Japanese food

It's really odd to be in Southern California, yet so far from decent Japanese grocers. Living in the Conejo Valley...
I think we actually fared better in Tacoma, where there were Japanese supplies at the Boo Han Korean supermart on South Tacoma Way. I especially miss those big bags of persimmons this time of year. (Conejo V is in darker green with Malibu below; the rest of LA is off the map; further right and down).

The answer? Online Japanese grocers - our first delivery:
Not fresh stuff, but between Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Albertson's (more Asian food than Safeway, etc) and the occasion run to the Sawtelle district - an historic Japanese-American enclave - near UCLA and the very occasional pilgrimage to the abundant array of stores and shops in Gardena, where I grew up, we will be fine.

BTW, that's a pricey, fuzzy logic rice cooker in the background that keeps rice hot for, well, days. Zojirushi is the high-end maker of Japanese kitchen appliances; definitely an upgrade. My family had Panasonics; we learned to fight over the burnt part at the bottom. None of which Michael and Jack will ever do, since Zojirushi never burns. Sigh.

I drive a nicer car than my dad did; eat at better restaurants; and with "refills"a norm, none of my kids has to settle for the "small" size Coke or asks for just water. A problem? A blessing? I honestly don't know at the moment.