'Grandfather's Journey:' Authentic Japenese meal courtesy of a friend

Our neighbor moved to Minnesota from Japan several years ago, and so when we embarked upon our study of "Grandfather's Journey" I asked her for tips on how to experience Japan here in Minneapolis.

She recommended that we visit:
- The Japanese Gardens at Como -- and attend the annual Lantern Festival in August there
- United Noodles - An Asian grocery store in South Minneapolis
- Obento-ya - "Our favorite place to eat authentic and good Japanese home cooking food. Their patio is very nice, too."

And then she offered to cook us an authentic Japanese meal. It was simply lovely! Thank you, Saki!

The kiddos played with a game from Japan that told them words in Japanese

Saki read a Japanese tale of a crane who turned into a woman.

Seaweed, carrots and edamame

Eating with chopsticks!

We gobbled up the rice cakes fast. And the kids had fun shelling the edamame and eating the soybeans inside. They were deliciously salty! Plus there was seaweed and a soup with tofu. I really loved the barley tea.