About food in Japan

Two recommendable exhibitions in Tokyo for this summer

For those who consider travel to Tokyo in this summer holiday season, About Food in Japan recommends following two exhibitions to visit. 

 

1. TEMA HIMA: the Art of Living in Tohoku

At: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi

Date until: 26 August 2012

Official site: http://www.2121designsight.jp/en/program/temahima/

Following the first exhibition program with the theme "Clothing (衣)" last year and produced by the world-renowned fasion designer Issey Miyake, this year the second version focuses on "food and living spaces." The exhibition intoroduces rich life-culture and tradition of Tohoku region through a movie, photos and displays of products, ingredients, parts etc. They are brought to the gallery space in Rippongi through the eyes of designers, food director, journarist, film artists and photographer. The exhibition is not simply a showcase of the Japanese traditional culture and life-style but can be considered as an art program extracting aesthetic of daily life inherited in Tohoku region.

At the entrance, make sure to get a leaflet in English, explaining each of 55 works presented. It's amazing even for Japanese like us to know how many kinds of traditional food culture remain in Tohoku region. You will find how traditional Japanese food are prepared with hands of local people. Take around 2hours for visit in order to watch the whole of program fully including the film.   

 

2. GOSSE DE PEINTRE BEAT TAKESHI KITANO

At: Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Shinjuku

Date until: 2 September 2012

Official site: http://www.btk2012.jp/

The exhibition was originally presented in Paris by "Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain" to introduce art works by Takeshi Kitano who is mostly known as comedian in Japan while is recognized rather as film director in other parts of the world. As Mr. Kitano described himself, taste of his painting has underlying influence by his father who had been a house painter. While showing his another aspecct as the most popular comedian in Japan, he also demonstrates his art talent that could be even close to Pablo Picasso or Leonardo da Vinci. At least looking at his works, we will see his versatility from comedian, film director, actor as already known to painter, very unique art producer.

Yes, this blog is about food in Japan. The exhibition seems not to be related to food so much. Actually he produced a food stall and products for it as one of the exhibition works. It is at the last of the exhibition work list, No. 83 "The Keep-Hunger-Away-Buddha." It's a kind of joke (I guess at least) which he often shows on TV programs. On the underground floor of Tokyo Opera City, where the art gallery is situated, a small stall stands facing to the central courtyard. The stall is visible from the gallery window.

Please don't miss to find it

Then what are sold there...

cakes in shape of buddha

It's up to you how much you believe

the story Mr. Kitano telling for the cake.

 

In any case, enjoy your summer holiday in Tokyo

 

Zagat Tokyo & Kyoto special "Japan Travel Aid" Edition published

Zagat restaurant guide has had a great collaboration with Japanese public sectors, Japan Tourism Agency, JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization) and other local organizations, all of which are eager to promote Japan as gastronomic destionation globaly.

"Zagat Tokyo & Kyoto Restaurants 2012 Japan Travel Aid Edition" includes selected restaurant reviews for these two cities as well as introduction of Japan's food culture and destination information.

The special edition restaurant guide is also named "Thank You Edition" because the collaborative work by private-public parties is expression of Japan's gratitude to the warmest support of many people around the world for the natural disaster in Japan last year. Its 50,000 copies will be distributed at free of charge through JNTO tourist informaiton center, JNTO offshore offices (New York, Los Angels, Toront, Singapore, Sydney, London, Hong Kong), Japan Embassy etc. 

It's only 50,000 copies around the world. If you have a chance, don't miss to get a copy

Link to the publisher's site (Japanese): http://zagat.jugem.jp/?eid=95

Link to information by Japan Tourism Agency: 

http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/news08_000109.html

          

"Eat, and Energize the East" at Fujimizaka Italian restaurant

Last December, the Italian restaurant Fujimizaka opened in an academic area between Jimbocho and Ochanomizu stations in central Tokyo. At a grance, it looks just one of many casual Western food restaurants being popular among Japanese young locals.

The round wooden plate hung on the entrance shows the restaurant's link with the organization "Eat, and Energize the East" (Higashi no shoku no kai / 東の食の会 in Japanese). Under the initiative by several key players in the food related industries, the  organization was founded last year in order to promote and support food producing business in East Japan where producers got the most serious damage by the Great Earthquake, tsunami and radioactive pollution followed. 

 

Fujimizaka, the Italian restaurant opens for both lunch and dinner time, providing Italian dishes with some ingredients harvested in East Japan, such as fresh vegetable and chicken from Fukushima and fish, seafood from Iwate prefectures. They are purchased from suppliers referred by the supporting organization "Eat, and Energize the East".

 

In lunch time, it offers wide selections of pasta at unique price system for different sizes. It means ... you can choose size of pasta plate from the smallest S (150-gram) to the largest LL (350-gram) and when you select the smaller size, you will get one or two side dishe(s) or drink to make up for less volume of noodle, while you order the largest plate no any food or drink included at free of charge. It's simple isn't it? And the large volume plate at reasonable price must satisfy the big appetite of young students in the area. 

 

 Its pasta plates are cooked from fresh noodle,

which is thicker than spaghetti and soft like "udon" Japanese traditional noodle.

My order was "Tori miso soboro" (鶏味噌そぼろ,

minched chicken and miso cream sauce).

Miso paste is well matched with fresh cream and thick noodle. 

 

In addition to typical Italian pasta menu such as peperoncino, Bologna meat sauce, shrimp in tomato sauce, the restaurant offers Italian noodle with Japanese flavours like "Mentaiko" (spicy cod roe), tuna and daikon radish, nameko mushroom and Japanese wild vegetable, natto (fermented soy beans) and meat suace. 

For dinner time, Fujimizaka sets up again unique price for wine mainly from Italy and South America. With the price of less than Yen 2000 per person, wine is served in all you can drink style. But please also do not forget beer list. It offers the local beer of East Japan exclusively. No Kirin, no Asahi here. Regardless you choose wine or Japanese local beer, it must go well with its Italian food offered, raw ham, beef carpaccio, potato basil sauce, pizza Margherita, grilled chicken and some arranged in Japanese style. 

 "Eat, and Energize the East" puts the importance on food safety issues, of course, that have to be overcome in order to promote products from East Japan. The association has invited a former IAEA team memeber or the specialist of radiation safety as advisor. With the cooperation of affiliate member companies, the group also has studied check-up system for radioactive level on food to be distributed.  

"Eat, and Energize the East" 東の食の会

Official site (in Japanese): https://www.higashi-no-shoku-no-kai.jp/

 

Restaurant name: Fujimizaka

Address: 3-20-4 Kanda Ogawa-machi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Official facebook page (in Japanese): http://ja-jp.facebook.com/FUJIMIZAKA

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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/

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

 

    

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

Message from Japan by Arashi(嵐)

You could already find a short movie called "Message from Japan" on TV or street commercial ad in your town. The film was created by Foreign Ministry and Tourism Agency of Japan and published from yesterday. Japanese top idol boys group Arashi (嵐) appear on the movie and introduce several regions in Japan with feeling hospitality of local people. At the end of the film, they express a message to you, all people around the world, that we Japanese thank you for your warm support and we are happy to welcome you in Japan

"Message from Japan" movie by Arashi will be on air on TV or street ad monitors etc in 133 countries or region across the world.

Hope you enjoy the film by Arashi in your place.

The official movie has not been opened yet on Youtube at this moment.

So hereI put the link of the film recorded and posted on youtube by someone.  

http://youtu.be/XTT1O2VtrSY

Summer 2011 is different and more relaxed in Japan

As many of you may know, in Japan, especially Kanto region (Tokyo and surrounding area) as well as Tohoku region, we are encouraged to save electric energy as much as possible during this summer, because the damage on nuclear power plants in Tohoku is followed by less supply level in electronic energy.

Japanese government urges industries to reduce energy consumption for their production and other business activities by 15% from last year. As a way to respond to this initiative, some major enterprises, such as auto car industry giants Toyota, Nissan and telecommunication NTT Docomo, have changed office close days from weekend (Saturday and Sunday) to two consecutive days on weekday (for example, Monday and Tuesday or Thurseday and Friday), so as to reduce energy consumption during weekday which is the peak in electricity usage. Other companies started voluntary summer time which means their business hour start and end earlier than usual by 1 or 1.5 hours.

These efforts by bussiness organizations in Japan also impacted on food service industry in the same area. If you travel to Tokyo during this summer, you could also take advantage of the changes as followings.

 

* Bar, Izakaya and restaurants start "Happy Hour" from 4 p. m.

Considering business people complete their work 1hour earlier than usual, some restaurants and bars are offering happy hour (discount price for alcohol or other selected products) mainly from 4 o'clock on late afternoon. That must be a big advantage for travlers too.

Enjoy and share chilly beer with Japanese business people from 4p.m.!

 

*Cafe open earlier for breakfast

As same with Happy Hour at bars, cafe, first-food and coffee shops, which provide breakfast in the morning, open earlier 1-2hours than usual for early-bird business people. Some of them also offer more selections of breakfast menu. It is also an advantage for travelers who have to depart in early morning for excursion or journey on air or train. 

 

*Restaurants open during weekend in business districts

In the business districts like Akasaka, where less potential clients exist during weekend normally, some restaurants decided serving on weekend as well during this summer so they can capture week-end workers in the area. Even you stay in such business district, you will also more choices of dining during weekend and you might not have to go out further from your accommodation. 

Such effort and cooperation by business organizations and people in Japan is so far successful in reducing electric energy since the beginning of July 2011.

Of course, Japanese people are happy to share this relaxed summer time with foreign travelers

 

 

 

Radioactive contamination data

I understand some of you concern on radioactivity level in Japan, which was exposed from Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant after the earthquake on March 2011. For those people, the linked site is maybe helpful to ease your anxious and to make decision whether and in which part you tavel in Japan.

The original site is in Japanese but can be translated by Google into English and other languages. The site is linked to various data reports related to radioactive contamination such as air, water and food.

http://atmc.jp/

I hope that helps you with planning trip to Japan.

 

Tharros, Italian restaurant in Shibuya (渋谷) offers Wine Charity plan

Tharros, an Italian restaurant in Shibuya, featuring specifically south Italy and Sardinia food, started Charity Wine plan for their diners. As the charity plan, the first glass wine is offered to guests just at Yen100. If the guests would, they are encouraged to pay more than the price Yen100 and the amount will be contributed as donation to the earthquake and tsunami disaster relief.

The charity plan, named as "Gambari AMO" is offered until the end of July 2011, along with another promotion plan, stamp rally by which 5 stamps out of 10 Italian restaurants in Shibuya becomes a Yen 5000 voucher consumable at Tharros. 

Well, more about Tharros, it is situated a few minutes walk from Shibuya station and the "world-busiest" Shibuya crossing. In the area behind two big commercial complex, Tokyu Plaza and Shibuya Mark City, some interesting small restaurants can be found in addition to Tharros and Cowbelle which was introduced on this blog in the past.

 

South Italian style antipastini dishes

such as tuna, sardine, mushrooms... 

Sardinian pasta "fregula" with pork sausages looks like rice ...

but it is small pieces of pasta

"Pane frattau" Sardinia style lasagna with poached egg

With rich in seafood, olive oil and tomato sauce, their Italian dishes are healthy and good taste of course!

Let's enjoy healthy Italian and contribute to donation at the same time!

About Gambari AMO promotion plan, it is also available in English on eatpia.com.

http://www.eatpia.com/restaurant/tharros-shibuya-italian

Restaurant name: Tharros

Address: SEDE Building 1st floor, 1-5-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website: http://www.tharros.jp

大きな地図で見る