Koren BBQ and Onsen

 Sunday, March 23, 2025

This will be a lazy day building to a sparkling crescendo!! Sachiko had made muchi rice cakes wrapped in nori and tells us that they are made from special rice that is pounded and pounded. It's really hard work; but now she can get them at the grocery store.  They are often served at special occasions and as offerings to the Buddha.

The kids play a variation of dominoes.

Later, when people are all moving about we walk to the local bakery for sandwiches and bread goodies.

Andy says the bakery is called Auspicious!

Andy thinks this would look good in my yard!

Home again, home again

The high point of the day, though is the visit to the Korean BBQ!  Such delicious, and never-ending meats that Sachiko cooks on the grill at our table! There is even raw horsemeat with a quail egg.

The kids are at another table with Tae. We are so glad we scored a table that we
didn't have to kneel at!

I don't know how these tiny people can eat so much!  And drink so little!!  (Even water!)

Now that everyone is stuffed to the gills, we drive across town to the family's favorite onsen or bathing facility!  It's an enormous place!  But no picutres, sorry! The genders split up and we go off to wash our bodies before soaking in the various tubs and pools.  Some have big bubbles, others tiny bubbles, one even has an electric shock that goes into your hips!  That was interesting for about two seconds!! There is a salt sauna and so many choices. No one is at all shy and it is so quiet except for the bubbles!

We frightened Iori and Andy!  He went off with all the towels and when he heard his name being called he feared that one of us had slipped and fallen!!  No worries!  You do have to be careful, though!

by the time we get home, everyone is wiped out and we all go straight to bed! (Bed is kind of a euphemism. The half-inch mat on the floor doesn't make these old bones very happy.  But we'll be home in a couple of days.)