Category Archives: Sake Brewery

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

Shizuoka Sake tasting: Fujimasa Brewery-Junmai

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Usually I’m not really keen to acquire “souvenir sets” when it come to sake, but Fujimasa Brewery in Fujinomiya City, whose sake are not easy to buy in Shizuoka City, put out an interesting set I could not resist!

Instead of the difficult to handle one-cup sake they offered their products in 180 ml bottles making it so practical for individual tasting of 3 different sake instead of having to buy the bigger bottles.

Cute design representing the brewery!

You are invited to compare the three different tastes!

The third bottle: Junmai!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Very dry bananas, almonds
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack backed by a little junmai petillant.
Very nutty flavors: almonds, macadamia nuts, and faint oranges.
Disappears very quickly with faint notes of oranges and more nuts.
Very easy to drink.
Constantly calls for the next cup.
Stays dry and very smooth with every cup.
Take an even drier turn with food.
Changes little with food but tends to take a back seat then with more oranges and nuts.
Tends to become a little sweeter on the palate when away from food again.

Overall: A junmai obviously designed for food.
Shows little of the characteristics of a junmai but is nonetheless very pleasant and marries well with food.
Even though, being very dry, it could be drunk best as an aperitif. A dry sherry?
Definitely for dry sake lovers!

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,

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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujimasa Brewery-Honjozo

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Usually I’m not really keen to acquire “souvenir sets” when it come to sake, but Fujimasa Brewery in Fujinomiya City, whose sake are not easy to buy in Shizuoka City, put out an interesting set I could not resist!

Instead of the difficult to handle one-cup sake they offered their products in 180 ml bottles making it so practical for individual tasting of 3 different sake instead of having to buy the bigger bottles.

Cute design representing the brewery!

You are invited to compare the three different tastes!

The second bottle! A honjozo!

Rice milled down to 65%
Alcohol: 15=16 degrees
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Strong, fruity and spicy. Green apples, melon, almonds and faint notes of banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded attack with a strong and pleasant alcohol bak up warming up the palate.
Complex. Dry, fruity and spicy.
Almonds, dark chocolate, chestnuts.
Lingers for a little while before leaving the stage on a dry and spicy note.
Easy to drink on its own away from food in spite of its dry and spicy nature.
Dry almonds make a strong comeback with the second cup.
Varies little with food, persevering with its delicious spiciness. Actually tends to take on a softer turn inside the palate with a wealth of nuts.
Oranges, macadamia nuts, almonds and chestnuts combine for a very pleasant nutty sweetish taste away from food.

Overall: Another sake obviously designed for food, but eminently enjoyable on its own.
A sake one could bring to any izakaya, BBQ or outdoors party!
The spicy nutty taste will surprise and please quite a few, especially for the fact it tends to reveal new facets from the third glass onward!

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,

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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Makino Brewery-Fujisan Junmai Ginjo

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Makino Brewery might be a small brewery in Fujinomiya City but it is the only in Prefecture calling one one of its brands “Fujisan/Mount Fuji/富士山”!

Their sake are not easy to find in Shizuoka City, but for once I managed to get my hands on their Junmai Ginjo!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15 degrees
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and light. Pineapple, green apples
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and smooth attack immediately followed by puissant junmai petillant.
Rapidly disappears on an even drier note.
Fruity and complex. Almond, pears, macadamia nuts.
Ends up on very dry almonds.
Insistently calls for the next cup.
Faint coffee beans appearing later.
Very easy to drink in spite of its very dry nature.
Changes little with food but tends to disappear more quickly then.
Strong comeback by coffee beans away from food.

Overall: In spite of its elevated ginjo status, it is a sake highly enjoyable with food.
Because of its dryness it can be also appreciated at any temperature.
A sake for dry sake lovers, it seemed very attractive to my lady friends!

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,

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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujimasa Brewery Genkotsu Honjozo

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Usually I’m not really keen to acquire “souvenir sets” when it come to sake, but Fujimasa Brewery in Fujinomiya City, whose sake are not easy to buy in Shizuoka City, put out an interesting set I could not resist!

Instead of the difficult to handle one-cup sake they offered their products in 180 ml bottles making it so practical for individual tasting of 3 different sake instead of having to buy the bigger bottles.

Cute design representing the brewery!

You are invited to compare the three different tastes!

The brewery design is repeated on the first bottle!
Incidentally the name “genkotsu” means “fist” to describe the “brutal” approach! LOL

Rice milled down to 65%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Dry and strong. Alcohol. Fruity: custard.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack.
Unusual strong approach for a Shizuoka Prefecture sake.
Strong dry almonds and oranges.
High acidity helping warming up back of the palate.
Lingers only for a while with dry almonds and custard peeking out.
Tends to grow milder with food bringing about faint notes of macadamia nuts, oranges and coffee beans.

Overall: A sake obviously designed as a dry and solid beverage although it tends to grow milder after the initial aggressive impression.
Holds the interesting capacity to first shock the palate into acceptance to finally tame the latter into acceptance and enjoyment by rewarding it with concealed dry and fruity facets.
For the strong and the bold!
Would make for an intriguing marriage with dark chocolate!

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,

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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

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

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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!

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,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!, 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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kanzawagawa Brewery-Shosetsu-Tokubetsu Junmai-Bizen Omachi Rice

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Kanazawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City in front of the sea, has been attracting a lot of attention nationwide for producing high quality premium sake to be enjoyed with food. It is actually more difficult than it sounds as usually premium sake are conceived more for tasting than accompanying food.

Rice Bizen Omachi
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in October 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Almost transparent
Aroma: Strong and fruity. pears, green apples.
Body: Fluid. Slightly syrupy.
Taste: Well-rounded attack backed by pleasant alcohol and junmai petillant.
Fruity and complex: custard, pears, apples, faint notes of macadamia nuts, almonds and coffee beans.
At times it reminded me a little of amazake/sweet sake (no あｌcohol and made with sake white lees).
Changes little with food if a little drier.
Disappears fairly quickly.
Drinks so easily and marries so well with food.

Overall: A sake obviously created for food.
The perfect complement to izakaya gastronomy.
Mind you, I would take it to nay party, BBQ or simply keep it at home within my grasp at all times!

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,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!, 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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gotemba City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Negami Brewery-Kinmei Junmai Ginjo-Sunshu Gotemba-Fujisanroku No Jizake

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What I particularly like about Negami Brewery in Gotemba City is that they try hard promoting localculture and economy!

And their labels are both cute retro and artistically modern!
This time it is definitely retro with a beautiful Mount Fuji indicated under the name “Fuji Sankoku no Jizake/富士山麓の地酒, that is a sake made on Mount Fuji and the nearby mountains!

A beautiful Japanese crane for luck!
They also mention the region name, Sunsyu Gotemba/駿州御殿場!

They also take the pain to announce its junmai ginjo on top of the bottle!

Rice milled down to 55%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in June 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Fruity. Pears, banana, green apples.
Body: Fluid. A little sirupy
Taste: Well-rounded attack backed with strong junmai petillant.
Complex and fruity: starts with pears and banana to finish with strong green apples. Faint coffee beans and dark chocolate peeking out on further sips.
Takes a flight on a very dry note.
Marries well with food. Varies little but gets even drier with an appearance from macadamia nuts and almonds.

Overall: In spite of its elevated status, this is a sake that can be enjoyed equally on its own or with food, although it will gets markedly drier with the latter.
I drank it both slightly chilled and at room temperature.
Chilled, it would make for a beautiful fruity aperitif, especially if combined with with light taste appetizers such as asparagus.
Complex facets would surge out more easily at room temperature, though!
Another sake so worthy of discovery!

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,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!, 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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujimasa Brewery-Fujinomiya Kouriki Junmai Ginjo Homare Fuji Genshu

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Fujimasa Brewery lays at the bottom of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya City.
Their sake are not easy to find away from Eastern Shizuoka but they definitively worth the efforts to discover them!
Moreover Fujimasa is also actively promoting local products as well as Mount Fuji and the surrounding tourism!

This also another brewery using long descriptions for their sake!
“Fujinomiya Kouriki” means “Strong Promotion of Fujinomiya City”.

The sake is made with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji Sake rice!

Rice: Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees (genshu)
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Very dry. Fruity. Dry bananas, rice, alcohol.
Body: fluid
Taste: Very dry attack. Slightly sirupy. Strong alcohol.
Fruity. Deep dry almonds, macadamia nuts, coffee beans, oranges, chestnuts.
Complex.
Lingers for a little while warming up back of the palate with junmai petillant.
Show many new facets with each sip.
Takes on a drier turn but softer note with food.
Coffee beans and chestnuts make a strong comeback away from food.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived for heavy izakaya food but definitely can be enjoyed on its won.
Actually I found it more interesting on its own with so many facets keeping popping up and its beautiful dryness.
Had a strong tendency to change with the further cup, even becoming almost sweet got me lost in wonder!

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

レシピ, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 農業, Fish, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Hiyaoroshi Sake Gastronomic Party by Team Kumagusu & Nagashima Wine Store in Shizuoka City!

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On Monday October the 15th Team Kumagusu, an association of Shizuoka Chefs, and Nagashima Wine Store, who all work very hard to promote the Shizuoka Gastronomy and producers, held a gastronomic party at Baker’s Market in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City to celebrate Hiyaoroshi sake/new sake by three breweries and introduce local products from all over the Prefecture!

Mr. Nagashima of Nagashima Wine Store!

Mr. Tozaki of Hana Oto Restaurant and Mr. Sano of Kamoshibito Restaurant!

Mr. Shimura of Narusei Restaurant and Mr. Yoshimura of Uzu Restaurant.
Mr. Nakada of Hiro Sushi Restaurant could not come but his cuisine was also featured!

With 54 guests they certainly needed all the help they could muster!

Some of the appetizers being prepared before the guests made their entrance!

Precise work!

Mr. Takashima Of Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

Mr. Sugii of Suginishiki Brewery in Fujieda City!

Mr. Doi of Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City!

Some of the sake brought by Mr. Takashima:
Yamahai Junmai Hiyaoroshi
Nigori Junmai
Kimoto Junmai (not on sale yet!)

The mystery sake!

Some of the sake brought by Mr. Sugii:
Kimoto Junmai Hiyaoroshi
Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo (brewed in 2010)

Sake brought by Mr. Doi:
Junmai Ginjo Koshu ((brewed in 1995!)
Junmai Ginjo Nama (brewed in 2010)
Junmai Hiyaoroshi

The chefs tasted the sake before the guests arrived, naturally!

All the water on the tables came directly from the breweries’ wells!

Guests attentively listening to the pre-dinner explanations!

The guests patiently waiting for the festivities to start!
Now, what was on the menu?

A lot actually: Grilled eggplant and trout in konbujime style with sesame oil By Hiro Sushi.

Varied appetizers including:
Jumbo boiled peanuts from Fujinonomiya City by Hana Oto
Small turnip and persimmon marinated by Kamoshibito
Matsunaga tofu marinated in sake malt and crackers by Uzu
shinju Scallops brochette by Narusei

Frogfish liver/ankimo steamed in Seikyousuke style by Uzu

Herring and herring roe by Uzu

Avocado and Scallops in egg yolk umeshu dressing by Uzu.

Fresh mozuku seaweed from Miyako Island in Okinawa.

Organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City steamed by Uzu.

These beautiful vegetables were served with three different sauces!

More beautiful vegetables!
Natural salt was also on hand!

I just couldn’t stop looking at them and asking for more!

Amagi Shamo Chicken from Horie Farm in Izu Peninsula and seasonal vegetables sauteed Chinese style by Hana Oto!

Magenton pork from Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City fried with maitake/Broomstick mushrooms in daikon in daikon sauce by Kamoshibito!

Smoked sawara/Spanish mackerel by Narusei!

Ebihimo and eringe mushrooms in walnut sauce by Kamoshibito!

Mackerel and barracuda pressed sushi by Hiro Sushi!

Fried rice vermicelli by Hana Oto!

A feast!
Looking forward to the next event!

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-Junmai Daiginjo Homare Fuji

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Not many breweries have attempted or been able yet to produce sake of the daiginjo class with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji rice but Senju brewery in Iwata City has certainly succeeded!

Rice: Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Discreet, elegant, fruity. Pears, apples, banana
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft attack backed up by a reasonable amount of junmai petillant.
Turns dry very quickly with an elegant turn.
Complex and fruity: almonds, macadamia nuts, cherries, custard.
Disappears very quickly asking many questions.
Elegant and fleeting.
I did not taste it with food for many reasons and drank it at room temperature only.

Overall: Elegant is the only adjective to describe this sake.
Very fleeting to the point of revealing a very feminine personality.
This is the first time I drank a Junmai Daiginjo with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji rice.
Both a discovery and a secret!

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Iwata City, Japan, Japanes Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-Ginjo Hiyaoroshi Nama Genshu

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September and October are the season for Hiyaoroshi Sake!

Hiyaoroshi generally means that the sake is sold out of the tank without a second pasteurization.
Well this one, being a nama, was never pasteurized!
Moreover it is a genshu limited to a mere 80 bottles!

Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 18~19 degrees
Limited to 80 bottles
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Puissant and dry. Alcohol. Vanilla, pineapple
Body: Fluid
Taste: Smooth attack backed with strong alcohol warming up back of the palate.
Fruity and complex.
Coffee beans, oranges, almonds, dark chocolate.
Very pleasant and easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol content.
Lingers for a little while on a very dry note with more coffee beans and dry almonds perking up.
Varies little with food except for a drier note with more coffee beans and very dry almonds.

Overall: It is not often you can enjoy such a limited premium sake with a very macho character especially in Shizuoka Prefecture. Marries well with food, although extravagant for a meal. I definitely enjoyed best on its own but also drank it with Shizuoka oden! You can’t have it in a more local manner although a lot of people would kill drinking such a beauty with so simple food!

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Iwata City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Saba, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-”Fuji no Kuni” Junmai Ginjo Homare Fuji

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Iwata City for all its economic importance in Shizuoka Prefecture has only one Sake Brewery, Senju, but it is head and shoulders above the Japanese average although it is a fairly unknown and small brewery.
Not only they produce top-class nectars, they also actively promote local agriculture and tourism with this sake made with Shizuoka-grown sake rice and named “Fuji no Kuni”, the official nickname of our Prefecture!

Rice: Homare Fuji 100%
Rice milled down to 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Water from own well into Tenryuu River bed
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Pears, rice.
Body: Fluid & a little sirupy
Taste: Very well-rounded attack. Complex and fruity.
Junmai petillant warming up back of the palate.
Dark chocolate, cherries, pears, almonds. Faint coffee beans.
Disappears fairly quickly on a very dry note.
Turns very dry with food.
Very pleasant on its own.
Marries well with food, although shows different facets then.
Sweetens to linger back under palate once away from food.
Seems to always entice you back.

Overall: Very pleasant sake fit for any food, although eminently drinkable on its own.
Extravagant for a sake made with Homare Fuji rice!
A difficult sake to escape from!

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

レシピ, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Food & Drinks Bloggers in Japan (amended, October 2012)

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The number of foreigners and Japanese nationals who write about the food and drinks in Japan in English (or at least answer comments in English) has remarkably increased lately.
I thought it was about time to start some kind of round-up to help people discover these deserving foodies and their blogs!The list below is far from exhaustive, but I’m planning to update and announce it regularly!
Of course if you know more foodies residing in Japan, do please direct them to me and I will introduce them gladly!

HOKKAIDO TRIBE
(Hokkaido Island)
Meishu no Yutaka by Carlin
The Best of Sapporo by Ben!

TOHOKU TRIBE
(Northeastern Japan: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima)
Cooking with Mama Miyuki in Sendai
Slow Food From Japan by Nigel Fodgen in Miyagi Prefecture.

KANTO TRIBE
(Eastern Japan: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa)
Japan Eat’s Videos
Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton
Watch Japan in Tokyo
Little Japan Mama in Tokyo
Japan Eats (featured on request)
47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities By Sara and Roshni in Tokyo
Eating Out in Tokyo with DominicTokyo Through The Drinking Glass by Melinda Joe in Tokyo
Tokyo Foodcast by Etsuko Nakamura in Tokyo
Sake World by John Gauntner in Tokyo: The inernational Reference for Japanese Sake!
Tokyo Terrace by Rachael in Tokyo
Gaijin Tonic in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture
Nonjatta by Chris Bunting in Tokyo
The Soul Of Japan in Kanagawa Prefecture
Sake, kimono and Tabi In Tokyo
Tokyo Kawai, Etc… in Tokyo
Blue Lotus in Tokyo
The Japanese Food Report by Harris Salat in Tokyo
The Sake Chronicles in Tokyo
Watashi to Tokyo by Mari Kanazawa in Tokyo
Japanese Food-Food Lover’s Guide by Yukari Yamamoto in Tokyo
Gaijin Life by a Canadian gentleman in Tokyo
Leo’s Japan Food Blog in Tokyo
Eating Out In Tokyo With Jon
Fugu Tabetai in Tokyo
Japan Style in Tokyo
COCO’s Oriental Kitchen by angela Cooper in Tokyo
Free Online Japanese Food Recipes in Tokyo
Reminiscence in Tokyo
Cooking Japanese Style By Naoko, in Tokyo
Japan Farmers Market in Tokyo by Joan

CHUBU TRIBE
(Central Japan: Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi)
Good Beer & Country Boys in Aichi Prefecture
Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonbayashi in Shizuoka City!
Damonde Life by Matt Ryan in Hamamatsu & Enshu, shizuoka Prefecture
Mangantayon in Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Gourmet, Shizuoka Sake, Shizuoka Sushi, Shizuoka Shochu in Shizuoka Prefecture
Bryan Baird’s Beer & Brewery in Numazu in Shizuoka Prefecture
A Modern Girl from Niigata and all over Japan!

KANSAI TRIBE
(Western Japan: Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Kyoto, Wakayama)
Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
Yellin Yakimono Gallery by Robert Yellin in Shizuoka Prefecture, just moved to Kyoto!
Colorfood Daidokoro in Osaka (Englis & French)
Dominique Corby In Osaka (in French, but can answer and read in English)
Nagaijin in Osaka
Kyoto Foodie in Kyoto
Our Adventures in Japan by K and S Minoo in Osaka
Japan Food Addict by Mai in Kyoto

CHUGOKU
(“Central Country”: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi)
“Made in Matsue” in Shimane prefecture
Get Hiroshima Blog in Hiroshima
The Wide Island Review, The JET Programme Webzine Of Hiroshima Prefecture (includes food & drink articles)

SHIKOKU
(Shikoku Island: Kagawa, Kochi, Ehime, Tokushima)
Obachan’s Kitchen & Garden Balcony in Kochi Prefecture
Still Clumsy With Chopsticks in Kochi Prfecture (Continuation of Obachan’s Kitchen & Garden Balcony)
Rocking in Hakata by Deas Richardson

KYUSHU
(Kyushu Island: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Saga, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima)
Finding Fukuoka
Food from Fukuoka, Kyushu and Japan by Fumiko Soda
Fukuoka Sake Guide by Daisuke Ito
Quixotidienne in Kagoshima Prefecture

OKINAWA
(Okinawa Archipelago)
HWN Pake in Okinawa in Chatan, Okinawa
I’m sorry to say that Nate has just passed away and that his blog has disappeared, but I’ll keep it there as it is in his memory!
Dojo Bar in Naha
Eating Okinawa
Okinawa Hai!
Total Okinawa

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

レシピ, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Iazakaya: Another Quick Visit at Waga (Fall 2012) in Shizuoka City!

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What are these?
See below!

Service: Very friendly and easy-going! Slow food!
Facilities: Very clean overall. Large and clean washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great list of sake and shochu. Typical izakaya gastronomy with a personal touch!

When you don’t have much time, back at night from a long trip and still too hungry to go straight away back home where you don’t want spend time cooking and what else, there is only one solution: stop by in an izakaya as there are plenty still open very late.
Now, if you happen to know one better than average near your place, there is no hesitation!
So once again we visited Waga in Shizuoka City!

Now, what can you expect, even in such a hurry?

A great range of sake at the very least! They also have wine, shochu, beeer, etc.

Talk of a cute sake label!

Late at night food ought to be light:
pickled myoga ginger salad!

Maguro tataki/Seared tuna!

For a closer look of a Waga’s specialty!

Daikon Katsu, another Waga’s specialty!

Pickled shiro uri/white gourd salad!

Pickled cucumber salad with fresh spicy miso paste!

Deep-fried yama imo/Japanese yam as it is!
So light and crunchy!

Beautiful madai/True seabream sashimi!

Katsuo/Bonito sashimi salad!

Assortment of pickled fish and squid!

Baked stuffed eggplant!

Another Waga’s specialty: Tori Nankotu Karaage/Deep-fried soft chicken cartilages!
A must-try!

A great comfort dish before going back home:
“Yasai ga Tappuri Kata Yaki Soba/Hard-fried soba in soup with plenty of vegetables”!

Come winter and the cold weather, I will want that again!

To be continued…

WAGA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 2-1-20, Kuroyanagi Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-271-7121
Business hours: 17:30~23:30, 17:30~26:00 (on Fridays, Saturdays and National Holidays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Sanwa Brewery-Garyubai Junmai Ginjo

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Sanwa Brewery in Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, is a bit of a maverick as it is the only one not to use the Shizuoka Yeast as a matter of policy!
I love their retro Garyubai label!

This is the season for all the breweries to bottle “Hiyaoroshi/pateurized only once” nectars!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in August 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Discreet, sweetish, fruity. Vanilla
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft attack backed by junmai petillant warming up back of the palate.
Fruity and a little sirupy. Complex: pears, coffee beans, cherries. Reminiscent of “cherry bonbon”!
Lingers for a while before taking an exit on a drier and fruity note with nuts, almonds and dark chocolate.
Very pleasant and easy to drink.
Takes a drier path with food with more nuts and dark chocolate.
Marries well with food, although it tends to take a back seat with spicy foods.

Overall: An elegant sake off the beaten Shizuoka tracks.
Very pleasant on its own.
Constantly calling for the next glass/cup.
Marries well with food although gets a bit overwhelmed by spicy or heavy food.
A sake to be enjoyed for its sake!

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,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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery