Space, Steaks, and Sashimi

The next few days were focused on work with various meetings throughout the Tokyo area. It ranged from impressive government buildings to a startup with an office straight out of Star Trek. I met more amazing people, was continually mentored by my counterparts here, and solidified my Japanese introductions (both in language and customs). One evening we went out with our new partners for a celebratory dinner and had some of the best prime rib I've ever had.
The next day I got to visit JAXA (Japanese NASA) and met with a team we're working with and toured their museum. That was a cool experience, but it left me hungry for more than astronaut ice cream. When I arrived back at Akasaka, I decided to splurge on my first Sushi Omakase. At a sushi restaurant, Omakase is a multicourse sushi dinner that's entirely chefs choice (although they guarantee fatty tuna will make an appearance). I enjoyed a variety of small appetizers before the main sushi course. My favorite app was roasted Gingko nuts; a somewhat bitter tasting, chewy nut that I was told can be polarizing. The sashimi course ranged from tuna to scallops to shrimp to various fish and even urchin and such. They all were incredible, and I could really appreciate the freshness of the cuts and expertise of the chef. I don't think I'll ever repeat that meal (hard to pass up typical rolls and tuna) but I'm grateful I was able to experience it once.Baca selengkapnya