxury for you during this dark period. But, you made it through.
So, what do you do first, now that the day of dreams is at hand? Pay your friend back, right? Hell, no? You’ve got a fistful of yen in one hand and your keitai with suspended service in the other. You’ve got good times on your mind and moral responsibility will not get in the way of that for you, my friend. Your first task is to get down to Softbank and pay your past-due bill and your second is to send out a mass e-mail letting all your booze buds know that tonight, it’s beer and beef or die. That’s right, you devil; It’s yakiniku time.
So, where do you go to stuff your gut with meat and sling back a gallon of brew? Well, you’ve been thinking lately that it’s time to make a budget and stick to it, so Gyu-Kaku has become a luxury for you, my friend. So, then, what? One of those cheap all-you-can-eat places in Kabuki-cho where the grills are too small and the heat is so low that you end up with a bellyful of uncooked meat and a bad case of the green apple two-step the next day? No way; those days are over for you, good sir. So, the solution is simple: An An.
You’re going to An An (安安) for all the right reasons: ￥290 nama biiru (not happoshu, either - we’re talking Asahi Super Dry, the Coors of Japanese beers), ￥290 kalbi, ￥290 roast, ￥390 harami, and the list goes on. And, since you’re sick of 90-minute or 2-hour time limits, An An is right up your alley; no time limits there, my meat-loving buddy; just beef and beer o’ plenty.
Yes, friend, you’re living abroad and making the most of your experience. And, in the process, you’re becoming a true world citizen. You’re a true renaissance man and some day you’ll write a book about your adventures in the land of the rising sun. So, here’s to you, good sir. You’ve proven to everyone that you can survive in the urban jungle that is Tokyo, and for that, we salute you.
An An Restaurant Location Page
Posted in: Eating and Drinking