About food in Japan

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post

http://kanazawa.ftw.jp/gaiyo.html

Posted on 18 April 2011 at 22:39 in Drink, Region Hokuriku (北陸), Kanazawa, Sweets | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

16 April 2011

Japanese Sweets making experience – Kanazawa (金沢)

It must be fun if we could make Japanese traditional sweets by our own hands. Even in Japan, it is rarely possible but at Kanko Bussankan (観光物産館) in Kanazawa, the hope comes true!!

On weekend in the morning to early afternoon, Japanese sweets making experience program is taken place by a professional sweets-making master in Kanazawa. The lecture is provided in Japanese but I guess even for non-Japanese speakers that could go fair, because the way of making is largely showed in visual step by step by the master in person and through the screens placed around the hall. As long as you pay enough carefully attention on how the master use his hands and tools at each step, mostly you will find how to do there.

All necessary tools and ingredients were ready in front of us when we were seated.

What is important before seated, please wash your hands off well! because your hands are the most useful tool to make the Japanese sweets.

Today’s teacher to give us the class is the sweets making master comes from Takagiya (高木屋), founded in early 20 century.

We were going to make three kinds of cake made with beans paste.

White and green dough of beans paste are rounded in a ball.

It is almost like a play with clay when we had in childhood. But it is important for sweets making to make the shape quickly as much as possible in order to keep the ingredient cool.

The ball shape paste was wrapped with a wet cloth.

I squeezed the top of the ball tightly as instructed... then it has been transformed to “a butterbur sprout” (ふきのとう　fukinoto, an icon of early Spring season).

We wondered how we use this net for making sweets with beans paste.

The master showed the way to make the yellow paste into small pieces by getting the dough gone through mesh. Then the small pieces were attached on to a filling dough paste.

These are my works in colors!

Green – Fukinoto (ふきのとう, butterbur sprout)

Pink – Sakura (桜, cherry blossom petals)

Yellow – Nanohana (菜の花, field mustard)

The program is taken place at Kanko Bussankan (local specialies souvenir shop) just beside of Kenrokuen garden from morning to early afternoon, on 30minutes to 1hour interval during weekend (Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays). It is reservable at the hall reception on site or by phone in Japanese.

Sweets to be made at the class is changed day by day depending on masters and company who provide lesson. The three pieces of sweets made by yourself as well as a piece made by professional can be taken away for your tasting after the experience program.

Related links: Takagiya (高木屋) who provided the lesson on the day

http://www.takagiya.jp

Venue: Kanko Bussankan (観光物産館)

Information about the sweets making experience (in Japanese) :

Nearest bus stop: Kenrokuen Shita (兼六園下)

Address: 2-20, Kenrokuen-machi, Kanazawa-city, Ishikawa Prefecture

*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

Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post

http://www.kanazawa-tourism.com/eng/guide/guide1_3.php?no=6

Posted on 16 April 2011 at 09:18 in Region Hokuriku (北陸), Kanazawa, Sweets | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

14 April 2011

Kashi Bunka Kaikan (菓子文化会館, Confectionery Museum) – Kanazawa (金沢)

Japanese traditional sweets (和菓子, Wagashi) is also one of the biggest features of Kanazawa. The sweets making in Kanazawa had been developped with tea ceremony school in Edo period under the governance by Maeda Family which had deep knowledge and patronage to the Tea ceremony culture.

Some traditional sweets producers in Kanazawa continuously run their business over hundreds years since the period. We are able to find their great works at sweets boutiques in the city. To know more about the history and culture of sweets making in Kanazawa, Kashi Bunka Kaikan (菓子文化会館, Confectionery Museum) is open to tourists. It is located between two major tourist spots, Omicho Ichiba and Higashi Chaya. So it will be a good stroll to visit these three spots in a day by taking bus or walk when the weather is fine.

The Confectionery Museum shows old financial records in town to tell how sweets producers were appreciated in Edo period. Sweets making tools in these days were also found. It also introduces different types of Japanese traditional sweets which are served at sesonal events or at rites of life passage.

Some items can be touched directly. They are wooden molds used to make Rakugan (落雁, sugar candy beautifully embossed). I guess they are NOT former tools but still in use at some traditional houses.

Goshiki Nama Kashi (五色生菓子, Five colors of unbaked cakes)

Traditional cakes to be made for wedding celebletion. The five colors represent “bounty in the universe” (天地の恵み, tenchi no megumi);

日 (Sun) –red and white cake, reflecting sun rising scene

月 (Moon) – round shape white cake

海 (Ocean) – ellipse shape of waves in white

山 (mountains) – round cake, yellow rice grains dusted

村里 (people’s village) – black round shape made of steamed Yokan (beans paste cake)

At the last part of the exibihtion, amaging works by modern masters are displayed. Can you imagine the flower decorations are made with “sugar”!

I will also introduce another interesting spot for sweets lovers in following posts.

Related link – Kanazaa Tourist Information Guide

Kashi Bunka Kaikan (菓子文化会館, Confectionery Museum)

Address: 2-12-1 Owara-cho, Kanazawa-city, Ishikawa Prefecture

*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

Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post

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

Posted on 14 April 2011 at 15:26 in Region Hokuriku (北陸), Kanazawa, Sweets | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

13 April 2011

Kuroyuri (黒百合), Oden (おでん) – Kanazawa (金沢)

It is another kind of joyful moments to be cheered up with local peole and by a nice cup of Sake in a casual restaurant, while having a good time entertained by Geisha at a luxury Ryotei. Kuroyuri (黒百合) is a recommendable place to enjoy local dishes with local alcohol in very casual atmosphere, surrounded by local people. In addition, it is located in a shopping complex adjucent to JR Kanazawa station hence it is easily accessible even by tourists.

Kuroyuri (黒百合) runs the informal dining for over 50 years in Kanazawa. Inside of the restaurant, the main hall is spacious and panoptic. A long U-shape counter in center is able to accommodate around 40 people. Inside the U-shape counter, several cooking staff work busily cutting ingredients, cooking Yakitori (grilled chicken) or taking out drinks or ingredients from a fridge. You may not be bothered while seeing the staff going around and serving clients from the counter with vigorous voice.

The restaurant's important specialty is Oden (おでん), the most popular Japanese homey food. No exact translation in English for Oden. If you know some French food, it can be expressed as “Japanese pot-au-feu”. Various ingredients, such as vegetables, dumplings, egg, shells are cooked for long hours in clear soup. Each restaurant or home has own receip of Oden with each different versions of ingredients to put in a pot. Any kind of ingredients are well soaked with the seasoned soup until begoming soft. At Kuroyuri, it keeps the Oden soup for over 50 years to take over the traditional taste continuously.

For Oden, at Kuroyuri, like some other casual restaurants, guests can select what they would like to have and are charged by piece ordered, within the price range from Yen 100 to around Yen 400 depending on ingredient.

What I ordered are...

Daikon (Japanese raddish) typical Oden-vege,

Kurumafu (車麩, round shape “fu” wheat gluten, one of local specialties in Kanazawa),

Baigai (梅貝, also local specialty sea shell),

Iwashi Tsumire (鰯のつみれ, dumpling of minched sardine).

Of course, it offers wide selections of local Sake, Umesh (plum liqueur) as well as beer and Shochu from Kyushu region.

Restaurant name: Kuroyuri (黒百合)

Location: Ajiwai-kan (あじわい館), Kanazawa Hyakubangai (百番街)

*It is located on the restaurant floor at ground level of the biggest shopping complex (Hyakubangai 百番街), adjucent to JR Kanazawa station. Just a few minutes walk from Station gate.

Website: http://kuroyuri.ftw.jp

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

Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post

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

Posted on 13 April 2011 at 12:52 in Glossary about food in Japan, Region Hokuriku (北陸), Kanazawa | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

11 April 2011

Omicho Ichiba (近江町市場) is “citizens’ kitchen panrty” – Kanazawa (金沢)

During my stay in Kanazawa, I often dropped by Omicho Ichiba (近江町市場) food market in central Kanazawa. The market’s history dates back to 280 years ago and it has attracted local residents of Kanazawa and tourists since that time. At Omicho Ichiba, which is called “Kanazawa citizens’ kitchen pantry” (金沢市民の台所) in anoother words, around 170 small business organizations are based and they provide a plenty number of food products, from local specialty seafood, local species Kaga vegetables, meat, fruits to green tea, spices and traditional sweets etc. Even though we have no way to cook the raw seafood products during a trip, it is a good opportunity to explorer fresh local foods in the region. In the morning, restaurant operators and professional buyers are main clients of Omicho Ichiba, while local ordinary people fill the market in late afternoon to get ingredients for their dinner at home.

Some seafood shops are able to arrange refrigerated courier service for tourists so they can taste the region’s fresh seafood such as crab, shells, shrimps and fish at home on their return. Of course these shop staff are friendly and happy to tell us the best way to cook them.

The most expensive crab in the picture costs at Yen 15000 (applox USD 188 or EUR 125 per crab). The price varies day by day and depends on condisions. A plate says “Jimono” (地物, local products) landing within Ishikawa prefecture (whose capital is Kanazawa).

The market administration was calling for people to contribute to paper cranes making to pray for the earthquake and tsunami victims in Tohoku, when I visited there around three weeks after the natural tragedy.

Well... after looking around such atrractive fresh seafoods, why not try them at a restaurant in Omicho Ichiba? Yes! The market offers the option at some restaurants there. On the ground floor, some small, mainly seafood or sushi, restaurants can be found and on the basement and second floors, more number of restaurants serve various cuisine with fresh ingredients from the market.

I selected one of the restaurants on the ground floor in Omicho Ichiba, which is called “Omicho Shokudo” (近江町食堂, Omicho’s dining) and known as a place where the market workers come to have their own meals. It is located at a hiding place, as local people called it “ana” (穴, a hole) then I could find it soon at first...

The restaurant exists a few steps back off from the edge of market street.

It offers different variations of Kaisendon (海鮮丼, seafood bowl) as well as lunch set with sashimi etc.

The most typical one is “Ganso Kaisendon” (元祖海鮮丼, the original seafood bowl) for which 8 kinds of sashimi (刺身, raw fish/seafood) are placed on top of rice bowl. Fish/seafood served are changed season by season, my bowl includes symbolic local specialties, uni (ウニ, 雲丹, sea urchin), ikura (イクラ, salmon caviar), ama-ebi (甘エビ,” sweety” deep-water shrimp), kani (カニ, 蟹, crab meat). What a dreaming time it is....

As a side dish, tempura of “Goro Kintoki” (五郎金時) sweet potato was also nice.

Please do not miss strolling in “the universe of Kanazawa local foods”!

Omicho Ichiba official website (Japanese version only) http://www.ohmicho-ichiba.com

Restaurant name: Omicho Shokudo (近江町食堂)

Website (Japanese version only): http://www.ohmicho.jp

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

Accommodations close to the sites mentioned on this post