11/26/09: Day 6 in Japan - Kagoshima

The next destination on my itinerary was Kagoshima, the southern-most prefecture on Kyushu. As it would take 2.5 hours to get there, I picked up Chicken Namban lunch...

...and side orde of Yakisoba for the rail trip.

The Satsuma Clan, based in Kagoshima, was one of the more progressive power in Japan. During the Meiji Restoration, they sent 15 students to England to study the western technologies such as steam power to help modernize Japan. For their contributions, they are honored with a statue outside of the Kagoshima Central Station.

Not too far down the Napoli Street is the Meiji Restoration Museum. Spending one hour is a great way to understanding role of Kagoshima in shaping modern Japan.

Crossing the bridge to the museum, you can see the beautiful Sakura Jima.

After the museum, I headed down to the area called Dolphin Port to catch the glimpse of Sakura Jima up close. Sakura Jima is a picturesque island/volcano located in the Kagoshima Bay, and is featured in some Kagoshima-based drama such as Atsuhimé.

As the sun set, I began to make my way back towards the train station. At the intersection where the Tenmonkan Dori and Izumi Dori crossed, I couldn't help but notice the heavily westernized buildings that were lining the street.

For dinner, I decided to go two blocks north to Tenjin Baba Dori to look for a local flavor. As Kagoshima is famous for their Berkshire Pork, this lantern caught my attention.

Tonkatsu Jubei has been in business for over 40 years, and it's located on a second floor of a building, tucked away in the back.

I ordered the roast cutlet set (1,550 yen).

The Kagoshima pork was very tender and juicy, cooked to perfection. They were served with miso sauce, tangy tonkatsu sauce, and salt/pepper to enjoy in different ways.

As I was the first customer in, the chef came out and entertained me. He made ballerina out of tissue paper (right), cut outs of two swans kissing (bottom), hawk (left), and deer (top).

Here is the photo of ferris wheel above Kagoshima Central Station.

I ended up staying in a town called Sendai (川内). After getting there, I saw a Christmas light display in the shape of Doraemon.

11/25/09: Day 5 in Japan, Part II - Yatai

On the way back from onsen, I got off the shuttle bus in Tenjin. On my agenda was to try a certain Hakata cuisine, as well as dining in yatai. Here is the bridge over Nakagawa at night.

Not too far from the bridge, I came across an izakaya called Fuurin Kazan. The kanji signifies wind, forest, fire, mountain that were seen on the battle flags, short hand for "run like the wind, quiet like the forest, attack like fire, and defend like a mountain." With such an impressive name, I figured I can't go wrong.

It was a yakitori place, run by two chefs.

I started with angel hair-like enoki mushrooms cooked in a foil...

...followed by few skeweres of chicken...

...before settling on juicy tonsoku. What's a tonsoku, you may ask? Why, it's pigs feet. Yup, you read that right, pigs feet. It's chewy and rich in collagen which is supposedly great for your skin. Not surprisingly, pigs feet are very popular among those cute little Japanese women.

Yakitori and Tonkotsu went very well with Den En (田苑) potato shochu served on the rocks.

Mext on the agenda was visiting yatai, which is a food stand. More than food carts we see in NYC, food stands include seating. Nakasu, an island located between Nakagawa rivers, has a famous yatai row but it is frequently visited by out-of-towners.

My Fukuoka-based friend recommended I stop by yatai frequently visited by the locals in the heart of the main street. However, that yatai was already full, and I was told it would take at least an hour to get a seat. Fortunately, there was another one called Kitaro right near by, with some seats to spare.

While yatai is there to serve food, the local ones offer much more than that. Because the space is enclosed, creating intimate space, it encourages interaction. The yatai visited by locals has their "regulars" that gather regularly.

Fortunately, they were quick to include me in the conversation, and I had good companions for the night.

I had their ramen with Suigei Junmai Ginjo...

...and some more yakitori with house barley shochu. While I don't remember much about the taste of the food, I will never forget the cameraderie I enjoy inside this particular yatai.

11/25/09: Day 5 in Japan, Part I - Tenjin

While Hakata is where the Shinkansen stops, Tenjin is where the action is. To find out more, I decided to take a walk in the morning.

Tenjin is about 20 minutes away from Hakata station by foot, separated by Nakagawa River. Watanabe Street is the center of the town, and it's flanked by Fukuoka/Tenjin Station of the Nishitetsu line, as well as numerous department stores and shops.

Just as busy is the underground concourse right beneath Watanabe Street that houses bunch of shops while allowing pedestrians access to all the surrounding buildings without the fear of cars or waiting for lights.

On the way back to the hotel, I found a booth that sold something called Inaho Yaki. It was to okonomiyaki what pizza pocket is to a pizza.

For lunch, I stopped by a ramen joint near the hotel called Chen Mar Ya.

Their speciality is the spicy Dan Dan Noodles using tonkotsu soup base. As you can tell by the picture, this was richer and much spicier than usual tonkotsu ramen, with hints of sesame and Szechuan peppercorns.

The lunch set came with Ma Po Tofu served over rice. Thicker than the Ma Po Tofu I am used to, it nevertheless had good flavors of the Szechuan peppercorns.

Here is the obligatory serving of gyoza...

I again spent the afternoon at Ryusei Onsen. The hotsprings are invigorating, and I read sauna is great for digestion which is much needed at this point.

The hotspring is located in the mountains, and it offers calming scenery to ease my soul...

11/24/09: Day 4 in Japan - Arriving in Hakata

Not unexpectedly, my eyes opened around 7:30, but I woke up around 9:30 only because I had to check out by 10:00.

I skipped breakfast, but that's not a bad thing in retrospect, based on the pace I am helping out Japanese food industry.

After leaving the comforts of bed, I spent couple of hours by Hiroshima Station working on rehydration. Interestingly, the city of Kyoto was promoting tourism, so there was a lady dressed as geisha and a gentleman clad in the coat of Shinsengumi.

My next stop is Hakata in Fukuoka prefecture, located on the island of Kyushu. This will be my first visit on the island where my father's side of the family is based.

As my appetizer was virtually nonexistant, my lunch included 3 different breads. First was the bacon and cheese roll...

...followed by fried chicken with tartare sauce on a roll...

...and curry bread, a must-eat item when in Japan.

After checking into the hotel, it was time to relax and detox by visitig Seiryu Onsen hot springs, recommended by a friend.

Housed in a traditional-looking lodge, the onsen featured 6 different hotsprings (2 inside, 4 outside) and 2 spa facilities. The onsen is located about 50 minutes from Hakata Station, but thankfully, there is a free shuttle bus that runs hourly. This visit was much needed!

Hakata is famous for their tonkotsu ramen, which is made from deriving broth from pork. In a lucky coincidence, the restaurant my friend recommended, Fukuchan, was located just 2 blocks away from the hotel.

As my appetite recovered sufficiently, I ordered Char-Siu Tonkotsu Ramen.

The taste did not disappoint, the firm noodle pairing well with creamy but well-balanced soup.

Of course, I had to have their gyoza as well.

On the way home, there was a tunnel running under and across the rail tracks. Within the tunnel was a mural, and one section featured Kondo Isami, leader of Shinsengumi. Man, they're everywhere!

11/22/09: Day 3 in Japan, Part III - Hasshou Okonomiyaki

Okonomi-yaki, a Japanese cuisine made like an omelette, stirs passion among people of Japan, esepcially in the western parts. In the US, it's akin to asking who makes the best pizza.

Rgionally, Osaka is known as the capital of flour-based food, so naturally, they dominate the conversation.

However, Hiroshima is also very famous for their okonomiyaki, made in a more layered style with crepe-like crust.

Tonight, my friend recommended we go to Hasshou, said to make one of the very best Hiroshima style okonomiyaki.

There was a waiting line, not surprising for a store with such reputation.

The interior was small, seating about 16. The place was run efficiently by two chefs.

Here is the process:

The chefs take order from people on the line. Like assembly line, they prepare several at a time...

...flip to make sure both sides are cooked...

...coat one side with egg, cook, then apply the secret sauce...

...here we are, one step away from the finish...

...finally, sprinkle ao-nori, and we are done!

The verdict? This was definitely one of the very best I've ever had. The noodles were thin,firm, and chewy, and in perfect harmony with the cabbage, crepe, and sauce. The next time I'm back in town, I am definitely there!

Yup, we had a real good time!

11/22/09: Day 3 in Japan, Part II - Izakaya Danjiri

Since I enjoyed Danjiri izakaya so much 2 years ago, I decided to go there again. Accompanying me this time is a teammate from my baseball team.

As we are in Hiroshima, we toasted with Ugo No Tsuki "Koiomachi" Special Junmai Ginjo, refreshingly dry saké.

As we were drinking, the food arrived. Our selections were various orders of Yakitori. This is tsukune, formed like a meatball.

Yakitori uses all parts, including cartilege (left), liver (to the right), among others. We also ordered shiitaké mushrooms.

The next two sakés were also Ugo No Tsuki, including their twisting "Black Moon" Junmai Ginjo and mineral-driven Aiyama Junmai Ginjo.

Moving on to other brands we tried Kokuryu #39 Junmai Ginjo, bit less dry but rich in umami.

By this time, we were feeling pretty good, and I am relying on my photographic evidence to indicate what we drank. My friend recommended Kyokuhou brand, so we went with their Hiroshima Hattan Junmai Ginjo.

Somewhere along the way, we also ordered a nama of some type, but I don't remember which one...

Last order was Shichi Hon Yari Yamadanishiki Junmai as I caught the sight of the bottle in the big fridge. I don't remember the taste as much as the fact that we had a blast drinking it.

11/22/09: Day 3 in Japan, Part I - To Hiroshima

So, the hotel has this breakfast plan. Pricing for the food looks appealing (ham and sandwich for $1.25 or so.) However, you have to pay for drinks, which costs something like $8. Figuring I can have better use for my $800, I stepped right outside into McD's. Normally, I don't do McD's, but it's always fun to see the regional differences. Here, they have Mega Muffin Combo (490 yen), which includes Hash Browns and small drink (roughly 6 oz). Mega Muffin has 2 layers of sausage sandwiching American cheese-like substance, Egg, and already seasoned with ketchup.

Next to the hotel is a convenience store, where I picked up yogurt drink, stewed pork bun (角煮), and egg pudding for $405 yen.

The stewed pork bun was soooooo gooooood!

After checking out, I was on my way to Shinagawa Station to catch the Shinkansen to Hiroshima via Shin-Osaka.

One of the joys of long-distance rail travel is what they call "eki-ben," shortened term for lunch boxes sold at rail stations. I chose matsutaké mushroom lunch, although the star of the show was the marinated abalone to the left...

11/21/09: Day 2 in Japan - Shinjuku, Dinner at Aunt and Uncle's

My second night will be spent in Shinjuku, which was about 30 minutes away from Tokyo by JR Yamanoté Line. It has some nice architecture, such as this Coccoon Building.

Of course, the main strip has the decidedly Tokyo feel with the neon lights and all.

On the way to train station, I passed along a smoke filled alley full of old-school restaurants and izakayas. I would've stop by for yakitori and saké, if not for the fact that I was heading to my aunt and uncle's place in Ebisu for dinner.

Now, here's something you don't find out on every day basis. My aunt and uncle has been getting sakés shipped to their apartment from a certain brewery. They told me that the brewery is operated by a family of my paternal grandmother. Which brewery is this? Upon close inspection, the Dewa No Yuki from Yamagata. First bottle was the special saké, Tobingakoi Junmai Daiginjo, made usig 25% Yamadanishiki from Hyogo and 50% local Miyamanishiki, both polished down to 50%.

The Tobingakoi really came alive when paired with mixture of coarsely grated Yamaimo potatoes, salmon roe, and nori.

The next bottle was their "Giou Ginyo" Junmai Daiginjo, an outstanding saké for their very clean finish.

We spent the evening drinking sakés, and enjoying this view of the Tokyo Tower (right) and Roppongi Mori Building (left) from their bay window.

11/21/09: Day 2 in Japan, Part I - Tokyo

The hotel has free breakfast, which is assortment of bread and salad. They promote their selection as being healthy, which means I was very healthy this morning.

After uploading post of Day 1, checking out of the hotel, and dropping off luggage at hotel #2, the lunch awaited in Tokyo. In the New Maru Building across Tokyo station, I found Suju, restaurant based on Nagano cuisine.

I ordered lunch set of Ginger Pork Sautee, which came with miso soup, pickles, and rice. With added umeboshi and large bottle of beer, the lunch tab was 2,530 yen ($29.08)

Heading little bit north is the Imperial Palace. Water display entertain the visitors on the outer perimeter.

Here is the moat. It's safe to say that the castle is well defended.

There were lot of pine trees on the premises...

This bridge is very famous, appearing in a lot of historic drama.

What is this rather innoculuous looking gate?

Why, it is Sakuradamon, where a famous assasination of progressive thinking senior advisor of the shogun took place. Assasination of Ii Naosuké was one of the key events preceding the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

On the walk back to the train station, a regal looking swan decided to accomodate me.

Another perspective, illustrating the width of the moat.

11/19/09 - 11/20/09: Day 1 in Japan - Touchdown

11/19/09 10:00 EDT

My annual trip to Japan started at Oasis Lounge, courtesy of a lounge ticket for NWA.

Although my flight is at 12:40, why not get there early and take advantage of free amenities (ahem, "drinks"), right?

With the acquisition of NWA by Delta, my flight was technically NW 0799 but the plane was Delta fleet B770.

11/20/09 20:00 Japan Time
11/20/09 06:00 My body clock

After safely touching down then checking into the hotel, next on my agenda was to enjoy ramen, even though especially because my body clock reads 6:00 am. Since last year's pattern went well, I decided to retrace the same steps.

Asahi Dry, medium bottle (well, it's large for us): 480 yen.

Large serving ramen with Char-Siu Pork: 780 yen.

Gyoza dumplings: 300 yen.

Total dinner cost: 1,560 yen ($17.93*)

11/20/09 20:30 Japan Time
11/20/09 06:30 My body clock

The next stop was saké bar. By this stage, I am ignoring my body clock.

While the saké bar features saké selections directly sent from Yokobué Brewery, there were many shochu and spirits on the list.

This year, I had their Honjozo (SMV: +5) which had some hints of creaminess with a clean and dry finish, followed by their "Tachinomi"(立呑) limited release (SMV: +5), made specifically for their bar. This was softer with more creamy flavors on the palate. Each order cost 300 yen.

The last selection was Kodou (古道) junmai (SMV: +2), described as made in richer styles in the older style. Generally, such styles meant darker color, rich and full palate, and sweeter finish. In reality, it was intense, clean, and dry, more along the lines of modern genshu. As a special brew, it cost 400 yen.

All in all, not a bad way to spend 1,000 yen ($11.49*)!

*Note: Conversion rate is $1 = 87 yen.

11/11/09: Akita Saké Tasting Event

This was the ninth installation of the Akita Saké Tasting Event. As usual, the place was packed.

One of the guest saké was the perfect opener...

I was very pleased to see Misato by Hinomaru Jozo, the saké I remember fondly from the Sixth edition of the tasting.

Kirishima-san from Joto Saké holding Akita Komachi Daiginjo, one of their top selections.

This bottle caught my attention. Sendai Bozu is made from the rice of the same namesake polished down to 50%. Evidently, it's a junmai ginjo genshu using a rice strain discovered in Miyagi prefecture in 1955. Today, its cultivation is limited to a section of one farm in the city of Odaté in Akita. The flavor expands quickly with depth, and it's a type of saké that might serve well lightly heated.

Next saké was highly controversial. Aged in barrel used to age Ay Grand Cru Champagne, chene d'argonne was a complex saké that didn't taste like saké due to its flavors that include green apples, vanilla, and spices. It's a very well-crafted saké, but far from what we're used to... for better or for worse.

No saké brought bigger smile to my face than seeing Hakuun Yuu Yuu Junmai Daiginjo by Asamai Shuzo, famous for their Ama No To label. Why the big grin? Because it brought me back to this time and place.

11/4/09: Reuter Charity Saké Event/ Robataya

Thomson Reuters Asia Pacific Employee Network hosted a charity saké tasting event to benefit victims of natural disaster in Asia. The event featured 3 breweries: Dassai, Akita Seishu, and Tenzan.

My evening started with a toast with Dassai "39" Sparkling Nigori.

My next stop was the Akita Seishu booth to see Ito-san (right) and my friend and sommelier Yang-san.

I especially enjoyed soft and smooth Matsukura Tokubetsu Junmai.

Right by the front entrance was this interesting character, who turned out to be Shichida-san from Tenzan Brewery. The design of the mask incorporates kanji characters of the brewery ("天" and "山").

Tenzan is known for their Genshu which is packaged in a bamboo leaf, but he brought Hitenzan Daiginjo and Junmai from Shichida brand.

As many of the audience was actually there for noble causes, the event featured saké lecture by Tim Sullivan to get the audience up to speed.

The lecture was followed by brewery introduction.

As the event lasted "only" two hours, some of us didn't have enough of a good time - time to plan for the next stop. We chose Robataya NY, which is the sister restaurant to Sakagura.

Once inside, a large counter awaits, lined by fresh ingredient to be grilled.

The counter and table area is separated by a decorative garden and water feature.

All the sakés that were ordered, naturally, were associated with the brewers. This one is light and delicate Rokushu Junmai Ginjo by Akita Seishu.

Don't believe we're having a good time? Well, then...