Unexpected Delicious Find: Cannery Row in Sanaru

A month ago, I got on the wrong bus from AEON Mall to Hamamatsu Station. When the surroundings became unfamiliar, I sensibly got off the nearest bus stop. It was a blessing in disguise for I was rewarded by a beautiful sunset over Lake Sanaru. Then just across the road is an Italian dining food chain, the Cannery Row. I promised myself I'll dine in that place if only for the relaxing sight on Lake Sanaru.

Fast forward to a month, my friends and I went to Lake Sanaru to dine in Cannery Row. After taking some pictures of Lake Sanaru, we went to Cannery Row. The short pathwalk leading to the restaurant's door feels homey and welcoming with its cottage door and flowers on the side. 

photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/Cannery.Row.Nissin?sk=wall&filter=2

Upon opening the door, our senses were wafted with delicious aroma. The salad bar just on the right side of the door was an inviting sight. It has a wide variety of food- veggies, meat, shrimps and soup. I especially recommend the pesto potato salad. The dessert corner made my mouth water with its yummy-looking cakes and jellies. I took fancy on their sakura jelly and ate 4 cups of it (hehe!) along with a assorted cakes. (I felt so greedy!) 

Desserts!

photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/Cannery.Row.Nissin/photos_stream

The Salad Bar
photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/Cannery.Row.Nissin/photos_stream

The restaurant's interior reminded me of summer with its yellow walls and colorful hanging plates. There was an upbeat music playing softly on the background which adds liveliness to the place. My Cuban friend felt like dancing because of the music and the colorful surroundings. 

(More on places in Hamamatsu, here)

We ordered a set meal- two types of pasta (with each pasta good for 3 people), plus unlimited access to the salad bar, dessert bar and drink bar. All these for only 5, 763 Yen for three people. The food was great. (I don't know how to really breakdown how delicious the food was.) 

The only downside of the place is the unavailability of a menu in English. We actually didn't know the type of pasta we ate because we can't understand the menu. We just let the girl who got our order decide for us. Just the same, the food she served us was one of the best Italian spaghetti I tasted in Japan. I had one of the best dinners here I'm afraid I wouldn't stop raving about it. The great view on Lake Sanaru followed by great food at Cannery Row in the company of great people, I had a great Saturday! 

For related articles on Cannery Row: 

https://www.facebook.com/Cannery.Row.Nissin

http://fuji-city.blogspot.jp/2010/08/cannery-row-italian-restaurant.html

Just Dried Leaves: Clean-Up and Free Day at Junior High School

I just returned from a park clean-up with my second-year students. This morning, armed with trash bags and gloves, the students and teachers all went to the nearby park to pick up trash. However, there were no trash to pick-up. The park that we visited was so clean with its manicured lawns, artfully-trimmed plants and well-planted flowers.

Iida Park in Hamamatsu

Iida Koen (Iida Park) in Hamamatsu

(More on Japanese school life, here)

For almost an hour, the students roamed around the park trying to find anything that they could fill their trash bags with. I also tried to look for trash but the park was really clean. This made me appreciate Japan more. The Japanese don't neglect public places such as parks. This is considering that the park we went to- Iida Koen, is not really a major park. How I wish the Philippines would also take care of its remaining parks, if there are any.

Where are the trash?

Just to fill up their trash bags, most of the students picked dried twigs and leaves. I also saw some of the students secretly getting cans and some trash from the trash bins in the park. This is just so they can put something in their bags.

Dried leaves-picking

Cleaning an-already clean park

After an hour in the park, the students were given free time to play and enjoy the place. One of the teachers said that they do this activity every year to give students a chance to know each other. The play time was the best part. I bet the students think so too!

some action on the sumo wrestling ground

class picture taking

happily tired after running 

the ever-popular soccer

sunbathing?

Wanted: Girlfriend for a Japanese Man

One of my male students asked me to help him find a girlfriend. He's 30, not bad looking, well-built, financially stable and is open-minded. Race and nationality is not an issue as long as she's well-mannered and  physically pleasant-looking. He said his standards in a woman are not really high. He's a reasonable guy so it was puzzling for me why he would need my help to find a girlfriend.

photo credit: http://www.123rf.com/photo_6193851_japanese-couple.html

My student's situation, according to him, is not uncommon in Japanese society. A lot of Japanese men nowadays have a hard time finding a girlfriend. In our discussion, we brainstormed why he and other Japanese men are "girlfriendlless." It was interesting how he and I- as a woman, saw things differently.

He said: He has no opportunity to meet women. 
I said:  He does not know how to grab or make an opportunity to meet women. 
My student works from Monday to Friday as a freelance consultant, teacher and agent. Unlike other men, he doesn't have a permanent workplace where he can establish relationships with female coworkers. However, he has weekends when he can go out and meet women. Problem is he choose to stay at home on weekends tinkering with stuff and playing video games. He told me that a lot of his friends also set him up on dates but he doesn't like the pressure that goes with it. He is a member of a community group but it is an all-male club. Obviously his lifestyle does not seem to welcome opportunities to meet women.

(More on Japanese culture, here.)

He said: He has no time to meet and date women. 
I said: He just does not know how to make time for women.
With his various jobs, my student seems to be busy man with no time for courtship. He said that dating women will take his precious time away from his job. I told him that he does not have to spend a whole day to date a woman. Lunch or dinner on workdays is acceptable. A three-hour date is not impossible on a Saturday or Sunday. Dating doesn't have to be an everyday thing. A short email, phone call or text message are sweet gestures that can warm him to a woman. I think Japanese men like him have big elaborate ideas on dating that can be demanding on time and money. Instead of making dating simpler, he just choose to not do it altogether.

He said: He does not want to date women who will not end up as his girlfriend or wife.
I said: He should consider dating as a trial period.
As I have said I think Japanese men have elaborate ideas in dating including its gravity. When a Japanese man dates a Japanese woman, it is expected that they will be a couple. In effect, Japanese men are pressured to date only women who they seriously like. The problem with this is that men and women in Japan have limited interactions that it is hard to develop a "serious likeness" to someone. I told him to change his mindset on dating. A first date should be like a trial to see if you like the other person. If the first date works, then go out for another one. If not, say goodbye and thank you.

He said: His looks are not popular to Japanese women. 
I said: His looks is not the problem, it's the type of women he pursues. 
Finally I understood why Japanese men look feminine. My student said that Japanese women swoon to men with feminine and soft looks. I personally find these feminine-looking Japanese men repulsive. They look so vain and weak and I wouldn't want my boyfriend to look prettier than me. On the other hand, my student looks manly with cropped hair uncommon in Japanese men. He likes the way he looks. I told him that most women would find him attractive or acceptable at the very least and that he shouldn't change his looks. He should go out instead and find women who would appreciate his form. I reasoned out that more than half of the female world population appreciates men with manly looks. The Japanese women who prefers soft-looking men does not even comprise a quarter of it. In effect, he has a high chance of getting a girlfriend without resorting to female-looking male.

(For more on Japanese society, click here.) 

He said: He's role in his family makes him unappealing to women. 
I said: Again, his role is not the problem but the women he pursues. 
Being a firstborn son in Japan entails social responsibilities. My student said that most Japanese women do not like to marry firstborn son because of the social pressure that comes with it. I told him that not all women think that way. He just have to find the woman who would be up to the challenge. Also, if a woman likes him enough, his role as the eldest son is a small matter, I think.

In my opinion, the social pressure attached to dating and men hinders Japanese men (and women) to explore possible relationships. There seems to be an ever-present fear of not meeting up to social expectations that they end up not doing things instead. As a result, here's my Japanese student asking me to do half of the work so he can have a girlfriend.

PS: If you're interested to meet him, PM me. :) This is serious.