Tag Archives: Asian

観光, Hygyene, Japan, Japanese Hygiene, Japanese Toilets, Japanese washroom, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Toilets, Tourism, Washroom

Japanese Restaurants Washrooms & Toilets Standards: The Best in The World?

January 29, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Inside the washroom of a famous French Restaurant in Shizuoka City, Japan!

Washroom and toilets equipment and facilities are probably the most unsung export of Japan!
Just check the shares of such companies as Toto and Inax!
The Japanese live in a country which has to deal with extreme changes in climate and temperature on top of a very high humidity during blazing summers and flood-ridden typhoon seasons.
No wonder the Japanese have become the most picknicky people in the World in their island with an attention to detail that defies the imagination when it comes to personal hygiene!
After all, they are the biggest consumers of paper tissue and wet tissues in the World, too!

The toilets have their lid constantly closed over a heated seat!

In a region like Shizuoka celebrated for its gastronomy all over the country, new restaurants, bars, cafes and even izakaya are outdoing each other with their high-tech washroom and toilets!
Japan is probably the only country where I would dare pronounce the word “toilets” during a meal!
As an example to illustrate what you can and are entitled to expect let me “take you” to the facilities of a celebrated French restaurant which opened 4 years ago with the latest equipment of the time, a standard which has since been outclassed by many more establishments!

First the room itself is large enough for 2 people (spare me the idea!) and catering for many purposes.
As you can see on the above pictures the toilets are covered with a complete lid, a bonus compared to those gaping mouths contraceptions waiting for you back home (in France, in my case!)!
The seat of course can be heated and regulated to a comfortable temperature all year round.
Some new establishments will have toilets whose lid and seat will automatically lift and fall back down upon your entrance and exit!
The toilets themselves will be equipped with washlets spouting lukewarm water (can be regulated, too!). A boon for people with physical limitations!

Don’t start a futile search for levers or cord to press or pull, all handling comes under the form of a “computer box”!
Sometimes the Japanese characters can spell for troubling confusion but the most recent handling boxes are illustrated with small unequivocal “pictures” for a very easy understanding whatever country you come from!

You are “done with it”? Alright, let’s go and wash our hands at the sink located on the opposite side of the room.
A great improvement on most hotel toilet facilities where mirrors and basin are uncomfortably close to your toilets seat if not right in front of you!

A clean and classic white basin with a single adjustable cold/hot water tap/faucet.
I’ve seen other establishments in town adorning this particular section with black marble or false antique basin and tap!
I personally prefer white as an undeniable proof of good hygiene, but this is open to personal tastes!
Actually in this particular restaurant, all wasroom equipment is white from the toilet seat to the hand-washing liquid bottle!

Paper tissues and individual towels are clearly separated! No danger of exchanging germs here!

A cloth-lined basket for the hand towels and a (closed) dustbin for the paper tissue and others!

The washroom is equipped with a large mirror for ladies to rectify their make up and for gentlemen to inflate their ego.
Now, what is in that box on the table left of the mirror?

Extra service: maothwash capsules and cotton swabs (ear buds in England!)!
You might smile or grin, but such mouthwash could come very handy after too much drinking or before going back to work after lunch. Now, I know a lot of uses for cotton swabs….

All this has become a reference for basic excellence. More and more establishments offer even better facilities and I make a point to clearly assess this “unmetionable trait” in all reports on my gastronomic aventures!

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-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Chiocolat, 美食, Dessert, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Saint Valentin, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Saint Valentine Chocolates with a Difference: Shizuoka Tea Chocolates at Pissenlit!

January 28, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

No less than 3 types of Shizuoka St. Valentine Chocolates!

Saint Valentine is coming near!
Now, all those chocolates that will tempt you might make you think twice about that waistline of yours…
BUT, how about offering and savoring both healthy and delicious chocolates?

Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん is putting no less than 3 varieties on sale at his Restaurant, Pissenlit in Shizuoka City, and also takes orders through phone calls and e-mails!

Chef Arima in his kitchen!

The chocolate before the cut!

The chocolate is of the soft type covered with very fine tea powder produced in Shizuoka!

The dark chocolate covered with fine green tea powder.

The white chocolate covered with houji tea.

The Three Graces:
Front: Namaiki Noir (Green tea powder on DGF Yucatan Chocolate)
Top left: Namiki Vert (Green tea powder on Varona Ivoire Chocolate)
Top right: HOUJI (Houji tea powder on Varona Ivoire Chocolate)

All chocolates come at 1,100 yen for 24 pieces in their own box!

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
E-Mail: pissenlit2008@ybb.ne.jp
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

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Shizuoka sake Tasting: The Last Bottle? Yoshiya Brewery-Chuumasa Daiginjo

January 26, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Almost two years ago the owner of Yoshiya Brewery in Shizuoka City invoked the retirement of his Brewmaster, Mr. Haruki Nakajima from the Nanbu School in Iwate Prefecture, as a reason to stop production and sell his license to the new Brewery in town called Suruga Brewery. The truth is that his wife had wanted him to leave the trade for a long time and develop their big property into a large apartment building.. (How do I know that? She told me in person during an interview!)
The whole 250 years old brewery has disappeared from the surface of the earth to leave way to ugly development, but fortunately Suruga Brewery not only bought all the sake created by Masterbrewer Haruki Nakajima with the license but also continued using the brand names of Chuumasa, Abekaidou and Onigoroshi!

Suruga Brewery bottled this Chuumasa sake created by Brewmaster Haruki Nakajima in 2007 in November 2011!
Unfortunately I already know that it has been practically sold out…

Rice: Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture
Rice milled down to 40%
Brewmaster: Haruki Nakajima (Nanbu School)
Dryness: + 5
Acidity: 1.3
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Brewed in 2007
Bottled in November 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and elegant. Pears, oranges.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Fruity and liquorish.
Complex with pleasant alcohol attack (practically a genshu).
Oranges, almonds, pears, dark chocolate and coffee beans
Elegant and softer than expected in spite of its high alcohol content.
Quickly disappears.
Gets drier with food with a big kick from the alcohol.
Tends to make a sweet comeback with more oranges away from food.
Surprisingly marries well with any food.

Overall: Very elegant sake.
Complex and ever pleasant.
A rarity in the sense that it is a daiginjo that ladies should find to their liking for its soft approach in spite of the high alcohol content.
Unfortunately a sake masterpiece that will live in the past…

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Bread, Cakes, 美食, Dessert, Education, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products

Bread: Shizuoka Agricultural High School Mari Ishiguro wins Consecutive First Prize at 6th National High School Bread Contest!

January 25, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Mari Ishiguro/石黒茉莉さん established a record by winning her second consecutive First Prize at the 6th National High School Bread Contest fielding 176 participants from all over Japan!
On the 21st and 22nd of January 2012 the 6th National High School Bread Contest took place in the City of Izu No Kuni in the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture!
Mari who had won last year’s contest with a “Toma Kara Feuille”/”Tomato Mille-Feuilles” did it again with a ‘Toma Kan Pan” creation!

The concept of the bread was indeed an interesting combination of European and Asian cuisines:
“Toma” stands for “tomato” as dried ones were extensively used.
Note that tomatoes were a prerequisite ingredient in submitted recipes as the Government is actively promoting the culture of this vegetable!
“Kan” stands for “kanten/寒天/agar agar” in Japanese with which the bread was coated!
“Pan” stands for bread in Japanese.

Mari Ishiguro is a third year student at the Shizuoka Prefectural Agricultural High School and will graduate next month before attending Cooking College in Tokyo.
The bread might be small but it took no less than 5 hours to prepare and bake!

Cross section of a frozen sample

Creating the bread with a dough surrounding another dough containing dried tomatoes and walnuts took 3 and a half hours, while the coating with agar agar took an hour. Add to this 35 minutes for baking, the whole work took no less than 5 hours!
According to Mari, this year’s concept was totally different from last year’s approach as she wanted to create a bread/cake that could be appreciated chilled.
Moreover, instead of using water in the dough she utilized the natural juice of real tomatoes.
She also compensated the astringency with cocoa powder.
Finally she topped the bread with dried tomatoes before baking it!
She agreed that her “bread” was more a dessert than anything else!

All this creative work was made possible under the teaching of her Bakery Teacher, Tetsuya Ishida/石田哲也!
Mari and her teacher (and all the students and their students) have the chance to belong to a very progressive high school by Japanese standards which emphazises vocational studies above all!

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French Desserts with Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 24, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat.

Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City is not only famous for its great use of local vegetables and fruit but also for his exquisitely balanced desserts created with local products!

Once again the other day saw an embarrassment of choices!
What did we order?

The Missus wanted something light and refreshing so she opted for the chilled strawberry soup!
Shizuoka Prefecture is known all over Japan for its superlative strawberries!
Having access to such fresh and high quality fruit is truly extravagant in this country!

Strawberries were served over a transparent luscious jelly with strawberry coulis generously poured over them to be completed with a spoonful of sophisticated strawberry sorbet and organic mint leaves!
It was difficult to understand whether you were drinking or eating it!
Strawberries are winter fruit in Japan, but you don’t need a warm weather to appreciate such a dessert!

As for me I chose to challenge a dessert that allies influences from France, China and Japan: Egg tart plate!

The eggs used in this creation are produced organically by Mr. Horita in Okabe, Fujieda City!
The tart literally melts inside your mouth.
Combined with the fruit sauces it becomes a beautiful battle between conflicting savors!
I know a lot of Chinese friends who will be converted!

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Tonkatsu Sauce: The Basic recipe

January 22, 2012 dragonlife 13 Comments

Tonkatsu is another Japanese gastronomy fast becoming a global favorite!
The tonkatsu is not that difficult to achieve, but too often disappointment comes with the wrong choice of sauce or simply not realizing that the sauce is half of the recipe!

The sauce is not difficult to create and it is open to a lot of variations, so next time instead of using a dubious (cheap) product make your own!

The following recipe is only a basic one which will allow to work on quantities according to your taste and priorities!

INGREDIENTS:

Sesame seeds
Soy sauce (plenty of possibilities there!)
Worcestershire sauce (my favorite is Lea & Perrins, but it’s up to you!)
Tomato ketchup (if you can make your own, so much the better. Try and void too sweet specimens!)
Sugar
Water (easy on that!)

RECIPE:

Sesame seeds are the most important point in a tonkatsu sauce!
The more, the better!
Use golden sesame seeds.
First dry-fry them.

Grind the sesame seeds thoroughly with a mortar (Japanese-style is best!) and pestle.
Bear in mind that the mortar must be big enough to contain all the sauce!

This is where improvisation and personal tastes come into consideration!
First add Soy sauce, Tomato ktechup and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix well and check taste, then add sugar.
Check taste and rectify if necessary.
Add water to liquefy the sauce. Careful there. Too much water and you will end up with soup! Proceed slowly!

Taste again to make sure it is perfect!
Now, there are many things you could further add:
I personally add some very strong Japanese mustard for more zip.
Ground pices of all spices can be considered, but proceed carefully!
There is no need to add salt!

Try to present the sauce in the mortar for better impression and invite your family, friends or guests to serve themselves!

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Buckwheat, 美食, 野菜, 蕎麦, 観光, 農業, French gastronomy, Gastronomy, Japan, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Buckwheat Crepe and Mousse and Duckling Declinaison at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 22, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

France meets Japan!

You (almost) do not need to import ingredients for superlative French Cuisine in Shizuoka as demonstrated by Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん in this Declinaison/Marriage of buckwheat Crepe and Mousse and Duckling.

Buckwheat/soba/蕎麦 is increasingly grown in Shizuoka Prefecture and Chef Arima discovered a producer called Mr. Sugio/杉尾さん who lives on the other side of Abe River in Shizuoka City!
As for duck and ducklings they do need to be imported unless you wish for a useless extra expense!

Chef Arima had prepared the buckwheat mousse separately.
He made a small buckwheat galette in true French fashion and wrapped it around the mousse.
He placed the whole in the middle of the plate and surrounded it with duckling aiguillettes/thin slices, organic greens from Shizuen No Chikara Farm and boiled buckwheat seeds seasoned with a lukewarm vinaigrette!

The buckwheat mousse inside was so smooth, sophisticated and light!
A truly extravagant appetizer although it would provide for a main dish to many!

Actually as an Amuse-bouche (I should say, “teaser”!) Touru served us a combination of violet sweet potato potage, gougere and Serrano salami!

The next dish will introduced soon! LOL

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Uncategorized

Weird Japan (2): Junk Food Bar in Shizuoka City!

January 16, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Someone will have to explain the meaning of the word “junk” to some people here! LOL
Maybe they are confusing junk food with fast food, although I would like to know what they mean by “soul” as well!

Americans will understand that “Jumbo Dog” probably means “Jumbo Hot Dog”, but what is a “Got Burger” or “Junk Rice”?

They are quite insistent about it with “Junk Food & Bar” pasted on the entrance door!

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Japanese Gastronomy: Fuji-Takasago Brewery Public Opening with Sanoman Delicatessen in Fujinomiya City!

January 16, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Some happy participants!

For the last 8 years or so Fuji-Takasago Brewery has been holding a Brewery Public Opening Day on their premises in Fujinomiya City with the collaboration of Sanoman Co., the largest delicatessen company in the Prefecture.
The event is attracting a lot of attention from the whole of Shizuoka Prefecture as demonstrated by thousands of visitors from all corners of the Prefecture!
The joint event has become a reference for an ever-growing number of similar festivals in Shizuoka!

The train saw a lot of people going down at Nishi Fujinomiya Station at a walking distance from the Brewery. Some of them took the opportunity to eat hot pork soups at Sanoman Co. which stands on the other side of the street!

The soups on offer!

They were the more welcome by the cold weather!

I had a quick look inside Sanoman Co. as I knew quite a few of their products would be on sale on the Brewery premises!

And then we had only the street to cross to enter Fuji-Takasago Brewery!

The whole staff with their young owner were busy welcoming everyone!

Take note of the Fuji-Takasago sake kegs!

Quite a few notable visitors were already enjoying themselves including Kenya Yoshimura, owner of Uzu Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

Sakekasu/sake white lees were on sale for customers who will use them for amazake/sweet sake or nabe/hotpot back home!

Fujinomiya Yakisoba!

Visitors were even treated to a show by local folklore dance groups!

A keen crowd!

Cute kids taking part in the dance!

Slightly tired performers!

But my first destination was the sake served for free by the brewmasters (Noto School) themselves!

Directly from the brewing tanks!

Many local producers were selling their products!

Strawberry jams and cakes!

But the cold weather required plenty of hot food: Delicious croquettes by Sanoman Co.!

Baked sweet potatoes!

Hot tonjiru soup!

It certainly brought smiles on many faces!

Even so, quite a few visitors gathered around one of the many fires!

Another method to keep away from the cold was to queue for more free sake!

What with visitors coming from far away the brewery staff was busy selling their nectars!

It was a battle to reach the bottles!

Sake is fine but one can’t drink on an empty stomach, so it was back to the food stands!

Mind you, there was plenty of green tea on offer!

Home-made natural yeast bread!

Tonjiru soup and karaage chicken!

Now, what is this freshly made anko/sweetmeats for?

Dorayaki!

Apart of Fuji-Takasago Brewery and Sanoman Delicatessen, there were two more stars present!
First Kunugi Rainbow Trout Farm from Fujinomiya City!

It was non-stop work for the Kunugis!

Couldn’t wait for these beauties to be ready!

Yummy!

Very happy visitors!

A very rare treat: Red caviar from the land, Rainbow trout Roe!

Another rare treat: canned raibow Trout!

The other star was yakitori by Aoki Chicken Farm in Fuji City!

They certainly needed a lot to satisfy the enormous demand!

Absolutely non-stop work again!

I can guarantee you they were worth the wait!

I’ll have to come earlier next year!

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Weird Japan (1): Don’t set the Department Store on Fire!

January 14, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Seen at Cenova Department Store in Shizuoka City!

The fact that is the safest country in the World sometimes leads to excessive precautions and warnings!
Hazardous Materials (probably wrong choice of word there…) should be prohibited anywhere!
I totally agree with banning smoking!
But who would try to set a department store on fire?

The fact that the sign is almost at ground level be hind a constantly moving sliding glass door might explain why people haven’t paid any notice!
I wonder what the Chinese and Korean translations say?

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French Gastronomy: Shingai Farm’s Ebi Imo in high-class Gastronomy at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 13, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Ebi Imo Terrine!

Ebi imo, a variety of taro, originally was a “Kyo-sai”, that is a vegetable grown in Kyoto, but the City of Iwata in Shizuoka Prefecture grows 80% of the whole Japanese crop these days!
Usually you one will see it served at high-class Japanese restaurants but Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん decided it was about time to experiment with them in French Cuisine and ordered some from Shingai Farm, one of the most celebrated growers in Iwata City!

I had the pleasure to savor it in two dishes yesterday at lunch with my japanese Missus!
The first opportunity came as a dish of its own; Ebi Imo Terrine!
The terrine had been made with pre-steamed Ebi imo packed inside a terrine dish lined with cold bacon and served with concasse Mateta Tomato and fresh cream.

No wonder Japanese high-class restaurants use them: The texture, although extremely fine, did not interfere with the solidity of the vegetable which stays firm in spite of a soft bite. As for the taste it is definitely more sophisticated than a usual potato. Its white-grey color also means you can combine it with a lot of colored ingredients.
Served with concasse (roughly broken) Mateta Tomato (from Shizuoka) and fresh cream, it made for the perfect starter, although it would well qualify for a main dish!

The second opportunity saw it served with young wild boar stewed in red wine!

Ebi Imo Gratin Dauphinois!

It just shows that true gastronomy is unlimited when you have superlative ingredients!

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Café Hanya (般若) in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

January 11, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and quiet
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness and beautiful gender-separated toilets
Prices: Very reasonable
Strong points: Traditional Coffee shop. Very reasonable “home food”. Very quiet. A rare non-smoking coffee house!
English and French fluently spoken by the owner!

In an era crowded with chain shops of dubious taste and hygiene it is so refreshing to discover a new coffee shop who offers a relaxing calm atmosphere, allows you to stay as long as you want, serves very reasonably-priced meals and spares you from any smoke in a quiet environment only a few minutes walk from the bustle of town and civilization!

just drop off the Tokaido Line at Kusanagi Station, take the first street on the street on the left until you reach a small river and turn right. There you will discover the coffee shop sign!

No, this is not a demon, but a protection against evil spirits!

The place used to be a very busy cramming school until the Yokoyamas retired last year and decided to transform it into a quiet and homely coffee house.

They also double up as a tiny gallery for local artists.

The tables and chairs are all different either by walls or large windows.
Just choose your little corner!

There are tables for groups of 4, couples and individuals.

Beautiful noren/entrance curtain opening onto the washroom!

Plenty of reading material as you may stay as long as you want!

Drapes help diffuse the light!

Hanya Noh Theater mask!
Hanya is a character found in the Noh Theater lore!

A lot of customers will be tempted to take the table paper cloth away!

Cute goblin!

A personal toothpick is provided with the chopsticks!

At lunch take a good look at the different set menu as they tend to come up with something different very quickly according to the mood and season!
On that day there were two new sets offered. The picture above shows a baked cheese curry!

I chose the other new set: open hamburger steak lunch!

You can’t beat a fresh homely lunch!

All lunches come with coffee or tea and a dessert!
How much did I pay for that? A mere 800 yen!

For people who just wish for a drink and dessert set I would recommend hot green tea (this is Shizuoka after all!) and home-made cake set!

Such a pleasant way to serve green tea!

To be continued…

Café Hanya (般若)
424-0886 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Kusanagi, 1-11-2 (3 minutes walk from Kusanagi Station)
Tel.: 054-345-4377
Opening hours: 07:00~18:00
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
HOMEPAGE/BLOG
Entirely non-smoking!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kansawagawa Brewery-Shosetsu Daiginjo “Shizuoka Aoi Premium Nama” Gentei

January 9, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

December and January are very productive months of the year at sake breweries!
Most of the sake put out then are “shinshu/New Sake” and “Gentei shu/limited edition sake”.
It is a great time for experimenting and looking for new flavors!

This particular brew concocted by Kansawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City is a limited edition. They accordingly came up with the name “Shizuoka Aoi Premium” to differentiate it from other brews.
It is a daiginjo of extravagant proportions when you consider the rice has been milled down to as little as 35%.
The fact it is also a “Nama/unpasteurised” sake means there was little manipulation!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 35%
Dryness: + 4~+ 6
Acidity: 1.1~1.3
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity: dry bananas, pears, apples.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry fruity attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Lingers only for a little while warming up the palate and disappearing on a sweetish impression and then back on a dry note.
Complex. Banana, apples. Grows even drier on second sip and even drier again with food.
Some oranges, dry nuts and faint coffee beans peeking out later.
Overall: Although a very sophisticated and deep sake, it will definitely appeal more to dry sake loving gentlemen than to ladies, but you never know…
Intriguing and aggressive sake, unusual by Shizuoka standards.
I cannot count the times the bottle called me back from the refrigerator for an extra cup…
A “provocative untamed sake”, or a “one-night only lover”?

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Japanese Gastronomy: New Year’s Lunch at Setsugekka Soba Restaurant!

January 8, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

Yuzu/Lime and Jyuwari Soba!

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: High quality soba. Beautiful tempura. Great local sake

It is a tradition in Japan to eat soba on the New Year and the Missus and I do not hesitate to spend some time in the train to savor them at our favorite soba restaurant, Setsugekka in Shimada City!

Next to the Restaurant is the great site of Oomuraya Sake Brewery (with the brewmaster standing outside as we arrived!). No wonder the sake served at Setsugekka are superlative!

If it’s available, make sure to take the small room overlooking the street!

A nice little corner away from the crowd!

But the whole place is so pleasant and comfortable!

The kitchen!

A nice little snack coming with the first drink: Soba tofu coated with kinako!

Very Japanese!

Another snack: deep-fried soba!

The soba tray is set on the table before the first tempura is served!

But first, the appetizers!

Miso yaki! Miso paste mixed with whole soba seeds cooked under the grill.

Plain juwari/100% buckwheat noodles in cold water to allow you to appreciate their true original taste!

Buckwheat/soba tofu served in soy sauce with grated yamaimo, whole grilled buckwheat seeds and grated wasabi!

Shimonita/下仁田 leek tempura with katsuobushi!

Bamboo shoot, carrot and taro tempura!

Shrimp and lily bulb kakiage tempura!

Next, the soba! All seiro style!

I had two types of soba, while the Missus had three: first elegant yuzu/lime jyuwari soba!

Plain thick jyuwari soba!
Note the well-used vessels!

Plain thin jyuwari soba!

And the desserts!

A rare buckwheat ice-cream!

I still haven’t visited the place at dinner! Next article?

SETSUGEKKA/雪月花
Shimada City, Hontouri, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Monday and third Tuesday
HOMEPAGE
Entirely non-smoking for lunch!

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観光, Japan, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Tourism

Japan Tourism: Ooi Shinto Shrine in Shimada City!

January 8, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Torii/Portal at the entrance of Ooi Shinto Shrine

Whatever City you visit in Japan, down to the smallest mountain village, you will discover at least one Shinto Shrine venerated by the locals. And if you are lucky enough to visit them during traditional holidays or festivals they become an unending source of lore study and photography!

Hand-washing fountain.

How do you recognize a Shinto Shrine from other cult sites?
It is actually very simple even if you can’t read any Japanese!
1) The entrance is always marked with “torii/鳥居/portal”, however tiny the shrine.
2) You will usually find a hand-washing fountain/basin.
3) Entrance is free contrary to some of the shrines of other beliefs. Actually you will often see children playing in their yards in daytime.

Ooi Shrine garden

Now, if you happen to pass through Shimada City, by road or train or on your way from the International Airport take a couple of hours off for a leisurely visit of Ooi shrine/大井神社 as it is only a 10-minute walk from the railway station!
It is just the right size and a true representative of the long local history and culture.
It is also within walking distance to places such as Setsugekka Soba Restaurant where you could take a beautiful lunch before proceeding to the next stage of your trip through Shizuoka Prefecture and Japan!

Shimada Obi Festival Dancer Statue

Shimada is celebrated for its Shimada Obi/belt Matsuri/Festival, an event officially designated as one of 20 strangest/most original festivals in Japan. It is held every 3 years on the Years of the Tiger, Snake, Monkey and Wild Boar!

A young dancer of the other celebrated Shimada Festival, the 300-year old Daimyo Gyoretsu, which imitates the procession of a grand jumangoku (one hundred thousand koku, units of rice) daimyo with a total of 250 marchers stretching over 500 meters!