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Design, Environment, 静岡県, 観光, Izu Peninsula, Japan, Japanese Culture, Manhole covers, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 17: Izu Peninsula (Part 2)

December 30, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

A magnificent mint manhole cover in Itoh City with the characters of “The Izu Dancer” story by Yasunori kawabata!

Another beautiful mint manhole cover in Itoh City!

The same in black and white!

Sea bathers on a mint manhole cover in Itoh City!

The same in black and white!

Camelias Manhole covers in Itoh City!

Fish design manhole cover in Itoh City to remind you that Izu Peninsula is surrounded by one of the richest seas in Japan!

A fire hydrant manhole cover in Itoh City!

A very ancient medium-sized sewer manhole cover in Itoh City!

A beautiful mint water manhole cover in Izu Nagaoka which has been since merged into Izu no Kuni City!

A beautiful mint manhole cover in Shuzenji which has since been merged into Izu City!

Irises manhole cover in Shuzenji!

A beautiful mint Manhole cover in Nagaizumi!

The same on a pavement!

A beautiful fire hydrant manhole cover in Nagaizumi!

A cute mint manhole cover in Minami Izu Cho, a touristic spot!

The same in black and white!

Another beautiful mint manhole cover in Minami Izu Cho representing the Teishi Koina Festival and lobsters!

A sewer manhole cover in Minami Izu Cho!

Fireworksand Bon Odori dance in Minami Izu Cho!

A double manhole cover in Matsuzaki!

Fish manhole cover in Higashi Izu Cho!

A small manhole cover in Higashi Izu Cho!

A rectangular manhole cover with a map of Higashi Izu Cho!

A rectangular fire hydrant manhole cover in Higashi Izu Cho!

A manhole cover type found elsewhere but with the central motif of Naka Izu Cho!

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-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

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French Gastronomy: Lunch at Cava.K. in Kikugawa City!

December 30, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Bear stewed in red wine!

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Spotless clean overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Appropriate. Reasonable when considering quality and originality!
Strong points: Gibier/Game, the best in the Prefecture! Great use of superb local and own garden ingredients. Seasonally cured meat and ham.

Cava.K. French Restaurant is lost in the mountains near green tea fields in Kikugawa City, western Shizuoka prefecture for a good reason: Chef Hiroyuki Yamaguchi/山口祐之さん wants to stay as close as possible to local hunters for best supply of game whatever the season!

He also grows his own garden to supply variety to the local products!

The reason he called his French Resaurant Cava.K. is twofold: “Ca va” in French means “It’s fine”. The district where the restaurant is located is called 沢水加/sabaka. When you that “K” is pronouced “ka” in French, the whole name almost sounds the same!

The style of the building is certainly original in Japan, like a modern chalet!

All kinds of original processed foods and presents can be purchased there, too!

The specialties of the day!
If you don’t understand Japanese, don’t worry, the staff can at least tell it in French!

We came six of us that day for a business lunch. We had to skip alcohol but I can tell you that made it a feast, including game!
Alright, let’s start!

Akaei ebi shrimp, Aori Ika/great reef squid, spinach (from their garden), soupe de poisson/fish soup and tuile de noir de seiche/squid ink tile.

Gougere! I had some work to do, explaining all that French to my Japanese colleagues!
I didn’t take picture of the bread, but it was also home-made!

Another appetizer you will be hard put to find anywhere else in Japan: smoked yamadori sasami/Yamadori Chicken breast, duck and pheasant!

Another set of appetizers!

Celeriac, leeks potato soup with Karugamo/duck confit from Kikugawa!

Marcassin/Young wild boar a la creme, Trompettes de la Mort mushrooms, kohlrabi and pie!

Shojoin turnip, shiro baigai clam, scallop, Ikawa lotus root, ikura/salmon roe!

The consomme that was served then was entirely made with wild venison. The last touch was added with fennel!

The fish dish!
Sole from Omaezaki, with bisque sauce. Local vegetables including Japanese echalette and native corn from Ikawa!

Actually, before the start of the repast we were requested to choose a main dish from the gibier/game menu:
From top to bottom:
Karugamo/wild duck roast
Pheasant from Kikugawa Roast
Wild boar from Kawane Roast
Japanese deer from Ikawa Roast
Civet Roast (the first ever I’ve heard of it as a game dish!)
Hare from Kikugawa Roast
Asian Black Bear from Kawane stewed in red wine
Asian Black Bear from kawane Roast
Kamoshika Deer hamburger

What do you think we chose?

Civet roast!
We had some great fun sharing all these dishes between us!

Hare Roast including its kidneys!

Pheasant Roast!

My choice!
Asian Black Bear stewed in red wine!

Important note: for those who think we are eating Japan wild life into extinction, stand corrected! All these animals had to be culled in the wild by professional hunters as they proliferate to very dangerous numbers for the local ecology. At least they become useful!

One of the best cheese trays in the Prefecture, half of the cheese French, the other from Nagano Prefecture!

And then it was all kinds of desserts I had very little time to ask about!
I promise to be more careful next time!

It was certainly a delightful sin to break into them!

To finish it all chocolate declined into four different symphonies!

Don’t ask me how much we pay! It was ridiculously cheap considering the quality, the originality and the supreme flavors, aromas and savors!

I very much doubt you will find the equivalent in Tokyo, so reserve your train ticket!

CAVA.K.
Chef: Hiroyuki Yamaguchi/山口祐之さん

439-0003 Kikugawa City, Sabaka, 791-11
Tel.: 0537-37-1820
Fax: 0537-37-1850
Opening hours: 11:30^14:30, 18:00~21:30
Parking: 8 cars
Cash only
Reservations advised
Entirely Non Smoking!
HOMEPAGE
BLOG (Japanese)

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Pavement Tourism Signs in Shizuoka Prefecture 1

December 29, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

A direction guide pavement sign just before entering Shizuoka JR Station!

Cities in Shizuoka, and I’m sure in many cities in Japan have an interesting, artful and subtle way to advertise their tourism as well as to introduce their many symbols: pavement signs!
I can guarantee you it could develop into another urban art photography album!

You will find those two signs together in Miyuki Street, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

“Touristic Shizuoka”!

“Miyuki Street”!

Shizuoka Prefecture symbol bird, “Sankochou/Paradise Fly Catcher”!

Shizuoka City symbol bird, “Kawasemi/Kingfisher”!

Shizuoka City symbol flower, “Tachiaoi/Hollyhock”!

Shizuoka City symbol tree, “Hanamizuki/Flowering Dogwood”!

Shizuoka Prefecture Flower, “Tsutsuji/Azalea”!

Shizuoka Prefecture symbol tree in Miyuki Street, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, “Mokusei/Fragrant Olive Tree”!

Shizuoka City does not seem to agree on its symbol tree as demonstrated in Komagata Street, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, “Keyaki/Japanese selkova!

Yaizu City symbol flower, “Satsuki/Satsuki azalea or Rhododendron indicum”!

Yaizu City symbol bird, “Yurikamome/Black-headed Gull”！

Yaizu City symbol tree:”Matsu/Pine Tree”!

You will this multiple tile sign on the basement pavement leading to the Shizuoka JR Station elevator!

You can’t miss it!
Now, what does it say?

“Welcome to Shizuoka”!
Note the oranges and strawberries which Shizuoka is famous for!

The kanji in the middle stands for “Tatsumi-yagura”!

Direction to Tokiwa Park and Aoba Symbol Road!

Sumpu Park was originally the location of the castle of Tokugawa-Ieyasu. Tatsumi-yagura (rebuilt to celebrate 100 year history of the City of Shizuoka　in 1997).

Direction to Sengen Street!

Direction to Shizuoka JR Station!

The City of Fujieda City reminds visitors it is the birthplace of soccer in Japan!

A mejiro bird in Izu Nagaoka, Izu no Kuni City in Izu Peninsula!

Care to join the chase in other cities?

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Mount Fuji Winter Urban Sites in Shizuoka City!

December 29, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Winter is probably the best time to take pictures of Mount Fuji as you can see it hundred of miles away!
In Shizuoka City it practically jumps out in front of you if you look to the east!

I was riding my bicycle along Route One in the east direction on my way to Gokoku Shrine when Mount Fuji looked at me in the distance!

Above the private Shizutetsu Railway Line!
Do you notice the train on theleft?

You could also see it driving a car but I very much doubt you could stop along the pavement like I did on my bicycle letting the traffic flow by!

So many aerial cables!

Peeping from under an overhead bridge!

Interesting spot for a rope walker!

Just before turning int Gokoku Shrine!

The last view ofthe day!

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Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 16: Izu Peninsula (Part 1)

December 28, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

A beautiful mint sewer manhole cover from Ohito Town which merged into the new city of Izu No Kuni City!

This time let’s have a look at Izu Peninsula!
It is pretty complicated as the whole map of Izu Peninsula was revolutionized with the mergers of many towns and villages into cities, some of them brand new!

The same without the colors!

A flowery manhole cover without the colors in Ohito!

Also in Ohito a sewer type seen in many places in the Prefecture with slight differences in their central motif!

Another type in Atami City I hadn’t discovered in the former article on Atami City!
Note the central motif!

Shimoda City at the southern tip of Peninsula City boasts a lot of manhole covers due to its place in history with the arrival of the Black Ship in the 19th Century!
The above mint does not have colors inside the sails!

The sails in this mint are colored!

Same mint as above but with a different background color!

Same as above but without the colors!

A different type without the colors!

A sewer manhole cover type found elsewhere but with the Shimoda central motif!

A rain water manhole cover type found elsewhere but with the Shimoda central motif!

The same as above but for sewers!

This one is not from Shimoda but doanted to Shimoda City by Funabashi Village as they share history with the Black Ship!

The above was also donated to Shimoda City by Naga City for the same reason!

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Japanese High Gastronomy: Dinner at Kamoshibito in Shizuoka City!

December 28, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Shy but very friendly and informative
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Slightly expensive but appropriate and very good value
Strong points: Authentic Japanese High Gastronomy mainly achieved with local seasonal products. Great sake and wines! Entirely non-smoking!

Kamoshibito is arguably the best Japanese Cuisine Restaurant in the Prefecture for many reasons: most of the ingredients ar locally grown, bred or caught. Although the menus are set, the food is both modern and traditional with no ostentation and in true harmony with seasons and local gastronomy.
When you know that Chef Shigeharu Sano/佐野茂治さん is no less than a former apprentice and disciple of Toru Okuda, owner-chef of 3-Star Michelin Restaurant in Ginza. Tokyo, from the years in Shizuoka City to the time Toru Okuda moved to Tokyo in 2003 and beyond, you stop wondering why such high gastronomy exists in Shizuoka City!

When you realize that Kamoshibito is entirely non-smoking, you come to realize that Chef Shigeharu Sano does care about the true aromas taste of his creations!

The establishment is small with only a maximum of 4 seats at the counter and 5 more inside the dining room.
You do need to reserve in advance or at least check on the phone well in advance!

The menus are all sets from 3~4000 yen to 8~9000 yen. We cose the medium-priced one, which Shihgeharu said would be enough by a distance!

Right from the first appetizer you understand where you are!
Sea urchin with tofu sheets, simmered cod roe, Home-made roastbeef with Shizuoka-bred beef, and oyster escabeche!

Snow crab chawan mushi (Japanese-style salted pudding)!

When Shigeharu, who knows me well, saw me slowly scooping the the snow crab away he gently scolded and advised me to eat together with the pudding under it!

he was absolutely right when I discovered plenty of tidbits contained inside the pudding while the very bottom of it was a mixture of pudding and snow crab brains/kanimiso!

Although the tiny kitchen is a bit overflowing with utensils, it is a joy to sit at the counter and watch the sashimi being prepared!

The fresh grated wasabi root is naturally from Shizuoka City, but grown by Mr. Masahiro Sugiyama In Umegashima!

The sashimi plate!

Tuna/maguro, sole/hirame/lightly pickled mackerel/shimesaba and octopus/mizudago!

Shizuoka-bred beef steamed with vegetables and home-made ooba miso!

You certainly don’t need forks or knives with such a tender meat!

More Shizuoka-bred beef!

This time as hot roastbeef seasoned with home-made kinsanji miso!

A favorite Japanese delicacy of mine!

Foil paper grilled shirako/cod sperm sacs!

Now, this is true fusion gastronomy with Japanese and french influences!

Snow crab on chigensai/green pak choi with a sauce combining gomadare/sesame sauce and mild blue cheese!

From another angle!
Now, where could you find this in France?

I know that Shigeharu has all kinds of sake from Shizuoka and beyond hidden in various parts of his establishment, and for once I opted for a superb sake not from Shizuoka Prefecture: Hakurakusei/伯楽星 Tokubetsu Junmai from Miyagi Prefecture!

Served both in a tasting glass and drinking earthenware!

Pickled vegetables and cuttlefish!

A superb light broth soup to warm you up ebfore going back into the cold!

Containing jidori chicken balls, scallops and turnips among others!
I like the notion (Chinese by the way) to be served a hot soup before dessert!

Yes, Shigeharu concocts his own desserts!

Chocolate and vanilla gateau de savoie with Shizuoka City-grown Bennihoppe/Red Cheeks strabweery mousse!

Must definitely pay another visit in early spring!

KAMOSHIBITO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryougae Cho, 304, Ryogae Cho ST Bldg., 1F
Tel.: 054-653-2300
Opening hours: 17:30~
No fixed holidays
Cash only
Entirely non-smoking!

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American Gastronomy: Meat Loaf with Mashed Potatoes and Demi-Glace Sauce Lunch at BLUE BOOKS cafe in Shizuoka City!

December 24, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly, smiling and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Superb washroom in same building separated from the cafe.
Prices: Reasonable for such big servings!
Strong points: Very generous cafe/bistro multi-genred gastronomy. Great variety. Great products. Entirely non-smoking in very modern atmosphere. Great books!

It is cold these days, even in in Shizuoka City, the second mildest area in Japan after Okinawa, and to top it all I had been fighting off my regular Atumn/Winter cold when I needed something hot and fulfilling for lunch the other day!

It was only natural that I took refuge at BLUE BOOKS cafe in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, as it is one of the biggest and warmest cafe/restaurants in town!
Someone might comment that I’m becoming American in Winter when I chose the Meat Loaf with Mashed Potatoes and Demi-Glace Sauce Lunch Set (I didn’t have the courage to point out the typos!)!

Simple, appetizing, healthy and fulfilling, just what I needed!

The meat loaf was definitely American comfort food in spite of the French (?) demi glace Sauce!

But being French, I love mashed potatoes when I can mix them with the sauce!

It might look very simple but the carrots, beans and egg contribute to good balance!

Especially with plenty of fresh Caesar salad!

I must apologize to my American friends: what I had thought all the time to be carrot bread is in fact corn bread!
Incidentally, delicious!

BLUE BOOKS cafe
420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki-Cho, 4-6, Den Bldg 1F (5~10 minutes walk straight ahead from Shizuoka JR Station North Exit, around the corner at the large crossroads)
Tel.: 054-280-7644
Opening hours: 11:00~14:30 (lunch), 14:30^17:30 (cafe), 17:30~23:00 (dinner)
Entirely non-smoking!

Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE
FACEBOOK
Twitter: @BlueBooksCafe

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Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 15: Yaizu City

December 23, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

One of the most beautiful manhole covers in Yaizu City I discovered near the City Hall!
I couldn’t determine if the fish are tuna or bonito as both are brought there in large numbers!

Yaizu City is one of the major fishing harbor cities in Japan with Numazu City and Shimoda City Tokyo couldn’t survive without. The other day I intensively research the city for manhole covers and I came with more than I bargained for as I included the whole technical range!

Brace yourselves!

An older big manhole with tuna/bonito!
I couldn’t find it colored version!

This one is probably the most famous of all with Mount Fuji and tuna/bonito!

The same in different colors!

The same again without the colors!

An old-style sewer manhole cover!

The same but newer and different in minute details!

This manhole cover was truly enormous!

Another sewer type manhole cover!

A very large sewer-type manhole cover!
Note the central motif generally found in Yaizu City!

Practically the same but medium-sized!

A similar but older type and without the central motif!

Another celebrated manhole cover over a fire hydrant and celebrating the Yaizu Harbor Festival!

This type can be found in many cities but this is the first time I discovered one with “GAS” written in English!

Once again a common small sized one but with “valve pit” written in English and “GAS” in Japanese!

The same as above but “valve pit” both in English and Japanese!

The two of them side by side!
Take your pick!

A large one “blended” in its surroundings!
I will have to to find out what “C.C.B.” means!

Another modern but rectangular sewer manhole cover “blended” into its surroundings!

Similar as above but square!

Two different types together over heavy water machinery access!

I found many of this small and cute type in the city so I doubt that they are private!

An older and slightly smaller version than the above!

A newer type of a water valve pit cover with clear measure indications!

Another newer water valve pit cover,probably private!

A private water valve pit cover!

An old gas valve pit cover!

A tiny C.C.B valve pit cover with the Yaizu City motif!

An old medium-sized sewer manhole cover!

A medium-sized sewer manhole cover which can bear up to 400 kg!

A rare old type of valve pit cover!

This comparatively small-sized private rain water cover is written with “No cars allowed to run over”!

The same, but form another company!

This one is owned by Harmonate Company!

A smaller and different type from the same company!

I found this medium type rain water cover on the platform of Yaizu JR station platform which can bear up to 400 kg!

The same as above but without the central motif and the ability to bear up to 450 kg!

Blimey, 37 pictures in all!

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Oumuraya Sake Brewery Poster in Shimada JR Station!

December 23, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

This is the third picture I took the other day inside Shimada JR Station on my way down onto the platform.

There are other posters of sake breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture railway stations but as as I know this is the only poster featuring all the regular brands (private and commemorative/limited brands would cover a whole wall!) on one poster!

There is one particular label which is known all over Japan: the one on the extreme right is that of “Onna Nakase/女泣かせ/To make a woman cry!”. I know many collectors who would like that particular label!

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Station: The Drawing and meaning of The Kanji Characters!

December 23, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

After all I had a good time the other day taking pictures inside Shimada JR Station away from the wind and the cold as proven by the Ghost Ikebana Picture and a third one!

Station is “Eki” in Japanese and the Kanji character is “駅”

The left half of “駅” is “馬” for “Horse”!
The designer had a great idea to use a neck tie for the second vertical line!
The second part of “駅” is “尺” which is measurement unit used in old times. In short “駅/eki” means a post or station where horses could be exchanged!

Footnote: This is a poster demonstrating the work of police to keep stations safe from criminality!

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Ghost Ikebana in Shimada JR Station?

December 23, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

Shimada Station for all the size of the City and the proximity of Shizuoka Mount Fuji Airport is one of the drabbest ones in the Prefecture. Mind you nearby Kanaya Station does a lot to compensate as it is part of Shimada City!

I had 10 minutes to spare waiting from my train back home and did not want to spend on the cold and windy platform.

I found this live ikebana/flower arrangement in its display glass case and tried to take a picture of it. Unfortunately at night the neon lamps prevented me to make a deserving rendition of the beautiful arrangement but I ended with this fluke shot which rewarded my futile efforts!

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Shark Bus in Shizuoka City!

December 22, 2013 dragonlife 2 Comments

I finally caught the “Shark Bus” in Shizuoka City!
I had noticed quite a few times and was really looking forward to take pics of it!

I was cycling on the pavement (it is ok in Japan!) and Had to stop at a traffic light when the bus just stopped by my side!
I just had the time to get off my bicycle and take pictures before it went away!
Some people may have wondered what this gaijin nerd was about!

Mind you all that seafood does not seem to worry about that horrible shark!

The design is actually the winning of a contest organised among primary schools in Shizuoka!

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Sushi: Suruga Bay Sushi Set at Ginta in Yui, Shizuoka City!

December 21, 2013 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: Friendly and great explanations!
Facilities and equipment: old
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Suruga Bay sashimi and sushi! Sakura ebi!

“Me-Ichi Dai/メイチダイ”, a very rare seabream caught in Suruga Bay! It goes by the Latin name of Gymnocranius griseus (Temminck and Schlegel)! You would have to pay thousands for it in Tokyo! One of the best seabreams in Japan!

For all its derelict appearance (and it is actually old in all senses of the term!) Ginta in Yui just in front of Suruga Bay regularly appears on magazines and TV.
The reason is simple enough: this is a rare place, albeit cheap by sushi restaurant standards, which serves mainly local fish and seafood caught in Suruga Bay/駿河湾, and more precisely in a smaller bay called Kurasawa Bay/倉沢湾!
These are the richest bays in Japan when it comes to varieties, even including deep-sea fish which also appear as sashimi on plates in Numazu city for example!

Sakura ebi emblem on a small bridge crossing one of the many streams running into the sea!

Mr. Hara is a story himself: being the son of a sakura ebi/cherry shrimp fisherman, he was destined to sail in his father’s feet, but he had one little problem… he suffered from chronic seasickness! There was only path left to him: opening a sushi restaurant!

But his superior knowledge of the local fish and fishermen gave him the inestimable advantage over all sushi restaurants in the Prefecture that he had first catch and first choice whenever he wanted!
He didn’t have to serve fancy sushi or sashimi but keeping things simple served him perfectly. People would come from very far indeed for only one of his three specialties: aji/鯵/Kurasawa Bay Horse mackerel sushi nigiri plate, full course sakura ebi/桜海老 set (in season only for a mere 3,000 ywn!) and the 8 local fish sushi nigiri set for the ridiculous price of 1,800 yen/18 US $/13 Euros!
The other day I opted for the 8 local sushi nigiri set (I always do, actually!).
The set details allways appears on a notice on the board and served in the same order, a simple and great way ro introduce the fish offered!

The 8 local fish and seafood nigiri set!

Hirame/平目/Sole-Grouper!

Tachiuo/太刀魚/Scabbard fish served with momiji oroshi (grated daikon and chili pepper) and ponzu! topping

Yagara/ヤガラ/Trumpet fish served in konbujine style (marinated in seaweed)!

Fugu/河豚/Globefish (don’t worry, a non-poisonous variety!) served with momiji oroshi, leek and ponzu topping!

Kurasawa Bay Aji/鯵/Horse Mackerel!

Ishidai/石鯛/Striped Beakfish-Barred Knifejaw!

Kurodai/黒鯛/Japanese Black Porgy!

Sakura Ebi/桜海老/Cherry Shrimps served in gunkan-style nigiri!
Note the glossy shell skin and the many red dots, a sure sign of super freshness!

And sakura ebi miso soup to finish it all!

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Konjuku, 165 (Get off at Yui JR Station, turn right, a few minutes walk)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Business hours: 11:00~23:00 (but better call beforehand!)
Closed on Tuesdays

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Events, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, Festivals, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Festivals, Life, Life in Japan, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Festival, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism, Yui

O Taiko Festival at Toyosumi Shrine in Yui, Shizuoka City on the New Year!

December 21, 2013 dragonlife 3 Comments

On the new Year there are indeed quite a few unusual festivals happening, and Shizuoka is no exception!
I found this sign, among others,yesterday as I was strolling along the Old Kitakaido in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City and decided to investigate a little as I am really interested in attending it!

This is a very old festival indeed as it took place for the first time in 797!

It is one of the two major festivals in Yui with the Sakura Ebi Festival in May!
Yui had been a city of its own and one of the famous stations along the Old Tokaido Route as painted by Hiroshige until only a few years ago when it was merged into Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City

It has been held all the time at Toyosumi Shrine/豊積神社, a very old shrine built in 791!

The exact address is 静岡県静岡市清水区由比町町屋原185/Shizuoka Prefecture, Shimizu Ku, Yui Machi, Machiharaya, 185.
Get down at Yui JR Station and walk down the road on your right hand side. Walk past the harbor, turn left after Ando Dental Clinic and walk up all the way.

Held from January 1st at noon to the 3rd at 00:30 a.m.!

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Environment, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Manhole covers, Manholes, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism, Yui

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 14: Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City

December 21, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Big manhole cover over a fire hydrant tank in Yui!
Note the cherry shrimp/sakura ebi design!

The same design near Yui JR Station!

Yui, which was still a city of its own not so long ago before it was merged into Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, might be relatively small, but is fishing harbor town known all over Japan for its succulent cherry shrimps/sakura ebi and thus deserved some particular attention!