Rev. Oyama’ Recipes - continued from the article of Rev. Oyama

The article about Rev. Oyama was posted on September 25, but Hiroko forgot to include Rev. Oyama’s recipes.

I. Here Foo Yo Tan recipe written by Rev. Oyam posted. The other name of this is Egg Foo Yang. His Writing is very good. He taught brush writing and painting.

Ingredients for Foo Yo Tan
1. Garlic
2. ½ small onion – cut in pieces
3. 2 stalk of celery – cut in pieces
4. ½ lb. beans sprout – cut in pieces
5. 6 or 7 eggs
6. Shrimp – can or fresh, small size
7. Oil

Cooking
With reference to Rev. Ohyama’s recipe the Foo Yo Tan in the photo was made by Hiroko.

1) Brown the garlic and sauté the vegetables 2, 3, and 4 in the garlic
2) Pour water to cover the vegetables, and cook until vegetables are soft
3) Take out the juice from the vegetables
Put aside the juice (about 1 cup) for gravy
4) Mix eggs and shrimps into the vegetables

5) Fry the vegetables and eggs mixture
Put 1 cooking spoonful of the mixture into boiling oil

6) This step is NOT mentioned in Rev. Oyama’s recipe, but it is a better way to take out the excess oil in Foo Yo Tan
Prepare boiling water and put the fried Foo Yo Tan into the boiling water

7) Stack newspaper and paper towels. Take out the Foo Yo Tan from the boiling water, and put them on the stacked paper.
8) Make the gravy with the setting aside juice and pour the dissolved corn starch water

One Foo Yo Tan with Gravy (Hiroko put ½ cup of green peas in the gravy)

II. Shu-mai
Ingredients
1. Ground pork - 2 lb.
2. Ground beef - ¼ lb.
3. Sugar and pepper – pinch
4. Green onion 1 bunch – cut into pieces
5. Water chestnuts – 1 small can – cut into pieces
6. Beans spout – 1 lb. – cut into pieces
7. Shiitake – 3 or 4 – cook with 1 Tbsp sugar and ½ Tbsp soy source and cut into pieces
8. Shoga – cut into pieces 1 Tbsp
9. Egg – 1
10. Red Wine
11. 3 inch square egg roll skin – 1 lb.
12. Dissolved corn starch in water (close the skin tight)

Cooking
1) Mix ground meat well with sugar and pepper
2) Put green onion, water chestnuts, beans sprout, tasted shiitake, shoga, egg, and red wine into the meat mixture one by one and mix well


3) Wrap 2) mixture with egg roll skin
Cover the mixture completely with the skin and close the skin tight with the cornstarch water
The wrapped mixture in photo done by Hiroko is so bad that do NOT be example

4) Steam – This Japanese steamer is very good, so within 15 minutes it can be done.

5) Can you see? Because of this Hiroko’s wrapping is NO good. The meat mixture out from the skin and it isn’t become Shu-mai.

However, Hiroko’s family loves the meat mixture and this is very healthy. The meat served with green peas.
The other dish by the meat is Tofu Noodle Pence

The memory of Rev. Oyama Sensei

Dear Rev. Oyama Sensei,
I missed you at Julie’s wedding on October 23, 2005, but since Joe and David look so much like you I called Joe, “Rev. Oyama No. 1,” and “Rev. Oyama No. 2” for David. Then, David said, “If you call me Rev. Oyama, I have to go to heaven.” “Hmm? Don’t you have the assurance that you will go to heaven?” I asked. He didn’t respond. Then one of your daughters, David’s sister, insisted that he answer my question. However, he still didn’t say anything. So I told him, “I’m ready to talk with you any time, David, on this subject regarding how to go to heaven. Please let me know whenever you are ready to talk with me.”
At the time I did not say Good News of Jesus Christ. I am so sorry for that, Sensei. I know you were always praying for your children’s salvation, and even asked me to pray for them.
After the reception David came to me and said, “Yoko, you respect Papa, don’t you?” “Oh, yes. Rev. Oyama (Sensei) taught me wonderful Bible studies when I had just accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord. The Bible study was very good and many things Sensei taught me in these Bible studies have stayed in my heart, and I cherish those words. Sensei’s words affected my Christian life so much.” David then said he wants to know the words that Sensei taught me.

Because of this conversation with David, I decided to write about you, Sensei. “Sensei, I need God’s guidance and wisdom to write about you,” I prayed, because writing about Sensei means I’m going to write about our Lord God. Sensei loves the Lord, Jesus Christ. Sensei also shared with the attendees of the Bible study group, how he became a Christian in Osaka, Japan. Sensei quoted from Psalms 104.34a (NIV); “May my meditation be pleasing to Him …” Sensei wanted to make God happy with his thoughts. He thought if he became a believer, God would be so happy. Well, Sensei thought, he wanted to make God happy, so he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. “However,” Sensei said, “my thoughts were a little funny because the Holy Spirit gives us the thought that ‘Jesus is the Lord’ and without the help from the Holy Spirit, no one can say, “Jesus is the Lord God.” Anyway Sensei wanted to make God happy, so he became a Christian. After Sensei became a Christian, he always thought about this verse, and wanted to make God happy with his thoughts. Sensei said he loved the Japanese Hymns No. 514 “Yowaki-mono-yo ‘I hear the Savior say’” and 285 “Shu-yo, Mi-te mote Hikase-tamae ‘Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord’” because “I am weak, but able to do anything with the Lord. I can do everything when I surrender all to the Lord, Jesus as these hymns say.”

Those Who Were Led to Become Christians through Rev. Oyama-Sensei:
I know Sensei has led many people to Christ; however, I’ve directly heard from three of these people how they were led by Sensei to become a child of God. They are Mr. & Mrs. Otake, Mrs. Murakami (former Mrs. Taki), and Mrs. Kusayanagi. All three of them had a similar experience, which was the sudden death of their children. When they didn’t know how to accept their children’s deaths, Sensei visited them often, and listened to their sad stories regarding the sudden death of each of their children.
Mr. Otake, who visited his Christian uncle in Chicago and married the uncles’ niece, had a little knowledge of Jesus Christ. Mr. and Mrs. Otake’s children were attending the church that Sensei founded when their five year old girl suddenly passed away. Mrs. Taki was a so-called Buddhist of ancestral heritage, so she didn’t know much about Buddhism or attending the Buddhist temple, and she and her family didn’t know Christianity at all. However, the big wonder was her first son who passed away when he was 11 years old, who had said he wanted to attend the church that was named the Japanese Church of Jesus Christ (JCJC) at the time, now called Devon Church founded by Sensei. JCJC was located on the north side of Chicago. The Taki family passed by the front of the JCJC so many times, because they lived close to the church. Mrs. Taki said the boy who passed away had never attended the church, even though he was the one who wanted to attend. The Taki family visited JCJC soon after their son passed away. These two couples, the Otake and the Taki families, were so devastated because of the sudden deaths of their children Sensei talked to them about the amazing love and grace given by the Lord God, Jesus Christ; then, Sensei confidently said to them, “Your children went to heaven led by the hand of Jesus Christ.”

I wasn’t ready to accept Christ at the time, but we sent our daughter to the JCJC English Department, and therefore, I had the chance to attend their funerals. I couldn’t remember which Bible passage Sensei used for these funerals, but I did remember the contents of Sensei’s preaching; Sensei spoke vividly about Jesus leading the child to heaven.
The story I remembered of the death of children in Japan was so different: when the children died, the child goes to Sanzu-no-Kawara (a river between this world and that, named Sanzu), where the children pile up stones, saying ‘sorry’ with each stone for the father and for the mother. The child is saying “sorry” to his or her parents for dying so young that the child can’t fulfill the duties of taking care of his/her parents. When a child piled up enough stones, which meant their good-deed was accomplished, the child was now able to go to Gokuraku (like heaven). But red and green demons don’t want those children to go to Gokuraku, so they come out to destroy the piled-up stones. This story and the Sensei’s preaching at the funerals were very different.
Furthermore, Sensei said, “Your child is guiding and leading you to Jesus.” The words of love and grace in Sensei’s preaching gave the peace in Christ to all of us.

Mrs. Kusayanagi’s child died as a young man. She looked and looked for the reason the child died. She questioned herself, ‘Why? Why has my young child died? The young children have such bright and happy futures.’ She was a Buddhist at the time, so a Buddhist priest came to visit her and said, “Each person has their own destiny and some are destined to die when young. Your child must be destined to die as a young man, so you have to give up your child’s death.” She said to herself, ‘It is easy to say ‘give-up’ to someone, but my child is not here any more; I can’t give up so easily!’ As she continued to search for the reason, her friends sent Oyama-Sensei to her, and Sensei said to her, there is the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth; the heavenly Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Sprit. The Father in heaven loves and is concerned about all the human beings deeply. He sent His own Son to all human beings and let him die on the cross to shed His blood for us to wash our sins away. Then, those who accept Christ as their Savior and Lord become holy, and are able to meet and to have a personal relationship with the Lord God, and also have the hope to go to heaven. Sensei asked her to put her trust and faith in this true God, the Lord Jesus Christ and to entrust her son to the hand of the Lord God Jesus. She then prayed and put her faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and gave her child to Jesus. After that, she read and studied the Bible and found that Jesus loves the small children so much. She then had peace in Jesus.
I had a chance to study the Bible with Mrs. Kusayanagi at Sensei’s Bible study class. She entrusted her son in God’s hand, and has faith in Jesus Christ, so her faith was very firm and deep. “My faith had increased so much because of attending Sensei’s Bible study class.” she said.

Sensei’s Words or Explanations I Remember from Rev. Oyama-Sensei’s Bible Study:
I regret that Aiko Kusayanagi, who is Chiyeko Kusayanagi’s mother, is no longer here. If she were here, I know, she would give me advice on how to write this part of the article.
There were a total of four or five members in Sensei’s Bible study class, but no other person remains in my mind beside Mrs. Kusayanagi, because she influenced me so much. She never missed the class, and I know she earnestly studied the Bible with Sensei. Her questions and living testimonies that she gave in the class amazed me greatly. Chiyeko told me that Mrs. Kusayanagi enjoyed attending the class, and every Sunday evening Mrs. Kusayanagi shared with Chiyeko what she learned in the class. I asked Chiyeko to add her memories to what Mrs. Kusayanagi said about the Bible study.

1. Revelation Chapter 4 and 5 – The Heaven Described by Sensei:
Rev. 4 & 5 (NIV), “Revelation 4:1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Revelation 5:1Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.” Sensei had to read these chapters with all his strength and imagination of heaven, and was able to help me see heaven from these chapters. Because I studied these chapters with Sensei, I’m now able to be near the Lord, and then, when I’m calling the Lord God “Father in heaven,” I feel such closeness and peacefulness. While Sensei was reading these chapters I could imagine many types of scenery, and gave praise and thanks to the Lord. Then, Sensei said, “Heaven is hundreds and thousands times more wonderful a place than we can imagine; what we are seeing now is only a part of heaven.”
At the time I couldn’t sit in the English Worship Service while watching my four-year old daughter, so I attended Sensei’s Bible study class. My daughter who was with me in the class suddenly said, “I don’t want to go to heaven.” Sensei gave us the Bible study in Japanese, but Sensei might have said ‘heaven’ in English, so she understood what we were talking about. Anyway, we all were so surprised and laughed at her, but Sensei asked her gently, “Why don’t you want to go to heaven?” “Because there are no TVs in heaven,” she answered. Sensei took her words seriously and explained, “I believe there are surely hundreds or thousands bigger screen TVs in heaven, and hundreds and thousands more interesting programs in heaven.” I don’t know if my daughter understood Sensei’s explanation or not, but she was nodding.
Just recently, I did some interesting evangelism because I remembered Sensei’s explanation about heaven to my daughter: One person said to me “I don’t care to go to heaven, because I know, there are no slot machines.” You know what I said? “Yes, there are hundreds or thousands more interesting slot machines in heaven.” I said. The man looked at me with a surprised face but said nothing. I’m now remembering him in my prayers to think about heaven.
Isn’t it wonderful to witness to people? I like the way Sensei explained the heaven that I’ll go to. Heaven is a wonderful place and Jesus wipes away our tears – no more sorrow or suffering. In addition to this, heaven is shining with God’s glory that our words cannot explain. I also remember Sensei’s explanation of God’s glory: “There is no sun, no moon, and no stars and, of course, no electricity to shine on the place, because God’s glory is enough light for heaven. Not only has God’s glory given us peace and joy in our hearts, but he has also taken away our sorrow.” When I’m looking at God’s glory in the sunlight, the summer sunlight is too bright and hot, and the winter sunlight is good to see from inside a house, but the fall sunlight coming through the window is splendid. I put myself in the morning sunlight watching the scenery, and then I can expect good things will happen today. Then, I remembered Sensei’s explanation of heaven which is hundreds and thousands of times better than what I see. Well, God’s glory is hundreds and thousands of times more splendid than the scenery I saw with the autumn sunlight. I can’t imagine how wonderful a sight it is in heaven.
There will also be the wonderful and splendid mansions that Jesus promised us in heaven. In the mansions, Rev. Oyama, Mrs. Kusayanagi, Kazu, Chiyoko, my respected professor in my university and all the others are there. I’ve often asked the Lord, “If it is OK for me to see parts of heaven, please let me see it.”

2. Revelation 13:16, 17 Mark on Our Forehead
Revelation 13:16, 17 (NIV): “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell, unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.”
One memory I have from the Sensei’s Bible study is that Sensei was reading and explaining the Bible with hand motions, facial expressions and mimicking voices of someone else. Sensei had wanted to be an actor; therefore he was really good at doing this. It helped us understand the Bible more, because we could put ourselves into the person’s emotion or situation in the Bible while we listened to Sensei’s reading.
Sensei explained the verses mentioned above, while hitting his wide forehead and putting two fingers on it and moving his fingers as if the words were marked, and then said, “Here! In here, the words were imprinted as the mark.” I really thought I saw the words marked on his forehead. He was continuously saying with the mimicking voices of the dark-side, “Those who don’t have this mark can’t purchase anything, even food.” Now, Sensei changed his voice seriously and thoughtfully, “But those who don’t have this mark, they are the happier person.” That night I was praying and questioning Sensei’s explanation about the marks on our foreheads, “How can we live and raise the children without anything, especially food?” God not only took away my anxiety but also gave me peace in Jesus, letting me know two stories from the Bible: One is “How Elijah Was Fed” in I King 19:1-8 (NIV): “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went for a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank again. Strengthened by the food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.” The other story is “Feeding the Five Thousand” in Matthew 14:13-24 (NIV): “When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed Him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to Me,” He said. And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, beside women and children.” I clearly agreed and understood from Revelation 13:17 and other verses Revelation 19:20, 20:4 and 22:1-5 what Sensei said, “Those who don’t have this mark, they are happier person.” (Please read these verses.) You can find comfort with Sensei’s words. Those who have the mark on their foreheads belong to Satan, and you can see their end in the Word of God, the Bible.

3. Genesis 1:1 and 3:7-10 “Our Living Lord, God”
“First,” Sensei said, “K. Uchimura-sensei accepted Christ as his Savior and Lord, and became a Christian after he read only Genesis 1:1 (NIV): ‘God created heaven and earth.’ Isn’t the Word Genesis 1:1 wonderful?” I was thinking it was wonderful testimony. There were no questions or doubts about creation. Then, Sensei seemed to read my mind and asked, “Evolution is NOT fact but a theory, which is based on the word ‘if’. Do you want to think your ancestral father was a Monkey? No one wants to think their father was a monkey, would you?” Sensei continued, “God made the beautiful mature human beings, man and woman, and put them in the Garden of Eden. They were both naked, but there was no shame in their nakedness. Imagine how beautiful Adam and Eve were,” Sensei said, and then started to talk about creation.
Thank God and Sensei for letting me study the creation. Because of Sensei’s explanation of evolution and creation, I haven’t had any problems accepting that creation is fact, even though I may be hearing and reading articles against the creation. I trusted Sensei’s teachings 120 percent. I don’t remember, at all, how Sensei read or explained the creation process in Genesis Chapter 1 and 2. Instead of the creation process, I remember his interesting explanation that the word of “God” in Genesis is in plural form, and that was also Trinity is indicated in Genesis. Sensei also explained difficult theologies of which I remembered Genesis consisted of four or five different sources called J-Code, E-Code, P-Code, etc. The name J-Code is taken from the initial of God’s name ‘Jehovah,’ and E-Code from ‘Elohim’ and P-Code from ‘Priestly Code.’ I was interested to know God names in the Bible: ‘Jehovah,’ ‘Elohim,’ etc. Well, another interpretation of Sensei’s Genesis was, after Adam and Eve committed sin they heard God’s footsteps; Genesis 3:7-11 (NIV): “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they then hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” The man answered, “I heard you in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” The Lord God then said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” When I listened to Sensei’s explanation of the Scripture, I seemed to hear the sound of footsteps and the rustling of the trees and God’s gown.
Our Lord God is not a mystic’s god. Our Lord God loves me, and all human beings. He cares for us, and stands up from His throne and leans toward us looking for us when we’re lost. I am so thankful that the wonderful Bible study with Sensei made me see the Lord God so vividly.
Our Lord God Jesus is also looking for every lost sheep. He would leave behind 99 sheep to find the missing one, (Luke 15:1-7), and when the lost son comes home, his father holds a big and joyful party for the son (Luke15:11-32).
I Give thanks to my Lord for what Sensei taught me, that our Lord God has superb characters, communicating with me, and understanding me moment by moment and what I’m doing. Furthermore, my Lord God has a wonderful plan for my life and guides me in accomplishing His plan. What a wonderful plan it is! There are no other gods as glorious as our God, and He is living with me right now.

4. John 10:1-18 The Good Shepherd
I wonder why I remember Sensei’s words here and there. I should have kept the Bible I used in Sensei’s class, because there were lots of memos and notes I wrote in the Bible. This article I’m writing right now is everything from my memory. It means Sensei’s words that are in my heart, were very powerful for my 40 years of Christian life. I want to say, “Sensei, Domo Aritago Gozaimasu,” for keeping my Christian life alive.
Now, John 10:1-18. Before John 10:1-18 Sensei read Psalms 23 (NIV): “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, and He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Now with the mimicked voice of the shepherd, Sensei lets us know how much we can depend on the Good Shepherd. “The Good Shepherd in Psalms 23 and Jesus is one, and I shall not want if I put my trust in Him,” Sensei said. I truly understood what it means ‘to put our trust in Jesus’ from the life of Sensei. Sensei was continuously ministering before, during and after the World War II, raising ten children. If Sensei didn’t put his trust in Jesus he would have given up his ministry long before, I thought. In this regard I honor Mrs. Oyama who had never lost her cheerfulness and supported Rev. Oyama-Sensei all her life. I want to give praise and thanks to our Lord God Father in heaven and Son Jesus Christ for Rev. & Mrs. Oyama’s lives.
Sensei continued to verse 2 (NIV) which reads: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, and He restores my soul.” “In other words,” Sensei said, “the Good Shepherd has always led us to the best place and given us the best things.” Sensei preferred verse 5 (NIV); “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” While Sensei was reading these verses, he make the motions with his hands, as if dropping the oil on his face and neck, and said, “How wonderful a feeling it is!” After finishing Psalm 23, we had continuously studied the Good Shepherd in John 10:1-18 (NIV): “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But, they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. There Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pastures. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away; then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me --- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father --- I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen, I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life --- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” This is one of Jesus’ parables about the Good Shepherd. Sensei explained the sheep pen, “There is only one entrance/exit (door) of the pen and one pen watchman. Many shepherds asked to keep their sheep overnight in the pen. Then, the next morning these shepherds came back to take their own sheep out one by one calling their sheep’s name.” Sensei called out the names of those who were in his class as if the Good Shepherd was calling his own sheep, “Aiko-san, Hiroko-san …” When I imagine when I meet Jesus in heaven and Jesus calling our names, Sensei’s voice comes to my ear saying, “Aiko-san, Hiroko-san, …” I’m so thankful that Sensei used the mimicking voice of the shepherd to explain the Good Shepherd.

I’d like to share my experience of hearing Jesus calling my name in audio sound. I was forced to study the Bible at the college I went to,, and at the college I met the people called ‘Christians’ for the first time. These Christians had a different atmosphere than other people I associated up to that time, so I attended their meetings for amusement. Then, at the meeting I was called ‘sinner.’ It made me totally surprised, because I didn’t do anything against the law, such as murder, burglary, or mayhem. I questioned myself; why did they call me ‘sinner?’ Does their sin mean and include white lies, a little stealing, etc.? I wondered what ‘sin’ was, so I read and studied many books of philosophy, religion, Confucius, and, of course the Bible. I found that the Bible mentioned sexual sin. Well, I thought, I’ll put myself in the sexually corrupted places, like night-clubs and bars, to experience sexual sin. So I went to those places for interviews to work there. One of those evenings, on the way home I heard a voice saying (in Japanese) “Hiroko, Hiroko, if you move or don’t move your little pinky against God’s will, that is sin.” Thirteen years after this incident I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and became a Christian. Since then, I have heard the same voice three or four times. By the way, I never received any return calls from the places where I interviewed.

One of Sensei’s important teachings regarding the Good Shepherd is, “When the Good Shepherd calls his sheep, his heart fills with the knowledge of each of his sheep’s character, its desires and needs, strengths/weaknesses. And the shepherd has a living relationship with them one by one, so the sheep put their trust in the shepherd and come out of the pen without fear, and follow the shepherd wherever he goes,” Sensei said.

In my Christian life, there were dark periods in spite of such wonderful teachings of Sensei. However, about 10 years ago, when Pastor Carlini started this deliverance ministry, he gave me a chance to help the ministry by making many people free from the evil spirit with prayer. Since I had connections with this ministry I was also shown the evil spirits that were in me, so I prayed for my own deliverance. After the deliverance prayer I was filled with the Lord’s love, and His amazing grace and mercies made me free from the evil spirits and to have a peaceful and joyful life in Jesus. I give honor and thanks to the Lord for Sensei’s teachings, and as Sensei said, now I’m trying to take my responsibilities and obedience to Lord Jesus. I’m learning to surrender all to Him, to trust Him and to follow Him.

5. Psalms by David
Another of Sensei’s teachings has been helping me read Psalms by David, who wrote two thirds of Psalms, and loved his Lord God so much. Sensei loved David’s Psalms and Sensei’s explanation of David was so vivid. “I’d like to imagine David watching his sheep, under the sun, the moon, and the stars, that he was lying down in the field and playing his harp and making all these Psalms.” I love to read the Psalms with Sensei’s explanation of David and then, it guides me to identify with the thinking of David. I’m so thankful for having a chance to study the Psalms with Sensei.

This is too long, so I'll stop at here.

Mitsuko, VII Enkakuji-Temple 2, Recipe - Dip

It was Saturday, a half-day working day of the Swedish Trading Company where Mitsuko was working. Some were having fun going shopping, seeing movie, and others were going out on dates. Mitsuko made a decision to go to Enkaku Temple to do Zazen.
Before going to the temple, Mitsuko went out for lunch at Chinatown with three of her close friends. They have had questions about zazen, so Mitsuko said to them,
“You don’t learn anything from talking, so all of you come with me to the temple someday, if you really want to know.”
One young man asked, “Does your leg hurt sitting legs folded like that?”
“Counting the number ten to twenty while you sit, seems a wasting of time for me” said the middle-age woman.
“If you assure me to resolving the problems my messed up life, I will think about it” said young beautiful lady.
“With zazen you might be resolving any of your problems” Mitsuko said.
“No. How can it be?” Three of Mitsuko’s friends were interested to hear that.
“You may be able to change your view at the problems in a new light, and also you may understand the purpose of your life.”
“I want to know the purpose of life” said a young man.
“I already have a purpose of my life which is to get married, have babies and to have a wonderful family. Can I find a good men in the Temple?” said the beautiful young woman.
“Tokyo University and Waseda University students are coming” said Mitsuko.
“My friends said that our lives steadily advance to death, so our ultimate purpose of life is the death. Isn’t it sad to think that way?” the young man said.
“It is only hardship in our life” said the middle-age woman.
“Wow! I’m seriously thinking about attending the temple” said young man.
“You said you can’t bear the pain of your legs.”
“Does it really hurt?”
“Yes, it hurt, but I can sleep even though I’m in pain.”
Three of them laughed at Mitsuko because they know Mitsuko was able to sleep anywhere. The Young man asked Mitsuko to take him to the temple next time. The others said they would like to go to the temple on New Year’s Eve to ring the bell and to go see the New Year’s sunrise at Sagami Bay. Mitsuko and her friends were enjoying their lunch and talking and laughing.

Watching the sceneries which were changing to the autumn color from the electric train window, Mitsuko was thinking about the things that happened last four or five years since Mitsuko started to attend the Temple.

Mitsuko graduated the university with difficulty because of her English record. However, she had obtained the teaching certificate for English and Japanese. She tried to get teaching position at the several schools. Even Professor Gaka said he would recommend her to his school, but Mitsuko could not accept his offer. Thinking about Professor Gaka, Henkutsu tea teacher, and Enkaji Temple’s Roshi (the Head priest of the temple), she was scared with the responsibilities of teaching those children.

At the same time, many marriage proposals were brought to her life. Mitsuko’s mother and auntie were giving Mitsuko the photos of candidates for omiai (to meet the person for marry.) These men had colorful backgrounds; such as a politician, a tea-teacher, and an artist. A co-worker and one of Professor Gaka’s group members were asking Mitsuko to have a date. I heard later that the politician was a successful politician, and the artist became very famous. One from the Professor Gaka’s group had a cancer and passed away couple of years later. His mother rejected Mitsuko to marry him because Mitsuko was couple of years older than him. Mitsuko understood that Mitsuko slept in the electric train while they were going to have lunch. Mitsuko was given another photo and personal history from her landlord in Roppongi. Mitsuko was thinking about this.

“Kita-Kamakura” the conductor said. The voice brought Mitsuko back to the present time. There were more than three hours before Zazen started, so Mitsuko wondered around the town, and ate oshiruko (Japanese sweet.) Now she had to rest a little to prepare herself for Zazen. When she was sitting and resting at the back stairway of the main temple, the woman who was taking tea ceremony lesson with the same teacher of Mitsuko came to Mitsuko, and said,
“Hello! I heard you have been here quite a long time, but I have ever seem you before. How are you doing?”
“Thank you! I’m glad to see you. I also heard that you were here.”
Then, she started to talk about the temple Mitsuko didn’t know about. She stayed at the women’s quarter where Zazen-jo included. She came early morning and practiced Zazen there all day. She was so happy because the Roshi called her to meet the day. She could say in front of Roshi “I was deep in the Buddha’s bosom” while she was looking the Roshi. Roshi didn’t say anything but gave her big mile. She said she was so happy that. Then, she said good evening and left.

Sending her off, Mitsuko thought how could it be. If people are deep in the Buddha’s bosom, how people could exist and lose oneself. Well, the time came, Mitsuko went to the Zazen-do and was told she was called by Roshi that night. She was thinking and expecting that the thoughts like the lady would be flashed across her mind in front of Roshi. Thinking those things anxiously, Mitsuko’s fingers might be out of shape. Tapping Mitsuko’s shoulder with the stick made Mitsuko up, so that she bent down her upper body as she was told and was patted her should and back. Now she could be doing Zazen well.

Coming to see Roshi had always been strained. Announcing her name out-side of the fusuma (door like) of the Roshi’s room Mitsuko waited Roshi’s response. Mitsuko entered the room and bowed nine times (san-pai kyu-hai no rei – kind of worshipping) to Roshi, and then, sat in front of him. Roshi was sitting in front of Buddha alter. Nothing came to Mitsuko’s mind, so Mitsuko’s mind was busy to think this and that. Roshi was able to see Mitsuko’s unsteady and anxious mind, and said one word, “Mu.” Mitsuko went back to Zazen-do and continued Zazen.

This time Mitsuko didn’t over sleep and did samu (cleaning) and any necessary things in the following morning. Toki-no-bo-san announced to attend the Roshi’s talking after the finishing morning practice. The following is the Mitsuko’s understanding of the Roshi’s talking:
“Buddha says that it is suffering all our life. To live is continuous suffering and it will happen with karma. All the things will not exist independently, but existing depending each other. The life is only suffering, so finding out the cause of suffering, and trying to take the cause out from one’s life. For this purpose, people should extinguish one’s desire, and should do necessary of the training. Well, what is training? Buddha continuously says, that is “Hasshodo” means the viewing of justly; the thinking justly, the trying justly, the carrying justly, and the mental concentrating justly.”
How can anyone live perfectly righteous? To Mitsuko, it is same as called a “sinner” at Christian group meeting. However, Roshi said anyone can obtain this perfect righteous life by training oneself. The sin mentioned by Christian would not solve by our own effort, said by the Christian. Mitsuko was so confused after she heard Roshi’s talking.

There wasn’t Toki-no-bosan in the Zazen-do, but his note said to stay for lunch. Honda-san and some other people said they accepted the offer. Mitsuko would also like to stay for lunch. All of those staying for lunch were sitting together around the kitchen table and discussed what Roshi said. Mitsuko had a chance to ask them about her question “after death.” One said that he doesn’t want to be coming back in any form of animals and he had no confidence to go to where Buddha is. Another one said that he read Buddha had put aside those unsolvable matters, such as after death, the world life after or the existence of the soul. Honda-san said that it couldn’t be avoided to think about the death, it is as important as any other matters, but how to live this present life is much important as Roshi talked this morning.
Toki-no-bosan came back with the foods for lunch. Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers were on the table. The cheese sandwich and salad was served and enjoyed those tasty lunches.

It was said that Buddha enlightened for his own philosophy on December 8. For one week concentration Zazen before the December 8 was held every year. 22 hours from 4:00 AM to 2 AM next day spent for Zazen. Mitsuko was attending this concentrated Zazen almost every year. Each year, on the way home Mitsuko wondered what she can get during the week of Zazen. One thing she could surely think was the satisfaction of the completion, and awful coldness.

In August same type of the concentrated one week Zazen was held. This time the Zazen was done in the hot, hot weather. The perspiration was rolling down in the half opened eyes while sitting. The wind blown into the Zazen do made people feel very refreshing.

At the end of the week, mushi-boshi (putting air into the treasures for preservations) was also held. On one occasion, the larger picture of Buddha’s nirvana was hung on one of the widest walls. It should be the picture of the time of the death of Buddha, but it was very beautiful picture and no shadow of death could be seen in it. Ten Buddha’s disciples and animals, flowers and trees around Buddah were crying in the death of Buddah.

Mitsuko remembered the picture of the Jesus hanging on the wall of Professor Gaka’s home. Professor Gaka told Mitsuko that the comparison of the religion was not a good idea, however, Mitsuko was thinking of those two pictures. On the head of Jesus there are thorn of crown which made him bleed, and Jesus’ blood was rolling down from where the nail was drove in His hands and legs, and from his shoulder and back whipped. Why Jesus had to die so ugly and miserable way, Mitsuko thought. Mitsuko thought she would like to die like Buddha peacefully and beautifully. However, it is much important to think how to live than how to die.
----------------------------------------
I’d like to give the following recipe of the dip to Toki-no-bosan. He’ll enjoy it.
Dip
For sliced green Pepper, carrots, cucumber, celery or mushrooms
Various crackers
1. For vegetarians
½ cup Sour Cream
½ cup Mayonnaise
½ bag Ranch Powder Dressing
Mix these three ingredients

Add other items to make tastier
1 Tbs. Graded onion or cucumber
1 Tbs. Chopped celery or parsley

2. For non-vegetarians
Add these items
½ cup Crab meat or shrimp
Fried crunchy bacon, crumbs

Mitsuko - VI Enkakuji Temple 1, Recipe

The university, Mitsuko entered required to study Christianity as the moral course. Mitsuko thought that if the university forced her to study the Christianity, Mitsuko had to study her family religion which is Zen Buddhism. This was one reason she started to attend the Zazen practice at the Enkakuji (Enkaku-temple). The other reason was that the tea-teacher told Mitsuko to understand the tea-ceremony deeper, it is necessary to practice Zazen. Most of all Mitsuko wanted to understand Zen-Buddhism, the death, the place Grand-ma went, and the sin Christian talks about.

The previous year in March, Mitsuko went to Enkakuji by the Kita-Kamakura station. Walking up the stair-way by the main gate, the group of the Buddhist Obo-san (priest) was passing through. Mitsuko stepped aside to open the space for them, and asked one of the Obo-san, where is the Zazen-do (Zazeb building). He said to come with him. At Zazen-do there were many people sitting quietly in the kitchen. The Obo-san, named Toki-bo-san introduced Mitsuko and told one of them something. The man, named Honda-san guided Mitsuko to the room and said go to the Zazen-jo (the place practice Zazen) after refreshed.

Toki-bo-san waited for Mitsuko and started to explain how and what to do.
“There are three types of the Zazen; one is called “Kekka or Zenka” means put both feet on the opposite thighs; the other one called “Hanka” means one of the foot put on the opposite thigh; and the last one called “Seiza” for women means upright sitting. For the beginners Hanka would be better to do.”
“Is it O.K. to change foot?’
Kekka or Zenka and Hanka

“Of course. When you do Kekka or Hanka sitting, your back should be straight, but you willfully straighten your back with imagining of a stick on top of your head to down along your spine. Then, your abdomen would be tightening and could be breathing slowly. To do these things put a pillow at the bottom of your tail bone.”
“I don’t have that tonight.”

“Of course you can use this cushion, but please bring your own. Well, the next instruction is….”
“Is there something more?
“Yes, it is how to breathe. You should feel 2 or 3 inches wide strip of thin paper hanging on your forehead, and try to breathing without moving the paper. You can’t be thinking of anything.”
“I thought we receive some subject and think about it.”
“About one year later, Roshi (The title of Principle of the temple) will call you, and then you receive some subject to think.”
“Wait for one year to see Roshi.”
“Some wait longer. You can’t think of anything, but it is very interesting that our brain, many thoughts would run around in our brain, so to prevent the thought to come out and fall asleep, count one to twenty with breathing. Put your hands on your lap with your palms up, and let the thumbs slightly touch each other. When those thought run around in your brain or become sleepy, those thumbs are separated and broken the form of hands.

There always will be one person walking around with a stick, and if they see the hands have broken the form or fingers are separated, giving massage with this stick. It is not punishment. When we tap your shoulder, please put your two arms together on your chest, and lean forward like this. Then they are easy to tap your back. It makes you feel so refreshed.”
“I see. Thank you!”
“There is last one. For preventing from sleepiness, slightly open your eyes (hangan). Well, this is it. Oh, sorry! One more. About the schedule. 20 minutes later Zazen session will be starting, and schedule for Zazen is sitting for 25 minutes and rest for 5 minutes. This bell will be guiding for those schedule.”

The bell started to ring for gathering at Zazen-jo. Everyone came to Zazen-jo and sat in the reserved place. With the starting bell, stillness filled in the Zazen-jo and not even breathing sound to hear. Everyone sunk into the stillness, and seek their own subject. Mitsko sat as she was taught and started to count one to twenty. The first set of the twenty Mitsuko counted easily, but from the second set of the twenty, Mitsuko remembered to count up to five or six. When she became aware, she realized some worldly problems filled in her mind. It is just like a dream. She couldn’t remember what she was thinking. It was so strange. For the three and half hours there were so many thoughts in Mitsuko’s mind. Mitsuko’s tea-teacher told her it is very important that making your mind empty (Mu). Mitsuko was so disappointed and sad that her mind couldn’t be in stillness, rather filled with worldly thoughts. She wasn’t sleepy but her fingers were separated with her thinking. However, she wasn’t tapped. They might have overlooked Mitsuko.

At 10:30 Zazen session was finished and there were 30 minutes till light-off. Everyone was busy for preparing to sleep. Everyone was very quietly moving around. There were no conversations. Everyone had to wake up early the next morning, so Mitsuko said Good Night and went back to her room. Mitsuko was so excited that she couldn’t fall sleep. She was thinking what had happened the day and her life; doing tea ceremony and Zazen practice, and studying Christianity, so she hadn’t studied any her school subjects. She couldn’t sleep because thinking more and more. Finally she was starting to count 1 to 20, and then, after couple of set of the count she might fall sleep.

“Good morning?” Honda-san’s voice said, “It is time for breakfast.”
“What?! Breakfast!?” Mitsuko jumped up. Toki-bon-san told her last night, there should be Zazen at 6:30 and Samu (clean the Zazen-do) before the breakfast.
“Wow, it is 7:30.”
“Yes. Breakfast will be served at eight at Zazen-jo” said Honda-san and he left.
Mitsuko was thinking “What shall I do? I slept over. I’d like to run away. Well, I can’t run away.” She changed and washed herself quickly, and went into the Zazen-jo calmly, and said that sorry for over sleeping and didn’t do any of her duty, so asked to do some samu. Toki-bo-san said with smile,
“Please have a breakfast with us, and ready for attending Dokkyo (reading Buddhism chanting).”
Mitsuko had to follow Toki-bon-san’s instruction, so ate quickly, and cleaned the dishes.
On the way back to Zazen-do after listening Dokkyo, Mitsuko heard someone was talking with Honda-san, “It was amazing.” Mitsuko had a chance to ask Honda-san,
“The person said that it was amazing. Isn’t there a chance to listen Dokkyo?”
Saito-san wasn’t amazing Dokkyo.”
“Oh!”
“He was amazing about you.”
“Why?
“I even think so too. It was so amazing that you had over slept the fist time in Zazen-jo.”
“!?” Mitsuko didn’t to know what to say.
“Come again” Honda-san said friendly.

Mitsuko couldn’t return to the Enkakuji Zazendo for months. She visited another Zen-temple, but her brother was interested to go to Enkakuji Zazen-jo, so Mitsuko went there unwillingly. Mitsuko introduced her brother to Toki-bo-san and others. Oki-bo-san said to Mitsuko,
“Welcome back! I’ll take care of your brother, so you have to go to see Roshi.”
“What?!”
“Honda-san, take her to Roshi.”

Mitsuko followed Honda-san feeling with anxiety. However, Roshi wanted to see Mitsuko because her tea teacher asked him to look after her. Mitsuko was relieved to hear that because she thought that Roshi would say something about her over-slept incident. Toki-bon-san was laughing and said, when he heard Mitsuko’s explanation for seeing Roshi,
“No one tells what happened in this Zazen-do. Roshi will see your spiritual states but not over slept.”

For Mitsuko it seemed everything went well for her second time. However, Mitsuko’s brother did one small unusual thing. He ate three bowls of Okayu (like oat meal) at the breakfast. There is no rules how much bowl people could eat, but no one asked for second serve. Mitsuko’s brother ate three bowls. He said he had never eaten such delicious okayu for breakfast. Everyone was saying he is Mitsuko’s brother.
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Okayu – basic
Ingredients:
1 cup rice (It is much better result cooking from rice. Cooked rice can be used.)
5 cups water or chicken stock (After the Thanksgiving, from Turkey bones produce tasty stock)
1 strip Kobu (sea weed, 4 or 5 inches)
Cook these ingredients 2 hours.
Another Ingredients: 1 tsp. Dashi-no-moto
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 or 2 eggs.
Eat with umeboshi (sour plum) is good for sick time

Ojiya – (this is temple’s breakfast)
Add cut-up fried tofu (age), many vegetables to the Okayu

Ojiya with Turkey bones stock
Ingredients
Make Turkey stock – Turkey bones and vegetable, carrot, celery, onion, ginger, garlic, potato
Cook 4 or 5 hours
Take out all the bones and vegetable
Put cut-up vegetables: onion, carrot, celery, parcely,
Seasoning: salt, black pepper, bay leaf, garlic
1 or 2 cups washed Rice
Cook for 2 hours
Optional – put cheese on top

Mitsuko - V. Finally, Mitsuko Met Jesus Christ, recipye

Mitsuko was born in Tokyo but grew up in the Northern Part of country side, Yamagata, Japan. When the time comes Mitsuko wanted to attend a college in Tokyo. It was little problems for Mitsuko’s parents, so they asked her to do many things, such as attending cooking, sewing, and flower arrangement schools. Mitsuko had listened to her parents and finished all these things, and finally left for Tokyo two years later after graduated High School.

Mitsuko’s mother asked her final request to Mitsuko to stay of mother’s sister’s place. Mitsuko loved her aunty, so there was no problem. They had four children, and one, named Teruko is the same age of Mitsuko. Teruko is so kind to Mitsuko taking out all over the Tokyo town.

There are two college nearby their house, one is teaching English literature and another one is Japanese literatures. Mitsuko chose the college teaching English literature located at the top of the hill. Mitsuko passed the entrance test. At the orientation studying, Christianity is mandatory because this college is funded by Christian group in the United States. Mitsuko was surprised to hear that, but it is good to study foreign religins, but Mitsuko thought she should study her own religion, Zen Buddhism first.

The first Christianity class, the professor came into the class and look around with his bright and big eyes. Mitsuko heard later his nickname was Prof. Gaka (“Song of Songs” in Bible) because he wrote interpretation of the books “Song of Songs” and “Ecclesiastes.”

Prof. Gaka listed the titles of books, and said there would be no test and no taking the attendance, but two reports should be submitted on the certain day. One of the reports was from these four books, and other mandatory report regarding “Jesus Christ I see” in the “Four Gospels.”

Mitsuko was thinking Prof Gaka forgot to write the name of the author for the “Four Gospels.” Everyone seemed to understand what Prof. Gaka was doing, so Mitsuko thought it was better not embarrass herself to ask who is the author. Suddenly, someone behind Mitsuko was asking what the name of the author of the Four Gospels. Prof. Gaka’s eyes were brighter and bigger, and looked at the guy behind Mitsuko. Prof. Gaka looked surprised but explained what is the “Four Gospels” and the book of Bible. Mitsuko had never heard the book called “Bible” before. Prof. Gaka’s explanation was little bit hard to understand, but Mitsuko thought that she could find the book at the college book-store.

All the students in the college had to choose one of the supporting circles. Mitsuko was interested to know Prof. Gaka because he had different character than those whom Mitsuko had ever known. She was thinking to join the Christian Circle. Mitsuko attended the circle’s special meeting held that day. It was the farewell prayer meeting for one of the members who was accepted to the Bible college to become a Pastor. Mitsuko was fascinated to hear about his Christian life. His father has passed away at his young age, so his mother had raised him. This mother was against him to become a pastor, but he made a decision to attend this Bible college. Mitsuko didn’t understand it was good to go to the Bible college to become a pastor against his mother’s will. Mitsuko had never been to Christianity prayer meeting. Suddenly someone asked Mitsuko to pray. Mitsuko said,
“I don’t know how to pray, and I’m not a Christian.”
“God listens to anyone’s prayer, especially you. You’re here with God’s leading.”
“Yes. God will surely listen to your prayer” said other person.
Mitsuko prayed, but didn’t remember what and how she prayed.
After the prayer meeting they introduced each other and welcomed Mitsuko. While we had conversation, one of them called Mitsuko a sinner. Mitsuko was surprised and thought why they called someone whom they didn’t know well a sinner. Mitsuko had never done like murder, stealing, wrong things under the law and cause any trouble to others. Mitsuko wondered there must be a special kind of sin to the Christianity.

Time had passed by so quickly. Mitsuko had to start writing reports for Prof. Gaka’s class. Mitsuko finished easily writing the report she chose one. Mitsuko got the Bible at the college book-store, but there was no chapter called the “Four Gospels.” Mitsuko’s friend helped her where the “Four Gospels” located in the Bible. Mitsuko opened the first page of the Gospel of Matthew and was surprised to see so many names. Mitsuko had usually made the family tree before reading the foreign novels or tried to remember the names. Those names in the “Four Gospels” are so difficult to remember and also it is impossible to make the family-tree because there are so many names. Mitsuko asked Prof Gaka how she could start to read. Prof. Gaka told Mitsuko with smiling, many new readers had difficult time to start with Matthew, and suggested to read from chapter five.

Mitsuko was confused even chapter five same as chapter one.
Poor will be happy!?
People who are sad will be happy!?
Gentle will be happy!?
Rejoice to be persecuted and abused!?
What is this? Mitsuko had continuously read forward no matter what. The large crowd followed Jesus and listened to his teaching. Mitsuko could not concept what Jesus did. Who is Jesus, Mitsuko thought? She could not write the report, because she didn’t understand what the Bible tried to tell her. Jesus heals many sick, blind and lame, delivers demons, and performs many miracles such as changing the water to wine, walking on the water, calming the storm, feeding over five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Is Jesus a magician, Mitsuko thought? Suddenly, the death of Jesus on the cross is mentioned. Why? Why does he have to suffer and die? And then, Jesus came alive three days after his death. That made Mitsuko scared. Mitsuko said to herself it is impossible for the dead to come alive. Mitsuko could not understand and not believe anything mentioned in the “Four Gospels.”
Mitsuko had finally written the report which was one less page than required and mailed it on the date Prof. Gaka had asked. It means the report reached Prof. Gaka one day later. Of course, Mitsuko received the big “F” for the essential subject of Christianity.

Mitsuko remembers one heartache event that happened at the Christian Circle Conference held in the autumn of her 2nd year. One of the male student named Nishijo said, “God is love, and all the human being can be saved and go to the heaven, through the grace of Jesus and who believes in Him.” Mitsuko responded to him, “Jesus was born to a human girl named Mary, so Jesus is a human being. Jesus suffered and died on the cross so miserably, and the Bile mentions he came alive three days later. Mitsuko could not believe that.” Mitsuko felt talking too much, so she shut up after that. However, the next morning Mitsuko’s friend who had invited Mitsuko to the conference came and said, “Nishijo-san was praying all night after the meeting, and asking forgiveness for his loveless words to you.” Mitsuko wanted to say that was not her business, but she didn’t say anything.

Mitsuko finally met Jesus, but didn’t accept Him as her Savior and Lord, yet. Does Jesus answer her question since five years old: To where did Mitsuko’s grand-ma go when she passed away? Where does Mitsuko go after she dies? Why have the many deadly accidents happened to Mitsuko?
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OKARA* PATTIES (8 pieces)

Ingredients
2 cups Okara - taking the water out from okara with roasting in frying pan or microwave oven
2 eggs - mix well with 2 slices bread or panko
1 bounce green onion - chopped and drying as much as possible
handful mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
Seasoning
1 tsp each black pepper, garlic powder or chopped fresh one, beef and chicken soup powder
Cooking
Mix well all the ingredients
Divide it 8, and one portion each make the shape like computer mouse
Deep fry - have to use HOT, HOT oil for preventing break up the Pattie
NOTE: Deep fry 4 each at one time
Ground meats (chicken, beef or pork) and sausage meat can be added
It can be make this day before or so, then kept in refrigerator, and deep frying just before eat

*Okara - The tofu waste comes out on the process making tofu

Mistaking to put eggs in dried Okara, but mix well with 2 slices bread, eggs and okara together. It came out O.K.

This is looking like round but it isn't - round but flat
There are chicken and beef soup powder

Mitsuko - IV Death Around Mitsuko - Recipe

Mitsuko has a water-phobia, so she can’t swim because it is so hard to put her face in the water and very uncomfortable taking shower. Mitsuko’s experiences made her water-phobia she thinks.
At the age of eight, Mitsuko’s mother took Mitsuko and her younger sister Keiko, gathering shellfishes at low tide at sea, called shiohigari in Japanese during her summer vacation. Mitsuko’s family lived close to Tokyo bay where they could go shiohigari every day during low tide. It was lot of fun putting a small rake into the sand and dig, and then, there were so many shells on the sand. Picking those shells up and tossing into their small bucket made anyone amused.
The year the event happened, Mitsuko’s brother was still a baby, so her mother said to Mitsuko,
“If you can take care Keiko, you can go shiohigari.”
“Where will you be, then?” Mitsuko asked.
“I’ll be sitting and watching for you at the seashore with your baby brother.”
“Well, good! I can take care of Keiko.”
They all went to the sea for shiohigari. The mother said anxiously to Mitsuko,
“Please stay close to shore and look at me all the time.”
“O.K., mother. Don’t worry!” said Mitsuko proudly to go to sea by herself for shiohigari with taking care of younger sister.
There were more shells they could catch than usual, so Mitsuko and Keiko forgot themselves in shiohigari.
“So many shells we picked today” said Mitsuko to Keiko.
“I love to do shiohigari. Sis, thank you for taking care of me.”
“O.K. I’m glad you came with me. Let’s dig some more.”
“We can have tasty soup tonight.” Mitsuko and Keiko continued digging for many shells. In the beginnng, Mitsuko looked at mother and waved their hand, but forgot to look at mother for there were too many shells to gather.
Suddenly, Mitsuko realized she couldn’t see shells in the hole she dug. The hole was filling with the water. Keiko said,
“I can’t pick the shells any more. The water …”
“Yes, me too. What is going on?”
Mitsuko was looking around. There was no one. She looked at the seashore, it was far, far away, and their mother seemed waving her hand and saying something. Mitsuko could not see and hear their mother well. She was getting scared.
Within minutes, the water scooped her leg. Mitsuko took Keiko’s hand, and said,
“Keiko, it is terrible. Be strong and walk fast. We can’t run on the sand, but let’s walk fast.” Mitsuko encouraged Keiko and started to walk fast.
Keiko tripped her legs in the sand and started crying, because she couldn’t walk fast.
“Keiko, can’t walk with crying. Stop crying!”
“But… But…”
“I have so many shells, and you are not a baby any more and I can’t carry you.”
Mitsuko was trying to walk fast but she also had problem walking fast for the water had already coming up closer to her knee. Several steps later, Mitsuko noticed the water had already been over her knees.
“Keiko. Let’s throw these shells away.”
“Why?”
“It is so heavy I can’t walk fast, and I also have to pull you.” Mitsuko threw all the shells away but carried the small rakes and the bucket.
The water had already come up to the bottom of Mitsuko’s swimming suite. For Keiko the water was around her stomach that Keiko couldn’t walk easily. Mitsuko was very scared and she felt her body was sinking in the water. She felt the death.
At that moment Mitsuko heard theie mother’s voice calling their names.
“Mitsuko. Keiko.” Mitsuko looked up and saw their mother’s face clearly. Mitsuko thought, “It is safe, now.” She wanted to cry but started to walk with endurance. At last they could reach the seashore and run to their mother, and Mitsuko said,
“Why didn’t you come? I was so scared” and then her tear was rolling down her cheeks. However, their mother softly and slowly said,
“I was watching, and knowing that you both were safe.”
“But, but the waster came up to Keiko’s chest.”
“Mitsuko, did you see your around? Many children were swimming in the water.”
“Well, but …!” said Mitsuko with tears.
“Sis, threw all the shells” said Keiko to their mother. Mother told Keiko,
“It was a good for her decision. I was thinking about throwing the shells earlier. Throwing the shells made you walk better, didn’t it, Keiko?”
Mitsuko had two other experiences of drowning; one was in the river in front of the house of Hokkaido’s Grand-parents. Other one was at the pond in the mountain at the back of the house of Yamagata’s uncle. These experiences made Mitsuko freeze by the water. Mitsuko felt the death in those experiences, too. The thought of putting the foot in the bottom of the river and pond made Mitsuko shiver.

Mitsuko had many death experiences not only with water but also the heights. Mitsuko had interesting experience of the reason to be scared of dangers of heights. At the age of five, Mitsuko’s mother took Mitsuko to a department-store for shopping. Her mother had to go to the washroom with Mitsuko’s younger sister. Mitsuko waited in front of the washroom to watch a beautiful Japanese dolls. She lost track of how long she was standing there waiting for her mother. Her mother wasn’t there. She was getting scared and tried to look for her mother. She was running around inside the department.
When her mother came out of the washroom, Mitsuko wasn’t there. Her mother went to a department clerk asking for help. They found Mitsuko in the top floor administration office. The administration clerk found Mitsuko at the roof garden crying and looking down the street. She didn’t know how to get out from the department thinking her mother might be out on the street.
Since the experience on the top of a building or a mountain-top, Mitsuko would have a strange feeling of what’s at the bottom of it. Mitsuko loves the mountain climbing but being always careful at the top of the mountain. Mitsuko’s friends have always been holding her hand at the top of the mountain. In their eyes Mitsuko seemed to jump down from there.

Living all her life was facing death. Mitsuko thinks that her experience with Grand-ma’s death in Yamagata at the age of four years old has affected her life. It is a question that Mitsuko had experienced near death accidents many times because of her thought of death. In her twenties she was fascinated by the thought of committing suicide.

Mitsuko has been looking the life after death since Granma’s death and she found it in the Lord Jesus. After Mitsuko gave her life to the Lord Jesus, she was still caught by the thought of death. That thought doesn’t scare her at all. There is the life with Jesus and it is hope and peace in her life. As long as Mitsuko has the purpose which is worshipping the Lord Jesus in her life she can keep living in here. Someday when Mitsuko faces death she knows the Lord Jesus will take care of her on her behalf.
The following Bible verses gave her such comport even though Mitsuko is thinking about the death.
John 3:16 & 17
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."

However, Mitsuko is still scared of the water and height. She doesn’t know what to do it.

In the end, I’d like to say that it wasn’t good for me to received Jesus Christ as my savior and the Lord without resolving my idea of sinner. I haven’t really understood the LOVE of Christ. However, by the grace of God, I really understood right now the LOVE of Christ when I realized that I am a big sinner since my birth.
Give praise and thank to the Lord God Jesus Christ for his patient.
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Salmon Rice
Ingredients 1
2 cups rice
2 cups sea-food stock or 1 tsp. of Katsuo Dashi-no-moto
Ingredients 2
1 cup sea-food stock
1 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Japanese Wine (sake)
1 small carrot – dice
10 green beans - dice
5 small shiitame – dice after soak
Ingredients 3
Half fresh salmon – sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt
1 bunch spinach
Cooking
-Cook rice with the stock
-Cook all the vegetable with the stock and seasoning
-While cooking the rice and vegetables:
1. bake salmon, and break up a bite size, and splash 1 teaspoon soy sauce
2. boil spinach and squeeze the water out
3. prepare seasoning for rice
1 cup vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
Mix well these seasoning
Mix cooked rice with the vegetable (taking juice out) and the vinegar seasoning
Serving
Place boiled & squeeze out the water spinach, and baked & break up salmon on the top of the rice.

Mitsuko, III Reincarnation, Recipe

Akinori, Mitsuko’s younger brother, passed away at the age of five after over-night sickness. Mitsuko’s parents were devastated with the death of their son, especially her mother. During the mourning period of forty-nine days with Buddhism customs, close relatives or friends do not eat living things. Mitsuko’s mother never ate the meat or fish. Many times she went to bed without eating, but Tsukemo and rice ate.

During those days, her mother wandered about their neighborhoods all day, and if she saw a boy around 5 yrs old she followed him around until the boy went into his house. Then, she sat down by the door waiting for the boy to come out. She didn’t come home for the dinner time, so Mitsuko’s father and Mitsuko looked for her many times. When they found their mother by the stranger’s doorway she said,
“Akinori went into the house and he never came back to me.”
Because of their mother’s strange behavior their neighbors started to complain to control her.

Mitsuko’s father’s business wasn’t great at the time, so he had to work extra hard and long hours for his business. He asked Mitsuko to take the leave of absent from her high school and take care of their mother. Mitsuko was doing many household chores and shopping with her mother all day.

One day her mother and Mitsuko were sitting down together by the old washtub and washing the clothes. One fly was flying around annoyingly, so Mitsuko smashed and killed the fly with the soapy hands. Mitsuko’s mother with serious tone of voice said,
“Mitsuko, you killed Akinori”
“…….?!”
Mitsuko didn’t know what to think, and just looked at her mother.

Mitsuko was so surprised to hear what her mother had said, because Mitsuko had guilty conscious and felt responsible for Akinori’s death. Mitsuko was thinking that she might have given Akinori a wrong food during the day before Akinori died. Mitsuko had been taking care of her brother after school before he passed away. Mitsuko was wondering her mother was blaming Mitsuko for Akinori’s death.
Then, Mitsuko’s mother said,
“Akinori came back from the other world to here as the life of fly.”
“…….?!”
Again Mitsuko couldn’t say anything and just stared at her mother.
Then, her mother said again,
“The fly came to us saying ‘hello.’ The fly must be Akinori.”
Mitsuko’s mother was talking about reincarnation theory of Buddhism, Mitsuko realized. Mitsuko screamed at her mother,
“If Akinori comes back to this world with the life of a fly, Mitsuko will kill the fly hundred times or thousand times. I don’t want to think Akinori is living as a fly? I’ll not believe reincarnation theory after this. I don’t want to come back in the life of a fly or any other form of animals.”
Mitsuko’s mother looked astonished for Mitsuko’s screaming and didn’t say anything.
Mitsuko asked her mother firmly,
“Do you want to think Akinori is living as a fly?!
Mitsuko was so scared of the idea of reincarnation, and trying to convince and clear up her mother’s mind. After several conversations with her mother, Mitsuko’s mother agreed with Mitsuko even though in clouded mind, and said that her mother didn’t want to think Akinori living as a fly.

Many children in Japan heard or warned when the children did something wrong, like lying, even stealing from one’s own home, fighting with brother and sister. Adults were always saying to the children, when you die you come back to this world as a worm as lowest class or other different forms of animals until you could go to Gokuraku (Heaven) with Buddha. That is the simple idea of reincarnation of Buddhism.

On the day, the idea of reincarnation came to Mitsuko so vividly, and she felt like she became a fly. Mitsuko would not think and believe the theory of reincarnation as long as Mitsuko lives, Mitsuko swore to her mother. Since that day her mother had also never mentioned about coming back to this world with some form of animals or insects.
Do you like to think that you might come back to this world after death as a fly?
Soon after the fly incident, Mitsuko’s auntie came to see her mother again and asked the mother,
“Sis, how many children do you have?”
The mother couldn’t understand what the auntie was trying to say.
The auntie asked again,
“Sis, look around, what do you see?”
The mother looked at the auntie, and paused …. and was thinking, and then looked at Mitsuko ….
Then, at that moment, the auntie said,
“Isn’t it funny? It is week-day, today. Sis, I truly understand what you are going through, because I lost my daughter in the train accident. So, it is so sad, angry, and can’t believe the death of Akinori. But Sis, you have other children to look after. Mitsuko has to go to school today.”
Mitsuko’s mother looked at Mitsuko and started to cry.
The auntie said,
“It is good. You should cry more. Let’s visit Akinori’s grave yard.”
Mitsuko’s mother had never visited Akinori’s grave yard or Buddhist alter, but that day her mother agreed to visit the grave yard.
While they visited Akinori’s grave yard, Mitsuko made a good lunch for them with many different kind of Tsukemono. The auntie and her mother were enjoying her cooking.

Twenty some years later, Mitsuko believed the Word of God in Philippians 2:6-7, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (incarnation)” and saved by His grace and mercy.
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Here are some recipes inherited from Mitsuko’s mother:
The Tsukemono’s basic idea is preservation of vegetable for the winter season. Japanese dietitian presented ‘tsukemono’ as nutritious as any salad. Tsukemono vegetable can be eaten more than fresh vegetable, so tsukemono is more nutritious than salad. Home-made tsukemono is controlling in the amount of salt for the high blood pressure.

1. The most basic Tsukemono
Cucumbers, Turnips, Daikon (Japanese radishes), Turnip/Daicon Leaves, Cabbages, Japanese small Egg Plants, Hakusai (Nappa)

Cut one of these vegetable or mix two or three with bite size
Mix with 1 tsp. salt for 3 cups vegetable
(Optional) grated or powdered shoga (ginger), shiso or myoga (Japanese herbs), cayenne pepper, etc.
Note: Basic one is only salt

Put one or couple cut-up vegetable into bowl (prefer ceramic or glass)
Place small plate on vegetable, and cover with plastic wrap.
Put a weight* on the plastic wrap covered vegetable
Ready to eat　three or four hours for leaves, or over night for hard vegetable;
*for the weight – big stone preferable, bottle with water,
or unopened any glass jar, do not use cans - See the picture


2. Tsukemono to keep long time
Those farmers in the Northern part of Japan in ancient days, there are no vegetable in the winter time, therefore many kinds of the vegetables were turned into the form of ‘Tsukemono.’ Here are couples of famous Tsukemono to keep for a long time.

5 Daikon (Japanese radishes) and 5 bunches of Daicon & Turnip Leaves
(Those farmers in the Northern part of Japan used 40-50 daikons and 100 bunches leafy vegetable to make Tsukemono for eating throughout winter.)
Chop these vegetable small
Massage the chpped vegetable with 3 Tbsp salt
Put these chopped vegetable in the large container (ceramic or glass)
Place ½ cup of salt on the top of vegetable
Cover them with plastic and put the weight on
2 to 3 day, the Tsukemono is ready to eat
These Tsukemono can be kept 2 to 3 month in the cold place

3. Cabbage Tsukemono – basic one
i. chop half of medium size cabbage
Massage the chopped cabbage with 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. vinegar several minutes or till soft
This is ready to eat. This Tsukemono is good for 2 days

ii. With cabbage Tsukemono
Mix with chopped ginger, or shiso or myoga (Japanese herbs), or cayenne pepper

iii. Healthy coleslaw (no mayonnaise)
With cabbage basic Tsukemono
Mix ½ cup chopped apple, onion, celery
1　tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp mayonnaise (optional) can be mixed

4. Kyu-chan
5 good size cucumber (use sugar recipe)
Take seeds out from cucumber and slice them
Mix 3 Tbsp. salt with the cucumber
Keep them in the jar over night with weight
Throw the juice away, and squeeze out the juice from cucumber
Set them aside
Boil 2 cups of water with 1 Tbsp. salt, 3 Tbsp. sugar and 3 Tsp shoyu (soy sauce)
Add 3 Tbsp. vinegar to above water
Pour the water over the cucumber and put weight on
Three days later, it will be done
This Tsukemono can be kept 2 or 3 months

5. Make Tsukemono Juice
1 cup Water
2 tsp Salt
½ cup Vinegar (use vinegar for less salt)
2 tsp Red Pepper flake
2 tsp Sugar (Optional)

The Middle one is my Tsukemono Juice. Can you see cucumbers in the jar?

Place daicon, turnip, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber, Japanese egg-plant in this juice to soak
Cucumber, egg-plant will be ready to eat over night
Daicon, turnip, carrot, and cauliflower take about couple days for ready to eat
Keep this juice in a refrigerator for years
Place those vegetable again and again
At third time to place new vegetable, add salt, vinegar and red pepper flake

Mitsuko - II The Memory of Obaa-san (Grand-ma) and Nabemono

Many people usually don’t want to hear the story about death and funeral. However, this is the order of a good dream to dream at the first night (night of January 1st) of the year (1st-Mt. Fuji, 2nd-Eagle, 3rd-Egg Plants, 4th-Death/Funerals, 5th-Bathroom). If the dream be Mt. Fuji it will bring the best year, and so on. Even the death and funerals and bathroom dream bring a good luck in the year.
Please continue to read even though Mitsuko’s sad and shocking experiences of Obaasan’s death and funeral.

Obaa-san was living in Northern part of town called Yamagata, and Mitsuko’s family in Tokyo. Mitsuko’s family visited Obaa-san couple times a year. Mitsuko had wonderful time with Obaa-san each time Mitsuko’s family visited to Yamagata. Obaa-san loved Mitsuko and showed Mitsuko many things to do together: Picking up eggs here and there in the garden because many chickens were raised at Obaa-san’s house, so Mitsuko felt like doing ‘hide and seek’ with eggs; Giving the food (fu – like bread) to carps in the pond, then many carps would come up from the bottom of the pond and catch their food; and picking up daikon (Japanese turnips), carrots, and potatoes from the big hole in the field used for the dinner. Most of all, Mitsuko loved sitting down on Obaa-san’s lap to listen to the stories. The Obaa-san’s stories amazed Mitsuko for hours.

However, this time Obaa-san was lying down in the small room, and didn’t say anything. She had usually warmed Mitsuko up in her arms, and held Mitsuko’s cold hands with her warm hands. It was not this time. Her hand was getting colder and colder in Mitsuko’s hand. Uncles, aunties and cousins were crying and saying that Obaa-san was going to someplace over the river.

Japanese Buddhist funeral in Obaa-san’s times, the body was washed in the wash tub at the house with all the family members, and let the body to wear the paper cloth. The paper money for paying to a ferry man for crossing the river between this world to the other world, and two pairs of slippers made with straw for long distance walking to reach to the other world were placed in the barrel (coffin.)

Mitsuko can even see even right now that many men were trying to put Obaasan with paper cloth in a barrel. Mitsuko can still hear those men’s voice saying, we thought Obaa-san was smaller …, and pushed Obaasan in the barrel, and drove in the nails (Ton-Ton – sound of nail pounding in) and closed. Mitsuko can’t remember that she said anything or cried, but Mitsuko didn’t like what they did to Obaa-san.
The next scene Mitsuko’s rememberings were much dreadful and scary scene. They carried Obaa-san in the barrel to the top of the hill, and put the barrel on top of the crossed logs. Then, they lit fire on it.

Mitsuko doesn’t know what she did after that. Mitsuko knows that the incident affected her whole life till 33 years old. Mitsuko wanted to know that to where Obaa-san went, and how Mitsuko can go there. Mitsuko’s mother was talking to the family friends that Mitsuko is such strange daughter. Mitsuko didn’t want to go to the amusement parks or the zoos, she preferred to visit the temples and shrine.
There are so many things that happened in Mitsuko’s life till 33 years old. Mitsuko accepted Christ as her Lord, God, and Savior at the age of 33 years old when Mitsuko understood the resurrection of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mitsuko will be resurrected from dead as Jesus Christ resurrected. Now Mitsuko knows where she goes after her death. Mitsuko prayed to the heavenly Father God through Jesus Christ for Obaa-san’s salvation. From the Bible verses below, the Good News is spread to the other world. “… through whom also he (Jesus) went and preached to the spirits in prison” (I Peter 3:19 NIV).
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Nabemono – it is very difficult to translate in English. It may be like soup. Any soups are very preferable food on a table from autumn to spring. It is same idea that the Nabemono is very good to eat in cold weather. Here are the Nabemono recipes inherited from Obaa-san.
An electric frying pan 3 or 4 inches deep can be used to make any Nabemono in the United States.
1. Worldly Known Sukiyaki (for Four)
Ingredients
3Tbsp Vegetable oil
1/2cup Sugar (1/4 cup sugar will be acceptable)
1/2cup Shoyu (soy sauce)
2 lbs Thin sliced beef (sirloin roast or better quality than the roast)
1/2 of Hakusai (called Nappa in Jewel), large size – cut 1” long
1 bag Shirataki (Noodle made with Japanese vegetable. None of American food
market carries it) – cut 1” long
Substituted for Shirataki – Chinese saifun noodles
Note: The saifun noodle is made with rice or beans, so it soaks the juice.
2-cho Tofu – cut 2” square
1 bundle Green onion or scallion – cut about 1” long
These are the basic Sukiyaki ingredients. Any leafy vegetables (shungiku, spinach). any Japanese mushrooms (shiitake, shimeji), etc. are good to use and tasty to eat.
There are so many ways to cook Sukiyaki. All these Mitsuko’s recipe listed here are inherited from Obaa-san. However, Mitsuko changed the recipe here and there for the health.
The best Sukiyaki meat from Kobe is marbled with the red meat and the fat. The sirloin roast with not too much fat is delicious enough to use Sukiyaki and better for our health.
Cooking (DO NOT OVER COOK)
Heat the frying pan
Put the vegetable oil and sugar
Cook half of the meat in the oil and sugar 30 seconds
Add shoyu and cook another 30 seconds
Move the meat one side.
Add 1/2 the hard parts of hakusai first, then put leaves parts
Add 1/2 shirataki and tofu
Cooking each ingredients separate from others
Cover to boil
Put green onion or scallion just before eating.
Put remaining ingredients after everyone has eaten once
Add extra sugar and shoyu as needed
How to eat:
Crack a raw egg in a small bowl in individual salad bowl and mix the egg. Dip Sukiyaki to cool off with the egg (optional.)

2. Yudofu (Cooked tofu in hot water)
i. Yudofu (for four) - This is basic Nabemono
Ingredients
2 cups Water – other recipes recommend to use chicken or fish or kobu stock. Mitsuko’s Obaa-san used water only.)
1 strip Kobu* (seaweed, not nori – cut 1” square with scissors)
2-cho Tofu – cut about 2” square
1 medium size Hakusai (Nappa), – cut about 1” long
Pinch Salt
Note: *Kobu strip (sea-weeds)
Cooking (DO NOT OVER COOK)
Put the amount of water in the frying pan
Place the Kobu in the bottom of water – eating the kobu same as other ingredients
Start to boil the water
Put pinch of salt to prevent tofu becoming harder and having air holes
Put ½ amount of Tofu
Put ½ amount of Hakusai
Put cover to boil
Dipping Sauce:
Put shaved bonito, chopped green onion or scallion, and shoyu in medium-size sauce pan and cook till boil, and add lemon after cooked
(Those who are watching salt - use ½ cup Shoyu and ½ cup vinegar or lemon)
Note: **Shaved bonito can be purchased from Japanese or any oriental food markets)
How to eat:
•Put tofu, hakusai and kobu in a medium-size soup dish and pour the sauce over
•Put the dipping sauce in a medium-size soup dish, and take the amount of the any ingredient one can eat and dip in the sauce.
(Japanese likes to eat from the same pan together.)
Shichimi (7 Japanese herbs with hot pepper) used with sauce makes tastier for those who like spicy food..
ii. Yudofu plus fish and shell fishes
Same ingredients of Yudofu
Plus any white fish, Tara; cod or whiting, or any white meat fish, scallops, shrimps, crab legs, fresh shell fish, clams, mussels
Sauce:
Same as Yudofu plus juice of Yuzu (use Lime as substitute)
Cook same way as Yudofu (DO NOT OVER COOK)
Eat same manner as Yudofu
iii. Yudofu plus chichen
Same ingredients of Yudofu
Plus chicken breasts or chicken tenderloin
Sauce:
Same as Yudofu plus juice of lemon and grated ginger
Cook same way as Yudofu (DO NOT OVER COOK)
Eat same manner as Yudofu
iv. Party with Nabemono
Ingredients
Purchase tofu, hakusai, green onion or scallion, shaved bonito and shoyu
Ask your members to bring anything they want to eat
meat, fish, shell fish, scallops, shrimps, crab legs, and any leafy vegetable
Cook same as yudofu (DO NOT OVER COOK)
One electric frying pan can be served 4 to 5 people, so more than 5 or 6 use two frying pan.
Using seasoned water: fish or chicken broth, seasoned with shoyu and shaved bonito is easier for many people.
Put all the ingredients in the seasoned broth and cook with cover.
Use chopped green onion or scallion, grated ginger, lime or lemon juice, some hot sauces as condiments.

3. Vegetable only (DO NOT OVER COOK)
The following vegetables can be added to Yudofu
Cabbage, spinach, any colored peppers, string beans and any other leafy vegetables
Daikon (Japanese radish), carrots, potato – cooked prior to put into a frying pan
For the vegetable only it is better to use Yudofu sauce.

4. Shabu-Shabu (for four)
This is really new line of Nabemono (about 50 years ago), so Mitsuko’s Obaa-san or even mother had never known this cooking. Mitsuko don’t like beef smell, so she cooked Shabu-Shabu only three times in her life. But here is the basic of Shabu-Shabu.
Use an electric frying pan. If possible the pan made with the earthenware has better result.
Ingredients:
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 strip of kobu
2 to 3 lbs. Thin sliced beef (refer sukiyaki)
1 Hakusai
1 bundle Spinich
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms
And any other vegetables
Cooking
Boil the water or the broth in a frying pan.
In this boiled water, individually, do like washing (swishing) the meat to cook and dip in the sauce to eat (DO NOT OVER COOK).
Shabu-shabu means the sound (unamatamia) like washing in the tub.
Sauce:
Yudofu sauce plus lemon and hot pepper
Daikon Oroshi (grated Japanese radish)
For this cooking any vegetable should be cooked before.

5. There are so many different kinds of Nabemono in Japan. Yudofu and any meats
with Kimchee is delicious Nabemono.