Enjoying Soba Noodles in Japan

1 min

In early May of 2010, I had some extraordinary food in Tokyo and along the Izu Peninsula, which is about two hours southwest of Tokyo. I particularly enjoyed the "wasabi-zuke" a pickled version of the above-ground parts of the wasabi plant. I also met my Zen doppelganger!

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Bodhidharma is the 5th century Buddhist monk credited with transmitting Zen to China. When I was in a restaurant on Japan's Izu Peninsula, a friend of mine held up this woodcut and the room filled with cries of "Same! Same!"
On a trip to Japan's Ise Peninsula, I sampled some wonderful "wasabi-zuke," which consists of pickled wasabi-plant shoots and leaves. The best I have ever tasted!
The sting of fresh wasabi-zuke oscillates above and below the dimensionless line that divides pain and pleasure...
Wonderful as usual. There are few lunches I enjoy more than one of fresh soba noodles shared with friends.
In Tokyo, I'm enjoying a dinner of soba (buckwheat) noodles and other healthy, delicious Japanese foods. Across from me is Jin Tatsumura, director of Gaia Symphony 7. Also enjoying dinner are Tim McLean and Yoshiko Takaoka, practitioners of transpersonal psychology in Japan, and longtime friends who have helped with with Japanese projects for 20 years.