Category Archives: Fujieda City

レシピ, Buckwheat, 美食, 蕎麦, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Non-smoking restaurants, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Sake, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Tempura, Tourism

Soba Restaurant: Kishigami in Shizuoka City!

February 1, 2014 dragonlife 6 Comments

Home-cured duck soba!

Service: very friendly, attentive and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom. Entirely non-smoking!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Ju wari/100% soba/buckwheat noodles. Tempura. sake list!

Kishigami Soba Restaurant is located in a celebrated touristic area of Shizuoka City in Utsunoya famous for its many Edo Period houses and inns along the Old Tokaido Road.
It makes for the perfect stop for refreshments in the middle of nature!

It is not that difficult to reach actually.
Just take the bus to Fujieda City at platform 7 in front of Shizuoka JR Station north exit and get off at Utsunoya just before the Fuijieda Tunnel.
Cross the road and take the paved street on the right side snaking up the mountain and you will discover it in the middle of an Edo Travel Inn Village!

The menu is waiting for you outside!

100% buckwheat noodles!

Have a good look inside before choosing a table!

A traveling artist actually drew this picture of the restaurant during his only visit!

The spotless clean kitchen manned by two generations!

Traditional Japan!

A real wood fire stove!

All warm wood!

Although it is open only at lunch time the menu is really extensive!

The elder daughter, Ms. Kayoko Kishigami/岸上香誉子さん is very knowledgeable with sake and a seasonal brew by Sugii Brewery (Fujieda City) was on offer that day!

The Japanese sake from nearby Fujieda City!

Elegant earthenware and glassware!

My friend’s order!

Ten Oroshi Soba!

My order!

Kamo/Duck Oroshi Soba!

The sobayu/buckwheat noodles boiling water to add to the leftover soup and wash it all down!

A meal is not complete at Kishigami without their superb tempura!

What do we have there?

Soba Dango/Buckwheat balls!

Green leafy vegetable!

Maitake/hen-of-the-woods, ram’s head and sheep’s head mushroom!

Avery original dessert: buckwheat balls with hot sweetmeat/anko shiru!

SOBADOKORO KSHIGAMI SOBA RESTAURANT

Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Utsunoya, 232-2
Tel.: 054-258-5664
Opening hours: 11:00~14:00
Closed on Mondays and 3rd Tuesday of the month (next day in case of a national holiday)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
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

静岡県, 観光, Fujieda City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Statues, Tourism

Contentment? Happiness? Unconcern?

February 1, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

i found this small statue in a park by an Edo period Inn!

I wonder what the artist wanted to impress on onlookers: Contenetment? Happiness? Unconcern?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Environment, 静岡美食, 観光, Fujieda City, History, Japan, Japanese Culture, Manhole covers, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 23: Fujieda City

January 30, 2014 dragonlife 3 Comments

Beautiful mint Fujieda City manhole cover!
They actually come into two colors

The same, a bit old, near Fujieda JR Station south exit!

Another beautiful mint with a different background color!

The same again, a bit old, near Fujieda JR Station south exit!

The same, without the colors!

The one without the color is usually found in the middle of roads!

A sewer manhole cover with Fujieda City motif in the center!

An older type!

A round fire hydrant manhole cover!

Another rectangular fire hydrant manhole cover!

Another rectangular older type fire hydrant manhole cover!

A little beauty!

A gas manhole cover. Probably for private use as the symbol is not that of Fujieda City!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bath, 静岡県, 観光, Foot Bath, Fujieda City, Hot Springs, Japan, Japanese Culture, Life, Life in Japan, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Public Hot Spring Foot Bath in Fujieda City!

January 28, 2014 dragonlife 8 Comments

Shizuoka Prefecture has the greatest number of hot springs and hot springs spas in Japan.
But recently another type of hot spring bath is getting increasingly popular: public hot spring Foot baths!

One day the Municipality of Fujieda City which sponsors the foot bath would do well to translate in English those explanations and instructions as they are certainly worth it!

Don’t worry the brown color is the real color of the water which is constantly changed although the water flows only in daytime!
Just take your shoes and socks/stockings off and dip your tired in the water for great healthy relaxation!

This sign, among others, explicitly says that smoking is strictly forbidden!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bars, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, Food Humor, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Humor, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Urban Art: FITS Bar in Fujieda City!

January 28, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

I was walking along the streets in daytime Fujieda City yesterday when I discovered this establishment not far from the JR Station north exit!

I cannot guarantee the quality of that bar/izakaya although the menu posted outside seemed to mean that the prices were quit reasonable, but the art outside is certainly worth a second and third look!
It is somewhat Halloween-inspired and very unusual in concept for Japan although the humor is very strong there!

The Cat or the Pussy is definitely the most untrustworthy member, very probably representing the Mama san or lady encouraging you to drink!

The Teddy bear is definitely the gullible, fat, probably rich middle-aged customer!

I certainly have a special fondness for the Night Owl!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

静岡県, 観光, Fujieda City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Pavement signs, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Pavement “Regulations” Signs on Pavements in Shizuoka Prefecture! (Expanded, February 8th, 2014)

January 26, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

This sign against illegal bicycle parking was commissioned to a primary school by the City of Shizuoka!

If you look at pavements in any city in Japan, especially near stations and in crowded neighborhoods, you will discover all kinds of notices/signs directly printed onto pavements to remind citizens of regulations, be they friendly or prohibitive!
Some ar definitely welcome, while some are a bit useless, to say the least!
let me show you some examples I have have taken recently!

Non smoking street signs found in many spots in Shizuoka City. Note that the bird is a kingfisher, symbol bird of Shizuoka City!

A big no-smoking sign found near the south Exit of Hamamatsu JR Station!
It also extols on the benefit of good manners and not littering for a better environment in the city!

A faded non smoking street sign near Yaizu City JR Station!

Do not litter streets with cigarette butts in Fujieda City.
A bit of a half measure…..

Illegal bicycle parking in Shizuoka City!

Although Shizuoka City and Prefecture respectively hold the record for the largest numbers of bicycles citis have declared war, albeit a losing one, against illegal bicycle parking, a totally un-ecological measure when you know that Shizuoka is also suffering from one of the highest ration of car exhaust fume pollution!

Illegal parking for not only bicycles but also for bikes under a railway bridge in Hamamatsu City!

Illegal bicycle paring taken at night in Shimada City!

Two-hour limit bicycle parking zoen in front of Shizuoka City main post office!

Another type of illegal bicycle parking sign in Yaizu City!

Some sign manufacturer must make a fortune with all those different types being ordered by cities!

Another type of illegal bicycle parking sign in Shizuoka City!

Illegal Bycicle parking in Fujieda City!

A somewhat confusing sign!
Pavement area reserved to pedestrians and bicycles in Fujieda City!
Bear in mind that bicycles are allowed on pavements in Japan!

metallic pavement sign for illegal bicycle parking in Kakegawa City!

Within short distance from the sign foreamentioned you will find this sign in front of Shizuoka JR Station requesting people to get off their bicycles and push them along!

Signs in front of Shizuoka City main post office requesting pedestrians and cyclist to use their own half of the pavement! Unfeasible in practice unfortunately!

Cycle on this side of the pavement! (Shizuoka City)

Red-colored sign indicating pedestrians zone on the pavement!

Orange color instead of red color used for pedestrians!

Some streets in Shizuoka City have a blue lane area for bicycles along streets.
In that case cyclists are asked not to use the pavements along them!

Although no strictly on the pavement, the city felt obliged to warn cyclists using the blue area zone on the streets of bus stops!

In Umeya Cho, Shizuoka City, I was a bit flabbergasted to notice this sign asking bicycles to run along the houses and the pedestrians to walk along the street half of the pavement!

Sign asking bicycles to stop at the crossroads in front of the zebra crossing in Yaizu City!

Sign reminding school kids to stop, look left and right before crossing the street in Yaizu City!

The same with a different design in Yaizu City!

Sign reminding school kids to stop, look left and right before crossing the street in Kakegawa City!

The same with a different design in kakegawa City!

Pedestrian stop sign at a crossroad in Kakegawa City

This sign was sponsored by by the Shizuoka Prefecture Government to signify that the part of the parking in front of Yaizu Hospital next to Yaizu City Hall is reserved to physically impaired visitors>
Apparently pregnant women are also called physically impaired visitors…..

Mind the step sign at a side entrance of Act City, Shizuoka JR Station!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

静岡県, 観光, Fujieda City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kura, Okabe, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Kura: Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 8: Okabe, Fujieda City with Atsuko Kurata!

January 12, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Hatsukame Brewery warehouse!

“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.

This time my good friend, ms. Atsuko Kurata is taking us to Okabe, which was merged some time ago to Fujieda City!

if you do not have a car 8by bicycle is possible, though) you can take a bus from Shizuoka JR Station North Exit!
Take the no 84 or 85 bus from bus stop platform .
It is Chubu Kokudo Line/中部国道線 heading for Fujieda station. Buses leave every 20 minutes.
You will reach your destination in roughly 35 minutes ride.

Get off at Okabesyuku-Kashibaya-Mae/岡部宿柏屋前 bus stop.
The fare is 570 yen for one way. Children under 12 pay half price for 250 yen

You will find Hatsukame jouzou/is right across from the bus stop!

Hatsukame Brewery is a beautiful complex with an ancient house and a kura who will find on its right!

Can you spot the kura?

Getting close!

Behind beautiful pine trees!

When they build the new road the city pulled out all the pine trees on the east side!

Fortunately you can still see the pine trees on one side giving a good idea of the atmosphere around this brewery, the oldest in Shizuoka Prefecture (end of 17th century!)

Another view of the second side of the kura!

A closer view of the beautiful window!

There are actually two more warehouses along the same street!

This one is quite similar to Hatsukame Brewery kura!

For a closer view… It is completely surrounded by other buildings!

The second kura! Very imposing!

Very well preserved!

It is quite tall and certainly requires much maintenance!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, Fujieda City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Okabe, Photography, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Sake, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hatsukame Brewery-Goku Ginjo Hyogetsu

January 11, 2014 dragonlife 4 Comments

Hyogetsu is brand by Hatsukame Brwery in Okabe, Fujieda City, which have been known practically all over the world from the day its bottle recived the Best Bottle Design Award!

Even the case is a beauty!

Great stopper!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (Hyogo Preefcture9
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 3.0
Acidity: 1.35
Yeast: 1801 KA-1
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Elegant. Pears, nashi
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded attack backed by a discreet junmai petillant
Dry and fruity. Pears, bananas.
Lingers for a while with dry dark choclate, almonds.
very complex, almost mysterious.
Very satisfying and so easy to drink.
Changes little with food but for a drier turn with the appearance of very dry oranges.
Beautifully marries with food, especially light fare.
Tends to show new facets with next sip, with or away from food.

Overall: Best enjoyed slightly chilled and on its own although it combines so well with food.
Thoroughly enjoyable any time of the day and night, by yourself or with great company!
A superb present for a very important one!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Sake, Sugii Brewery, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Junmai Hatsu Shibori Kimoto Shikomi

December 24, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City is known as the most experiencing sake brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture and one has to be quick to grab all their limited brews!
Their names also make for good reading:
“Hatsu Shibori” means “First Press”. “Kimoto Shikomi・生酛仕込み” is a bit more difficult to translate as it is an old method that many breweries avoid because it is hard work and very risky as it uses natural/wild yeasts.

Rice milled down to 70%
Alcohol: 14~15 degrees
Bottled in December 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive, dry, fruity. Apples, oranges
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack.
Very light and fruity. Complex, “difficult to catch”.
Apples, dry melon.
Junmai petillant appears on the palate only after swallowing, therefore tends to linger on for a while with lots of dry apples.
As nurukan/lukewarm, reveals totally diffrent facets with a milder attack with hints of dark chocolate and almonds.
marries beautifully with any food, especially heavy izakaya fare.

Overall: For the unusual and dry sake lovers!
Definitely not your standard sake in Shizuoka Prefecture or elsewhere for that matter!
A sake obviously conceived to accompany and emphasize food.
Definitely worth a careful tasting away from the norm!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Mirin, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, 味醂

Shizuoka Mirin Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Atsukayama

August 28, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

This is the very first time I felt compelled to write a tasting report on a mirin (cooking sweet sake)!
But Atsukayama brewed by Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City has nothing in common with even the best mirin used in Japanese cooking!
I recently used it for making umeshu with plenty of it and shochu distilled by the same brewery, with the diffrence I didn’t have to use any sugar!
Mind you, it is pretty famous all over the country and not easy to obtain but I can assure you this is a must if you want to enjoy a sweet drink away from the beaten tracks at your next repast!

Atsukayama
Junmai Hon Mirin (true mirin made with junmai sake!)
Alcohol: 14~15 degrees
Essence: 44%
Bottled in July 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Rich golden
Aroma: Strong and assertive. Fruity. Oranges, loquats, almonds, honey.
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Very sweet attack backed up with junmai petillant.
Complex and fruity. Apricots, plums, nuts, honey.
Disappears more quickly than expected on a surprisingly drier note with hints of nuts and almonds.
Especially enjoyable at all temperatures.
For all its sweetness drinks more like a mellow sweet sake or a liquorish white wine with such an incredible complexity.

Overall: A mirin for cooking? That would be extremely extravagant unless you use it on its own to accentuate a dish.
A rare “dish ingredient” that should be ignored as such and drunk on its own at a temperature of your liking as an aperitif, a digestif or as a night cap.
Chilled, it reveals itself as a superb nectar. Would do marvelously well in cocktails, too.
You must sample it with blue cheese!

More than a discovery, a blessing!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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: 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!
-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

Bars, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

The Ale House in Fujieda City (Summer 2013-revisited)

August 21, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly and smiling, all in a very quiet atmosphere (when not full!)
Facilities: Overall very clean. Clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Shizuoka Micro breweries’ beers on tap, Belgian beers and pub grub.

There are very few pubs, I mean real pubs, British or Irish, worth noticing in our Prefecture.
But I surely don’t mind traveling all the way from Shizuoka City to Fujieda City and come back with the last train back home under the questioning looks from commuters going back to their sleeping town! Fortunately The Ale House is only less than 10 minutes away from the south exit of the JR Station!

It has become one of those “kakureya” (“hidden spots”) that a lot of residents expats talk about, and deservedly so.
Would you believe it I visited it for the first time again in 6 years with a motley of friends! They stille remembered me, though! LOL

At least it looks like a real pub!

But I let my English friend Patrick of Think Twiceguide me along and introduce me to the matser of the Place, Mr. Masayuki Saitou
Mr. Saitou explained us he opened his Pub in 1995 out a search for a new challenge away from the dreary life of a typical Japanese “salaryman”, and indulge in his hobby, namely whisky.
Talking of whisky, he does have an impression collection, but you will have to ask him to show it as it is protected from the spotlights inside wooden cabinets!
Now, if you are a beer lover, he has an extra treat for you, a proof of his dedication: baird Beer from Numazu City and Bayern Meister Bier from Fujinomiya City on tap!

The only problem is that it is really tough to take clear pictures in the very dark lounge bar!

Some of the beers available with their country of origin clearly marked. Don’t worry Mr. Saitoh will somehow explain everything if you don’t read Japanese!

Some of these are actually sometimes available!

The food menu ( a lot of typical pub grub) is in Japanese but the master will gladly help you read it!

the same for the drinks!

Interestingly enough, people here do not know we do have quite a few notable “jibiru”, microbreweries, in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Now if you are into cocktails, no worries, the Ale House has more than you can drink.

Beers come in all kinds of sizes, shapes, colors, on the tap and in bottles!

Long ones, too?

These beer coasters were everywhere! Now, who is this guy?

A very dark beer in a very dark place! LOL

there is plenty of grub (foods) to choose from:
Cheese assortment.

Fried potato wedges with their skins.

Pickles.

Sausages.

Spicy potatoes.

Keema pizza!

Skillet-fried chicken and vegetables.

Spicy mushroom noodles.

And even desserts such as this pear tart!

I won’t want 6 years till my next visit, I can assure you!

The Ale House
426-0061 Fujieda City, Tanuma, 1-4-12 (JR Station South Exit, take second on left)
Tel. & Fax: 054-6362889
Opening hours: 18:30~25:00
Closed on Mondays (Tuesdays are open, even in the case of a National Holiday)
Blog/Homepage (Japanese only)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

焼酎, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shochu, Tourism

Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Sugii Brewery-Saisuke Imo Shochu

August 9, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City not only creates superlative sake renown all over the country, but they also produce a whole range of extravagant shochu made mainly from local products!

Shizuoka-grown Azuma sweet potatoes
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5 (sake yeast!)
Alcohol: 25.5 degrees
Bottled in March 2013

Clarity: very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Dry “sweet Potato”
Body: Fluid
Taste: Assertive but almost shy and dry well-rounded attack.
Complex: Raw sweet potato or potato without the sweetness!
Dryness tends to expand all over the palate.
Very strong character typical of all sweet potato shochu, but with more elegance than expected.
Drinks superbly poured on plenty of ice, but like all good shochu can be enjoyed with cold green tea, mineral water or with hot water and umeboshi.
Actually, such a good shochu calls for an unlimited number of combinations although I thoroughly enjoyed it on its own!

Overall: The perfect drink for strong and heavy izakaya gastronomy, but I I know a lot of friends including Sissi, would drink it straight or on the rocks!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki

May 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

The toji/brewmaster at Shidaizumi brewery in Fujieda City is of the Noto School, that is from Noto Peninsula in Ichikawa Prefecture.
Ichikawa and Shizuoka Prefecture sake arevery similar in concept and many are made for sake tasting competitions.

Elegant presentation!

plenty of explanations but this is the very top!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 15^16 degrees
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Dryness: + 4.0
Acidity: 1.3

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fleeting, elegant. Rice
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft well-rounded attack backed up by junmai petillant.
Abruptly turns to a very dry note at the back of the palate upon swallowing.
Complex:
Pears, hints of green apple, grapes. Late appearance of dry nuts.
Elegant and sophisticated. There is no point to drink it with food although it changes little.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to be tasted on its own.
A great and so elegant aperitif when chilled.
But is eminently enjoyable at any temperature.
A sake to impress your friends or important people!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Nyan Cup Junmai Ginjo

April 15, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City has the particularity to be the first to produce a sake in a cup with the name “Nyan/Pussy” character painted on the glass cup.

Both the name “Nyan Cup” and the design are registered copyrights! The fact it is directly “painted” on the cup make it impossible to copy!

Yes, this cute design is copyrighted!

And it is certainly not a cheap sake!

Although the marketed price is ridiculously low!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki 100%
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: 0
Alcohol: 15.8 degrees
Contents: 180 ml
Bottled in February 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Rice, white lees, banana
Body: Fluid
Tasting: Very fruity attack backed by junmai petillant.
Elegant and complex.
Lingers on very little and departs on a very soft note.
Pears, melon, almonds, hints of banana.
Changes little with food but for a little more pronounced dryness.

Overall: Absolutely extravagant for a sake cup sake. I would venture as far as to averring it is arguably the best sake sold in a cup in japan!
It would make for the perfect souvenir/present to a sake-loving lady! Now, if she does like cats, you’ll become a darling!
The soft elegance will appeal to any true sake lover. Almost sweet by Shizuoka standards.
Don’t bring too many with you! Danger! LOL!
I personally consider it as a great aperitif lightly chilled!
Next time I go to France, I’ll take a bunch with me!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Aoshima Brewery-Kikuyoi Futsushu Muroka Shiboritate Tooki Genshu

February 14, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

When Aoshima Brewery puts out a “futsushu/normal sake/non-premium sake”, it is a small event in itself!
In fact the very title shows it has got little normal about it!
“Futsushu” stands for “normal sake”, “Muroka” for “Unfiltered”, Shibroitate” for “Just pressed”, “Tooki” for “Winter Season” and “Genshu” for Unwatered sake”.
On top of that it is a “Gentei/Limited” sake!

Plenty of explanations for a “Normal sake#!

As I have already said it is a limited brand, and it could be the very last one as Aoshima San confided he might not make any more “futsushu” from next year as they turn to be more expensive than a premium honjozo!

Alcohol: 19~20 degrees
Bottled on 21st December 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color light golden hue
Aroma: Discreet end elegant. Alcohol. Rice
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong attack backed with puissant delicious alcohol and petillant akin to a junmai.
Very dry in approach.
Complex: dry nuts.
Lingers for a while with alcohol warming up back of the palate.
Varies very little with food. Only get drier with more petillant.
Actually marries marvelously with any food, especially heavy izakaya fare.

Overall: For lovers of elegant but strong sake!
You have to told again and again that it is only a “futsushu/normal sake” as there is nothing normal about it!
This is when you realize the general level of the sake found in Shizuoka Prefecture! Just add on top of that that Aoshima Brewery’s Kikuyoi brand regularly appears on national magazines…!!!!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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,