Truffle Chocolate

The colour of the town is filled with Red, Pink, Hearts.


Yes, the Valentine's day is coming up soon.


A year ago, I wrote about how different the Valentines day between Canada and Japan.




I used to hyped up with the Valentines day's event when I was a teenager ~ early 20s. Valentine's day is the day that girls get to give chocolate to a boy and tell "I love you." 


Also, often girls give chocolates to male friends (not a boy friend but good friend),
to show the appreciation for the friendship. (That could turn into a romance, sometime!)


Also female workers give chocolates to male co-workers and bosses.


So this time of the year, Japan is filled with chocolates!


Same as in my house, when my mom was still alive, this season was usually
the chocolate making days.


My mom used to be a cooking teacher, and she has so many recipe that she had left
for us.  One of them is,,,

"Truffle Chocolate"

We used to make thousands of those at home, wrapped nicely and sell them for friends and families who wanted to give chocolate for their romances, partners, friends,

co-workers, bosses etc.  

If people buy truffle chocolate at store, it would be very expensive, so they would buy

from our kitchen !

But 1997 Valentines were not as fun as it used to be, because my mom wasn't feeling

well at that time. We did make truffle chocolate, but just for ourselves and not

for sale.

10 days after, my mom passed away.

A year later, I made truffle chocolates by myself, because people wanted to buy, but it wasn't fun anymore.  So I stopped making them.

Since then, I just did not feel like following this particular recipe because it was bringing

back a sad memory.

However, I think I got over it.  Since I went to Japan, I finally feel like I let go of

the last bit of grieve that I was carrying around. (At least for now.)

When I was in town today, I saw the pink and red and hearts and chocolate all over 

the store, and naturally my hands reached to the ingredients to make truffle chocolates. 

I pulled out my mom's recipe and called my kids and started to make the truffle chocolate

for the first time after 14 years.

Anyone would like to try? Come as soon as possible before they are eaten up !

Garbage for others is treasure for me !!!

I am Japanese. I love Sushi, especially Ikura, the raw salmon roe.

I grow up with raw fish, raw fish eggs, raw egg on a rice bowl, 
I even had eaten shrimps and small fish alive, yes alive in a mouth.
 ... OK, it might be too much information for some of you are reading this story.  






I never knew Canadian fisher man use fish roe as a fishing bait. 

"Nooooooo!"

The worst is as soon as they catch fish, they clean the guts and throw the fish roe away.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Salmon roe is a super delicacy for Japanese people !!!

Save it !  Save it !!!

My husband likes fishing, so does his brother (my brother in law). My husband likes 
lake fishing to catch smaller fish like kokanee or traut while his brother likes
river fishing for bigger fish, Salmon !


Long time ago, I asked my brother in law if he ever catch female fish with eggs still in 
its belly. 


He said "Yeah, sometimes. I usually use the eggs as bait, but people usually clean the guts out right at the river."


I asked to him,
"Is it possible if you can keep the eggs?"


He said
"Sure, but what for?"


I said,
"For eating?"


He said,
"O...K... How do you eat them....?"


I said,
"Raw."


Most of the Canadian, the reaction would be

Yeeeeeeewwww!

But for Japanese, Salmon roe is total delicacy !  It cost $2.50 to order one little sushi
with one teaspoon full of salmon roe (Ikura) on top. It cost $30 to buy one little jar of
Ikura!

Anyway, few days ago, he dropped by at our place with a bag of salmon roe in his hand!!!

Woooo Hooooo !!!!  THANK YOU !!!!

This is how it looks like right after came out from salmon belly.

You can not eat with all the membrane, vein, string, fiber etc.  
You have to clean it gently and entirely.

Tada~! This is how it looks when it is ready to prepare for eating.

Japanese people usually marinate in soy sauce, rice wine and sugar and eat it right away.
But my husband is not comfortable about our children are eating raw. So at least I can do is freeze them once.




After defrost it and marinate into soy sauce, rice wine and sugar for over night,
it is ready to eat !!!

This is Japanese delicacy.

"Ikura"

My children are really looking forward to eating them for a dinner now, right now !




Of course, I saved some of them for my secret stash....  bad mom. 

Doll Festival - Hina Matsuri

Lately, I have been so busy with the preparation of Jikiden Reiki Vancouver seminar
with Mr. Tadao Yamaguchi...

I realized that I have not write my blog for over 2 weeks!

Today, I would like to write about "Doll Festival", in Japanese we call 

"Hina Matsuri"

"Hina Matsuri" takes place on March 3rd, and celebrates "Girls Day". Today is the day families pray for the happiness and prosperity for their daughters and to help ensure that they grow up healthy and beautiful. (Well, we pray everyday, not only March 3rd.)

Displaying the dolls are meant to ward off evil spirits from girls
and wish children's happiness in future.

People display dolls in a certain way.

This is one of the full 7 rows expensive set.

Happy couple on the top, 

three ladies (Kanjo or Miko) in the second row, 

five musicians (Gonin Bayashi) in the third row, 

some foods,

three body guards (zuijin) in the 5th row,

then some furnitures.

I don't have the full set like this, but I have this cute ones!

Hina doll sets always has a happy couple on the top.

These three ladies in the second row are "Kanjo" or "Miko"
Mikos are there to support the happy couple.

This set only came with the couple. 

He looks a bit serious while she looks easy going.

That might be the key for a happy marriage ?

 This is a cute set for cat lovers.

 This is my special display.

When my daughter was born, my friend, Wakana, made this paper art

to celebrate my daughter's first doll festival.


This is not a drawing!

Paper art is another Japanese culture, called Chigiri-eh.

Cut and paste coloured papers to make art.

Some towns in Japan, they make straw dolls like this. 

Bring it to the river or ocean and let them float, 

so then the doll will take the troubles away from children.  

I just love those little customs in Japan.  

In Jikiden Reiki class, we always talk about "Miko"


Because Miko(巫) is a part of kanji charactor of Reiki 靈氣。

Old days, Miko were the ladies who serve for god. 

Old days, Miko were like spiritual midiums who receive messages from god and

passed the message to people to help open up their life path.
They took important to role in humans lives.

These are Mikos in Hina Doll display.

They are Mikos in real life.

Accept, not expect, is the key for happy relationship, I think.

I hope you enjoyed reading about Hina Matsuri !!!

Valentines Day

Today was a Valentines Day.

It is so different.  

So, So different.

Couples go out for special dinner,

my daughter was busy whole day yesterday to make Valentine's cards 

for everyone in a class.  At first, I thought "WHY FOR EVERYONE ???"

Because 

Japanese Valentines day is very different.

This is the only official day of entire year when

"A Girl to tell a boy her feeling that 'she is in love'."

It's a day of "Girls-to-Boys", not "Boys-to-Girls"

Girls in love, they go out for a chocolate and gift shopping.  This time, girls wrap the chocolate and the gift by themselves. 

 It is common in Japan, when we buy a gift at a store, the store lady wrap the gift with their pretty store wrapping paper.

But for the Valentines day, girls even buy wrapping paper and wrap by themselves!

This is so special!

I know in Canada, wrapping the gift by ourselves is the only way.  

But in Japan, wrapping the gift by ourselves is luxury!

That's why, when I moved to Canada and saw the way people ripping open the gift wrapping paper, I was shocked. (Read my birthday present story?)

OK, What happens on The Valentines day.

The popular boys brings so many chocolates home.  Not so popular boys do not get chocolates, maybe from his mom or from his sisters.

Some girls give chocolates to boys as a friendship chocolate, called "Giri-choco".

Some girls give chocolates to one boy as a true love chocolate, called "Honne-choco".

Mothers counts her sons chocolates and asks her son

"You have 8 friendship chocolate, but do you have any true love chocolate ? "

or

"You have 12 true love chocolates?  Which girl are you going to chose now?"

or

"I am happy for you that you even got 1 friendship chocolate. Here is your true love chocolate from mom...."

This even happens in a office! 

 Family wait for her father comes home from work to count how many chocolate he will bring back. The more chocolates he has, the more popular he is at work and it is like a prize !!!

It is a big day for boys, and girls.

But this story continues here.

On March 14th, is the day that boys return the gift to girls. 

It's called "White Day" 

Those boys who received chocolates would go out for cookies shopping.

Yes, this time Cookies.

Boys who received friendship chocolates usually return friendship cookies for the girls.  But if he does not like the girl who gave him a true love chocolate, he does not return the cookies.

Boys did not receive any chocolates, they don't have to go out for shopping... 

It's a big day for a girl who gave a boy "true love chocolate".

"Do I get a cookie back from him...."

It's is a longest 1 month for a teenage-girl-in-love to wait for a reply.

I remember those days.

I had a heart breaking day because of the no chocolate return.

I also had a joyful day with a cookie box and a ornament bunny in my hands.

Awww, heart melting days...

Now, everyday is a Valentines day.  I love going out for a dinner spontaneously, not because everyone go out for a Valentine's dinner.

Spontaneous dinner is much more special, to me anyways.

Sushi making day !

Making Sushi at home sounds a bit challenging ?

But it really is not that difficult !  

Once you see how to make it, it is actually fun!

Especially if you make it with few friends !

When we cut some vegetables, we talked about how we can keep the knife sharp.


When we opened the Nori (sea weeds) package, we talked about how good the Nori will smell if we roast it.

When we roll the very first Sushi, we laugh at each other!

"Hey, yours is triangle! It is supposed to be a nice round!"

"That's OK, I like the triangle sushi !"

"Hey, I put too much stuff in a roll and it could not close up!"

We talked about our children's school life and parenting.


We "Awwww" and "Owwww" about each conversation.

Ladies conversation is very interactive, fun, and never ending !

We started the conversation about the weather, 
 and weather to the skiing, 
   skiing to the husbands, 
     husbands to the birth experience,  
       birth experience to the weight control, 
         weight control to hospital, 
           the hospital to reiki, 
             reiki to parentings, 
               parentings to the piano lessons, 
                 on and on and on.

Girls Sushi making day out was FUN!

Hope we will do this again soon !

Be grateful

One of the most important teaching of Reiki is "Gokai", the five Principle.

Reiki practitioners and teachers are taught to live our life with Gokai.
It is not like the commandments that if you don't follow through, you get
discipline.  
It is a suggestion how to live our life.


Just for Today,
Do not be angry,
Do not worry,
Be grateful,
Do your duties fully,
Be kind to others.


In Japanese


Kyo dakewa
Ikaruna
Shinpai suna
Kansha shite
Gyo o hageme
Hitoni shinsetsuni






One of the Gokai I personally like a lot is 

 "Be grateful"

The true meaning of "Be grateful" in Gokai is to be grateful for a small things
that we do not even think of in every day life.


Be grateful for the air that we breath in and out,
Be grateful for the colour of the dandelion,
Be grateful for the smell of the fresh cut grass, etc.


When I teach Jikiden Reiki class, I always share one story of my memorable
moment of "Being grateful"..




After my mother's unexpected death, it was such a shocking thing that
I, 25years old young adult, could not adjust myself to the sudden change 
from "a life surrounded by family" to "a life by myself".


When I came home from work,  room was dark and cold, no conversation, and felt 
like really no one cares about me, and I felt like there is no reason for me to be 
in this world.


Grateful to my friends who lived close by and cheered me up, and sisters who lived far away but cared deeply about me.  




But, I really missed the warmth of the home.




Towards the end of the lonely 4 years, I met my husband.


At first, I was scared to commit myself to a relationship, because I did not 
want to get hurt by losing loved one anymore. I would rather stay alone, so then
there would be no one to lose.  But somehow, he was able to change my mind
and we started to live together.


I remember the one grateful moment that brought tears in my eyes.


He came home from work, opened the door and said,
"Tadaima !"  - means "I'm home!"


Then I said,
"Okaeri !" - means "Welcome home!"  


"Tadaima' and "Okaeri" is a greeting conversation that happens in family in Japan, 
every day, sometime 10 times a day. This conversation does not happen
when you visit your friend's place, it is a family conversation.




When I said "Okaeri!", I felt such a gratitude that
"Did I just say 'Okaeri' ?  Wooow, there is a person who is coming back here as a home, 
and I live here."


"This conversation would not happen if I was alone."

"Tadaima!" and "Okaeri!" 

I never thought that such a simple conversation that we do not even think of, 
was such a heart warming words.




I was able to understand the love of this simple conversation, 
because, once I lost it from my life. 






I do my best to notice every moment of grateful things in my life now 
because I know it will be too late once I lost it.




I hope this message gets to my children when they old enough to read this.  
Fill up our heart with tiny little grateful things to make no space for anger, 
worry, fear and hatred.






I see snow line goes up and down.
I smell the difference of the snow and the rain.
I see the sunset makes the mountains glow in pink, orange, sometime red.
I hear the Japanese crows and Canadian crows croak out in different tune.

There are so much to notice !

Let's notice the beauty.....

New Year Eve

Today is New Years Eve.  Soooooo quiet around here, at least, around me.

In Japan, New Years Eve is a big day, just like a Christmas Eve for Canadian culture.


Family members come back to the home town.
Getting together with old friends who haven't met for years.


I have been in Canada for since 1999, and I am finally getting used to have a super busy, exciting, wined up, almost over whealming Christmas and quiet New Year.


But I certainly miss my Japanese New Year!!!


Watch the New Year Eve TV show, Kohaku Uta Gassen, (female popular singers as a 'Red team' VS male popular singers as a White team), get excited about each singers costumes.

Go out with friends to visit temple and line up to hit Joya-no-kane (a huge gong) at a Buddhist Temple.

Yes, lots, lots, lots of people.


Joya-no-kane starts around 11:55pm on December 31st, and continues until it hits 108times.

"108 times" comes from Buddhist teaching. By hitting 108 time, it helps to cleanse the guilt, anger and all the regrets and sorrows that happend in past year, and to be clean to be ready for the new future.

I think it is very beautiful culture...

Eat Toshi-koshi-soba, the "Buckwheat Noodle for New Years Eve" on December 31st.

Toshi-koshi-soba is to show the appreciation to be able to have a life for the upcoming new year, and wishing for the long life. (long noodle represents longevety)


After eating Toshi-koshi-soba,Stay up all night, or have a little snooze.


Get up early to find the most beautiful New Year's Sunrise.

Make a promise to the First Sun of the Year for a happiness and good health for 
the upcoming years.


Eat, O-zo-ni, mixture of vegetable and fish soup, with O-to-so, sweet rice wine, in the morning of the New Year.

Each foods in the O-zo-ni has meanings behind them.  As you eat each food in a soup, we remind ourselves to promise for happiness, success, achieve goals, good health, longevety.

Then go to the Shinto temple in the afternoon of New Years day,

 to make a wish, 

pick a reading(horoscope) of the year,

and buy a lucky charm(for good health, happiness) from Miko (spiritual medium in red & white clothes at Shinto Temple).

If you pick a bad reading, you know your year will only get better.
If you pick a good reading, you are promised a good year.


Children receives Otoshi-dama, gift of the year, from parents, relatives and sometime from neighbors (if they are rich!).  

It is money in a small envelope.  
We learn how to save money each year from our childhood.

Japanese New Years Eve and New Year day are full of customs and full of spirit in 
each actions.

I certainly miss this part.

Shinto teaching is such an equal, non judgemental, spirit based, nature based and honest teaching, in my opinion....


I think that is why I love Jikiden Reiki that truely respects 
the Japanese ancient teaching, Shinto.

Happiness does not come only from the happiness.

I think,,, happiness comes with the loneliness . 

Without knowing the feeling of loneliness, there is no happiness.

WIth knowing the feeling of loneliness, we can be kind to others.

Feeling healthy does not come only with the good health.

I think,,, feeling healthy comes with the sickness.

Without knowing the pain of the sickness, there is no feeling of healthy.

WIth knowing the pain of the sickness, we can be kind to others.

For my families, friends, all the people around me,

I wish you from the bottom of my heart for the happiness 

with a bit of bitterness, the good health with a bit of 

down days and smiles on your face no matter what.

Thank you for having me in your life.

Without any of you in a past, now and future, 

I would not be 'me'.

You are part of me, I am part of you...

Happy New Year !!!