Category Archives: 金沢市

レシピ, Crustaceans, 美食, 金沢市, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Kanazawa City, Non-smoking restaurants, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, seafood, sushi, Tourism

Gastronomic Destinations: Kanazawa City 5: Lunch at Hirai Honten Sushi

January 18, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Kind and attentive. Easy-going and smiling!
Equipment & Facilities: very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Sushi and tuna. Great lunch sets. Entirely non-smoking!

for our last meal in kanazawa City, we decided to have d\fish again and more precisely sushi!

Hirai Honten is conveniently located on the second floor about the great Ohmicho Market whose fish only has to travel upstairs to be served on your plate!

Visitors who do not like raw fish should be discouraged (overawed? LOL) as they also serve some great cooked seafood sets!

We chose two fairly similar sets!

My donburi set, quite extravagant!
Can you spot the salmon roe with real gold flakes, the sea urchin, the oyster, the conger eel, the yellowtail and crab?

Can you spot the tuna, negitoro and sweet shrimps?

Another view of the crab!

The Dragon’s donburi set!
Can you spot the oyster, negitoro, salmon roe with gold flakes, and cuttle fish?

Can you spot the octopus, salmon, yellow tail and sweet shrimp?

Can you spot the marinated mackerel, tamagoyaki, tuna among the rest?

This was our first visit to Kanazawa City, but expect at least two more!
There were just too many good things for a single trip!

HIRAI HONTEN

920-0905 Kanazawa City, Kami ohmicho, 29 (2nd floor of Ohmicho Market)
Tel./fax: 076-222-5887
“http://www.kaisen-hirai.com/”>HOMEPAGE
Opening hours: 11:00~15:30, 17:00~21:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 野菜, 金沢市, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Kanazawa City, Life, Life in Japan, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, sake, Tourism

Gastronomic Destinations: Kanazawa City 4: Miyuki Honten Izakaya!

January 15, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly, informative and always ready for a great chat!
Equipment and facilities: Very clean overall. Excellent washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Local gastronomy. Oden. Great sake and drinks list. Great use of local products. Long history and faithful local clientele.

Miyuki Honten is a true Kanazawa City izakaya with a small entrance easy to miss!
The reason is simple enough: like many such establishments in this cold part of Japan, it is all in length with a narrow entrance to keep the cold out!

Even at 17:00 it is a busy place and you had better reserve in advance, not like us who were very lucky to find once again the best seats at the counter because we entered very early!

They certainly need a many staff with so much on the menus!
We were told they use 14 part-timers in shifts of threes to be added to the husband, wife and son team (and probably a hidden cook or two!)!

like all good izakayas you will have a good idea of the gastronomy served with all the appetizers lined up in front of the counter!
Mind you you can take a seat at a table or away from the crowd on a tatami!
But again like in any good izakayas conversation with the owners can be so great fun!

have a good look at the exhibited food before delving into the menu!

And you must try the local oden, an unending conversation topic!
The place was opened 46 years ago. The original owner is still alive and at 87 decided to open his own little karaoke bar for his personal fun and leave everything to the very capable second generation!

As for the many sake don’t hesitate to consult the owners or staff if you are tourists like us!

lightly cooked local na no hana/rape flowers as the appetizer with the first drink!
Already a good sign of the above-average quality!

Simmered cuttle fish!
They do serve excellent sashimi, but as a non Japanese their cooked seafood should be a delight if you are not keen on anything raw!

Great oden!
A local discovery: they serve shumai in oden in Kanazawa City!

Now, we parctically heard all the customers order the above steamed grated lotus root ball!
Delicious and very local in concept!

Home-made potato and vegetables salad!
Perfect with beer or sake!

One my favorites!
Cod milt tempura, another specialty of the house!

Home-made specialty that everyone ordered too: white satsuma age/deep-fried fish paste! A must!

Beef suji/tendons and tofu nikomi/stew!

Nanban-style deep-fried chicken!

Pity there was a limit on our stomachs and that we had to go home the next day!
I plan to come back to Kanazawa City again and Miyuki Honten is first on my list!
One of the very best izakayas in all Japan!

MIYUKI HONTEN
920-0981 Kanazawa City, Kata machi, 1-10-3 金沢市片町１丁目１０－３
Tel.: 076-222-6117
Opening hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Sundays and national Holidays
Cash only
Reservations recommended!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Crab, Crustaceans, Cuttlefish, 美食, 野菜, 金沢市, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Kanazawa City, Life, Life in Japan, Markets, Photography, Recipes, Tourism

Gastronomic Destinations: Kanazawa City 3: Ohmichou Market-近江町マーケット!

January 13, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Crabs, crabs, crabs!

The Ohmichou market is certainly one of the most famous spots in Kanazawa City!
It was established 300 odd years ago during the Japan Feudal Times and is still striving!
For more information read one of their homepages I included at the bottom of this article! No less than 5 languages! Great promotion that some places should take good note of!

Alright, let me take you along during my first ever visit last week!

One of the many entrances to the market. Note the curtain to keep the cold out!

Past the entrance!

Naturally, Tengu, the biggest meat company in town has its shop inside!

Ishikawa Prefecture is famous for its vegetables!

But seafood is the main attraction!

Very expensive crabs, many of them still alive!

More crabs and shrimps!

Sweet shrimps!

Enormous oysters!

Aori Ika/Bigfin Reef Squid!

Big and fresh shiitake mushrooms!

Yellowtail/Buri!

Boiled octopus!

Local vegetables for every day food!

aturally

Naturally, there are many restaurants inside, especially on the second floor, offering super fresh seafood in particular!

Wasabi from Shizuoka (cheap variety from Izu, though!)!

Beautifully colored cute little cauliflowers!

Lily roots and taro roots/satoimo!

All kinds of freshly fried food are available for immediate consumption and enjoyment!

We were particularly interested in this famous shop for a quick morning snack!

Octopus and beef Croquettes!

Remember this noren/curtain! We definitely recommend the place!

Hot sweet shrimp croquette!

Hot beef croquette!

OHMICHOU MARKET/近江町マーケット

JAPANESE HOMEPGAE</strong>
ENGLISH HOMEPAGE
CHINESE HOMEPAGE</strong>
CHINESE (TAIWANESE) HOMEPAGE
KOREAN HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Fish Gastronomes Gastronomic Photography Gastronomy Japanese Gastronomy japanese markets Kanazawa City Markets Ohmicho market Photography seafood Tourism vegetables

金沢市, 観光, History, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kanazawa City, Life, Life in Japan, Photography, Tourism

Old Houses in Nishi Chaya Street and Vicinity in Kanazawa City!

January 11, 2014 dragonlife 4 Comments

There are two streets and their vicinity that you must absolutely in Kanazawa City: Nisahi Chya/Wets Tea Houses Street and Higashi Chaya/East Tea Houses Street!
Today let me take you around Nishi Chaya Street.
Next time you visit Kanazawa City, I’m sure you will find thousands of spots to photograph!

All these tea houses, dating back hundred of years, are recognizable to their peculiar window rows on the second floor which allow tea ladies and customers to see each other!

This ancient building is actually the seat of the Tea Houses Association and is still actively used by tea ladies for practicing dancing and playing diverse instruments!

The same house with its access alley!

This grand house has been completely renovated by the owners of the sweet beans shop on the ground floor!

A Tea House of a different style. Expensive!

This house is owned by the famous beef store called Tengu!

tengu is a kind of deity in Japan.
Can you spot its red mask?

Its mask always bear a long nose!
Now. this nose is an inspiration for a variety of symbols! LOL

An ancient house probably used as a warehouse.
Note the mon/crests on the roof!

A beautiful portal!

Tamura Tea House!

Yuki No Juku Tea House!

More tea houses!

An elegant entrance!

The back entrance to Nishi Chaya Street with many shops!

Some shops like Rakugan are famous all over Japan!

In the vicinity some old houses are still restored in between modern buildings!

An old and small temple and and house from across a bridge!

I’ll take you along Higashi Chaya Street next!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Architecture Art Houses Japan Japanese architecture Japanese Culture Japanese Life Kanazawa Ciy Old houses Photography Tourism

Environment, 金沢市, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kanazawa City, Photography, Statues, Tourism

“Running Amok” in Kanazawa City!

January 9, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

I was walking around the hotel on the last evening spent in Kanazawa City while the Dragon was going through her girlie shopping when I noticed those legs running on grassy slope!

I certainly felt a lot humor and artistry in this artistic creation!
I wnodered if the artist meant speed, escape or plain human running!

Looking at it at the back you can ascertain it is made of a single “loop”!
Very clever!
It must be an inspiration to the local kids!
Who said the Japanese didn’t have a sense of humor?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Art Japan Kanazawa City Photography Sculpture Statue Tourism Urba Art

笑い, 金沢市, 観光, Humor, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kanazawa City, Photography, Tourism

Weird Japan (43): Have already eaten it ? or, Have you already been eaten?

January 8, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Found this in the famous Oumichiou Market in central Kanazawa City!

I must say to the benefit of Kanazawa City that a lot of information is also available in good English!

But this one was too funny to ignore!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Art Humor Japan Kanazawa City Photography Strange English Tourism

Design, Environment, 金沢市, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kanazawa City, Photography, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Kanazawa City!

January 8, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

A splendid fire hydrant manhole cover with the symbol of Kanazawa City, the stone lantern in Kanazawa castle park!

I’ve just come back for a 2-night, 3-day trip to Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture, so you can expect quite a few reports in the days to come!
I start with what I could see ta my feet, namely manhole covers!

A brand new style of sewer manhole cover!

A large water access manhole cover with central motif “金” for “金沢/Kanazawa City”!

A large, probably private manhole cover although there were quite a few around!

A large rectangular manhole cover seen here and there.

The same as the brand new above but obviously a lot older and used above a fire hydrant!

The same a s above. Fire hydrant are immediately recognizable as they are painted in yellow or the pavement around them also painted in yellow!

A beautiful double manhole cover in the middle of the street!

A fairly old big manhole cover!

Interesting police manhole cover over access to traffic lights control machinery produced by Fukunishi Foundry!

A manhole cover with the city emblem motif blending into its pavement environment!

An old type of manhole cover over access to electricity machinery produced by Ohtake Foundry!

Gas valve pit manhole cover. Green seems to be the universal indicator for gas!

A medium-sized valve pit manhole cover!

A newly made intricate manhole cover!

Beautiful sewer cover (not manhole) found along the Higashi Chaya Resort Street!

Another round manhole cover with a different central indication!

Another manhole cover blending into is surrounding pavement along the street to the Ishikawa Prefecture Museum!

This type of fire hydrant manhole cover is found all over the country but each city, as shown here again, has a distinctive symbol!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, Pierre.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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Art Japan Kanazawa City Manhole covers Photography Tourism