Drummers at Kanaya Tea Festival!

April 14, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Like in many festivals all over Japan, drums is a main feature not to miss, whatever the size or level!

Drums has been one of the main features of the Kanaya Tea Festival right from the beginning!
Apparently this was the sole responsibility of the men at first, but now ladies and youngsters of all ages take part for a complete participation by the population of Kanaya town!

These days the drum float is motorized and all six districts bands use it in turns!

Kanaya Taiko/金谷太鼓/The Drums of Kanaya!

Young and young at heart!

A demonstration of everlasting woman power!

Practice before home? LOL

Mind you, the men were not losing out!

Note the little kid in the front on the left!
Not afraid at all!

They certainly enjoy themselves!

The drummer of the day, still a high school girl!

And what about those kids! Incredible!

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Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

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-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

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Fish, Fish Markets, seafood, Shizuoka Prefecture Railway Stations

More Seafood and Fish at Parche Supermarket in Shizuoka City:!-And Botan Shrimps!

April 14, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

This the latest visit to the Shizuoka JR Station Parche supermarket in my regular search for seasonal and local seafood arriving directly every morning for the harbors of Numazu, Kogawa, Yui, Omaezaki, Mochimune, Shimoda and many others!
What did I find worthy of attention this first day of the week?

First of all the mixed batch of the day!

Hirame/平目/Sole, Madai/真鯛/Japanese red seabream, Magochi/真ゴチ/Flathead, Houbou/方々/Red Robin Gurnard, Kurodai/黒鯛/Japanese black porgy, Mejina・メジナ/Largescale Blackfish、Ishi kasago/居市カサゴ/A variety of rockfish, Ishidai/石鯛, Barred Knifejaw!

Takahashigani/高足蟹/Japanese Spider Crab from Numazu harbor!

An expensive and a rare fish!

Amadai/甘鯛/Tilefis! See price below!

Mehikari/目光り/”Shining eyes”, a very deep sea fish caught in Eastern Suruga Bay!

The top price per 100 grams is for tilefish on top and mehikari at bottom!

Maaji/真あじ/Japanese jack mackerel!

From Yui harbor! Great sashimi!

Maaji/真あじ/Japanese jack mackerel from Yui!

Caught this morning and more expensive as the price is for only 100 grams!

Very big specimen for Sardines!

They come from Numazu Harbor and they are called Maiwashi/真鰯/Japanese pilchard!

Undecided customers!

One fish is from Shizuoka Prefecture, the other from Chiba Prefecture!

The black one is Honsawara/本さわら/Japanese Spanish mackerel and the red one, Kinmedai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino from Shimoda harbor!

Akamutsu/赤むつ/Rosy seabass!

Jindouika/ジンドウイカ/A local squid variety!

Tsubodai/つぼ鯛/A seabream variety going by the Latin name of Pentaceros japonicus Doderlein!

Aka kasago/赤カサゴ/red rockfish!

Kuromebaru/黒めばる/Black Japanese sea perch!

Isaki/いさき/A typical fish from Shizuoka Prefecture going by the strange English name of Chicken grunt!

Sazae/さざえ/Horned Turban!

Surume Ika/スルメイカ/Japanese Common Squid, Pacific Flying Squid!

Expensive filets of Ishidai/石鯛, Barred Knifejaw!

Botan ebi/牡丹海老/Botan Shrimps!
These are usually found in the north of Japan, but we have a smaller variety in Suruga Bay!
These come from Numazu Harbor!

Expensive!

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Festivals, Japan, Kanaya, Tourism

“Kids” at Kanaya Tea Festival!

April 14, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th of April saw the 36th biannual Tea Festival enacted in Kanaya Town, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture!
It gave me another ample opportunity to take some interesting pictures of Japanese “characters” one doesn’t have many occasions to catch!

A tired little girl and a proud ather!

An exhausted little girl and a stolid mother!

Cute boys from the First District!

Sometimes games are more important than festivals!

What did I tell you?

Two generations of ladies enjoying the attention!

The cutest girl of the day?

Weary and wary!

We know this cute girl!

V signs!

Grandmother and granddaughter who actually asked foreign visitors to pose together for the official promotion pictures!

Exhausted after 4 parades in 2 days, but still proud!

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Festivals, Japan, Kanaya, Shizuoka

“Faces” at Kanaya Tea Festival!

April 13, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

A friend of mine said he looks like a disguised truck driver!
These guys look fierce, but actually it’s all banter and fun!

These guys had certainly started their drinking early!

Now, what faces are in front?

I asked to look fierce!
They certainly had a hard time not to explode into laughter!

I didn’t have to tell him to look fierce, surprised as he was with the sudden attention of an obnoxious photographer!

Some did try their best to look fierce!

These almost gave up on looking at their most serious!

The bunch of the day!

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Japanese Gastronomy, Sakura ebi, Snacks, wasabi

Japanese Appetizer (O-toushi/お通し): Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps & Pickled Wasabi Stems!

April 12, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

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

The sakura ebi/cherry shrimps season in Shizuoka Prefecture has just started, but they are stil few in and between, so when we can find some, we just grab them!

Wasabi is in season all year, but this is a time of the year when we can easily get their fresh stems here in Shizuoka!
Since the stems, leaves and flowers are even more beneficial to the human body than the roots, it is one more item we grab as soon as we can see it!

A little light soy sauce is enough to season the sakura ebi. A little grated ginger and finely chopped scallions will complete well enough the seasoning!

If you can get fresh wasabi stems, just cut them in small pieces and pickle them in rice vinegar!

A simple, but beautiful combination, very healthy and so tasty!

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Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Snack

Japanese Appetizer (O-toushi/お通し): Carrot Salad & Onsen Tamago/Hot Spring Egg!

April 11, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Dragon has two specialties of her own.
One is a carrot salad she prepares with finly cut carrot, rice vinagr, sugar and a secret she wouldn’t tell me.
Serving it walnut and parsley it already makes for a colorful and healthy salad!

Her other specialty is onsen tamago/温泉玉子/eggs soft-boiled so as to preserve a soft yolk core.You do need high quality eggs, though, with a great yolk.
Once cooked and forcibly cooled down she peels the eggs and marinate them, hence the outside color.
The point is not to cut the eggs open but to “tear” them open carefully!

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Izakaya, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka

Izakaya: Dinner at Kin No Okan in Shizuoka City!

April 11, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly and easy-going
Equipment & Facilities: Overall very clean. Small but superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Sake from Shizuoka and all over Japan. Cuisine making great use of local products

The other day I managed at last to visit the latest izakaya in Shizuoka City, namely Kin No Okan opened by Junya Kinbara!

There was just too much to choose from on the menu and decided to give budget to Shinya and decide what we should eat, which is always a good idea in Japan!

WE also wanted to sample as many sake as possible, and there are many for all tastes!
First of all, Hakuin Masamune Yamahai by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!

Shidaizumi Junmai by Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City!

The great thing about this place is that you can choose your own sake cup!

Tsubugai/whelk with the first drink!

Amagi Shamo Aburi/lightly seared chicken from Amagi Plateau in Izu peninsula, half raw with wasabi, a rarity outside Shizuoka!

Isojiman Nama Ginjo by Isojiman Brewery in Yaizu City!

Tachiuo/Scabbard Fish tempura!

Fine salt is better than any dip!

Amagi Shamo Chicken balls simmered in sake white lees miso soup!

Garyubai Junmai Ginjo Gohyakumangoku by Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Home-pickles sawa Wasabi stems and leaves!

Kaiun Junmai Ginjo by Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City!

Deep-fried new small potatoes with their skin!

Mini mozzarella cheese and mini tomatoes salad!

Shosetsu Junmai Ginjo by Kansawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Very special gyoza with Amagi Shamo and ume/pickled Japanese plums!

We had to try this new arrival: Funagumi Shiboritate Junmai Nama Genshu by Mori no Kura Brewery in Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture, a brewery that Junya recently visited!

With the name of Kin No Okan on the label!

Dry-aged beef by Sanoman Co. In Fujinomiya City!

Truly extravagant!

And for the finale: Ogose Kimoto Junmai by Kubo Honkei Brewery in Uda City, Nara Prefecture with a drawing from a famous manga artist!

Certainly not the last visit, you can bet!

KIN NO O-KAN

420-0035 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 10-11, Vienna Building, 1F
Tel.: 054-653-4300
Mobile phone: 090-5100-7067
Opening hours: 17:00~27:00
Holiday not decided yet, but should eventually be Thursday
Reservations highly recommended!
FACEBOOK

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Cola, Green Tea, Shizuoka, Soft Drinks

Shizuoka Soft Drinks tasting: Shizuoka Cola (Green Tea) by Kimura Foods Co. in Shimada City!

April 9, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

In Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture there is an unsuual and very interesting company which produces local soft drinks with a very famous name but definitely tastier and healthier than the same products of some well-known giant companies!

Yes, Shizuoka Cola is made with green tea, and not with a certain nefarious ingredient!
The design is remarkable for its retro concept. One almost has the impression of a time-slip in Japan!

Product name: Shizuoka Cola
Contents: 240 ml
Ingredients: Liquid grape sugar. Shizuoka Green Tea. aroma and acidity agents, Safflower for natural yellow coloring. Cape Jasmine for natural green color

Clarity: very clean but partiallu cloudy due to the real tea powder
Color: Green tea color
Aroma: Soft sweetish green tea
Bubbles: Quite fizzy, just the right pleasant amount
Taste: Soft and fruity attack, less sweet than expected, but just with the right balance.
Complex: Mainly sweetish green tea with strong notes of grapes.
Very pleasant bubbles and the right amount of them not overwhelming your senses.
Very refreshing and satisfying.
Disappears fairly quickly with no cloying impression.
Insistently invites to the next sip.

Overall: Very refreshing, pleasant and utterly elegant soft drink.
Sophisticated taste enhanced by the originality of the ingredient.
Just sweet enough to please both very young, young and older people.
Best enjoyed just a little chilled. No need for ice.
Could definitely be mixed into all kinds of cocktails.
To bring to a summer BBQ for thi\ose who especially need a break from alcohol!
The green color and the fact it has no alcohol whatsoever and that it is also healthy would be very welcome for people with special priorities!
An original and healthy souvenir, too!

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sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji takasago Brewery-Junmai Ginjo Nama

April 9, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Fuji Takasago Brewery being located in Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji uses water from its own well fed by subterranean water which had taken literally centuries to seep through the mountain.
No wonder that their sake are so popular when one bears in mind that water is the most important in the creation of top-class sake!

This is a junmai/no pure alcohol blended in/nama/unpasteurized!
To add to it it of the ginjo class, that is a fine premium sake!
Note that the alcohol is about 1 degeree lower than usually seen in Shizuoka Prefecture

Takes some reading to decipher, but beautiful handwritten calligraphy!

Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.2
Alcohol: 14~15 degrees
Bottled in March 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Almost transparent
Aroma: Very discreet. Difficult to catch. Fruity. Pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack with little junmai petillant.
Complex and elegant. Pears.
Late appearance of milk coffee and dark chocolate.
Varies very little with food but for a slightly drier turn with hints of dry chocolate and milk coffee.

Overall: A fleeting, almost feminine in approach in spite of its dryness.
Complex but difficult to catch with ever changing short facets.
Dangerously easy to drink.
If you want to enjoy it with food, drink it with vegetables in particular for a subtle matching!
A great sake to both impress ladies and gentlemen. Would make for a superb aperitif before any kind of gastronomic repast!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji Takasago Brewery-Homare Fuji Junmai Genshu

April 8, 2014 dragonlife 6 Comments

Fuji Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City has been working for some time with Homare Fuji Sake Rice which is entirely produced in Shizuoka Prefecture.
It is actually a Yamada Nshiki hybrid with the big difference that the stak\lks are shorter, making it very resistant to high winds and heavy rains prevalent in summer.

For a long time brewers were complaining about the fact that the rice is a bit hard and difficult to polish, but after overcoming this particular problem some breweries are know to produce dai ginjo level premium sake with it!
This particular sake has the merit of being practically untouched as it is a junmai/no pure alcohol added genshu/no pure water added!

Rice: Homare Fuji (shizuoka-grown)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in March 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Almost transparent
Aroma: very dry. Pears, apples.
Body: Fluid
Tasting: Dry and fruity attack backed up by very strong junmai petillant.
Complex. pears, milk coffee with oranges appearing later.
Takes on a slightly drier turn with food.
Makes a sweetish comeback after food with more mil coffee and dark chocolate.

Overall: A typical Homare Fuji sake.
Great at all temperatures on its own but possibly at its best with food. Very pleasant in spite of its high alcohol contenets.
A sake to bring at a BBQ!
For the strong but elegant sake lovers!

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Japanese Appetizer (O-toushi/お通し): O Hitashi Vegetables and Deep-fried Ton Toro Pork in Marinade

April 8, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Dragon made it a double O-toushi last night!
The first one has been a specialty of here for quite some time: Deep-fried Ton Toro (soft) pork she first prepared as tonkatsu, that is deep-fried in flour, egg and panko. At the same she fried some thinly sliced onion. She transferred the lot into a Tupperware with rice vinegar, two different types of mustard, one being cassis mustard, and pink pepper. She let the whole marinate for about 4 hours inside the refrigerator!
Really yummy!

The second one was O-Hitashi, that is, lightly cooked and marinatedvegetables served cold.

She first cooked the vegetables inside the microwave oven to soften them up.
She tehn marinated with mentsuyu and some chili pepper for while in the refrigerator!
Simple but so refreshing!
Of course both appetizers marry perfectly with any drink!

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Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Soba, Utogi, wasabi

Soba/Buckwheat Noodles and Wasabi Leaf Tempura at Utsurogi, Utogi, Shizuoka City, the Birthplace of Wasabi!

April 7, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very kind and friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Overall very clean. Rustic but clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Country gastronomy including the freshest wasabi in the world!

The other day I visited Utogi up the Abe River in Shizuoka City in the company of Alexandra Combe, a French journalist in France and Dominique Corby/Chef and owner of French Kappo Dominique Corby, a superlative Restauarnt in Tokyo to interview Yuuma Mochizuki, a local wasabi farmer.

We spent the whole morning shooting pictures of the wasabi fields owned by Maru Ichi Co., whose Yuma Mochizuki (30) is the 13th generation.
All the fields are exclusively watered with the help of torrents rushing down the mountain, meaning an ecological and organic cultivation!

Wasabi fields forever!Although some of the fields are as old as 400 years, they are still protected by their original stone walls!

It is the best season to admire them for one important detail! Can you guess?

Wasabi Flowers!
Did you know that the leaves and the flowers of the wasabi are even more beneficial to the human body than the wasabi roots? You can eat them either fresh, with miso or else, pickled, fired and in tempura! Absolutely succulent!

Dominique Corby, Alexandra Combe and Yuma Mochizuki tasting some of the wasabi that were elected the best in Japan last year for the second time in three years! Note the traditional shark skin grater!

The monument stating Utogi as the birthplace of wasabi cultivation!

We decided to have lunch at the only, but famous, local restaurant before proceeding with the rest of the interview!

Utsurogi, a rustic but very busy restaurant! Tiny and quaint, but so authentic!

You place your orders to a kitchen-like counter! Don’t worry if you don’t speak Japanese, the staff are used to all kinds of tourists and they will manage to get their message through!

Have a good look at the local products on sale! Either fresh or processed, they make for very original souvenirs!

Having ordered your meal beforehand, walk along the rushing torrent and choose a seat either outside or inside! You’ll see wasabi fields under their vinyl protection right acroos the torrents!

Great scenery to be caught there! A tiny Japanese garden!

This is the lunch we had ordered inside the front shop where they hang photos of all the meals proposed!
At 800 yen, less than 8 Us $, less than 6 Euros, a true bargain! And so fresh and authentic!

Our lunch! can you figure out what we had/

The excellent “8 wari”/80% buckwheat flour soba/buckwheat noodles! They are boiled and then washed in cold clean natural water before being served with different seasonings!

Local Utogi-grown wasabi stem pickles, and freshly grated wasabi and chopped scallions with your soba dressing/dip! Yo will not find such fresh wasabi products away from Shizuoka Prefecture!

The tempura including sweet potato, onion and carrot “kakiage”/mixed tempura, shiitake and wasabi leaf!

The fresh wasabi leaf from a nearby field!
You will not find that quality and freshness elsewhere!
Note the local matcha tea powder for tempura seasoning!
The local wasabi farmers also grow superb green tea!

The ultimate trip to discover wasabi!

UTSUROGI/うつろぎ
421-2303 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Utogi, 280-1
Tel./Fax: 054-298-2900Opening hours: 10:00~15:00, 09:00~16:00 on weekends and National Holidays
Closed beginning and middle of May due to First Green Tea Harvest, End & Begginning of the Year Holidays
Call beforehand!
HOMEPAGE</strong> (Japanese)

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Hatsukame, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hatsukame Brewery-Hatsukame Honjozo Muroka Nama Genshu Gentei

April 6, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Every year I make sure to acquire this very limited sake brewed by Hatsukame Brewery in Okabe, Fujieda City.
A very limited brew, they advise to drink it within a week of its bottling and keep in the refrigerator!
Just out of pure sense of contradiction I decided to keep it at room temperature until today, exactly one month later to see what would happen!
Mind you, it is still a bit of an overkill as I knew very well I didn’t much risk!
incidentally it is an honjozo/Pure sake alcohol was blended in, Muroka/unfiltered, nama/unpasteurized and genshu/no water added!

Rice: Yamadanishiki (Toyama Prefecture)
Rice milled down 60 % for the koji rice and 65% for the kake rice
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.7
Alcohol: 19 degrees
Bottled on March 7th, 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: discreet, dry and fruity. Pears, green apples
Body: Fluid
Taste: Softer attack than expected in spite of its high alcohol, unfiltered and genshu status. Dry and fruity. Pears, green apples.
Complex. The alcohol hitting the palate late wit drier green apples. Elusive, difficult to catch. Lingers only for a while to disappear with dry oranges.
Changes little with food, but for an occasional sweeter note soon proven wrong.

Overall: A typical limited brew by Hatsukame Brewery to titillate both your palate and mind, inducing you to experiment and making you think twice about hasty comments!
I entertain the deep suspicion this is the brewery’s hidden purpose behind this very limited brew!
Confusing the “specialists” is a game worth playing!

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Festivals, Japan, Japanese Culture, Shizuoka, Utogi

Utogi Kagura Spring Festival in Utogi, Shizuoka City, with the Wasabi & Tea Farmers!

April 6, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

On the first Saturday of April and second Saturday of October are held the Spring and October Utogi ｋagura Festivals/有東木神楽祭 at Shirahige Shrine/白髭神社 in Utogi, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City/静岡市葵区有東木 by the local wasabi and tea farmers!
Yesterday as I happened to help a French reporter in her interviewing local wasabi farmers whose abode stands just beside the Shinto Shrine, I had the chance to say “hello” to the participants in their company!

The stairs to the shrine up to a steep slope. We already are at about 600 meters altitude!

That shrine had been erected no less than 500 years ago when only green tea was cultivated in this area, up in the maountains on the right bank of the Abe River!
And the oldest cedar tree rising in front was already found in local records 720 year ago. Its height is presently 35 meters, its circumference 6.80 meter and its branches spread as far as 15 meters!

The official Utogi Village Shrine! Shirahige Shrine/白髭神社/The “white Beard” Shinto Shrine!

The torii/鳥居/sacred birds gate found at the entrance of all Shinto Shrines in Japan!

The cedar trees’ invasion of the stair stones is a sure indication of the shrine’ age!

I managed to sandwich the visit on both sides of the interview which allowed me to the preparations of the dance!

Practice on the Japanese drum!

Practicing the songs!

Fires had been lit for seabreams to grill. Seabreams are a symbol of prosperity even up in a Japanese mountain!

More cooking was done nearby, especially “oden”!

Even at this time of the year nights can turn cold!

Local people took the opportunity to socialize!

Salt and sake offerings to the shrine!

The dancers taking some hot food and Japanese sake after the practice!

When I came back later the seabreams were grilled to perfection!

And the dancing was in full swing!

Don’t worry, the sabers are fake! But they weren’t in Edo Times!

A second dance was performed with bells instead of sabers!

Naturally I was offered a taste of these succulent seabreams (and plenty of hot sake!)!

And even more with hot sake!

Looking forward to the Autumn Festival!

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Japanese Appetizer (O-toushi/お通し): Cold Spanish Omelet & Salad!

April 3, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

The great thing about such light food to entice your appetite does not have to be Japanese food!
Actually, the Japanese are constantly introducing new trends, be they Japanese or foreign, into their own gastronomy to the point that names mean very little.
I could actually call o-toushi a kind of tapas!

Dragon had some small beans and cold boiled vegetable leftovers, so she cooked a Spanish-like omelet of a small fire with difference that she had added shredded cheese to the eggs giving the omelet the identity of a quiche.