Tag Archives: Shizuoka

Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Beer, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Beer, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Shizuoka Beer Tasting: Hansharo 75 Weissen at AOI BEER STAND in Shziuoka City!

January 22, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Easy-going and friendly
Facilities: Very clean overall. Beautiful washroom inside Den Bulding.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Craft beers only!

Yesterday I noticed a new addition on the craft beer menu served at AOI BEER STANd’s FFACEBOOK!
I immmediately visited the establishment before the brew disappeared from the menu!

The second one on the board: Hansharo Beer (Izu Peninsula), 75 Wissen/反射炉ビール（伊豆）７５ヴァイツェン!
Hansharo Beers are brewed by Kuraya Narusawa Brewery in Izu no Kuni City in Northern Izu Peninsula (see below for details)!
AOI BEER STAND does often serve craft beers from guest breweries in Shizuoka Prefev\cture, therefore check their menu on facebook regularly!

Hansharo 75 Weissen
Kuraya Narusawa Brewery
Alcohol: 5%
Clarity: Comparatively clean
Color: Light orange
Fairly long head
Fine bubbles
Aroma: Assertive, complex. Bread, citruses
Taste: Refreshing dry attack.
Oranges, bread.
Stays deep all the time and lingers long enough in the back of the palate.
Takes a drier turn with the next sip before mellowing again on the palate

Overall: Deep, solid, reliable and refreshing. A lot of chaaracter
Very steady beer!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

KURAYA-NARUSAWA

Located near Nagaoka Station, Izu no Kuni City, north of Izu Peninsula, it is also famous for looking after an important cultural asset, Hansharo, which has become the name of their 4 regular beers!
Izu no Kuni City, Naka, 272-1
伊豆の国市中272-1
Tel.: 055-949-1208
Opening hours (restaurant and souvenir shop): Monday~Thursday: 11:00~15:00, Friday: 11:00~22:00, Saturday, sunday, National holidays: 10:00~22:00
HOMEPAGE (Japanese only)

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Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Takoyaki at Gindaco, Ceneovea Department Store, Shizuoka City!

January 21, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly and smiling
Facilities and equipment: Cenova Department Store facilities. Very clean overall
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Tokyo-style takoyaki

Until a few years ago I wouldn’t have bothered looking for takoyaki in Shizuoka City or Prefecture as we had the best in the whole Tokai area, but following the departure of the owner to another world and squibbles between the inheritors, the building and property ( a lot of money!) were sold and we found ourselves in no man’s land.
But at the same time it offered an opportunity for new owners and chains to open shop.
Therefore, I found myself on the road again to re-discover my favorite Japanese comfort food!

Gindaco銀だこ is a big chain from Tokyo which opened a shop on the third floor of renovated Cenova Department Store in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

The takoyaki are all the same but with different toppings and you can eat them on site.

I’m not keen on food chain stores, but since a Japanese friend recommended them I had to give it a try!

Being it inside a busy department store two staff are constantly churning out the takoyaki while a third staff takes care of the orders and cashier!

Fast work in a clean environment!

Almost ready!

These takoyaki are definitely Tokyo-style.
You can find Osaka-style takoyaki in town which are quite different, especially in texture!

I ordered the basic kind to discover the real taste. Some people tend to attach more importance to the sauce and toppings, but I don’t!
At 8 pieces for 550 yen, they were reasonable.

For a closer view.
They were seasoned in the basic way with sauce/tare, finely shaved katsuo bushi/dry bonito shavings and finely chopped greens.

The outside is comparatively thin but solid and crisp, making it easy to eat with chopsticks or toothpick.
The piece of octopus is of a good size and crunchy.
The dough inside is soft and contains plenty of ingredients.

Overall: Easy to eat, tasty enough, hot and ready.
Mark: 62/100

Continuing the investigation!

GINDAKO

Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 1-1-1, Cenova Department Store, 3F
Opening hours: 10:00~20:00

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Bars, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, Environment, 酒, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Beer, Japanese Gastronomy, Life, Life in Japan, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Beer, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

AOI BEER STAND: News of Forthcoming Brewery in Shizuoka City-Aoi Beer Brewery!

January 20, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Easy-going and friendly
Facilities: Very clean overall. Beautiful washroom inside Den Bulding.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Craft beers only!

Things are starting to move fast in Shizuoka City with Aoi Beer Brewery planned to start producing craft beer in early summer!

I ordered the Kurofune Porte by Baird Beer in Numazu City!

I paid a visit to Aoi Beer Stand in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, yesterday hoping to meet Naoki mando/萬藤直樹さん to have a chat about the progress of his new venture, namely Aoi Beer Brewery.
Unfortunately he was still away on a research trip but the present staff was more than helpful!

Kurofune Porter
Alcohol: 6%
Long head
Fine bubbles.
Color: dark brown
Very clean

Aroma: Bread, caramel
Taste: Refreshing attack. Deep and dry. Caramel, bread.
Varies little with food but for a sweeter turn

I can’t wait to dink Aoi Beers in such a glass!

Naoki Mando is not only creating history by starting the first craft beer brewery in Shizuoka City and central Shizuoka Prefecture, he is also contributing to the devlopment of the local economy by building his brewery on the very site of Yasumoto sake and soy sauce Shop, which used to produce soy sauce on the same premises for 151 years until 1962 (the shop since had been stocking rice, soy sauce, sake and others in their warehouse).

In Spring 2013, Naoki struck an agreement with its owner, Mr. Masatoshi Yasumoto/安本正俊さん to reform the warehouse, located near Sengen Shrine in Miyazaki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.
Actually Mr. Yasumoto had thought until then to eventually pull down the whole warehouse and transform it into a car park, but Naoki convinced him that the building was ound enough to be preserved and transformed into a craft beer brewery!
The outside facade will be preserved as such and only the inside will be reformed!
In Naoki’s words:”Beer is best enjoyed in its birthplace and if there is a supplementary story to the brewery and its buildings, so much for the better!”
For the moment Naoki is thinking of producing 6 types of craft beers including Pale Ale, Weissen, one very local with Shizuoka oranges and the like.

There is a new item on the menu these days!

“Very simple takoyaki”!

Simple maybe, but perfect with craft beer!

I had another craft beer before taking my leave:
North Island Brown Ale (Hokkaido)
Kurofune Porter
Alcohol: 5%
Long head
Fine bubbles.
Color: dark orange
Very clean, slightly smoky

Aroma: Oranges
Taste: Deep, refreshing,. Apricots, loquats
Lingers for a while with very dry citruses appearing later

Look forward to the next report!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK
FACEBOOK

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 22

January 17, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

A beautiful mint manhole cover in Arai, which has since been merged to Kosai City in Western Shizuoka Prefecture!

I still have quite a few pictures of manhole covers in Shizuoka (out of more than 400!) to show.
I’ll try to introduce them in some kind of related order.
Let me take to the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture today!

The same manhole cover in Arai but without the colors!

A private water access manhole cover in Arai!

A fairly old manhole cover in Kosai City!

A cute water access manhole cover in Mori Machi/Mori Town!

An ancient manhole cover in Hamaoka which has been merged with Omaezaki City since!

A cute manhole cover in Omaezaki marine Park, Hamaoka, Oamaezaki City!

Another water access manhole cover in Hamaoka, Omaezaki City!

Another manhole cover in Hamaoka, Omaezaki City!

A beautiful mint water access manhole cover in Yoshida Cho!

The same without the colors!

An old manhole cover for access to water provided by the Oi River!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Traditional Trades in Japan on Pavement Tiles in Gofuku Chyo, Shizuoka City!

January 15, 2014 dragonlife 3 Comments

Japanese kimono!

It is always a welcome surprise to discover Japanese traditions being promoted in the most unconventional ways!
The other day Dragon pointed out some interesting tiles at the Hon Toori entrance of of Gofuku Chyo Street!

Right across from the Shizuoka Bank!
Can you see them on the pavement?

I decided to investigate them a bit more seriously yesterday!
“Gofuku CChyo/呉服町” means the “Clothing District”, that is in Edo Times cities were divided into districts according to their main trade.
Clothing and associated trades were concentrated in that particular area of Fuchu/Sumpu as Shizuoka City as it was called when the Shogun/overlord Tokugawa Ieyasu retired there in the 17th Century!

Geta/Japanese wooden clogs!
Shizuoka geta are still famous all over Japan!

Japanese umbrella represented from from overhead!

Cross sections of rolls of cloth!

A weaver thread roll!

Unfurled cloth roll!

A portable drawer chest!

A traditional Japanese purse!

Fine boat sails also used to be manufactured there!

An abacus!
Money had to be tallied!

A ceremonial mallet used as a rattler during festivals!

A Japanese had fan!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Design, Environment, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Pavement art, Pavement signs, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Pavement Art? Illegal Bicycle Parking Children’s Drawings Posters in Shizuoka City!

January 15, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Some kids do have a great imagination to reflect on the plight of a bicycle!

Shizuoka City is apparently the city in Japan with the largest number of bicycles per capita, but the least that could be said it seems an open war has been ignited between the bicycle owners who do not know where to park them and the city which is spending money on large stickers applied on the pavements in some areas of the city!
The sign posters in this article were all found in Aoba Park Street in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, starting from behind the city hall.
Primary/elementary school were drafted by the city government to draw different pictures to appeal the public recently and I just discovered these pictures recently.
A young policeman seeing me taking pictures of them couldn’t hide his smile……..

Red seems to be the prevalent color for chidren tp express anger!

Why a sun and a cloud?

A forceful and concise message!

This kid is commenting on the lack of space left for pedestrians between rows of bicycles!

This kid decided to escape to the beach!

An interesting use of balloons!

Tears, tears!

A giant bicycle?

Ecological bicycle?

Beautiful bicycle, I must admit!

Is that a fox behind the poster?

A lot of love for a bicycle!

A child with an attitude!

A giraffe bicycle?

A girl with a sense of fashion?

Interesting picture showing bicycles impeding with the yellow markings designed to help pedestrians with impaired eyesight!

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

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 21: Shizuoka City Tachi Aoi/Hemlock type study!

January 12, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 21: Shizuoka City Tachi Aoi/Hemlock type study!

1) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: green, blue and yellow with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “Shi no Hana/市の花/City Flower” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

I had thought there were only 2 or 3 types of the Tachi Aoi or hemlock type manhole cover in Shizuoka City but the fact I alsways move on a bicycle along the streets and pavements of the city helped me understand it was a bit more complicated!

Apart of color types (more than 3 actually) there are sub-types depending on letter/number codes and central motifs!
It seems to be peculiar to Shizuoka City whose emblem is the hemlock, the flower on the crest of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Japan Shogun/Overlord, who retired to our city in the 17th Century!

2) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: green and mauve with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “Shi no Hana/市の花/City Flower” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

3) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: all white enamel with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “Shi no Hana/市の花/City Flower” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

4) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: no colors with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “Shi no Hana/市の花/City Flower” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

5) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: green and pink with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “T-14” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

6) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: medium-sized without the colors with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “T-14” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

7) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: green, white and brown with the Shizuoka Gas Company central motif and inscriptions “T-14” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”! But in medium size! I have found only one so far along the Kitakaido!

8) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: green, white and brown with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “T-25” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

9) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: no colors with the Shizuoka City central motif and inscriptions “T-25” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

10) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: green, white and light blue with the Shizuoka Gas Company central motif and inscriptions “T-14” and “Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”!

11) the same type as 8) but in half size and a simpler general dessin with no colors!

12) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: no colors with the Shizuoka Gas Company central motif and inscriptions “T-14″ but no”Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”, and more numbers in golden color!

13) Tachi Aoi/Hemlock Type manhole cover: no colors with the Shizuoka Gas Company central motif and inscriptions “T-25″ but no”Tachi Aoi/たちあおい/Hemlock”, and more numbers in golden color and inside a larger manhole cover discovered along the Kitakaido!

I wonder if another type exists?

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

静岡県, 観光, Fujieda City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kura, Okabe, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Kura: Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 8: Okabe, Fujieda City with Atsuko Kurata!

January 12, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Hatsukame Brewery warehouse!

“Kura” (in Japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

This time my good friend, ms. Atsuko Kurata is taking us to Okabe, which was merged some time ago to Fujieda City!

if you do not have a car 8by bicycle is possible, though) you can take a bus from Shizuoka JR Station North Exit!
Take the no 84 or 85 bus from bus stop platform .
It is Chubu Kokudo Line/中部国道線 heading for Fujieda station. Buses leave every 20 minutes.
You will reach your destination in roughly 35 minutes ride.

Get off at Okabesyuku-Kashibaya-Mae/岡部宿柏屋前 bus stop.
The fare is 570 yen for one way. Children under 12 pay half price for 250 yen

You will find Hatsukame jouzou/is right across from the bus stop!

Hatsukame Brewery is a beautiful complex with an ancient house and a kura who will find on its right!

Can you spot the kura?

Getting close!

Behind beautiful pine trees!

When they build the new road the city pulled out all the pine trees on the east side!

Fortunately you can still see the pine trees on one side giving a good idea of the atmosphere around this brewery, the oldest in Shizuoka Prefecture (end of 17th century!)

Another view of the second side of the kura!

A closer view of the beautiful window!

There are actually two more warehouses along the same street!

This one is quite similar to Hatsukame Brewery kura!

For a closer view… It is completely surrounded by other buildings!

The second kura! Very imposing!

Very well preserved!

It is quite tall and certainly requires much maintenance!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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静岡県, 観光, History, Japan, Japanese Culture, Manhole covers, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 20: Eastern Shizuoka Prefecture 2

January 12, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

A beautiful mint water access manhole cover in Fuji City!

This is the second part dedicated to the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture!

The same without the colors!

Beautiful mint of another Fuji City type manhole cover!

Kaguya Hime Legend on a beautiful fire hydrant access manhole cover in Fuji City!

A sewer manhole cover in Fuji City!

Another beautiful mahole cover similar to the Fuji City one but in different colors found in Yoshiwara which has been merged into Fuji City since then!

Another sewer type manhole cover in Atami City I have just found!

Manhole cover in Gotemba City!

The same a above in Gotemba City but in white and black!

The same again in Gotemba City but without the colors!

Another beautiful mint manhole cover in Shimizu Cho!

The same as above in Shimizu Cho without the colors!

A gas access manhole cover in Shimizu Cho!

A cute manhole cover in Oyama Cho!

Not strictly east of Shizuoka Prefecture but in Izu peninsula. Beautiful black and white evrsion of a manhole cover in Amagi Yugashima, since then merged in Izu City!

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Cafes, Cheese, Cheese Cake, 美食, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomic Photography, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Dessert: New York Cheese Cake at BLUE BOOKS cafe in Shizuoka City!

January 11, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

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!

Having just come back from a lot of eating and drinking in Kanazawa City, I skipped lunch on Thursday but decided to pay a visit to my favorite cafe, namely BLUE BOOKS cafe in Aoi kU, Shizuoka City!

in the afternoon the establishment is moderately busy so I had time to talk with staff about the new cafe time menu!

My attention was caught by the New York Cheese Cake!

Certainly yummy looking!

A really thick cheese cake with a thick biscuit base!

Served with a lemon/orange sauce!

baked to perfection!

I can guarantee you it disappeared quickly!

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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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 静岡県, 静岡美食, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Photography, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Boudin Noir (Blood Sausage) at Caravin in Shizuoka City!

January 11, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: very friendly if a bit shy.
Facilities and equipment: overall very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Authentic French and European bistro gastronomy. Slow food. Excellent and reasonable wine list.

For a long time Chef Onoda at Caravin Restaurant in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City had promised to challenge boudin noir or blood (pork) sausage!

Back in France it is delicacy you can buy anywhere to eat back at home, but in Japan it is still very much a rarity, especially home-made!

A truly magnificent if somewhat of modest origins with all the extras needed!

Served with an unctuous mashed potato puree I will the pleasure to mix with the boudin later!

Caramelized apples are a must for a perfect balance!

Naturally with some leaf vegetables for a healthy dish!

It is always such a pleasure to cut the thin skin and mix the soft insides with the mashed potatoes!

CARAVIN
Shizuoka City, Takajo, 2-25-17
Tel.: 054-246-3539
Opening hours: 16:00~24:00
Closed on Mondays
Cards OK

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Environment, 静岡県, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Manhole covers, Mishima City, Numazu City, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 19: Eastern Shizuoka Prefecture 1

January 5, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

A beautiful mint water access manhole cover in Susono City!

This time I will take you the eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, but since I have quite a few I had to write it in two parts!

The same as above but without the colors!

A small and colorful valve pit cover in Susono City!

A flowery manhole cover in Mishima City with the motif in relief!

The same type of manhole cover in Mishima City with some colors left but with the flower motif carved in!

An ancient sewer manhole cover in Mishima City!
Note the central motif!

Another old sewer manhole type in Mishima City with the same central motif!

Another sewer type manhole cover in Mishima City with a different central motif!

Another colorful flowery water access manhole cover in Hirokoji District in Mishima City!

A splendid mint water access manhole cover in Nirayama, now part of Mishima City with Mount Fuji, Strawberries and Hansharo Foundry Towers!

here is another water access manhole cover in Nirayama!
Nirayama is famous all over the country for its strawberry farms!

A beautiful mint water access manhole cover for Numazu City!

An old sewer manhole cover in Numazu City!
Note the central motif!

An intriguing manhole cover in Heda, now merged into Numaz City!

The same as above in Heda but inside a larger manhole cover!

See you in part 2 next!

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

静岡県, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Life, Life in Japan, Pavement art, Pavement signs, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Signs, Tourism

Pavement “Regulations” Signs on Pavements in Shizuoka Prefecture!

January 5, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

This sign against illegal bicycle parking was commissioned to a primary school by the City of Shizuoka!

If you look at pavements in any city in Japan, especially near stations and in crowded neighborhoods, you will discover all kinds of notices/signs directly printed onto pavements to remind citizens of regulations, be they friendly or prohibitive!
Some ar definitely welcome, while some are a bit useless, to say the least!
let me show you some examples I have have taken recently!

Non smoking street signs found in many spots in Shizuoka City. Note that the bird is a kingfisher, symbol bird of Shizuoka City!

A faded non smoking street sign near Yaizu City JR Station!

Do not litter the streets with cigarette butts in Fujieda Cty!
A bit of a half measure…

Illegal bicycle parking in Shizuoka City!

Although Shizuoka City and Prefecture respectively hold the record for the largest numbers of bicycles citis have declared war, albeit a losing one, against illegal bicycle parking, a totally un-ecological measure when you know that Shizuoka is also suffering from one of the highest ration of car exhaust fume pollution!

Illegal bicycle parking taken at night in Shimada City!

Two-hour limit bicycle parking zoen in front of Shizuoka City main post office!

Another type of illegal bicycle parking sign in Yaizu City!

Some sign manufacturer must make a fortune with all those different types being ordered by cities!

Another type of illegal bicycle parking sign in Shizuoka City!

Illegal Parking in Fujieda City!

A somewhat confusing sign!
Pavement area reserved to pedestrians and bicycles!
Bear in mind that bicycles are allowed on pavements in Japan!

Within short distance from the sign foreamentioned you will find this sign in front of Shizuoka JR Station requesting people to get off their bicycles and push them along!

Signs in front of Shizuoka City main post office requesting pedestrians and cyclist to use their own half of the pavement! Unfeasible in practice unfortunately!

Cycle on this side of the pavement! (Shizuoka City)

Red-colored sign indicating pedestrians zone on the pavement!

Orange color instead of red color used for pedestrians!

Some streets in Shizuoka City have a blue lane area for bicycles along streets.
In that case cyclists are asked not to use the pavements along them!

Although no strictly on the pavement, the city felt obliged to warn cyclists using the blue area zone on the streets of bus stops!

In Umeya Cho, Shizuoka City, I was a bit flabbergasted to notice this sign asking bicycles to run along the houses and the pedestrians to walk along the street half of the pavement!

Sign asking bicycles to stop at the crossroads in front of the zebra crossing in Yaizu City!

Sign reminding school kids to stop, look left and right before crossing the street!

The same with a different design!

This sign was sponsored by by the Shizuoka Prefecture Government to signify that the part of the parking in front of Yaizu Hospital next to Yaizu City Hall is reserved to physically impaired visitors>
Apparently pregnant women are also called physically impaired visitors…..

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Culture, Events, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, Festivals, Japan, Japanese Culture, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Japanese Festival: O Taiko Festival at Toyotsumi Shrine in Yui, Shizuoka City!

January 3, 2014 dragonlife 3 Comments

Yesterday I spent the whole day in Yui to have a look at the Toyotsumi Shrine and the O Taiko/Japanese Drums Festival in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!
Although it is a small, if not tiny festival, it is nonetheless important as it might be the oldest living Festival in Shizuoka Prefecture since it has been held since 977!

For all its small size the district (formerly a city of its own!) is still very proud of it!

Most participants these days belong to families tied with Yui fishing harbor and the sakura ebi/cherry shrimps and shirasu/sardine whiting trading!

Such families hang a paper lantern ourside their homes as the festival is held until late at night!
Unfortunately I had to back to to Shizuoka City by 6 p.m.
Next year I certainly plan to attend the last part of the festival held between midnight and half past midnight even if it means I have to sleep in the station until the first train in the morning!

The entrance to the Toyotsumi Shrine!

Big Drum Festival!

Thanks to the pictures you can’t miss it!

The “torii/鳥居/Shrine sacred bird gate (you will not find them at temples)!

Note the stone lanterns!

Old style stone plaque with the name of the shrines!

A monument marking the 1200th Anniversary of the Festival erected quite a few years ago!

I arrived there at 12:00, still 2 hours before the kids’ procession, which gave ample time to talk with the locals!

This kid actually volunteered for the picture!

The well of the shrine!

For the history buffs!
This shrine was erected by a local nobleman to thank the gods for a battle victory in 971 and the first festival was held in 977!

The shrine main building!

The “mon/文” of the shrine!

This mon representing a fan was the mon of the nobleman who erected this shrine!

The main drum used for the festival!

Japanese sake is an important feature at shrines at is originally meant “Food of the Gods”!
This particular sake “Shosetsu/正雪” is produced by Kanzawagawa Brewery in Yui!

More information for the history buffs!

The fountain you will find in any shrine to wash your hands before praying for good fortune!

One of the two lion guards!

Some of the trees there are truly enormous and ancient! I wonder how many generations they have witnessed passing by!
I truly wish some of them could talk!

After the visit to the shrine I had lunch with a friend to sample the local sakura ebi kakiage.
When I came back the kids procession had already started under tight supervision as the main road is narrow and cars are a certain risk!

The kids certainly didn’t mind being hemmed in!

Cute little girls!

Adults taking part in the second procession were giving a hand!

The kids said hello to me in English! One of them even said, “this is Japanese samba!”!

Kids took turns to lustily hit the drum!

A volunteer warden!

While the kids were holding thier procession the adults had a drink or two inside the shrine!

The kids finally arriving back at the shrine after a two-hour procession!

These two young adults carried the drum for them all the time!

Some kids were still willing to hit the drum!

A fire was waiting for those sensitive to the cold!

At around 4:30 the participants got ready for the adults evening procession!

Some practice for the photographers!

The evening procession finally taking off!

The procession moving on to the encouraging chants of the older participants!

A great way to keep yourselves warm!

Coming out of the shrine street!
The procession turned into the street to greet the houses of the participatat and sponsors!

Taking turns at the drum!

Food and drinks being prepare at the abode of one of the sponsors!

Waiting for the procession!

Japanese soul food!

Greetings!

Great concept for a party!

See at midnight same day next year!

Toyotsumi Shrine/豊積神社

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.!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Environment, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, History, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kura, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism, Yui

Kura: Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 7

January 3, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

“Kura” (in japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

I was reporting on a local festival in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, when I discovered two more kuras!
Actually there are many of them in Yui, especially along and the Old Tokaido Road where they were the first refuge against typhoons and tsunamis.
But most of them have now been transformed into hangars, shops and abodes with their second floors shaved off and using only the solid first floor as a base.
Therefore there only a very few with their roof intact!

I noticed this one by pure chance as it was completely surrounded by buildings of all kinds!

It was obviously used either as an abode or as a storeroom, and I managed to a peek at this window as the inhabitants seemed to be away during the New Year Holidays!

I found this old one along the same street. As it was surrounded by a car park I had an easier access to it!

The entrance was being repaired but the whole building, although small, seemed very till very solid!

The window and the roof were in good repair!

These iron supports are found in most kuras. They are there to keep the roof securely onto the walls in case of stong winds. Typhoons can easily send the tiles flying!