kyushoku

school lunch at uchinada chugako. everyday is a twist on a similar theme. some small portion of a meat, usually fried, then some protein and vegetable mix. then some form of soup and rice. Then a box milk, but japanese milk is very very different from American milk. It is condensed is what it sounds like, it's like drinking coffee creamer with added sweetness. I cant drink it and i worked at a dairy for 3 years. This particular day is 2 deep fried chicken peices with a sweet soy glaze and small chives, and on the other side the black thing is a nori salad, a type of dark seaweed mixed with vinegar, lima beans, bamboo shoots, and carrots that has stewed for a day or two. Then a tofu and pork miso soup. They have a big room called in Japanese "Kyshoku senntaa" the lunch center, funny how english words have snuck in there. everything is cooked on site, by a staff of about 10 old japanese women everyday. Every object on the tray is laid in a specific position and orientation, it it shte same everyday and will never be changed, see first picture. the seaweed salad wasn't bad actually, but the milk is really that bad.