Just I've been busy and didn't have time to write my diary. But there are a lot of things I should tell. Since I don't remember which happend when, I write them down as I recall.

Ramen noodle I got in the fancy supermarket was vegan! One of them was Thai's Tom Yum Kun, very hot and sour, and another was Malaysian curry noodle. They show that those famouse meals of South East Asia could be made vegan, though a lot of MSG must be used in. I excited and enjoyed them a lot. Well, I should confess that the noodles were a little bit spongy. The quality of the noodle made me wonder a question: Why no major Japanese ramen noodle makers ever try to produce vegan or vegetarian ramen in Japan? Oh, some of them sell the one in the US, I know, but as one who is addicted to ramen noodle, I should write a letter to them, urging they can find customers of vegan ramen in Japan as well.

In the same fancy supermarket, I found sesame soy milk. Of course I put a package in my basket and tried. Mmm. it was yummy! (And healthy!) The problem is I need to go to that supermarket to buy the soy milk though the maker dominates the market and sell their regular product, plain soy milk, even in convenience stores.

These days, my favorite breakfast is somen noodle. First I used the leftover of ramen noodle's soup (not vegetarian) but I've noticed that I could make vegan soup stock by myself. I bought dried shiitake mushrooms in the market and put a couple of them into the jar with three pieces of kombu seaweed and poured water in it. In the fridge, keep it overnight and voila! There is vegan soup stock. I use it in somen noodle and miso soup. Easy and delicious. I've got additional ingredients from used shiitake as well.

I started volunteering, answering foreigners' e-mails coming to Japan Vegetarian Society. Since JVS is always short of staff, no one could work for that. I got five e-mails and most of them were seeking vegetarian restaurants information in Japan. They were from England, France, and an Indian guy who lives in Japan. Too bad that I found the French guy already arrived Japan when I received his mail. But I believe it's not so difficult to keep vegan way in Japan as long as you stick to Italian or Indian restaurants and we have plenty of them. The problem happens when you try authentic Japanese food. You can try some Buddhist vegan restaurants as well as enjoy natural or macrobiotic restaurants but the number is small except for big cities. At least, I should finish and upload my Tokyo vegetarian restaurant guide page as soon as possible.

JVS invited me to make a speech in their annual conference. The theme will be "My experience with American vegetarians." They'll pay me for that as well as train fee. Great!

Rice ball is one of vegan things you can eat in Japan. It depends what ingredients are in it (caution! the current trend is meaty), and I've found that grilled rice ball with soy sauce is really a feast and good way to preserve left over rice. I make rice balls after the dinner and they become my breakfast. Now the flavor of soy sauce is coming from the oven. I've got to go!