Tag Archives: Fujinomiya City

Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Shochu, Shochu

Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Fuji takasago Brewery (Fujinomiya City) Coffee Spirits Takasago

April 5, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

Fuji Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City has for some time now venturing in making shochu out of the ordinary!

Their latest creation is anlend of fine rice lees and rice shochu and high quality coffee called Coffee spirits Takasago!

ingredients: rice shochu, rice lees shochu, coffee
Alcohol: 255
Contents: 500m
No 1302 (very limited edition!)

Tasting: strong and pleasant alcohol attack. beautiful dark black coffee.Roasted coffee beans, almost expresso coffee.
Alcohol pleasantly lingering on tongue and back of the mouth.
Tends to somewhat sweeten with the second sip.
lingers for a while before disappearing with a strong and pleasant dark coffee note at the back of the palate.
Strong and dry coffee attack with every new sip.

Comments: very dangerous shochu as it constantly invites/entices you to the next sip making you forget this is indeed a strong spirit!
Best appreciated on the rocks, but still very pleasant on its own at room temperature!
Easily becomes a bad habit. Can actually make for the perfct disgestif without a push coffee!

Recommended pairings: cheese, choclate, ice creams.

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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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-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
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Beer Bar, Beer Brewery, Farment Co. Ltd, Fujinomiya City, Fujiyama Hunter's Beer Tap Room, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture Craft Beers

Fujiyama Hunter’s Beer Tap Room in Fujinomiya City!

March 11, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: shy but very kind and attentive if somewhat busy.
Equipment & facilities: overall very clean. Small but xcellent washroom.
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Craft Beers of course, including regular, limited and guest beers! Also great local wild game cuisine when available! Venison (wiid deer) jerky!

Fujinomiya City is already famed all over Japan for its four sake breweries and now it counts not but two craft beer breweries located on both side of Sengen Shrine! As for Fujiyama Hunter’s Beer Tap Room located behind Sengen Shrine it is the official tap room of Farment Co. Ltd as the brewery and tap room are separate!

Farment Co. Produces three regular craft beers under the name of Fujiyama Hunter Beer!

All COD/Cash on Delivery system!

As for the clientele of this particular tap room it is more local than others, probably due to its almost hidden away location, but very authentic in atmosphere. Interestingly enough it seems to be very popular with local ladies (of all ages! lol)!

Very proud of their craft beers! (I will come to that later!)

As it was my first visit I naturally ordered the reasonably price tasting set!

The taps!

Their pride and joy! Local game/venison and wild boar cuisine! Unfortunately I came pretty late on Sunday afternoon and everything had already been eaten!

I had to settle for simpler fare!

The rest of the menu!I noticed, because maybe it was Sunday, that everyone asked for something to eat!

The regular craft beers are available in bottles under the names of Oppa, Yunomura and Morinotane.
As for other regular and limited crafts beers, they are 8fr the moment!) Peace Tea, Iri Got, Zan, …

Cha Mugi and Yabusame! Very thankful for detailed explanations!

Meaning I will have to go there again soon!

FUJIYAMA HUNTER’S BEER TAP ROOM

418-0067 Shizuoka Prefecture, Fujinomiya City, Miya Cho, 12-2, Ichhi Fuku Corpo 1F, behind Sengen Shrine
Tel.: 080-3303-0691
Opening hours: 13:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
GOOGLE MAP

Mother Company: FARMENT Co. Ltd
Te.: 0544-66-0399
Address: Shizuoka Prefecture, Fujinomiya City, Ooshikakubo, 1428-1
WEBSITE

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Mount Fuji Brewing in Fujinomiya City!

February 26, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: shy but kind and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Overall very clean, Superb washroom
Prices: reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points superb craft beers! Excellent food, especially at lunch! Very spacy with nice views!

Fujinomiya City benefiting from untold amounts of best natural water thanks to the proximity to Mount Fuji, it was only a question of time for new beer breweries sprouting here and there!
I visited one of them recently, namely Mount Fuji Brewing! An easy name to remember, isn’t it?

The brewery including a vast restaurant is conveniently located near the entrance of Sengen Shrine, arguably the most important one in the Prefecture, meaning there crowds of thirsty visitors to satisfy! The beer is brewed inside the very precincts for all to see!

It also includes a vast restaurant patronized by beer lovers and families alike. Note the restaurant hours.
The food is definitely of a higher standard for the simple reason that Fujinomiya City is one of the most noted agricultural areas in the Prefecture, be it vegetables, meat or even fish (it is famous for its many kinds of trouts!)!

Take a good look at the beautiful menu, be it for drinks, food, or both!

If it is your first visit, I would definitely recommend a tasting set of at least three craft beers brewed on site!
They do also serve beers from other breweries on a collaboration basis!
Above is the set I chose!

Kuro Tobi Fuji/Black Kite (the bird!) Fuji! Stout, ABV 4.2, IBU 6!

Kooji Fuji! IPA, ABV 5.0, IBU 30.2!

Yamabuki Fuji! Pale Ale, ABV 5.0, IBU 15!

And don’t forget the food! Plenty of surprises in wait for you!
But that is for the next report! LOL

MOUNT FUJI BREWING

418-0066 Shizuoka Prefecture, Fujinomiya City, Omiya Cho, 4-5, in front of Sengen Shrine
Tel.: 0544-66-5223
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00. Lunch 11:00~14:00. Dinner: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Credit cards OK
GOOGLE MAP

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: One-Cup Series 15: Fujimasa Brewery-Genkotsu

January 2, 2017 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day I had the surprise to discover a One Cup sake by Fujimasa Brewery which is located in Fujinomiya City, a long way from Shizuoka City!

Interesting and very macho name: Genkotsu, that is “The Fist”!

Advertised a “dry sake”!

Old-fashioned cap!
Incidentally this is a honjozo!

Rice: various from Shizuoka Prefecture
Rice milled down to 68%
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.1
Yeast: No 6
Alcohol: 15.5 degrees
Bottled in December 2016

Clarity: very clear
Color: light golden hue
Aroma: dry, smoky, oak, plums
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and smoky attack.
Dry plums.
Pleasantly warms back of the palate.
Lingers for a while before departing on a softer note of dry oranges and more plums.
Tends to turn even drier and smokier with food.
Late appearance of chestnuts and bitter chocolate.

Overall: as expected a sake fit for men’s taste although I don’t doubt many members of the so-called weak gender will appreciate its uncompromising dryness and smoky oaken notes!
Great with a hot meal!
Suggested pairings: yakitori, oden, stews, cheese.

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery-Fujinishiki Junmai Genshu Nama “Juku” (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

October 9, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

This time I tasted another brew by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomiya City!
It is a Junmai Genshu Nama called “Juku/塾/Matured”!

Rice: Nihonbare (Shiga Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 18~19 degrees
Dryness: + 6
Acidity: 1.8
Bottled in October 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: golden hue, very similar to a white wine
Aroma: assertive, dry and fruity.
Muscat, raisins, custard, musk melon, hints of peach, ripe figs and chestnuts
Body: slightly sirupy
Taste: dry and mellow attack at first backed only with a little junmai petillant with some welcome acidity.
Complex: custard, peach, figs, chestnuts.
Lingers for while warming up the back of the palate before departing on a strong dark chocolate appearance.
Very easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.

Overall: a very intriguing sake you can enjoy as a high class mellow white wine!
Will splendidly marry with practically any food.
Stays complex all the way through and showing ever-changing facets probably due to the unusual rice and the high alcohol contents.
Very unusual for a Shizuoka Prefecture sake.
A must-try not only as a sake but as a high class beverage for a whole meal.
You will overwhelm your guests!

Recommended pairings: ebi shumai, oden, cheese, chawanmushi, yakitori, terrines and pate.

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00, 12:00~18:00 on Sundays & National Holidays
FACEBOOK (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery-Fujinishiki Hiyaoroshi Junmai Genshu (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

September 18, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

This time I tasted a brew by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

This is a Hiyaoroshi, that is a sake pasteurized only once before bottling only.
It is not only a junmai but also a genshu, that is no pure water was added!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku (Fukui Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 65%
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 17 degrees
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.6
Bottled in September 2015

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Clarity: very clear
Color: white wine-like golden hue
Aroma: dry and very fruity
Complex: pineapple, banana, apples, mango, apricot
Body: fluid
Taste: softer than expected dry and fruity attack back up by puissant junmai petillant
Complex: almonds, biscuits, custard
Easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol content thanks to the Shizuoka yeast.
Lingers on for a while warming up the back of the palate.
Varies little with food but for a drier finish.
Insistently asks for the next sip and cup, a true sign pf a good sake.

Overall: Intriguing, complex and very pleasant sake!
The type of sake you can enjoy during a whole meal from starters to desserts as an almighty white wine!
Suggested pairings, especially when slightly chilled: soft-style creamy cheese and nuts, cashew nuts, Japanese pickles.

LA SOMMELIERE

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 12): Makino Brewery-Shimizu Minato Jirocyo Honjozo

September 16, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

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

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

A one cup sake by Makino Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

Shimizu Minato Jirocyo!
That is, Shimizu ( a city of its own before it was merged into Shizuoka City) Minato (harbor) Jirocyo (pronouce “Jirochoo”, the name of the local hero!)!

Although Makino Brewery is located at the foot of Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya City, it has produced this special brew for quite some time.
Actually it is the only brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture allowed to call one of its brands, “Fujisan/Mount Fuji”!

Rice milled down to 70%
Alcohol: 15%
Bottled in April 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: assertive. Very dry and fruity. Almonds, roasted nuts
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and fruity attack
Dry banana, acid custard, dry oranges, roasted nuts, biscuits.
lingers for a short while warming up the back of the palate before departing with notes of oranges.
Varies little with food but for an even drier finish.
Late but strong appearance of coffee beans and then dark chocolate.

Overall: a solid and uncomplicated sake fit for an izakaya!
The dry sake lovers will appreciate it!
Bring it to a BBQ!
Suggested pairings: yakitori, curry dishes, pork and sausages.

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: One Cup Series 11): Fuji-Takasago Brewery-Takasago Honjozo

September 15, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

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

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

Takasago Honjozo by Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinmiya City!

Alcohol: 14~15 degrees
Bottled in June 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: very faint golden hue
Aroma: dry and fruity. banana, roasted nuts
Body: fluid
Taste: dry and fruity attack.
Complex: roasted nuts, banana, custard.
Lingers for a while before departing on a drier note with strong hints of coffee beans and dark chocolate.
Changes little with food but for a softer if still very dry note.
Late appearance of oranges.

Overall: Straightforward, uncomplicated but very enjoyable sake.
Tends to show more complexity with time and rise in temperature.
Marries beautifully with food although eminently enjoyable on its own.
A sure value.
Suggested pairings: cheese, nuts, Japanese pickles, ham.

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery-Fuurin no Sasayaki Junmai Ginjo (conducted at La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

May 10, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

This time I tasted a remarkable sake brewed in Fujinomiya City!

“Fuurin no sasayaki/The Murmur of Summer Wind Bell” Junmai Ginjyo by Fujinishiki Brewery!
It is sold for a reasonable 630 yen for a 300 ml bottle at la Sommeliere!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (HYogo Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Yeast: No 1401
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 4.4
Acidity: 1.5
Bottled in April 2015

Clarity: very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Dry and mineral. Salt, algae (konbu), Japanese parsley (seri), greens
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and complex attack backed by a little of junmai petillant.
Green coffee beans, dry cacao, lime, algae (konbu).
Lingers only for a little while before departing with hints of mandarin oranges and green Japanese plums (ume)
Coffee beans come strongly with the rise in temperature.

Overall: Unusual sake for Fujinishiki Brewery
Obviously conceived for summer drinking and eating.
Would be perfect with sushi and oysters.
Also beautifully pairs with raw bonito (katsuo), cold pork shabu shabu (reishabu), raw seabream marinated with seaweed (tai konbujime), green leaves tempura and buckwheat noodles (soba).
Probably best appreciated chilled first and left to warm up gradually to room temperature.
Deserves extra attention!

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00 (~20:00 on Sundays and Holidays)
Entirely non-smoking!
FACEBOOK

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery-“Karakuchi”

March 1, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

As a general rule I always take notes when drinking sake in a Restaurant or bar in Shizuoka Prefecture (and very often elsewhere!) as some of the same sake are impossible to find elsewhere because they are brewed on order.
I found this particular one at Uogashi Sushi restaurant inside the ASTY Mall in Shizuoka City JR Station!

It is a sake just called “Karakuchi/Dry” by Fuji-Takasago in Fujinomiya City/
There are no indications as toward its status although I suspect it is a honjozo.
It certainly tasted better than expected proving once again the high quality of Shizuoka sake in general!

Alcohol: 14~15 degrees
Bottled in September 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: almost transparent
Aroma: assertive. Dry and fruity. Pears.
Body: fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack.
More complex than expected. Pears, almonds, apricots, coffee beans.
Lingers on for a little while before departing on s drier note.
varies little with food but for a sweeter turn although it will quickly reassess itself to an even drier note.

Overall: very solid and reliable dry sake.
Superb choice for sushi, considering its very reasonable price.
To e enjoyed with izakaya heavy fare, sushi and BBQ!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery-Fujinishiki Honjozo Shiboritate Genshu Nama “Daikan Shikomi”

February 3, 2015 dragonlife Leave a comment

It’s been quite some time since I have tasted a sake by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomiya City!
Although they do produce a great variety of brands, Shizuoka Ciy finds a bit itself a bit too far away when it comes to regular supplying.

But I’m lucky enough to have some good friends among the wine and sake dealers downtown and my good friend Hiromi Hasegawa/長谷川浩美さん at her shop La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City came up with an unusual brew!

Another long name to deal with!
Fujinishiki Honjozo Shiboritate (just pressed) Genshu (No pure water blended in) Nama (unpasteurized) Daikan Shikomi (brewed during the coldest season of the year)!

Rice milled down to 65%
Dryness: + 7.3
Acidity: 1.6
Bottled in January 2015

Color: Almost transparent
Aroma: More discreet than expected. Sweetish, apples, pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: Sweetish, fruity and strong attack backed up with strong and pleasant alcohol.
Complex. Pears, apples,hints of chocolate and milk coffee and oranges.
Deep and elegant in spite of its strong alcohol contents.
Changes little with food but for a slightly sweeter note and hints of dark chocolate.

Overall: very intriguing sake for such a humble status.
Extremely pleasant for such a high alcohol sake.
Easy to drink.
Most enjoyable with heavy izakaya fare!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fujinishiki Brewery: Fujinishiki “Nama” Homjozo

May 31, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Cenova has an interesting set of 300 ml sake bottles and it is always a good idea to buy those.
It might not be economical but you don’t have to buy too much and you can drink it anywhere!
This time I chose a bottle by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

Mind you, I think that breweries should make an effort with the design as they tend to all look alike!

Cenova tries to give supplementary information that the small bottle does not allow for lack of space but it sometimes is the source of big mistakes, even in Japanese. Honjozo on top and daiginjyo under!
Oh well, it is still a good bargain!

Clarity: Very clear
Color: very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive: Floral and fruity. Banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Complex. Macadamia nuts, dry custard.
Disappears quickly on a deep and dry note with hints of dark chocolate and milk coffee. Late appearance by oranges, walnuts and chestnuts.
Solid and easy to drink.
Coffee beans tend to reach more importance with the third or fourth cup.
Tends to take a drier back step with food.
Turns very dry again away from food.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to accompany food and probably at its best slightly chilled with izkaya heavy fare, and even better at a BBQ!
Solid, reliable and thoroughly enjoyable in spite of its deep dryness!

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レシピ, Barbecue, Beef, Chicken, 美食, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Pork, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

BBQ with local Chicken, Pork & Beef in Fujinomiya City! (under Mount Fuji!)

February 17, 2014 dragonlife 4 Comments

Yesterday was a lucky day!
I had the day entirely free but didn’t have a clue how to use iTt
Moreover the weather so good it felt like a balmy Spring day!
On a hunch I went to Shizuoka City JR Station to see where I could go.
I was looking at the station map when someone lightly tapped my shoulder.
I turned around to discover N., a very old chum of mine!
-What brings to Shizuoka Station? he asked me
-I wish I knew! And where are you going to yourself?
-Fujinomiya City! M. is having a small BBQ lunch party at his workplace and he just invited me?
-M.! (another old chum of mine!). I didn’t know he was holding a BBQ!
-Well, it was decided on a whim as he wants to celebrate his going back to New Zealand!
-Really? Could you call and see if he is ok with my joining!
……….
-He said, fine we are waiting for the both of you to join the fun!

Although it looks a bit far on a map, Fujinomiya City, especially Fujinomiya Station is not that far from Shizuoka City.
First you go to Fuji City and then change to a rain on the Minobu Line. Very simple.

Mount Fuji at Fujine Station!

If you want to take great pics of Mount Fuji this is the line to board!

A half Mount Fuji in Fujinomiya City!

Fujinomiya City is at the very foot of Mount Fuji, so people there have somewhat stopped noticing it!

Mount Fuji lost in aerial cables!

Red light Mount Fuji!

Pachinko Mount Fuji!

Our friend A., the back of A., another chum, J., a new friend, and Dino, another old pal!

A.’s workplace includes a small veranda where we can hold BBQ in the sun!

The LP gas operated BBQ gear, all imported from New Zealand!

Can be used in 4 different ways!

M. at work!

Greta chicken and pork!

Fujinomiya City is a major meat producing area and on that day all the chicken, pork and beef were local!

We had twoKiwis, one Ozzie, one Croatian, two Canucks, one Pom, two Yankees and a Frog on that day!
But we all spoke English!
And we all like our meet well cooked!

The beef was to be cooked later!

Just the minimum of greens on that day! LOL

M.’s is a great workplace where you can have a peek at Mount Fuji from all kinds of angles!

Time to grill the enormous beef steaks!

R,. M., M. the host, Dino and a Grateful Dead lover!

The beef is sizzling under the lid!

I shared my beef with N.! It was just too big!

M. and J. having a musical break!

I had an early switch from the beer to New Zealand Hawke’s Bay red wine!

R. having a peek!

Serious drinking business for R. and Dino!

Dino’s awful mixture!

Grateful Dead and R.!

We had a bit of a long way back home as some trains didn’t reach Fujinomiya City because of the recent snow storm!

When we changed trains at Fuji, I noticed the snow on the roof of the train we had just left!

Looking forward to my next trip to Fujinomiya City!

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So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, 農業, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka Sake, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji Takasago Brewery-Junmai Ginjo

January 4, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

For all simple name, “Junmai Ginjo, this premium sake just released by Fuji Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City is a limited brand!

It was the last bottle in Matsuzakaya Department Store and the Brewer who happened to be there had to ask the staff to fetch it inside the store room!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki 100%
Rice milled down to 50%
Dryness: + 3
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in July 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and dry. Discreet and elegant. Apricots
Body: Fluid
Taste: Well-rounded soft attack with puissant junmai petillanmt.
Fruity. Starts on a sweetish note to end up on a very dry turn. Apricots, almonds.
Elegant, easy to drink.
Disappears quickly with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla and coffee beans.
Turns somewhat sweeter with food but chnages little.

Overall: A superb sake to be enjoyed on its own at room temperature.
Could be used as an extravagant aperitif.
Marries well with food though.
A rare and sure value!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Shizuoka sake Tasting: Makino Brewery-Shimizu Minato Jirochou Junmai Ginjo

December 31, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Although Makino Brewery is located in Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji, Shimizu Minato Jirochou has been one of their brand names for quite a long time!

Shimizu Minato/清水港 means “Shimizu Harbor”, a still importnat harbor nowadays, but a very important one in Edo and Meiji Times. Actually the samurai fighting against Emperor Meiji initiated their retreat from Shimizu Harbor before being finally vanquished, at least officially, in Hakodate!

Shimizu Jirochou/清水次郎長 whose real name was Yamamoto Chyougorou/山本長五郎 (February 14th, 1820~June 12th 1893 became a local hero during the struggle between the samurai clans and Emperor Meiji when he helped the harbor of Shimizu flourish and his nickname Jirochou eventually became the name of the District in Shimizu City (now Shimizu Ku, part of Shizuoka City) where he was born. One of his exploits was to clean the bay of corpses after a ship crew were assassinated during the civil war and bury them in nearby island. He went as far as running an English language school in Shimizu.

But there was a very dark side to him, leading to his fleeing from the authorities and even being imprisoned for 7 years for murder. But legends tend to grow bigger than individuals… many histprians consider him a hoodlum in spite of the many hagiographies and the small museum to his name in Shimizu Ku!

Rice: Hyakumangoku + Koshi Ibuki
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15 degrees
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.2
Bottled in December 2013

Clarity: very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Dry. Fruity. banana, almonds
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong attack with puissant junmai petillant.
Pleasant alcohol.
Very dry and fruity: apples, custard, almonds, oranges.
Disappears quickly on an even drier note.
Takes on a milder turn with food, but quickly switches back to its initial dryness.
Almonds and coffee beans tend to appear a lot later on the palate.
Turns only a little milder as nurukan/lukewarm but shows different facets: chestnuts, custard, nuts, oranges.
Dark chocolate making a late appearance.

Overall: An “old fashioned sake” away from the norms set by modern Shizuoka sake trends.
Solid and dry, obviously conceived for food in spite of its elevated status. Millage is low by Shizuoka standards.
Best appreciated with heavy food such as izakaya fare.

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,