Bikkuri Donki

Bikkuri Donkey (translated: Surprised Donkey) is a chain restaurant similar to Coco’s. If you like Western themed restaurants with nostalgic stuff on the walls, have a hankering for a ground beef plate and only want to listen to The Beatles while eating, this place is for you.
 
Like I said, the food at Bikkuri Donki is similar to Coco’s. I think the price of the food is slightly better. I ended up getting spicy fried chicken and French fries. Many of my friends got desserts. (they looked delicious!)

 

This particular Bikkuri Donki was in Hachinohe. I apologize for not having directions, I will update in the future.

あけましておめでとうございます!

New Year’s prayers at Kushikihi Haachimangu Shrine, Hachinohe, Aomori, Japan. January 1, 2011

Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu! Happy New Year! This year I asked one of my friends if she was going to go to the shrine on New Year’s Day and asked if we could also come. We got our group together (four Americans and five Japanese) and headed to Kushikihi Haachimangu Shrine in Hachinohe. I have already written about this shrine in one of my earlier posts, but this was such a different experience! We thought we could beat the traffic if we got there early, but we ended up making a short pilgramage to the shrine from where we parked the car. This picture was taken on the shrine grounds. There were many stands selling a variety of food and some toys. Very much like any other festival. I wasn’t expecting that, it was a welcomed surprise though.
Getting closer to saying our prayers! How to pray at a Shinto shrine: throw money into the “bin” or whatever they call it. Ring the bell. Bow. Clap twice. Pray (which I did very quickly). Bow again.
After everyone said their prayers, we went and got our “fortunes” mine was good (third from the best). You can keep your fortune or tie it to the post like this:
Next, everyone rushed over to buy good luck charms. Each one is very specific so I didn’t want to get one that didn’t apply to me. I asked my friends for help deciphering but I was shoved so many times I decided to give up on the charm. I know, Japanese people shoving? They do it! They are very serious about their charms! A lot of them are for students to get good grades and pass exams.

 

I had always wanted to go to a Shrine in Japan on New Year’s Day. This was a great experience and I was so happy to spend a traditional New Year’s with my friends!

Café シ ェモア

Café シ ェモア (Also called Chez Moi which means ‘My Home’ in English) is a sweet little spot in a heavily residential area . I don’t have a good picture of the outside of the café because it was very dark outside when we visited.
Chez Moi has a small and cozy atmosphere and is very welcoming. They offer lunch plates, ice cream parfaits, coffee and tea. You can also reserve a party room.
When you first walk in there is a wood stove with teapots on top of it. It makes the café seem really homey. The café is also children friendly, there is a corner sectioned off  with toys for children to play. (Please make sure they take off their shoes before going in).

We went for coffee and ice cream. The coffee is maple coffee and the ice cream pictured is matcha with a little bit of adzuki bean paste. I thought it was wonderful! they also had cornflakes at the bottom of the bowl.
Café  シ ェモア is located in Oirase Town toward Michinoku Toll Road exit from the POL gate. You will see the small signs right after the Jam Friend Club pachinko or right before the “Dynam” pachinko near Circle K. It is built in a quiet residential area, section H, behind a small wooded area.
If you would like to see more pictures of the café and items from their menu visit :
http://www14.ocn.ne.jp/~chezmoi/index.html
Cafe シェモア
OPEN: 9:00 till 19:00
(Last order by 18:30)
CLOSED: SUN & HOLIDAYS