Lunch & a Bath
- At April 26, 2022
- By admin
- In Annes Letters
0
Dear Family and Friends,
Sendai has changed a lot over the years. When I first came, it had a small town feel to it. There were Mom and Pop shops in every neighborhood, lovely traditional homes with large windows and verandas. Grandmothers would sit there and greet the children as they headed to and from school. Even many apartments were relatively small with lovely gardens in the entrance, or with flowers bursting from their balconies.
,
The changes happened gradually. That is until the 2011 earthquake. Of course, much of the city had to be rebuilt. But in the past few years, transformation has been astonishingly rapid.
Now the main train station is filled with trendy shops. Many streets seem wider and busier. Lots that used to have a house and a garden have somehow managed to squeeze three houses in together.
Instead of parks, there are parking lots. Instead of trees, there is more blacktop. Houses that were open to the community now look like fortresses. They are safer when earthquakes strike. But they feel very unwelcoming.
Despite this trend to modernize, there are a few places that are still holding out. That is amazing, especially considering the number of businesses that have closed due to the Corona upheaval or simply aging owners. One of my favorite of such places is a soba noodle shop called Imo Sen.
Unfortunately, the current owner has no children and his brother is allergic to buckwheat. So, maybe this will be the final generation of this wonderful place.
Another delightful, very traditional establishment is a public bath. I learned about it recently from a friend. Since my apartment has only a shower and I suffer terribly from cold, I was thrilled to learn about it. It is right downtown. It is tucked back on a side street. So, if you don’t know it, you would never even realize it existed. Yet, it also has stood in the same spot for a very long time.
The place is called “Koma no Yu”. The people who frequent it are the salt of the earth. Just from appearance, it was easy to imagine those women had worked hard all their lives. They probably had great responsibilities in their husband’s family business. And being proud Japanese women, they carried their weight and then some.
As soon as I walked in, one of these gems came up to me. She was concerned that I did not know how to take a Japanese bath. Of course, I knew, but was appreciative of her care. So, I paid full attention and thanked her profusely. Later we both soaked together neck deep in a bath, along with about five other women. It was the sort of companionship I cherish and have missed during these months of Corona.
I am happy that on side streets in the center of Sendai there are traditional places still going strong. In the future, either by word of mouth, or simply exploring, I hope to find more. And quickly, before they disappear.
Love,
Anne
Sendai has changed a lot over the years. When I first came, it had a small town feel to it. There were Mom and Pop shops in every neighborhood, lovely traditional homes with large windows and verandas. Grandmothers would sit there and greet the children as they headed to and from school. Even many apartments were relatively small with lovely gardens in the entrance, or with flowers bursting from their balconies.
,
The changes happened gradually. That is until the 2011 earthquake. Of course, much of the city had to be rebuilt. But in the past few years, transformation has been astonishingly rapid.
Now the main train station is filled with trendy shops. Many streets seem wider and busier. Lots that used to have a house and a garden have somehow managed to squeeze three houses in together.
Instead of parks, there are parking lots. Instead of trees, there is more blacktop. Houses that were open to the community now look like fortresses. They are safer when earthquakes strike. But they feel very unwelcoming.
Despite this trend to modernize, there are a few places that are still holding out. That is amazing, especially considering the number of businesses that have closed due to the Corona upheaval or simply aging owners. One of my favorite of such places is a soba noodle shop called Imo Sen.
The current owner is the fourth generation. It was started by his great grandmother 95 years ago. Originally the restaurant was on the first floor and the family lived upstairs. So, it has been in the same building its entire existence.
The owner is the son of one of my former adult students. When the father was in charge, it was kept exactly as his mother and grandmother had it. Tatami floors, low tables, advertising only by word of mouth, only the sound of slurping noodles or frying tempura.
When I returned after a long hiatus, I was happy to see the same four low tables, the tatami floor, the sound of cooking and slurping. But there was also a radio playing softly and a few items, like spices, for sale. And outside there was quiet advertising.
The owner is the son of one of my former adult students. When the father was in charge, it was kept exactly as his mother and grandmother had it. Tatami floors, low tables, advertising only by word of mouth, only the sound of slurping noodles or frying tempura.
When I returned after a long hiatus, I was happy to see the same four low tables, the tatami floor, the sound of cooking and slurping. But there was also a radio playing softly and a few items, like spices, for sale. And outside there was quiet advertising.
The owner has dyed yellow hair and wears a baseball hat, unlike his more traditional father. He also has a helper. Otherwise, it was pretty much unchanged. And the noodles and tempura were just as I remembered: fabulous.
Unfortunately, the current owner has no children and his brother is allergic to buckwheat. So, maybe this will be the final generation of this wonderful place.
Another delightful, very traditional establishment is a public bath. I learned about it recently from a friend. Since my apartment has only a shower and I suffer terribly from cold, I was thrilled to learn about it. It is right downtown. It is tucked back on a side street. So, if you don’t know it, you would never even realize it existed. Yet, it also has stood in the same spot for a very long time.
The place is called “Koma no Yu”. The people who frequent it are the salt of the earth. Just from appearance, it was easy to imagine those women had worked hard all their lives. They probably had great responsibilities in their husband’s family business. And being proud Japanese women, they carried their weight and then some.
As soon as I walked in, one of these gems came up to me. She was concerned that I did not know how to take a Japanese bath. Of course, I knew, but was appreciative of her care. So, I paid full attention and thanked her profusely. Later we both soaked together neck deep in a bath, along with about five other women. It was the sort of companionship I cherish and have missed during these months of Corona.
(This sign says, “You are absolutely prohibited from stepping into the lobby in your underwear or naked.”)
I am happy that on side streets in the center of Sendai there are traditional places still going strong. In the future, either by word of mouth, or simply exploring, I hope to find more. And quickly, before they disappear.
Love,
Anne
