A student brought me bird cookies for Christmas the other day. I LOVE this things. I am totally obsessed. They’re called Hato (doves) and made by Toshimaya. They’re uniquely from Kamakura (which is conveniently only one train stop away). They’re just butter cookies, but I love them. My Japanese neighbor HATES them and calls them foul, but I just can’t get enough. I was first given one by a neighbor who had just moved in and then my obsession grew.
This gift was given by my eldest student. She’s a sweet elderly woman who lives in my neighborhood. She gets dressed up for my lessons and as far as I can tell…this and going to the doctor are the highlights of her week. Every time she comes over she says the same things, “Oh..nice smell” and “Your house. So clean. Always so clean.” I don’t know if she’s surprised that an American’s home can be so clean or smell so good, if she actually thinks it stinks and is dirty or just has no idea as to what else to say. I’m guessing it’s the latter. But I bet she doesn’t know that about a half hour before she gets here, I’m scrambling around the place throwing stuff in the laundry room . Or does she?
I haven’t had these cookies, but I’ve walked by that shop about 20 times. I know what you mean about Japanese compliments. I get the “Jouzu” (well done) compliment about my Japanese language skills from random Japanese people, even after I’ve said something sounding like, “Me want thing there. Please. Much money how?” And I think, oh give it a rest. But your house is clean and lemon fresh, I’m sure.
My mom came to visit in August and didn’t particularly enjoy those cookies either. We were on the phone after she read this post and was all, “Yea…your neighbor is right…those things are gross.”
And although I can’t say I’ve had any compliments from the Japanese on my speaking ability (I have none), I can relate to it in both German and Spanish.