Koriyama, Best Little City in Need of a Postcard

Many people go to Tokyo but not that many go to Koriyama, a smallish city 3 hours north by bullet train. And that's why I was excited that we sent the forklifts there, and me after them. In October, AV-san and I went there to pack them up.

Work was smooth-smooth-smooth. And AV had been there before, so he knew the lay of the land and showed me around in our off hours. There are no post cards of Koriyama. There are only, as AV points out, post cards of things you could see if you only had a car and could drive 20 minutes away from there. However, there's lots to love about the place.

In Koriyama you can find vintage clothing. It's all American. Some of it's from my home town, and AV and I sent word to the former owner of one home town gym shirt that her castoffs were halfway to making some local teen look *really* hip.

Some of the best Chinese food I've had in my life was in Koriyama. AV would argue that it *is* the best Chinese food in the world. I don't really care, but it was tasty. And after we ate at AV's fave restaurant, we went out for a nightcap on the QT with our friend at an amazing restaurant with gorgeous traditional music and local color. This is a detail of my favorite picture from that night. What you don't see is the AV and Mrs Guy show in the foreground. What you *do* see is what our friend could see between us. I'm leaving the picture sorta large so you can zoom in if you like:


And in Koriyama, you can get a killer haircut.

For those going to Koriyama, go to Prea Salon in the basement of Hotel Precede. They'll totally hook you up and restore cuteness where before was only a barren conglomeration of random aimless hair. No really. Just consult your phrase book, write down the phrases for "I'd like a haircut," "How much," "Can you write that down for me" and whatever time you want to make an appointment for, and speak the words.

Language. It works! We had smiles all around:



And Koriyama has some of the best sushi around. Who needs a picture of sushi, so just trust me. In Koriyama, the people are so very nice. Take the plunge and go to a sushi restaurant with no english on the menu. Bring your phrase book, try to remember stuff you order back home, and point if you see something that looks tasty. You're free entertainment for the other customers (or at least we were), and you'll have an amazing time. I'm still expecting an email from our young chef-in-training.

He likes forklifts.