About food in Japan

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

 

    

Deco Sushi - Makoto Sushi (まこと寿し), Shinjuku (新宿)

If your trip to Japan is the second time or more, you might think of trying something different from normal Japanese dishes. Otherwise on your firt trip to Japan, you could dream that you enjoy a real Sushi restaurant in Japan but you wonder because of language and cultural barrier. For those people, we recommend Makoto Sushi(まこと寿し) in Shinjuku (新宿).

The cosy small Sushi restaurant is located just behind Shinjuku Police Station and Shinjuku i-Land tower amid skyscrapers of central Shinjuku. With the wooden counter and sliced fresh seafood placed neatly on it, inside it looks a typical Sushi restaurant that you have imagined.

What makes Makoto Sushi different from other Sushi restaurants is their unique products called "Deco Sushi". "Deco" is abbreviation of "decoration" or "decorative" in English. It means the restaurant's featuring sushi pieces are "decorated" in unusual ways.

Here are some examples,

 

Hirame (Japanese flounder)

with cooked Shitake mushroom

 

Tuna, fried Japanese leek on top of it

flavoured in truffle oil

 Can't imagine truffle flavoured sushi,

but it was matched well with tuna actually.

 

Uni & Ikura (sea urchin & salmon roe)

with merengue 

Combination of sea urchin and salmon roe, two biggest seafood delicacies, itself is like a dream team. Then, plus egg white merengue and also subtle tender flavour of Yuzu-kosho (Kyushu origin spicy paste made with Yuzu citrus and pepper),

it is fantasy on a spoon 

 They are just a part of Deco Sushi. More interesting decoration sushi are offered by Makoto Sushi, with beef, smoke salmon and Shiokara (塩辛, salted fish guts) as main ingredients as well as anchovy, cream cheese or chili sauce to add taste for example. 

 

In addition, don't miss the interesting dessert,

"tempura" of ice cream 

 

Another qualification of Makoto Sushi, for non-Japanese speaker, the sushi restaurant has two English speaking staff including one Sushi chef, thanks to the restaurant's operator, nearby professional Sushi cooking school which has raised and sent many Sushi chef to the world. So do not hesitate to jump in the world of real Japanese Sushi restaurant and to try both traditional and innovative sushi in central Shinjuku. 

Deco Sushi at Makoto Sushi is not only one-of-a-kind experience for those already familier with normal sushi plates, but also a good opportunity of the first trial for those who are not yet familier with raw fish. 

 

 

Restaurant name: Makoto Sushi

Address: I-Land Annex 103, 6-2-3 NIshi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Official website: http://www.sushimakoto.jp

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Vegetable plant in SUBWAY sandwich restaurant

You may be able to find SUBWAY sandwich restaurant in your country too.

But, does the restaurant have a "vegetable plant" on site? 

 

Yes 

 

SUBWAY sandwich restaurant in Marunouchi Building Tokyo does grow green leaf vegetable in a plant located on the center of the firtst food chain restaurant. Tables and chairs are placed around the glass-wall plant case. The harvested leaf of lettuce is, of course like at normal SUBWAY unit, served there for your sandwich.

Like this

 

Enjoy your sandwich with very very fresh vegetable, while making sure where it is from on your own eyes

  

Marunouchi is a business district in very central Tokyo. The area is facing to JR Tokyo station, one of the largest terminal of Tokyo as well as holds headquater offices of major national banks and government ministries. It is also a place whose land price is one of the heighest in Japan.

So how much the value of lettuce leaf harvested in Marunouchi???  It must be more tasty if you eat it, while thinking of that

 

 

Restaurant name: SUBWAY Marunouchi Yasai Lobo

Address: B1 floor Marunouchi Building, 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 

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Arata (新), Roppongi - casual Japanese meal in modern chic atmoshpere

You may be interested in Izakaya and local cuisines of Japan. But if you would not like to be tired with hassles at a very local place where almost no English is available, Arata (新) must be a good option for you.

Arata is located in a luxury shopping complex, Roppongi Hills. Roppongi, the town, may be the place where we find the most number of non-Japanese people in Japan. Like other restaurants in the town, at Arata, you do not have to worry whether the restaurant has English menu or not. 

 

The modern fashionable interior decoration of the restaurant includes a big wall art of Kabuki actor depicted with illuminated Swarovski stones on ceiling.

On the other hand, what we can find on the menu list is quite local-Japanese dishes that are likely to be offered at traditional "Izakaya".The restaurant aims at proposing new types of "washoku" (Japanese dishes) like the name, arata (新) representing "new" in English.

 

 

 

 

Let us show you, what we ordered one day.

 

Shutou (salted guts of Bonito) with cream cheese (bottom) and

pickles of Japanese vegetables (upper)

"Shutou" is a rare delicacy from Kochi, Shikoku region.

The salty taste is well matched with cream cheese.

 

Kujo leek, known as specialty of Kyoto, sautee with chicken on heated iron plate

 

Californian rolls - that is not Japanese traditional menu though...  

 

Modanyaki (pancake of pork, cheese and noodle)

We could not imagine that we had such a casual local menu

like Okonimiyaki (Japanese style pancake) at this fashionable Roppongi Hills!

 

Creme brulee with chest nuts ice cream

Our journey of Japanese local specialty was not ended

with a simple ordinary dessert.

Chestnut ice cream is on top of

the creme brulee made with rich high quality egg. 

 

 

Other interesting menu will be spicy fried chicken wings Nagoya style, Aburi (char grill) chicken or seafood delicacies, Kushi (skewered) or yakitori and one of the restaurant's featuring item, Nagasaki champon noodle in rich soup cooked for 10 hours.  

Arata also provides an interesting list of beverage including original cocktails with Japanese ingredients. The price starts from Yen 500.

 

At the end of the meal, you might be surprised with the charge. It won't be much higher than the check at casual Izakaya. Considering the restaurant's location, atmosphere and attentive services, it must be value-for-money safe option especially for non Japanese speakers.

 

Restaurant name: Arata (新)

Address: B2 floor Hillside, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.a-ra-ta.com

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Tsukiji Gindaco (築地銀だこ), Takoyaki bar

Takoyaki (たこ焼き, octopus balls) is one of the most well-known local specialty "traidtional fastfood" in Osaka. It is a kind of salty small round cakes inside of  which diced octopus and vegetables are. Sweet thick special Takoyaki sauce is normally on top of them. The crispy outer inside is filled with hot creamy dough and pieces of octopus etc. We are always warned not to eat a ball at one bite, because it is enough hot to burn your tongue. The yummy-round-appearance tempts us to do so... 

Gindaco is a chain of Takoyaki stands and Takoyaki bars where guests are able to enjoy both takoyaki and alcohol drinks in very casual atmosphere. In many cases, it is served as standing bar. "Tsukiji" top name is inspired by the fish market town. Gindaco's flagship store on the edge of Ginza is actually just a corner away from Tsukiji. 

At Tsukiji Gindaco units, in addition to ordinary style takoyaki with sweet Worceter-like brown sauce, it offers unique variations of takoyaki, such as with cheese, mayonaise or shredded leeks, all at very reasonable price Yen 600 or less for 8 pieces. 

 

"Highball" (whiskey soda cocktail) is also featured at Tsukiji Gindaco bars.

Needless to say, it goes well with takoyaki.

 

Tsukiji Gindaco units are in some central locations of Tokyo, such as Akasaka-Mitsuke, Hamamatsu-cho (not far from Tokyo Tower and Zojoji-temple), Shibuya or Roppongi.

It is also worth mentioning that on last December Gindaco's owner company moved its headquater office to Ishinomaki-city Miyagi prefecture, where it got seriouse damage caused by Tsunami on March 2011. The decision was made by the topmanagement in order to contribute more to recovering through income tax payment and employment generation in the region. 

 

Tsukiji Gindaco official website: http://www.gindaco.com  

 Ginza flagship store

 Address: 4-14-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

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Akasaka Mitsuke 

Address: 3-10-19 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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Hamamatsucho

Address: 2-3-33 Hamamatsu-cho, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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