Month: November 2016

STEAK & Wine Block @Akihabara

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From outside…beef…..
Cute decorations…sorry this sopt is totally un-Japanese! Just good place to get beef! (US beef, I guess)
from right, RAMPU, ZABUTON, and HARAMI

Today we had snow!!! in November….!! Cann’t belived it! I guess first time in my entie life that we had snow in Nov……!!

Aayways, it was too cold, we did not want to walk around the street to go for lunch.

My best friends  took me to this place “STEAK & Wine Block” in Yodobashi Akihabara.  We ordered “MIX MEGA PLATE” which inclues 3 kinds of parts,

  1. RAMPU  (top of the butt…)  2. ZABUTON (Chuck flap…very very rare part) 3.HARAMI (out side skirt)

I checked the price of each part, ZABUTON was the most expensive. The MIX MEGA PLATE was 1,800yen but it kid of worth it, I mean, not that expensive considering they searve 300g of beef steak with french fries, salad, rice and a drink.

I think they are using USA beef, no Japanese beef. But still nice place to get beef!!

 

Steak & wine block’s HP on Gurunabi, you can see more menu.

Where: on 8th floor of YODOBASHI Camera @ Akihabara

 

Hibiya Park’s KOYO日比谷公園の紅葉 (leaf turning red and yellow…) in Central Tokyo

Posted in Cultural things, Geography, Places, 未分類Leave a comment

Because of my beautiful son, I go to parks……a lot!! Almost every weekend besides my everyday lunch @ Akihabara where I work.

Two major parks I always go are Ueno park and Hibiya park.  Ueno park is located surely old Tokyo and only 5 stations away from my nearest station (15min) and I like the lively atmosphere of “SHITAMACHI”. “SHITAMACHI” literally means downtown but not like the one in the US though, back in Edo period (when Shogun was on throne), all the town people lived “SHITAMACHI” where as BUSHI (who serves shogunate) lived in central area where near to Edo castle. You know if this BUSHI (worrier) got their houses close to Edo castle, their status are higher. In modern days, who lives where high ranked BUSHI got thier big house near Edo castle? Now days, lots of Embassies are located!! Interesting!

So you know how Tokyo’s SHITAMACHI is differet from central area, it is more and more clouded and more and more houses (not office building) and more lively feeling.

Anyway, On the other hand, Hibiya park is located in central Tokyo, just near to Imperial Palace, that’s where Edo castle were at. So Hibiya Park got totally different atmosphere. But I love love love this park too. Mainly, my mom grew up around this area and because of that I played in this park since i was…like 0 years old to..till now.

But I love the quiet and nice atmosphere in Hibiya park.  There is Japanese garden and English garden, then playground. So nice and peaceful.  By Hibiya line, Hibiya station is like 6 or 7 station away from Akihabara. Also it is next to Ginza where I say it is like 5th Ave in Manhattan.

 

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Just so nice. There is a resturants and cafe too.
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Yanagi tree in Japanese garden
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Japanese garden
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Garden
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KOYO 紅葉
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So across the street, there is Imerial palace (former Edo castle) from Hibiya Park
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This is it! Former Edo castle. Now emperor lives there. Castle has gone by the big fire in 1657!! Oh my gosh! it was sooo long ago. I thought it was by war with the US… You can see the stone wall which still remains.
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Office buildings..also…
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KOYO season has come in Tokyo. Leaves started to turn colors.
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Central Tokyo but peaceful moment. Yes, there is teniss courts!
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Small hill ( a couple of tiny hills in Hibiya Park) Looks cute and nice… so peaceful…

 

 

Akihabara Local Food (Udon うどん）“Damon” 駄文だもん

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Udon place in Akihabara (about 10 min walk). It’s called DAMON (not English damon..)駄文. I come here for luch 2~3 times in a month. My favorite is MAKANAI udon. Damon is my selcond favorite Udon place! (NO1 in Akihabara is “KASUGA”春日）

Address:Chiyoda-ku, Iwamotocho, 2-12-8 マップ

There HP here: DAMON駄文

 

 

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Outside DAMON 太文　だもん
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Menu on the wall….
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Makanai Udon “まかない　うどん” most popular menu
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Yummy…..

 

Ueno Park

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Ueno park is one of the most famous and most spacious parks in Tokyo. If you grew up in Shitamachi area (Adachi, Katsushika, Sumida, and Arakawa wards, I think) the most frequently visited park in your life must be Ueno Park (besides the tiny ones near your house).

Ueno park is consist of museums (Art and Science), baseball fields, playgrounds, zoo, open area with water fountains, famous Shinobazu-pond, and restaurants & cafe…and more.

There are 41 public parks in Tokyo, and Ueno Park is the 6th biggest park and most importantly, it is one of  Japan’s oldest parks.

 

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Shinobazu-pond不忍の池
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寛永寺Kaneiji. TOKUGAWA bakufu’s temple.
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What is that temple? I did not know… It is Bentendo, part of Kaneiji temple. I will get another post soon for this Benten-dou.

 

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Entrance (one of) area of Ueno Park

 

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Small water fountain (big ones is not here)
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This would be “Sakura” street in Spring
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You go up the stairs…then
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Ueno street photo, This road goes to Akihabara. Right blue signage is KEISEI Ueno station.

 

 

PABLO & PABLO Mini (Cheese tarte)

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PABLO is cheese tart place in Akihabara & Kitasenju. Inside is sooooo creamy….it’s not like one of NY style cheese cakes…. Once you taste PABLO you’ be obsessed with it!

First 3 hrs, you can keep them outside (of Frege) but after 3 hrs, you better put them in the frege.

Plain cheese tart is the best but this time I tried MACCHA-Cheese (抹茶), which is Japanese tea flavor added!! Yummy….

PABLO  In Old Tokyo (East Tokyo), there are PABLO  in Akihabara TRIM MAP (PABLO)  and, PABLO-Mini in Shopping place called Marui (1st floor)  丸井OIOI attached to Kitasenju-station. Kitasenju is middle-sized local town in Tokyo ( smaller than Akihabara, not many tourist…) and that’s my neighborhood! Lots of friendly people, cheap Izakaya (Japanese style bar) and lots of public bath!.

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Plain ones and Pumpkin cheese
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Inside…wohoo! Maccha-cheese

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Maccha-cheese
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Seasonal menu (Pumpkin)
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At the shop
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Yummy…….
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Cute bag
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I am ready to eat!!

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KAKI (Fuyu Persimmons)（柿） in best season”SYUN”旬　

Posted in Cultural things, 未分類Tagged , Leave a comment
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In side…. KURO AMA (brand name)
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KURO-AMA only..
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Above is Fuji-kaki and below is KURO-AMA~!
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KUROAMA below (from Wakayama pref) and top is Fujigaki from Ehime pref. Wakayama is kind of near Osaka, and Ehime is in SHIKOKU island.

Best season for KAKI (Fuyu Persimmons).  KAKI is like seasonal fruit in Japan, all Japanese people feel Autum when they see stores start selling KAKI.

Japan has 4 distinct seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall and each season has very different characteristics whih also varies from area to area within Japan.  Tokyo (Central Japan)’s summer is hot and humid while Hokkaido’s summer is not so hot and less humid, etc. How strange within this small country (size is about California states), there are so many regional differenes including culture, weather, and language (dialects).

Talking about foods, we are very sensitive for “SYUN” which literally mens “in the best season”.  Like KAKI (of fruits, not oysters, they are best in winter) in the fall, most of Japanese people has some kind of knowledge (memory) of what food is in best in each season and food’s best season. (Is this universal?)

I don’t do cooking…(not quite good at cooking) but even I know some…

Spring is best for Takenoko, Asparagas, Cabbage, and Summer is best for Edamame, Eggplants and Unajyu & Unagi eel(Unagi)!… and moe, see?!

Getting back to the topic of my KAKI. Wow they are gourgeous. KURO-ama黒あま & .Fuji-kaki富士柿 . KURO-ama (black and sweet) is from Wakayama prefecture and it is very exensive brand. My first time to see this beautiful KAKI and surprisingly inside is brown.  Fuji-gaki  was very sweet also but more fruity. Soooo sweet.

 

 

 

 

Small Trip from Tokyo (HAKONE 箱根)

Posted in Away fom Tokyo (~2 hours), Cultural things, PlacesTagged , , Leave a comment

Photo from my HAKONE （箱根）trip.

 

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ONSEN (in YUKATA)
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OWAKUDANI KITTY

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GAS!! OWAKUDANI~~~!!

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GAS!
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This goes to 早雲山 Souunzan (ropeway stop) where you can transfere to Hakone train to go to Goura and Hakone yumoto station. you see volucanic view just infront of you.
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Let’s get on the Ropeway!
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Mt. Fuji…. beautiful

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From Ropeway, that’s OWAKUDANI!!

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Hello~!
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Pirates ship…..ummm but kids love it
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Just nice and beautiful
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Lake Ashino 遊覧船 Pirates ship (…why?) regulary depart hourly to the other side of the lake. taking 30min and another 30 min to come back.
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Everybody seems to try KUROTAMAGO

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Hot, Good! but inside is normal ! haha

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Hakone (箱根）is about 90min away (by the express train called Romance Car) from Shinjuku Station and it’s very popular tourist spot (area) for families and couples in Japan.

BECAUSE OF…..(and why I wanted to go to HAKONE)

  1. ONSEN (hot springs) area (Onsen makes you beautiful and healthy) and Onsen Ryokan’s (Hotels and Inns) hospitality…best…
  2. Nice KOHYOU (the leaves turning yellow and red…*No translation in English)
  3. OWAKUDANI ( Terrific “Volucanic view” at the mountain top…) and KUROTAMAGO (Black egg)
  4. OSHINO Lake (wonderful view)
  5. Accesibility (about 90min from Shinjuku by Romance car)
  6. Hakone Chokoku-no mori Art Musium (*Fantastic art experience spot!) 箱根彫刻の森美術館 Hakone Chokokuno-mori

Here is Hakone Owakudani (Owakudani-Ashinoko) tourist Map Hakone ropeway nice map

Local Food Akihabara (RAMEN)(SHIOYA MARUCHO_汐屋まる長）

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Today, lunch time was chilly, we went out for RAMEN place. This time we tried SHIOYA MARUCHO.  I tried SHIO, (SALT) special with boiled egg and CHASYU pork and WANTAN) and my friend tried SYOYU (SOY SAUCE base).

RAMEN, there are many kinds. SHIO (Salt soup), SYOUYU (Soy sauce soup), MISO (Miso, like Miso soup’s Miso base), then TONKOTSU (Pork bone broth base)…All tastes just wonderful..RAMEN…

SHIOYA MARUCHO : 東京都 千代田区 神田岩本町 15-1 /Chiyoda-ku, Kanda, Iwamotocho, 15-1

From JR Akihabara Showadori exit : You see big crosswalk in front of your self, but do not cross it. Turn right, go straight about 100m, and  you’ll soon see the next crosswalk and the relatively tall building with Japanese kanji 書泉, it’s a book store. You pass the book store on your right and also pass the Izumi bridge over Kanda river, and will walk a few meters, then will  find RAMEN SHIOYA MARUCHO when you make turn right at the next corner.

 

汐屋 まる長 - 地図