Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery, sake, Sake Breweries, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hamamatsu Shuzou (formerly Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery)-Shusseijo Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu Shizuku Shibori

February 29, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery has been through some significant changes recently.
It was sold to the Totsuka Family in Kakegawa City who already owns Hiraki Brewery and Shizuoka-Hiraki Brewery in Shizuoka City. And the name has apparently been changed to Hamamatsu Shuzou Co. Ltd. I do not know it is such a positive step although this has ensured a next generation of owners.
On the other hand, lady Master Brewer Miwa Masui/増井美和さん has definitely been accepted and furthermore hailed for her efforts as the only lady Sake Master Brewer, or “touji/杜氏” in Japanese, a feat the more remarkable that she does not come from a sake brewery family!

She even appears of the label of her latest creation, Shusseijo Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu Shizuku Shibori, a very limited edition!

it is a Tokubetsu Junmai (meaning no pure alcohol was blended) Nama (unpasteurized) genshu (no pure water was blended in)!

Moreover, it is a Shizuku Shibori, meaning that the sake was not pressed but that it was left to drip out naturally from suspended bags, an extravagant method if there is one!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Yeast Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Dryness: -5
Acidity: 1.7
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: Smoky as it is only partially filtered but very clean
Color: Faint golden hue with thin white lees
Body: slightly sirupy
Aroma: Sweetish and fruity. Rice, melon
Taste: Strong, spicy and sweetish attack backed up by puissant junami petillant.
Melon, rice, rice lees.
Lingers for quite a while before departing on strong notes of oranges and faint almonds.
Rice lees and junmai petillant will come up stronger with food.

Overall: Strong, straightforward, “nigori-style/containing white lees” sake, a bit unusual for Shizuoka prefecture, considering it is sweeter than the norm.
Definitively conceived to accompany heavy izakaya cuisine.
Should do well at any temperature.
For the “nigori-style” sake lovers and definitely above average for such a style!
Suggested pairings: Izakaya Cuisine, BBQ meats!

HAMAMATSU SHUZOU Co. LTD.

430-0808 Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, Tenjin Machi, 3-57
Tel.: 053-540-2082
HOMEPAGE

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Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Imagawa Kyoko, Japanese Traditional Art, Nihonga, Shizuoka Prefecture, 今川教子

Young Nihonga Artist: Kyoko Imagawa/今川教子 (from Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City)!

February 28, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Pictures all taken by Robert-Gilles Martineau with the authorization of Ms. Kyoko Imagawa and Matsuzakaya Department Store in Shizuoka City
General explanations of Nihonga taken from Wikipedia.

Nihonga (日本画 Nihonga) or literally “Japanese-style paintings” are paintings that have been made in accordance with traditional Japanese artistic conventions, techniques and materials. While based on traditions over a thousand years old, the term was coined in the Meiji period of the Imperial Japan, to distinguish such works from Western-style paintings, or Yōga (洋画 Yōga).

Nihonga are typically executed on washi (Japanese paper) or eginu (silk), using brushes. The paintings can be either monochrome or polychrome. If monochrome, typically sumi (Chinese ink) made from soot mixed with a glue from fishbone or animal hide is used. If polychrome, the pigments are derived from natural ingredients: minerals, shells, corals, and even semi-precious stones like malachite, azurite and cinnabar. The raw materials are powdered into 16 gradations from fine to sandy grain textures. A hide glue solution, called nikawa, is used as a binder for these powdered pigments. In both cases, water is used; hence nihonga is actually a water-based medium. Gofun (powdered calcium carbonate that is made from cured oyster, clam or scallop shells) is an important material used in nihonga. Different kinds of gofun are utilized as a ground, for under-painting, and as a fine white top color.

Initially, nihonga were produced for hanging scrolls (kakemono), hand scrolls (emakimono) or folding screens (byōbu). However, most are now produced on paper stretched onto wood panels, suitable for framing. Nihonga paintings do not need to be put under glass. They are archival for thousands of years.

I have followed the progress of Imagawa Kyoko/今川教師子さん, a young artist born in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, for some time, attracted as I was by her original approach to the art while keeping to its traditional rules and had the pleasure to meet her again in person at Matsuzakaya Department Store (Honkan/Main Building, 6 F) during her latest exhibition held February 24th~March 1st.
For all her young age she is already an 11-year veteran of that demanding art (see personal history end of the article) but she is so modest and easy to approach that it becomes a real pleasure talking art with her!

Like many modern Nihonga artists she has brought her own techniques and preferences to her art, rendering it attractive to all genders, ages and nationalities.
I definitely plan to interview her again soon in her atelier in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, but for a start let me show some of my favorite masterpieces before they disappear from our City as the exhibition was also quite successful!
I will not bother too much their individual names, but concentrate on my personal opinions and feelings!

I mentioned her the English saying of insects burning themselves to death on the light of candles, and Kayoko nodded in agreement! Now, who could be those butterflies dangerously fluttering near electric cables?

She explained that this particular exhibition’s purpose was to express her will to enjoy life through our ever-changing modern society of our age.
Her paintings are songs expressing her life in different seasons and places.

One of her typical contrasts between an intricate creation and a seemingly simple counterpart.

When i pointed that the shirt was man’s garment she readily agreed but surprised me by revealing that the butterfly was a brooch!

This contrast between the blue and the yellowish ocher is so Japanese!

The feather discovered below the tree?

Now, tea flowers will nly be painted by the Japanese as growers leave some on the tea bushes in Shizuoka Prefecture contrary to tea plantations in the rest of the world!

Now, this cat has a real story! Kayoko picked it up a few months old on a street where it had been hit by a car! A very healthy animal now!

We talked a long time about this particular painting!
What would you say of a dragonfly perching on a cup of tea in a very feminine pink environment?

Fireworks and a lizard! Definitely a summer scene!

Have these cranes crossed the seas to fly in front of Mount Fuji?

A favorite of mine! Clear skies after the rain?

A longed-for letter in the Spring?

these are real paintings!
I leave it to you for deciding the many interpretations!

Imagawa Kyoko/今川教師子

2004: Graduated from Kyoto university of Art and Design, Nihonga Course with Prize
2006: First exhibition
2008: JAXA Nihonga exhibition, ART Shanghai 2007
2010: Art Fair Tokyo 2010
2011: Shizuoka Railways Calendar [Pieces of seasons]
“Group.Horizon”, Nihonbashi Takashiima Deaprtment Store Exhibition
Solo Exhibition at Tokyo Art Fair, 「influence of Time」, Tokyo Bijyutsu Club, Toubi Museum
Solo Exhibition, 「Unnamed Landscapes」, Ginza Mitsukoshi Department Store
2012: Solo exhibition, 「Spring, Mitsukoshi Museum Art Exhibition」, Hotel New Otani
　　　「Independent Trip-Shinjyu Hiroshi & Young Artists-10 Artists Exhibition」 Koyoudo Art Museum
Solo Exhibition 「Jyou to Kei」Tokyo Shinjuku isetan Department Store
Awarded Suga Tatehiko Prize
Awarded Prize at Koyoudo Art museum
2013: 「Nihonga on Tosa paper & Ohamatsu Paper exhibition」, Shizuoka Matsuzakaya Department Store
Solo Exhibition ｛Rain and Sound」, Murata Gallery
Awarded Shoingeijyu Prize
2014: Solo Exhibtion 「Shiki Tsurezore」, Tokyo Ginza Mitsukoshi DepartmentStore
Solo exhibition 「Koukei」, Abe No Arukasu Kintetsu Honten
Solo Exhibitin 「Nagori」, Tokyo Shinjuku Isetan Department Store
2015: Seisei Shinyou Kinko Bank 2015 Calendar, 「Irodori no Ki」
Toubi Art fair, 「sono Hira Yamgawa」Exhibition at Tokyo Bijutsu Club, Toubi Museum
2016: Solo exhibition 「Dai Ikkai Imagawa Kyoko Nihonga」, Shizuoka matsuzakaya Department Store

424-0886 Shizuoka City, shimizu Ku, Kusanagai, 1140-45
Tel.: 054-345-4773
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Chinese Restaurant, Japan, Japan Tourism, Tourism, Yokohama City

Gastronomic Destinations: Yokohama City-SAIKOH Shinkan Chinese Restaurant

February 27, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: pro and very kind
Equipment & Facilities: Very clean overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable~slightly expensive
Strong points: Traditional Imperial Chinese Cuisine. Great Dim Sum

SAIKOH Shinkan is The main establishment of a group accounting for 3 restaurants in Yokohama City.
SAIKOH Shinkan (SAIKOH New Building) is comparatively of a higher class among the innumerable Chinese restaurants found in China Town < Yokohama City. The prices are nit high though, and the cuisine deserves its fame!

It is big, new, spacious and very clean.
The staff is more agreeable than in most other Chinese restaurants but bear in mind it closes comparatively early in the evening.
We went there again for a quick dinner barely in time before last orders but the staff did their best to accommodate us within the limited time.

Their dim sum are definitely a must such as the steamed shrimp dim sum above!

Great pork dumplings soup!

Elegant fried gyoza!

Juicy pork dumplings!

Exquisite steamed shrimp crepes!

Superb crab and tofu soup!

And steamed daikon rice cakes to finish!

Definitely recommended!

SAIKOH Shinkan

Yokohama City, Naka Ku, Yamashita Machi, 192, China Town Shanghai Street
Tel.: 045-664-3155
Opening hours: 11:30~21:30 (LO 20:45), open from 11:00 on week ends and National Holidays
Closed on 2nd Tuesday (except on National Holidays and August~December)
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sake, Sake Brewery, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Tokubetsu Junmai “Oni Otome” Yume (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

February 26, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

Today the occasion was made the more special that it was Hiromi’s birthday (February 25th)!

This time we tasted a nectar created by Oomuraya Brewery in Shimada City, part of a series of 4 limited seasonal brews dedicated to the partner of their “Onigoroshi/Kill a Goblin”, that is “Oniotome/The Goblin’s Wife”!
This is the Spring edition called “Dream”! By the end of the end year they will get married!

A dangerous lady actually when you realize she bears horns!

It is not indicated on the back label, but the rice used is exclusively Shizuoka Prefecture-grown “Homarefuji” sake rice, which is getting much deserved attention from all over the country as it is a hybrid of Yamada Nishiki sake rice, but with shorter stems, and far more resistant to the climate vagaries. It has recently reached maturity as far as brewers are concerned as all levels of premium sake are brewed with it!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.3
Amino acids: 1.1
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry, flowery and fruity. Melon, rapeseed flower (“na no hana”), flowers
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Dry and fruit attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex and fluctuating.
Dry melon, rapeseed flowers.
Starts on a sweetish note before quickly turning dry.
Lingers for a little while before disappearing with tangerines and faint coffee beans and almonds. Melon makes a very late appearance at the back of the palate. Coffee beans will also make a late surge with further sips.

Overall: As usual a very elegant and complex sake.
Sake made with homarefuji rice has the intriguing particularity of fluctuating inside your palate revealing different facets in waves that can appear well after you thought it had completely departed. Don’t be taken aback if you are actually conducted a formal tasting and keep your pen in hand!
Will please ladies in particular, although gentlemen will appreciate its eclectic propensity to pair with many dishes if you decide to savor it along a repast.
Thoroughly enjoyable on its own, either slightly chilled or at room temperature, as well as all along a meal, be it an aperitif, a main drink, or a digestif!
Suggested pairings: “Asari no sakamai”/sake-steamed cockles, “Na no hana no karashi ae”/steamed rapeseed flowers seasoned in Japanese mustard, “Shinjo/Kyoto-style steamed white-flesh fish balls in light broth/”suimono”, Japanese-style scallops shuumai, White-flesh fish sushi. Foie gras as an aperitif!

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00, 12:00~18:00 on Sundays & National Holidays
FACEBOOK (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

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Gastronomic Destinations: Yokohama City-Piatto Bianco In Minato Mirai

February 25, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Smiling and kind
Equipment & Facilities: very clean overall. Shared washroom, superb.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Oysters and seafood. Parties

Piatto Bianco is not that easy to find on the 2nd Basement Floor of Landmark Plaza Dockyard Garden Building in Minato Mirai in Yokohama Harbor, but it worth the search if you want to get away from the crowds and still enjoy a laid-back meal and drink.

The outside is a bit typical of a garish American-Style Italian Tratorria but the smiling service is definitely Japanese!

The staff was certainly extremely accommodating when we requested to change seats to get as far away as possible from some smokers.
It opens late by the building standards and their oysters make for a great snack with a good bottle of Italian wine.

And the big jar of olives you can eat as much as you want provided with the drinks is a great bonus!

We visited the place only for a quick fix, but we ended up staying longer for a full meal started with a very tasty smoked oysters salad!

Now, I must admit that the grilled oysters were very good, and I should know, being a Frenchman! LOL

We had quite some wine and we decided to sample one of their seafood dishes.
This plate of deep-fried prawns on a bed pf potato mousseline and tomato sauce wa a superb ide that the Dragon decided to emulate!

All in all very good value!
One of the very rare “chain” restaurant I would recommend!

PIATTO BIANCO

Yokohama City, Nishi Ku, Minatomirai, 2-2-1, Landmark Plaza Dockyard Garden Building, B 2F
Tel.: 045-227-8577
Opening hours: Monday~Friday: 11:00~15:00, 17:00~23:00, Saturday, Sunday & National Holidays: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
Parties welcome
HOMEPAGE

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Gastronomy, Gastronomy on Japanese Postal Stamps, Japanese Gastronomy, Japanese Postal Stamps, Postal Stamps

Gastronomy on Japanese Stamps: New vegetables & Fruits Regular Stamps Series (No 5)!

February 24, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

Because of the rise of the consumption tax from 5 to 8% enacted by the Japanese Government on April 1st, the Japan Post Office had to issue a whole set of new stamps, regular and others, to make it easier for people to buy their stamps according to the new postal fees.
Likewise the government is using (wisely for once) the occasion to advertise gastronomy.

The 5th Fruitｓ & Vegetables Series comes in two sheets of sticker stamps, one for 52 yen stamps for postcards and the one for 82 yen stamps for basic letters!

For the 52 yen stamps mikan/mandarin oranges, ninjin/carrots, daikon, negi/leeks, yuzu and garlic flowers for the design background!

For the 82 yen stamps sheet, broccoli, Unshuumikan/citrus unshu, a variety of tangerine which has many other English names, horensou/spinach, kiwi, hakusai/Chinese cabbage and more mikan/mandarin oranges for thr design background!

The set of the two sheets!

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Gastronomic Destinations: Yokohama City-Bairan Shinkan Chinese Restaurant

February 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Kind and attentive
Equipment & facilities: Ancient but very clean. Clean washroom.!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Traditional Hong Kong-Chinese gastronomy

Bairan Shinkan/梅蘭新館, more precisely Bairan Shinkan Yakisoba is located in one of those side streets of China Town in Yokohama City.
It has 15 other “branches” Kanagawa Prefecture, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Okayama, but this is the “Annex/Bekkan” of the original place.

The best time for a beginner to visit this place is definitely lunch time where you can benefit from very reasonable lunch sets which will give you a good idea of their cuisine!

My lunch set!

Seen form the other side!

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Negi soba/Leek noodles soup!

Buta Kakuni Ankake Gohan/Simered pork with rice and vegetables in sweet and sour sauce!

Harumaki/Deep-fried Imperial rolls!

The Dragon’s lunch featured the fried noodles, the trademark which made bairan Restaurant Company famous all over Japan!

Wantan Soup!

Pirikara ebi: prawns in piquant tomato sauce!

The Bairan-style yakisoba/fried noodles!

The noodles are first fried in the classical style, then left to cook to a crispy surface over tender noodles!
A treat!

BAIRAN SHINKAN

231-0023 Yokohama City, Naka Ku, Yamashita Machi, 138 (Yokohama China Town)
Tel.: 045-211-0943
Opening hours: 11;30~22:00
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Japanese Gastronomy, Osaka-style yakisoba, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Soba Modan, Yakisoba

Osaka-Style Yakisoba: “Soba Modan” at Tonbo in Shimada City!

February 22, 2016 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: shy but very kind and smiling
Equipment & facilities: Old but very clean. Clean washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: takoyaki and okonomiyaki and other traditional izakaya foods. Local sake

There is an infinite number of yakisoba/Japanese-style fried noodles in Japan, but one created in Osaka and rapidly gaining popularity all over Japan is “Soba Modan”, which is not only very tasty, but also fulfilling and easy to replicate at home!

And once again the place to watch being done and savor it at ease is “Tonbo” in Shimada City!
So let me show how “Soba modan/そばモダン” is made!

First fresh noodles of the thick ramen type are poured on an oiled hot plate!

Pieces of fresh cabbage are added!

Then a few pieces of fine raw bacon!

These are first fried!

Properly fried!

Tomato sauce added!

Seasoning added and then the whole fried together!

Yakisoba ready!

A thin round omelet in crepe style is then fried on the hot plate!

The fried noodles are packed in the center!

Then the omelet crepe is folded over the noodles in a rectangular (almost square) shape and and turned over the hot plate to show the smooth surface on top!

It is then pasted with BBQ sauce, homemade mayonnaise and one more original sauce like for an okonomiyaki!

To eat easily cut it with the metal spatula!

Enough to share between two persons if you are having something else like the yummy takoyaki!

Japanese comfort food!

TONBO

427-0029 Shimada City, Hinode-Cho, 1-1 ( few minutes’ walk straight from Shimada JR Station North exit)
Tel.: 0547-35-7635
Opening hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays and national Holidays.
Orders on the phone and take-out OK!

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Fujieda City, sake, Sake Breweries, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Junmai Bodaimoto

February 22, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City has made itself a name all over the country when it comes to experimentation in the brewing of sake and their latest nectar is another illustration!

Junmai Bodaimoto!
Bodaimoto/菩提酛 is an old way of making the moto/酛/sake starter dating back to the Muromachi Era (14th~16th Century) with a mixture of steamed and non steamed (raw) rice, natural lactic acid and yeast.

Rice: Shizuoka Prefecture rices
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 13.8 %
Dryness: + 5.5
Acidity: 2.0
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Discreet, elegant and fruity. Green apples, persimmon
Body: sirupy
Taste: Very dry and fruity attack. Little junmai petillant.
Prunes, dry muscat.
Lingers only for a little while before departing on a drier note withdry apricots and persimmon.
Turns drier, more discreet and acidic with food.
Alcohol will surge forth in spite of its low contents.

Overall: A discovery from another era when taste buds were definitely different!
I personally loved its down to earth approach and fully appreciated with food although it might shock people used to milder sake.
A sake to enjoy informally!
Suggested pairings: izakaya heavy food, stews, pickles.

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Japanese Gastronomy, Okonomiyaki, Shimada City

Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki: Tonbo in Shimada City!

February 20, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Tonbo in Shimada City is fast becoming a habit!
Very simple, unpretentious and so Japanese. The more for it that it seems to take you back 40~years ago!

This time I had decided to sample their okonomiyaki!
But before that I had my glass of Oomuraya Brewery sake a few minutes walk away!

All orders are prepared as they come. No cheating there!
Moreover the chef is always happy to let you take photographs!

First of all a mixture of batter and shredded cabbage is poured on the hot plate and bacon added later!

Squid, shrimps and dry seaweed were then added!

And also dry bonito shavings!

It is then turned over to cook the other side!

Cooking to a crisp outside!

Once cooked it is then basted with a tomato-based sauce and a BBQ sauce!

It is finally covered with a mayonnaise-based sauce and finished with an original sauce!

It is then served on a plate with the metal spatula for easy cutting!

Once cut it even looked yummier!

A whole meal in itself!

I will report on their yakisoba next!

TONBO

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Fudou No Taki Waterfalls in Kawane Hon Cho, Shimada City!

February 19, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day, in a frigid morning my good friend Mr. Osamu Kurosawa, 黒澤脩さん, A true historian of Shizuoka prefecture took to another site of note in the back country of Shimada City, more precisely to a Waterfalls called “Fudou no Taki/不動の滝” located in a natural park called “Fudo No Taki Waterfalls Natural Park Auto Camp/不動の滝自然広場オートキャンプ場”!
As it was winter, we were interfering with anybody!

This very camp is in the center of a natural park forest where many bird watchers gather all year round!

The park is well-equipped and even has a washroom for wheel chair users!

The City of Shimada looks after the site and is very strict about its cleanliness and safety!

They are particularly touchy about bush fires!

The entrance to the way leading to the waterfalls!

The lane is following a stream among the rocks. In summer it could easily become a torrent!

On the way there is sight typical of noted waterfalls in Japan. Can you guess?

Okay, you might not be able to read the Japanese!
It the location of a small Shinto Shrine!

“Fudou Shinto Shrine”!

Clap your hands twice to wake up the sleepy deity!

Going back to the mountain trail through the torii/shinto shrine sacred portal!

Good exercise after the revelries of the night before!

Stopping on the way for a look at the stream!

Still in winter as shown by the ice!

C’mon, guys!

Icicles!

It was still a few degrees below zero, but this a great place to cool down in Shimada stifling summers!

The last bridge before the waterfalls!

Looking back down the stream!

The Fudou Waterfalls!

There is not so much water running down in winter, but it can become a wet experience in summer!

Great possibilities for photographers!

Fudo No Taki Waterfalls Natural Park Auto Camp
428-0304 Shizuoka Prefecture, Shimada City, Kawane Hon Cho, Shimoizumi, 1122
Tel: 0547-56-1600

不動の滝自然広場オートキャンプ場
住所：〒428-0304 静岡県榛原郡川根本町下泉 1122
電話:0547-56-1600

HOMEPAGE (Japanese + some English)
FACEBOOK (Japanese)

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Japan, Japan Tourism, Japanese architecture, Japanese Traditional Warehouses, Kura, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Kura: Traditional Japanese Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 39: Katsuyama Family Home in Kawane Cho, Shimada City!

February 18, 2016 dragonlife 2 Comments

“Kura” (in Japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

The other my good friend Mr. Osamu Kurosawa/黒澤脩さん, a respected historian in our Prefecture took me to a house hidden in Kawane-Cho, not far from Ieyama, in Shimada City, to show me a splendid kura!

Actually, the kura is only one building inside a vast property owned by the same family for hundred of years.
You must remember that in Edo Era, Shimada City was one of the most important cities in the whole Central Japan because it was a border City by the Ooi River controlling all traffic between Edo/Tokyo and Osaka!

the name of the family owning the vast property is Katsuyama/勝山!

Any rich landowner or person of great importance lived in a large house with servants quarters and a kura to store and protect rice and valuables in particular against fires and natural disasters!
The lady we met inside the house first kindly agree to let me take photographs of the warehouse under the gentle request of my friend, Osamu!

Actually the kura has just been restored by its owner as you can see with the perfectly working windows!

It actually took him more than a year to complete the job!

The “pegs” are still properly aligned, meaning that the walls haven’t been affected by the depredations of time!

The whole property ought to be used as a locale for historical movies or TV programs!

Actually it should designated as a cultural asset and it should be the government’s task and duty to look after it!

The pegs and metal links with the upper roof are still in great repair, meaning the uper roof is stable!

This is the first time I see such a big “oni gara/goblin pinion tile”! That only should become a cultural asset!

A closer view at the upstairs window!

The roofing must be hard to maintain in good repair!

A “rear” view!

The other “oni gara”!

The door and lock dating back from the Edo period!

Heavy door panels had to be pulled in to close the door!

Taken back to another era!

I marveled at how it can have been preserved!

The ancient “namako” design also is a good enough reason to designate it as a cultural asset as very recently even the Government was heard moaning about their disappearance! In fact, it is the first time I saw a pillar decorated in “namako” design!

Actually the lower roof angle had to be propped up!

It is about time that the Government made a move!

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Japan, Japanese sake, La Sommeliere, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Jumai Daiginjo Nama Genshu Fukuro Tsuri Tobin Kakoi (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

February 18, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

This time we tasted one by one of Hiromi’s favorite breweries, namely, Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, which has the particularity to come up with long names for its brews!

The picture above states that the rice used is Bizen Ohmachi from Toyama Prefecture!

A long name as usual: Garyubai/臥龍梅 Junmai Daiginjo/純米大吟醸 (pure rice alcohol added) Nama/生原 (unpasteurized) Genshu/酒袋 (no pure water added) Fukuro tsuri/吊り Tobin Kakoi/斗瓶囲い!

As for Fukuro tsuri/吊り Tobin Kakoi/斗瓶囲い, “fukuro tsuri” means that the sake was not pressed but let to drip out of suspended bags, and “tobi kakoi” means that the naturally-filtered sake was gathered into expensive large glass flasks!

Rice: Bizen Ohmachi (Toyama Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.3
Bottled in May 2015

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Light, dry and fruity. Complex. Pears, melon, passion fruit, green apples
Body: Slightly sirupy
Taste: Dry but very fruity attack , but only with a little junmai petillant.
Complex.
Plums, pears, smoked muscat, melon, passion fruit.
Lingers on palate for quite a while before before departing with oranges and kumquats.
Melon makes a last appearance.

Overall: Extremely elegant sweetish sake in spite of its announced + 4 dryness.
Very fruity and complex it will appeal to ladies in particular.
Probably best enjoyed at room temperature on its own or as a digestif.
Suggested pairings: foie gras, blue cheese, smoked cheese.
Extravagant!

LA SOMMELIERE

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Japan, Japan Gastronomy, Matcha Tea, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Taiyaki, Yakisoba

Matcha Tea Taiyaki, Oden & Yakisoba at Taiyakiya in Ieyama, Shimada City!

February 17, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but very friendly
Equipment & facilities: Old but very clean. Excellent washroom.
Prices: Very reasonable
Strong points: Matcha Tea Taiyaki, Shizuoka-Style Oden, Yakisoba, Ramen.

Many visitors, local or tourists, make a point to stop at Ieyama Station along the OOi River Railway Line for many reasons.
One of them is a place where they make rare taiyaki with a dough mixed with local green tea matcha powder.
Incidentally the region is famed all over Japan for its green tea!

Taiyakiya takes years back into old Japan. It is more than 50 year old in any case, although the washroom has been renovated.
As for the rest it is typical Japan of the 1960’S!

The owner, a second generation, must be the most photographed local personality as TV from as far as Tokyo come for regular shows!
He and his wife are a bit shy but so kind and attentive!

Their takiyaki are enormous by Japanese standards, The husband cook them and his wife cut them!
“Taiyaki” is called such because “tai” means “seabream”, a symbol of abundance, and “yaki” for “baked/grilled/cooked”!

If you do not eat them on site they will be carefully packed in a tea green paper bag to take back home or on your trip! (140 yen a piece/1.20 US$/1.10 Euro in 2016)

In fact they will wrapped twice!

Enormous taiyaki! The green color will start fading with the decrease of temperature, so take photos of them out of the plaque!

They are filled with sweet, but not cloy, red bean paste called “anko/餡子” in Japanese! The chef explained that he tried a long time ago to fill them with white bean paste mixed with matcha tea, but it just did not work!

Ieyama can be cold in winter and their oden are very popular, especially the locals!

Typical very dark Shizuoka-style oden! (80 yen a piece/0.70 US$, 0.65 Euro in 2016)

Served with “aonori/dry seaweed and dry fish” powder mixture and hot Japanese mustard in typical Shizuoka fashion!

The chef just moves to another hot plate for yakisoba!

Enormous serving for a ridiculously low price! (450 yen/4 US $/3.50 Euros in 2016)

Interestingly enough, the owners expect you to share it and provide small plates for you and friends!

To tell the truth I ate it all by myself!

Japanese yakisoba is a cross between Chinese fried noodles and western pasta, so they should please everyone!
Next time I will sample their ramen!

TAIYAKIYA/たいやきや

428-0104 Shimada City, Kawane Cho, Ieyama, 668-3
Tel.: 0547-53-2275
Opening hours: 10:00~15:30
Closed on Thursdays (sometimes closed on Wednesdays and 3rd Sunday of the month)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Ethnic Cuisine, Indian Cuisine, Japan, Japan Tourism, Sri lankan Cuisine, Tourism

Ethnic Indian and Sri lankan Cuisine at Dahami in Shizuoka City!

February 15, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Smiling, very friendly and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Old but clean overall. Basic washrooms (Japanese-style on first floor, Western style on second floor) but clean
Prices: very reasonable
Strong points: Authentic Indian and Sri Lankan Cuisines. Take-outs available. Asian beers.

Dahami Restaurant located in a back street away from busy Kitakaido Street is small.
But it serves authentic ethnic cuisines from India and Sri Lanka!

Their prices are very reasonable, especially the lunch sets and bento so popular with nearby office workers.
But even a full lunch is so reasonable!
I advise you to visit it at least in pairs, or better in group of four to be able to share and taste a great variety of dishes!

For all its simplicity the restaurant and its chef are being recognized by the local media!

Left: Second Chef, Mr. Herath Mudiyangelage Wasantha Kumara herath, “Wasantha Herath” for short!
Right: Firts Chef, Mr. Mahanamage Rukman Bandara Weerasingha, “Rukman Bandara” for short!

Traditional Sri Lankan fish and potato balls called “cutlets”!

It was my first visit with a good Sri Lankan friend, Mr. Lalith Prelis, and being three of us we were able to share quite a few scrumptious dishes!

The “cutlet” inside!

We ordered three types of curry in sauce!

Indian Chicken Curry!

Sri lankan Black Chicken Curry!

Sri Lankan Potato and Fish Curry!

Standard nan!

Cheese nan!

Turmeric Rice!

Fiery Sri lankan pickles!
We also had some salad.

And ginger tea to wash it all down!

The above is only part of the lunch menu.
Lunch and dinner menus would take quite a few visits to exhaust!

Next time I will have one of those Asian Beers!

DAHAMI/ダハミ Indain & Sri Lankan Restaurant & Bar

420-0882 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ando, 1-5-11 (Hase Street, not far from Eisel)
Tel.: 054-285-9144
Opening hours: 11:00~14:30, 17:00~22:30
Closed on Mondays (open if National Holiday)
Small car parking available
Parties welcome!
Take outs and bentos available!

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