17 years + MIL's (part 4)

Saturday, we got together for FIL's 17th memorial service.

Seems like yesterday and yet not.

Unfortunately BIL forgot FIL’s photo for the service

And Satoshi forgot the arare that we planned to give as our offering for the service

Lunch was at Hyatt Kyoto's Touzan, we've eaten here many times over the years.

Back up to Wednesday, BIL asks Satoshi if we can meet up on Sunday to discuss MIL's house...

well, we had only planned to stay Friday night then return to Tokyo after the service Saturday...

(like BIL couldn't have told Satoshi this when they met up in February?!)

So…BIL is going with his architect

With MIL's money, they will get the house cleaned and if there are areas that need to be fixed, they will get it fixed

And if everything goes smoothly, BIL & SIL should be able to move in by the end of the year...

After MIL's monies run out, whatever costs incurred will be paid by Satoshi, and BIL will pay Satoshi back his half.

Anyway, that's what's what...

Thankful we were able to get together to remember FIL.

And thankful, things with MIL's is going as well as can be.

this and that

When I saw this at Bakery Alice, I had to try.

I don't know if it is the same as the Supreme Croissants made by Lafayette Bakery, but these were delicious.

Filled with whipped chocolate cream, the insides were light and not overly sweet.

The outside texture was crispy and coated with lots of chocolate.

Satoshi’s was strawberry filled with strawberry whipped cream.

I think Bakery Alice calls these vinyl croissants probably because they look like records.

They are definitely smaller and cheaper than the Lafayette croissants...320 yen (tax included).

Umeshu...4 more months to go...

Wednesday we flew to Osaka then bussed it to Kyoto.

Dinner was at Lipton in the Porta Mall since we wanted to use the travel coupons we received and also because this shop was recently renovated by Satoshi's classmate.

Sadly, the food was expensive and nothing too special.

MIL's 3rd year memorial service was held on Thursday which was a holiday, the Emperor's birthday.

Glad the drizzles stopped for a bit.

This was the 1st time I've seen the ume trees in bloom where the graves are located.

Lunch was at Yakiniku Tendan with the family (no photo)

After checking into the ryokan we would be staying at, I had curry rice and Satoshi had curry udon at Mimikou, which has been in business in the Gion area since 1969.

This curry wasn't heavy, it was super flavorful because it uses dashi (fish and konbu stock)

It was nice to see Kyoto Tower lit up.

The taxi driver as well as we were surprised to see this huge kokeshi doll in the front of Higashi Hongwanji.

It was a quick trip to Kyoto, we were glad to be able to go.

Satoshi still needs to go through his things at his mom's.

It was raining in Kyoto but we were lucky it wasn't when we got back to Tokyo

Have a safe weekend.

Dormy Inn Kyoto

558-8 Higashishiokoji-cho

Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto

Phone: 075.371.5489

Ryokan Heianbo

725 Higashishiokoji-cho

Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto

Phone: 075.351.0650

Lipton Porta

902 Higashishiokoji-cho

Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto

Phone: 075.343.3901

Hours: 8:00-22:00 (Closed when Porta is)

Yakiniku Tendan

1-225 Miyagawasuji

Higashiyama, Kyoto

Phone: 075.551.4129

Weekends & Holidays: 11:30-23:00

Weekdays: 17:00-23:00

Mimikou Porta

902 Higashishiokoji-cho

Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto

Phone: 075.352.3322

Hours: 11:00-22:00 (Closed when Porta is)

tankuma

Saturday we gathered to put MIL's remains into the family grave.

It was actually MIL's birthday, she would have been 93.

The weather was beautiful and there were lots of ume trees in bloom.

After the service, lunch was at Rhiga Royal Kyoto's Tankuma.

Since explaining each dish is difficult, I'll tell you what I know and leave the rest to the photos.

Takenoko (bamboo shoots), nanohana (rape blossoms), etc.

Ebi shinjo (shrimp dumpling)

Sashimi

Misoyaki salmon..this was so delicious!

Takenoko nimono (simmered bamboo shoots & veggies)

Sunamono (vinegar marinated foods)

Takenoko gohan (bamboo shoot rice)

I loved all the dishes that the food was served in.

It was a very filling meal too.

I'm glad we were able to gather and thankful that BIL and SIL took care of all the arrangements.

Tankuma

Rhiga Royal Kyoto

1 banchi Taimatsucho B2

Shimogyo, Kyoto

49 day service

 

Friday, we went to Kyoto...we were lucky to get to see Mount Fuji for most of our flight.

Saturday, the 49 day service for MIL went relatively smoothly and we all had lunch together at Touzan which is located in the Hyatt Regency Kyoto.

We've had meals here in the past especially after memorial services for FIL.

This time was pandemic style...temperature check and hand sanitizer when you enter the hotel then temperature check and hand sanitizer when you enter the restaurant.

A mask case to put your mask in...the hotel provided everyone with another mask to use while dining so that you don't dirty your mask.

Take off the mask to eat...put the mask back on to talk...pretty hard to do

Appetizers...(menu provided at the bottom of this post).

Soup...

Sashimi...those round white things looked like onions but were daikon!

Loved this! especially the combination of myoga & onion.

Main...the sea bream was cooked perfectly and there were also large pieces of takenoko!

Rice...

Dessert...

Everyone had beer (s) with their meal but I had a glass of white wine and a glass of sparkling wine.

Lots of food...similar menu to what we have had in the past.

I'm thankful we were all able to get together (hopefully it was a safe gathering too).

Thanks for today MIL!

13th memorial service

This weekend we went to Kyoto for FIL's 13th memorial service.

I made my own mask, which I learned about online.

It is kind of origami-ish...will post about it tomorrow.

I know masks will not totally protect you from this virus, but it is better than not having one.

Plus, MIL is 90-ish and definitely in a high risk class for this virus.

I made us some musubi with saba flakes and shibazuke for the train ride.

We got to see Mount Fuji.

I'm glad we were able to go through with the memorial service, we were worried that we would be in lockdown and that we wouldn't be able to travel to Kyoto.

This weekend was a 3-day weekend and everyone seemed to forget that the virus is still around...which is scary because there has been talk about the virus numbers exploding here.

I did receive a very disappointing comment on my previous post and while I feel everyone has a right to say what they want, I don't think they have the right to display so much anger and rudeness.

I do hope everyone is keeping positive, resting up and being kind to one another.

3 year service

We held the 3 year service for my Mom the other day. (Actually it has only been 2 years since she passed away, but the way the Japanese count things makes it all a bit confusing...)

It was a nice service and afterwards we all got together for lunch at the house.

The humidity was really gross and made things pretty uncomfortable.

Still, I'm glad we were all able to gather together and it was nice seeing everyone.

There is still quite a big void without her around, perhaps that will never change.

Missing you mom.

50 year service

How many immediate family members do you know that have been gone for 50 years? For me, no one.

Until yesterday.

We got together in Hikone to hold a memorial service for Satoshi's grandpa...he's been gone for 50 years.

The priest mentioned that while it is a sad thing that Satoshi's grandpa is gone, it is also an amazing thing that family would be around and able to hold the 50th memorial service, so in a sense it is quite a celebratory event.

In fact, instead of using a white candle, they light a red one as a symbol of celebration.

Since the service would be held in Hikone, Satoshi and I went a day earlier and stayed over in Hikone.

In the morning, we met up with BIL, SIL and MIL.

Unfortunately it rained all day.

Lunch was at an unagi (eel) shop called Gennai.

I am not too crazy about unagi but know that Satoshi and his family love the stuff.

I enjoyed the way this unagi was prepared though. Crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Though Satoshi never met his grandpa, I'm glad we got to attend the service.

Apparently the next service is in 50 years...

Gennai
2-1-6 Honmachi
Hikone, Shiga
Phone: 0749.27.5025
Closed Tuesdays
Hours: 11:00-14:30 (lunch), 17:00-20:00 (dinner)

hatsubon

Earlier this month marked the one year anniversary of my mom's passing.

There was a hatsubon service at her church for all members who had passed away since the hatsubon service that was held last year. This meant that even members who had died just a month ago were included in this service.

I wrote about hatsubon in Japan here.

Over the weekend, we also held a small service for family.

The food was catered and I cleaned the house as best as I could to get it ready for guests.

I hope everyone had enough to eat and it was nice to see both sides of our family get together.

I must say that there is still a big void without her here.

Missing you Mom.

wagashi

Most times for these memorial services we bring some sweets or arare as offering to the deceased while the prayers are being said.

After the service for FIL, MIL gave the church some wagashi (Japanese sweets) and what was left, we divided up.

Tons of sweets that need to be eaten soon...sigh!

7 year service

It's hard to believe that seven years has passed since FIL's death, and a lot has happened since then.

We got together for his 7 year service and then had lunch at Kyoto Hyatt's Touzan.

All the dishes were delicious and used a lot of seasonal ingredients.

The dessert was a sakura mochi and had cherry blossom petals in it. Super refreshing and unusual!

There was way more food, it is just that I was too busy eating...ha!

The weather was nice and it was a nice gathering. I think MIL was glad that everything went smoothly.

We miss you FIL!

49 day service

Yesterday, we had my Mom's 49-day service.

I've written about 49-day service in the past, here, but there wasn't much detail about why it is done.

In Buddhism, 49 days is referred to as "Chuin", which means neither the present world nor the next...in the middle.

Apparently, after a person dies, their karmic energy is held in limbo for 49 days before taking another form.

So, observances every 7 days until the 49-day service are made in hopes to help the deceased receive a higher rebirth.

In Hawaii, most families who are Buddhist hold 7-day and 49-day services.

Unfortunately, we skipped the 7-day service...sorry Mom!

I hope by having the 49-day service, my Mom will be able to move on to the next world.

3 year service

Yesterday, I wrote about the "freshers". I forgot to mention that on the first day of April, schools gather in their gyms for a ceremony of sorts and listen to speeches by the principal and other top people of the school.

As for big companies, they gather at halls and listen to speeches by their top people. I have a feeling that these speeches are "pep talks" for a good year. (I've never actually experienced this so, it is based on what I've seen on the news.) Satoshi was surprised that our first day of school is actually "no big thing", we just go to class. I'm not sure what private schools do in Hawaii, but this was what we used to do in public school.

Anyway...previously, I mentioned that we got together for FIL's 3 year memorial service this past Sunday. (It is actually the 2nd year since his passing, and there is a certain way to count how many years have passed and then when you start to think about how they count it, it gets all confusing...sigh)

So, this service was performed at the temple and it was a small gathering of immediate family.

We still had to wear dark colored clothing and it was still a bit on the formal side.

It just so happened at the same time we were arriving at the temple, the Emperor and Empress of Japan were visiting another temple on the grounds, so there were police everywhere!

We didn't get a glimpse of the Royal couple, but could feel the excitement in the air.

There was a beautiful shidarezakura (weeping cherry tree) as we walked up to the temple.

And there were also some drops of rain here and there but for the most part it was just cloudy.

After the service, we all went to Sara. I've written about this place before here.

The food was good, everything fresh and in season. I only took a few photos since we didn't have lunch and by the time we ate it was nearly 16:00 and I was starving!

Here is a steamed rice dish topped with seafood & sashimi (sliced raw fish).

We were glad that the service went smoothly, the next service will be in 4 years (which should be the 7 year service, I think).