All posts by dragonlife

Robert-Gilles Martineau hails from Bourgogne/Burgundy, France and presently resides in Shizuoka/Japan

Weird Japan (48): English Disaster Drinks and Weird Hearts!

June 2, 2014 dragonlife 4 Comments

“When you have felt thirst
in your heart,
You are in need of an oasis for
quench your thirst.
Your heart are thirsting for
a good feeling of place”

English teachers, it is about time to warn your students about the dangers of Google Translation Services!

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So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Photography, Shizuoka, Tourism

Weird Japan (46): Rabbit Road Guard Rails!

June 2, 2014 dragonlife 4 Comments

Japan is a safe country to the point of decorating part-time road guard rails when proceeding with works on their roads!

Yes, rabbits!
One way to keep the kids off dangerous roads!
And it is one example!
I’ve already seen blue ducks and blue and white Mount Fuji!

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Flowers, Hamamatsu City, Hamana Lake Flower Garden

Stunning Flowers at Hamana Lake Flower Garden in Hamamatsu City!

June 1, 2014 dragonlife 3 Comments

We spent no less than 4 hours inside the enormous Flower Garden in Hamamatsu city and took more than 180 picture!
I am not going to complete as this allows me to write a series of articles on different themes!
I have already published five articles about about various attractions.
It is about time we concentrate on the flowers!
This is my last report. As I couldn’t really classify the flowers left I titled according to my whims!
This particular article therefore was called “stunning flowers”
If you know their names I’ll be extremely grateful for any information!

A fragile lily!

White and violet fireworks!

Another splendid violet firework!

Bird crests?

Another kind of ink and red firework?

Orange bells!

Golden bells!

White and pink bells?

Golden bells and violet paint brushes?

Fox gloves?

Wedding bells?

Stunning cocktail!

Marguerites and white bells hedge!

White and violet bells?

Mauve light bulbs?

Taro of an unusual color!

Fire sprites?

The lily of the day!

Hamana Lake Flower Garden
Hamanako Flower garden
浜名湖フラワーガーデン
10th anniversary of the 2004 Pacific Flora Garden Exposition and the 21st Japan Urban Greenery Shizuoka Festival

Open until June 15th

Hamamatsu City, Nishi Ku, Murakoshi Cho, 5348-3
Tel.: 53-488-1811
ENGLISH HOMEPAGE

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Kura, Shizuoka City

Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 18: Jinseido in Shizuoka City!

June 1, 2014 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.

I was puff puffing on my bicycle at the end of a 5-hour ride Miho Peninsula in Shimizu Ku, Shziuoka City and that probably helped noticing this beautifully preserved kura on my right as I was cycling back through Oya, Suruga ku, shizuoka City!

A “vertical picture” first!

a “horizontal picture” next!

It is owned by a herb medicine/kanpouyaku/漢方薬 Shop called Jinsido/仁生堂!
I’m pretty certain it an ancient company and it certainly needed such a kura to preserve medicines and documents!

They must still be using it!
Look at that beautiful door!

The front window and blinds!

And walls and roof!
Absolutely superb!

As for the shop itself, it is not a kura, but it has obviousl been restored in harmony with the kura!

Unfortunately I didn’t have the courage to visit, but it must be worth it!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Fujinomiya City, sake, Sake Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery: Fujinishiki “Nama” Homjozo

May 31, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Cenova has an interesting set of 300 ml sake bottles and it is always a good idea to buy those.
It might not be economical but you don’t have to buy too much and you can drink it anywhere!
This time I chose a bottle by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

Mind you, I think that breweries should make an effort with the design as they tend to all look alike!

Cenova tries to give supplementary information that the small bottle does not allow for lack of space but it sometimes is the source of big mistakes, even in Japanese. Honjozo on top and daiginjyo under!
Oh well, it is still a good bargain!

Clarity: Very clear
Color: very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive: Floral and fruity. Banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Complex. Macadamia nuts, dry custard.
Disappears quickly on a deep and dry note with hints of dark chocolate and milk coffee. Late appearance by oranges, walnuts and chestnuts.
Solid and easy to drink.
Coffee beans tend to reach more importance with the third or fourth cup.
Tends to take a drier back step with food.
Turns very dry again away from food.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to accompany food and probably at its best slightly chilled with izkaya heavy fare, and even better at a BBQ!
Solid, reliable and thoroughly enjoyable in spite of its deep dryness!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Flowers, Hamamatsu City, Hamana Lake Flower Garden

Mysterious Flowers at Hamana Lake Flower Garden

May 31, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

We spent no less than 4 hours inside the enormous Flower Garden in Hamamatsu city and took more than 180 picture!
I am not going to complete as this allows me to write a series of articles on different themes!
I have already published five articles about about various attractions.
It is about time we concentrate on the flowers!
I am left with two last reports. As I couldn’t really classify the flowers left I titled according to my whims!
This particular article therefore was called “mysterious flowers”
If you know their names I’ll be extremely grateful for any information!

Red rain?

Golden drops?

Flowers for fairies?

Bells for leprechauns?

Furry (not fairy!) gold?

Fleeting violets?

Blue notes?

Violet tinkerbells?

Ring a blue?

Red grapes?

White tips and marguerites?

Shy marguerites hiding their faces behind fans?

Fairies again with marguerites!

Red batons?

Golden trumpets?

Big azaleas!

Snow whites?

Hamana Lake Flower Garden
Hamanako Flower garden
浜名湖フラワーガーデン
10th anniversary of the 2004 Pacific Flora Garden Exposition and the 21st Japan Urban Greenery Shizuoka Festival

Open until June 15th

Hamamatsu City, Nishi Ku, Murakoshi Cho, 5348-3
Tel.: 53-488-1811
ENGLISH HOMEPAGE

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Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Snack

Japanese Appetizer (O-toushi/お通し): Stir-fried Beef and Vegetables and Fine Salad

May 30, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

O-toushi/お通しis actually a bit difficult to translate.
In a Japanese (in Japan) izakaya it is an appetizer that is served with the first drink and that you pay for in general in lieu of a cover charge.
I have nothing against such a notion as it gives you a good idea of the chef’s skills!

The other day Dragon prepared me a double o-toushi!
The first one was a fine vegetable salad!

It was simple enough, made of finely cut mizuna/potherb mustard, bean sprouts and marinated carrot, the whole seasoned with sesame dressing and plenty of golden and black roasted sesame seeds!

The second was stir-fried beef and vegetables!

she first fried very thinly sliced beef in a little oil before adding baby corn and sliced of green, yellow and red pimentoes with some ponzu, sake, pepper and what else!

We had wine with it, but beer is probably best!

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Hamamatsu City, Hamana Lake Flower Garden, Poppies

Poppies in Hamana Lake Flower Garden in Hamamatsu Ciy!

May 30, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Cute, almost natural mixture!

Big and pink!

Red with white frills!

Orange with violet core!

Red with enormous violet core!

Pink, red and white varieties!

Golden orange!

Red and black butterflies!

The same in red symphony with other flowers!

Hamana Lake Flower Garden
Hamanako Flower garden
浜名湖フラワーガーデン
10th anniversary of the 2004 Pacific Flora Garden Exposition and the 21st Japan Urban Greenery Shizuoka Festival

Open until June 15th

Hamamatsu City, Nishi Ku, Murakoshi Cho, 5348-3
Tel.: 53-488-1811
ENGLISH HOMEPAGE

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Must-see tasting websites:

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Buddhist Temples, Shizuoka City

Houtaiji Temple in Shizuoka City: Unusual Sights

May 30, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

As an agnostic I avoid the subject of religion as much as I can.
But that does not prevent me to consider the historical and cultural side of it as long as it has to offer interesting photography!

Just I walked past Houtai Temple/宝泰寺　founded in 1381 in the name of Houtaizen temple, I noticed the side portal open. I decided to take a peek!

I was first tempted to take photographs of the garden, but I noticed some strange/unusual statues!

There were a lot of small statues in pairs, so they must be all symbolic.
A child preventing his “mount” to see?

Disappearing into eternity or going back to it?

Now, what is that dachshund doing here?

A fetus position and a stretching position?

Shaking Hands?

Wishing to become a teddy bear!

Shyness?

Worry?

This is quite unusual for a Buddhist temple and more readily found in Shinto Shrines: Tokugawa ieaysu’s Crest!

A goblin on the roof/

Dragons?

Even tiny ones?

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French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Shizuoka City

French Gastronomy: Dinner at FIGARO Food & Wine in Shizuoka City!

May 29, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but very friendly and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overall. Superb washroom. Entirely non smoking at lunch time!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: French bistro-style gastronomy. Reasonably-priced wine list.

Last night after a long walk in the late afternoon Dragon felt like visiting a new place.
I took the opportunity to introduce her to FIGARO (Figaro Food & Wine), a reasonable French bistro-style restaurant cum wine bar in Aoba Park Street, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

Although the allow smoking in the evenings (lunch time is entirely non-smoking), the place is very clean with small but superb washroom.
It is very popular indeed with guests of all ages, genders and stations.

Apart of a solid regular menu Chef Toshiharu Matsuura/松浦敏春さん, an old acquaintance of mine also offers additional dishes every day!

They also have the great merit to serve wine by the glass and bottle for all budgets!

In any case consult Sommelier Yoshinori Shimizu/清水芳則さん who spent a whole year in Beaujolais region, France, before you decide what to drink.

For people who want to taste wines without overdrinking themselves into oblivion they propose a very reasonable triple tasting set!

The red wine set for Dragon!
Wines from Limoux and Herault (France) and Sicilia!

The white wine set for my person:
Two French and one Italian!

First we had fish carpaccio!

Isaki/イサキ/Chicken Grunt (strange English name!), a typical regional fish of Shizuoka Prefecture!

Then a Salade Bourguignonne!

With homemade ham and escargots/snails (not home-made!) among others!

Like in any French bistro, a stew is on the cards!

Superb lamb stew!

Although we had planned only a light meal we couldn’t resist ordering a very popular gratin indeed!

Cod brandade gratin!
Succulent!

Dragon has decided to have lunch there again with her friends, therefore I will leave the report on eventual desserts to her! LOL

FIGARO FOOD & WINE

Chef Toshiharu Matsuura/松浦敏春さん
Sommelier Yoshinori Shimizu/清水芳則さん (Yoshinori Shimizu FACEBOOK SITE)
420-0034 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa cho, 2-4-5
Tel: 054-255-7430
Opening hours: 12:00~14:00, 16:00~24:00
Closed on Sundays
Parties welcome
Cards OK (dinner only)
Entirely non smoking at lunch!

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Hamamatsu City, Hamana Lake Flower Garden, Roses

Roses in Hamana Lake Flower Garden in Hamamatsu Ciy!

May 28, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Mauve rose tree!

Small white roses!

Unusual red!

Violet roses!

Another cute type of white roses!

Orange roses!

Pink orange?

Big tree for large yellow roses!

Classic rose tree!

Classic yellow rose tree!

Frail light mauve roses!

So elegant!

A bouquet of white roses to finish!

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sake, Sake Brewery, Shimada City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Oomuraya Brewery: Jyuubei Junmai Nama

May 27, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

What I really enjoy about some breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture is that only the produce limited edition sake so much for business but for preserving history and culture.
This very brand “Jyuubei/重兵衛” has been produced by no less than four generations of brewers!

Moreover, the rice is Shiuzoka-grown hyakumangoku!
Since it is a junmai/no pure alcohol blended in and nama/unpasteurized, it7s close to a very natural sake!

Rice: Hyakumangoku (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in May 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: very faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Green apples, apricots
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very fruity and dry attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant.
Very refreshing and complex.
Apples, pears, custard, apricots.
Disappears very quickly on a dry and fruity note with hints of dark chocolate and milk coffee.
Changes little with food but for a drier note.

Overall: Very refreshing sake away from the norm for Oomuraya Brewery.
Dry, elegant and fruity.
Complex enough to draw you into the second and third cup.
To drink with Japanese izakaya fare!

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Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Snack, Uncategorized

Japanese Appetizer (O-toushi/お通し): Pon Kara Maguro/Deep-fried Tuna

May 27, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Last night Dragon found some bincho maguro, a cheap variety of tuna imported from Vanuatu in the South Pacific, in the refrigerator.
Having thawed it, she cut it into mouthful-sized pieces.
She then sprinkled some ponzu and sake on all the pieces before adding flour and curry powder to coat them completely roughly mixing the pieces inside a bowl. She wouldn’t tell me what other spices she added…
Last she fried them slowly with only enough oil until they reached a nice “foxy color”.

She finally served some in a small bowl with hand broken lettuce, a wedge of lemon and some tartar sauce!

Very tasty, healthy and the right appetizer for the first beer or sake of the night!

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Flowers, Hamamatsu City, Hamana Lake Flower Garden, Iris

Irises in Hamana Lake Flower Garden in Hamamatsu Ciy!

May 26, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

We spent no less than 4 hours inside the enormous Flower Garden in Hamamatsu city and took more than 180 picture!
I am not going to complete as this allows me to write a series of articles on different themes!
I have already published five articles about about various attractions.
It is about time we concentrate on the flowers!
Here are the various irises I discovered there.
Incidentally, they are called Ayame/菖蒲 which is usually translated as “Sberian Iris”, but I can imagine there more names according to the many varieties!

Blue!

Pink and white!

White!

Very, very deep blue!

Blue, violet and yellow!

Shades of mauve!

Delicate gold!

Wholly pink!

Hamana Lake Flower Garden
Hamanako Flower garden
浜名湖フラワーガーデン
10th anniversary of the 2004 Pacific Flora Garden Exposition and the 21st Japan Urban Greenery Shizuoka Festival

Open until June 15th

Hamamatsu City, Nishi Ku, Murakoshi Cho, 5348-3
Tel.: 53-488-1811
ENGLISH HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Fukui Prefecture, sake, Sake Brewery

Fukui Prefecture Sake Tasting: Kubota Brewery-Oni Sakuza Junmai Nama Genshu

May 26, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

I was offered this very bottle by an acquaintance who cannot drink any alcohol!
I couldn’t refuse and through respect for the sake and the people who made it I felt obliged to write a tasting article!

Great presentation box by Kubota Brewery in Fukui Prefecture!

The label had been commandeered by an insurance company commemorating their 25 years of service!

Rice: Fukui Prefecture grown Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 70%
Bottled in may 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and discreet. Dry pears and melons.
Body: fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed up by puissant junami petillant and alcohol.
Complex and fruity. Very dry green apples and pears. Strong and pleasant alcohol.
Disappears quickly on an even drier note.
But for a slightly sweet turn it practically does not change with food, especially heavy izakaya fare.
Superbly marries with food.
Pears tend to take a more assertive role with the following cups.

Overall: An elegant but strong and very dry sake. At its best with food, although it tends to show new interesting facets just after food. For the dry sake lovers!

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