They're Dancing Choreographed Steps to Techno Christmas Carols Behind Me

Japan takes instant food to the next level. 

So today I got this really strong craving for, of all things, fried chicken. This was problematic for two reasons; a) not having any around and b) I've been pescatarian for over two years now and therefor would not eat it anyways. 

Thinking that perhaps I was merely hungry and craving salt, I took a brief trip to the student store, where I found this:

Seems normal enough, doesn't it? Clams in miso soup, can't go wrong with that.

Since this seemed likely to contain both protein and a significant amount of salt (cheap miso is nothing if not salty) I purchased it and carried it back to my table. But then I opened it and, well, it's just one of the oddest prepackaged meals I've ever laid eyes on.

That would be a small packet of miso paste, nothing too odd... And a vacuum-packed, precisely separated set of the tiniest clams I've ever seen. And that's it. I purchased a cardboard cup with a packet of miso and some vacuum packed tiny clams. 

The instructions firmly forbade the use of a microwave, so I got some hot water from the cafeteria and made myself some soup. It was actually fairly good, for what it was. Salty enough to appease my strange cravings, at least, and clammy enough to evoke the memory of better quality seafood without being too overpowering.

Anyways, back to packing and laundry- only 3 days left here! Soon I'll be in Tokyo, trying to remember how to dance.

Snow is the Prettiest Thing

So Akita gets snow.

Lots of snow.

Do understand, I am from Seattle. Schools shut down at an inch or so. Buses stop running at any hint of ice. We sold all our snow plows years ago because they weren't seeing enough use. I have never lived in this much snow in my life.

Really, it's just so damned pretty.

And its not even that we got one big snowfall or something. No, it started up a couple days ago snowing every night, and then yesterday it snowed a bit during the day, and today it was a constant gentle shower of white fluffy prettiness. Every time I look outside the trees are a little whiter, the windows on the cars a little foggier, and each time I walk out of my room the snow reaches new heights on my mercifully waterproofed boots. 

The trees around campus are gorgeous.

When I finished class today (Criminal Justice through Film and Literature, which is great by the way) I walked back towards the main building and saw some friends outside building a snow fort. So I did the obvious thing and threw all my stuff in the lounge, borrowed some gloves and ran outside to join them. The snow right now is perfect for packing, it makes the best snow balls I've ever seen and was excellent for constructing forts out of. There were already several kamakuras scattered about, in fact, from previous students' forays into transient architecture. We cannibalized a snowman made several days ago by some other friends for parts, jumping on it and breaking it down to use as blocks in our walls. 

A kamakura. (They're made by piling a bunch of snow and then hollowing the inside out, for those who may have been curious).

The snowman we cannibalized and its proud creators. Note that it is quite a bit taller than all of them. It was huge. From reports, the head was attached via the combined efforts of the 3 tallest people in this photograph lifting it as high as they could. Decapitating it was as easy as climbing up the body and kicking it off (I got the honors).

Unrelated, but I find it kind of fascinating the somber solidarity winter brings about in clothing styles. There are people from five different countries in this photo and they are still largely monochromatic in their coat choices. All except Hannes, who apparently has decided that winter is his bitch and he will wear whatever he damn well pleases. Which actually knowing his character does not surprise me in the least.

Fun things I realized today: My hair, at its present length, is just thick enough to keep out snow. My head was not remotely moist after an hour or so of fort building, despite the plastered wet hair of most of my compatriots.

Interestingly, I've been told it has not snowed at all in Tokyo and will likely remain that way through Christmas. Evidently I'm far enough North to be getting special weather conditions. Hurrah for Akita, I suppose. At least I'm leaving before it reaches my knees.