The wonder of Food

So I am updating again but not quite the way I have been before. I am going to show you the amazing food I have been eating, the cool things I have seen and random wackiness that sometimes parades about; usually in the form of ojisans (old men) who want to give the foreign girl something to gawk at. Japan is amazingly great at starling me.
I adore my town, and the way it wiggled itself into my heart was through its Matsuri---the town festival. It was awash with fireworks, yakuza, great food, bugs, drunk people, beer and lots of chances to prove one's prowess.

These are the darling people who took me the night of the fireworks. I was really happy to meet little Taiyou and the Chikakos (both women are named Chikako). It was nice to socialize a bit!
The fireworks lasted for about 35 minutes. It was long and rather grand. Mori really went all out! In Japanese, fireworks are called Hanabi, with literally translates to fire flower--which in my opinion is both prettier and more actuate.


During the day on Saturday and Sunday I heard drums and shouting all over the town. When I peeked outside my window, guess what I saw??!? This! And they were pulling this thing in the HEAT.

The lovely Chikako has been a dear to me and has really been great at coming over and inviting me out to do things. For instance that Sunday, the Sunday of the Mori festival, she took me out to this yummy place. Which has REAL hamburgers.


It is a Hokkaido only hamburger place and is famous for its Chinese Chicken burger. Which was great except for all the mayo it was doused in.

The Japanese people have a love affair with their mayo--its epic and obsessive, a romance to last a lifetime of clogged arteries and heart attacks.
Ok, because it is super late, I will update in the morning!
Goodnight and be back soon!