Trains in Japan are known to be clean, safe and sometimes with decorative artwork, but this one was extraordinary!
What is so special about deer?
There is a legend that Takemikazuchi no Mikoto, the god of thunder, came to Kasugataisha Shrine in Nara, riding a white deer. Based on this legend, deer came to be cherished as divine envoys of the god and the people in Nara have been protecting and loving them. There are about 1300 deer living in Nara Park.
I also found a newspaper article about a train with foot baths. They will fill the baths with hot water from a local hot spring in the morning and people can soak their feet during the ride. This special train will run only on weekends between Jan.31 and Feb.23. Too bad we won’t be there at that time…
Last Saturday, we visited Noda Miso CO. in Aich prefecture and took a tour and a miso making workshop. Their main product is “mame-miso” (soybean miso) naturally aged in wooden barrels for over 18 months. Because of the long fermentation period, their miso becomes really dark in color, almost black.
In the workshop, we made mame-miso, basically the same as their miso except it is not aged in a wooden barrel.
Ingredients are soybeans, salt and water. Soybeans were steamed, made into balls, and inoculated with koji beforehand.
In the workshop, we crushed the soybean koji balls into small pieces, mix it with salt and water, and press the mixture into the container. Then the top was covered by extra salt to prevent unwanted mold to grow.
We were told to cover the top with plastic wrap and put weight on at home, which we did.
All we need to do now is to wait for at least 12 months, and maybe that is the hardest part. We decided to leave it with our parents so that we won’t open it before we are supposed to…
Have a wonderful week!
Sora Farm 