Category Archives: Kakegawa City

Cafe, Green Tea, Kakegawa City, Organic Tea, Shizuoka Prefecture, Yoshiharu Matsushita

Organic Green Tea Cafe: TEA TIME MARUHA by Yoshihara Matsushita in Kakegawa City!

June 26, 2019 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Smiling, kind ans very attentive
Equipment and facilities: Overall spotless clean. Completely non-smoking
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Organic Green tea and gelato/ice cream!

Yoshiharu Matsushita/松下芳春さん (on the right) has been growing tea in organic fashion as long as he can remember and actively continues not only growing it but conducting continuous research to ever improve quality.
Some ten years he decided to reach more people and customers by opening a very original Cafe called Maruha near his faraway tea fields in Kakegawa City!

The concept has a multiple purpose. Not only it introduces customers to top class organic green tea, but it also offers a space to enjoy it at leisure in the middle of rural Japan!

It also sells utensils, souvenirs and history!

A very spacious cafe with direct view on Japanese nature!

The menu is short but solid: Maruha New Green Tea set with green tea biscuits and green tea gelato, Cold macha Shiruko Japanese dessert, Maruha Zensai Japanese dessert and two types of green tea gelato! And also 4 different tea milk shakes!

The gelato/ice cram on offer!

I ordered the new green tea set with green tea biscuits and matcha gelato!

Delicious matcha gelato!

And superb top class new green tea!

Definitely worth the drive!

TEA TIME MARUHA

436-0011 Shizuoka Prefecture, Kakegawa City, Tamari, 592
Tel.: 0537-22-6528
Opening hours: 10:00~17:00
Closed on Wednesdays
GOOGLE MAP

YOSHIHARU MATSUSHITA/松下芳春
Matsushita Tea Garden (JONA Certificated)
436-0011 Shizuoka Prefecture, Kakegawa City, Tamari, 181
Tel.: 0537-22-6528
Fax: 0537-23-4331
Tea Fields direct phone number: 080-3468-7750
WEBSITE
E-MAIL: suppin@gmail.com

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery- Enshuu Yokosuka Aoitenka Junmai Ginjo Gaiden Yamada Nishiki

June 26, 2016 dragonlife Leave a comment

It had been a long time since I could taste a nectar brewed by Yamanaka Brewery in Kakegawa City as they are not easy to obtain here in Shizuoka City!

Even when considering this brew is concocted every year!
“Enshuu Yokosuka Aoitenka Junmai Ginjo Gaiden Yamada Nishiki”!
“Enshuu” is the old name for the Western area of Shizuoka Prefecture and “Yokosuka” one of its old districts. “Gaiden” means “Anecdote”!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (Hyogo prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: + 4.8
Acidity: 1.4
Yeast: Kyokai 1501
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in May 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: dry and fruity. banana, pineapple
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and very fruity attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant
Complex: pineapple, faint pears and apricots.
Lingers for a while on the palate before departing on drier notes of custard and nuts.
Takes an even drier turn with food with notes of nuts and custard.

Overall: Another discovery as made every year!
Dry and extremely fruity.
Elegant and easy to drink.
Will please both genders of any age!
Eminently enjoyable on its own or with any food at any temperature.
A sake for all seasons!
Suggested pairings: stews, oden, cheese.

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Kakegawa City, One Cup sake, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 9): Doi Brewery-Iwaizake Kaiun Tokubetsu Junmai

August 31, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

A very interesting and reasonable way to taste sake is to acquire one-cup sake!
They also make for cute collection of glasses or cups!

Now, this is the second batch of Shizuoka Prefecture One Cup Sake I obtained at Matsuzakaya Department Store in Shizuoka City!

“Kaiun” by Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City!

As far as I know I think this is the only one they put out, but that might change quickly as this form of sake is becoming increasingly popular!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in July 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: very faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. melon, rice, pears, greens
Taste: very dry and fruity attack backed up with moderate junmai petillant.
Complex. Pears, dark chocolate, walnuts, custard.
Lingers for a while warming the palate before departing on an even drier note with hints of dark chocolate, coffee beans and custard.
Late appearance of oranges.
Varies little with food but for a drier note.
Coffee beans make a strong comeback again away from food.

Overall: a deep, heady and complex, and very fruity sake, but with a pronounced dryness.
Eminently enjoyable on its own, it does marry beautifully with any food, though.
Suggested pairings: cheese, biscuits, desserts.
A sure value, an extravagant sake for a one-cup!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Doi Brewery–Kaiun Ginjo Nama Genshu

June 20, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Still continuing the 300 ml bottle series!

This time I acquired a bottle from Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City where the brew master comes from the noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture!

A ginjo does not come reaaly cheap!

Pretty heady stuff as it is a not only a ginjo but also a nama and genshu!

Rice milled down to 50%
Dryness: + 10
Alcohol: 16=17 degrees
Bottled in April 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity: banana, melon, dark chocolate
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Very dry and fruity attack backed with strong and pleasant alcohol.
Deceptively dry in spite of its great fruitiness.
Elegant in spite of its high alcohol contents.
Complex: custard, melon, banana, almonds, with late appearance of milk coffee.
Disappears fairly quickly.
Dark chocolate making a strong appearance with later sips.
marries well with food with little variation.

Overall: Heady, complex, elegant sake for the strong sake lovers.
Can be thoroughly enjoyed at any temperatures although I would recommend to start it chilled and let it warm up to discover more facets on the way.
A dangerous sake as its alcohol contents are pretty high but will hit you after a while!
Probably best enjoyed chilled as a night cap but I won’t take any responsibility! LOL

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Traditional Japanese Houses: Shimizu Bank Branch in Kakegawa City!

February 11, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

In Kakegawa City on the way to the Kakegawa Castle you will discover and old traditional house with some interesting story!

On a bright day it does provide a great sight for photography!

All facades will show you a different facet of the architecture!

Wait for the green light before crossing! LOL

This is a story which was actually the source for the name of a local sake brand!
Kazutoyo built Kōchi Castle. His life spanned the closing years of the Sengoku period, the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and the beginning of the Edo period.
Just four years after he became Lord of Tosa, Kazutoyo died without issue aged around 60, and was succeeded as Lord of Tosa by his nephew Tadayoshi.
Chiyo, as a wise and beautiful wife, helped her husband Yamauchi Kazutoyo up from an ordinary samurai to the governor of an entire province, Tosa.
In 1590, Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo 山内一豊, a great horse lover had been looking for a special mount of his own.
His wife spent untold time and efforts until she found, brought and gave a great horse to her beloved husband.
The story is also the source of the 45th NHK Taiga drama (2006), a dramatization of the life of Kazutoyo, with his wife Chiyo as the central character!

Lord Kazutoyo and his wife, Chiyo!

Another facade!

We are certainly thankful to the Shimizu Bank for preserving such a beautiful traditional Japanese house!

Even this Shimizu Bank sign is an antique!

Beautiful latticed windows!

I didn’t have much time on that da, but I’m sure there are a lot more pictures on offer!

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Non Smoking Japan: No smoking Sign at Kakegawa Castle

February 4, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Found at Kakegawa Castle Entrance!

The sign says:

No smoking
Protect Cultural Assets
Kakegawa Education Association

Some people still need to be told! To think that a castle in Japan is almost all made of wood………

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Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 11: Kakegawa City

December 11, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

One of the Kakegawa Castle Mints!

Kakegawa City in central west Shizuoka Prefecture is a city has certainly grown big, at least in area, when many surrounding towns were merged into it.
It also boasts a castle, a copy made in late 20th Century.

The same as above on a pavement!

Another mint in different colors!

There were older designs as the three below prove:

“Autumn Leaves Street!”
Water Duct Manhole Cover.

The same as above but over a Fire Station Water tank!

A version of the Kakegawa Castle without the colors!

This particular manhole covers commemorates the fact that Hisaka In Kakegawa City was the 25th Station of the Old Tokaido Road as painted by Hiroshige!

The same on a pavement!

Another mint in different colors!

The same on a pavement without the colors!

A rain water manhole cover!

Probably a sewer manhole cover!

A beautiful mint for Kamiuchida District!

Manhole cover in Daito Cho which has since been merged into kakegawa City!

Electric cable access manhole cover in Ogasayama Sports Center!

Another electric cable access manhole cover in Ogasayama Sports Center!

the mint for a sewer manhole cover in Osuka Town which has been merged since with Kakegawa City!

Another mint for a manhole cover in Osuka Town which has been merged since with Kakegawa City!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery- Enshu Yokosuka Aoitenka Homare Fuji Junmai Ginjo Limited Edition

June 24, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Homare Fuji sake rice grown in Shizuoka Ptrefecture doesn’t need much to be introduced any longer, but the difference is that many local breweries are tackling the more difficult ginjo level with it and successfully at that!

More than two thirds of the Shizuoka Prefevture breweries are creating sake with Homare Fuji!
With the recent inclusion of Mount Fuji as a World Heritage will tempt collectors!

Rice: Homare Fuji 100%
Rice milled won to 55%
Yeast: Association N0 1501
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 1.5
Acidity: 1.7
Bottled in June 2013 (limited edition)

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Strong, dry and fruity. Banana, apricot, almonds
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong dry attack backed up by puissant junmai petillant.
Complex.
Bananas, oranges, nuts, almonds, walnuts.
Disappears fairly quickly on a very dry nutty note.
Changes little with food.
For all its seemingly announced little dryness, the sweetness is counterbalanced by the high acidity, for a beautiful balance.

Overall: A strong dry fruity nutty and very assertive sake.
Drinks superbly with any food.
Probably bets appreciated slightly chilled.
Although eminently enjoyable on its own, this is a typical sake from Yamanaka brewery (Kakegawa City) with intriguing complexity and fruitiness, making it the perfect sake to enhance food, especially of the better kind, be it Japanese or Western.
Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji sake is definitely coming of age!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Doi Brewery-Kaiun Hare no Hi Honjozo

November 13, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City is becoming more and more appreciated in Japan as well as abroad thanks to its master brewers from the Noto Peninsula, but also because of their efforts to promote Japanese traditions in the most positive way!

They naturally produce exquisite premium sake but also create some extravagant honjozo for people who enjoy their sake with food.
“Hare no HI” means “Bright Day”, a great name for a great occasion with friends!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in October 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and discreet. Melon, pineapple
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded and very dry attack.
Fruity and complex. Dry melon.
Fleeting and difficult to catch.
Very elegant in spite of its honjozo status.
Disappears quickly on a softer but still dry note with oranges.
Calls for the next cup.
Varies little with food with a little custard peeking out.
Dry almonds and macadamia nuts appearing as soon as away from food.

Overall: Another sake obviously designed to be enjoyed with food.
Changes very little with the latter.
Vastly more elegant than usual honjozo.
It was very popular with the ladies that helped me taste it!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery-Aoitenka-“Jin”-Junmai

May 27, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Yamanaka Brewery and its main brand, Aoitenka, are not much known in Japan and little away from the Western part of our Prefecture, but they certainly deserve all their praise in spite of their rarity!

This particular limited sake is called Jin/陣. “Jin” is a military term meaning “camp” or “position”.
In the old days the “jin” was marked with banners bearing the Arms/”mon” of the army overlord or commander.
The label features some of these “mon” for a beautiful design!

The “mon” represented with the bottleneck label is that of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to retired to Shizuoka (called Sumpu at the time) at the beginning of the 17th Century!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku 100% grown in Shizuoka Prefecture
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 2.0
Acidity: 1.4
Yeast: No 1401
Bottled in March 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity and fleeting. Nice alcohol. Cocoa, cherries
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up by junmai petillant.
Complex. Dark chocolate, coffee beans, oranges.
Starts soft to finish on a very dry note.
Becomes a lot drier with food with a predominance by oranges.
Dark chocolate making a strong comeback away from food, adding a soft note again all over the palate.

Overall: A sake obviously designed to be enjoyed with food but worth tasting both away and with food for interesting comparison.
Could be drunk at all temperatures for more fun and more discoveries.
A solid and dependable sake for all seasons in spite of its limited production!

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Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Chestnuts Shochu-Onozukara Mizukara by Fujinishiki Distillery

March 5, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Fujinishiki Brewery/Distillery in Fujinomiya City is remarkable for the fact they are the such establishment in Shizuoka Prefecture to own the largest number of licenses to produce sake, shochu and liqueurs!
Not only do they have the licenses but they are also very active in promoting the products of our Prefecture!
This time they have just created a shochu with their own sake lees/sake kasu and chestnuts grown in Kakegawa City!

Note the simple and cute chestnut design on the presentation box!

Chestnuts Shochu-Onozukara Mizukara by Fujinishiki Distillery

Made from distilled rice (sake lees) and chestnuts
Alcohol: 25 degrees

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Mild attack with a late alcohol surge. Fruity. Chestnuts, oranges, faint banana
Body: Light and fluid
Taste: Beautiful attack with plenty of chestnuts backed up by very pleasant alcohol.
Refreshing.
Faint oranges appear later on the palate.
First tasting conducted straight.
Blends well with water for a deep and smooth but light approach.
Very refreshing with ice or water or chilled carbonated water.

Overall: A discovery!
A very refreshing shochu that can be enjoyed all year round.
Best drunk very slowly on its own over ice.
Great as a long drink, too!
Very elegant and distinctly fruity.
Could definitely used in desserts and ice creams!

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Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), 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: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, 駅弁, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Kakegawa City, Tourism, 掛川市

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento:　Kazutoyo Gozen in Kakegawa JR Railway Station

December 11, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Kazutoyo Gozen/一豊御膳 refers to Kazutoyo Yamauchi, a Lord that lived in Kakegawa City during the Feudal Japan Era in the 16th Century and made famous in a TV Drama Series, while Gozen means “Repast”!
I bought this ekiben inside the Kakegawa JR Station on my way to work!

The whole ekiben could have made for a real present to take home!

As usual Jishotei Company in Hamamatsu City give precise explanations of the contents!

The ekiben as it looks without the sticker.
It is wrapped in very sturdy paper in the shape of a “furoshiki/bento box wrapping cloth”!

The box cover is another collector’s item with the introduction to the story of Lord Kazutoyo Yamauchi!

The inside was protected by a sheet of hard translucent paper and a wet towel was also provided!

Now, what do we have?

Two o-musubi/rice balls both molded into the shape of cherry blossom.
The first one is mixed with sansai/山菜/wild mountain vegetables and topped with a salted cherry blossom!

The second one consists of rice steamed into green tea from Kakegawa City!

Pickles and wasabi zuke to season the rice and a wagashi/Japanese cake made of anko/sweetmeats and jelly.

Chicken meat ball, simmered carrot, tofu flower atop a boiled sato imo/taro, boiled edamame, simmered burdock root, simmered shiitake mushroom, Takano tofu and Yuuba maki/tofu skin roll.