Herons and Wysteria and SUSHI!

You read right. Today was pretty neat. As I walking up to the campus gardens, subway in hand, ready
to meet up with my Nihongo Partner for lunch, I was met with a beautiful block of wisteria. The trellis over the bench area was just pregnant with wisteria, purple, voluminous strands overflowing from the bars. It was so beautiful and the smell just knocked you out. However, the giant and numerous bees were a bit territorial so we ate in a less pollinated section of the garden. However, I had time to take pictures while I was waiting for her and was pleasantly yet extremely shocked when I realized that there was an undulating, skinny white neck on the tiny island behind the wisteria. Then I realized it was a heron and I got so excited. This bird was so gorgeous! I was sad earlier since they took off the second I turned my head to check my phone, but, as I was going through my pictures, I saw I had gotten a picture of the bird earlier landing in the water and I am much happier.

This was a pretty good-sized bird and its wingspan was awesome. They kept their eye on me the entire time - of course, a nearby creature is giving you a lot of attention with a weird protruding face that they keep adjusting - I'd be wary as well! I didn't have my telephoto on me, but I'm glad enough that I had my camera!

Our cover band in KON has decided to learn "Silhouette" by Kana-Boon which is one of the openings to Naruto. I was nervous about it, but after talking to an upperclassman in the club, I found out I can just do the simple chords. I was nervous because I couldn't find the riff tab anywhere. If I have the time I might try to transcribe it myself, but I've never done that before so I don't want others to rely on that.

Tonight I had my first official sushi in Japan (a few rolls from the convenience store don't count). We had te-maki sushi where people make their own rolls with their hands. They are less like rolls and more like triangles or even tacos (*eyes SushiBurrito* hmmmm). Yellowtail, squid, octopus, salmon, sea bream, vegetables, and rolled omelettes (and rice and soy sauce, of course). It was so delicious! Afterwards we had the yatsuhashi I got from Arashiyama as well as yomogi mochi (mugwort).
The yatsuhashi were sakura flavored (half had sakura mochi outsides while half had sakura insides). The yomogi mochi had red bean paste outside and, inside, was sticky, green, grassy mochi. What was neat was the yatsuhashi came with sakura tea (which I didn't realize). It was pretty but super salty and tasted of the sea while the yomogi mochi tasted of the forest - had a naturally balanced dessert, I guess! It was delicious. And conversing with my host parents, their sister/sister-in-law, and their two daughters (who both got similar haircuts) was so much fun! The boyfriend was absent so I'm guessing he was with his family today. It was so lively and we all really enjoyed it.

Since it was so lively and we had a lot of dishes, our dinner went pretty late tonight - until around 9:30. Now I must rest for my busy Friday!

Good night and May the Fourth be with You!