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    • November
      • Preservation
        11/26/08
        Sun-drying persimmons are a common sight around Japan in the fall.



        People hang the persimmons from a pole for a couple of weeks, until they shrivel and darken. They then store the dried persimmons, called hoshigaki, for snacking on during the winter.

      • Fair Warning
        11/24/08
        If you ever need to buy soy sauce at the conbini, be sure to read the label first:



        I love how emphatic the beverage is about not being soy sauce.

      • Kiritanpo Nabe
        11/21/08
        Winter has already arrived in Kitakami, which means it's time to start making nabe. Nabe is the Japanese word for cooking pot; the term is also applied to various one-pot dishes like soups, stews, or sukiyaki. One of our favorite nabe comes from Akita Prefecture: kiritanpo nabe.

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      • All in the Details
        11/17/08
        When you get damaged or misdirected mail in America, it usually arrives with some sort of brief explanation. Often, the explanation is an impersonal form with one of multiple preprinted reasons checked off (or the ever-popular "Other," with a terse, often illegible explanation). It might

      • Autumn Crow
        11/16/08

      • Doctor Doctor
        11/14/08
        Unlike last year, I haven't been getting sick on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, I have gotten sick enough to require my first visit to a doctor in Japan. As one does, I went to the doctor that came recommended by a student. This doctor had the added benefit of having the most entertaining o

      • Autumn in Miniature
        11/12/08
        Fall colors aren't just on the big trees in the mountains they're also on the bonsai that some people keep outside their homes.

      • Old-School Housing
        11/09/08
        Compared to other cities in Japan, Kitakami is relatively young. Consequently, there aren't many examples of traditional Japanese architecture around. This house is one of the few.



        We're not sure whether this is actually an old house or a newer one built in the tra

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