About food in Japan

"Eat, and Energize the East" at Fujimizaka Italian restaurant

Last December, the Italian restaurant Fujimizaka opened in an academic area between Jimbocho and Ochanomizu stations in central Tokyo. At a grance, it looks just one of many casual Western food restaurants being popular among Japanese young locals.

The round wooden plate hung on the entrance shows the restaurant's link with the organization "Eat, and Energize the East" (Higashi no shoku no kai / 東の食の会 in Japanese). Under the initiative by several key players in the food related industries, the  organization was founded last year in order to promote and support food producing business in East Japan where producers got the most serious damage by the Great Earthquake, tsunami and radioactive pollution followed. 

 

Fujimizaka, the Italian restaurant opens for both lunch and dinner time, providing Italian dishes with some ingredients harvested in East Japan, such as fresh vegetable and chicken from Fukushima and fish, seafood from Iwate prefectures. They are purchased from suppliers referred by the supporting organization "Eat, and Energize the East".

 

In lunch time, it offers wide selections of pasta at unique price system for different sizes. It means ... you can choose size of pasta plate from the smallest S (150-gram) to the largest LL (350-gram) and when you select the smaller size, you will get one or two side dishe(s) or drink to make up for less volume of noodle, while you order the largest plate no any food or drink included at free of charge. It's simple isn't it? And the large volume plate at reasonable price must satisfy the big appetite of young students in the area. 

 

 Its pasta plates are cooked from fresh noodle,

which is thicker than spaghetti and soft like "udon" Japanese traditional noodle.

My order was "Tori miso soboro" (鶏味噌そぼろ,

minched chicken and miso cream sauce).

Miso paste is well matched with fresh cream and thick noodle. 

 

In addition to typical Italian pasta menu such as peperoncino, Bologna meat sauce, shrimp in tomato sauce, the restaurant offers Italian noodle with Japanese flavours like "Mentaiko" (spicy cod roe), tuna and daikon radish, nameko mushroom and Japanese wild vegetable, natto (fermented soy beans) and meat suace. 

For dinner time, Fujimizaka sets up again unique price for wine mainly from Italy and South America. With the price of less than Yen 2000 per person, wine is served in all you can drink style. But please also do not forget beer list. It offers the local beer of East Japan exclusively. No Kirin, no Asahi here. Regardless you choose wine or Japanese local beer, it must go well with its Italian food offered, raw ham, beef carpaccio, potato basil sauce, pizza Margherita, grilled chicken and some arranged in Japanese style. 

 "Eat, and Energize the East" puts the importance on food safety issues, of course, that have to be overcome in order to promote products from East Japan. The association has invited a former IAEA team memeber or the specialist of radiation safety as advisor. With the cooperation of affiliate member companies, the group also has studied check-up system for radioactive level on food to be distributed.  

"Eat, and Energize the East" 東の食の会

Official site (in Japanese): https://www.higashi-no-shoku-no-kai.jp/

 

Restaurant name: Fujimizaka

Address: 3-20-4 Kanda Ogawa-machi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Official facebook page (in Japanese): http://ja-jp.facebook.com/FUJIMIZAKA

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Amanoya, a good-old-day cafe next to Kanda Myojin Shrine

In Japan, a school year almost ends and we see students holding graduation ceremonies at any kind of schools from elementary to universities. Some of these students must have visited the Kanda Shrine, which has 1300 years history as the guardian of Edo or Tokyo, one or a few months before taking entrance examination, wishing their success in the challenges. Winter season including New Year is the busiest time for Shrines, when they need warmly to welcome prayers with each strong wish.

So the small cafe, being proud of 160 years history along with the shrine, does. Amanoya under the 6th generation shop manager owns a food store and Japanese style cafe located just nest to the red gate of Kanda Myojin. The food store is known for Amazake (甘酒, sweet hot rice wine) and its food products made of soy beans, such as Natto (納豆, fermented beans with very strong odor) and Miso (味噌, as well fermented beans paste, used for miso-soup in many cases). Amazake is a good item for a short break after visiting the shrine.

If you can take longer relaxing time than just a cup of Amazake, open the small door with wooden frame, just next to the small food store maybe packed with even a few visitors. Both the food store and old cafe are operated by same owner and have same name "Amanoya" (天野屋). 

Enter and look at inside. The world is completely different from what we can see in Akihabara noisy electric shopping town, still a kilometer away from there. 

 

Could not imagine such peaceful space with small courtyard.

Objects, sign boards, clocks and everything can be seen at the cafe

represent "good old days" of Japan

that we have almost forgotten in our modern digital life. 

 

Wow I felt as if I came to grand-parents' old house. It is a kind of time-trip.

 

As for the food, Amanoya offers many traditional dessert and food plates that would never tarnished the good-old-day atmosphere. 

 

As a few examples...

Warabi mochi (わらび餅, traditional cake made from starch)

It is enough soft to be escaped from thrust by a folk.

 

 

Konjaku potato cake with sweet miso paste.

It must be good match with sake or beer rather than Japanese green tea.

 

Other plates by Amanoya include Mochi (rice cakes) or Anmitsu (Japanese style parfait) and shredded ice with syrup in Summer.

 

Kanda Myojin Shrine and Amanoya are situated between two JR stations Ochanomizu and Akihabara. It takes less than 10 minutes walk from the well-known electric shopping town Akihabara. It is a good idea to stroll up a hill to the Shrine before or after shopping around modern Japanese products. Then you will see the opposite side of Japanese culture as well.

 

Cafe name: Amanoya (天野屋)

Address: 2-18-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website in Japanese: http://www.amanoya.jp/

Website of Kanda Myojin Shrine in Japanese: http://www.kandamyoujin.or.jp/

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96% of Japanese travelers satisfied with trip to Tohoku

Today's our topic is not directly related to food but we trust that it is within the interest of those who are planning to trip to Japan.  

Club Tourism International Inc., a major package tour organizer in Japanese market, conducted survey its clients who traveled to Tohoku region between May to December 2011, after the natural disaster on March the same year.

As the survey result, it is found that 96% of Japanese travelers are satisfied with their trip to Tohoku. At the same time, 95% responded that they would like to re-visit the region when they have a chance, for revitalizing the region and participating in interesting events, tours or volunteer activities. The high motivation to travel back to Tohoku is even stronger among those who had concerned about safety issue while traveling in the region. 

In addition, the average amount of purchase by these travelers at their destination was Yen 18630 which is twice as much as the average purchase amount in general by Japanese domestic travelers, Yen 8372, according to the research made by the National Tourism Agency. The fact represents that travelers to Tohoku region are eager to support the region's economy through their consumption of local products there.

Club Tourism also introduced some essential comments and find in the region by their clients: some travelers found that many tourist spots in Tohoku region have never be damaged by the natural disaster on the contrary to their preconceived notion that Tohoku region had been overall damaged.

 

Near Fukushima-city, July 2012

from Shinkansen train

by About Food in Japan blog owner

 

The survey was conducted on January to February 2012 to clients who have taken part of Club Tourism tour packages to six prefectures including three where it was seriously damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on 11th March 2011. The number of respondents is 603 and 90% of the samples fell on age 50 to 70's.

 

Here is the link of related press release issued by Club Tourism International Inc. in Japanese.

Related link: http://www.club-tourism.co.jp/press/2012/0302.pdf

Club Tourism English website: http://www.yokoso-japan.jp/en/

Las Chicas - No worry, totally international!!

We understand that sometimes you would like totally to be released from uneasiness of language barrier in this country, even though you have been happy to come to Japan. 

So today we introduce a cafe & restaurant with very international atmosphere in Aoyama, Tokyo. It means, at the restaurant you do never have to worry whether they have English menu, whether the staff understand English or whether the meal provided there would satisfy you.

Las Chicas is located a few hundred meters away from Aoyama's main street Route 246 or Aoyama Street. The restaurant is surrounded by green plants and the environment is incredibly peaceful in the middle of the most fashionable town of Tokyo. It is as if we came to a resort destination. When the weather is fine, you can also enjoy the peaceful time with breeze on the terrace. 

Entering into the modern cafe restaurant, you may find a few staff obviously who are not Japanese national. Yes they are happy to welcome you in perfect English. No Japanese language necessary here. Here we Japanese rather could worry whether the staff speak Japanese...

On the bilingual menu, you will find ones that are very familiar with you, burger, pizza, penne, club sandwiches, even Buffalo Wings, Fish & Chips etc. 

While waiting for your orders, enjoy looking at the big screen broadcasting English program or chatting with staff there. 

You must feel that you were in your home country. It is the atmosphere Las Chicas has created. 

The cafe restaurant opens from lunch time to late evening without a break. 

On afternoon, it must be a good place to have a break with a cup of coffee or tea. The sweets offered they are also in "non-Japanese" style. They are bigger and sweeter enough to satisfy your appetite 

 

Restaurant name: Las Chicas

Official website: http://www.vision.co.jp

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Kit Zutto Project by Kit Kat Japan

Kit Kat is one of the most popular chocolate confectionaries in Japan as same with other parts of the world. Kit Kat Japan launched new project for the earthquake and tsunami relief called "Kit Zutto Project" (in Japanese, "kitto zutto" means "will be forever") this month, after a year from the disaster. 

Kit Kat Japan created a new package specialized for the project and Yen20 per pack sold will be donated to "Sanriku Railway" company whose three-coach-long train service facilities got seriously damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, while the train has been appreciated as essential transportation service by people living in the area. As a part of the relief project, Kit Kat Japan also opened a Facebook page where you can post supporting message to the small local railway company as well as people on the Northeast coast of Japan.

In addition to the charitable activity, what is interesting for Kit Kat funs is the flavors in the chocolate pack. The Kit Kat package "World Variety" especially made for the disaster relief project includes three different flavor; "Japan", "Australia" and "United Kingdom".

Did you know that? Kit Kat are sold around the world but the company Nestle has changed the flavor slightly country by country.

As per the explanation on Kit Kat "World Variety" package, compared with Japanese version...

UK style, which is the origin of the sweets, has flavor like burnt sugar or milk and almond paste is used as hidden taste,

Australian style has creamy vanilla flavor.

 

I tried these flavor pieces and recognized the differences as described.

Personally I prefer the Japanese version the most and as the second UK's bitter taste.

It will be interesting to compare the taste of Kit Kat in different countries and exchange opinions among friends. Which one do you like the most?

Not only "World Variety" package, Kit kat Japan offers many different flavors by places and by periods, such as Matcha (green tea), sweet potato etc. Try to find each local version Kit Kat at souvenir shops, supermarkets or convenience stores across Japan, while you are traveling. 

Only a point of disappointing you maybe is that the Kit Kat disaster relief pack is sold only in Japan. Even if you do not have a chance to visit Japan soon, at least you will be able to participate in the relief project by posting your message on the Facebook page.

 

Kit Zutto Project English version Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/kitkat.japan?sk=app_182534635192608

Sanriku Railway Story Youtube video made for the relief project 

My top 3 recommendation from FOODEX JAPAN 2012

This week FOODEX JAPAN, one of the biggest food and beverage trade shows in Japan, was taken place at Makuhari Messe. There we found and tasted many food and beverage products come from across Japan. Some are new ideas and others are traditional ones. Here we selected three products that we can recommend the most among many we found there.

 

Haccho Miso Curry (八丁味噌カレー) from Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture

The curry sauce is produced by a small "Ryori-Ryokan" (料理旅館, Japanese traditional inn featuring its local cuisine especially). Normally Ryokans do not serve curry-rice to guests, as it is rather daily home-cooking food. The product actually originated from meal provided on the ryokan's staff during their break time. The unique point is that the curry sauce is made with the city's local product Haccho Miso paste. The miso adds sweet flavour into the spicy hot curry and it makes the sauce tender and leaves distant Japanese taste.  Needless to say, it is the most popular souvenir gift at the accommodation. 

 

 

Satsuma Sparkling Yuzudon (薩摩スパークリング　ゆずどん) from Kagoshima, Kyushu region

It is sparkling wine made by mixing Kyushu region's distilled sake, shochu, and fresh natural Yuzu citrus. Even before taking the wine into the mouth, fine scent of Yuzu from the glass must strike your mind. We have many flavoured sparkling wine around the world but it is rare to find such real fresh, non-artificial, and strong (but never be too much) citrus fruit flavour. 

 

 

Apple jelly from Aomori

The last one has not been in the market yet. We tasted its sample product at the trade show. The jelly contains a lot of grated apple pulp. It is simple as product maybe but the pure and rich taste of apple is impressive. Hope it will be in the market soon. 

Sorry, we will disclose the name and image of the product when it is officially available.

 

These food and drink are availale at limited places within their origin regions and major department stores sometimes, apart from online shops.

Don't miss a chance to get them if you visit their regions

FOODEX JAPAN 2012 (6th to 9th March) official site: http://www3.jma.or.jp

*The trade show is exclusive for professionals related food and beverage production and distributions.

"hekkonda" (dented) terrine de chocolat by es koyama

Mr. Susumu Koyama is one of the most popular confectioners in Japan. Some of you may know his name because of his prize "the Most Outstanding Foreign Chocolatier Award" obtained at the 2011 Salon du Chocolat in Paris.

Fluffy roll cake "Koyama Roll" and Baumkuchen produced with high quality rich eggs are two main products of Mr. Koyama's patisserie located in residential area of Hyogo Prefecture. The 1200 square meters theme-park-like world of "es koyama" might be too far for many people to visit by traveling for 40 minutes from Kobe or Osaka, while a group of his shops each specialized in pastry, chocolate, jam, bread and ice cream as well as atelier of Baumkuchen, cafe and cooking school must be fun place for sweets lovers and worth spending almost a day there. 

Here on this blog, we would like to introduce his unique character or a sence of fun, something different from es koyama's main products roll cake or Baumkuchen that must be loved by everyone from children to elderly.

 

We found the most popular confectionary's new product at Salon du Chocolat Tokyo, another version of the highly influential event presented in Japan last month.

 

The chocolate cake is called "hekkonda", literally "dented" in English. 

Just as the top of the box, looks like mountain...

 

 

Opening the package, we found a box inside colored in vivid pink unexpectedly and a message from the chef in English on top of the cake wrapped with silver foil. 

 

 

"hekkonda" terrine de chocolat is named after the shape of it.

Through the baking process, most part of the cake has been swelled out,

while only the central part has been sank and been lower than the edge.

The award-winning patisserie chef Mr. Koyama felt it quite interesting and

has named the new product after the cake's look "hekkonda".

Of course not only the cake's name is significant. 

The chocolate cake has very rich cacao flavor 

 in the soft and fresh texture.  

As the Salon du Chocolat recognized, it is surely the work

by "the Most Outstanding Foreign Chocolatier" in the world.

 

Apart from es koyama flagship boutique in Hyogo prefecture, his products are sometimes available at special promotion events at major department stores mainly in Kansai region(Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and surroundings) or through its online store.

 

Shop name: es koyama

Website (Japanese): http://www.es-koyama.com

Website (global): http://www.es-koyama.com/global/index.html

Movie at 2011 Salon du Chocolat Paris: 

http://www.es-koyama.com/movie2/movie.html

 

 

eBook "KIBO" (希望) Recipes & Stories from Japan's Tohoku

It is one week ahead to the first memorial day of the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on 11th March 2011. This week an eBook related to cooking of Tohoku region, where it got the most serious damage by the natural disaster, has been published in English.

The book, called "KIBO (希望)-Brimming with hope", features recipes and stories collected from Tohoku region by the author American lady Mrs. Elizabeth Andoh who has lived in Japan for decades and hold cooking classes in English as a Japanese culinary authority. 

On the short-time project publishing the over-200 page ebook by the first memorial date, while her two previous publishing work "Kansha" and "Washoku" taken for 5 years, Mrs. Andoh selected and presented recipes of Tohoku local cuisine with great support of her team volunteers. The recipe book aims at preserving food culture of Tohoku region through replicating their cuisine in other parts of Japan and the world. Upon picking up recipes for the book from tens of Tohoku's local cuisine menu, she put the priority on whether it can be cooked with ingredients widely available across the globe, while introducing some the region's local products such as Sendai Miso or chrysanthemums edible flower. So get a copy online and try Tohoku region's specialty at your home.

Almost a month prior to the publishing date, Mrs. Andoh hold a party at her Tokyo Kitchen studio to introduce the book concept. Luckily I had been a part of it and tasted some food appeared on the ebook with nice cups of sake also from Tohoku region. Some of them are new or unfamiliar even for us, Japanese but from other region.

Here are some photos we took at the party. 

She prepared a small box lunch with

Harako Meshi (Salmon rice topped with red caviar

Sasa kamaboko(Fish sausage patties)

Shiso Maki (Walnut-miso stuffed shiso leaves)

Shira ae Kaki utsuwa (Persimmons stuffed with fall fruits in pine nuts, tofu sauce)

Kiku-bana to enokidake no nihaizu (Chrysanthemum and Enoki mushroom salad).

Recipe for all these menu can be found on the ebook.

Cups beside the box meal are for sake tasting.

Also she showed us Sendai miso used for the meal as well as bottles of sake from Tohoku. The region is one of the biggest producing area of sake and has gotten fame for the highest quality of rice wine.

 

Also it is worth to mention about sparkling sake we tasted there, SUZUNE that won the best gold award on the sparkling sake category by Japan Sake Brewery Association.

 

 

By the way, why the food on the cover page is onigiri, rice balls with dried seaweed?

Mrs. Andoh expressed it as "pressed rice sandwiches" on the book. Rice ball is often provided for lunch box or a quick bite. Every Japanese is familiar with the food since his/her childhood. As described in the book, onigiri, the Japanese traditional finger food is easy to cook, pack and bring. So onigiri (rice balls) have been the first food that the earthquake and tsunami survivors got at evacuation sites after the shocking event. Then it represents Kibo "Brimming with hope", I guess.

The e-book costs only USD3.99 and still a portion of it will be donated to Japan's recoevery efforts.     

 

Related links

Taste of Culture cooking class by the ebook's author Mrs. Elizabeth Andoh

http://tasteofculture.com/

About Kibo "Brimming with hope" and related events

http://www.kanshacooking.com/kibo-book-tour-events.php

 

To purchase Kibo "Brimming with hope" on e-book stores

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/219228/kibo-brimming-with-hope-by-elizabeth-andoh