Category: Food

Posted in Feelings, Food, Hotel, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Place, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel

Foodie Trip (Day 2)

Posted on by sonokotchi

I started my day with taking a hot spring.

Then enjoyed a Japanese breakfast.

We decided to visit Tachikui Sue no Sato (Tachikui Pottery Town).

Tachikui Sue no Sato Area

I tried to make a pottery for first time at Yume Kobo (Dream Factory).

Sensei (teacher) is very kind and knows how to lead students.

Tachikui-Yaki is one of six greatest pottery in Japan.

If you want to try making pottery for the first time, Yume-Kobo is highly recommended!

It was fun.

It requires discipline and it brought me peace in my mind.

I now consider learning pottery.

Sensei taught me the process.

I made four things: beer cup, Japanese tea cup, Matcha green tea bowl for tea ceremony and rice bowl (from left).

Sensei helped me greatly with beer cup and Japanese tea cup.

I made by myself rice bowl (first thing that I made) and Matcha green tea bowl (the last thing I made).

To make tall glass/cup shape is difficult compared with a bowl.

I want to make a beer cup and green tea cup alone one day.

With happy feeling, I had a happy ramen at Ohashi Ramen, Nishiwaki, Hyogo.

Then proceeded to next destination: Wadayama.

We plan to stay at normal business hotel; therefore, we stopped by at hot spring spa, Ouka no Yu, before reaching to a hotel.

There are so many different baths to try here.

I enjoyed staying here greatly.

This is a sign for women bath.

I enjoyed watching the Year-End horse race, Arima Kinen at the bath because there is a big screen TV at open air bath and sauna.

I watched the race at open air spa.

This is the replay at the lobby of spa.

I bought two bottles of Tajima Tennensui (Tajima Natural Spring Water).

I love to try local products to get energy from local area.

Hotel is located nearby this spa: Hotel Sunroute Wadayama

Again, this is Foodie Trip; Hotel is simple and comfortable.

Tonight’s main event is crab dinner at Kutaro, Wadayama, Hyogo.

Yeahhhh

Every crab dish was niceeeee: sashimi (raw), grilled, pot and last dish is porridge with crab stock.

And drink is also nice.

This is Asahi Super Dry Beer bottle with crab on the label.

And this Kani Zake (grilled crab with Japanese sake) is nice and smoky!!!

This is my Christmas 2017.

Merry Christmas!

Posted in Feelings, Food, Hotel, Japanese Food, Place, Restaurants, Travel

Foodie Trip (Day 1)

Posted on by sonokotchi

Today, it is Japanese national holiday: Emperor’s Birthday.

I took a Shinkansen (bullet train) for Himeji, Hyogo this morning.

Himeji is famous for Himeji Castle.

Himeji Castle is one of three most beautiful castle in Japan (highly recommended to visit); but, this time, I don’t plan to visit the castle.

This is a Foodie Trip!

First, I went for Okonomi-Yaki (Japanese grilled pancake) at Konomi-Ya, Himeji, Hyogo.

This restaurant is located in residence area and popular among local residence.

Chanpon-Yaki (Grilled Mix Noodle)

It’s casual, but delicious.

Coco-chan knows it and requests for her potion.

We overheard the order for others and sounded good.

To save troubles, we ordered the same.

Okonomi-Yaki with buta (pork), suji (beef sinew) and tamago (egg).

Lastly, another Okonomi-Yaki with suji, ika (squid) and medamayaki (sunny-side-up fried egg).

Then departed for Sasayama-so, Sasayama, Hyogo.

This is the view of Sasayama from a room; beautiful and peaceful.

A room is comfortable.

First thing to do after checking in at the hotel is dipping in onsen (hot spring).

Then the main event of the day — Shishi-Nabe (wild boar pot) for dinner.

This dish is only available during winter when hunting for wild bull is permitted.

Sasayama is famous for this dish.

It’s delicious and worth making a trip to Sasayama!

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Japanese Culture, Restaurants, Tokyo

Bonenkai (Year-End Gathering) Day

Posted on by sonokotchi

Today, I had two Bonenkai.

I had a corporate Bonenkai (Year -End Gathering) at Malaysian Restaurant, Malay Asian Cuisine, Shibuya, Tokyo.

I enjoyed these Malaysian food: Satay, Nasi Lemak, ota ota (it’s fish surimi. After open banana leaf, there is a curry flavored fish surimi: picture on the right), Murtabak, pandan chiffon cake and Teh tarik.

At the evening, I enjoyed Italian at Il Ritrovo, Ropppongi Hills, Tokyo with my flower arrangement class mates (7 of us).

I was busy talking during Bonenkai; therefore, I forgot to take photos.

Nonetheless, the restaurant is famous for pizza, delicious and VERY cost effective.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, my friends!

Posted in Feelings, Food, Gadget, Japan Technology, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Restaurants, Tokyo

Foodie Report: Nihonbashi Yabukyu

Posted on by sonokotchi

I had a nice namakaki tempura zarusoba (oyster tempura cold sobs) tonight at Nihonbashi Yabukyu, Tokyo.

This soba shop opened in Japanese Era Meiji 35 years, 1902.

This restaurant is a member of Kibachi Kai.

Kibachi (wooden bowl) symbolizes the basic of soba.

Kibachi Kai aims to improve skills among members.

I found my favorite soba shop name, Azabu Jyuban Sarashina Horii, in a list.

If you are looking for a nice soba shop, we can refer to the website of Kobachi Kai at http://www.kibati-kai.net/01about/index.html.Unfortunately, it’s in Japanese only.I hope you would reach to a soba shop by Google Map…?

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Japanese Culture, Restaurants, Tokyo

Year-End

Posted on by sonokotchi

It’s raining and cold outside, 3C.

Today, I received a nice set of corporate calendar from my friend as a sign of Year-End.

Sending calendars is a traditional custom of Year-End: getting ready to receive a new year.

I like her corporate calendars because pictures are all beautiful Japanese sceneries.

I look at nice scenery of Japan when I get tired at office.

I plan to place all in my office room.

And I had Bonenkai (Year-End Gathering) at Malaysian Cuisine Penang Restaurant, Shiba-Keon, Tokyo.

We laughed over nice food.

Year-End is approaching.

Posted in Books & Magazines, Daily Life, Feelings, Food, Health, Japan Technology, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food

Wadaya No Gohan (Wada’s Food) Making Body and Soul to Win Cancer!

Posted on by sonokotchi

Dr. Wada is teaching us how to prevent making and growing cancer.

Our daily life and eating habit creates cancer; on the other hand, we can also prevent making or growing greatly if we change our eating habit.

Cancer needs sugar/glucose to become cancer.

I should not overtake sugar and carbohydrate such as white rice, breads, pasta, etc.

Salts will give energy to cancer.

I should take less salts to reduce activities of cancer.

I should cut daily products such as milk, cheeses, yogurt, butter, etc. because it will grow cancer.

I should take good quality oil, omega 3 oil such as linseed oil, perilla oil, etc. and omega 9 such as olive oil.

To reduce salt, Dr. Wada advises to use dashi (umami: soup stock of konbu (seaweed) and katsuobushi (fish flakes) for cooking.

I will take his advice to change my eating habit to make my body and soul to prevent cancer.

I know it’s not easy because I love to eat and these delicious food is the one I should stop eating. Ahhhhhh

Posted in Feelings, Food, Japanese Food, Restaurants, Shop, Shopping, Tokyo

Tokyo Ginza Seigetsudo

Posted on by sonokotchi

There is a cafe at Japanese traditional confectionery manufacturer: Tokyo Ginza Seigetsudo.

Food is delicious and the place provides quietness.

When I want to have quality food and quiet moment during lunch, I come here.

I had beef stew today.

After lunch, I enjoyed second cup of green tea.

Today, an artisan was demonstrating making fresh dorayaki (Japanese pancakes with red beans).

Dorayaki is Doraemon’s favorite.

I bought a freshly made dorayaki for dinner.

It’s so soft and yammy!