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Last sun set of the year overlooking Mt. Fuji and Enoshima Island from #ZushiBeach. Looking forward to tonight's festivities and ringing in 2017 Japanese style! 🍶 🎍🎉 #逗子 #日没 #よいお年 #富士山 #Zushi #sunset #happynewyear #fujisan

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Traditional Japanese New Year's decorations around #Zushi Ginza. The #kadomatsu is my favorite🎍The whole vibe out front made me think of @countrylivingmag, Japanese style. #正月 #新年 #門松 #よいお年を #逗子 🇯🇵

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Walked around #Zushi today checking out the New Year decorations for sale and on display. Thanks to @margarettewolfe for getting me out! #正月 #新年 #よいお年を #逗子

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Fun with the #snowapp during a campfire with the neighbors. #merrychristmas

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'Tis the season for command holiday parties and dresses from years ago that still fit🎄 #メリークリスマス #merrychristmas

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It's Thursday so it's Katie in Kimono Day!👘 Dressed in yet another new #kimono and in #Kamakura. #鎌倉 #着物 #japan #日本 🇯🇵

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Lots of fun in the Japanese photo booth, puri kura in #kawasaki tonight! A big thanks to @myrmns and @margarettewolfe 😘 #プリ クラ #日本 #Japan

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Just another Saturday night out in #Japan. #日本 #着物 #kimono

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Another new #kimono and in #Zushi Ginza this morning! #東昌寺 #着物 #逗子 #亀岡八幡宮社務所 #japan #日本 🇯🇵 👘

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It's Thursday so it's Katie in Kimono Day!👘 Dressed in another new #kimono and in #Zushi Ginza this morning! #東昌寺 #着物 #逗子 #亀岡八幡宮社務所 #japan #日本 🇯🇵

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Field trip with my Japanese class to the #SnoopyMuseum in the #Roppongi area of #Tokyo today. No pictures are allowed inside, unfortunately. Worth the trip if you're a Peanuts fan. 🐾 We got our tickets ahead of time at Lawson but they are available at the door too. #スヌーピーミュージアム #日本 #東京 #スヌーピー

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Another #manholecover, this time from #Osaka. #Japan. #日本 #マンホール #大阪 #osakacastle #大阪城

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Finally saw the fountain/waterfall at Osaka Station last night! @azlina.ilzdaf I thought of you ☺️ #osakastation #osakastationcity #大阪 #大阪駅 #水の時計 日本

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I'm a sucker for the beautiful #manholecovers here in #Japan. This one is from #Nara and showcases the #naradeer and #sakura. #奈良 #日本 #マンホール

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Hanging out at the #Kaiyukan (Tempozan) Illuminations last night in #Osaka. #Japan #日本 #大阪 #tempozan

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It's not snowing in Osaka! We rode a Peanuts theme train on the #Hankyu Line enroute to our home for the long weekend. #peanutstrain #snoopy #大阪

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I'm not ready for winter. Still changing from snow to rain and a mix of both. Roads are fine, nothing is sticking to the ground. Trains are delayed a little bit but nothing significant; mine was by only eight minutes and the conductor continued to apologize. #雪 #snow #imisssummer

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Haven't posted cookies I've made in a long time! These #sushicookies were for my friend's daughter. 🍣 They had her birthday lunch at #スシロー. #寿司 #sushiro #sushi #decoratedcookies #royalicing #icingcookies #icedbiscuits #katieskookies #ケイティのクッキー

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Carved our first pineapple when we lived in Hawaii in 2004 and have done it every year since. It smelled heavenly with a cinnamon candle 🍍 #happyhalloween #carvedpineapple

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One of the best desserts I've ever had. Mango shave ice from #DinTaiFung in #Yokohama last night. It's made with sweetened condensed milk! The restaurant in Shanghai is bigger but the menu is almost the same. #かき氷 🍧 #横浜

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Date day with @margarettewolfe! Thanks for venturing out and possibly trespassing with me today! Thankfully the farmers loved us 😉 #日本 #Japan #田浦 #watchoutforwildboar 🐗 #thebestpartaboutbeingoutsideisbeingabletogobackinside

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The pizza toast #Pringles are my new favorite and were a gift from my Japanese language sensei this afternoon. #piggypiggy 🐷 #プリングルズ #日本 #Japan #japanesesnack

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Life is uncertain, eat dessert first! We checked out Paletas popsicle shop while waiting for a table next door at Garden House. I had the pumpkin and didn't hesitate for the brûlée option. Highly recommend this place and it's a five minute walk from Kamakura Station. #ポプシクル #paletas #popsicle #鎌倉 #日本

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Back at my favorite coffee spot with friends and autumn themed #latteart! #ラテアート #秋 #Kamakura #鎌倉 #Japan #kittychan #ハローキティ #キティホワイト

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Back at my favorite place in Kamakura with @lshiz, Hokokuji Temple. #Kamakura, #HokokujiTemple #bamboozled #bambooforest #zentemple #Japan #日本 #鎌倉

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On the train ride home today. #京急本線 #Japan

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Busy in the kitchen yesterday with @mlescrouch. Smash cake, pumpkin and cheesecake muffins, pumpkin croissants with a homemade pumpkin glaze, mini pumpkin cakes and all while drinking pumpkin chai tea lattes. 🎃 Thanks to @vtokyo612 and @kimchicoconut for sending the tea mix from the US 😘 #pumpkinseason

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Lunch with Leslie and Ted today! #Shibuya #TedinTokyo #Ted2 #Tokyo #Japan #テッド

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I love traveling on the #EnodenLine out of #Kamakura. The train is always adorable and cheery! #江ノ電 #江ノ島電鉄 #鎌倉 #江ノ島 #Japan

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It's a rainy afternoon at Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine in Kamakura. #鎌倉 #傘 #雨 #kamakura #japan #TsurugaokaHachimangū #鶴岡八幡宮

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Hanging out at my favorite place in #Kamakura, #Hokokuji Temple back in March. #bamboozled #bambooforest #zentemple #Japan #日本 #鎌倉

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Very happy for and proud of @lshiz after pinning on #navychief yesterday, congratulations! #navychiefnavypride

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Great afternoon dressing in #yukata with @margarettewolfe! #浴衣 #Japan #日本 #横須賀 🇯🇵

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Another day of playing dress up with @margarettewolfe! I was on my tiptoes for this shot making a small attempt to reach her 😋 #yukata #浴衣 #Japan #日本

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Game night with friends. Last night we played Oh! Sushi Game which is similar to Jenga. Some pieces had "wasabi" inside with challenges. Glad I had my usual sparkling moscato with mango because the flicks to the forehead hurt! 😂 #gamenight #onlyinjapan

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Jumping in puddles on a very rainy day in #Japan! ☔️

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Early birthday breakfast at #eggsnthings near #Enoshima. A big mahalo to my friends and to the staff for singing "Happy Birthday!" 😘 I've lived in Hawaii three times and going in there felt like I was back on island. #お誕生日おめでとうございます

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My own #判子 (hanko) from @kamakurahanko. I love it and had a great day out with @margarettewolfe! ❤️ #鎌倉 #Japan

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Played dress up with my daughters and @margarettewolfe today! 👘 #yukata #ifeelpretty #浴衣 #Japan #日本 🇯🇵

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Enjoying the last day of our nearly two weeks vacation to China and Indonesia. Lots of pictures coming soon...it's been an incredible time.

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Found the #Kirin pineapple and lychee #icesmoothie #チューハイ drinks today and bought them all. Now it finally feels like summer 🌞 Also found the watermelon Fanta 🍉 and am excited to try it. #chuhai #Japan #cheers #kampai #カンパイ#bottomsup

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#HappyTanabata from #Japan! 🎋🌠 #七夕 #Tanabata Every July 7th Japan celebrates the Star Festival. #cookieart #icedbiscuits #icingcookies #royalicing #decoratedcookies #ケイティのクッキー #katieskookies #edibleart #Yokohama #Tokyo

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Decisions, decisions...llama or panda for the decorative toilet cover?! Maybe I'll get one for each of our washlet toilets. #firstworldproblems #toto #daiso #japan #ダイソー #100yen

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And they're off! Lots of fun at the Color Run in Yokosuka today ☺️#usn #usnavy #Yokosuka #7thFleet #Japan #横須賀 #funrun #colorrun #navyfitness #mwr

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Cheered on my daughters and friend, @margarettewolfe at the Color Run on base today! #usn #usnavy #Yokosuka #7thFleet #Japan #横須賀 #funrun #colorrun #navyfitness #mwr

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The USS Blue Ridge in dry dock at the naval base in Yokosuka, Japan earlier tonight. #ussblueridge #lcc19 #drydock #usn #usnavy #Yokosuka #7thFleet #Japan #横須賀

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Took my daughters to a kimono dressing for a Helping Hands Tohoku earthquake relief fundraiser in Yokosuka, Japan earlier this month. The passion from each volunteer was like nothing I've seen before. Every detail on each and every child was meticulously cared for. 👘 #helpinghandstohoku #Japan #yokosuka #kimono #obi #着物 #帯 #ボランティア #横須賀 #日本

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We had an absolutely amazing time with @maricarjp today! If you're in Tokyo and are able to go, do it. #mariokart #RealLifeMarioKart #Tokyo #Shibuya #shibuyacrossing #Japan #onlyinjapan

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He's been twirling me around the dance floor for the last 15 years. We met two months after I turned 15, he was 17, in our high school cafeteria and haven't looked back! Our wedding reception was in the same room at the Villa Capri in where he was my junior prom date. #happyanniversary ❤️

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Take me out to the ballgame! Or in this case...."Take me out to the ballpark with good drink!" We had a great time at the Yokohama Baystars game this afternoon! Girls walked around with keg backpacks on selling different types of beer; I got #Asahi. #Yokohama #YokohamaBaystars #横浜DeNAベイスターズ #Japan #baseball #野球 #baystars

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Great day to be at the ballpark! ⚾️#Yokohama #YokohamaBaystars #横浜DeNAベイスターズ #Japan #baseball #野球

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Happy #FlightAttendantDay to the #flightattendants all over the world! I made these cookies for my flight attendant friend, @missingaloha ✈️ We've know each other for nearly 15 years! #decoratedcookies #royalicing #icingcookies #icedbiscuits #katieskookies #ケイティのクッキー

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Chair legs and feet get cold too! I love that they're animals and bought the pandas! 🐼 #chairsocks #panda #alpaca #daiso #japan

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I couldn't help but make more sumo cookies for today! Enjoying our Sunday in Tokyo at the last day of the 2016 May Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan. This is our first time seeing sumo and it's been quite an experience so far! I believe they're heading to Nagoya in July but will be back here in September. #相撲 #sumo #sumowrestling #sumotournament #tokyo #japan #sumocookies #decoratedcookies #royalicing #icingcookies #icedbiscuits #katieskookies #ケイティのクッキー

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Lunch with a view today at Mercure Hotel in Yokosuka. #Japan #MercureHotel #横須賀

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It's a big day for hundreds of families at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka and NAF Atsugi, Japan. The USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), embarked Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Staff and and “Golden Falcons” Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 returned home. Happy homecoming! 🇺🇸 #militarycookies #ussblueridge #happyhomecoming #militaryhomecoming #usn #usnavy #decoratedcookies #royalicing #icingcookies #icedbiscuits #katieskookies #ケイティのクッキー #Yokosuka #Atsugi #7thFleet

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She's 12 today and was my Mother's Day present in 2004. We joke that she's our little kama'aina. Time has flown by so quickly. It's such a cliché but they do grow up too fast. #holycrap #whiteplains #hawaii #barberspoint #happybirthday #お誕生日おめでとうございます

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Happy Mother's Day! 💐 My daughter made this card for me in Japanese class and I think it translates into "I love Mom." Hope all the moms have a wonderful day and if you're on my side of the world I hope you had a wonderful day! 🌏#happymothersday #母の日おめでとう #japan

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Back at my favorite cafe, this time to celebrate Childrens' Day tomorrow, May 5th. It's a big day here in Japan and is known as Tango no Sekku. It celebrates good health and happiness for boys and carp flags/banners/windsocks are flown. 🎏Thanks for the company, @margarettewolfe! #こどもの日 #Kodomo no Hi #koinobori #鯉幟 #carpstreamers #goldenweek #ゴールデンウィーク #latteart #Kamakura. #鎌倉 #ラテアート #Japan #japanloverme

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Out for an evening stroll down Dankazura on Wakamiya Ōji Street in Kamakura. The sakura trees were ripped out and replanted this year so it's not nearly as beautiful as it was when we lived here from 2008-2010. I took photo at the top of my blog in this spot in 2009. #鎌倉 #Japan #若宮大路

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Spent some time at HARRY Hedgehog Cafe (#ハリネズミと触れ合える空間) in Tokyo today. We had so much fun and are anxious to go back. I made reservations last week before word about this place spread all over the Internet...thank goodness! 😉 #hedgehog #hedgehogcafe #ハリネズミ #tokyo #japan #japanloverme

Sakura Everywhere 🌸

I found this post in my drafts folder and can't believe I forgot to post it...last year!!! Sakura season is very important here in Japan. Stores are decorated and festive the way we decorate for Halloween or Christmas. They're incorporated in food and drink and below are some examples of what I bought last year. I also included a picture of cookies I made.

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We've been here before but not at this time of year. The cherry blossom petals are falling and I loved how they looked on the cobblestone sidewalk at Sakurayama Central Park last week. 🌸 #sakura #桜 #zushi #逗子#逗子の桜山中央公園 #japan #hanami #花見 #park #koen #cherryblossoms #cobblestone

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Another one from Tuesday at Tsurugaoka Hachimangū shrine in Kamakura. The lanterns turned on around 1745. #sakura #桜 #鎌倉 #kamakura #japan #hanami #花見 #cherryblossoms #shinto #TsurugaokaHachimangū #鶴岡

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I had a field trip with my Japanese language class to Tsurugaoka Hachimangū shrine in Kamakura on Tuesday. The cherry blossoms were beautiful and just starting to fall! 🌸 This Shinto shrine is one of my favorites...it's the same one we've been to for many other holidays including New Year's Eve, Coming of Age Day and Shichi-Go-San. Have I mentioned how happy we are to be living in Japan again?! 🇯🇵 #sakura #桜 #鎌倉 #kamakura #japan #hanami #花見 #cherryblossoms #shinto #TsurugaokaHachimangū #鶴岡八幡宮

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Gyokuro Tea KitKats. The tea leaves are grown only in the shade and my Japanese teacher said it is a very high-quality tea. 🍵 #kitkatjapan #キットカット #oiishi #onlyinjapan #kitkats #dessert #Japan #gyokuro #玉露#gyokurokitkats #kitkat

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Yesterday was an absolutely perfect day to spend with friends in the Gumyōji area of Yokohama. We walked, admired the sakura (hanami) and ate lunch along the Ohoka River 🌸 I fell in love with Japan all over again! #桜 #sakura #yokohama #japan #cherryblossoms #ohokariver #hanami #花見 #gumyoji #riverwalk

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A gloomy day today. It poured all day and the wind was very strong in the early evening. So many cherry blossoms were blown off the trees, but even that is pretty! They look like large pink snowflakes falling to the ground. 🌸 #Yokosuka #横須賀 #Japan #sakura #桜 #cherryblossoms

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Bought my daughter some koi fish socks at a store in Kamakura a few weeks ago. She loves them....I'd love to find a pair with sharks for my other daughter. #socks #koi #funnysocks #靴下 #Japan #Kamakura #鎌倉 #instasocks #socklovers

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I found a Mt. Fuji ice mold in #Tokyo and couldn't resist 😂 Dorky? Sure, but I love it 🗻 #mtfuji #fujisan #富士山 #Japan #icemold

Kit Kat Purse

My husband had a work trip to Hong Kong and came home with a KitKat purse for me! I haven't used it yet...haven't quite found the right occasion, but I'm thinking about it for this weekend. :) 

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Happy Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! I made these cookies for our anniversary last year. I post pictures of my cookies at Facebook.com/thekatieskookies if you'd like to see more 😀 #peanutbutterandjellyday! #peanutbutterandjelly #pbandj #peanutbutterandjellycookies #decoratedcookies #royalicing #icingcookies #icedbiscuits #katieskookies #ケイティのクッキー

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It's cherry blossom season and even the vending machines are festive! I saw this at a rest area near #Kofu in #Yamanashi. 🌸 #Japan #vendingmachine #sakura #桜 #cherryblossom

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Took a trip to Kuon-ji Temple (on Mt. Minobu) yesterday in Yamanashi Prefecture. The Sakura were stunningly beautiful and were blooming more than at home. 🌸 #Japan #Yamanashi #Minobu #身延 #身延山 #久遠寺 #山梨 #mtminobu #sakura #桜 #buddism #nichirenbuddism #cherryblossom

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American Cherry Burger with Sakura soda at ROOFTOPS in Kamakura. They've got a beautiful view of Kamakura Station and I can't wait to go back! #Kamakura #japan #sakura #桜 #cheeseburger #cherryburger #チーズバーガー @rooftops_kamakura

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Orange Coca Cola is available this week! Two distinctive flavors, orange and Coke but an orange after taste. They compliment each other and I liked it! 🍊 #コカコーラ #cocacola #orangecocacola #orangecoke #japan #japanloverme

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Fuji-san is beautiful today! Was covered in clouds earlier but it's cleared up. 🗻 #mtfuji #fujisan #富士山 #Japan #lakekawaguchi #河口湖

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#Bunny butts! Hope you have a Happy Easter tomorrow! #HappyEaster #decoratedcookies #royalicing #icingcookies #icedbiscuits #katieskookies #ケイティのクッキー

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#Soba and #tempura for lunch in #Kamakura today! #Japan #鎌倉

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A snack of Mitarashi Dango in Tokyo last weekend. It's rice balls covered in a sweet and salty sauce...almost like soy sauce but thicker. #みたらし #Japan #snackfood

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via IFTTT

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 5th Anniversary

Yahoo Japan

Tomorrow, March 11, 2016, marks the 5th anniversary of the Tohoku Japan earthquake and tsunami. The Japanese National Police Agency reported 15,889 deaths, 6,152 injured and 2,601 missing. When we lived here before I traveled up to Fukushima with the girls for the Soma-Nomaoi Festival. The area was beautiful and people very kind and gracious.

On March 10, 2011 we were living in Hawaii. I had LASIK eye surgery that morning and spent the afternoon and evening asleep. I woke up to breaking news about an earthquake in Japan. Shortly after the tsunami warning alarms going off and we could hear them through the closed windows and running AC. We lived on Ford Island, an evacuation zone. We had no idea how severe the earthquake was, but we were able to get in touch with our friends and former neighbors still living here. Not long after the earthquake the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant melted. I immediately thought of the people we met and the time we spent there in 2009.

On March 11th Yahoo Japan will donate ¥10 towards the recovery for each person who searches "3.11." In 2014 Yahoo donated ¥25 million or about $215,000 USD. More details can be read here. 

Japanese Sake Kit Kats

日本酒キットカット went on sale today! I searched locally and Yokohama before going up to Tokyo to find them. Nine mini packs came in the sake shaped box I got and three in the normal Kit Kat packaging. These contain .8% alcohol. The sake smell is stronger than the taste in my opinion. Good, not my favorite and with a strong aftertaste. I felt it in my throat too. Bottoms up!