4th of July (七月の四日, しちがつのよっか, shichi gatsu no yokka)

Happy 4th of July for everyone back in the U.S.  For everyone else Happy (or not?) Monday.  Japan obviously doesn't have off for it, so my Independence Day celebrating was pretty low key.  However, I have a few things to show about it.  Also, now that the earthquake series is done, I hope to switch gears from the long and more serious entries to some short and easy to read ones about interesting or fun things happening.  Enjoy the eye (and brain) vacation while recovering from the holiday.

Our 4th of July, America in Japan, Grill with no Grill Feast.

Tried to at least have some of the same food I would normally be eating, if I couldn't have the day off nor watch fireworks.  We made bacon cheeseburgers, beer brats, french fries, corn on the cob and string beans.  A great success if I do say so myself, and the first time for the girlfriend to make hamburgers and have beer brats.  Also just in time for July 4th, this piece of Americana turned Japanese style started popping up in stores.

No, you're not seeing things.  That really is Jack Daniel's in a can.

Highballs are a pretty popular drink in Japan as every one of the thousands of convenience stores here has a few varieties of highballs to buy.  Combine this with Japan's interest of random Americana (Another example being Mello Yello's recent hyped return to Japan. [1]) and you get creations like this.  Probably never to see the light of day in the U.S. there's a pretty heavy ad campaign for it now in the subways and trains.  For those wondering it wasn't very good, tasting mostly like watered down Jack.  Although in my excitement of such a random find, my expectations might have been too high for something that most likely should just be made by hand.  It could have really used a better club soda and it was worse than the other Japanese highballs that are sold here, which are actually not bad.  I guess I'll have to wait for easier to find American microbrews or the next random Americana in Japan product to be better.

References:

1. "Mello Yello Returns to Japan," Japan Today.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/new-products/view/mello-yello-returns-to-japan.