Zama Sunflower Festival

Zama is one of our favorite surrounding cities ... and they are known for their Sunflower Festival every July!  There is no admission fee, but you can buy sunflowers.  We opted not to purchase any, because we were leaving for Australia the day after the festival.  Here are a few photos from it:

The fields from the top of the viewing platform

I couldn't tell if this poor field was waiting to bloom or had bloomed and was wilting

Pretty sidewalk art

InstaPic for the day ...

One last sunflower ...

I was trying to practice my flower photography, but I think the above iPhone photo is better than the ones with my DSLR.  Go figure.

Shin's Sushi

There are a few restaurants around our base which are very popular and well known with the gaijins (foreigners).  We've tried most of them, but had never been to Shin's.  I don't know why we waited so long.  It was SO good and so nice to have sushi rolls instead of just sashimi.  

He has the cutest little restaurant right on the line between Zama and Ebina, reachable by car or train, which is always convenient!  He is pretty popular among the airwing, but he told us that he rarely has customers from Camp Zama which I thought was strange since he is so close to their base!

The name of these beans was lost in translation but they were good!

Shin in action

Salmon Avocado Roll - my favorite by far!

Spicy Tuna Roll - made spicy with wasabi, not mayo!

Grilled oysters and asparagus

Fried whale!

InstaSushi!

If you live in this area, you must go.  I've already been back since our original visit and am looking forward to my next visit!