Tag Archives: 酒

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Suruga Brewery-Abekaido Tokubetsu Honjozo

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“Abekaido” which means “Abe River Route” was part of the old “Tokaido/East Route” which ran from Edo to Kyoto.
People then had no recourse but to cross the Abe River in Shizuoka City, then called Sunpu, unless they wished the country beyond the Southern Alps.

The Abekaido brand was originally created by the defunct Yoshiya Brewery that the present Suruga Brewery acquired upon the retirement of its last sake masterbrewer!

Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 5~; 8
Acidity: 1.0~1.2
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Banana, dark chocolate
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity strong attack backed by pleasant alcohol.
Warming up the back of the palate. Complex.
Lingers for a while on a dry note.
Dark chocoleate, banana, dry almonds, oranges.
Fairly strong but pleasant.
Assertive but attractive.
Gets drier with food with a stronger accent on oranges and almonds with an appearance of lemons.
Dark chocolate reappears away from the food with a sweeter note.

Overall: A sake definitely conceived for food as it doesn’t vary much.
Marries very well with any food, even curry!
A bottle you could keep carrying around as you never know… a B.B.Q., a new friend, an old one, or…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, 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, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Masu Ichi Brewery- The Last Bottle? Masu Ichi Junmai Dai Ginjyo

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Masu Ichi Brewery has not been making sake for the past year and will not ever as his owner/masterbrewer Denjirou Masui/増井伝次郎 just passed away at the age of 49 leaving no successor willing to take over the brewery founded in 1882.

Denjirou Masui

Denjirou was his brewer’s name given by his mentor Denbei kawamura, the godfather of Shizuoka Sake and the creator of the Shizuoka sake yeast. He was one of the only three brewers of the Shida School.
His sake is fast disappearing and this particular one of a series of “last bottles” I’m scouring the Prefecture to get my hands on for posterity!
This is therefore the fourth and maybe last bottle!

This is a Junmai Dai ginjyo, meaning the top premium variety with no alcohol blending!

Rice milled down to 35%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in March 2012

Clarity: very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Complex, fruity and back of the palate warming attack.
Dry and deep. Banana, dark chocolate, oranges, coffee beans.
Disappears fairly quickly on a drier note with more coffee beans.
Very elegant and pleasant.
Turns even drier on second sip with a slightly stronger junmai petillant.
Tends to show different facets with every sip adding to complexity.
Although originally not really conceived to accompany food, changes little with just more oranges and coffee beans.

Overall: A very elegant sake best enjoyed on its own for a special occasion.
Extravagant millage down to 35%!
Although I enjoyed it much at room temperature it should become ethereal if a little chilled.
A sake for very special occasions!
I certainly felt guilty drinking it up on my own!
The last bottle?
Definitely and I was blessed to discover it!
Out of respect for such a great brewmaster I will not be sad when I finish it. I will be so thankful!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery-Shiboritate Diamond Fuji Tokubetsu Junmai

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Fuji Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City chose a Diamond as their emblem some time ago and they are producing a whole series with their mark on labels.

You will find it even on their caps!
Actually the emblem is a Diamond with Mount Fuji inside!

The pink color and the small label across the bottle are definitely celebrating the cherry blossoms!

Rice milled down to 60%
Dryness: + 5
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Pasteurized inside the bottle
Limited production
Bottled in February 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Almost transparent
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Banana, melon. Sweet alcohol
Body: Fluid and slightly syrupy
Taste: Strong junmai petillant attack with a lot of fruit.
Complex. Turning very dry inside the palate.
Melon, oranges, almonds. Disappears on an ever drier note
Dry oranges take the upper hand with food.
Stays very dry with food.
Stays dry but acquires more fruitiness once away from food with a comeback by nuts and oranges.

Overall: A very pleasant sake probably best appreciated slightly chilled.
Typical Shizuoka sake for all seasons.
Equally enjoyed on its own or with food.
The strong junmai petillant and oranges make for a heady sake!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune-Junmai Daiginjyo Yamahai

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Yamahai is a traditional way of making sake which leaves a lot to nature.
It is difficult to master and most breweries avoid even mentioning the name!

But Takashima Brewery in Numazu City are extremely proud of their Yamahai and do not hesitate to advertise it clearly for all to see on their labels!

And making a top-premium Junmai Daiginjyo out of a Yamahai is not only extravagant, it is also a true tour de force!
One ought to enjoy such nectar slowly out of an high quality earthenware sake cup!

Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune-Junmai Daiginjyo Yamahai-Genshu

Rice: Komachi
Milled down to: 45%
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees (genshu/no pure water added)
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.5
Bottled in February 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Bananas, oranges
Body: Fluid and a little liquorish
Taste: Fruity attack, sweetish at first but turning quickly dry.
Strong junmai petillant.
Banana backed by dark chocolate and sweet nuts with a late appearance from oranges.
Lingers for a while warming the back of the palate and throat.
Complex. Dark chocolate asserting itself with the second sip with further attack from junmai petillant and dry almonds.
So pleasant and easy to drink.
Gets drier with food with very strong junmai petillant and oranges.

Comment: A discovery!
To turn a Yamahai in such a superlative sake is simply a mark of the extraordinary skills of Takashima Brewery!
Can be indifferently enjoyed on its own or with food, a feat not easily done with Junmai Daiginjyo!
Will definitely rate as one of best 5 sakes drunk in 2012 even by April!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

美食, 農業, Fish, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, seafood, Shizuoka, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 寿司

Sushi in Shizuoka City: Sushi Ko (September 2011)

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“Super California Roll”!

Service: Very friendly and attentive. Always ready to please
Facilities: great overall cleanliness
Prices: Appropriate. Good value
Strong points: Great blending of local and all-Japan seafood. Great list of Shizuoka sakes! Both modern and traditional sushi.

We are entering the Autumn season, albeit a very hot one, and new fish are being caught.
It was time to visit Sushi Ko, my favorite sushi bar/resturant in Shizuoka City to check on the new arrivals!

The present Master of the Place, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太 has just been rewarded with the Gold Medal at the Japan National Sushi Design Contest, an event held every 4 years!
Mr. Oda, the former Master, who is presently in charge of the mother company, was also rewarded the same prize 4 years ago!

So, what did we enjoy?

Kinmeidai/金目鯛/Splendid Alfonsino sashimi (Izu Peninsula).

Beautiful colors!
Notice the edible shiso/perilla/紫蘇 flowers!

This is the season of the katsuo/鰹/bonito which swim across the Suruga Bay!

Usually served with freshly grated ginger, chopped scallions and thinly sliced red onions.
Thinly sliced fresh garlic is another option!

A wink to America: Super California Roll! Can you guess what’s in it?

Sake from Masu Ichi Brewery in Shizuoka City!

Chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸/ Japanese steamed salted pudding!

Hirame/平目/Sole-Grouper (Shizuoka) just seasoned with a little salt and lime juice. No need for soy sauce!

Sazae/サザエ/Turbo Shell!

the whole flesh is first taken out, sliced and cooked inside the shell!

The liver of the turbo shell!

Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard Fish (Shizuoka) served as aburi/炙り/grilled on the skin surface seasoned with ponzu and served with momijioroshi/grated daikon and chili pepper, and chopped scallions.

A sneak view of the sashimi plate prepared for a group of five at a table!

Magurozuke/鮪漬け/marinated tuna (lean part), a real dessert!

Ikura/イクラ/salmon’s roe served as “gunkan nigiri/軍艦握り/Mothership Nigiri. Notice the small empty “boats” following the mothership?

A cute fleet, isn’t it?

How about that for tamagoyaki/玉子焼き/Japanese omelette design?

Anago/穴子/conger eel (Shizuoka), a universal favorite!

A vegan sushi nigiri with lightly boiled Chinese cabbage and Japanese hot mustard!

A real dessert: Home-made fig Wine Stew!

To be followed…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery-Aoitenka Tokubetsu Junmai Homare Fuji

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Homare Fuji, the local Shizuoka Sake Rice has not only become a feature in most breweries in our Prefecture, but the latter have been working hard using it in the creation of premium sake such as did Yamanaka Brewery in Kakegawa City!

These brews are really recognizable with their little label.
This tokubetsu junmai made with rice milled down to an extravagant 55% would achieve junmai ginjyou status anywhere else!

Rice: Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: +1.5
Acidity: 1.7
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in June 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity. Banana, vanilla. Alcohol
Body: Fluid
Taste: Liquorish attack pleasurably warming the back of the palate with junmai petillant.
Complex and fruity. Starts liquorish and almost sweet to depart on a warm dry note.
Oranges and almonds. Very pleasant to drink.
Were it not for its late dry note it could become a dessert sake/wine.
Changes little with food and actually nicely complements it.

Overall: A pleasant sake to drink.
More elegant than expected, which shows all the improvement achieved by brewers with this particular strain of sake rice.
Although designed to accompany food, makes for a very pleasurable beverage on its own!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

美食, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake

2nd Central-East Shizuoka Sake Breweries Festival in Kakegawa City

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More and more sake breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture have been organizing medium-scale regional sake Festivals.
One of the newest ones is the “Dai Nikai Kuramoto to Nihon Shu wo Tanoshimu Kai/Chuutouen Sake Monogatari/中東遠酒物語・第2回蔵本と日本酒を楽しむ会/the 2nd Festival for Sake Breweries and Sake of Central East Shizuoka”.

Mr. Morimoto (Morimoto Brewery/Kikugawa City) and Mr. Doi (Doi Brewery/Kakegawa City) on both sides of a grower of Homare Fuji Sake Rice.

The event was held at the Kakegawa Grand Hotel on Saturday evening June 25th.
No less than 150 guests, including some well-known figures attended the Festival.

Money donations were collected to help the victims of the recent earthquakes and tsunamis in North East Japan!

Five breweries took part:
Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City.
Senjyu Brewery in Iwata City.
Kokko Brewery in Fukuroi City.
Yamanaka Brewery (Aoitenka) in Kakegawa City.
Morimoto Brewery (Sayogoromo) in Kikugawa City.

Junmai Dai Ginjyou table!

Each table of 9 guests had two bottles of sake ready while loads of bottles standing in wait on three more tables for all to sample!

Dai Ginjyou table!

All in all, no less than 27 brews were introduced to the participants!

The Junmai and Ginjyou table!

This particular table also featured a great koushu/old sake from Senjyu Brewery I tasted again and again later as well as an excellent umeshu!

All the breweries had brought water from their own wells!

These vegetables offered in Bagna Cauda style were all from Kakegawa City!

Such events are vital to make people know more about their own sake, and to make them remember the occasion until next year plenty of excellent buffet food had been prepared to accompany all those great brews!

A very generous buffet including some rare Yorkshire pork from pigs raised in Mikkabi!

And appetizers had been set in front of every guest to titillate his/her appetite in expectation!

I had actually conducted my own investigation before the festivities started!

Representative of Yamanaka Brewery!

This event proved an invaluable opportunity to share long chats with The sake brewers and colleagues from (serious) media!
I already have quite a few interviews and reports lined up!

The celebrities!
Denbei Kawamura, the Godfather of Shizuoka Sake, the man who created the Shizuoka Yeast!
Mr. Yabuta of the President of the Tago Katsuobushi Association!

To be continued (in further reports on participants and naturally at next year’s event!)…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

蕎麦, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Tourism

Soba & Tempura at Setsugekka!

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Service: very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Very clean. Splendid washroom.
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Top-class soba, sake and tempura! Great traditional Japanese atmosphere.

For the last 10 years Setsugekka/雪月花 has achieved fame in Shimada City and in the whole Prefecture not only for their soba/buckwheat noodles but also for their magnificent seasonal tempura and sake from Shizuoka Prefecture, especially those of the neighboring sake Brewery Oomuraya!

Setsugekka is conveniently located less than 10 minutes walk from Shimada JR Station.
It looks very simple from outside but the interior is very cozy and traditional.

it is all warm and comfortable wood inside!

But I have a marked preference for the little room just beside the entrance overlooking the outside street!

Deep-fried soba crackers with the first drink!

There are many menus and carte to choose from.
The best way to order is probably to choose one of the set menus and add to it later!
The above appetizers came up with a set menu:
Soba yaki consisting of soba flour mixed with miso and grilled (just love it!), marinated mushrooms and cream cheese with soy sauce jam!

And we were immediately into tempura mode.
We had ordered two different menus for a photo festival!
Above is “kogochi fish” and “nanba shrimp”!

“Kuruma ebi/large prawn”! The whole was edible!
A real piece of art!

All local vegetables: yellow pimento, sweet potato, plum tomato and ice plant!

A great way to present local sake!

A delicacy you will find only in Shizuoka Prefecture: “Sakura ebi kakiage/cherry shrimps tempura”!
With local “leaf ginger and “shishito/chili pepper”.

Local vegetables again: leaf ginger, sweet corn and ice plant!

Now, this is a very unusual tempura: “sakekasu/sake white lees tempura”! The white lees came from the neighbors, Oomuraya Brewery!

Setsugekka can easily organize a full meal for all tastes!
Cuttle fish sashimi!

The full duck set with its gizzards, liver and breast!

And we were at last into soba mode, all basically in “seiro fashion/served cold”, all “jyuwari/100% buckwheat flour”!

Soba of a different color!

Perfect texture!

And for dessert: buckwheat and green tea sorbet! A real delicacy again!

As this month of June saw their 10th Anniversary we were offered some buckwheat seeds to plant!

I hope you understand there will be more reports coming! LOL

SETSUGEKKA/雪付き花
Shimada City, Hontori, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed every Monday and 3rd Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (June 2011)

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Umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish sashimi plate!

Sushi Ko in Aoba Park Street in Shizuoka City is the sushi bar owned by Sushi Ko Main Sushi Restaurant in Ta-machi in the same city.
Mr. Oda has just been asked to take charge of the main restaurant while his very capable second, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん has been promoted Head of the Sushi Bar in Aoba.
The Bar is as good as ever, but now I will also have to check the main restaurant!

While the Missus drank her Chardonnay, I was sipping my sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City. The above shows the snack coming with the first drink: octopus/tako/蛸 served with seaweed, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper, chopped thin leeks and ponzu!

We managed to get our favorite seats at the counter, but one half of the tatami room was busy with a group of 11 hungry salarymen!
Loads of consecutive work!

Our seats gave us the perfect view of the chefs at work!
They know us well, so they actually welcome the photography (without flash!), but make a point to ask for permission if you are a new customer (the latter applies for any restaurant!)!

On the menu of the day they had umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish Sashimi Plate.
This fish whose name literally means “Horse face” is a kind of filefish found in Suruga Bay.
It was taken alive out of the fish pond!

Filefish in general is not that popular in other countries, but it definitely deserves attention.
Although it has not much meat, it makes for beautiful sashimi!

For a closer view!

Here it is, served with a dip made with its fresh liver and ponzu!
A real morsel!

Its cheeks were served deep-fried!

Chef Birukawa has kept a little to serve the perfect filefish nigiri topped with its liver and momijioroshi and some thin leeks and wasabi between the neta/topping and the shari/rice!

The Missus always asks for the maguro ponkara/鮪ぽんから/deep-fried tuna served with momiji oroshi, ponzu and sliced red onions!

Whatever the sushi restaurant we always ask for magurozuke/鮪漬/marinated tuna as each establishment has a different recipe!

Sushi Ko always have great botan ebi/牡丹海老/large sweet prawn from Hokkaido in season!

Their freshness means we are guaranteed their deep-fried heads. They make for beautiful crackers!

When we asked for anago/穴子/conger eel, they came in the perfect combination of one piece shio-aji/塩味/salted and the other one, tare-aji/たれ味/brushed with sweet sauce!

Another favorite: tachiuo aburi nigiri/太刀魚炙り握り/Seared scabbard fish nigiri seasoned with ponzu!

Chef Mirukawa’s specialty: Sushi Millefeuille!

The Millefeuille was made with maguro akami/lean tuna, cucumber, avocado and topped with flying fish roe!

A vegetarian/vegan sushi roll with natto, shiso and umboshi!

Another vegetarian/vegan sushi roll with kanpyou/干瓢/dry gourd shavings and plenty of wasabi!

Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette!

We usually finish such meals with hot food.
The Missus had nameko mushroom miso soup with plenty of seaweed.

As for me I had chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸し/Japanese-style hot salted pudding!

And we were graciously offered Shizuoka-grown musk melon as we paid our (very reasonable) bill!

To continue…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)

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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

美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Tourism

Shizuoka sake Tasting: Senjyu Brewery-Ginjyou Enshyuu Gohyakumangoku

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Senjyuu Brewery is the sole brewery still standing in Iwata City, but it can benefit from a rich farmland as demonstrated by the Gohyakumangoku Sake Rice grown in the region under the name of Enshyuu Gohyakumangoku. Enshyuu is the traditional name of the region covering most the Western area of Shizuoka Prefecture.

As Senjyu Brewery does not add a sticker with figures at the back of the bottle of this particular brew you need a good knowledge of Japanese to decipher the small characters!

Rice: Enshyuu Gohyakumangoku (Shizuoka-grown)
Rice milled down to: 50%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in June 2011

Clarity: Very clear.
Color: Transparent.
Aroma: Fruity. Alcohol. Pineapple.
Body: fluid and liquorish
Taste: Dry attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Disappears fairly quickly on a dry note.
Complex: almonds with notes of pineapple and oranges with citrus notes lingering on.
Pleasant and light dry sake. Changes little with food.
Faint coffee beans, walnuts, dark chocolate and nuts appearing with further sips.

Overall: Pleasant sake that can be enjoyed either slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Very pleasurable on its own although it has obviously been designed to accompany food.
Dry but soft and complex sake. Easy to drink!

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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

美食, Gastronomy, Japanese Pottery, sake

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

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Fuji-Takasago Brewery went through a scare when a magnitude 6 earthquake hit Fujinomiya City almost just after the terrible earthquake that hit Northeastern Japan. They found cracks in walls in over ten spots and are busy repairing them now.
But it did not prevent them from brewing in general and certainly not their brews made with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji Rice!

No the label did not break during the earthquake!

Rice: Shizuoka-grown Fuji Homare
Rice milled down to: 60%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in March 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity: Banana
Body: Fluid
Taste: Not as strong an attack as expected. Almost liquorish.
Fruity. Banana with hints of almonds and coffee beans.
Lingers for a while with alcohol background. Very pleasant despite high alcohol contents.
Hints of oranges, custard and macadamia nuts with further sips.
Changes little with food apart of getting a little drier.

Overall: Difficult to say whether best drunk on its own or with food.
Does marry well with any food, especially heavy izakaya fare.
Personally appreciated it on its own a little chilled!

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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

美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sashimi, Shizuoka, sushi, Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: Narukawa in Shizuoka City

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“Namida Maki/涙巻/Tear Roll” made with fresh wasabi root from Shizuoka!

Service: Professional and very friendly. Keen to please customers
Facilities: Very clean overall. Great washroom
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Extensive usage of local fish. Shizuoka sake.

Hiroki Narukawa/生川広樹さん

I’ve known Chef Hiroki Narukawa for ages since his apprentice days.
Since then he has flown on his own wings and has recently opened his restaurant Narukawa/なるかわ at a new and more spacious address.

In spite of the higher class atmosphere and the increased staff, the prices have not changed and can be considered as reasonable for the quality he serves even in this very difficult to please Prefecture!

Although the seating is modern and almost western in concept it is still very much a traditional atmosphere!

There are naturally menus and sets, but I would encourage you to have a look at the offerings of the day under the glass display and talk with Narukawa San before you start ordering!
Personally I do not bother looking at menus and prefer a more social introduction. The fact that I know the chef also helps! LOL

The Missus and I usually starts with sashimi!
The above is hirame konbujime/平目昆布〆/sole lightly preserved in konbu seaweed. From Shizuoka!

Aka mutsu/赤むつ/Rosy Seabass from Shizuoka.

Kaisui uni/海水海栗/Sea Urchin in his original seawater eaten as it is! Extravagant! From Hokkaido!

Hotate nigiri/帆立握り/Scallops Nigiri. Large! From Northern Japan!

The filaments, roe and liver of the same scallops. A dish that would please a lot of people all over the world!

Madai nigiri/真鯛/True seabream/grouper-Red Seabream/grouper nigiri. From Shizuoka!

Magurozuke nigiri/鮪漬/marinated tuna (akami/lean part). Probably from Shizuoka or North of Japan (I forgot to ask as I always ask for this morsel in Shizuoka!).

Asupara mentaiko maki/アスパラ明太子巻/asparagus and hot cod roe (with mayonnaise) roll. For the Missus! The asparagus is from Shizuoka, the mentaiko from Kyushu island!

While the Missus had her mentaiko I had a kanpyou maki/干瓢巻/gourd shavings first dried, then marinated. With real wasabi from Shizuoka, almost a dessert!

Suwagani nigiri/諏訪蟹/snow crab nigiri from Hokkaido!

Shiroebi kakiage/白海老あき揚げ/white shrimps tempura from Toyama Prefecture!

</

Namida Maki/涙巻/Tear roll made with freshly sliced wasabi root from Shizuoka. Extravagant!

For a closer view!

Menegi nigiri to daikon zuke/芽葱と大根漬/leek sprouts and pickled (lime) daikon. All from Shizuoka!


Ikura Mini Donburi/イクラミニ丼/mini bowl of salmon’s roe!

To be continued…

NARUKAWA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-5-2
Tel.: 054-221-1689
Business hours: 11::30~13:30, 17:00~02:00
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE

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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

Bars, Cocktails, 美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism

Fruit Cocktails by Wataru Matsumoto: 14-Jaboticaba No1

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Service: very professional and friendly.
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall.
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Fruit cocktails. Cozy and a comfortable, for ladies and gentlemen alike.

This is the fourteenth recipe of a (hopefully long) series of cocktails concocted by Wataru Matsumoto, owner/bartender at BOTANICAL (Comfort bar) in Shizuoka City.

We called this particular cocktail “Jaboticaba No1” as I plan another visit to Nishikawa Garden and bring back more of these rare (in Japan) fruit!
You will find them only in a few orchards in Kyushu and Okinawa Islands and only one more away from these islands in Shizuoka City!

INGREDIENTS

-Jaboticaba: 5~6
-Tanqueray Gin: 1 measure
-Creme de Cassis: 1 dash
-Cointreau: 1 dash
-Cranberry Juice: 1/2 measure
-Ice

RECIPE

-In the glass half of a Boston shaker, drop the jaboticaba inside after having cut them in halves and taken out their pips.
Crush them as much as you can with a pestle.

-Add the Gin, Cassis, Cointreau and Cranberry juice.

-Pour ice in the metal glass of the Boston shaker. Drain any excess water. Transfer the ice into the glass half of the shaker. Close and shake well.

-Pour into a Martini glass through a strainer. Decorate with a Jaboticaba fruit.

Another very refreshing cocktail for hot summer evenings. Beware of the alcohol amount as it also disappears quickly!

BOTANICAL (Comfort Bar)
420-0082 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-13, Shade Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-8686
Opening hours: 17:00~01:00
Closed on Mondays.
Credit Cards OK

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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

美食, 観光, 農業, Fruit, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Joboticaba and Tropical Fruits at Nishikawa Garden!

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Jaboticaba!

I finally made it to Nishikawa Garden!
It is located far into Mariko, a good hour by bicycle from the center of Shizuoka City!

I thought I was lost by the end of my journey and had to retrace my route before making another U-turn and finding the board sign I was looking for!

I knew I was in the right place when I discovered the “Truck cafe” at the entrance of the greenhouse!
I couldn’t afford to make any mistake as they open the greenhouse and cafe to the public only on Sundays!

Yoshinari and Aya Nishikawa/西川宣成と文夫妻!

Mr. Nishikawa, a tea and citrus grower got interested in tropical fruit about 8 years ago and started experimenting with Jaboticaba and mangoes in particular.

The original Jaboticaba tree!

Having succeeded with their cultivation inside his two big greenhouses, he opened Jaboticaba Cafe and Garden in October 2009 to allow customers to visit his greenhouses and buy his products on Sundays!

I first visited his mango garden.
Interestingly enough they are not on sale as they are completely booked by private clients!

Although this particular crop is not officially registered as such it is grown organically without pesticides or artificial fertilizers!

Mr. Nishikawa does not follow the general practice of pairing the trees to one single mango for each main branch.
He believes in natural growth!

These will become beauties soon, but I won’t be able to buy a single one then…

Jaboticaba is an odd fruit indeed!
Mr. Nishhikawa originally imported the seeds from Okinawa.
Although “classified” as a tropical fruit it grows best in temperate conditions (around 20 degrees) and can resist lower temperatures as long as no frost occurs.
A visit to the Wikipedia Site should give you a good idea of its rarity outside Southern America, the more for it because of its fragility!

The fruit-bearing flowers appear directly on the trunk and branches away from the leaves!

Then the many flowers suddenly become green fruit before maturing later into a big dark red pearl!

Mr. Nishikawa cultivates four varieties depending on size and fruiting seasons!
All are sweet with a taste both reminiscent of lychees and grapes.

The smallest variety!
It is packed with polyphenols and antioxydants!

Some Jaboticaba are grown in Kyushu and Okinawa islands but don’t appear on the markets because of their fragility.
The only other place where they are grown in Japan (some are in Taiwan) is Nishikawa Garden in Shizuoka City! And organic to boot!

Organic coffee trees on sale!

Mr. Nishikawa has also succeeded with the organic culture of coffee but the crop is just too small to be marketed!

Now, the Nishikawas struck on the great idea of creating a Cafe to encourage customers and their families to taste the various products they make with Jaboticaba and other crops!

The cafe extends inside the greenhouse!

Choose your seat!

Have a good look at the menu before choosing between breads, cakes, jaboticaba drinks and others!

Beautiful home-made breads!

Yummy cakes, some of them made from recipes offered by Pissenlit Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

A lovely panacotta with jaboticaba jelly!
This is the only place you will find jaboticaba jelly in Japan!
They even make jams!

My neighbors were sipping those beautiful jaboticaba soda drinks!

Mrs. Nishikawa has a very unusual hobby!
Oranges that cannot be sold because of blemishes on their skin are peeled before being processed.
Mrs. Nishikawa collects the soft white part between the skin and the flesh, dries it between sheets of newspaper and use it to make this big picture of jaboticaba trees!
The technique is called “oshibana/押し花” or “Pressed Flower Art” in English!
Who said farmers could not be artists!

To be continued…

Cafe Jaboticaba (mr. & Mrs. Nishikawa)
421-0103 Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mariko, 7324
Mobile phone: 090-7605-3491
Business hours: Sundays only, 10:00~17:00

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美食, 観光, 農業, Izakaya, Japanese Gastronomy, Odakkui, Tourism

Japanese Izakaya: Odakkui

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The first snack comes with a message!

Service: Very friendly
Facilities: Old but clean. Interesting and clean washroom!
Prices: appropriate
Strong points: Local traditional cuisine. Great sake and shochu!

Izakayas are the pillar of Japanese gastronomy as they are the best indication of any local food enjoyed in any particular region.
Naturally there are izakayas and izakayas!
To discover a worthy establishment you need only follow a few rules of the thumb:
A good izakaya serves:
-Local food made with local ingredients whenever possible.
-Variety in cooked and raw dishes
-At least one or two superlative local sake (or local drinks)
-A good choice of drinks to satisfy all tastes and priorities.
The (necessary) extras are:
-Conviviality
-Keen interest in customers’ requests
-Traditional atmosphere

Oddakui, although a celebrated (reserve your seat beforehand!) institution in Shizuoka City it is not easy to find as it is located on the second floor of an unremarkable building. Look for the sign below, and…

and above your head!

The MOTH: Naofumi Ohshiro/大代直史!

Naofumi is not only a great izakaya oyakata, he is also a remarkable business as he opened Yasaitei/やさい亭 with the help of Chef Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋 to offer a complementary establishment to his customers with an accent on vegetables while Odakkui/おだっ喰い serves typical izakaya food from sashimi to oden and croquettes (the last two a must!)

Naofumi has his customers’ bien-être at heart: a message greets each of them wrapped around the chopsticks!
One problem with such establishments is trying to take pictures without a flash!
But don’t worry, do refer to Odakkui’s Homepage for a great rendition of their food and atmosphere!

The little details that make a place so welcoming!

A great sake from Shizuoka: Shisizumi Brewery in Fujieda City!
The ladies must try the umeshu made with brown sugar!

This salad is called “Shizuoka Umare Sarada/静岡生まれサラダ/Shizuoka Birthplace Salad!
it is made with mitsuba/三つ葉/Japanese honeywort and shirasu/シラス/hard mouth sardine whitebait!
Shizuoka Prefecture is known all over Japan for its shirasu!

The whitefish has been steamed and cooled down beforehand.
With avocado in between, it certainly makes for a complete and healthy dish!

Although the menu is worth exploring, you ought to sample their suigyoza/dumplings in soup!
Even the Chinese would come for that!

They (or the Vietnamese!) would also come for the Raw Spring Rolls!

Yummy and so healthy again!

The customers are always offered a dessert before leaving: Brûlé Pudding and Strawberry Sorbet! Another detail which spells the difference!
Sorry for the fuzzy picture!

This is only a short start as I must sample their croquettes, oden and sashimi! LOL

ODAKKUI/おだっ喰い
420-0034 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 1-8-1, Aoba Yokocho, 2F
Tel.]Fax: 054-253-6900
Business hours: 17:00~24:00
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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