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The crabs, although small, still looked vicious, and I really wasn't sure whether my teeth were strong enough to grind their pincers sufficiently so that I could swallow them. No problems on that score though, it turned out that they were just like Pringles. The crickets, with their pin sized legs sticking out were even more off putting...

Japanese Tales: Fried Crickets anyone?

Joseph Tame
2006-06-30 12:19:19

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www.tamegoeswild.com

Thursday 3rd January 2002

Happy New Year of the horse!

Well, my week's break is over now, but what a great holiday it's been! I tell you, mother's are just the best hosts in the world. Myself and my girlfriend, Kae, took the five hour train trip west to her hometown of Toyohashi. Essentially, we spent all day every day eating - I am now 3kg heavier than I was this time last week. We did occasionally venture out, either to the local Mister Donut or when driven to Kae's Grandparent's houses 15km away for more food. Oh,we also saw the Harry Potter film which has been a huge hit in Japan - I personally think the attempt to transfer the book to the big screen should not have been made, although it is doing a good job of promoting British English which is a rare thing over here.

As in the UK, New Year traditions are centred around eating, drinking and watching television. This suited me down to the ground - I really cannot recall the last time that I simply vegeed out without a care in the world and not a responsibility in sight. Much of our time was spent huddled around the Kotatsu (heated table) watching New Year specials, whilst drinking beer and eating all sorts of snacks.

New Years Eve itself was really lovely. At about 10.30pm we forced ourselves up from around the Kotatsu and made our way over to Granny's house for Ramen and Soba (they look like spagetti, but are not made of pasta - I forget what it is they are made of). Then, once the NHK (Japan's BBC equivalent) special had finished at 11.50pm, Kae, Kae's mother, her aunt and I trundled off to a local temple, from where we could hear the low pitched "dong" of a huge bell (see picture below). We were lucky, the bell, usually strictly out of bounds to the public, was open for us to swing the rope-suspended log into the side of it. In Buddhism, it is believed ...