Holidays in Japan

Yeah, they're long gone, but we did manage to throw together a Halloween party and a Thanksgiving gathering. Not surprisingly, the Halloween party got kinda out-of-control... lots of foreigners + lots of alcohol = interesting evening. Thanksgiving was much more sedate, likely due to overeating and the resultant contentedness.

Cooking holidays make for a unique challenge in Japan. Japanese food typically falls into one of three categories: raw, pickled, or deep-fried. Yes, there are a few other categories, but those are definately the top three. Notice that these methods do not require a lot of space, unlike, say, an oven. Baking has no traditional place in Japanese cuisine, so few people have ovens. Luckily, we foreigners can usually scrounge up an oven. So while it took a lot more work and creativity than a typical Turkey Day, we triumphed.