In the U.S., ramen is a staple among poor college kids. A buck will get you three or four meals worth of freeze-dried noodles and too-salty seasoning packets.
Ramen in Japan is a different story. You can still buy the instant stuff, but for roughly the same price, you can head to one of a jillion ramen shops for the real thing. Here, ramen is an artform. It’s full of complex flavors created by labor-intensive processes.
The base is called dashi. It’s made by boiling aromatics like onions, garlic and ginger with konbu (dried seaweed) and katsuoboshi (dried, smoked fish shavings). Recipes are passed down through generations, refined over hundreds of years. In traditional-style restaurants, chefs are judged on the quality of their dashi. Dashi is subtle, but key to the essence of Japanese food as it serves as the basis for most Japanese recipes. It’s also part of the reason it’s difficult to be a non-fish-eating vegetarian in Japan.
The soup broth is typically made from pork. A thick white stock is made from simmering the bones, fat and meat for several hours. The broth is strained and added to the dashi, creating the core of the soup.
Ramen noodles are fresh, not freeze-dried. They’re made from kansui (an alkaline salt water) or eggs, giving them the durability to rest in a hot broth without disintegrating. They come in a variety of thicknesses, often depending on the region.
The toppings are what really differentiate ramen from region to region and chef to chef. A thin slice of pork is typically placed on top. Miso paste might be added, giving the broth a rich, saltier flavor. Korean chili paste can be added to create a spicy ramen. Ground pork might float in the bowl, adding another layer of flavor and texture. A salad with green onions and bean sprouts tossed in sesame oil is one of my favorite extras.
A soft-boiled egg is often included, although some shops just place a bowl of hard-boiled eggs on the counter. Soy sauce, raw garlic, chili oil and Japanese chili powder (shichimi) are common DIY additions provided by the shops.
Finding a good vegetarian ramen, even in Tokyo, is difficult. Strike good… just finding vegetarian ramen period is tough. The best is at T’s Tantan in Tokyo Station. Even non-vegetarians line up at all hours for their various vegan ramen options. The Ramen Museum in Yokohama also has a few tasty choices. But your corner ramen shop isn’t going to be much help. They take pride in their soup and aren’t really equipped to modify the broth for you.
Fortunately, making authentic-tasting vegetarian Japanese ramen at home is pretty easy. True to form, my recipe uses a homemade dashi and broth with storebought fresh ramen noodles. Outside of Japan, you should be able to find most ingredients at Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods-type stores or a local Asian market. It’s a great meal for these cold winter nights!
14 grams peeled raw ginger, sliced (thumb-sized piece)
2-3 green onions
3″ x 1″ (8 x 3cm) dried kombu
1 tsp sesame oil
Soup Base
3-4 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sake (mirin can be substituted)
2 tsp soy sauce (full-salt is best)
1/8 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp Korean chili bean paste (Tobanjan)
Seasoning
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, grated
Noodles
Fresh ramen noodles
Toppings
Green onions, sliced for garnish
Soft-boiled or poached eggs — 1 per bowl
Fried tofu, sliced
1/4 cup small-crumble TVP with enough dashi to cover
1/2 cup corn kernels, pan-fried in butter and salt
Directions
Prepare the toppings before making the soup and noodles. Once the noodles are cooked, you will need to add the soup and toppings right away or the noodles will get soft.
Put dashi ingredients in a large pot and let boil for 15 minutes. Strain, then put the broth back in the pot.
Add soup base to the dashi and let it simmer at low heat. Push the miso paste through a wire mesh strainer with the boiling dashi to make sure you don’t have large lumps of salty miso paste in your soup.
In another pot, add ramen noodles to boiling water. Cook according to the package—about three minutes for fresh noodles.
While cooking noodles, add seasonings to the soup and stir.
Assembly
Put TVP into the bottom of each bowl.
Divide noodles into each bowl.
Add soup.
Top with tofu, eggs, corn and green onions.
Serve with a deep soup spoon and chopsticks.
If you try it, leave a note in the comments and let me know what you think!
If you spend more than a few days visiting Hiroshima, this phrase might come out of your mouth as well. Every street has at least one shop featuring the city’s popular version of this quintessential Japanese food.
In case you’re not familiar, okonomiyaki is a savory pancake, made with a combination of batter, eggs, cabbage and other fillings, then topped with a sweet and salty sauce. Every region does it a little differently. In Osaka, all of the ingredients are mixed together, creating a solid slab of tastiness. In Tokyo, monjayaki is king, combining the ingredients with a runny, cheesy batter that is fried directly onto the griddle, then peeled off with a spatula.
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Vegetarian okonomiyaki at Nagata-ya in Hiroshima. Nagata-ya is one of the most popular shops in town and offers several vegetarian-friendly options—a rarity in Japan. The highlight was slivers of fried garlic sprinkled on top.
The line outside Nagata-ya. A good rule of thumb in Japan: if you see a line, get in it!
Okonomimura means Okonomiyaki Village. Taking up three floors of a building, 25 different shops offer their own unique spins on the cuisine.
At Okonomimura, we chose Yakidouraku, a shop that incorporates its South Korean roots, including fresh kimchi in the okonomiyaki and Korean soap operas on the television.
A close-up of our okonomiyaki at Yakidouraku.
In Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, the batter is poured into a thin crepe, then the filling is placed on top. An egg is cracked onto the griddle, its yolk broken and cooked thin to create another “crepe” that goes on top. It’s more like a big sandwich than the Osaka version.
The kicker is the soba or udon noodles that are added to the filling, creating a carb-loaded meal that will keep you going for hours. While the original version was more of a snack, the modern version evolved in the post-World War II era as a way to combine cheap ingredients into a nutritionally-dense meal.
Momiji-manju
While the maple leaf-shaped cake known as momiji-manju can be found all over Japan, its origins are in Hiroshima, specifically the southern island of Miyajima. The cakes were created in the early-1900s in honor of the island’s famous maple leaf viewing festivals.
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The deep-fried version of momiji-manju is called age-momiji. It’s breaded, fried and served hot. This one was custard-filled and delicious.
These croissant-style momiji follow the trend of croissant taiyaki, the popular fish-shaped doughnuts found throughout the country. Crispy, flaky and delicious, we found these on Miyajima—the birthplace of momiji-manju.
The original momiji-manju, a soft cake filled with sweet bean.
A woman hard at work packaging the thousands of momiji-manju that will be sold in her shop on Miyajima.
We hadn’t even left Hiroshima Station when we came across our first momiji-manju. A shop inside the station sold a breaded, deep-fried version that was sinful and delicious. While they were originally made by hand, they’re now abundant throughout the city thanks to the complex automated baking and wrapping machines, many of which are on display in the Miyajama shops.
Hiroshima Sweets, Treats and Eats
There’s more to Hiroshima’s food scene than just okonomiyaki and momiji. Check out the gallery below for some of the other awesome sweets, treats and eats from the week.
Sampling deep-fried shitake at Hiroshima Minato Marché
Yahatagawa Brewery’s Kassei Nigori Sake is bottled with live yeast, true to the kassei style. It’s one of the few products to receive the official “Hiroshima Brand” designation.
The walls of Otis!, a small cafe near the Peace Memorial Park, are covered in graffiti left by visiting musical acts
Enchiladas at Otis! Cafe. Decent Mexican food is very difficult to find in Japan. Otis! didn’t disappoint.
The vegetable and lentil curry at Otis!
Sake-flavored ice cream at the snack shack in Hiroshima Castle
An Imperial Lager from Hiroshima’s Kure Beer (Kaigun San) and a Double IPA from Osaka’s Minoh Beer at RAKUBEER, a craft beer pub in central Hiroshima
Miyajima Coffee was one of the first shops to open early in the day on Miyajima. Their cozy interior and tasty coffee was a welcome break.
The sampler set from Miyajima Beer—from left to right (and best to least-best), Dunkel, Pale Ale and Pilsner.
A yuba bun on Miyajima. Check out our Nikko post for more about yuba.
Enjoying a Hiroshima Cola and Maboroshi Sake as the sun sets behind the Great Torii on Miyajima. The unique natural cola is made with hassaku, a fruit similar to an orange or grapefruit.
Lunch at Roopali included vegetable curry and infant-sized nan brushed with clarified butter.
Thanks to the university choosing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding by canceling Friday classes, we were gifted an extra-long weekend and made a trip to Nikkō. Located in Tochigi Prefecture, about three hours north of Kawagoe via local trains, Nikkō is a popular destination for viewing koyo, or “fall colors” thanks to its high elevations around picturesque Lake Chūzenji.
Day 1: Kanmangafuchi Abyss
We arrived Thursday afternoon amidst a light but steady drizzle. We caught a local bus to our ryokan, the Turtle Inn, alongside the Daiya River. After dropping our bags, we took a short walk to Kanmangafuchi Abyss, an ancient gorge formed by the eruption of Mount Nantai.
Along the way, we saw the beginnings of fall in Stone Park before arriving to a line of 70 stone Jizo statues. Known as “Bake Jizo” or “Ghost Jizo”, the Buddhist statue is believed to be the protector of children, especially those who pass away before their parents. The statues are a common sight in Japan, usually clad in knitted hats and bibs that are often provided by the grieving parents.
After our short hike, we went to Bell, a small, family-run cafe that features yuba—Nikkō’s local speciality—in a large set meal. Yuba is the skin that forms on the top of boiled soy milk and takes on the flavors of the surrounding ingredients much like tofu. Their delicious “Monk’s Diet” set featured six different vegetarian preparations of yuba.
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Lanterns hanging in Nikko Station advertise the local World Heritage Site
The outlined turtle on the sign of our ryokan reminded me of the Social Distortion smoking skeleton logo (Google it!)
Our Japanese-style room at the Turtle Inn
The path through Stone Park leads in Kanmangafuchi Abyss
The fall colors in Stone Park
The fall colors in Stone Park
Ready for the rain
Kanmangafuchi Abyss
A few of the 70 stone buddhist statues known as Bake Jizo, or Ghost Jizo
The changing fall colors in Kanmangafuchi Abyss
An old covered well in Kanmangafuchi Abyss
The Yuba Fest at Bell Cafe in Nikko. Yuba is the skin created when soy milk is boiled.
The shared bath at Turtle Inn. This was the smaller of two baths available for use.
Day 2: Senjogahara Hike
We were met with a misty rain on the morning of our second day as well. We boarded the bus for the hour-plus ride out past the north end of Lake Chūzenji. As we wound through the curvy mountain roads, the sky began to clear up, turning into a cool but pleasant day.
English-language maps are located all over town featuring useful guides to get the most out of a Nikkō visit. We chose the 6.3km hiking course from Yutaki Falls through the Senjogahara Marshlands ending at Ryuzu Falls. The course begins at the massive Yutaki Falls where those traveling by car stop before continuing on to the Yumoto Hot Springs.
After snapping a few pictures, we ventured out onto the trail, which mostly consists of newly-built boardwalks that keep your feet out of the muck while protecting the natural habitat from the thousands of daily visitors. The crowds thinned considerably as we moved away from the falls. The scenery is beautiful as it evolves from dense forest to the open plains of Senjogahara Marshlands. The scenery is framed by the nearby mountain range, anchored by Mt. Nantai, Nikkō’s answer to Mt. Fuji. We ended at Shobugahama Beach on the north shore of Lake Chūzenji before catching a bus back to the city.
That night, we headed toward the city center to find dinner. Although it was a Friday night, many of the restaurants were closed despite the streets crawling with tourists. While looking at cheap Ukiyo-e prints, we bumped into a couple from San Francisco who were looking for a nearby vegetarian restaurant (among those already closed for the night). We chatted for awhile and gave them directions to the place we ate the night before.
As we popped in and out of the other restaurants trying to find a vegetarian-friendly meal, we ran into them again. They’d been doing the same, showing their vegetarian travel card to every shop owner before being turned away due to the fish broth, or fish chunks or fish fish. This time they stuck with us and together we tried to find a place to eat. Thanks to TripAdvisor, we finally arrived at Maruhide Shokudo.
The hostess invited us into the small restaurant and started going through the menu with us in Japanese with a little bit of English. With a few modifications, we came up with a pretty good selection of food, including a teriyaki yuba burger—sort of like shredded roast beef—and yuba-filled potato and soy croquettes. We shared travel stories (they’d lived in Hong Kong and Sydney for short periods) and enjoyed the great meal with new friends.
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The torii for Futarasan Shrine Chugu-Shi, the shrine atop Mt. Nantai—known as Nikko’s Mt. Fuji
The changing colors on Lake Chuzenji
The bus stop for Yutaki Falls and the beginning of our hike
Amazing fall colors on the road to Yutaki Falls
The very-impressive Yutaki Falls
The wooden boardwalk on the Senjogahara Hiking Trail
The wooden boardwalk on the Senjogahara Hiking Trail
The wooden boardwalk on the Senjogahara Hiking Trail
Double-checking the map
A rest area along the Senjogahara Hiking Trail
The Senjogahara Marshlands, a wide-open plains area framed by Mt. Nantai, Mt. Taro and Mt. San’s-boshi from right to left
A bare stretch of the Senjogahara Hiking Trail
Seems a bad place for bears to hang out
The top of Ryuzu Falls, formed by the lava flow from the eruption of Mt. Nantai more than 7,000 years ago
Ryuzu-no-Taki, or Dragon’s Head Waterfall, is one of Nikko’s most iconic landmarks. We saw the same photo we took in restaurants and our ryokan.
The fall colors along Shobugahama Beach on the north end of Lake Chuzenji
Looking out from the boat dock at Shobugahama Beach on the north end of Lake Chuzenji
A kuzuryū (nine-headed dragon) fountain at Jokoji Temple near our ryokan in Nikko
Stone Cups Street features water pipes built in the early 1900s to bring water from a nearby spring. It’s said the water runs cold in the summer, but warm in the winter.
A house on Daiku-cho used by the carpenters who built Tōshō-gū Shrine in the 1600s
Shinkyo Bridge (Sacred Bridge) was built in 1636 and is technically part of Futarasan Shrine, about 1km away
An old cable car has been turned into a public phone booth in Nikko’s city center
Day 3: World Heritage Shrines and Temples
For our last day, we stayed in town to visit the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Shrines and Temples of Nikkō. Two Shinto shrines (Futarasan Shrine and Tōshō-gū) and one Buddhist temple (Rinnō-ji) make up the complex along with the large cedar forest surrounding the area.
Not unlike the shrines and temples in Kyoto, the Nikkō complex requires a ticket to get in. For 1,300 yen, you get a ticket to Tōshō-gū and entrance to the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu was the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate which ruled Japan for more than 200 years while laying the groundwork for the Japanese imperialism era of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Unfortunately, both Tōshō-gū and Futarasan are undergoing major restoration work. Coupled with the large Saturday crowd, the shrines were a little disappointing, but it was still easy to see why they’re an important part of Japan’s history.
The most complete artifact of the complex had to be the Five-Storied Pagoda, originally built in 1650, destroyed by fire and then rebuilt in 1818. It uses a unique center pillar called a shinbashira for support which has long been thought to be the reason pagodas perform well in earthquakes. Over the past 1,400 years, only two pagodas have collapsed in earthquakes.
After a self-guided tour and a short coffee stop, we set out for another walking tour. The Takino’o Path heads up into the cedar forest, visiting some unique shrines and natural sights. It was a great way to escape the crowds at the shrines and enjoy one last bit of peace and quiet before heading back into the city.
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Outside the gates of Tōshō-gū Shrine
The fall colors pair well with the lacquered paint of Tōshō-gū Shrine
The torii leading into Tōshō-gū
Several wonderful examples of bonsai trees were on display inside Tōshō-gū Shrine
The three wise monkeys (sanzaru) at Tōshō-gū Shrine remind us to “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”
Several wonderful examples of bonsai trees were on display inside Tōshō-gū Shrine
The temizuya pavilion (ceremonial hand washing) at Tōshō-gū Shrine
Several wonderful examples of bonsai trees were on display inside Tōshō-gū Shrine
The architecture and decoration of Tōshō-gū Shrine is one of the reasons UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in 1999
The architecture and decoration of Tōshō-gū Shrine is one of the reasons UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in 1999
Close-up of some of the ornate decorations that cover the structures throughout Tōshō-gū Shrine. Each are being restored by hand, including paint and gold leafing.
The Sleeping Cat (Nemuri-neko) of Tōshō-gū Shrine rests above the gate leading to the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu
The tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Shogun of Japan in the early 1600s. The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan for more than 200 years, laying the foundation of the country’s imperial era.
The five-storied pagoda at Tōshō-gū Shrine. Each layer represents a different natural element—earth, water, fire, wind and void from bottom to top. A pillar in the center, common in pagoda architecture, is credited for the reason pagodas rarely collapse in earthquakes.
The torii leading to Futarasan Shrine. Founded in 767, the shrine is home to the kami/god of Mt. Nantai and stands as an example of the influence of Japan’s mountain culture from the 3rd-1st centuries B.C.
This little girl has likely just turned 3-years-old and is celebrating Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three). At age 3 and 7 (3 and 5 for boys), girls visit the shrine dressed in traditional kimono to wish for a long and healthy life.
The chinowa at Futarasan Shrine. The loop is made from intertwined reeds and visitors walk through the loop in a figure-eight (infinity) to purify and reinvigorate the spirit. It’s one of Japan’s oldest religious traditions.
The five-storied pagoda peeks through the trees
The sacred hall of Kaizan-do was our first stop on the Takino’o Path. The hall was built to cremate Priest Shodo, the founder of Futarasan. His remains are housed in a tomb behind the hall.
Next to Kaizan-do, a smaller shrine called San-no-miya is dedicated to safe delivery in childbirth. The tablets represent a Japanese chess piece called kyosha, which can only move forward in a straight line—not unlike the desired path of giving birth!
Stone Buddha statues, called Hotoke Iwa in Japanese, are located behind Kaizan-do under a cliff. It was said the image of Buddha was visible on the cliff, but after the cliff face collapsed in an earthquake, these statues were placed in the rubble.
Kitano Shrine was built in 1661 to enshrine a Heian Era scholar named Sugawara Michizane, now recognized as the God of Study. A large rock nearby called the Tegake Stone is believed to contain powers to improve scholarship and penmanship.
The gorgeous autumn leaves of Nikko!
The gorgeous autumn leaves of Nikko!
The gorgeous autumn leaves of Nikko!
The gorgeous autumn leaves of Nikko!
Visiting Nikkō
Nikkō is a popular day trip for tourists as it’s less than two hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen. The All-Nikkō Pass can be reserved online and provide a great discount on train and bus fare.
We stayed near the shrine area and while we enjoyed our ryokan, we probably would choose something in the Lake Chūzenji area next time. If the natural sights and hiking are your thing, I’d recommend the same. If you’re more into shopping, eating and the shrines, staying closer to the station is a better option. The bus between the areas takes about an hour and costs anywhere from 1,000-1,500 yen each way.
Last fall, we enjoyed a day at the Kawagoe Festival, the largest and oldest festival in our little slice of Japan. Check out last year’s post for the festival’s history and a video of the floats.
Otto-san and KenKen watching the parade. Three generations of two different families hosted me for this year’s Kawagoe Festival.
This year’s festival was a different experience. We’ve tried our best to stay in touch with our old neighbors—Tomoko and her two young girls—who moved to another part of town. This past spring, we were invited to a hanami (cherry blossom viewing) party with them. Japanese families are multigenerational, tight-knit units, so we got to know some of their extended family as well.
One of the large floats (or dashi) makes its way through a narrow side street in central Kawagoe
We missed out on an invite to Obon in August due to our travels through Asia, but Tomoko reached out last week to extend an invite to Kawagoe Festival. To see the festival through the eyes of locals was truly an honor.
I met the family near the train station at 7 p.m. It wasn’t more than five minutes in before the father-in-law was buying beers for the group.
As we walked through the city, Tomoko pointed out Kawagoe Kindergarten, then pointed to her sister-in-law, herself, her mother and her children. All three generations had attended the ivy-covered school. Pretty cool!
Two of the massive floats meet in the middle of the road, stopping to “battle” each other with music and dance. The float on the right won this particular battle.
We watched the dashi—massive, multi-decked festival floats—as they traveled toward each other down the streets of central Kawagoe. They stopped when they met, “battling” each other with live music and dancing. Tomoko’s sister-in-law indicated which float had “won” the battle.
The kids buy their second bag of cotton candy of the night. Festival time is a time for letting loose.
We wandered through the festival, which fills three square miles of Kawagoe’s shopping streets, for about an hour. The kids loaded up on candy from the various vendors before stopping to take a photo with a police car. Around 8:30 p.m., it appeared we were on our way out.
The kids stop to pose for a photo with the local police
Tomoko said she’d give me a ride home. But first, we stopped at one of the stands where they bought steamed buns—nikuman in Japanese—for all of us.
The family takes a trip down the reflexology foot path leading into Kumano Shrine
The whole group walked and walked until I wasn’t even sure where we were anymore. After about 25 minutes, we arrived at the sister-in-law’s house. They invited me in and everyone started getting comfortable.
It was the first time I’ve ever been in a proper Japanese home. While we’re a little loose with the no-shoes-in-the-house rule, they were not. Shoes were removed in the entry way. No socks on the entryway floor; no shoes in the house. We all washed our hands upon entering. Other than that, it was just like any other home. Comfy couch, television front and center. A piano sat against the wall, serving more as a shelf than a musical instrument.
The father-in-law turned on the TV and brought out a couple more beers—one for me, one for him. The kids started getting out their toys. The mother-in-law headed into the kitchen. It was clear we weren’t going anywhere for awhile.
Hasumi holds her bag of candy, which would be doled out a piece at a time for the rest of the evening
Out came the steamed buns. Then some homemade cheesecake. And some tea. And some mikan oranges. One by one like a four-course dessert set. Hasumi, Tomoko’s youngest girl, brought me pieces of her konpeitō (rock candy), two at a time. Everyone asked questions: What Japanese foods do you like? How do you say __________ in English? Is it OK to say __________?
Around 10 p.m., Tomoko’s mother started looking at her watch. Around 10:30 p.m., we started packing up the kids and made the short walk down the street to Tomoko’s car and headed home.
I thanked them profusely for all of their kindness and went inside… an authentic Japanese festival experience in the books.
The changing of the seasons in Cascadia are marked by important events. We know springtime is right around the corner when you spy someone in a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops on a sunny day even though it’s only 42 degrees outside. The beginning of fall is accompanied by talk of Ducks and Beavers while waiting in line for a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.
In Japan, each new season is marked by the blooming of flowers. Cherry blossoms and wisteria in the spring, irises and hydrangea in the summer and now red spider lilies are popping up in gardens all over town.
Red spider lilies at Kinchakuda-Manjushage Park in Hidaka City
In nearby Hidaka City, an annual festival is held at Kinchakuda-Manjushage Park along the Koma River to celebrate the blooming of the lilies. The vibrant red flowers are in strong contrast to both their spring-green stems and the green canopy of the meadow in which they grow.
Click any photo below to view as a slideshow. Scroll down for festival details and video from the day.
Several cartoon-style dolls were arranged beside the path near Koma River. Everyone with a camera stopped to snap some photos of the very strange, yet also very Japanese, scene.
Many people took advantage of the beautiful weather and scenery to spread out a picnic.
Looking out over the meadow of lilies.
This pair in full costume were being filmed both by a professional photographer and videographer. In 2014, a dozen films and television shows were filmed in Hidaka City.
The girl has a “you’re kidding me, right?” look about feeding her carrot to the donkey.
One of the many jangseung (Korean totem pole) found throughout Hidaka. The city has a long history with Korea, dating back to the settlement of refugees in the 8th century.
Locally-made miso paste and soy sauce mixed with rice. Unique and delicious!
Only in Japan: Komatsuna (Japanese mustard greens) and apple frozen yogurt. Odd, but tasty!
The path winds through the middle of the flowers, letting visitors get right up close and personal.
Every once in awhile, a white lily would poke its head out amongst its red brethren.
A young girl feeding grass to one of the horses at the neighboring farm. The farm is right on the edge of the park and is open to the public during the festival for rides and pets.
Outside the Orugon Dou (オルゴン堂) natural yeast bakery, one of the many interesting buildings in old Hidaka.
Thanks to the passer-by who snapped a photo for us. It almost looks like there’s nobody else there…
A view of the Koma River with red spider lilies growing beside the bridge.
Local food, beer and crafts a plenty at the Kinchakuda Festival in Hidaka City, Saitama.
Looking out over the meadow of lilies.
First stop was lunch at Alishan Organic Cafe, one of our favorite cafes in Japan. Choosing from a smaller festival menu to handle all the visitors, we had donburi and seasonal veggie curry. It’s right next to the park, so if you visit the festival, check out Alishan!
Red spider lilies at Kinchakuda-Manjushage Park in Hidaka City
A large black swallowtail butterfly was a popular target for the point-and-shoot photographers.
Captured with the GoPro, this horse would do a lap around its pen, returning back to the rail to see if anyone had brought a treat. Usually a child with a carrot or grass wasn’t far away.
The Kinchakuda Festival (website in Japanese) runs every weekend from now through October 4, 2015. They have lots of great local food vendors, live music and the nearby farm offers horse rides and a petting zoo.
Back home, heading to the coast for the day didn’t require much thought. Hop in the car, swing by the grocery store for some snacks and make the hour-or-so drive to the beach.
Last Friday, we decided to spend the weekend at the Jogasaki Coast on the Izu Peninsula southwest of Tokyo. I get the sense that a “trip to the coast” isn’t something that’s just done from central Japan. It requires some planning: finding a place to stay, mapping out the three-hour train ride… however, the swinging by the grocery store for some snacks part is the same.
The snack cart on the Limited Express train, complete with beer-on-tap
But, we made it happen! Things came together nicely as we found a low-cost ryokan (Japanese inn) near the main train station in Ito city. The limited express train from Tokyo follows the coastline and, similar to the shinkansen (bullet train), offers reserved seating, a snack bar and a snack cart, complete with beer-on-tap. I’ll write more about train culture in the future—the way people behave on the different types of trains is fascinating.
Mikan (Japanese mandarin orange) ice cream at Jogasaki Orange Village
Two of Ito’s meibutsu (famous regional products): wasabi and yamamomo.
The six-glass sampler at Izu Kogen Brewery included a yamamomo champagne beer, an orange beer and a stout made in honor of the 1998 summit between Russian president Boris Yeltsen and Japan’s prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
Our grocery-store buffet at the ryokan included yakisoba, inari sushi and dango among other things
Tofu steak and deep-fried daizu “meat” at Cafe Sora in Ito
Locally-made Shizuoka Cola is made with green tea, of course!
Eating is a big part of traveling and this trip didn’t disappoint. We had an amazing vegetarian lunch at Cafe Sora and a fun and filling dinner at the ryokan made up of random things picked up at the nearby grocery store.
Sampling meibutsu—the Japanese word for famous products of a region—is a fun way to get to know an area. In Ito, that’s wasabi, mikan (mandarine oranges) and yamamomo (bayberry). We had wasabi ginger ale, yamamomo soda (and beer), and mikan ice cream (and beer).
The area around the coast is a national park
The Jogasaki Coast is popular with fishermen providing fresh seafood to local restaurants
A view of the Sagami-Nada Sea through the trees of the coastal hiking path
A view of the Sagami-Nada Sea through the trees of the coastal hiking path
The rocky Jogasaki coastline
This couple brought their cat hiking with them and posed for several pictures on the Hashidate Suspension Bridge.
After our lunch at Cafe Sora, we hiked along the coastal trail. From Renchakuji Temple, the path south takes about three hours to get to the Hashidate Suspension Bridge. The trail winds through forest and along the rocky coast, offering breathtaking glimpses of the sea.
Our room at Hinodeya Ryokan
The complete ryokan experience includes yukata!
Staying at a ryokan was on our short list of things to do while in Japan. We stayed at the charming Hinodeya Ryokan a short walk from Izu Kogen Station. The small guesthouse has just a few rooms and the service was excellent. We were given the quick tour and shown to our room, which was nearly as large as our apartment! A small carpeted entry area was separated by traditional sliding shōji doors leading to two tatami-floored rooms.
A chabudai (low dining table) was arranged in the middle of the first room where we were served iced green tea. The second bedroom was made up with traditional futons. We were given yukata—light cotton robes—to wear around the ryokan or even out on the town!
The shared baths were separated by gender, but they set us up in the smaller women’s bath so we could relax together. All of our previous onsen/sento experiences have been in the gender-separated baths, so this was a pleasant change to be able to share the experience.
The next morning, we were served a traditional Japanese breakfast in the main dining room downstairs. We wore our yukata to breakfast and laughed when a Japanese family entered the room dressed in their normal clothes. Oh, foreigners! The breakfast included rice, miso soup, tsukemono (pickled vegetables) and a hotplate to make a small omelette. They also had a pickled shrimp dish and a whole fish—head and all—split down the middle. We just moved the fish dishes around a bit, not wanting to be rude.
After breakfast, we were served coffee in the “family room” where the lady who made our breakfast showed us pictures of her garden. At checkout, the man who seemed to run the place asked where we were going. I told him we were headed to Mt. Omuro and he said he’d give us a ride, turning an hour-long bus trip into a 10-minute drive. Plus, riding in a car is a rare experience, so that was an added bonus!
Mt. Omuro, a dormant volcano with an archery range in its crater
Thanks to the lift, we arrived at Mt. Omuro just after the cable car opened, beating the crowds. From the top of the grass-covered dormant volcano, you can see the surrounding mountains and farmland, the village below and all the way out to the sea and the Izu island chain. An archery range has been set up inside the crater. A man and his daughter fired arrows while tourists watched from above (see the video below).
Every February, the sleeping giant burns brightly, but the scheduled fire and smoke don’t come from within. The Yamayaki of Mt. Omuro is one of the area’s most popular events as the grass is burned to promote healthy growth for the coming year.
Video: Jogasaki Coast and Mt. Omuro
Ito was the perfect weekend getaway; a soul-refreshing trip to the sea.
During late spring in Japan, the weather is in the sweet spot for bringing a bounty of blossoms out for viewing. It’s hard not to have a little extra joy in your heart. A couple weeks ago, we visited Chichibu for the phlox blossoms and last weekend we headed back for the “heavenly poppies” at Sainokuni Friendship Farm.
Enjoy the photos (click any of them to view at a larger size) and watch the video at full size for a couple of special treats.
The street leading to Chichibu shrine is full of quaint shops, feeling like a throwback to another timeOne of those quaint shops, “Cocktail Bar Snob.” Finally a cocktail bar that’s keeping it real!100 of these statues, called kaiun annai ban (開運案内板) or “Good Luck Guide Plates” are located around the area of Chichibu Shrine.Two cats ruling the roost in a small neighborhood park near Chichibu Shrine.The haiden (prayer hall) of Chichibu Shrine. The shrine dates back more than 900 years and was a sacred site during the Edo period.Some of the colorful carvings around the top of Chichibu Shrine. The work is attributed to Jingoro Hidari, an artist from the early 1600s famous for a similar—and much more famous—monkey carving at Nikko Shrine.The monkeys get another treatment on an ema, wooden planks on which worshippers at Shinto shrines write their prayers.A ceremony took place in the shrine while we were there and they gathered for a photo after. The Shinto priest (kannushi) is seated in the middle. It appeared to be a business group, perhaps receiving a blessing for an upcoming project, a common occurrence in Japan.We had lunch at a great macrobiotic place near Chichibu Shrine called Tsuki no Usagi (Moon Rabbit). It was a little hard to find as it was tucked back off the main road, but well worth the effort!The train to the poppy fields with Mt. Buko in the backgroundThe bus from Minano Station is decorated with characters from a Japanese cartoon (anime) called Anohana that was set in Chichibu. Many visitors to Chichibu come to see the sights from the show.Rikyu Shrine, a small shrine in the woods along the road to the poppy fields. Shuttle services to the fields ended the weekend before our visit, so we got a nice 2.5 KM walk up the hill to see them.The poppy fields of Sainokuni Friendship Farm. Click the photo for a larger image.The poppy fields of Sainokuni Friendship Farm.
I’m self-diagnosing a case of selective attention deficit disorder. It’s brought on my projects that aren’t particularly interesting to me. Treatments include watching baseball, going for a run or doing just about anything else.
I have a couple of those projects on my plate this week, so I decided to remove the distractions. I loaded up my computer and headed to Starbucks to work for a bit. There’s plenty of good workspaces around town, but the coffee giant is the only one that offers free WiFi.
The closest Starbucks in Kawagoe Station is usually crowded with commuters and since the station is our transportation hub, I wanted some new scenery. I pulled up Google Maps and plotted out some of the other shops in the area. That landed me in nearby Fujimino City.
Fujimino is the first stop on the express line toward Tokyo from Kawagoe Station, but we’ve never had reason to go there, so this was a good chance to explore the area a bit. I arrived around lunchtime and had plotted out a couple potential lunch spots.
The curry lunch set at Arcturus Cafe in Fujimino. The small shop has a couple tables in a solarium surrounded by flowers in bloom
I chose Arcturus Cafe, which I’m told by Wikipedia may be named for the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere. Macrobiotic cafes like this are one of the few safe bets for a vegetarian meal in Japan.
I chose one of the two tables in the solarium at the back of the restaurant. Outside, rose bushes and other greenery pushed against the glass. I ordered the curry set. Japanese curry is available nearly everywhere, but it’s made with chicken, so it’s usually on the no-fly list. Potatoes and mushrooms took the place of the chicken. It was fantastic!
Arcturus also bakes its own bread using a naturally fermented yeast. The soup and salad set is served with fresh bread and coffee. I can’t wait to go back to try it.
The quiet surroundings of Starbucks in Fujimino offered a nice work environment
After lunch, I headed to Starbucks to actually get some work done. The Starbucks is about 10 minutes from the station, so the crowd was pretty thin in the early afternoon with most of the customers coming through the drive-through.
A taste of home… beers from Newport, Oregon’s Rogue Ales & Spirits
After I finished my work, I popped into the Aeon department store down the street. I remembered from a trip to the Aeon near Costco that they have a large liquor section with a decent selection of craft beers. Sure enough, they had three different choices from Oregon’s Rogue Ales & Spirits. I took one of each: Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Dead Guy and Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout.
I tried to make a joke with the cashier that both the beer and I were from the same place. She laughed and said a whole bunch of other stuff that I didn’t really catch. Can’t win ’em all…
My projects will keep me busy for a few more weeks and I plan to use my new method of navigating the area by Starbucks locations to find a few more new gems.
The great thing about a city like Tokyo is that you never run out of things to see. After a brief Tokyo rut, we’ve recommitted ourselves to crossing things off the “to-see” list.
First item off the list was the historic Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo’s Chūō Ward. Tsukiji is a popular tourist spot, but it’s also a working wholesale fish market. Visitors rub elbows with local chefs picking through the freshest (in many cases, still alive) seafood in Tokyo.
A turret truck cruises through the narrow aisles of Tsukiji Fish Market
Inside, hundreds of vendors crowd into a warehouse. The smell of the sea greets you from a block away. The aisles are narrow with just enough room for one-and-a-half people to pass through. Tourists alternate between snapping photos, sidestepping fish-water puddles and dodging the turret trucks that zip down the aisles. Old-school wooden carts roll through more slowly, loaded with some of the larger ocean fish and offering a hint at the origins of the market.
Catch of the day… it looks like I’m afraid someone’s going to steal my fish!
Fish markets in Tokyo date back to the 1600s, but the current incarnation was built in 1935 after its Nihonbashi district predecessor was destroyed in the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923. In November 2016, the market will be moved to nearby Toyosu to free up the current location for development prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The tools of the trade at Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market.
The butchers worked with surgical precision, carving the large fish into perfectly-weighted fillets and making paper-thin slices for sashimi (raw fish). Many used “knives” that more closely resemble a samurai sword than anything you or I have in our kitchens. The four-foot long blades made short work of the even the largest tuna.
The surgeon vs. the sturgeon. Did I mention this was a working fish market?
After awhile, the aromas inherent in such a place started to take their toll on our stomachs. Occasionally I’ll come across Japanese food that makes me second-guess my vegetarian choices, but the fish market was not one of those places.
Cascadia-style coffee perfection at Kachidoki’s Market of the Sun
We headed outside for some fresh air and a short walk over the Kachidoki Bridge to our very favorite farmers market in Japan. Market of the Sun is Japan’s largest regular farmers market and has the most unique selection of local produce, goods and snacks in Tokyo. We left with a couple varieties of honest-to-goodness rye bread and a hearty beet, both nearly impossible to find in our local area.
Looking down Monja Street on a quiet Saturday morning.
A couple blocks away from the market, we checked off another of our Tokyo to-dos with a visit to Monja Street. We’d first tried monjayaki during my birthday weekend in Asakusa. This two-block stretch of restaurants in the Tsukishima district features almost exclusively monjayaki and okonomiyakishops.
Although it was proper lunchtime, most of the shops were still closed when we arrived. We found one with several people inside and ordered a monjayaki and an okonomiyaki—best described as savory Japanese-style pancakes. The waiter started our monja on the table-top grill, but we took care of the okonomiyaki ourselves. Check out the video below to see us in action!
Every locale has its signature drink, which usually signals a preference for coffee or tea. In Portland, Oregon, it might be Stumptown drip or espresso coffee. In Australia, we drank cappuccinos with every meal. In Japan, it’s green tea or matcha—ground green tea that is blended with water and sometimes milk and sugar (matcha latte). We had fun watching matcha being ground in Kyoto. There are so many types of green tea to count, and I’d like to try them all. The antioxidants in green tea have been attributed to the long lives of Japanese people.
Starting the morning off with a few cups of Masala Chai.
In India and Nepal, THE drink is undoubtedly masala chai (the wiki read is fascinating). The spicy, sweet drink quickly became a favorite among our group members. However, not all masala chai is created equal. It became a game to rate each cup and declare whether it was the best we’ve had. In Nepal, masala chai is a little weaker…more similar to milk tea. Milk tea is also popular here in Japan and it’s, you guessed it, (black) tea with milk and sugar.
If you’ve had a chai latte from Starbucks, you have an idea of the flavor of masala chai. In India, the milk is brewed with the tea, instead of adding it later. You can also get some Chai tea bags and add some milk, but it’s not the same.
We had masala chai on the street, in restaurants and in people’s homes. While we were in the city of Orchha, India, we had an opportunity to meet a woman who taught us some traditional recipes.
Vandana Dubey strains the chai tea from the spices and loose leaf tea.
Below is my adaptation of Vandana Dubey’s Indian spiced tea. This drink has “warming” spices: best drank in the winter.
Masala Chai Yield about 2 cups
1 cinnamon stick
6 pieces of whole clove
6 green cardamom pods
6 black peppercorns
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp. black loose-leaf tea
3 Tbsp. white sugar
2 cups water
1 cup milk (any kind)
pinch of garam masala, optional
Step 1: Lightly crush the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and peppercorns. The best way is probably a mortar and pestle, but who has one? I break the cinnamon stick into small pieces and place into a medium saucepan. Then, I throw in the cloves, cardamom and peppercorns. I use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher (use what you got) just to break ’em open.
Step 2: Grate the ginger into the pot.
Step 3: Throw in the black tea and sugar.
Step 4: Add the water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes. It’s going to smell amazing.
Step 5: Add your milk. If you can heat the milk beforehand, that’s best, but if not, add your cold milk and bring it back to a boil. Then, bring down to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Get your cup(s) ready and find a fine strainer. Strain the liquid from the solids.
Step 7: Add a pinch of garam masala if you like and enjoy!
Notes:
Ginger is the main flavor here. We didn’t have any one day and it tasted all wrong.
I also didn’t have a cinnamon stick for one batch. Ground cinnamon is not a good replacement. Powdered versions of any of the spices don’t suffice.
If you don’t want to go out and buy all the spices, you can still make a good batch with just ground fresh ginger and a cinnamon stick.
If you’re unsure about how much sugar you’ll prefer, you can leave it out here and add as you like to the final product. You can also leave out the sugar and add sweetened condensed milk at the end.
If the tea is too “spicy” for you, add more hot water or milk to dilute.
Garam masala is a powdered blend of most of the spices in the recipe: peppercorn, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, etc. If your grocery store has bulk spices, buy a tiny bit of it to try.
Let us know if you try the recipe and how you “make it your own.” What is the signature drink where you live?
