The day of JR trains

meat meat meat
nothing like wearing a suit and backpack

Saturday June 26 (Day 24)

Today’s epic seminar was to be a USMEF presentation followed by a cutting demonstration by Kemi-san. Sitting at the back of the room, we listened for Yama-san’s intern introduction telling us to make our way to the front and say something in Japanese. After that nerve-racking experience for the second time, I sat back down. Finally, after the usual Japanese smoke break, we headed down into the “kitchen” type room that felt like an ice box with meat in the refrigerator/freezer. Kemi-san showed several cutting techniques and with masterful ease he trimmed the fat and cut the pieces to be packaged. Standing up in slippers for a few hours can be treacherous if you are someone lucky enough to have a non-existent arch. In fact, I “went to the restroom” to simply sit down and take a load off. I had to force myself up before I felt into a napping slumber. After the demonstrations and tastings were completed, Bean and I mulled over the possibilities for the rest of the weekend. Should we stay in Matsuyama, or take a ferry to Osaka, or go back to Tokyo? Picking the easiest route that included an already paid hotel room and a guaranteed bed for our sleepy bodies, we decided to head towards Tokyo. Unfortunately by the time we arrived at the station, there was a train to Okayama but no train from Okayama to Tokyo. Koji-san and Dirty Man gave us the options. We almost decided to take an overnight ferry, which we thought would be exciting and eventful, but, having never taken the ferry before, Koji-san and Dirty Man took over with fatherly instincts and highly highly suggested not to do it. So, in the end, we headed out on a train towards Tokyo. Our arrival time was 1130ish pm in Tokyo, leaving just enough time to catch the trains to Roppongi before they closed down for the night. Koji-san had brought 2 of his favorite English DVDs for Bean and me to watch on the ride back, Adaptation and Being John Malcovich. Needless to say, these were all VERY …interesting…movies and I feel like I know Koji-san’s mind much better. Watching the movies, eating a baguette that served as our dinner (due to lack of time and options at the few convenience stores), and passing out with exhaustion made the trip go by fairly fast. Finding our familiar way back to Roppongi, we were soon off to bed with excited thoughts about Koji-san “attending us to Odaiba.”