About food in Japan: 3 posts from 17 April 2011

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3 posts from 17 April 2011 - 23 April 2011

22 April 2011

Le Musee de H (辻口博啓美術館) – Wakura Onsen (和倉温泉), Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県)

As mentioned my previous post, one of the most known pastry chef, Mr. Hironobu Tsujiguchi spent his early years in Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県), Hokuriku (北陸) region. In Wakura Onsen (和倉温泉, hot sprin resort) area of Nanao-city (七尾市), Mr. Tsujiguchi has an art museum and café, “LE MUSEE DE H”.

Le Musee de H in Wakura Onsen is located seaside, next to Kagaya (加賀屋), one of the most appreciated luxury Ryokan (旅館, Japanese style accommodation) in Japan. In the museum part, on the ground floor, several sugar art works with colors by Mr. Hironobu Tsujiguchi are displayed in a dark exhibition hall. Urushi-nuri (漆塗り, Japan lacquer ware) art works made by another local artist, Isaburo Kado are on the Museum’s upper floor.

After fancinated by aesthetic world created by two local great masters, please do not skip a chance of relaxing break time at the café adjacent to the museum.

From the café, through foot-to-celling height window, a beautiful scenery of Nanao West Bay (七尾西湾) and Noto island is visible.

In Tokyo, excellent cakes or gateaux in French by Mr. Tsujiguchi are available but this fantastic combination of the beautiful scene and delicious pastry is not.

Let’s take advantage of the fantastic environment and enjoy nice sweets while looking at the sea. What a relaxing time...

These two cakes are exclusively available at this café. No other sweets boutique even by Mr. Tsujiguchi has same kinds.

From top anti-clockwise

Tiara, Volcan and a piece of Yukitsuri pie (a seasonal product).

For some products sold at Le Musee de H, some of the region’s local ingredients are used; Noto milk, eggs, Kaga bocha (grilled stick tea), rice harvested in Wajima and natural salt.

How to get to Wakura Onsen

From Kanazawa Station, about 1 hour by Express train to Wakura Onsen train station. Take a local bus or taxi to Wakura Onsen central area from the train station.

From Wajima, where the morning market is popular, public bus runs a few times a day.

From Noto Airport, where two flights to/from Tokyo are operated, shared taxi service is available with advance reservation.

Offical site of Noto Airport (Japanese only) : http://www.noto-airport.jp

ANA airline: http://www.ana.co.jp

Wakura Onsen tourist office (Japanese only): http://www.wakura.or.jp/

Information in English about Le Musee de H by Ishikawa Prefecture Tourist office

http://hot-ishikawa.jp/f-lang/english/noto-area/muse-detail.html#05

Museum and Café name: Le Musee de H official site (Japanese only)

http://www.kagaya.co.jp/le_musee_de_h/contents/wakuraConcept.html

*The place is in Hokuriku region. (not in Tokyo) For general information about Kanazawa, to be a base to visit the region, please visit below link.

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2011/04/about-kanazawa-city-where-food-lovers-should-not-miss-on-travel-in-japan.html

大きな地図で見る

Accommodations close to the site mentioned on this post.

和倉温泉　ゆけむりの宿美湾荘

和倉温泉　大正ロマンの宿　渡月庵

和倉温泉　加賀屋

Posted on 22 April 2011 at 17:37 in Region Hokuriku (北陸), Kanazawa, Sweets | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

20 April 2011

Asaichi (朝市 Morning market) –Wajima (輪島), Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県)

Morning market is called, in Japanese, "Asaichi"(朝市, Asa/朝 = morning + Ichi/市 = market).

In Japan, the biggest three major morning markets are ones in Takayama (高山) in Gifu prefecture (岐阜県), Katsuura (勝浦) in Chiba prefecture (千葉県) and Wajima (輪島) in Ishikawa prefecture (石川県). These local markets continue over hundreds years as a place where we can find fresh local products at reasonable cost, having friendly communication with local food producers.

******************* UPDATE 12 January 2024 *******************

Due to the large scale earthquake occurred on 1st January 2024, very sadly the area around Wajima morning market had very serious damage by fire and the earthquake. Major road and basic lifeline such as water supply have also been seriously damaged in Noto peninsula for the moment.

We hope that safe and comfortable daily life come back very soon to local people in the area and the traditional morning market is re-opened in Wajima in some days.

We will update this post when we get any news related the morning market in Wajima.

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During my trip to Kanazawa (金沢), Hokuriku (北陸) region, I visited the oldest morning market among those three. Wajima morning market has over “a century” history on the edge of Noto peninsula (能登半島). From Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa prefecture as well as of Hokuriku region, I took a long distance coach at 7:20 a.m. from Kanazawa Station bus terminal. The express coach is scheduled to arrive in the final destination, Wajima around 9:35 a.m. While on board, the Coast of Japan Sea along the Noto Peninsula is visible for a while.

Getting off at the bus stop, in front of Wajima Shikki Shiryokan (輪島漆器資料館, “Japan-ware” Resource Center), it takes just a few hundreds meters to the morning market along the Kawaharata river (河原田川). We do not have to check a map, because lively voice of the market vendors led us to the right place.

In Wajima morning market, it is said for long time that both sellers and buyers are female here. It is true at least as for sellers now a day. Local ladies of middle to elder age are selling ocean-fresh seafoods including a main product crab (蟹), processed fisheries products such as dried fish or seaplant paste, Wajima’s well-known specialty Japan lacquer ware and other local hand-made products. Their energy to appeal their products is enough high to making tourists feeling of purchase some products. Sometimes they offer sample tasting otherwise prepare fish for sale by cutting or washing .

Some vendors are ready to arrange refrigerated delivery to major cities like Tokyo or Osaka. Some tourists from such major cities purposely organize their itinerary to visit Wajima morning market on the last day of their trip so they can embrase the opportunity to get very fresh seafood at home.

After strolling the main street of Wajima morning market, we had time to discover another local specialty of Wajima, Japan-ware (漆器) or lacquer products. Wajima is the best known as lacquer ware prodiction area. Wajima Shikki Shiryokan (輪島漆器資料館, Japan-ware Resource Center) has an exhibition hall for tourists on the second floor where we will be able to find making process of Japan ware from carving lumber to lacquer finishing and decoration painting as well as completed representative works. Because of a number of handmade process, Japan ware products are fairly expensive. But chop sticks or soup balls are not so high and can be a good souvenir.

Today’s my lunch at a casual local restaurant, Matsuoka (まつおか). It is just off from the main street and found on the way from the bus stop. The restaurant’s specialty is Kaisendon (海鮮丼, Seafood ball), of course!!, with fresh seafood from the market.

If you have a plenty of time to visit Wajima or are supposed to take a bus to go back to Kanazawa, it is a good idea to go through the Babazaki Shotengai street (馬場崎商店街, Babazaki shopping arcade) on the way to a bus stop for Kanazawa from the main street of Wajima. As you see below photos, traditional merchant buildings stands along the shopping street. They are re-constructed ones but still remain atmosphere of Edo era.

Even a mobile phone shop appears in traditional style...

How to get to Wajima (輪島)

From Kanazawa Station – about 2hours by Express coach operated by Hokuriku Bus company. The express bus run several times a day between Kanazawa - Wajima. The first service departs at 7:20 a.m. from Kanazawa station is only one time option fully to enjoy Wajima morning market. The same bus also drops by Noto Airpot on the way a few times a day. You could organize your itinerary to head to Noto Airport by bus for flight to Tokyo on afternoon after visiting Wajima in the morning. Time of these transportation services are limited. It is better to check time table in advance or to consult tourist information.

Offical site of Noto Airport (Japanese only) : http://www.noto-airport.jp

ANA airline: http://www.ana.co.jp

*The place is in Hokuriku region. (not in Tokyo) For general information about Kanazawa, to be a base to visit the region, please visit below link.

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2011/04/about-kanazawa-city-where-food-lovers-should-not-miss-on-travel-in-japan.html

Information in English about Wajima morning market (輪島朝市) :

http://hot-ishikawa.jp/f-lang/english/noto-area/shopping-detail.html#01

Wajima Shikki Shiryokan (輪島漆器資料館, Japan-ware Resource Center)

Website (Japanese only): http://www.wajimanuri.or.jp/fkaikan.htm

Address: 24-55 Kawaicho, Wajima-city, Ishikawa prefecture

Restaurant: Matsuoka (まつおか)

Address: 1-31-1 Kawaicho, Wajima-city, Ishikawa prefecture

*The restaurant provides breakfast from 8 a.m. as well as lunch and dinner.

大きな地図で見る

Two other major morning markets in Japan

Takayama - is a touristic city and a base to visit Shiwakawago (白川郷) UNESCO world heritage. The morning market is taken place in two area within the city. One is on Miyagawa rive side and another is in front of Jinya (陣屋, the former government office) Due to the location surrounded mountains, their local products are mainly from mountain side, such as vegetable, mushrooms, vegetable pickles.

大きな地図で見る

Katsuura (Chiba prefecture) - It is a port town in East Japan, not very far from Tokyo. Like Wajima, there we can find seafood products as well as vegetables and rice cakes etc.

大きな地図で見る

Posted on 20 April 2011 at 23:37 in Glossary about food in Japan, Region Hokuriku (北陸), Kanazawa | Permalink | Comments (1)

18 April 2011

Concept G (Gyokuro, 玉露) produced by Patissier Hironobu Tsujiguchi (辻口博啓) – Kanazawa (金沢)

Mr. Hironobu Tsujiguchi (辻口博啓) is the most well-known pastry chef in Japan. His sweets boutiques in Tokyo, including its flagship store Mont St. Clair, are always filled with clients who look for the best French-style pastry products. After his success in Tokyo, he opened two new style units, called “LE MUSEE DE H”, in Ishikawa prefecture where he was from. One of them is accommodated in Ishikawa Prefecture Museum of Art (石川県立美術館) building, based in Kanzawa.

Le Musee de H offers an interesting “modern tea ceremony” program produced by the master chef Mr. Tsujiguchi. On the program “Concept G”, “marriage” of Japanese tea and French-style sweets is expressed in a designed modern “tea room” which is attached to the sweets boutique and cafe floor of Le Musee de H. Mr Tsujiguchi coordinated the space and the program as a whole for Concept G, from a course of tea ceremony services to tea cups, interior of the modern tea room. Let’s try a new world of Japanese tea and Japanese tea ceremony!

“G” of Concept G represents “Gyokuro” (玉露), the highest quality brand of Japanese greaan tea from Kyoto. During the course, Gyokuro green tea is served 3 times in each different way in addition to seasonal tea upon starting and grilled tea at the end. The chef Mr. Tsujiguchi selected 3 plates of sweets that are the best match with Gyokuro tea.

Welcome plate, ice cream with Japanese sweets specialities such as kinako (きなこ, soy beans sweet powder) and kuromitsu (黒蜜, black syrup etc), served with seasonal “Sakura tea”, made from cherry tree leaves.

A staff brought to me a pot with a small candle and a plate of green leaves on top as well as a wooden stick. This is for whay?

It is the first surprise...I was asked to have these tea leaves grilled by myself while enjoying cups of Gyokuro green tea. This is the first time for me (and maybe many of Japanese clients come here) to roast tea leaves. It is actually required carefull attention to mix these leaves time by time so they are evenly burned. Sometimes a few leaves were out from the plate and another leaves were burned too much...

During Concept G program, tea is prepared with this traditional-style tea making tools by staff.

The first cup of Gyokuro green tea is served with a small cup like Sake. Surprisingly the taste of the highest quality tea is totally different from what we have usually as green tea. It is rich and includes “umami” (うまみ). The shiny black cup for the best green tea served on a silver plate. This is like art...

The second cup of Gyokuro tea, following the surprise, is not same with the first cup, even though they are from same tea pot and leaves.

The main dessert plate includes three fantastic sweets. The cake is Gateau Opera “Sakura flavor”.

Another surprise was a small plate sesrved...

It is tea leaves for the seasonal tea. Normally we just throw away tea leaves after tea is made, while as for the special seasonal sakura tea, it is edible and good with a drop of soy sauce (shoyu)! It was enough good and like boild leafy vegetable.

Finally this is the tea which “I grilled by myself”. Of course it is absolutely tasty too.

I really enjoyed for apploximately an hour of Concept G world and surely I did discover great combination of Japanese tea and very nice sweets. This is what we cannot have in Tokyo but the concept really well matchs with Kanazawa city’s atmosphere. So it is better to travel to Kanazawa even from Tokyo.

Concept G program is takens place every hour from 11h00 to 17h00 at Le Musee de H in Kanazawa. Advance reservation is recommendable to secure a time slot.

After the tea ceremony, let’s try to find some cakes and cookies for souvenir.

Some products are made with local ingredients. Cake in Kaga Bo-cha (Kaga stick grilled tea), Neige Shoyu (square snow-cookies, soya sauce flavor), Neige Nakajimana (square snow-cookies, local leaf vegetable flavor), Goroshima Kintoki (local sweet potatos) cooky

Concept G, modern tea ceremony program will be followed by a newer post about another unit of Le Musee de H in Wakura Onsen town.

Le Musee de H, Kanazawa (in the building of Ishikawa Prefecture Museum of Art)

*No museum entrance fee required to visit onlyt the sweets shop.

Address: 2-1, Dewa-machi, Kanazawa-city, Ishikawa Prefecture

Website: http://www.kagaya.co.jp/le_musee_de_h/contents/kanazawaConcept.html

*The place is in Kanazawa, Hokuriku region. (not in Tokyo) For general information about Kanazawa and how to get there, please visit below link.

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2011/04/about-kanazawa-city-where-food-lovers-should-not-miss-on-travel-in-japan.html

大きな地図で見る

Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post