About food in Japan

Cupmen (カップメン)

 

His name is "Cupmen".

Recently he came to my home.

What is his job?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He helps me with holding the lid of Cup Noodle, while I  am waiting for it cooked.

 

That's a great job isn't it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The orange color in the hands is turned to white color gradualy by heat come from the cup.

3 minutes waiting time is very short when I am waiting with Cupmen.

 

After the great task, he needs a break.

Then like this.

 

 

Thank you for your fantastic job, Cupmen!

 

Cupmen was created by a Japanese designer Mr. Akira Mabuchi. As per the description on the product package and on the official website, he produced Cupmen "from the desire to be entertained by someone while you wait for your noodles."

 

Cupmen has a friend called "Cupmen 2". The friend has totally differnt character from Cupmen. The men is always more relaxed during his task.

 

Official website: CUPMEN http://www.plus-d.com/cupmen/

*It may be available in some countries outside Japan. Please check "Contact" page for the nearest location where you can find Cupmen.

 

 

Tendon (天丼) - Aoi-marushin (葵丸進), Asakusa (浅草)

Asakusa (浅草) is one of major tourism spots in Tokyo for the icon temple Senso-ji (浅草寺) and Kaminari-mon (雷門). Around the temple, streets and small boutiques selling traditional stuff or sweets  are always filled with tourists whether young students or aged couples from all across Japan and the world. Surely it is one of the most popular places for tourists in Japan.

Tendon (天丼) is known as a specialty of Asakusa for people visited the old town. Tendon is abberebiation of Tenpula donburi (天ぷら　どんぶり), as the name shown it is Tempula with rice in a bowl. What kinds of ingredients served depend on the restaurants. The typical foods for tendon are prawn, fish, vegetables. Normal tendon is mix of several ingredients cooked in "tempula style".

Aoi-Marushi (葵丸進) tempula restaurant opened in 1946 just after the war in Asakusa. Now it stills exist as a 5 floor-height building of tempula restaurant. With the ample space, the casual restaurant is able to serve to any kind of diners from a tourist person to large groups including school students trips.

It offers 6 different tendon menus which can be selected by main ingredient or by volume even the smallest one for kids.

 

This is the most expensive tendon there "Tokujo (特上 the extra quality) tendon".

The tempula pieces are so big and many to be over the bowl

The tempula coating is crispy.

The sauce is a bit sweet.

Ingredients include 2 prawns, 2 pieces of fish and vegetables.

The volume is of course much enough for lunch.

It was hard to take dessert after the tendon.

 

Don't miss the specialty of Asakusa, the town with Japanese long tradition and culture is not only about Senso-ji and Kaminari-mon.

 

Restaurant name: Aoi - Marushin(葵丸進)

Website: http://www.aoi-marushin.co.jp

 

Here another well-known tempula restaurants in Asakusa. You could find a long queue in front of these restaurants during lunch time. Not to miss the specialty it is better to visit there just after its opeing time.

Sansada (三定) - just next to Kaminari-mon

http://www.tempura-sansada.co.jp/

 

Daikokuya (大黒屋) - known for the prawn(long!) tendon menu

http://www.tempura.co.jp/

 

Nakasei (中清) - upscale and more expensive one in the traditional style building

http://nakasei.biz

 

Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival at Ebisu Garden Cinema

The first "Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival" will be taken place during 6th to 12th November 2010. The organizer selected "tasty good" 8 movies from both Japanese and international works. Let's enjoy eating through films with yummy plates and food.

The 8 films to be screened at the film festival include;

* etrip (2009, Japan)

English subtitle will be for the main work of the film festival.

Related story in this blog: eatrip - Movie about food and eating by a Japanese food director

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/04/eatrip-movie-about-food-and-eating-by-a-japanese-food-director.html

Official site: http://tokyogohan.com/english

 

* Tampopo / タンポポ (1985, Japan)

Related story in this blog: Taimeiken (たいめいけん) - Tampopo omerice (たんぽぽ オムライス)

Link: http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/09/taimeiken-たいめいけん-tampopo-ome-rice-たんぽぽ-オムライス.html

 

* Kamome shokudo / かもめ食堂 / ruokala lokki (2005, Japan) - the story of a Japanese lady who opened a small restaurant in Helsinki.

Official site: http://www.nikkatsu.com/movie/official/kamome-movie/

 

* Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain / Amelie アメリ (2001, France)

 I am sure I do not have to add further explaination about this well-known French movie with Audrey Tautou.

 

* Chocolat / ショコラ (2000, USA)

 

During 6th to 12th November 2010, either of 4 films per day will be played from 11:00/13:45/16:25/19:00.

Time table in Japanese: http://www.kadokawa-gardencinema.jp/yebisu/news.html#20202

 

Ebisu Garden Cinema

Address:4-20-2 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Official site: http://www.kadokawa-gardencinema.jp/yebisu/