Fruit and sweets – FunFinder, Tokyo & East Tokyo local places

Old folk house style Cafe わかば堂 “Wakaba-dou” in Kitasenju 北千住

2017年5月13日Posted in Geography, Kitasenju, Local food, SweetsTagged Fruit and sweetsLeave a comment

In Kitasenju, there is like a “drinking street” where many old Japanese bars are gathered. The atmosphere is really like 30 ~40 years ago and the houses are wooden houses.

Kitasenju 北千住(in Adachi ward in Tokyo) played the role like a gate to Edo (former Tokyo) from northern prefecture attached and was the one of post-towns (total 21 post-towns) on this road called NIKKO KAIDO (Line B) which connects TOKYO and NIKKO. This was established by EDO SHOGUNATE back in EDO period. Other than NIKKO KAIDO there are 4 other roads, A: Osyu Kaido (Edo to Fukushima), C:Kosyu Kaido(Edo to Nagano), D: Nakasendo(Edo to Kusatsu), E:Tokaido (Edo to Kyoto). Good example is that nowadays, the bullet trains goes to Kyoto from Edo (vice versa) called Tokaido bullet train.

So, now you know Kitasenju is old city in Tokyo, I would like to introduce one cafe in Kitasenju, it is called WAKABADOU. I like the atmosphere of this cafe. The house is old and I guess it is like from 40~50 years ago. (just my guess sorry!) They serve you just nice food, I mean fairly good food (lots of kind of tea & coffee, cakes, light meals) I mean it is worth to visit for food but more worth to visit for the “old folk house atomosphere”.

wakaba dou HP here: Click here

Address: 1-31-8 Senju Adachi-ku TOKYO 〒120-0034

tel: 03-3870-6766

How amazing “White Day” gift

2017年3月15日Posted in Cultural things, Event, Sweets, 未分類Tagged Fruit and sweetsLeave a comment

You know Valentine’s day…on Feb 14th. In Japan, women give cholocates to men. I do not know why this is happening in Japan but it is the tradition…. Usually this is the day that girls ask boys out.. I mean she says that she like him. But in other countries (now I know), it is totally opposite. Why JAPAN~~??

Anyways, as a follow-up event of Valentine’s day in Japan, we have “White Day” where boys give girls something, candies or caramels..or even better present.

I got many candies from our co-workers, (yes because I gave cholocate to the) and among thier present, this one was cutest! Sooooo Cute!

Cute tiny tiny cholocates (but shape is cake!!!) how cute they are!

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

2016年11月12日2016年11月12日Posted in Cultural things, 未分類Tagged Fall, Fruit and sweetsLeave a comment

Above is Fuji-kaki and below is KURO-AMA~!

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.