le weekend (the weekend)

Friday night, Satoshi had a party with his university baseball team as well as other university baseball teams.

Every year it is quite a large event and is usually held at a hotel banquet room.

After the party, his teammate from Gifu, stayed over at our place and brought us this nice box of Morozoff chocolates...thank you!

Saturday morning, I headed to Sakurai station. Their shopping arcade was having an event.

100 yen shopping arcade.

This event has been happening here and there in Osaka and around Japan to generate business.

Over the past couple of years, with big shopping malls popping up here and there, business for the neighborhood shopping arcades have somewhat staled and most times these shopping arcades end up closing for good.

It is a good way to get people to visit and see what they have been missing by shopping at the big malls.

It is also a nice way to buy things for just 100 yen or a dollar (higher if you calculate it to the actual dollar-yen rate).

I bought some chirimen jakko (dried young anchovies), some nori tsukudani (laver that is cooked and seasoned). Both of these products were not local but I thought they were good buys.

I also bought two pieces of fruit cake from Bonnard, a little cake shop near the Sakurai station. I have always wondered what sorts of things they sold and this was a nice chance to try them. We enjoyed it, very moist with lots of dried citrus peel.

Total spent on this day 400 yen (about US$4).

Sunday, Satoshi had to work, so I went to check out the 100 yen shopping arcade at Minoo station.

This event was bigger than the Sakurai one.

I was able to buy some Minoo limes, yuzu (citron) drinks and pickled daikon (long white radish) soaked in yuzu (citron).

The yuzu drinks and pickles were 150 yen each (about US$1.50) a little higher than 100 yen but still really reasonable.

In Minoo, there is an area called Todoromi, where there are lots of yuzu trees. I have heard of the Todoromi Yuzu Marmalade and have been wanting to try it. But I've never seen it in stores, I think I may have to order online.

Most of the weekend weather was nice, Sunday unfortunately was overcast. The upcoming week looks to be nice weather also.

Since Satoshi has a day off during the week, we'll probably go to visit MIL.

Hope you have a nice week.