1st Japanese BBQ

We were so excited about attending our first ever BBQ in Japan! When we were first invited, we (and the others attending) were asked to bring vegetables to BBQ as the hosting family, the Okanos, was going to bring the meat for everyone. However, not knowing how to prepare vegetables for a BBQ Japanese-style, I later asked if we could bring some Korean-style spicy BBQ pork (돼지불고기) with lettuce leaves to wrap them in, garlic, and “sauce” (쌈장), ‘cause that was something I knew I could deliver. =D

So, on May 5th, "Boys' Day", a national holiday in Japan, the Murrays, the hosts, a Japanese couple that we’d met previously and a few other families that we hadn't met previously, BBQ-ed together at a national park in the mountains close to the hosts house. Most people spoke at least some English so it was a fun time of learning how to prepare vegetables for a Japanese BBQ, trying different types of meat (including Japanese-style kalbi), experiencing “dodgiball” for the first time, our first visit to a big national park, and being able to observe how the Japanese do BBQs.

We didn’t bring folding chairs like most everybody else, but we’ll know better next time! I also didn’t have time to go hat shopping beforehand, so we had to use whatever we had (my gardening hat and Juhee’s kindergarten hat), but we’ll be better prepared next time! Hopefully, by our next BBQ, Sungjae won’t be so interested in eating the sand/gravel/rocks off the ground either!

Picture is of Peter enjoying one of the HUGE onigiris (triangular shaped rice balls) that the Okanos prepared and Sungjae eyeing one of the Okano boys eating his Korean spicy pork wrap.

I get sunburned very easily so I covered up! Juhee was very happy that she got to drink strawberry milk that day. She also got to play dodgiball for the first time.

Koreans are very used to stuffing their mouths with big lettuce wraps full of meat and other veg, but it’s not very Japanese-y. After showing everyone how to prepare the wrap, I was challenged to show how it’s eaten too – to which I happily obliged! =D It was fun learning how to prep the veg Japanese-style and I think everyone enjoyed the Korean part of the meal too. It was cool to see lots of families there together at the park, enjoying Golden Week with friends and family. :)

Juhee had actually come down with a cold the previous evening and had a slight fever that morning, but she was so looking forward to it, that we decided to go. She missed school for the first time ever the following day. And then another 3 days during the month of May... :(