Thunderstorm Aftermath

A bit of the "rainy season" - very pleasant, usually.

Audio from our window at night--JUST LISTEN:

Frogs singing at night(+ one) in the rice paddies on our NE corner.

Tour of a spice distribution factory by lunch group

Vegetariarian Cooking Taught by a Buddhist Monk

The Yamadas invited us to a vegetarian cooking class led by a Buddhist monk at a Tatebayashi community center. There were about 20 members and 4 cooking stations. The menu was somen noodles with sauteed green beans, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, tofu and some seasonings; soup made with konbu (seaweed) soup stock, miyoga (a kind of ginger with cilantro flavor), yuba (for me, the best kind of tofu), fresh young soybeans, soy sauce and sake; and a whole tomato soup made from fresh tomato, yellow and red pepper.
After cooking we dined together drinking mugi cha (tea made from barley). The photos show the noodle dish and the tomato soup, the sensei (cooking teacher) and some of the class members. Click on the photo to see the food close-up.