Shopping Around

Hooray for long weekends! July 17th was National Marine Day, so everyone takes the day off to appreciate the ocean. Aaron and I decided to treat ourselves to a shopping trip to stock up on foreign foods. So up we were at freakin' 6 am to catch the 7:11 train. Ugh. Still, it was a good thing we caught the early train; far less crowding.

Where were we going? Why, the safe haven of Costco! We arrived at the perfect time-- around 11, so the food counters were open, but there still weren't too many shoppers. Costco dogs and churros were devoured. What?! Yes, of course Costco in Japan has Costco dogs! It's, like, their symbol or something [<- please say with mid-90s angst]. The counters also offer Bulgogi bakes, matcha ice cream, and pizza. While there is a seafood option for the whole pizza, the slices are only available in cheese and combo.

We made our purchases, arranged for shipping, then ran next door to Carre Four. Carre Four is a French supermarket chain, and they have a great selection of cheeses, breads, and teas. Then it was off to Kobe.

We met up with Haru, who showed us a new area near Harborland. Did some shopping, then went out for Korean for dinner. Now, despite Korea being very close, Japan is pretty selective about the Korean foods they'll eat. Namely, they tone down the spicy factor. Most Korean restaurants are limited to bi bim bop or yakiniku, but we found a place with a wider selection. Very tasty!

Then it was time to part ways. Haru went home and Aaron and I went on to our next adventure: the notorious Love Hotel.