About food in Japan

Our new service, Dining Experience Planner, launched!

Food Tourism Japan Consulting who organizes English blog "about food in Japan" (http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp) just launched new innovative service called "Dining Experience Planner".  

Dining Experience Planner is newly developed service for non-Japanese people who wish to enjoy having nice meal at nice restaurant(s) in Japan, even if they do not understand Japanese language and if they have no local friend who can give tips to him/her. 

 Especially in Tokyo, there are 98000 restaurants including 240 Michelin star-awarded, with various menu just for "Japanese cuisine" from Sushi or Kaiseki at upscale restaurants to Okonomiyaki, casual Japanese pancake etc etc. 

 Even with guide books and travel related websites, it is not easy to identify an ideal restaurant for your request and requirement.

 

Would it be great if you could get restaurant recommendation personally from a local person who is a professional on the field?

 

Dining Experience Planner will search restaurants as per your requests, on behalf of you book the most suitable one for your situation, and propose it with useful information.

In exchange for small amount of financial cost, Dining Experience Planner by Food Tourism Japan Consulting will help you in following ways.

To make your dining experience in Japan be fantastic and comfortable.

To release you from anxious that you might feel because of language barrier.

To save your time for restaurant searching and booking.

 

For more detail about Dining Experience Planner service, please visit Food Tourism Japan Consulting website.

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com/dining-experience-planner---restaurant-proposal-service.html 

 

We are looking forward to serving you for making your dream come true, fantastic dining experience in Japan

 

Food Tourism Japan Consulting

http://www.food-tourism-japan.com 

Enishi (縁) Art meet modern Japanese tea ceremony exhibition

Modern Japanese tea ceremony exhibition called Enishi will be taken place at Seibu department in Shibuya during 4th to 24th October 2011.

The word, Enishi (縁) represents tie, link or encounter among people or between human and things. The younger generation tea ceremony master, Mr. Matsumura, introduces the world of modern Japanese tea ceremony, collaborating with modern art creators. Followings are what you will find at the exhibition "Enishi, Art meet modern Japanese tea ceremony", taken place at 3 different exhibitions corners all on either the 5th or 8th floor B-wing Seibu department Shibuya.

*Tea ceremony room brought to the department store.

 On weekend afternoons, in the room, tea ceremony will be taken place several times. For the ceremony, modern tea making tools created by young 20 potters will be used and Japanese traditional sweets also made by new generations of Japanese sweets (和菓子) masters, "wagashi asobi" will be served to the ceremony guests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Introduction of tea ceremony in modern lifestyle

Combining with materials in life; clothes, sweets, tea making tools and housing, new ways to enjoy tea ceremony in daily life will be introduced.

 

*Tea bowls, tea making tools and decoration objects for tea rooms will be presented under the theme "Neo-Japonisme and Avant-garde" in a gallery.

 

Related links

Enishi (縁) Art meet modern Japanese tea ceremony information on Avant-Garde Cha Kai site(Japanese)

http://www.ava-cha.com/2011/09/21/3479

 

Shuhally (Japanese) - Tea ceremony school by the master, Mr. Matsumura who plays the main role of the exhibition producer.

http://www.shuhally.jp

 

Wagashi Asobi - Young Japanese sweets maker who provides tea ceremony sweets for the exhibition.

http://wagashiasobi.wordpress.com

 

 

Exhibition: Enishi (縁) Art meet modern Japanese tea ceremony

Date: 4th October to 24th October 2011

At: 5th and 8th floor B-wing, Seibu department store Shibuya

Address: 21-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

大きな地図で見る

Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival 2nd is coming on October

It is a great news for Food Lovers who stay and visit Tokyo

The second Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival will be taken place between 8th to 23rd October 2011, following the first attempt last year.

The event has been upgraded with 17 films (much increased!! from 8 in 2010) "tasty" both new and old, domestic and international as well as several exclusive opportunities to watch movie at a restaurant while having dinner arranged specially for the movie. 

The main venue is at Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography in Yebisu Garden Place.

 

Followings are some of works on screen at the film festival.

"eatrip" - The film festival's concept movie, which cannnot be missted for the event every year.

Documentary film to tell about Japanese food culture.

With English subtitles. About the movie, check our previous post from here. 

 

<Japanese films, Japanese version only, unfortunately....>

Samma no aji (秋刀魚の味, "An Autumn Afternoon", 1962 by Yasujiro Ozu)

Kamome Shokudo (かもめ食堂, 2006, a commedy story of a Japanese lady who opened a Japanese restaurant in Helsinki, Finland.)

Nankyoku Ryorinin (南極料理人, Antarctic Chef, 2009, returned from the last year event because it was so popular. a story of chef who serves for Japanese Antarctic camp)

<English version with Japanese subtitles>

Bagdad Cafe (2008, remaken from the original 1987 version)

My Blueberry Nights (2007) 

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

 

<Other language version with Japanese subtitles>

Cooking Up Dreams ("De Ollas y Suenos" Spanish version, 2009, Peruvien food documentary)

Soul Kitchen (German version, 2009)

 

<Screen with dinner>

The event organizer offers special opportunities to have dinner and movie at a restaurant. The dinner menu will be something got inspired from the movie on screen.

Advanced reservation required. For more information please check its official site.

*Film "eatrip"(Japanese version, English subtitle) / Date: 3rd Oct, 11th Oct

*FIlm "Cooking Up Dreams"(Spanish version, Japanese subtitle) at Peruvian restaurant / Date: 4th Oct, 17thOct

*FIlm "Dinner Rush" (English version, Japanese subtitle) with Italian menu / Date: 11th Oct

*Film "The Hangover"(English version, Japanese subtitle) / Date: 11th Oct - it also includes "free flow of some alcohol drinks" to make you "hangover"!!

 

We recommend the film "eatrip" the most if you are a food lover but do not understand Japanese. Please check screen time from  the site Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival's English site. 

 

In addition, for cinema lovers, Tokyo Interenational Film Festival will follow the Food Lover Film Festival from 22 October 2011. Many Japanese and international movies will be on screen in Roppongi during the festival.

 

Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival official site:http://tokyogohan.com/filmfestival/

 

Our previous post related:  Tokyo Food Lovers Film Festival at Ebisu Garden Cinema

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2010/10/tokyo-food-lovers-film-festival-at-ebisu-garden-cinema.html

Newly developed Japan's foods!

Last friday Gourmet & Dining Style Show 2011 Autumn was taken place in Tokyo. It is a trade show for professional food & drink buyers to seek for new products. 

At the site, under the project titled "Re-discover Japan's good products" (ニッポンのいいもの再発見！), newly developped local food products made with traditional ingredients are introduced by local small size producers across Japan. Today we picked up two products which we liked the most among these from "Re-discover Japan's good products".

 

Jo-con (醲献), Japanese sake

It is condensed Japanese sake made from rice in Ueda-city, Nagano prefecture. It contains 38% alcohol, unusually high rate, more than double companred with normal sake. The richness must attract alcohol lovers, as whisky or brandy do. It is good to have it on the rocks. 

Another point to note is..., unlike normal fresh sake, it can be kept over a year. It will be aged day by day like vintage wine and you can enjoy different taste at each stage.  

For international travelers, the small bottle of 100ml at a reasonable price Yen1500 per bottle must be a good souvenir item to bring back to your country. 

Go to Jo-con facebook site (Japanese)

Official site: http://www.jo-con.jp

 

Awajishima Rusk (淡路島ラスク)

Rusk is originally Wester style product but different versions of it are available in some places in Japan. This is one of them from Awajishima, Hyogo prefecture.

Awajishima rusk offers 3 different kinds of flavor; onion, local citrus Naruto orange and honey, all are ingredient harvested on the island. Onion rusk is salty and maybe good as snack with beer, while other two have tender sweet flavor. Each of them surely has each different vivid character but they are never too strong. It must be a good souvenir of Awaji island. 

Official site (Japanese): http://www.m-awaji.jp/onion/rask.html

 

Although we are not able to find them easily so far, we are looking forward to seeing these nice products attacting many of both Japanese and interenational clients soon

Ocean view internet cafe on the 48th floor, Makuhari (幕張)

Some of you maybe have a plan to visit Makuhari Messe, one of the biggest international convention center in greater Tokyo. Here we introduce an internet (and comic) cafe in the area.

Comic & Internet cafe aprecio Tokyo Bay Makuhari branch is not just a normal unit of that type of facility. It is a quite unique internet cafe in term of the view and location. If your journey plan includes visiting Makuhari, Chiba area for trade fairs or alternative stay out from Tokyo, don't miss the chance to enjoy an advantage of the cafe. 

Aprecio is located on the 48th floor in a hotel, APA Hotel & Resort Tokyo Bay Makuhari. It is just a few minutes walk from the international convention center Makuhari Messe and the building is one of the closest to the cost line among hig-rise buildings in the area. 

In addition, as most space of the cafe is facing sea side, the blue coast of Tokyo Bay is visible from your PC desk on 170-meter height level.

Blue sky and blue ocean, very relaxing view

Chiba Marine Stadium is on the right side.

 

If you are lucky, you could find Mt. Fuji and Tokyo Sky Tree tower, depending on weather condition. 

As it opens for 24hours a day, if you would, enjoy sun-set, sun-rise or some night illumination as well. 

 

Like other aprecio internet cafe, soft drinks and some sweets are provided without additional charge.

You might find this is more fun place than some hotel's' executive lounge

 

No better place in Makuhari to take a break at reasonable cost but without bothering.

 

Cafe name: Comic & Internet Cafe aprecio Tokyo Bay Makuhari

Address: 48th floor APA Hotel & Resort Tokyo Bay Makuhari, 2-3 Hibino, Mihama-ku, Chiba-city, Japan

Website: http://www.aprecio.co.jp/makuhari/

 

大きな地図で見る

 

Hotels close to the location

アパホテル＆リゾート＜東京ベイ幕張＞

ホテル　ザ・マンハッタン

ホテルニューオータニ幕張

Cafe restaurant by Mercedes-Benz, Roppongi (六本木), Tokyo

The global prestige car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz did open a cafe restaurant in its showroom in Roppongi (六本木), Tokyo last month. The German company named the whole two floors space facing Tokyo Midtown, as "Mercedes-Benz Connection", refering that the place is a connect point between autocars and people's lifestyle. 

When we enter to the modern designed showroom, firtsly we found a large wooden table with electric outlets on it and a coffee shop counter next to high and big glass wall. The cafe space is called "DOWNSTAIRS".

The coffee provided there are as high quality as ones served at chain coffee shops like Starbucks.

 

 

 

The upper floor is a restaurant offering lunch and dinner and also opens as a bar until 4a.m. during weekend. For lunch time, it offers several choices of main dishes like pasta, meat or fish all include appetizer and dessert buffet. The price is NEVER expensive as much as Mercedes-Benz cars... It is quite reasonable price, less than Yen 2000.

Because the restaurant's dishes are produced by a chef who works for AW Kitchen, known for fine quality selection of vegetable ingredients, we are able to find colorful and healthy collections of fresh vegetable plates on the buffet table. Here we do not have to worry about nutritional balance, you cannot take less healthy meal.

 

What I took from the buffet board

Left: from appetizer buffet

Right: from dessert buffet, including pumpkin role cake, carrotte mousse 

Main dish - pasta plate 

Sauce with minched meat and turnip

 

Tokyo Tower and Midtown buildings are visible from the window side seats.

The cafe restaurant provides what ladies like in the globaly-known autocar showroom. 

The comfortable space with high quality and well-designed funiture is also adding value to experience at the restaurant. It is an ideal place to take a break during shopping or visiting art museums or hanging with friends before going out for night entertainment in Roppongi.

************ UPDATE 14 January 2013 **************

  As scheduled. Mercedes-Benz Connection restaurant & cafe was once closed on December 2012. And from 18 January 2013, the luxury autocar showroom will be moved to another location, just across a steert from the former location, and the restaurant & cafe will be also re-opened. 

We will post a new report, when we visit the newer space.

***************************************************************

*The cafe and restaurant opens limited-time until December 2012.

Please do not miss a chance to try the modern and cool oasis in Roppongi. 

Restaurant name: Mercedes-Benz Connection 

                           DOWNSTAIRS (coffee shop)

                           UPSTAIRS (restaurant & bar)

Official site: http://www.mercedes-benz-connection.com

Address: 7-8-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 

大きな地図で見る

 

 

 

 

Umaya (うまや), Kabuki actor produced restaurant, Akasaka Tokyo

Akasaka Umaya (赤坂 うまや) is located in the two lowest floors of a Kabuki performance school's training centre. The restaurant is produced by Ennosuke Ichikawa who acquired international reputation as Kabuki actor. It is just off from Hitotsugi dori (一ツ木通り), one of major busy street of Akasaka (赤坂) night spot, while the entrance of the restaurant and surrounding environment with Akasaka Fudoson shrine is unexpectedly calm.

When you go through the traditional style gate from which the restaurant's sign on cloth (called のれん, noren) is hung, all you can find will be Japanese folk interior, traidional or Kabuki related objects.

Can't believe that we had been on the bustling modern night spot until just five minutes before

The plates offered there are variety of Japanese dishes from tofu, seafood, nabe hot-pot, to fried noodle or small bowl of ramen noodle(ラーメン). Many of them are either creative arrangement or local specialty (郷土料理, kyodo ryori) made with fresh high quality ingredients delivered mainly from Kyushu(九州) region. 

Nicely presented dessert assotment plate also can't be missed.

 

During lunch time, the restaurant offers intersting lunch box, whose menu is inspired and arranged from "catering lunch for Kabuki actors". Imagine you can share same taste with them. Other lunch menu are also available at reasonable price from around Yen1000.

 

Restaurant name: Akasaka Umaya (赤坂　うまや)

Address: 4-2-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.jrfs.co.jp/umayahome/akasaka/

大きな地図で見る

 

****** Our recommendable accommodation around this restaurant *******

ANA InterContinental Hotel

Hotel New Otani Tokyo

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu

the b Akasaka

*************************************************************************

 

 

 

 

Local specialties of Tohoku (東北)

It is five months passed after the very sad narutal disaster in Japan. We keep supporting to the damaged region in many ways even under concern about radioactive pollution. One of the easiest way to support for recovering is to buy and have products from the affected region.

Here we would like to list-up excellent local specialties from Tohoku (東北) that we got　within the last five months. Some of them are not always available especially out of the region. We just want to tell you that these food are "the tip of the iceberg" and that Tohoku region is a gold mine of fantastic Japanese food such as rice, seafood, meat and fruites.

 

<Ekiben (box meal on train)>

Seafood lunch box that I got at Hachinohe (八戸) station, Aomori prefecture.

Sea urchin (雲丹, uni) and salmon roe (イクラ, ikura), both from the port of Hachinohe, are on top of rice. 

 

<Noodle>

Yokote Yakisoba (横手焼きそば, Yokote fried noodle) is recognized as one of the greatest local fried noodle of Japan and also as "the king of B-grade gourmet (Ｂ級グルメ) ". Fried egg on top of noodle is a unique point of Yokote Yakisoba. Luckly I had it at an event held in Tokyo, while it is normally available only in the origin city, Yokote, Akita prefecture. 

 

 "Amattarenna! Udon"(甘ったれんな！うどん)

The self-making udon noodle set has very unusual name "Don't be spoiled! udon".

Takano Honten(高野本店), the noodle producer based in Iwate prefecture, expressed so from the hot-chilli and sasame sauce in which noodle is to be dipped, partly takig also phonetic equivalent of sweet sauce (amai tare). 

<Sake (Japanese rice wine)>

Tohoku is one of major origin of Japanese alcohol "sake" (日本酒) breweries. 

Asabiraki (あさ開) from Morioka (盛岡), Iwate prefecture with overe a century history of sake brewering is getting high reputations and awards from many expert  or commercial organizations for its fine and high quality Sake. Especially this version "Nama Genshu" (生原酒, raw, non-heated and original liqud only, not blended with water) is limited number production and very delicate. Of course it was very nice with fresh and fruity flavour.

It's a pitty we could not bring the scent to you... 

 

<Sweet and snack>

Hagino Tsuki (萩の月, "The Moon in Hagi", custurd cake) is one of the most popular specialty sweet in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture. The full-moon shaped cake is named after the beautiful scenery in the city, Japanese bush clover (Hagi) and the full moon in the sky. The cake is less oil and its filling is rich in egg york. That is the reason many Japanese appreciate it!

 

Nanbu Senbei (南部せんべい) is salty cracker made in Hachinohe (八戸), Aomori prefecture. Unlike typical Japanese cracker, made from rice, Nanbu Senbei's main ingredient is wheat. The most common ones are baked with black sesame seeds or peanuts. 

My interesting finding is a bit different version of Nanbu senbei. It is arranged with butter and as the result, it is more like Western style cookie. But the taste is still plain and healther than cookie.

Tohoku including Fukushima is still and will be Japan's beautiful countrside with deep green woods on mountains, rice paddies and fine local specialities from both mountains and ocean.

 

In Tokyo, we can get some food products from Tohoku at these stores, for examples.

Fukushima Tokyo Yaesu tourism and exchange house (福島八重洲観光交流会館)

*Five minutes walk from JR Tokyo Station

Address: 2-6-21 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokto

大きな地図で見る

 

Iwate Ginga Plaza (いわて銀河プラザ)

*Ten minutes walk from Ginza crossing towards Tsukiji direction

Address: 5-15-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

大きな地図で見る

 

Miyagi Hometown Plaza (宮城ふるさとプラザ)

A few minutes walk from Ikebukuro station. It has information in English. Download from here.

Address: 1-2-2 Higashi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

大きな地図で見る

 

Aomori Tokusanhin Center (青森特産品センター)

Five minutes walk from Hacchobori or 15 minutes walk from Ginza

Address: 1-3-9 Shintomi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

大きな地図で見る

French style kushiyaki (串焼き) at La Gargote, Azabujuban (麻布十番)

La Garagote French grill & wine bar is an interesting restaurant located in Azabujuban, where it is not far from Roppongi Hills. The restaurant's French owner aims to be "an authentic alternative to an izakaya (居酒屋, Japanese style dining bar) in French culinary."  It is not an ordinaly French restaurant, while the grill which can be seen from the counter table makes us remind a typical Izakaya. 

The menu is also not like the ones offered at typical French restaurant where we are likely to have course meal with knife and fork. La Gargote rather provides, like Izakaya, a wide selections of plates on the list from starters, pasta, speciality seafood, duck confi, fois-gras. These plates with French style ingredients are arranged in Gargot's original style and can be shared as we do at Izakaya. Of course the French Kushiyaki (串焼き, skewered foods) is their speciality that cannot be missed. Kushiyaki and char-grill will be prepared by French chef at the grill on the ground floor.

Kushiyaki, the taste arranged with spice and hearbs also brings savory scent to your table.

 

By the way, the name "La Gargote" represents "hashery", chep and casual dining hall in English. It is a kind of joke by the French owner. The restaurant never be a such type of restaurants!

The restaurant's icon, owl also welcomes you...   

 

********* Update 24 March 2013 ***********

   The restaurant has been closed.

*****************************************

Restaurant name: La Gargote

Address: 1-3-13 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.la-gargote.com

 

大きな地図で見る

Ekiben (駅弁, Box lunch on board) at Tokyo Station

The month of August is summer holiday season for Japanese people, like many others in the Northern Hemisphere. This summer, many plan to travel especially to Tohoku region (東北地方) to support the economy of the region damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. 

Before taking on Shinkansen trains at JR Tokyo station, let's drop by Gransta Dining, a new shopping zone opened at the end of 2010 just a minute away from Tohoku Shinkansen ticket gates. There you will find nice lunch packs suitable to take on board. Ekiben (駅弁), meal in square box(s) specially arranged for meal on-board and exclusively sold at station (eki, 駅) is appreciated by locals. It is  for Japanese a piece of "entertainment" on the road (or rail).  

Here we can introduce two interesting choices as lunch box on board and are available at Gransta Dining in JR Tokyo Station.

Shop name: Komezanmai (米米米)

As the name represents "triple" rice (米, kome), it focus on rice but not in traditional way. The products look like rice-ball but not exactly. The rice, rather we can call, "pate" is too soft to hold it with fingers and they are interestingly arrangement with ingredients on top of it. You can select flavors as you like from colorful options in the showcase.

They are what I chose...

From left to right, bottom: Duck and leek (traditional well-matched pair of Japanese food), Salmon roe (イクラ, ikura), Pork dice stew (豚の角煮, buta no kakuni) and Italian ham with cheese and pumpkin. All are unfamiliar as rice ball ingredient but still attractive selections. 

 

Shop name: Nippon no Ekiben (ニッポンの駅弁, Japanese Ekiben)

Nippon no Ekiben store is faceing to Komezanmai just introduced above. The small store, specialized in Ekiben (box meal for on board) is could be full with Japanese travellers who look for own most favourite lunch among many attractive offers. Here it could be hard to choose just one.  

 My selection is "Sanpi Ryoron Bento" (賛否両論弁当). It  is produced by the young master of a popular Japanese  restaurant in same name, Sanpi Ryoron in Ebisu,  Tokyo. 16 different delicacies are there in each small  portions, such as fried scallop, eel,  salmon with miso  sauce, chicken and shrimp dumplings, cooked  vegetables, two kinds of cooked rice etc. All are carefully prepared and well-arranged for lunch box. It cost more than ordinary lunch box (at Yen 1500) but it worths trying. It was really fun lunch time

These two stores open from 6:30am in the morning so even those of early departure and of tight schedule will be satisfied with nice Ekiben. 

Gransta Dining, where we can get these box meal, is located within JR Tokyo Station.  It is in "North Court" on the first floor, close to North and Marunouchi Central Exit as well as Tohoku, Nagano, Jyoetsu Shinkansen gate.

Gransta Dining official site: http://gransta.jp/dining/ 

 

Related post: Ekiben (駅弁 Station lunch box)

http://aboutfoodinjapan.weblogs.jp/blog/2009/02/ekibenstation-l.html