This year marks my tenth as a semi-nomad, and I have decided to move yet again: back to the US for work, to new and hopefully exciting places.

Goodbye, Omicho!

One of the hardest parts of the move was selling off the kitchen I had worked so hard to assemble, that I had built piece by piece after the move to Kanazawa. When I have moved domestically, both in the US and in Japan, I brought everything I owned with me, but I can’t really do that moving across the ocean. All of my kitchen is gone, from my moven and fridge to my bread pans and nabe pot. I’ll feel better if everyone who helped me out and bought or was given my equipment finds as much joy in cooking with it as I did.

We only kept a handful of glasses and tea cups, shipped EMS back to the US ahead of us. Half of them broke, including my Mister Donuts ones and the kaomoji one from my blog icon. Rude. (At least with the latter, we were able to replace it from an online seller.)

Now, what this means for the blog: I’m going to have new culinary adventures in the US, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to forget what it was like to have to relearn to cook in Japan. I’m creating a new category and a new page for “Japan Friendly” (read: outside of planet Tokyo) recipes in which the ingredients can be (more) easily obtained in Japan, so those of you in Japan can browse those recipes easily. I’ll try not to turn into a kale and chia fanatic, too.

I might not bake my own hamburger buns as often and I might survive on salad, berries, and craft beer (the novelty!) for a month, but as someone in Japanese studies, Japan will always be a part of my professional life and my blogging life. Thank goodness for the Internet that will provide me with articles and up-to-date information on Japanese food culture. I would like to ask for your help, too, as Japan will certainly get even more food trends and imports as time goes on. Maybe someday orange sweet potatoes will not be a rare treat, and maybe someday there will be a better selection of cheese at the grocery store. And who knows what will happen in the US–will okonomiyaki become a trend? Miso? Sakura?

Writing for you all for these two years has been an honor, and I hope you’ll continue to read here after I get settled. It’s time to pack up for the next adventure, but, to quote a certain Doctor:

Before I go, I just want to tell you, you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you know what?

So was I.