Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 20mm — 1/30 sec, f/4, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Extremely Blue
Those who have been in Roppongi (an area of Tokyo) recently will likely have seen this outdoor light installation, and will realize that all the white lights mixed in with the blue above are really blue lights that were so bright that they “blew out” all the color channels on my camera's digital sensor, leaving only white.
For those not having seen it in person, let's just say that it was a really, really blue area.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 23mm — 1/80 sec, f/4, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Part of the Pre-Mass Instructions
Anthony served at Mass again today, and it's still so incredibly adorable that I just have to post some more pictures from his first time serving last week.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Can't Reach the Floor
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Returning the Now-Extinguished Candle
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 95mm — 1/800 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Any Sermon is Long for a Five-Year Old
But a few seconds later, after noticing me looking his way...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just a Bit More Ship-Shape
Anthony overheard the word “culture” (bunka – 文化) during a conversation between me and Fumie, and asked what it meant. It's a difficult concept for a five year old, but I tried to explain a bit, then gave the example that one doesn't wear shoes at home in Japan, but they do in America.
He thought about it for a bit, and as it set in, he said in the most incredulous tone of voice: “they wear shoes inside the house?”
I said yes.
His reply to that was the single word “why?”, but if only I could possibly convey the tone of his voice and the look on his face as he said it. It gets one only a short way there to imagine that he actually said "for the love of all things holy, who on earth would be that freaking moronic?"
I couldn't disagree with him, but anyway, that's often the case with cultural differences. Also the case is that it tends to make more sense doing as the Romans when you're actually in Rome. When we visit my folks in The States, he marches right into the house without a second thought about not taking his shoes off, but he seems to have forgotten that today.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 44mm — 1/500 sec, f/4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Freaky Orange-Pod Plant-Thing
While on our trip to the Amami Islands in the south of Japan, we came across all sorts of odd plantlife. Well, odd to us, that is. This orange pod thing came in all shapes and sizes, and looked like some kind of aloe-like plant:
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 23mm — 1/250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Alien Aloe From Mars
In looking it up now, I see that it's not an aloe-like plant, but that is aloe, just not the non-flowering Aloe vera I was used to seeing occasionally in pots while growing up.
This next grassy-type-puffy thing was a weed found pretty much everywhere...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/4000 sec, f/4, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Puffy Fluffy Weed
Beside the road at one point we came across some delicate little bell-like red flowers....
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/320 sec, f/5, ISO 160 — map & image data — nearby photos
Delicate Little Tasty Things
Our guide said that he loved them when he was a kid, because you could pluck them then suck out a bit of sweet juice from them. Anthony tentatively tried them...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/750 sec, f/5, ISO 160 — map & image data — nearby photos
Well, Not Too Bad....
for a flower
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 52mm — 1/80 sec, f/4, ISO 160 — map & image data — nearby photos
Random Freaky Flower of the Day
The foreground green branches in the photo below have these huge pods hanging from them, about the size and shape of a Japanese cucumber, with the consistency of a hardwood baseball bat.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/180 sec, f/7.1, ISO 160 — map & image data — nearby photos
Where Baseball Bats Are Born
The purple/pink flowers in the background were your run of the mill retina-endangering really really colorful pink/purple flowers.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 160 — map & image data — nearby photos
Random Pink Flower
They reminded me of the Azaleas in Kyoto. For all I know they are azaleas.... I dunno.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/90 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
It's Time To Make the Udon
For dinner this evening, Fumie prepared udon – thick noodles – which reminded me of our trip last month to Takamatsu (Kagawa Prefecture, Japan). That area is known for both its udon production and consumption, with something like a bazillion times more udon shops per capita than Tokyo has McDonald's and Starbucks combined.
We got a recommendation from a local for a good shop, and were not disappointed, as we could watch the noodles being made from scratch.
The process starts out with the chef kneading wheat flour, salt, and water into a big ball, and letting it sit for a few hours. He then flattens it out as shown above. With liberal use of flour, he uses a rolling pin to flatten further...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/90 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Every once in a while as the dough got flatter and thinner, he would roll it all up like this:
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/80 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Measuring?
I'm not sure why. In the shot above, you can see a big black steaming pot – that's where the noodles will soon end up.
Eventually, he got the thickness the way he liked, and he folded the curved sheet of dough over itself a few times, then started cutting the individual noodles.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/90 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Measure Twice, Cut 278 Times
I've seen those type of blade assemblies that include a screw-like main mounting bar such that the knife moves over a set amount with each stroke, but this one seems to be free-flowing, he's measuring the width of each cut himself.
He said that he'd been doing this for 38 years. I noticed that he still had all his fingertips. That's pretty impressive.
Toward the end of the cutting, he paused, took the first noodles cut, shook them with flour, then laid the bundle over the others. He did this each time, but I haven't the faintest idea why. He then continued cutting the last sixth or so of the dough.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 17mm — 1/100 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Final Cuts
Once cut, they're noodles and are ready for cooking. They take a minute or two in the boiling water, and then they get added to soup and whatever extras you're having.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/50 sec, f/3.2, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
My Udon
Vegetable Tempura
While eating my lunch, I noticed the cook having a well-earned break....
The shop's name is Gen'nai (源内) . They have two shops; we were at the one they call “takamatsuten”, which is apparently not the main shop.