Shizuoka Craft Beer: Aoi Brewing-Harumi　(2016 version-2nd Batch)

April 30, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Last year Aoi Brewing produced its first Harumi craft beer, a fruit craft beer made with real mikan/mandarin oranges grown in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City called “harumi mikan”. Following its great success it will be brewed every year although the quantity is limited due to the restricted availability of the mandarins!

This year’s Harumi will actually be brewed into 3 different batches which are bound to taste differently according to the very difference between the harvested mikan.
The harumi used in this second batch were comparatively bigger and more juicy than in the first batch.
Moreover the yeast was different.

Served on tap
Barley, Pilsner Malt, Maris Otter malt, Topaz hop, Sapphire hop, Belgian HJ yeast
Unfiltered
Natural carbonation
Acohol/ABV: 5.5 degrees
IBU: 17
Production: 450 l
Bubbles: longish head, very fine bubbles, creamy, white color
Color: orange
Aroma: dry and fruity. Stronger than first batch. Dry oranges
Taste: deep, dry and fruity attack.
More complex with plenty of green mandarin oranges and citruses.
Lingers long enough on palate for true tasting before departing on notes of oranges with late appearance of pleasant acidity..
Mandarin oranges will surge even more strongly with further sips and acidity will also increase
Changes little with food but for the appearance of more and more dry mandarin oranges.

Overall: very elegant fruit craft beer.
Simply extravagant, and even better than the first batch!
Should please ladies and dry fruit beer lovers in particular.
A craft beer for all seasons.
Suggested pairings: vegetable salads, mixed nuts.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 18:00~25:00
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK

BEER GARAGE

Aoi Brewing Co.,Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyagasaki Chyo, 30
Tel.: 054-294-8911
Opening hours: 17:00~23:00 (Monday~Friday), 15:00~23:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesdays
COD, Cash On Delivery only for all orders.
MAP
FACEBOOK

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

Some Aoi beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koyamachi Naka Building, 5F
Tel.: 054-293-9331
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00 (Mon.~Thurs.), 17:00~27:00 (Fri & Sat.), 17:00~24:00 (Sun.)
Parties welcome (reserve!)
Credit Cards OK
FACEBOOK

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Bamboo shoots, fern, Shizuoka Prefecture, warabi, Wild Mountain Vegetables

Fern & Bamboo Shoots Picking and BBQ in Higashi Mine, Shizuoka City wth Marufuku Seicha Co.!

April 30, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

The other Sunday I was invited by my good friend, ms. Asami Iti/伊藤麻美さん, owner of a very progressive green tea company, Marufuku Seicha Company in Shizuoka, to a “warabi” picking party!
“Warabi/ワラビ/fern” is a typical Japanese wild mountain vegetable picked up in the nature in late March here!

Asami has a land developed by her late father up in the mountains of Higashi Mine in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, up the Abe River at about 1,000 meters altitude where she grows organic Japanese plums.

The highest altitude green tea fields in Japan!

I go there quite a few times every year, but it is always quite an expedition as after reaching the end of the road we have to walk down quite a ways a steep mountain slope!

Cherry trees and others were still blooming up there!

Spring flowers everywhere!

We finally reached the tradtional Japanese house that Asami’s father had built piece by piece as a “mountain retreat”!

The land in front of the house is lined with dozens of plum trees and the occasional cherry tree.
The land has not seen any fertilizer or agrichemicals for at least 20 years, making a real organic environment!
The “only problem” is that the land is roamed with wild deer who have the bad habit of leaving leeches in the soft soil!

The whole space in front of the house is also covered with fern or bracken, called “warabi” in Japanese. The plant needs some preparation before cooking but it is certainly worth it!

Yuichi Shiozawa, a friend who had joined us, proud of his first harvest!

Harvesting the traditional Japanese way!

We also took the opportunity to clean the whole land before organizing the BBQ inside and outside the house!

Part of the warabi harvest!
We had enough to share between five people!

We also got some bamboo shoots in nearby land!
As for the fern it does take some preparations but it is so much worth it!

We organised the BBQ inside the house around a “irori/traditional Japanese fireplace”!

As lighting charcoal takes quite a while on the irori I prepared plenty outside!

We had some homemade traditional Japanese cakes, “wagashi”, to help us wait!

Another friend of ours, Junko Horie helped with the fire!

Starting getting serious with preparation of the food (and the drinks!)!

Plenty of food and drinks after the hard work!

Asami had brought a portable smoking apparatus!

The “smoke” of the day!

Smoking away!

i opened it just in time to prevent the cheese from running through the grill!

Complete with rice balls/musubi!

The crowd of the day: Naomi Yokota, ,Junko Horie, Asami Ito and Yuichi Shiozawa!

And then it was back up the slope carrying our bounty!

We left just before it started to rain! See you there again in June for organic plums picking!

Marufuku Tea Factory (Owner: Ms. Asami Itoh/伊藤麻実さん)
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu, Cho, 25
Tel.: 054-271-2011
Fax: 054-271-2010
Mobile: 090-3250-4188

CHA-O (Director, Ms. Asami Itoh/伊藤麻実さん)
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu Cho, 94
Tel: 054-253-8421
Fax: 054-253-8413
HOMEPAGE

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Wakatake Junmai Ginjo Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 28, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Friday, April 22nd, A special sake tasting party was held at La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, with Master Brewer Wataru Hibino/日比野哲杜氏 who brought four different sake all made with Shizuoka-grown homarefuji sake rice!

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

Our fourth tasting was a Junmai Ginjai would eventually be called Wakatake Junmai Ginjo!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: + 2
Acidity: 1.4
Amino acids: 1.2
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Banana
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: banana, vanilla, almonds, lychees.
Lingers for a while before departing on notes of sweetish lychees.
Varies little with food but for some oranges.

Overall: Another elegant and intriguing sake!
Would do do well with any vegetable-based food although eminently enjoyable on its own!
Suggested pairings: Shrimps salad, bamboo shoots dishes.

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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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-“Take No Kaze” Junmai Daiginjo Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 27, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

Our third tasting was Junmai Daiginjo which will be called “Take no Kaze/Wind in the Bamboos” when it is bottled!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 50%
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.2
Amino acids: 1.0
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Bottled in April 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: dry and discreet. Pears.
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and dry fruity attack backed up a little junmai petillant.
Lingers for a little while before departing on drier notes of lychees, and coffee beans.
Turns a little sweetish with food at first but quickly switches back to dryness.

Overall: Intriguing sake.
But a dangerous ones as it slyly entices you to try the next cup and the next cup!
Just superb!
Suggested pairings: light vegetable stews.

LA SOMMELIERE

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-“Oniotome Koi” Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

Our second tasting was the summer edition of the now famous “Oniotome/The Goblin’s Fiancee” seasonal series called “koi/Falling in Love”!
It is a Tokubetsu Junmai (no pure rice alcohol blended in) Nama (unpasteurized)

Rice : Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 1
Acidity: 1.4
Amino acids: 1.3
Alcohol: 16 degrees
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: dry and fruity. Banana, vanilla, lychees
Body: fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up with pleasant junmai petillant.
Complex: lychees, oranges.
Very soft on the palate.
Lingers for a while before departing on drier notes of oranges.
Tends to get drier with food.

Overall: Another sake for all seasons in spite of the fact it is a summer edition!
Definitely becoming a classic!
Best enjoyed on its own, although it will marry easily with food!
Suggested pairings: Sashimi, vegetable salads.

LA SOMMELIERE

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery-Wakatake Premiun Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Homarefuji (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The four sake!
All Junmai (that is no pure rice alcohol blended in!)!

We started with the sake made with Homarefuji rice milled down to 40%!

It is not actually on sale yet but will soon hit the market under the name of Wakatake Premium Junmai Daiginjo!
It is moreover a genshu (no pure water blended in)
Incidentally this is the only Junmai Daiginjo made with Homarefuji Rice in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Rice: Homarefuji (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.2
Amino acids: 1.0
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Single pasteurization
Bottled in March~April 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: slightly sweet and fruity. Banana, melon, pears, lychees.
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and fruity attack backed with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex: melon, banana, honey.
Lingers for a short while before departing on notes of melon and soft lychees.
Varies little with food but for a drier note.

Overall: very elegant and intriguing sake!
The kind of sake you shouldn’t bother eating food with.
For special occasions only!
Suggested pairings: salads, asparaguses.

LA SOMMELIERE

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Oomuraya Brewing Sake Tasting Party at La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City!

April 23, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Saké Sommeliére Hisae Tsujimura/辻村尚江さん, Chef Noboru shooji/庄司昇親方, and Owner Hiromi Hasegawa/長谷川浩美さん！

On Friday, April 22nd, was held a very special sake tasting in La Sommeliere, in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

Oomuraya Brewery (Shimada City) Master Brewer, Wataru Hibino/日比野哲杜氏 had come to introduce 4 new sake all made with Shizuoka-grown Homarefuji rice!

Over 16 sake-knowledgeable guests from all kinds fields participated to the event!

An the menu to accompany the sake was exclusively japanese-style!

The water served came directly from Oomuraya brewery well!

The 4 sake of the day, some still unlabeled as not yet put on the market!

The first sake was Junmai Daiginjo Genshu which will eventually be called Wakatake Premium Junmai dDaiginjo!

To accompany a o-toshi/appetizer made with a combination of two leeks, surf clam and “shiraga” spikenard!

The second sake was Tokubetsu Junmai Nama called Oniotome (Summer Season greetings)!

Accompanying tuna and seabream sashimi and vegetable plate!

The third sake was Junmai Daiginjo called “Take no Kaze”!

Accompanying simmered young bamboo shoots, sweet simmered shrimp, giant butterbur and japanese pepper sprouts!

The final sake was a Junmai Ginjo eventually to be called Wakatake Junmai Ginjo!

Accompanying a mixed steamed rice!

Individual tasting reports on each sake of the day coming soon!

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Kinomiya Shrine (木宮神社) in Atami City!

April 22, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Kinomiya Shrine/木宮神社 i Atami City is a bit of a long but pleasant walk from the JR station, but it is certainly worthwhile the effort as it includes a first in the whole of Japan!

The torii/sacred entrance is actually the entrance to a main and many small shrines due to the size and the age of the site!

Large and fairly new ishidourou/stone lantern!

Its companion!

The first hand-washing stone basin with its dragon water spout!

It is actually a roofed basin leading to the first shrine on the left just past the main entrance!

Walk under a series of torii donated by local worshipers!

The lead to a small shrine dedicated to Inari, the Goddess of Agriculture1

Inari shrine are easily identifiable for their fox guardians!

These two foxes are quite ancient and unusual in the fact that they copy some lion guardians with a paw either resting n a sphere or a younger animal!

The shrine with its rice straw garland and money offerings box!

You can see the drum and other festival paraphernalia locked onside!

Proceeding to the main shrine!

Donated stone lanterns!

An ancient hand-washing stone basin!

The main shrine!

Imposing closed-maw lion guard wit a paw resting on the back of a lion cub!

Its open-maw companion with a paw resting on a sphere!!

The “haiden”/worshiper hall!

Double roof pinion!

A very rich shrine considering the great repair!

The festival drum!

Intricate architecture!

The board announcing Kinomiya Shrine’s main attraction!

Now, what’s that enormous tree?

It has its own shrine/altar!

Now, how old can it be?

The oldest Camphor tree in Japan!
No less than 2,000 years of age!
Incidentally “camphor tree” is “Kusu no ki/楠” in Japanese!
As for this particular tree Japan has given it the titlle of “Oo kusu/大楠/Great Camphor Tree”!
Actually tis “cavity” is venerated as a symbol of fertility!

Majestic!

A fully grown man can stand inside the cavity!

Water running down from nearby mountains!

How people could join hands around it?

Take your time as there is still plenty more to discover!

Walking away from the camphor tree you will its lion guardians!

The other “komainu/狛犬?lion guard”!

The torii leading to a smaller but far older shrine!

“Benzaiten shrine/弁財天神社”!

A highly venerated stone!

Even a pond with Japanese carps!

A comparatively small but very important “O Mikoshi/御神輿/Portable Shrine”!

Its name is “Gohouren/御鳳/”Great Phoenix”!
It is carried into the nearby sea every year on the 16th of July!

Check this Japanese Gohouren Website for some great pictures!

Good-bye, Kinomiya shrine!

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Green Tea and Wagashi Cakes at Momijiyama Japanese Garden in Sumpu Park in Shizuoka City!

April 18, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Impeccable cleanliness. Washroom outside the Garden inside Sumpu Park (equipped for physically-impaired visitors)
Prices: very reasonable
Strong points: top-class local tea. Beautiful wagashi. Splendid Japanese park.English pamphlet available. English-speaking staff.
Entirely non-smoking

If you visit Sumpu Park in the center of Shizuoka City you ought to visit one place secluded inside for a true Japanese experience: Momijiyama Japanese Garden and its tearoom!

If you come to the right time of the year you will be welcomed by flowering cherry trees!

Once past the entrance where you can book tea and wagashi cake at the tea room walk along the wooden platform to reach the inner Japanese garden.

The general view of the park, an ever-changing landscapes according to the seasons!

Beautiful pond with Japanese carps!

Take your time and walk around!

Plenty of flowering trees along the seasons!

This part of the garden was design to represent Mount Fuji looming over green tea fields!

The tea room!

Water well!

A look at the “engawa/surrounding hall” on the right of the tea room!

Inside view!
You are invited inside as soon as a seat is available and upon producing your ticket you will be served either sencha tea or macha tea with a wagashi Japanese cake.

You can put your bag under the table!

I personally asked macha tea!

My Wagashi Japanese cake represented a rape flower and plant!

Good news for vegans and vegetarians!

The macha was served in beautiful bowls!
Mine was decorated with wisteria!

Some of my friends had ordered sencha sets!

With a different type of wagashi Japanese cake!

We were all served houji cha before leaving!

A peaceful corner!

Check the tea selection on sale!

Take your time to enjoy the park before leaving!

MOMIJIYAMA JAPANESE GARDEN IN SUMPU PARK, SHIZUOKA CITY

Access (inside Sumpu Park):
5 minutes on foot from Shin-Shizuoka Station on the Shizutetsu Railway Line
10 minutes on foot from JR Shizuoka Station
15 minutes by car from Shizuoka Interchange on the Tomei expressway
Shizuoka City is one hour by Shinkansen Bullet Train from Tokyo and two hours from Kyoto

Opening hours: 09:00~16:30
Closed on Mondays (if Monday is a National Holiday, open on Monday and closed on Tuesday).
Closed from December 29th to January 3rd
Check admission fees at entrance
Interpretation services by citizen volunteers are available on reservation in several languages. For further details contact the Parks and Green Areas Division of City Hall at (054) 221-1121 or the Tea Room Office at (054) 251-0016

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Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 40: New Commemorative Fire Hydrant Manhole Cover 2nd Type in Shizuoka City!

April 15, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

On February 5th in 2015 I had reported on a new Commemorative Fire Hydrant Manhole Cover being installed in Various locations in Shizuoka City to mark the 400th Anniversary of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu’ss Death.

Read more about the above manhole cover HERE

Now, yesterday I noticed apparently the same cover because it seemed brand new!

It is located along the Shichiken Cho Street at an intersection not far from Isetan Department Store!
I soon found why I was intrigued: it was a different cover!

The new cover!

In the upper left quarter a falcon (Tokugawa Ieyasu was passionate about falconry!) had replaced the Kanji character “水”for “water”!
The shape of the clouds has also been amended.

The text inside the scrolls had been written black on white (instead of white on black) with a different sentence meaning “Shizuoka City which was loved by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu”. Actually the city was called “Fuchu” before he retired there in 1607 when he changed its name to “Sumpu”. It became “Shizuoka City” only during the beginning of the Meiji Era!

In the lower right quarter the date “2017” has been replaced with two eggplants!
Shizuoka City, more precisely Shimizu City before it was merged as Shimizu Ku, is famous for a local eggplant called “折戸なす/orito nasu” taht Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu was very fond of!
Moreover five pine trees have been lft out the six original ones!

As for the bottom left quarter it has basically been left untouched!

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Kanaya Tea Festival 2016!

April 14, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

At last, after a two-year interval, I could enjoy the Tea Festival in Kanaya, Shimada City, although my visit was definitely too short to my taste. In 2018, I will definitely stay there at least a full day and a full night!

Ladies’ power!

This year I almost reached Kanaya too early, but it gave me time to appreciate that the city and its inhabitants are trying their best every two years!
Let me at least introduce their event in pictures!

THE GROUPS & THE CLANS!

Taking pictures is an embarrassment of choices, especially considering the universal goodwill and fun-loving spirit!
The rick is probably to sort your pictures according to themes!

An orange chariot rider team!

The city is basically divided into 6 traditional precincts dating back to Edo Era and each has its own festival chariots manned and introduced by teams residing in their respective areas!

The third precinct “guard”!

A white and violet chariot rider team!

A motley chariot handler team!

The 6th Precinct “Guard”!

The younger generation “Guard”!

THE CHARIOTS!

The Chariots, called “Yatai”, is the main event and performed twice, once at noon and another time after dark!

Each chariot carried its own drummers and flutists encouraging the handlers and riders!

Each chariot was ridden by comparatively light men whose role was toe encourage the handlers!

Naturally the same vocal and whistling encouragements amplified when two chariots got near to each other!

And all the while the drummers keep drumming, drumming and drumming!

All chariots seem to barely be able to pass under the telephone cables!

Actually they had more trouble avoiding the traffic lights than each other!

Handlers kept smiling all the time!
For all their fierce faces, fights are extremely rare between handlers of different chariots.
Even when it happens especially at night when everyone tends to imbibe as well, older organizers are very quick to handle any troublemakers without the help of policemen who are practically unseen!

There was still a long day to come and participants were obviously saving some energy!

Actually most were looking forward to the night when their hand lanterns would be lit!

Move, move!

The wheels are actually heavy wood logs that turn slowly and handlers need to push the chariots forward or sideways with long poles while more handlers were pulling the vehicles with heavy ropes!

All in good humor!

THE FACES!

All participants have two years to prepare themselves and some @faces@ are really worth photographing!
I actually know the gentleman above who is a truck driver!

These two are actually senior cadres in the festival!

Flaming guy!

Mother and son!

Always extremely happy to pose, especially with cute foreign ladies!

The beauties and the beasts?

THE “TEA LADIES/CHA MUSUME”!

But the Kanaya Tea Festival is known all over Japan for all the ladies of whatever age parading as the “Cha Musume/Tea Ladies”!

All the members of the so-called “weak gender” are local!

No age limit!

Some of them are even carried along!

No less than a thousand of them!

See you again in 2018, but at night!

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Shizuoka Craft Beer: Aoi Brewing-Shisui (2016 version)

April 13, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

Koudai Fukuyama/福山康大さん, at Aoi Brewing in Shizuoka City, has come up with his 2016 version of “Shisui”!

It is presently served at AOI BEER STAND, Beer Junkies Motel and BEER GARAGE, so you had better hurry as this is a limited brew!

Served on tap
Barley, Wheat, Maris Otter malt (England), Pilsner malt (Germany), Munich nalt (Germany), Wheat malt (Germany), Magnum hop (Germany), Simcom hop (USA), Cascade hop (USA), Centinear hop (USA), American Ale yeast/Wyeast 1056 (USA), 水飴/Mizuame/sugared water.
Unfiltered
Natural carbonation
Dry hopping
Acohol/ABV: 5.1 degrees
IBU: 20
Starting sugar level: 11.9 Degrees P, Finishing sugar level: 2.3 degrees P
Production: 450 l
Bubbles: longish head, very fine bubbles, creamy, white color
Color: light orange
Aroma: dry and assertive. Citruses.
Taste: light, dry and fruity attack
Oranges, biscuits.
Lingers long enough for true tasting before departing with dry oranges with pleasant acidity.
Varies little with food but for a drier note.

Overall: A craft beer without an overwhelming aroma, light enough and an easy taste!
A craft beer for all seasons!
Even better than last year’s first version!
Suggested pairings: salads, cold meats.

Beer Junkie MOTEL

420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 11-5, IMAKKOKO Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-253-6558
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00, 17:00~26:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesday
Parties welcome
FACEBOOK

BEER GARAGE

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

Some Aoi beers are also available at Aoi Brewery’s restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely

GROWSTOCK

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Fukui Prefecture, One Cup sake, sake, Sake Brewery

Fukui Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 3): Uno Brewery-Daiginjo Ichi No Tani

April 7, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day a good friend of mine, Doctor Michitomo Kawahito brought me st of three one cup sake from Fukui Prefecture!

The set out of it package!

The third tasting: Daiginjo “Ichi no Tani” by Uno Brewery!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in March 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: transparent
Body: fluid
Aroma: dry and fruity. Plums, oranges
Taste: dry and fruity attack.
Extremely complex: melon, faint custard, notes of white flowers, banana, pears, lychees, apricots, mirabelle.
Lingers for a while before departing on a slightly drier note with more fruit/oranges and almonds.
Gets drier with food with more dry oranges.

Overall: very elegant, actually extravagant for a one-cup sake!
Ever-changing sake that will keep you on your toes and looking forward to the next sip!
A sake to be enjoyed on its own!
The perfect souvenir!

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Must-see tasting websites:

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Gotemba City, Japan, Japan Tourism, Shinto Shrines, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Niihashi Sengen Shrine (新橋神社) in Gotemba City!

April 7, 2016 dragonlife 1 Comment

The other day I had the occasion to spend a day in Gotemba City and took the opportunity to visit its main Shinto Shrine, namely Niihashi Sengen Shrine/新橋浅間神社!

It is a big shrine indeed with the full regalia, including these ancient stone lanterns at the very entrance marked by the first torii gate!

A long (by Shizuoka standards) stone-paved lane leads to the shrine!

The second toriii gate!

The first pair of komainu/lion guards is pretty ancient!

It has its forepaw settled atop a young lion, a bit unusual although I have found a few such in Shizuoka Prefecture!

What is unusual is that his companion also has a paw rested atop a younger lion guard!

I wonder why someone has put a shell on both pedestals?

The place even has a small pond with sacred carps!

The roofed hand washing stone basin!

Complete with a dragon water spout!

Another small shrine behind the stone basin!

Quite a few cherry trees were stating blooming inside the shrine grounds!

The haiden/shrine for the worshipers!

Usually this type of building is used either as a stage for the shrine festival or as a storeroom for portable shrines!

The closed-mouth lion guard!

With its forepaw atop a young lion guard!

Its open-mouthed companion!

But with its paw resting upon a sphere!
I’ve already noticed that same lion guards combination at an old shrine in Shizuoka City, but it a bit unusual!

Another view!

I actually found these two lions are very new!
The design of their tails is certainly modern!

More cherry blossoms!

The water from this sacred source comes directly from nearby Mount Fuji!

The honden/worshipers’ hall!

With its shimenawa/rice straw garland!

The pinion!

The money-offerings box!

Moving to the haiden/deity abode behind the honden!

The haiden with its roofed corridor!

Regularly repainted!

Overlooked by ancient cedar trees!

Made a point to taste the water f the sacred source before leaving! Beautiful water, actually! No wonder people gather to collect a lot of it!

Good-bye Niihashi sengen Shrine!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Fukui Prefecture, One Cup sake, sake, Sake Brewery

Fukui Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 2): Funaki Brewery-Ginjo Kita no Shou

April 7, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day a good friend of mine, Doctor Michitomo Kawahito brought me st of three one cup sake from Fukui Prefecture!

The set out of it package!

The second tasting: Ginjo Kita No Shou by Funaki Brewery!

Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in February 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: golden hue
Aroma: dry and fruity. Prunes
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and fruity attack.
Prunes, faint vanilla and oranges backed up with strong alcohol.
Lingers for a while before departing on smoky notes and dry oranges.
oranges making a comeback with following sips.

Overall: straightforward, uncomplicated and solid sake.
Obviously conceived to accompany food, especially izakaya and BBQ fare.
For dry and rustic sake lovers.
Suggested pairings: grilled fish, yakitori, stews.

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