Thursday, 3 December: For lunch, udon made à la Fuji-Yoshida (my dad's home town), with lots and lots of cabbage.

Friday, 4 December: Hitomi invites us to Chisou, a restaurant in Nagoya, run by her niece and her husband. A selection of very bunny size appetizers.

Toro sushi and assorted sashimi for 4, with a soy sauce brush for the sushi.

Thick slices of fugu sashimi, served in a bowl made of crushed ice. Inside it's laid with a daikon slice, so that the fish doesn't get watery.

The fruit is also very bunny size. UsaKousa are having a great time this evening.

Saturday, 5 December: At Murase, deep-fried oysters with veg tempura (and lots of brown sauce - yum!)

Tuesday, 8 December: Local UNESCO branch's Christmas party. UsaKousa pose with some of its young members.

A nice headgear :-)

Saturday, 12 December: A day trip to Tokoname, known for its ceramics. There's a street with dozens of original maneki neko by artists, for different kinds of luck, adorning the wall. This one is for a Good Catch.

Afterwards, a big dinner at Ichiro's mother's house. Sushi, hairy crabs, strawberries, lots of sake, and some local freshwater fish - ayu and amago - to follow.

Monday, 14 December: An izakaya evening. They have a kotatsu (table with heating underneath and covered with duvet) outside, with thick jackets for the brave guests. We choose to sit inside though...

Wednesday, 23 December: A dinner at our neighbourhood Chinese restaurant, Wakoh-en. The chef gives us his home-grown spicy daikon & mizuna to take home. (The pink baby in the middle is Chinese daikon - the spicy daikon is also slightly pink inside.)
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