Japanese Restaurants – Page 37

A short stop in Kobe at Mouriya – you know why, right? Plus, Nankinmachi (Chinatown) and other stuffs…like do you want to pet an owl?

February 15, 2015 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kobe, Travel

We left Hiroshima for Osaka fairly early in the morning. Somewhere along the line, the Missus said, "Kobe is on the way, right? Why don't we stop in Kobe……." I took little convincing (you know why, right?). Admittedly, we had done no research (on sights) in Kobe, so we just winged it. Japan is one of the most convenient countries we've visited. We got off at Shin-Kobe Station, found the information booth, were recommended a couple of sites, got directions to storage lockers and were off.

Now, it was explained that we should catch the subway to Sannomiya, where Kobe's city center. But if you've read enough travel posts, you know the Missus….."it doesn't look too far on the map, we can walk there." And it really wasn't. We wandered about, taking some time to check out the Kobe location of Tokyu Hands…no it's not what you think. Tokyu Hands is a chain of Department Stores. You haven't lived until you visit a couple of department stores in Japan, it's quite an experience….and if you're a guy, shopping in one of those packed by the square inch places will make you wish you were dead…like Matsumoto Kiyoshi in Shinsaibashi, but that's for later.

A short way up the street from Tokyu Hands was this shrine, Ikuta Jinja.

Here's the sign with the history and story.

Soon enough we started getting hungry. Because of the rather impromptu nature of this stop, I had to dig through by ever fading memory and come up with something. Along the way, I saw a sign, and I knew we were covered.

We'd lucked out, this, along with Wakkoqu were the only two places I could remember.

This location of Mouriya had just opened for lunch and we were the first customers of the day. The place is obviously aimed at tourists, but I was fairly certain we'd be able to get what I wanted here…..

There was a brief discussion….well not so much a discussion, as I explained to the Missus that it was "A-5, or we might just as well leave." After all, when would we be back in Kobe? Here's more information on Kobe/Wagyu Beef than I could ever hope to include in a post.

I thought a 150 grams, about 5 ounces or so per person would be more than enough….it's rich stuff, not "all you can eat prime rib."

While the chef prepped the teppan, we had a Kabocha Bisque…

And a green salad, which the Missus, missing green salads inhaled.

And then it was the star of the show.

We selected one sirloin(the Missus) and one rib (Me).

Good lord, look at all that marbling. When asked about doneness we queried the chef. He said for A5 medium is preferred, except for certain parts of the sirloin….too rare would be like eating "all fat". So we left it up to him.

Each piece is divided up by section, leaner pieces get trated a certain way, the fat another, the mega-marbled yet another.

Watching $100 pieces of meat being cooked in front of you is quite mesmerizing……

Sauces were provided, but I can't tell you what they were since I never used them. The Missus and I swapped as we saw fit; the very rare pieces of the sirloin came to me…..just buttery, beefy, and almost sweet. The Missus also gave me the seared fat cap, telling me, "you can't say I don't love you now, can you?" Oh my…..oh my…..the term melts in your mouth is over used in my opinion, except in this case. That wonderful flavor of beef fat as it melted on my tongue is unforgettable.

As we left, the place started filling up……mostly tourists as far as I could tell. I hope they appreciated the treat that was in store.

I couldn't help but think that this is why the Missus and I work so hard…..for these 3-5 weeks of the year, when we get to explore and enjoy what the rest of the world has to offer.

Mouriya
2-1-17 Shimoyamatedori
Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan

As we left the restaurant, the Missus told me, "okay fat boy, let's burn off some of those calories….."

I'd seen "Nankin-machi" on the map…..Chinatown. I have fascination with Chinatown's across the world, so of course we had to go and check it out.

We found people in Japan to be ever so polite if not especially warm. Folks in Hiroshima and Osaka were even more so to us. Twice when we stopped to look at our map, folks came up to us to point us in the right direction. One of the people who stopped to help us, smiled, pointed, and said, "Daimaru…..Daimaru". And yes, it right across the street from Daimaru.

It was quite fascinating……that Baozi place above was doing some major business. There were street hawkers inviting you into their restaurants.

It was also a heck of a lot cleaner than just anout any Chinatown we've visited.

The Missus enjoyed checking out the various menus……though I don't think we'd want to partake.

The most interesting business we saw was this one.

Love the section under system:

– You can touch owls and take pictures in our cafe

Ok, so this might be really cool for you….for me….not so much.

Well, I think this was a sign that we needed to head back.

So we walked back to Shin-Kobe.

I was surprised to see a Honolulu Coffee location in Kobe!

We had a fun time in Kobe, but it was time to head to Osaka….and take a nap!

Artisan Bento

February 10, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

**** Artisan Bento is now Hachi Ramen

*** Update: Artisan Bento now opens at 11am. A short update here.

Before things got real crazy at work; we were having dinner with my good friend Candice. Usually the conversation goes from travel, to our friends, and of course to food. Somehow the conversation went to those places we had wished did well, but just seemed to miss the mark. The now defunct Bentowich immediately came up. Candice quickly mentioned Artisan Bento which was opening in Banker's Hill….Banker's Hill? She explained that this was a project of Shihomi Borillo, one of the managing partners of Azuki Sushi and the the ingredients will be mostly local and sustainable….. It sounded interesting, but I wasn't quite sure what the concept was going to translate into.

One evening when the Missus was working, I decided to drop by. There was just a minimal challenge in finding parking. At least it was after 6pm….no feeding the meter on the street. The shop is fairly small, the a couple of tables tucked into one corner, counter seating, and a few tables outside. The place looked more like your friendly neighborhood coffee shop. The glass case gives things away though……very well presented menu items, it would look perfectly fine in one of those basement depachikas, like we visited in Ginza and Kyoto, though the guys behind the counter looked more like your friendly neighborhood barista's than someone working in the bento shop……even a hipster bento shop. The guys working behind the counter on all my visits were really friendly, service oriented, and very nice.

There are of course bento's, a "bento box" with one main and one "side salad" for $9.95 and the delux ($13.95), with one main, two side salads, and even dessert, which is what I got. I ordered the Ginger Pork – basically Shogayaki, something my Mom used to make. Of course what we had at home looked nothing like this.

And yes, this might not look like much, but it was enough to fill me up. I really didn't know what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised with the pork….it isn't super tender, but the texture is right. So is the flavor, not too sweet, some ginger, perhaps a bit too salty, but it was definitely that bento lunch special pork shogayaki alright. The lotus root was perfect in texture, but weak in flavor….the spinach on the other hand was perhaps my favorite item. Just enough flavor, with the sesame paste coming through without overwhelming the flavor of he spinach. The miso soup was very good in terms of what is usually a throw-away side, much better than many places I've eaten at. Perhaps the item I was most surprised at was the multigrain rice onigiri….I had visions of mushy versions I've had in the past, but the proportion of grains to rice was perfect and somehow, the onigiri itself just seemed fluffy and light. I really enjoyed it….and didn't feel like I needed to take up macrame or tie-dying after having this.

I even enjoyed the yogurt panna cotta, which was light and not too sweet. As to whether this was worth $15 (with tax), well, I'll leave that up to you.

A few night later I decided to drop by and check out some other items on the menu. Starting with "Mama's Pork" Bao Bun ($5.75). Somehow, I envisioned a nice steamed bun filled with rich and fatty pork. What I got was this.

The pork was basically the shogayaki, which I can understand. Not much in the way of kitchen facilities here, they've got to maximize product. It's that bread, which by the way was sliced, even though it looked folded…very ponderous, which reminded me of something like a very bad Da Bing/Laobing. The best part of this were the vegetables and the dressing which had some nice sweet and mint components.

I'm not sure why, but I also went for the Albacore Tataki ($7.50).

Which was pretty much by the book, on the dry and tough side, and unremarkable.

I should have tried the "Cold Ramen Bowl" like I had planned too. Oh well, lesson learned. There's one more lesson I learned as well. I had seen the hours as being Monday – Saturday 10 am to 9pm. When I'm between meetings, one of my favorite things to do is drop by Nijiya, Mitsuwa, or Marukai, and pick up a bento for lunch to take back to the office. So between meetings one day, I dropped by, found parking three blocks away, fed the meter, and walked on over to get a bento. It was 1015……no dice, unfortunately, food is not served until 11am….which I didn't see noted anywhere. I have menu open in front of me and it doesn't say a thing about that either.

Still, I wanted to give the place another shot…..so, working on a recent weekend I dropped by and ordered the Bento Delux with Chicken Skewers. It was put into a box, looking quite neat and all. Dessert separated from the hot items.

Things held together quite well, though this won't win any awards for looking like something from an Ekiben stand. There was some seepage as sauce from the chicken, which was basically tsukune, formed meat, onto the onigiri.

The chicken was kind of dry……I'll stick with the pork, or try something else next time. The other items, the onigiri, spinach, and miso soup all delivered.

I like the concept, the foundation of the menu items are solid, it's not hipster bento….not too sold on the artisan part though, more like boutique bento. There were quite a few questions I had to ask myself about this place. I work in Kearny Mesa which has several Japanese places that I like better and are a better value than AB….like Izakaya Sakura or even Yakuyudori, or Kayaba…. In terms of straight up bento, I could get 2 bento from Nijiya…or maybe three bowls from Marukai for the price of the Delux…. is what AB creates that much better? Was this place worth going out of my way for? I'm hoping they find a niche for themselves in the area. Perhaps the location will be a plus. Like say, grabbing a bento before or after hitting Balboa Park. And while I've had surly service at Yakyudori and even Sakura, the folks here are very nice.

As for the Bentowich comparison…this place is on a different level…and just like that place, I hope they do well. Time will tell and I'll probably be back, just to see……..

Artisan Bento
2505 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 10am – 9pm

Kokoro Restaurant (Lunch)

February 9, 2015 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thank you for once again dropping by mmm-yoso!!! Kirk is, again, very busy as is Ed(from Yuma), so Cathy is writing today.

Here is a link to Kirk's 2019 visit, in addition to the links in the second paragraph.

There are so many fun and interesting things I've gained from writing on this blog. In addition to being friends with Kirk and Ed (from Yuma), our email and texting and sharing of food trivia and interesting places 'before it's news' (posted here) is a kind of 'perk'. Kirk and His Missus always plan their vacations far in advance, so that Ed(from Yuma) and I can plan out some posts during the transportation times. During those pre-flight months, Kirk tends to 'research' locally the cuisine(s) they'll be enjoying.

Case in point: in June of last year, Kirk wrote a two part post about meals at Kokoro, a new Japanese restaurant near Montgomery Field, not far from Convoy. Then He did a lunch revisits post in September. Ed (from Yuma) also went to Kokoro later in September, after hearing and reading about it, long before Kirk's vacation in Japan. This is my post about a recent lunch visit.

The deceptively simple decor is so calming. There is not a nail or screw head in sight anywhere but the chairs. The lunch menu has an excellent variety of choices and can satisfy any craving.The miso soup is crisp, clean tasting with an excellent seaweed. The very large Chirashizushi ($18) had the bottom of the box filled with an *excellent* sushi rice and topped with whole sashimi pieces. The variety of everything that was fresh that day and just perfect (the saba (mackerel) and sea eel were particularly great). Our waitress mentioned which items had been flown in from Japan.The Mister decided to try a Combination Bento ($15), with teriyaki beef and spicy tuna roll. Again, perfection (note the lack of sticky teriyaki sauce). The sides of pickles, radish, fried (karaage) lotus root and potato, salad and even tamago (egg) were so fresh tasting, complimenting the flavors.

Kokoro is more than excellent in quality and choices for a really nice lunch.

Another post: Dennis visited here also!

Kokoro Restaurant 3298 Greyling Drive, Suite B San Diego 92123 Website

Clearing out the Memory Card: Do you know these places?

February 4, 2015 mmm-yoso Bun Bo Hue, Burgers, Chicken Wings, Filipino Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, Ramen, Sisig, Vietnamese Restaurants

Here's a bunch of photos that have been languishing for a while. Not much else to say today!

And a couple more.

Hope you're having a great week!

Dinner in Hiroshima at Izakaya Sairai

February 1, 2015 mmm-yoso Hiroshima, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After lunch at Kazuchan in Okonomimura we walked back to our hotel, the Granvia in Hiroshima Station. We took our time meandering through various streets and shopping arcades.

Fairly close to Hiroshima Station I noticed a photo menu….which looked quite interesting…..it had dishes both the Missus and I love. We headed down the alleyway. The place was closed, but we managed to speak, well that's not true either as the really nice young man spoke no English. Somehow, we got to understand that the place opened during the evening and yes, they served what we saw on the menu.

We took our much needed afternoon nap. When we awoke it was dusk. Time to find our little alleyway restaurant. The Missus had Her doubts, but I have a decent sense of direction and we found the place.

We found the place and headed down the alleyway. We entered the restaurant, but through sign language and my really bad Japanese came to find out that the place was booked solid. The woman then lead us the 2 yards across the alleyway and found the one young man who actually spoke a bit of English….about as much English as I spoke Japanese. Anyway, we could eat here, same menu, same drinks.

It was also mentioned that there were "appetizers" served with an automatic charge of 500 yen…..ah yes, tsukidashi…so this was an honest to goodness izakaya.

They seemed very concerned and wanted to make sure that we knew how the drill goes. It was of course, no problem. I actually think of it as a charge in lieu of a tip…since tipping is not done in Japan.

We were both quite happy to find a place like this….it was homey and comfortable, the staff was very nice…..the head bartender spoke a few words of English, not much, but enough. And of course there was a liquid refreshment. I went with a Miyajima Draft…..the Missus wanted something sort of local, so She had some sake from Saijo, which was really nice….clean, slightly sweet, easy to drink.

And then the fun really began. The Missus could make out some items since She could read Kanji. And I spoke really, really bad Japanese….except for some food.

Some of this was easy…..but some of it was plain hilarious…the bartender seemed to have fun….the Missus would point to something and he'd point to a part of his body, or the Missus would say, I think this is tendon and I'd say "suji"? And we'd get a grin and a nod and end up with a really tasty dish like this.

It was the photo of this dish that got us to come in. Classically flavored, sweet-soy, tender beef tendon and meat…….who could ask for more.

This was the spiciest thing I had in Japan, pickled chilies that brought some nice heat.

The Missus pointed to an item and said, I think these are onions….so I asked "Rakyo"? Which they were….

The Missus pointed to an item and the guy pointed to his abdomen……I asked "horumon?"

Nicely grilled intestine, chewy, well flavored….good stuff…..

Meanwhile, the Missus had another sake and was just beginning to hit Her stride it seems…..

Because when She pointed to the next item on the wall, the young man grabbed his ear! The Missus and I looked at each other and instantly knew we had to have this.

Now, I've had my share of pig ear, and while this isn't the most photogenic, I have to say it's among the best I've had. The pig ear had been simmered to where the external tissue was soft and sticky, it literally melted away on your tongue. The internal base piece was still slightly crunchy making for a fantastic textural contrast. The seasoning was plain, just a dip in salt and pepper, but it just perfect….especially with alcoholic beverages.

By now, the little ten seat bar was full….they actually had 6 reserved seats. So the anatomic charades were up. We had the bartender order something for us.

Which turned out to be a typical yakiniku, bulgogi like beef dish.

I was glad we arrived early. We would have not been comfortable taking up the bartender's time once things got busy.

It seemed like everyone at the bar was ordering the chicken wings; so I had to try the "teba".

A bit over battered and under seasoned and definitely not as good as the ears and guts……

The Missus and I had a blast here…it's our kind of place. I only wish I knew the name and address.

Update: Our FOY and fellow Food Blogger Kat did some sleuthing for us and seems to have found the place:

Izakaya Sairai

5-16 Enkobashi-cho

Minami-ku, Hiroshima

Thanks Kat!

After dinner the Missus and I decided to take the tram to….well, wherever. We got off at random spot to have a bit of a post-dinner walk.

Things were lite up brightly as we walked through the various shopping street we passed earlier in the day.

Along the way we found a Don Quijote. I enjoyed walking around and looking at prices. The Missus had to use the restroom which was in the basement.

This area was were all the arcade games were……while the Missus "did Her thing", I took a walk around and looked at some of the "games". I thought the claw crane games the oddest….one had plastic food as the prize, another instant noodles. It just seemed so odd to me…..

We walked past the bright lights of Nagarekawa.

Getting back to our room; the Missus fell asleep almost instantly. I on the other hand put some music on my iPhone and looked off into the bright lights of Hiroshima Station.

I was having the time of my life here….Japan had drawn me in….I was hooked.

Hiroshima: The Peace Memorial Park and lunch at Kazuchan (Okonomimura)

January 23, 2015 mmm-yoso Hiroshima, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Travel

We left Miyajima before the hoards of tourists arrived and took the tram to Hiroshima Station. We were staying at the Hotel Granvia in the station. We dropped off our bags and got back on the tram for the Peace Memorial Park.

The one enduring symbol from the park is this….

The Atomic Bomb Dome. Situated nearly right below the point of the atomic bomb's explosion at 815 am on the morning of August 6th, 1945, this UNESCO World Heritage site, has remained pretty much unchanged since that date. It was once the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall, designed by Czech Architect Jan Letzel.

It is a sober reminder of the destructive potential of mankind…..

As we wandered the grounds of the park, we could hear the sounds of children singing. This lead us to the Children's Peace Monument, which commemorates the young victims of the bomb. Growing up in Hawaii, I had heard the story of Sadaki Sasaki and the story of "A Thousand Cranes" many times. Her life, death, and story was the impetus for the creation of this monument.

We watched as various "classes" came up to pay their respects and drop off their folded cranes; accompanied by a speach and a song.

It was quite touching……

We can debate justification and all that stuff all day and all night long……but the collateral damage was without a doubt horrible.

There's quite a lot to be seen here. You could easily spend the whole day in the park. The chest in the Centograph stores the name of every known victim of the bomb. As each Hibakusha passes on, their name is added to the list. On the opposite side of the pond resides the Flame of Peace which was lite from the eternal flame in the Reikado on Mt Misen.

We decided to walk our way back to Hiroshima Station, winding our way through shopping arcades, stopping to browse and window shop along the way.

In the back and across the street from Parco Shopping Center is a four story structure which holds Okonomi-mura, basically "okonomiyaki village". There are no less than 27 okonomiyaki stands in this building. I was told that each vendor has a different riff on Hiroshima okonomiyaki and all the stands use a special sauce made especially for businesses in the "village".

The big questions was….which one to choose? While a handful of stands were fairly busy, most were empty at this time of the day. We started on the top floor and startedworking our way down…..

Eahc one seemed to have a theme as well….. I liked the "classic rock and roll" theme of the stand called Kazu-chan, after the owner who is a big rock and roll fan. I loved the photo of the Ventures on the wall and all the old Japanese rock and roll album covers.

And so the lunch process began…. I ordered the pork and shrimp; the Missus natto…..

Hiroshima style okomiyaki is notes for the use of noodles…… it's quite a pile of food.

It did kind of bother me that parts of my okonomiyaki were pre-made…some of the crepe like portions were already prepped. The Missus's natto version was made form scratch though.

Nice of moist and fresh shrimp though and the base protion was made fresh…..

I thought the Missus natto version was much better, but both were surprisingly lighter than versions I've had in the states which weem much more doughy. They do like their scallions on these….and all those noodles, man, what a carb bomb. We would later have Osaka style okonomiyaki which were just plain amazing….perhaps we should have worked a bit harder to find a place….but hey, who can refuse four stories of okonomiyaki? You gotta try it….at least once.

Okonomimura
5-13 Shintenchi
Hiroshima 730-0034

COMC Roadtrip: The most exclusive restaurant in LA? Dinner at Totoraku

January 19, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

The most exclusive? Well, so says the Huffington Post and Los Angeles Magazine and a whole host of others. Last year, I had a chance to check them out. I really hesitated at first, because exclusivity kind of bothers me. There's something about having to be someone "special" to enter an establishment that grates at my blue collar, Hawaii background….

And yet, I've always been in search of delicious food……

I was torn. In the end, my friend "C", Yummy Yummy, and Quanito ended up having dinner at Totoraku. The place where you have to know the chef, or have the recommendation of a customer. There's the magic business card with the secret number to call for reservations.

The story of the place is the thing of legend…… Kaz Oyama was working at Hide Sushi when a customer talked him into a partnership and opening a restaurant of his own. Unfortunately, Kaz lost all that money….he did open Teriyaki House Pico, which soon shuttered. This eventually led to Totoraku. And I've got to give it major props when it comes to a success story.

So let me say this about the whole experience. "Chef Kaz" is a joy, friendly, schmoozing…he loves his quality French Reds, so you probably should bring a bottle, since they don't have a liquor license. So, the $200 price of dinner doesn't include that. With that in mind, the place is a relative bargain.

You will knock on that door and someone will open it……just slightly, like some yakiniku speakeasy. You have to have reservations, otherwise it's goodbye.

The writer from LA Mag called the place a "kaiseki" style restaurant, which is to me is not quite true "light meals to ward of the pangs of an empty stomach" says Yoshihiru Murata, but not really…..I tend to consider the modern definition which incorporates fresh seasonal preparations and ingredients. Looking at it this way, other than the opening foray, which really looked like a major Hassun course, Totoraku is yakiniku.

This was a kind of hit and miss….some of the items were ice cold which killed the flavor. The shrimp with caviar was quite good.

The beef carpaccio was nice, except for the few pieces that were a bit too metallic for my taste.

I didn't care for the beef tataki, much too tough, not seared enough, and kind of bland for my taste.

However, the yukkwe may possibly be the best version I've ever had. The very clean flavor and texture was nicely cut by the Asian pear……it was tender, with richness from the egg yolk. This could easily be the best item of the night.

At this point the Konro was brought out and the parade of protein started.

I will say, sone of it was quite good……..outside and inside rib eye, some of it not to my liking….the gyutan, beef tongue was much too thick. But overall, it was a nice yakiniku selection.

I really enjoyed the "Korean rice soup"……..nice sesame oil flavor, hearty, it had that "aaah" effect.

For me the bookend dishes were what made the meal. Other than that, it was a nice yakiniku dinner.

What was kind of disturbing was the phone conversation we all overheard.

Apparently, a "regular" and most folks here were regulars, had a reservation for 12. According to what we heard, he wanted to add 4 four. So Kaz is talking to this guy, who I guess is quite "important"……after all, you literally survive on regulars, right? The solution? Kaz was cancelling a reservation for four, who "were first time here and from out of town." So let's think about this…….that would be us if we weren't already here. Someone had worked and finagled to arrange a meal here and you were going to cancel them for some flaky customer who wanted 16 instead of twelve? Oh well, it's Hollywood after all, right? There are those who are entitled and those who are not. What really struck me was this….we had reservations for 4….we were from out of town….it could have easily been us. The four of us looked at each with the "wow, that kind of stinks" look. And yet, I understand…….this facade of exclusiveness, it indeed cuts both ways.

I'm glad to have had the experience. It's just not the kind of place for me…….

And no it's not even close to being Urasawa.

Miyajima: Momiji Manju, morning at Itsukushima Shrine, and breakfast at Yamaichi Bekkan

January 16, 2015 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Desserts, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Miyajima, Travel

There was a certain kind of stillness as I looked out our window in the morning.

This was Miyajima before the throngs of tourists arrive….the quiet of the streets…you could almost hear the falling leaves hitting he ground, or at least you thought you could.

We had chosen a Japanese style room at our hotel, Yamaichi Bekkan. While small, the rooms were comfortable in this tiny four room hotel. One of the amenities was of course, a tea pot. We'd bought some Momiji Manju, a manju in the shape of a maple leaf, which is the local specialty. As a whole, I don't have much of a sweet tooth, this was fine…..

After some tea and manju, we headed downstairs. We told the very nice owner that we'd be coming back later for breakfast which was included in our room package.

There was one reason I booked a night on Miyajima.

And no, it wasn't to frolic with our four legged friends…..

Rather, it was to visit what is now one of the Missus's favorite sights…….the "floating torii" of Itsukushima Shrine. I had planned being here even when it wasn't "floating". You see, at low tide, you can actually walk out to the gate.

Having seen it during high tide, this seemed quite impressive in its own right……

We'd seen a large group of kids arrive the night before. They were having a fun time. We recognized an older couple. I'd tried to give them my seat on the tram from Hiroshima Station the day before. They gave us a smile and a wave. Ah yes, the island was indeed getting smaller…..

We hadn't actually visited the shrine yet….I'd kinda saved it for the morning….less crowds so we could enjoy things a bit more.

I mentioned a bit about the history of the island and shrine in my earlier post.

This is one of those places that just doesn't take a bad photo.

It was fun watching the "classes" take photos…."say cheese!!!"

We exited on the otherside of the bay. Taking a seat, we could sit and absorb the whole scene.

And do our parody of the ultimate Asian "selfie peace-sign shot".

I sent this out to friends, and "TFD" mentioned that she had never seen the Missus look so happy….

It was time to head back. We decided to cross the "bay area"….after all, this place is covered by water a good part of the day, so couldn't get nice shots like these without getting into a boat during those times.

We walked back via Omotesando Street…basically the shopping arcade which was not ready for prime time at this hour.

Here's a bit of trivia….I was told that the "Shamoji" the rice paddle was "invented" on Miyajima. According to various stories a monk named Seishin had a dream the product of which became the traditional rice scoop. And, in case you're so inclined, you can find the world's largest rice scoop here on Miyajima.

Arriving back at Yamaichi Bekkan, it was time for breakfast. We had a choice of a "Western" or "Japanese" breakfast. You know which one we chose, right?

I'd had my share of what I call Japanese breakfasts. The basic is what I would call "tamago meshi"…which we had at home. Hot, fresh, rice, natto, green onions, with a raw egg cracked over the mess. What I had at Fukagawa reminded me of growing up…before the days when you'd want to "Leggo my Eggo".

Here it was a much more formal breakfast.

And totally wiped me out. Good thing it was still early. I was able to head up back to the room and take a 20 minute nap!

Soon enough we were on the ferry, leaving Miyajima.

I could tell by the Missus's body language that She really enjoyed Her time here.

And if I were a betting man, I'd say that we'd be returning someday……..

Thanks for reading!

Miyajima Day 1: Mount Misen, Daishō-in, and dinner

January 15, 2015 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Miyajima, Travel

As we left Yakigaki-no-Hayashi, we could hear applause coming from the shopping arcade. It was for a wedding procession passing by.

We couldn't help but follow….drawn in by the tradition and romance of it all. It just seemed so wonderful. Until I later saw the posters and pamphlets for "theme" wedding packages…….procession and costume included. Sometimes it's better not to know…..

Oh well, we had to come past here anyway. Walking thru Momiji-dani Park to the ropeway up Mount Misen.

I was more than happy to take the ropeway up. as a matter of fact, I wanted a two-way ticket, but the Missus wasn't having any of that.

After getting out at the ropeway station, it's a rather short walk to the top of Mt Misen. The views as you can imagine, especially on this post-Typhoon Vongfong days were spectacular.

A short walk from the summit is the complex that includes Reikado (Hall of the Eternal Flame). This flame, which is said to have been lit by Kōbō-Daishi has been burning for almost 1200 years. The fire is considered holy and water boiled by this flame is said to have curative powers.

From there it was downhill all the way….literally as the Missus decided we were to do what they call the "Daisho-In course" which ended at Daisho-In

In spite of my creaky ankles and my totally out of shape quads, the uneven steps and paths downhill….I was fascinated by what we saw. There are indeed some rather eye catching sights, but it was those rather discreet and rustic looking statues that caught my eye. It had me wondering the significance of them. You'd be hiking down the path and notice a cave, or some shrubbery, and then looking closely you'd see various figures….. I wish I knew what they represented……

At the end of this downhill hike is Daishō-in, which turned out to be one of the Missus' favorite places in our visit to Japan.

From the Tengu guarding the Mani Wheels…..

You could just tell the Missus just loved the place….I think it had to do with all the various images and statues…..

There are of course those areas that were sobering; Mizukake Jizo, seven images in place to redeem the spirits of deceased and missing children, and the kind of spooky Henjokutsu Cave, lit only by lamps with the icons of the 88 temples in Shikoku.

I could tell the Missus really didn't want to leave, but it was getting pretty late in the day. It was time to head back to our hotel and actually check in.

Of course there was the requisite stop along the way…….

I swear….She could stare at that "floating torii" all day long……

And then there were the deer. Man, these guys are aggressive. This young lady thought they were so cute until they started ripping her bag apart looking for something good to eat.

This little guy almost butted the Missus into the bay when She got his way…… He then came for me. I stopped crossed my arms and went "HA……" and growled, just like I would to Sammy or Frankie. Stunned, he backed off and made a sound I never heard from a deer before "mee-mee-mee-mee-mee…." Not that I've been around a lot of deer.

We waited until the sun dropped past the mountains, went to check in, and freshened up. By this time, things had gotten really quiet, except for a group of what seemed like students who had just arrived on the island.

We wandered around the back streets, found a little market and got some fruit and other things. We tohught we'd ask him for a recommendation for a place ot have dinner as most shops were either really expensive or were closed. He gave us directions to this place.

It was actually close to the water, but the customers seemed a combination of locals, many of them having drinks and Japanese tourists…..

The unfortunate thing for me was that the only seating available was traditional floor seating. Oh man, twice in a day…..it also answered a question I had floating around….not even the locals sit this way!

Good god, the sound of my joints sounded like saplings snapping as Sasquatch stepped on them. Anyway, the menu was full of comfort style and tourist style dishes. What really cracked us up was the disclaimer "the picture is a imagination" next to every photo!

Unfortunately, the place was out of the Missus' first two choices, but the Missus did enjoy the Kaki Oyakudon.

To us, Miyajima oysters were much better after some heat was applied.

I enjoyed my Kaki Curry – Fried oysters with curry.

While the oysters weren't quite as good as lunch; they were still moist, nicely breaded, and had a decent flavor.

This wasn't a bad meal. The real challenge came post dinner as my right foot had totally fallen asleep….there was no way I'd be standing up without doing a good amount of damage to my surroundings…..it was time to order another Miyajima Pale Ale…which was not bad, light, slightly fruity, easy to drink…….

After moving my foot around for a while, I managed to restore circulation and we were able to leave the restaurant intact.

Obviously, it was time to head back and call it an early night, right? Well, not so fast Kemosabe……. There was one stop the Missus had to make. Yep, you guessed it.

Miyajima at this time of the day was very quiet. So hearing some rustling a few feet from you gets your attention. Until you realize it's those deer settling down for the night or digging around for some food.

Man, we were really tired. My body had still not gotten used to all this walking. My only consolation was that the Missus was just as tired. Our room was Japanese style, which means sleeping on the floor. Not a problem for me as I had slept on a futon on a regular basis as a teen.

Looking out the window at the street below us. One filled with tourists during the day, I couldn't help but be happy for the Missus, who had been able to visit a place She'd always wanted to visit since seeing a photograph years ago.

Squid Beaks and Babylon Snails – Checking out the specials board at Yakitori Taisho

January 6, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

I can say with a good amount of certainty that since they opened at the end of October, Yakitori Taisho has been a favorite of the Missus. It is one of our two current favorite places (I'll do a post on the other) to have dinner. I mentioned in our last post on Taisho, some of the great items we've had from the specials board. And while none of them made the same impact as that stewed beef tongue, we've had two items recently that we really enjoyed.

Fried Squid Beaks:

Nope, not that kind of squid beak, but this kind.

Loved the batter on this; somewhat lacquer like with a nice crunch. The almost sweet flavor of the squid comes through very nicely. Loved the chewy texture….this was much better than I thought it would be. We went back recently and they had it on the board, but had just run out…….bummer!

Babylon Snails:

From what I could gather, these are Babylonia Areolata? Regardless, the mildly toothsome snails really absorb the bincho flavor.

It does so well with a moderate amount of salt….sadly, we've only seen this on the menu once.

Fried Baby Octopus:

This was a nice version. Chewy but not tough……

I enjoyed it more than the Missus…loved the crunch, the flavor, the chew.

Gizzard Skins:

The outer layer of the chicken gizzard. Quite chewy.

Grilled Beef Tongue (gyutan):

As a whole, just ok. I prefer mine a bit more charred on the edges and crisp. Good seasoning though, not too salty.

And then there are the items we always get. On many occasions, akahimo (chicken vein) will be put right on the grill as soon as we walk in the door.

Along with chicken livers for the Missus.

As I mentioned in my previous post we'll always get these (when they have the akahimo).

Along with the Tsukune.

We were once coyly asked if we preferred the version here to the version at Yakyudori. Though they both have the same owners, I'm sensing a bit of competition. The version at Yakyudori has changed over the last 2 years or so, the flavor has gotten milder and there seems to be a bit too much filler. So it was easy for us. We preferred Taisho's version. That's when the Missus asked how he got the meatball so moist and tender. The answer……with a laugh, "sorry….it's my secret!"

The one "secret" that was shared with us, was the ingredient that gave the karaage here and Yakyudori that extra umami……

Wouldn't you know it's Shio Koji one of my favorite ingredients….I'm going to need to try that soon.

There are, of course other items that are fine.

But we've pretty much got the core of our meals here set. Of course, I'm looking forward to what will be on the specials board the next time we visit!

If you're planning a visit, you might want to make reservations – (858) 752-0468. Also, the hours have changed slightly.

Yakitori Taisho
5185 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117
New Hours:
Tues – Sat 5pm – 11pm
Sunday 4pm – 10pm

San Diego Restaurants