This week marks our final (and seventh) visit to Kids Plaza Osaka. We spent the day playing and making sure to fit in some of the girls' favorite things.
Today, Grace entertained some children with puppets in the library area. She was so cute, making them laugh. Then, one of the little girls took a liking to her and grabbed her by the hand and dragged her around. It was cute.
Afterward, we went outside to the park for a couple trips down the "big
slides." We haven't been to the park that the far side of the building
exits in to since our first trip because it's just been so hot. But we
decided a few minutes wouldn't hurt...and of course those few minutes
turned in to thirty!
Fruit is packaged like this in Japan. Almost all fruit ~ Apples, white peaches and mangos - just to name a few. A mango is pictured to the left. One of our dear friends in the building gave us this mango. It is a rather large fruit for Japanese fruit size. To us, it's probably about normal.
But, fruit here is expensive. White peaches are often 2 for 700 Yen ($9.00). My fruit stand couple beats that by a mile which is only one reason we go there :) But being expensive and delicate...they package it so that it is well cared for.
Now, I'm not sure I've mentioned this before but there is this drink that was in the vending machines here for about a month that we call "Mango Juice.: It's a mildly carbonated beverage that is flavored like a mango. Sarah loves it. The first time she tried it, I promise you it was like a drug to her. She could not get enough and she would not let the bottle go. Then, it left the vending machine and everyone was sad for her. Luckily though, our favorite grocery store (Life) carries it so she is not without until next week when we go home.
So, this may be part of the reason our friend gave us the mango...because she knows about the mango juice obsession that someone in our family has!
Oh and by the way...real mango fruit...Sarah says is quite good too!
The kids in Japan are (finally) out school here and boy, did that change Kids Plaza! It was 10 times busier than usual..and we were never "almost the only ones there." It was a completely different experience (and honestly, I'm not sure if I would have bought a membership pass had it been like that all summer). But, because I had been there all summer I easily noticed they were staffed for it. There were suddenly 2 staff members working in the "grocery store" where there was usually one. Last week we had noticed about 15 extra tables set up where we usually eat lunch...and they were full this week! We actually sat on a bench for lunch instead of at a table (and it was fine!).
So, we've never been to the "Craft Room" at Kids Plaza because it's on the floor that we go to to exit. They call it a craft room, but I think it's more like science and learning. Perfect!
First all the kids sat in a semi-circle for a lesson about colors and how when you mix them together you get other colors. I was so proud of the girls - sitting there so intently listening to the "teacher" talk to them in Japanese. As I sat and watched them, I realized (how lucky I was) how good they were being...watching and listening to this guy teach them and not be able to understand. Although, the teacher was also demonstrating and Grace was able to answer a few questions even though they were asked in another language.
The lesson was on the color wheel (and I think that is what the lesson is all of the time). They were to put a drop of yellow, blue and red in each of their little tubes. Then add another drop of color to change it to green, orange and purple. Here they are.
At the end, after all the kids helped clean up, the teachers then had all the kids sit around the table and spin some tops that had 2-3 colors on it to again show them that things change color. This is visit six to Kids Plaza and we are blessed to have always found at least one new thing to do during our visit.
Grace assures me this device above is new. I can't believe with where it was located that we could have missed it all summer. But this is a little coloring screen in which you get to color in the pattern on an old (Aztec??) house. This photo shows their teamwork so that Sarah could color all the little blocks!
Miyuki told us about this cute little restaurant she thought the girls may enjoy. They did and we are so glad to have spent an afternoon at Pennennenumu Harry.
One of the even-more-special parts of this trip was that the restaurant had two little dogs and one was "Harry" from a book that Grace's Specials teachers read to her last year in Kindergarten. So, except for the Japanese title and text..she recognized it the second we walked in the door - where it was on display with the dogs.
Grace had liked the book Mrs. Freking read to the class so much, she checked it out from the library for me to read to she and Sarah at home. So, we all remembered the cute story about a dog named Harry...
Here is a photo of the girls with the book (in Japanese). The girls are standing right in front of the dogs (below). The black dog has a Japanese name and also had a book that he was named after too. Unfortunately I can't spell or pronounce his name...but here they are. "Harry" and his friend:
The golden brown dog is "Harry"
Next, we went upstairs to find a table. You find many Japanese restaurants are multi-level for seating. Here are the girls enjoying looking through the books, many of which we did recognize (just couldn't read)...
Grace was excited to see one of Jim's favorites
as a child..."Where the Wild Things Are"
As you can see, even at the table, there were plenty of books to select and choose from. (behind Grace above)
"A Light in the Attic" by Shel Silverstein
And then, the food arrived! Grace wouldn't eat her "Harry" cookie because it was too cute (at least for a while) and the girls oohed and ahhed over the cute little cocoa powder paw prints that were on the plates!
Lemon cheesecake for the girls (above).
Tiramisu for me (below). Sarah and I ended up trading...she wasn't too excited about the lemon part.
And if you order a meal...this is the presentation that is delivered to your table. You may be able to see a little, but the bread is shaped and decorated to look like a little turtle!
And, you know octopus is common here. We ARE on an island in the middle of the ocean...it's in the grocery stores, it's in many, many dishes at restaurants, it's placed on pizza and mixed in fried noodles. But, please don't think that means that we are eating much of it!
However, we did think it fitting that they had an octopus slide in a park a block away that we stopped at for a few minutes on the way home. I made this picture larger so you could try to see Sarah in it's mouth (or that's how the girls explained it)!
We are so glad Miyuki suggested that we visit this place. What a special afternoon!
So we went for our weekly trip to Kids Plaza, stopping for an errand on the way to register Jim's new status as a "resident" of Japan. Technicalities...
Here are pictures of the girls being postal carriers...
At the grocery store...
Making noodles in the restaurant for their customer (me):
This is the veterinarian section. You listen to the pet's picture on the wall with a stethoscope. Then, when you put it in the right spot, the mirror above lights up to show you the "problem."
Playing drums: American Football:
Trying on clothes from other parts of the world. I think the blue dress is from Brazil...not sure about the other one.
So, this week we met a new couple at breakfast that has moved to the building. They have arrived in Japan from India. We spent the day with "her" just hanging out and playing with the girls. It's hot here and after our trip to Universal Studios, I've been trying to keep Sarah inside for better portions of the day. The first half of the day that we spent with our new friend we were in our apartment and then we went up to hers. She made the girls some "Maggie" which is sort of like ramen noodles - except kicked up with spice. It was a little spicy for the girls, but I liked it alot. Sarah kept trying to eat it, but she'd take a bite and then about 4 huge drinks of water. That made me laugh. She also shared some biscuits (cookies) with the girls and they ate all that was left!
Then, she and I had tea and a traditional Indian snack. I have figure out what it was called (again), but it was good. And we had Darjeeling Tea to go with it. The tea is another something that I'll enjoy when I get home too. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find that there, I have just never had that type of tea before.
We had another playdate with our friends on the 10th floor! As always, we spent hours and hours together sharing time and enjoying one another's company. The girls played, but also tried on a Yukata. This is a casual summer (cotton) kimono. Aren't they just so cute?!?!
After the girls were finished trying on the yakatas, Miho and I spent time looking through a book she had about wearing kimonos, tying the belt/sashes...they can be tied in many different ways and different ways to fix your hair when wearing a kimono, etc. She explained to me what some of the special markings were, how some are more formal than others, etc. And then she showed me many of her kimonos - from casual to formal...all beautiful. They are typically stored in a special box (because are often made of silk) so that bugs are kept from them and are wrapped very specially. I should have taken a picture of that too, but I forgot.
Later in the afternoon the girls and I shared our glitter nail polish and I gave the girls manicures.
We feel blessed to have found such special friends to further share the Japanese Culture with us.
I know you are probably so tired of seeing our visits to Kids Plaza Osaka. But, here is the thing...the girls love it, it's two train stops away, we are still discovering a few new things (it's a five story building) and I bought a pass to it - today marked the break even visit. :) So any time we go after this visit is kind of free...I love that point. This is our fourth visit and today we still did something we haven't been able to do before.
When we arrived, we realized this month marks the 15th Anniversary of Kids Plaza Osaka. 15 years - you wouldn't suspect that from the cleanliness of the building.
I don't think I've shared this with you, but another great thing about this place is the staff. I can explain it to you, but it's again one of those things to see. First of all - the place has a staff and you see them AND they want to play with your kids. They, of course, are also watching out for things but for example:
* You go to the "grocery store" and someone is there to make sure the kids are able to zap their purchases on the register and print their receipt (a real receipt, every time they check out!)
* You go to the restaurant section and if I'm paying attention to one of my girls, one of the staff sits and becomes my other girl's customer at the restaurant
* At the "post office" there is a staff member passing out mail for the kids to deliver, making sure they get a letter to place in each mailbox in their stack of mail to deliver.
This my friends, is just in like 10 feet of the place.
* If you go in the toddler area, there is always someone there kind of cleaning up and putting things away and getting down and playing with the kids too.
* Upstairs, in the music and try on clothes area there are, I'd say at least 2 staff there to help.
Everywhere you go, there is a helpful staff member there. They seem to all love kids and it just is something unique about the experience. Employing people is valued differently here. By different, I think I mean more than profitability.
I wanted to show you Grace steering a ball through a hoop in the ceiling in the discovery area. It pushed up with air:
In the bubble area today one of the staff members taught us how be able to reach through the bubble wall!
Here is the new thing we experienced today. I always see this musical instrument on the wall with a fence around it. Today, they got it out and played it and passed instruments out to the kids. There are more kids around this activity, but somehow I got to avoid them with the camera.
They have a section with rooms from around the world. The American section has football and you can try on some helmets and shoulder pads too. Here is Grace throwing the football:
They also have a section where children can experience what it maybe like if they were handicapped. In this section the girls took turns in a wheelchair and then riding the train with it. There were two employees that made sure they did everything just right, Grace pushed it through the ticket turnstile, on to the train (this is her backing her back out of the train car and back on to the "train station" ramp.
Today, one of the ladies came up to me and told me she has noticed we come every week and wanted to thank me for coming so often and enjoying the place. I was truly at a loss for words, but I did stumble something out. After she walked away, I almost cried. And then I went and found her again to tell her how much the girls and I enjoy coming to Kids Plaza.
Pictures don't do the climbing area justice. This is in the center of the building and you can actually use the stairs and ramps in this area to go up and down between levels. These videos are from both sides of it.
For our playdate, Miho wanted to introduce us to another traditional Japanese meal. Remember, the last time we went over she made us Hayashi Rice? I make that now for us in the apartment. And, if you want, I'll make it for you when we get home.
This time, she wanted to share with us Omurice. This is a meal we see alot in restaurant windows. Jim has ordered it twice. It's basically rice with an egg rolled around it. But Miho showed me how to make it and the girls ate it fairly well. Could be another dish we make occasionally at home? We will see.
First you make the rice. Miho cut up chicken, green peppers and onion then added carrots, peas and corn and sauteed them in a pan. She then folded this mixture in to white rice she also cooked. And added lots of ketchup to the mixture. Now, Japanese ketchup is not quite the same as American Ketchup. It's more sour. It's fairly similar, but there is a difference. Theour re is also a difference in Japanese Mayonnaise. It's also more sour. I like it better, but I really don't care for mayo...except in chicken salad.
But anyway, here is the beginnings of the inside mixture. Isn't it pretty?
Then you scramble some eggs and add a thin layer to the pan and cook it. Take that pancake looking - very thin egg layer and wrap it over your rice mixture. Some mamas here draw pictures or write words in ketchup on the top. As you can see in the complete picture above, I put a heart on mine.
In the picture at the very top, to the left, you can also see she made us a potato salad dish with the Japanese Mayonnaise. I liked it very much. They don't call it potato "salad" here, but it's very similar in how it's made to our version. Just the mayonnaise is more sour.
We enjoyed our time on the 10th floor with our friends. It's great to play with other people (for the girls and me). Miho and I spent part of the afternoon together looking at Japanese cookbooks. I could ask her what was this and that...things I've seen out that we didn't know what it was. She could explain cultural things to me. Sometimes using the computer to look up a word in Japanese or English so we could understand one another better. It's really a blessing for us that she has opened her home to us and wants to share things with us. And, all of us enjoy the time that we spend together.
There is a small possibility we could see them again...Miho's husband has family in Chicago and if they ever take the journey across the ocean to visit them, we could very easily meet them for an afternoon and then visit with our Chicago family too. Something to hold on to when it's hard to say goodbye...
