Round 1: In the top right are two sushi with Shitake Mushroom on them. (Probably around 2 o'clock.) Start there and go clockwise with me! Next is Aburi Ohtoro or Grilled Fat Tuna. Then (go left, not down) the white fish is Hirame or Flat Fish, To the left again, wrapped in nori is Geso, or Squid Tentacles. Staying on the outside of the plate go up one to find Anago which is Conger and then up again for Zuke-Maguro which is Tuna soaked in soy sauce. To the right you will find Ohtoro, more Fat Tuna but this time not grilled. Another right brings you to Shime-Saba which is Mackerel soaked in vinegar. And lastly in the middle of the plate is Shako or Mantis Shrimp, OR as I dearly termed it the "pill-bug looking one."
Round 2: Let's start in about the same spot with some Inari, Fried Bean Curd wrapped around rice (doesn't sound NEARLY as appetizing as it tastes). Below that is Aburi Masu: Grilled Salmon. To the left is Kappa-Maki, the only "roll" we had which had some yummy cucumber in it. Next to that is the Ebi, or Shrimp and then the red-skinned sushi on the outside is Kanpachi or Eel Tail. Above that is some Kani, Crab and next to that is White Fish soaked in vinegar. The last the rolls are Ikura, also known as Salmon eggs.
Of all these sushi, the only one I didn't love was my pill-bug sushi. It was very chewy even though I am told it should not have been. So I suppose I will have to try it again sometime. My favorite were the grilled variety. If you ever come to Japan, I would highly suggest trying some sort of Aburi Sushi.
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Our language school, The Intercultural Institute of Japan, has 4 main levels of classes: A1, A2, B1, and B2 and I made it into level B1!! And not only that, Anthony from my university also tested into my level so I automatically have a friend in the class. Maybe next week I will get pictures of the school but pictures taken of events we go to are posted on their Facebook page so check them out!
After dyeing our own sarasa, we got a tour of the building where we were able to watch traditional kimono making. Pretty cool stuff! On our way home, Tamura-sensei pointed us in the direction of a very tasty ramen shop.
After our weekly course classes ended, we had a lesson on business Japanese where all seven of us learned the proper Japanese way to exchange business cards. I really hope I get business cards from Emerson to be able to exchange while I am here!
After the lesson was over, Anthony, Cameron, and I headed out to find dinner and somewhere to do some karaoke. We wandered from Akihabara to Kanda and then almost all the way to Shinjuku after dinner just for fun. Along the way we had some really tasty tonkatsu and found two shrines before returning to Kameido to participate in some very fun karaoke. I would highly suggest to anyone visitin Japan or Korea to try out a karaoke-kan. Unlike in the United States, you rent a room with your friends and sing songs together for an hour (or however long you decide to pay for). It is much easier to sing only in front of your friends and not a bar full of strangers!