entries about every day things

back to Kawasaki Daishi and Dragon-Darumas

I’ll post the Tsurumi Shrine pics later.

First, today.
I had stomach distress ALL DAY LONG since breakfast. It was horrible. u_U I intended to chill at the office early and watch MMA on my laptop, but I ended up walking around all day. *sigh*

Well, I went back to Kawasaki Daishi temple because my cell phone strap I got there this past December (decoration) broke. ;_; It was my own fault because I was walking while playing my Forestville game, and I dropped it. I totally deserved it. *cry* but it was glass and glowed in the dark and it was a cute sea horse. *cry!!!* I couldn’t find the same one. I got a dragon, instead.

I enjoyed going back. I patronized my favorite rice cracker shop that I posted pics of before,

It was an interesting visit because I saw and learned a lot of new things!
I tried sugary ginger sembei rice crackers for the first time. SO GOOD.


I saw these….what ARE they? Dogs? Unicorns? What? I have no idea!


I saw a steamed bun with the label “Sake-man.” Sake? That’s alcohol. o.O; Man means “bun.” Huh? Alcohol bun?! Bizarre. (I later asked my student, and he said, “It’s made from …uh…..uh…residue of sake.” I was more shocked that my level 2 student knew the word ‘residue.’ lol)

The other purpose for me returning was to pick up a mug that I’d gotten my Dad for Christmas. The style is called “Soumaiyaki,” produced in the Fukushima prefecture, and I was told that they don’t make them anymore, so these cups will become rare. It’s double layered so I assume, it won’t be hot to the touch. It….kind of makes me feel good knowing that I’m using the same kind of mug as Dad. ^^;; I don’t really need a mug, but yeah… <3

I also got a Dragon Daruma. The “Daruma” is a holy man who meditated for 7 years in one place so his legs shriveled up.


People buy red darumas and it represents the fact that if you topple over, you pop back up like a weeble (and life goes on, etc). ^^ They are made of like paper mache without eyes. You color one eye in black and make a wish or goal. Then, after your wish comes true, you can color in the other eye!


They made a dragon-shaped one because it’s the year of the dragon. I’d never seen one before December, and I kept thinking about it and decided I needed to get one.

So I accomplished what I wanted.

This afternoon, my boss said, “They need a teacher in our sister school. Would you be interested in working tomorrow night?”
I said, “Oh, sorry, tomorrow night I can’t…on second thought, yes, I can.” *laugh* I shouldn’t be grappling on my knee, so it’s a great chance to make a few bucks. …