Tag Archives: Yui

Eikun Brewery, Japanese sake, La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Yui

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Eikun Brewery (Yui) Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama Genshu (conducted at la Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

April 5, 2020 dragonlife Leave a comment

I have said it time and again, when it comes to tasting local sake I often do it In La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City in the company of Hiromi Hasegawa as it is cheaper and certainly more entertaining! That is at least for only a part of the vast array of nectars being brewed in this Prefecture! LOL

This time I tasted an Eikun Brewery (Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui) sake with a very long name!
Eikun Junmai Ginjo Muroka nama Genshu, meaning a junmai ginjo which went through no modification ever!

Rice: Bizen Omachi (Okayama Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 55%
Yeast: Shizuoka yeast
Alcohol: ;17 degrees
Dryness: -2
Amino acids: 1.7
Bottled in March 2020

Clarity: very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: discreet, dry fruity.
Green apple, flowers, pineapple

Tasting: Very fruity attack. Complex. Plums, raisins, flowers, almonds.
Very soft on the tongue in spite of its high alcohol contents. Stays longer on palate and tongue than usual. Finishes on a sweeter note with the appearance of melons.
Tends to turn drier with food with appearance of mikan, grapefruit and tamagoyaki.
Very complex, probably because of its nama/unpasteurized and muroka/unfiltered status.

Comments: very elegant, notwithstanding the fact it is nama genshu/unpasturized and no water blended.
Very easy to drink. Should please both genders at any time of afternoon or evening.
Might be best appreciated as a digetsif.

Recommended pairings: cheese, chocolate, marinated foods.

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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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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-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

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

Shizuoka Sake tasting: Kumpai Brewery-Junmai Nama Genshu Fukuro Tsuri Shibori

January 19, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Kumpai might be the smallest brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture but they certainly produce some supreme nectars!

Incidentally the Ichikawa family produces their own labels!
You can see that 2014 is the Year of the Horse!

The s\name of this sake makes for another long reading:
Junmai: No alcohol added
Nama: unpasteurized
genshu: no water aded
Fukuro Tsuri Shibori: the sake was poured inside cloth sacks hung over a tank to let the sake flow out naturally

Rice: Hyakumangoku
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: 0
Alcohol: 18 degrees
Bottled in Decmeber 2013

Clarity: Very clean and smoky (white lees)
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Dry. Fruity
Hints of French Pernod, thick nashi pears
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong attack backed with puissant junmai petillant.
Alcohol softer tan expected.
Strong bubbly feeling.
Soft and complex: liquorice, pears, nashi.
Very easy to drink in spite of its nama and genshu status.
Changes little with food but for a sweeter turn.

Overall: A thoroughly enjoyable limited quantity sake that might be very difficult to obtain (I ordered it directly from the brewery!)!
Chilled, it makes for a superb aperitif.
Could easily replace a liqueur!
Should definitely please ladies in spite of its “rough” status!
If you must eat with it, do try it with blue cheese or chocolate!

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So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kansawagawa Brewery: Shosetsu Junmai Shiboritate Nama

January 16, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Winter is a great time to taste all those shiboritate/just pressed sake as they will also give you a good idea of what to expect from a brewery every year!

People usualy tend to have difficulties rememembering the difficult name of kansawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, but their brand name, Shosetsu, is famous all over Japan!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2013

Clarity: very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive, fry and fruity
Taste: Well-rounded attack. Dry and fruity. Complex.
Apples, pears, apricots, macadamia nuts.
Discreet junmai petillant.
Disappears fairly quickly with late hints of macadamia nuts, almonds and oranges. Coffee beans appear later.
Comparatively elegant and easy to drink for a nama/unpasteurized sake.
Takes on a drier turn and more junmai petillant with food.
Elegantly marries with food.
Insistently calls for the next cup!

Overall: A very fine sake, subtler than expected for a nama.
Chilled, makes for a superb aperitif.
Beautifully drinks with any food, although thoroughly enjoyable on its own!
A 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,

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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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.!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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

Koike Village Chief House in Yui!

January 1, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Because Shizuoka City and Prefecture were more an area of intense travelling than Kyoto or Tokyo where people gathered and built according to the size of their population (and money), it seems that our region lacks in historical and cultural assets.
Actually, until Tokugawa Ieyasu made his retreat at the beginning of the 17th Century in Sumpu (Shizuoka City) travelers had still to stay there overnight and eat and drink. Accordingly, many old houses and lodgings can still be discovered along the Old Tokaido Route.
Tourists should not overlook them as their smaller size, easier access and cheap/free entrances provide them with a rare glimpse of life of past times. Sometimes such sightseeing off the beaten tracks is more rewarding than grandiose but crowded monuments!
One house worthy of a visit lies along the Old Tokaido Route in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, only a few minutes away on foot from Yui JR Station: Koike Village House which was incidentally registered as a National Important Cultural Asset in October 1998.

The entrance!

Note the “namako/seaslug wall”!

Time to study Japanese! Don’t worry most of what is written on the board is mentioned in this article! LOL

The entrance and the noren/暖簾/entrance curtain!
Such a village house would also serve as a registar house in Edo Times hence another historical source of importance!

A small room has been refurbished into a small museum you will get into through another noren!

Take time to look at old pictures of Yui Village!

Through the bay window of the small museum you will discover a tiny but adorable Japanese garden!

Important documents are still preserved there!

Life articles of a time past!

The modest size of the very well preserved living quarters will give you a chance for great photogtraphy of a true Japanese abode of yore.

You actually may walk inside if you take your shoes off! That will permit you to not only take great photographs but experience a real feel under the soles of your feet!

Contrary to the interminable lodgings of ancient nobles, it has the merit to introduce you to a real size living house!

If you are am antique buff you will be surprised to find this very heavy antique shave ice machine worth a fortune at auctions!

Take all your time to admire the small exquisite garden full of surprises!

I have never seen that lantern-supporting sumo wrestler anywhere before!

Every season will offer you a different glimpse!

Very unusual moss!

An ancient well!

Having a second look before departing…
Irori/firplace!

Mobile partition!

Old hanging scroll!

I would advise you to take a good camera along as the place is dark inside, but you must have also a look at the raftings, the ceiling and theattic!

KOIKE VILLAGE CHIEF HOUSE/小池邸

421-3112 Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Terao, 464-9 (10 minutes on foot from Yui JR Station. Proceed left of the Station exit!)
Tel.: 054-376-0611
Opening hours: 09:30~16:30 (March~October), 09:30~16:00 (November~February)
Closed on Mondays and National Holidays (except if happening on week-ends), December 26th~January 5th
Entrance: free
Parking for 6 cars

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

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!

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

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Earthquake, 静岡県, 静岡市, 観光, Japan, Japanese Culture, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism, Tsunami, Yui

Tsunami Hitting Mount Fuji!

December 21, 2013 dragonlife 4 Comments

I reckon I had a hard time choosing the title and might risk some complaints!

I found this sign near the harbor of Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, famous for its cherry shrimp/sakura ebi fishermen!
It a zone particularly sensitive to tsunami although escape would be far easier than in large cities.
Mount Fuji looking over the tsunami was too good to ignore!
Note the sakura ebi design!

The text says: “Earthquake! Tsunami! Take refuge immediately!”

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Weird Japan (42): Real Landslide Sign in Yui, Shizuoka City!

December 20, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

As I was along along the old Tokaido Route in Yui, Shimizu Ku, in Shizuoka City, I knew something was weird when my eyes were attracted by this overhead sign!

Apparently the landslide has already happened on the sign!

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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:

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Crustaceans, 由比, 美食, 静岡市, 観光, 魚海の幸, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Sakura ebi, Sakura shrimp, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Yui, Yui Harbor

Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps Catching in Yui. Still Hard Work!

June 26, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Large painting of a sakura shrimp at the Yui Harbor Fisheries Association Building in Yui, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City

Yui fishermen will tell you that life has become a lot easier with the advent of technology including motorised boats, radar, radio, machine-cotrolled nets and syphons, but they agree it is still a toil to go out every evening during the two seasons in Spring and Autumn.
Now, how hard was it not so long ago?

pulling the nets by hand!

Now, if you stroll along the street running along the shore of Yui, you will discover some vending machines adorned with copies of all paintings on the life of Yui Cherry Shrimps Fishermen which will give you a good idea of the hard toil local fishermen had to go through!

Pulling up the nets full of sakura shrimp.
It has always been a team work!

Pulling the boats to shore by hand!

Unloading the baskets full of Cherry shrimps.
The fishermen used to spend half of the night separating the shrimps from small fish.
Only ten years they started syphoning up the shrimps directly from the nets inti the the boxes.
A lot of damage to the quality as they dropped baskets inside the nets and shoveled their contents into boxes.
Now the job is far more efficiently done with very little damage.

Every morning after the cheery shrimps had been sorted out the fishermen had to auction their catch.
Now it is all taken care of by the Association and fishermen can hit the sack after midnight!

in the old days, fishermen gathered around food and drink before sleeping in daytime!
Now, they can sleep between midnight and noon!

Now the habor is completely walled in and the ships do not have to pulled upshore everyday except during the off seasons when they are being scrapped and repaired.

And now the Association is taking care of allotting the departure times and destinations everyday!

If you happen to be in Yui make a point to visit the new Yui Harbor fisheries Association Building where you will discover some interesting photographs!

It is located the new part of the harbor!

People there are shy but I’m sure you will find an old hand willing to relate old times!
All these pictures were taken back in 1963!

Pulling the boats upshore!

Unloading the Cherry shrimps!

Boats coming back to harbor!

Unloading the catch!

Blood, sweat and tears!

Traditional Fisherman’s gear!
Now they wear what they want under waterproof overalls and boots!

The beavhes have now been replaced with a safe harbor!

But for all the great improvements my old samurai friend will be the first to tell you this is still bleedin’ hard work!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Cherry Shrimps, 由比, Yui, 桜海老

Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps: Catching Season Opened in Yui!

April 7, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

The Sakura Ebi Gate just outside Yui JR Station!

The sakura ebi/cherry shrimps catching season was finally opened on April 6th with some delay!

Sakura ebi and Shirasu Shop

Son Thursday April 7th I went to Yui to see the fishermen leave on their second day of fishing.
I came a bit too early (14:00) but nonetheless took my time and observe things at ease.
Once you get off at Yui JR Station, get out and turn left. You will see the Sakura Ebi Gate opening the way to the harbor and the Eastern part of the Village.

The street is actually called Yui Sakura Ebi Street/由比桜えび通り!

The entrance to the harbor is almost concealed. Make sure you don’t miss it!

Not easy to notice as the entrance is under the railway track!

Mind you head!

What’s that map under the sign saying to look out for earthquakes and tsunamis?

Four destinations. The ships will run there in shifts and teams. Each group is assigned 8 bags of ice.

All ships leaving port at 5:30 p.m. sharp.
They will be catching sakura ebi between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. before being back at around 10:00 a.m.

Ships still at anchor and nobody to be seen around…

This gave me chance to have a closer look!

The ship’s name means “Great Luck”!

Yui is not all about sakura ebi.
Having plenty of time on hand I took a stroll through the Village.
A beautiful little Japanese cake shop!

But we know what that shop sells!

They also catch all kinds of fish in the Suruga Bay. A lot are dried to become succulent himono/干物!

Yui is also famous for its citruses.
Organic oranges!

Most of those vegetables are locally grown!

When I came back around 4:00 p.m. the fishermen started arriving.

Boarding the ships.

One shipman on each boat will sprinkle different part with salt and Japanese sake every day for good luck!

This is all team work and the fishermen enjoy sharing a word before leaving. The only time of the day they can really socialize!

Official visit from the city hall. The fishermen are not really bothered…

I knew you were going to ask: these are the toilets!

All ships are powered by Yanmar Diesel engines.

This is night only fishing when the sakura ebi come up from the deep. Plenty of lights needed!

Antennae and flashing lights for mutual recognition.

Very powerful lights!

The next morning each catch will be weighed on named scales.

The actual sales will take place there.
I’m planning to witness those soon!

The crews (6 to each ship) are slowly getting ready.

The grilles protecting the propellers are hoisted up.

Each ship is equipped with a stove and chimney to heat water for hot drinks on cold and long nights!

Starting putting on protective gear.

The pilots are all the veterans of each team. These two are 75 years old!

Big wheels for such fine nets!

Not all ships are equipped with nets. Instead they have syphons for an easy and careful haul of the shrimps. Don’t forget all is done in teams!

Almost 5:30 p.m.!

Here they go!

Good luck guys, and great catch to you all!

Next, I will pay them a visit in the morning!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kanzawagawa Brewery-Shosetsu Futsushu

May 12, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Kanzawagawa Brewery is also an old establishment located very near the sea at Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shziuoka City along the old Tokaido Road.
They have the merit to still make absolutely extravagant “futsushu/regular sake” at ridiculous prices.

Like most of all futsushu (only 18% of the total production, probably the lowest in Japan), the bottles are adorned with old traditional designs!. As they are easy to conserve thy would make the perfect souvenir back home in the rest of world!

Kansawa Brewery: Shosetsu Futsushu

Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Rice milled down to 70%
Bottled in January 2010

Clarity: very clear
Colour: transparent
Aroma: Strong attack upon opening the bottle. Tends to dissipate quickly.
Fruity. Bitter chocolate, banana, macadamia nuts
Body: fluid
Taste: Dry attack backed up by delicious alcohol and a basket of dry nuts and bananas.
Complex/not straightforward for a fustushu.
Pleasantly warming up back of the palate with plenty of dry almonds, finishing on a pleasant acid note.
Holds its own well with any food with an accentuated dryness.

Overall: A sake for all meals, although eminently drinkable on its own.
Certainly not the “image” of the futsushu, but futsushu are simply extravagant in Shizuoka Prefecture, considering that the rice millage would qualify it as premium sake!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
Warren Bobrow
Tokyo Terrace

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Eikun Brewery-Eikun Futsushu

May 12, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Eikun Brewery is an old establishment “lost” in the mountains facing the sea at Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shziuoka City.
They have the merit to still make absolutely extravagant “futsushu/regular sake” at ridiculous prices.

Eikun: Futsushu
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Rice milled down to 70%
Bottled in January 2010

Clarity: very clear
Colour: transparent
Aroma: Fruity, ricey
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and soft attack. Discreet.
Fruity and nutty: macadamia nuts, almonds, coconuts.
Disappears quickly with dry nuts.
tends to come up with new facets with the second and third sip (glass).

Overall: Very elegant and extravagant for a futsushu.
Goes well with any food.
A sake for everyday home drinking!

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Local Sushi & Sashimi only at Ginta!

August 10, 2009 dragonlife Leave a comment

GINTA-LOCAL-1

The particularity of Ginta, a minuscule sushi restaurant located near the harbour of Yui in the eastern part of Shizuoka City is that it proposes sushi and sashimi plates from fish exclusively caught in Suruga Bay only a few miles and fathoms from the very shore!

The other day I convinced the Missus to pay Ginta a belated (for me as it was a first for her) visit and sample the fish of the moment.

Iforgot to say that the prices are ridiculously low when taking the quality and rarity in consideration!

The “Jizakana/Local Fish” set of 8 above is priced at 1,800 yen/ 19 US $!

Here is a description of the sushi (Picture above):

Above, from left to right:
-Tora Fugu/a popular species of globefish, served pre-seasoned (no need to dip it in the soy sauce)
-Hanadai/A kind of grouper, served pre-seasoned
Mr. Hara actually deep-fries the scales of that particular fish before inserting them under the slice of raw fish!
-Tachiuo/Scabbard Fish, v
-Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimps, served in “gunkan” style.

Bottom, from left to right:
-Kanpachi/Albacore
-Kurodai/another kind of grouper
-Kurozawa Aji/Saurel caught in Kurozawa area, next to Yui.
-Kose/a purely local fish also called “kushikinme or goso (in Numazu City). It is apparently a local variety of grouper.

GINTA-LOCAL-2

Having enjoyed kose for the first time, we decided to order it as a full sashimi plate.
A real beauty: firm, almost crisp, not a hint of “fishy taste” and absloutely delicious!

No wonder customers come all the way from Tokyo!
Now, the advantage I have on such customers is that Mr. Hara is so enthusiastic sharing his knowledge with local patrons!

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka Shi, Shimizu Ku, Yui cho, Imajuku, 165. (get off at Yui Station and walk to your right. Only a few minutes away)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays
Reservations on the telephone recommended!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Shizuoka Local Food at Local Sake Brewery!

March 20, 2009 dragonlife 15 Comments

yui-2

Last Sunday, I was invited to taste the new sake brewed by Kansawagawa Brewery In Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City in the company of some old and new friends.
The purpose of the whole event was first to visit the brewery and being introduced to the arcan secrets of making sake:

I doubt that you are ready to read the whole sake brewery interview unless you are a sake fan. A more detailed report will eventually appear on Shizuoka Sake blog for the connoiseurs!

yui-9

The Brewery owner. Mr. Masataka Mochizuki, is a bit different from your usual owner. Most of his colleagues in Japan do not interfere whatsoever with the brewing and care only about the sale. On the other hand, Masataka Mochizuki is very passionate and even stubborn about his sake. He is far more knowlegeable about the craft than many owners and truly enjoys explaining and discussing the art.

yui-1

We had agreed on the idea to actually conduct the tasting of his new brews with purely local food.
A dinner was accordingly served to us inside the Brewery!
Now, Kansawagawa Brewery is located in Yui-Cho, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, a harbour renown all over Japan for its delicacy, “Sakura Ebi/Cherry Shrimp”, a variety found only in our Prefecture. The catches being strictly regulated, it is a rare morsel outside our Prefecture.

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The dinner served to us included naturally rice and miso soup and:

yui-3
Boiled Sakura Ebi Salad,

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Sashimi plate. All seafood caught off Shizuoka shores!
Maguro/Tuna (top), Aji/Saurel and Hirame/Sole!

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Sakura Ebi Kakiage/Sakura Shrimps Tenpura. I know a lot of people in Tokyo who would take the first train to taste that!

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Freshly boiled Ika/Cuttlefish. Great with sake.
The small plate contains pickled sakura shrimps.

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Grilled Ishidai/Snapper served cold. An extravagant morsel to go with sake!

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And the sake!
The two with a “number” were not even for sale as they are still in the experimental phase!

Anyway, if you have the occasion to visit Yui, you will know that the real “package” is waiting for you!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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Sakura Ebi: Autumn Catch

November 8, 2008 dragonlife Leave a comment

The Japan Blog List

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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(Shizuoka Shinbun)

November 5th saw the first haul of Sakura ebi/Cherry blossom Shrimp of the Autumn being auctioned at Yui Harbour and Oikawa Fish Market.
12 tonnes were sold, that is about three times as much as last year.
Stocks have been plentiful thanks to very strict enforcement of catch limits self-imposed by the Sakura Ebi Fishermen Association, the first-ever such association in the whole of Japan to impose such voluntary limits of their catches!
Sakura Ebi are exclusively caught in the middle of Suruga Bay.
They are sucked into the boats directly from the nets, ensuring a later release of all unwanted catch live and unharmed into the sea.
Who said the Japanese were depopulating the sea?