Pizza Party on the farm

Yesterday our neighbor, Jen, invited us to join her at a local couple's farm for brick oven pizza. The older couple, "Zama Man" and Yoko san, were so sweet and welcoming.  I wasn't sure what to expect when Jen called this place a farm. I knew it wouldn't be the same as a traditional farm in the US, so I was surprised at how much land they had (considering they live in a residential neighborhood).  The front of the house had a beautiful garden, the house itself with really big (but we didn't get to go in), and then behind the house there was a long shed filled with farming equipment, another building that also had a bathroom (I didn't go in, but I'm wondering what the toilet situation is now), a small outdoor kitchen right behind the house, a traditional Shinto shrine, and a traditional Buddhist shrine (not sure if shrine is the correct term here). Zama Man built a brick oven behind the house and a fire pit, so we stayed outside for the few hours we were there. It was chilly but we had a great time.  Zama Man and Yoko san's daughter came home from just north of Tokyo to help with the pizzas. She works in a bakery. I assumed we'd only be having pizza, so I was surprised when we were served a cabbage and bean soup, lotus root and black soy bean salad, pickled vegetables, a yummy pumpkin flan, walnut and fig bread with homemade cream cheese, dried sweet potato they warmed over the fire, and they also warmed sake up over the fire.  I didn't get to enjoy that part since I was the driver! All of the vegetables came from their garden!

Gorgeous view from their backyard

Pizza ingredients coming out from the house and the giant sake bottle in the bag on the top right of the table

First pizza, it was delicious! The girl with the hat on is their daughter.

Everyone just loved how he gobbled everything up! 

Sake

Zama Man, Yu (our neighbor), and I can't remember her name!

Jen showing the cub around so I could eat.

Yoko san rolling out pizza dough

The cub thought this truck was hilarious

When we first arrived Zama Man was rather quiet and reserved.  Jen said that once he had some sake he would warm up and become more social.  He did! He brought the cub to see his rice planting machine and meticulously cleaned the seat off (even though the cub had just been sitting and playing in the dirt). Later they sat next to the fire together and played with his fire poker stick in the coals (he'd help the cub shake it out when it would catch fire, haha). At one point Zama Man pointed at the cub and said "we speak same amount Engrish!" I cracked up!

I'd asked Jen if we should bring a gift, since it's common to do so.  She said "Yeah, you can do that.  But nothing extravagant, that would embarrass them." So I said, "Okay, do you have any suggestions?" Her response, "Umm no, just something." Argh! I ended up making a card and having the cub do some finger painting. I also picked up a bag of the spring themed KitKat's at Mega on Monday, so I added those to the pile.

Such a wonderful day! Jen gave me the email address for Yoko san, so I sent her some of the pictures and thanked her again for having us over.  She wrote back and thanked me for the cards and chocolate, then said "We really like your son.  Please come again with your son." Haha! You got it Yoko san!

Group shot of everyone that was there.