日本酒道ＮＹＣ　Nihonshudō NYC

How YOU Can Help

2011-03-21T20:12:00.002-04:00

Some of you may remember that I have friends from Tohoku. One of my friend informed me that Miyagi Prefecture, which may have been hit hardest, organized their "alumni meeting" to decide what they can do. Their decision was to create an account so that they can "avoid all administrative costs and every cent would be sent directly to the account the Miyagi Prefecture Government."

If you would be kind to participate in this initiative, please send your donation to:

100 Overlook Terrace Apt#816

New York, NY 10040

Attn: Ryo Abe

* Please make your check payable to “The Japanese American Association of NY, Inc.”

(The Japanese Association of NY, Inc. is a tax exempt organization. It is classified under Internal Revenue Codes as 501(c) (3). If you need a receipt for your donation, please indicate upon payment. The receipt will be sent from The Japanese American Association of NY, Inc. after 4/20.)

* If you have any questions or need any other information, please feel free to contact at:

ny-miyagikenjinkai2@hotmail.com

You can view the coverage of the Miyagi Alumni Meeting, along with my friend, courtesy of FCI, Inc. (The video is in Japanese)

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Of course, you can also make donation through the American Red Cross, which will provide relief for other heavily affected Prefectures such as Iwaté and Ibaraki.

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Lastly, my friend Mr. Urbansaké announced that there is a donation program in place designed to specifically aid Japanese Saké Brewers.

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Again, no amount of help is too small - thank you for your support!

Japan Earthquake

2011-03-21T19:29:00.005-04:00

On March 11, 2011, unprecedented tragedy struck the Tohoku (Northeast) region of Japan. At a staggering magnitude measuring 9.0 Richter Scale, the "The Great East Japan Earthquake" and tsunami struck with vengeance as never seen before in Japanese history, leaving trail of destruction that is beyond this world.

Imagine a wall of sea so tall that it left boats stranded on top of buildings; a force so strong that it easily displaced houses hundred of yards, if they didn't shatter like pile of match sticks upon impact; a scope of the damage large enough to wipe out entire communities and towns off the map.

Despite the advanced earthquake warning system and years of evacuation drills, over 20,000 people are reported to be missing or dead.

Compounding the matter, the survivors are struggling with winterly weather with minimal or no housing, electricity, food, drinks, and medicine - all the things we assume to be readily available in this day and age.

While they try to survive in as disciplined, orderly, and honorable manner as possible, it is clear that they can't do it alone.

JAPAN NEEDS YOUR HELP.

Whether it's cash or volunteer work (here or abroad), there are no such things as wasted resources when it comes to humanitarian efforts of this magnitude.

No amount or effort is insignificant.

Please help.

12/04/10: Going Home

2010-08-05T21:38:00.005-04:00

To work off the calories from the night before, I took a walk to Ueno Park. With luggage. And, by "work off the calories," I mean, to catch the Skyliner to Narita Airport.

At the airport, I had my last meal in Japan. Walking around the food court, I chose Italian restaurant, as I haven't had Italian in about 12 hours. There, I ordered Japanese-style pasta with spicy Mentaiko fish roe sauce.

Up in the air...

It's a good thing Japanese airport isn't too picky on bringing in food, as I was able to bring in juicy pork cutlet sandwich.

Of course, I had to have saké. Little on the brawny side, but a saké nontheless.

Not surprisingly, my time in Japan went by far too quickly. With tons of new memories made, 13 hours are not enough to relive them all.

12/03/09: Day 13 in Japan (Last Full Day)

2010-08-05T20:34:00.008-04:00

As noted on the title, today was my last full day in Japan. What to do? Start with a hearty lunch, of course. This is Japanese-style hamburgers with demi-glace sauce. (The burger is hidden underneath the fried egg.)

Afterwards, I asked my friend to take me to a driving range for some exercise, to work off some calories I am about to consume.

After the range, we went to Isetan department store and their saké section to pick up souvenirs. Wise choice, as they had rare sakés including Jokigen Yamahai Junmai Ginjo and Yuki No Bosha "Hiden" Yamahai Junmai Ginjo.

The main point of today is to enjoy as much food in Japan as possible. First stop was made at an izakaya "Nonbei", at 6:00 pm.

Our poison of choice included Shimé Hari Tsuru, Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai, and Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo...

...with orders of bottarga and...

...chicken kara-agé.

It's not uncommon for the Japanese to go to izakaya for a happy hour, followed by dinner. Thus, next stop was Italian restaurant "Corsica."

Small but authentic, we started with beef carpaccio...

...sauteed spinach...

...veal marsala...

...pizza...

...lasagna...

...and spaghetti Bolognese. Yes, we ordered a lot, but portions are smaller than they appear, and there were three of us. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

It is also not unusual for the Japanese to go to "Niji-Kai" afterparty after dinner. We went to a different izakaya, not too far from Nonbei.

As my friend knows the manager, we were able to bring in our own bottle. The choice was the spectacular Shichida Junmai Ginjo that I received on my visit to Tenzan Brewery.

To accomodate, we ordered some pasta...

...and dumplings as we apparently didn't fulfil our carbohydrates intake for the day.

My partners in crime!

12/02/09: Day 13 in Japan, Part II - The Autumn Leaves

2010-02-15T20:05:00.008-05:00

After Mampukuji, we headed to Kamakura to visit Kayagiya, where they serve the best unagi (grilled eel).

Made in the traditional eastern Japan style, Kayagiya's eel is steamed prior to grilling, resulting in a fluffy texture.

We spent the afternoon walking around the temples of Kamakura and Kita-Kamakura ("North Kamakura") to view autumn foliage. This is a gingko tree at Hachimangu, a temple established by Yoritomo of the Minamoto Clan, whom you may recall from my last post.

Japanese maple back lit by sun in Hachimangu.

More Japanese maple at Hachimangu.

Red Japanese maple providing contrast to the blue sky at Engakuji in Kita-Kamakura.

Japanese maple trees surrounding the pond in Engakuji.

From the other side, looking towards the pond. Lighting creates a much different ambiance.

Simply amazing...

12/02/09: Day 13 in Japan, Part I - Koshigoé

2010-02-15T19:58:00.010-05:00

I started the day by retracing the route from few days ago, except that my destination was not Enoshima but the town next door, Koshigoé. That fact did not prevent me from taking a glance of Enoshima, however.

The road along Shonan Beach is picturesque, reminds me of a driving course one might see in video games.

The stretch between Enoshima and Koshigoé is where the Enoden runs steet-level, amidst cars.

In Koshigoé, I visited Mampukuji, a temple where tragic hero Yoshitsuné of Minamoto Clan held fort while trying to reconcile with his older brother and Shogun, Yoritomo.

Memorial for Yoshitsuné. Highly talented strategist, Yoshitsuné had a tense relationship with his older brother Yoritomo. It has been said that rather than different bloodlines, Yoshitsune's seemingly aloofness towards politics led to this friction.

This is "Benkei's Juggling Stone." Benkei was a fiercely royal follower of Yoshitsuné, legendary for his last stand. More on that later.

On his way to Kamakura to deliver captured enemy general, Munemori of Taira Clan, Yoshitsuné and his charges were ordered to wait at Koshigoé, essentially forbidden from entering the capital. During his stay at Mampukuji, Yoshitsuné wrote "Koshigoé-jo," an emotionally charged letter to Yoritomo that was meant to reconcile their differences.

This picture on the shoji sliding door shows Yoshitsuné waiting longingly at the temple, hoping that the letter will thaw the relationship. However, Yoritomo saw the emotional appeal as further sign that Yoshitsuné didn't understand that the new government needed reason and logic to rule, further widening the gap between the two.

Eventually, Yoshitsuné was seen as expendable figure in the new government, and his persecution was seen as a necessary step to unite the Kamakura Shogunate. Along the way, he bid tearful farewell to his wife Shizuka.

Eventually, Yoshitsuné escaped to northern prefecture of Iwaté, but his allies eventually turned on him. Badly outnumbered with nowhere left to go, Yoshitsuné decided to do the honorable thing. As his last duty, his loyal follower Benkei gave his life holding off the enemy while Yoshitsuné took his own life. The legend has it that Benkei died on his feet, determined not to let his master down.

Inside the temple was the armor. Was not sure if it was the actual armor of Yoshitsuné, but the crest on the chest is of the Minamoto Clan.

Last fascinating item were decorations on the shoji sliding doors. These designs were carved out in wood and laquered in a traditional method called "Kamakura-bori" (literally, "Kamakura carvings.")

Visiting shops in Kamakura, one can find many examples of Kamakura-bori souvenirs including chopsticks, rice bowls, plates, trays, sandals, hand mirrors, and saké servers, among others.

12/01/09: Day 12 in Japan - Visiting the Headquarters

2010-02-15T13:38:00.007-05:00

The day started off as usual...

I spent the morning going for a walk. As my hotel for the night was in Ueno, I headed to there to drop off my luggage. Near the train station is Ueno Park, where there is a statue of none other than Saigo Takamori.

After Ueno, I went to check out the day time scene of the famed night spot of Ginza. With lot of brand name brand stores and absence of neon lights, Ginza resembled Fifth Avenue rather than Times Square during the day.

After walking from Ginza back to Shimbashi, it was time for lunch. I came across this small shop specializing in hand-made Sanuki udon.

I ordered lunch set that also included small plate of curry rice. The noodles were thick, chewy, firm, and excellent.

I had an afternoon appointment to visit the headquarters of my employer. To get there, I took Yurikamomé train that meandered between city buildings before heading out to the harbor.

Here it is, the Fuji TV Headquarters. It's slightly larger than the NY office. Just slightly...

Fuji TV is located on a man-made island located in the Tokyo Harbor. Looking towards the mainland, there is a familar sight of the Statue of Liberty for the reasons unknown to me to this day...

Before going inside, I wanted to see the tourist areas. To do so, I took the encased escalator up to the welcome area.

Inside the escalator.

The symbol of the building, main observatory, can be seen through the glass enclosure.

At the welcome area, I met Fuji TV mascot. Yes, it does look like a blue relative of Snoopy.

Looking up inside the welcome area.

Due to the private nature of the business, I was unable to take pictures in most areas of the tour. One place I could take picture was inside the observatory, which is open to public. This is what the ceiling looks like. The observatory is occasionally used for on-air purpose, so you can see the lighting track in place.

View of the Tokyo Harbor from the observatory.

Following my visit, I had dinner with the members of the International Department at an izakaya back on the main land. Due to the nature of the dinner, I refrained from taking pictures...

11/30/09: Day 11 in Japan, Part II - Return To Tsukushi No Ko

2010-01-18T22:04:00.003-05:00

After freshening up, it was time for dinner at one of my favorite saké-centric izaaya in Tokyo:
Tsukushi No Ko.

Love the interior!

Started with "that beer," which is a Dassai sparkling nigori.

We started with some mackeral...

...and yellow tail as the first order.

The first saké was Wada Ryu (not pictutred), as my friend who accompanied me has a last name of Wada. Following that, we went with Juyondai Yamadanishiki.

Third saké was Masurao, which is a Yamahai Junmai Ginjo from Ishikawa Prefecture. I recalled liking it very much when I visited last year.

The second order included some rice noodles and fish roe balls...

...and marinated chicken liver. Yes, it was as intense as it looks!

The fourth saké was Hakuro Suishu Nama Genshu made using Miyama Nishiki.

By this time, we were getting more thirsty, so we ordered a 1.8L size of... water. That's a water used to brew saké, sent directly from the brewery.

Next food order included the Japanese staple of "Niku Jaga," which is stewed potatoes and minced meat...

...and order of tofu and stewed pork.

The fifth saké of the evening was Fukucho "Toru Special," which is a private bottling for Tsukushi No Ko.

Fukucho is headed by female Toji, Miho-san, and her picture graces the label.

The sixth saké was Azumaichi made from Yamadanishiki polished down to 50% from Saga Prefecture in Kyushu.

We ended up drinking 2 mega bottles of water. The second bottle was from Aoki Shuzo in Niigata.

Our last food order was Japanese omlet, which is slightly slight and very fluffy. Perfect end to a perfect evening!

11/30/09: Day 11 in Japan, Part I - Enoshima Island

2010-01-17T19:05:00.008-05:00

Believe it or not, I made it to breakfast.

After fueling up, it was time to board the Yokosuka Line on the way to Enoshima Island.

At Ofuna Station, I transferred to the Shonan Monorail, which runs direct to Enoshima. Believe it or not, it's my first time ever boarding the monorail. The design reminds you of these guys, no?

View of Kita-Kamakura from the monorail.

Going to Enoshima is a good exercise. After walking 15 minutes, you arrive at the 600 m long Enoshima-ohashi bridge.

The main street of Enoshima is full of souvenir shops and seafood stands.

Statue on the way to Enoshima Shrine.

Evidently, going through this rope will cleanse your spirt.

Although Enoshima is a small island, it is very hilly. Here is a view towards the mainland.

After much walking, it was time to refuel. I came across "Enoshima-Tei" specializing in local seafood.

The restaurant feature spectacular view of the ocean and mainland looking west.

My order was seafood rice bowl, featuring fried oyster and shirasu fish.

At the rear of the island, fisherman is seeking out crabs and shells during the low tide.

More view of the rear of the island. You can easily spend some time being mesmerized by the movement of the ocean current.

After walking around the island, it was time to head back to Tokyo. From Enoshima, I rode my favorite local train, Enoden.

From Enoshima, it runs along the streets like a trolley in San Francisco, before running seaside where you can see Enoshima fade into the distance.

11/29/09: Day 10 in Japan - Dinner in Yokohama

2010-01-13T22:17:00.011-05:00

After a restful night of sleep, I was on my way back to Tokyo. At the JR Shin-Osaka Station, I called my friend to set up plans for the evening.

As we decided on a feast at my friend's place in Yokohama, I picked up few dinner items for the night. Accordingly, my lunch was relatively light pork cutlet sandwich.

My hotel was in Shinbashi, located between Tokyo and Yokohama.

My friend lived in a nice apartment near the harbor area. Before we got to his place, we went grocery and saké shopping at a nearby depachika of Sogo.

Once at his place, we toasted with the sparkling version of Kariho "Rokushu".

Now on to the feast. We started with the sashimi selection...

...and takoyaki from Osaka.

Then came pork served in three different ways: plumpy kuro-buta (berkshire pork) shumai...

...flavorfully marinated buta-yaki (roasted pork, also from Osaka)...

...and incredibly soft and juicy kuro-buta kakuni (braised pork belly).

At Sogo, I caught eye of one of my favorite fish, hata hata. Fatty by nature, it's perfect for grilling and great with saké.

As a signal to end the meal, Yucca prepared suiton, which is a soup with gnocchi-like dumpings. Just a perfect way to end the meal.

The real finish was of course, dessert. When in Japan, I had to have the gigantic Kyoho grapes, which are phenomenal.

For the evening, we went through 3.5 bottles: Ama No To Umashine that I opened three days earlier, the aforementioned Rokushu sparkler, Tenzan "Extra Dry" Honjozo I received at the brewery...

...and Jokigen (Ishikawa Prefecture) Yamahai Junmai Ginjo. Loaded with umami towards the finish, this may have been the best saké I had this year.

Here are the gracious hosts. You can read Yucca's account of my visit here.

Just like the last timewe sure had a great time!!!

11/28/09: Day 9 in Japan, Part III - Dinner in Osaka

2010-01-03T17:48:00.007-05:00

Afternoon was spent traveling to my next destination, Osaka. Osaka is one of my favorite cities to visit for their positive vibe and awesome food. Since I had no reservations, only thing I knew was that I'd meet up with a friend, and go for a random walk.

We came across some izakaya, yakitori, Korean, then this one caught our eye. Isshan is like a yakitori place, except that they cook their meat on heated stones rather than over coal. Apparently, this is style originated in Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu.

Unlike yakitori, you can also order beef, pork, seafood, and vegetables. Here, we ordered minced chicken, chicken thigh, "kurobuta kalbi" pork, and chicken "horumon."

Chicken cooking on a polished stone grill. This type of food was perfect for shochu. My choice for the evening was Kuro Kirishima potato shochu.

We also ordered mushrooms and gyoza.

We finished with their signature rice dish cooked in traditional metal pot ("kama").

They use Kikuchi rice, said to have been served to Shoguns and the Emperor. We ordered "Chicken Kama Meshi," steeped in dashi stock. I could've easily eaten few orders' worth for sure.

My friend and I agree, Isshan is a must-visit! Fortunately, Isshan has multiple locations throughout Japan.

11/28/09: Day 9 in Japan, Part II - Visiting Tenzan Brewery, Continued

2010-01-03T16:43:00.008-05:00

What are these, you ask? They are pieces of tree that make up the sugidama (a.k.a., "sakabayashi"), those green or brown balls (depending on the season) you see decorated in front of breweries. It takes about 1 week between brewing to complete.

After the tour came tasting. I tried Tenzan line of saké...

...as well as Shichida line, which reflects the family name of the proprieter.

Tenzan brand is made in the traditional style. From this group, I especially enjoyed their "Extra Dry" honjozo (SMV: +10, Acidity: 1.2, Rice: Saga grown Reihou, Seimaibuai: 65%) for their sweet flavors of grain and clean, sharp, and dry finish. Interestingly, it says "saké for the guys" on the label.

Shichida brand, on the other hand, was started by Kensuké Shichida, the current Managing Director. These sakés are made in the image of what Shichida-san sees as ideal saké, and are brewed unfiltered and pasteurized once, prior to shipping. I particularly enjoyed their Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama (SMV: +4~5, Acidity: 1.5~1.6, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Reihou, Seimaibuai: 50%). The saké had a sweet aroma of a ginjo, followed by gentle yet firm flavor.

After the tasting, Shichida-san treated me to their local gourmet: koi. Koi, as you may know, is carp. Ogi City is famous for carp, and many restaurants shuttle in diners with buses.

Appetizer comprised of locally grown ingredients. I have never had the green leaf vegetable next to the cucumber. It was incredibly crunchy, and good.

Miso soup was next, containing koi meat. They used white miso, which is milder in flavor and imparts more sweetness than the red, making it an ideal pairing for fish.

Koi served on the rocks. Koi is said to be very gamey in flavor, but the clean water and restricted diet is said to remove the intenseness. The flavor was indeed mild with excellent texture.

Shichida-san in front of Ogi City train station.
Thank you very much for your hospitality!!!

11/28/09: Day 9 in Japan, Part I - Visiting Tenzan Brewery

2009-12-27T22:22:00.012-05:00

The hotel breakfast was a buffet, and it included, among others, a non-traditional breakfast item such as tako-yaki.

After that, I was on my way to a town of Ogi to visit Tenzan Brewery aboard Karatsu line. Incidentally, this was to be my only brewery visit of this vacation.

Tenzan is available in the U.S., famous for their junmai genshu wrapped in bamboo leaf packaging.

The brewery is located at the foot of Mount Tenzan, along the Gion River. During summer months, the river is said to be illuminated by swarm of fireflies.

The property is surrounded by rice paddies and orange groves.

The kura itself is comprised of 3 buildings that are named after recent Emperors: Showa Kura, Meiji Kura, and Taisho Kura.

Here are some of the rice used by Tenzan: locally grown Yamadanishiki, Yamadanishiki from Hyogo, Omachi from Okayama, and locally grown Saga No Mai.

Here is their machine to wash and soak rice.

Conveyer to cool down steamed rice.

Stacks of rice in the process of being converted to koji.

Fermentation tank to make shubo mash.

Active fermentation.

Looking into storage tanks from above.

Looking at the storage tanks from the ground level.

Tenzan uses yabuta for pressing.

As luck would have it, yabuta was on, meaning freshly pressed saké.

Shichida-san poured me a glass, a very rare treat. The saké was very crisp, vibrant, and intensely juicy, which is not unexpected when it is unfiltered and unpasteurized.

After the saké is bottled, they are packaged. For the aforementioned junmai genshu, the bamboo leaves are carefully wrapped by hand. The purpose of the bamboo leaves, imported from China, is not only for appearance - it also serves to protect saké from light.

The sakés are refrigerated until shipping.

One of the things I enjoy about visiting breweries is their architecture. Looking up, you can see intricate structure of the beams supporting the kura.

TO BE CONTINUED...

11/27/09: Day 8 in Japan, Part II - Izakaya in Saga City

2009-12-20T13:43:00.009-05:00

The next stop on the itinerary was Saga City. I knew very little about the prefecture of Saga, but my reason for being here will become apparent in the next entry.

I checked in at a business hotel in front of the JR Saga station. One of the great thing about Kyushu so far? Hot spring bath every day, even in business hotels.

As I had no agenda this evening, my dinner option was up in the air. Checking the internet didn't yield an "a-ha!" moment, so best bet was to walk around the old neighborhood. Just couple of blocks away, Za Watami visually caught my attention.

Za Watami is an izakaya, and as being in Kyushu, featuring shochu. I received a seat by the bar.

The menu was colorful with lot of pictures. "Cherry Meat Sashimi" looked great, so I ordered it as part of the first order. It was melt-like-butter soft. I found out after the fact that "Cherry Meat" is a code for "horse meat."

Also part of the first order was spring roll wrapped in yuba, or chewy tofu skin...

...and yellow tail sashimi.

The drink was barley shochu all the way. I had Shira-shin-ken from Oita Prefecture, home of Yufuin.

The second order included juicy pork cooked in sukiyaki-like sauce served with scallions and egg...

and deep fried chicken tatsuta-agé.

The last order (〆) was fried champon noodle with egg served in a hot stone bowl, inspired by Korean bibimbop. With all the food, I took home some of the fried chicken and noodles for lunch the next day.

The total tab was about 4,000 yen ($46). Not bad at all! As Za Watami is a chain izakaya, it's definitely worth a visit when you're in Japan.

11/27/09: Day 8 in Japan - Leaving Yufuin

2009-12-13T19:38:00.009-05:00

While Nurukawa Onsen did not come with dinner, it did come with breakfast. I made reservation for the earliest alloted time. Not surprisingly, the breakfast was the traditional Japanese arrangement.

Poached egg in dashi? In Japan, appropriately, it is called "onsen" eggs.

After digesting for 1/2 hour, it was time for a quick dip in the onsen. There aren't too many better ways to start one's morning than taking an outdoor bath at the foot of glorious mountain in the autumn, especially when it's 50 degrees outside.

On the way out, I noticed this Japanese maple. Wa, or harmony, is everywhere if you just take a time to look around...

Down by Lake Kirin, the ducks were washing themselves amidst the rising mist.

Rustic sign at the train station.

The train we were scheduled to take was the retro-styled "The Forst of Yufuin."

In Japan, many of the trains operates with reserved seating. I was assigned to Car #2.

Having lunch on the train is one of the pleasures of the Japanese long distance rail travel. The stations vend lunch boxes with local flavor. I chose tender Bungo beef and rice bento.

11/26/09: Day 7 in Japan, Part II - Town of Yufuin

2009-12-10T08:07:00.004-05:00

The town of Yufuin, along with neighboring Beppu, is famous as resort town for onsen hot springs. Its rusticness is evident from the design of their rail station.

To further accentuate the point, there is a foot bath onsen on the platform.

Surrounded by the moutains, the view is spectacular. Clean air, calming vista, and relaxing hot springs are just what the doctor ordered.

Walking around the town, you can easily locate the hot springs. How do I know? Look for the plumes of steam!

One thing to keep in mind about visiting Yufuin: as onsen ryokan (inn) typically include kasiseki dinner, the town becomes very quiet around 5:00 pm as guests hurry back to take a quick dip in onsen before dinner. By 5:30, most of the shops and restaurants are closed. For those staying in a ryokan without dinner accomodations, they ought to head towards the train station to find restaurants that are open.

11/26/09: Day 7 in Japan, Part I - On to Yufuin

2009-12-07T21:09:00.008-05:00

After all too short stay in Kagoshima, my next destination was Yufuin in Oita prefecture. With another few hours on the road, hearty breakfast was in order...

...hearty and healthy, mind you...

...and not to mention traditional.

After few hours, I reached Nurukawa Onsen, a rustic inn located about 20 minute walk from the train station.

My room was the traditional tatami room.

Before going for a walk, I had to take advantage of their onsen. Aside from the communal men/women baths, they offered several private 'family bath' units available on first-come first-serve basis. I grabbed an open-air "roten buro" overlooking the neighboring mountain.

Just two minutes from the inn was picturesque Lake Kinrin, showing off the reflection of the foliage.

For dinner, I was recommended "Dot to Dot" restaurant close to the train station. Generally, the place seems bit trendy, but I was sworn by their quality by a friendly shopkeeper.

Their menu feature locally grown vegetables...

...as well as fresh meat from a local meat store. Many of the dishes are prepared organically, and it indeed was a feast for my stomach as well as my eyes.

Because the restaurant had a very limited alcohol selections, I opened up a bottle of Ama No To "Umashine" upon my return. Polished to 80% and unfiltered, the saké had a light golden hue, surprisingly smooth texture, and long umami-laden flavor.

After some time to digest, I had to take an evening bath. The attendant told me that I can try the bath unit that feature both indoor and outdoor bath.

As the temperature was bit nippy out, the contrast with the hot spring was just right.

There isn't much better way to relax by listening to the trickling water...

...while staring into the lit up Japanese maple tree in all its autumn glory.

11/25/09: Day 6 in Japan, Part II - Satsuma Clan

2009-11-29T18:51:00.008-05:00

Satsuma Clan (薩摩藩) is one of the more intriguing and important political power during the mid to late 1800's, as the Tokugawa Shogunate (徳川幕府) came to a close. Initially, they were very much against foreign influence, but after couple of engagement that demonstrated superior western power, they became close with the British and pushed for modernization.

One leading figure is Shimazu Nariakira(島津斉彬, top), the 11th leader of the Clan. He was proactive in importing western technology to Japan. Ohkubo Toshimichi (大久保利通, top center) was one of the key politician that transformed Japanese government by importing western concepts. Perhaps the most popular figure is Saigo Takamori (西郷隆盛, right), who along with Ohkubo became top figures despite their lower-class upbringing. Saigo was known as a samurai, but also one of the key figures in forming Satcho Doumei (薩長同盟), an alliance between Satsuma and Choshu cans that eventually brought down the Tokugawa Shogunate. The alliance was brokered by Sakamoto Ryouma (坂本竜馬) of Tosa Clan (土佐藩, bottom center), and also included Katsura Kogoro (桂小五郎) of the Choshu Clan (長州藩).

This marks the birthplace of Saigo Takamori. Towards the end, he developed friction with his childhood friend Ohkubo. Saigo eventually led Satsuma Revolution to keep samurai class from being abolished. Injured and defeated, Saigo took his own life at the battle of Shiroyama. It is said that the shogun Katsumoto depicted in the movie "Last Samurai" is based on Saigo Takamori.

On the other hand, Ohkubo devoted his efforts in developing infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and ports while reforming the government. One of the key changes were made in 1871, when he set an edict that banned samurai from wearing swords in public.

From the international relations point, Ohkubo determined that the Japan had been weakened, and took a strong stance against invasion of Korea to the dismay of Saigo. Eventually, the differences in philosophies led to Ohkubo fighting Saigo's charges. As Saigo was wildly popular in Satsuma, Ohkubo was seen as a traitor to many. Eventually, Ohkubo was assassinated.

In fiction, Ohkubo is said to be represented as Omuro in the movie, "Last Samurai."

One of the turning point of the Satsuma Clan was the Teradaya incident of 1862. Shimizu Hisamitsu quelled a plot formed by some of the anti-modernization extremists within their clan at the Teradaya Inn. This action set the tone of Satsuma as modernists, as well as gaining needed political capital from the Imperial Palace.

Satsuma Clan also produced a famous female historical figure, Atsuhimé (篤姫). Raised by Shimazu Nariakira, she was eventually arranged to marry the Shogun, Tokugawa Iesada. This move was motivated to gain Satsuma political power, but eventually, the clan decided to support the Emperor instead of the Shogun forcing her into a very difficult situation. NHK produced "Atsuhimé" drama, which is highly suggested. These keepsakes were used in the series.

11/25/09: Day 6 in Japan, Part I - Kagoshima

2009-11-29T01:54:00.008-05:00

The next destination on my itinerary was Kagoshima, the southern-most prefecture on Kyushu. As it would take 2.5 hours to get there, I picked up Chicken Namban lunch...

...and side orde of Yakisoba for the rail trip.

The Satsuma Clan, based in Kagoshima, was one of the more progressive power in Japan. During the Meiji Restoration, they sent 15 students to England to study the western technologies such as steam power to help modernize Japan. For their contributions, they are honored with a statue outside of the Kagoshima Central Station.

Not too far down the Napoli Street is the Meiji Restoration Museum. Spending one hour is a great way to understanding role of Kagoshima in shaping modern Japan.

Crossing the bridge to the museum, you can see the beautiful Sakura Jima.

After the museum, I headed down to the area called Dolphin Port to catch the glimpse of Sakura Jima up close. Sakura Jima is a picturesque island/volcano located in the Kagoshima Bay, and is featured in some Kagoshima-based drama such as Atsuhimé.

As the sun set, I began to make my way back towards the train station. At the intersection where the Tenmonkan Dori and Izumi Dori crossed, I couldn't help but notice the heavily westernized buildings that were lining the street.

For dinner, I decided to go two blocks north to Tenjin Baba Dori to look for a local flavor. As Kagoshima is famous for their Berkshire Pork, this lantern caught my attention.

Tonkatsu Jubei has been in business for over 40 years, and it's located on a second floor of a building, tucked away in the back.

I ordered the roast cutlet set (1,550 yen).

The Kagoshima pork was very tender and juicy, cooked to perfection. They were served with miso sauce, tangy tonkatsu sauce, and salt/pepper to enjoy in different ways.

As I was the first customer in, the chef came out and entertained me. He made ballerina out of tissue paper (right), cut outs of two swans kissing (bottom), hawk (left), and deer (top).

Here is the photo of ferris wheel above Kagoshima Central Station.

I ended up staying in a town called Sendai (川内). After getting there, I saw a Christmas light display in the shape of Doraemon.

11/24/09: Day 5 in Japan, Part II - Yatai

2009-11-27T02:33:00.010-05:00

On the way back from onsen, I got off the shuttle bus in Tenjin. On my agenda was to try a certain Hakata cuisine, as well as dining in yatai. Here is the bridge over Nakagawa at night.

Not too far from the bridge, I came across an izakaya called Fuurin Kazan. The kanji signifies wind, forest, fire, mountain that were seen on the battle flags, short hand for "run like the wind, quiet like the forest, attack like fire, and defend like a mountain." With such an impressive name, I figured I can't go wrong.

It was a yakitori place, run by two chefs.

I started with angel hair-like enoki mushrooms cooked in a foil...

...followed by few skeweres of chicken...

...before settling on juicy tonsoku. What's a tonsoku, you may ask? Why, it's pigs feet. Yup, you read that right, pigs feet. It's chewy and rich in collagen which is supposedly great for your skin. Not surprisingly, pigs feet are very popular among those cute little Japanese women.

Yakitori and Tonkotsu went very well with Den En (田苑) potato shochu served on the rocks.

Mext on the agenda was visiting yatai, which is a food stand. More than food carts we see in NYC, food stands include seating. Nakasu, an island located between Nakagawa rivers, has a famous yatai row but it is frequently visited by out-of-towners.

My Fukuoka-based friend recommended I stop by yatai frequently visited by the locals in the heart of the main street. However, that yatai was already full, and I was told it would take at least an hour to get a seat. Fortunately, there was another one called Kitaro right near by, with some seats to spare.

While yatai is there to serve food, the local ones offer much more than that. Because the space is enclosed, creating intimate space, it encourages interaction. The yatai visited by locals has their "regulars" that gather regularly.

Fortunately, they were quick to include me in the conversation, and I had good companions for the night.

I had their ramen with Suigei Junmai Ginjo...

...and some more yakitori with house barley shochu. While I don't remember much about the taste of the food, I will never forget the cameraderie I enjoy inside this particular yatai.

11/24/09: Day 5 in Japan, Part I - Tenjin

2009-11-25T18:00:00.005-05:00

While Hakata is where the Shinkansen stops, Tenjin is where the action is. To find out more, I decided to take a walk in the morning.

Tenjin is about 20 minutes away from Hakata station by foot, separated by Nakagawa River. Watanabe Street is the center of the town, and it's flanked by Fukuoka/Tenjin Station of the Nishitetsu line, as well as numerous department stores and shops.

Just as busy is the underground concourse right beneath Watanabe Street that houses bunch of shops while allowing pedestrians access to all the surrounding buildings without the fear of cars or waiting for lights.

On the way back to the hotel, I found a booth that sold something called Inaho Yaki. It was to okonomiyaki what pizza pocket is to a pizza.

For lunch, I stopped by a ramen joint near the hotel called Chen Mar Ya.

Their speciality is the spicy Dan Dan Noodles using tonkotsu soup base. As you can tell by the picture, this was richer and much spicier than usual tonkotsu ramen, with hints of sesame and Szechuan peppercorns.

The lunch set came with Ma Po Tofu served over rice. Thicker than the Ma Po Tofu I am used to, it nevertheless had good flavors of the Szechuan peppercorns.

Here is the obligatory serving of gyoza...

I again spent the afternoon at Ryusei Onsen. The hotsprings are invigorating, and I read sauna is great for digestion which is much needed at this point.

The hotspring is located in the mountains, and it offers calming scenery to ease my soul...

11/23/09: Day 4 in Japan - Arriving in Hakata

2009-11-25T08:41:00.010-05:00

Not unexpectedly, my eyes opened around 7:30, but I woke up around 9:30 only because I had to check out by 10:00.

I skipped breakfast, but that's not a bad thing in retrospect, based on the pace I am helping out Japanese food industry.

After leaving the comforts of bed, I spent couple of hours by Hiroshima Station working on rehydration. Interestingly, the city of Kyoto was promoting tourism, so there was a lady dressed as geisha and a gentleman clad in the coat of Shinsengumi.

My next stop is Hakata in Fukuoka prefecture, located on the island of Kyushu. This will be my first visit on the island where my father's side of the family is based.

As my appetizer was virtually nonexistant, my lunch included 3 different breads. First was the bacon and cheese roll...

...followed by fried chicken with tartare sauce on a roll...

...and curry bread, a must-eat item when in Japan.

After checking into the hotel, it was time to relax and detox by visitig Seiryu Onsen hot springs, recommended by a friend.

Housed in a traditional-looking lodge, the onsen featured 6 different hotsprings (2 inside, 4 outside) and 2 spa facilities. The onsen is located about 50 minutes from Hakata Station, but thankfully, there is a free shuttle bus that runs hourly. This visit was much needed!

Hakata is famous for their tonkotsu ramen, which is made from deriving broth from pork. In a lucky coincidence, the restaurant my friend recommended, Fukuchan, was located just 2 blocks away from the hotel.

As my appetite recovered sufficiently, I ordered Char-Siu Tonkotsu Ramen.

The taste did not disappoint, the firm noodle pairing well with creamy but well-balanced soup.

Of course, I had to have their gyoza as well.

On the way home, there was a tunnel running under and across the rail tracks. Within the tunnel was a mural, and one section featured Kondo Isami, leader of Shinsengumi. Man, they're everywhere!

11/22/09: Day 3 in Japan, Part III - Hasshou Okonomiyaki

2009-11-23T19:50:00.008-05:00

Okonomi-yaki, a Japanese cuisine made like an omelette, stirs passion among people of Japan, esepcially in the western parts. In the US, it's akin to asking who makes the best pizza.

Rgionally, Osaka is known as the capital of flour-based food, so naturally, they dominate the conversation.

However, Hiroshima is also very famous for their okonomiyaki, made in a more layered style with crepe-like crust.

Tonight, my friend recommended we go to Hasshou, said to make one of the very best Hiroshima style okonomiyaki.

There was a waiting line, not surprising for a store with such reputation.

The interior was small, seating about 16. The place was run efficiently by two chefs.

Here is the process:

The chefs take order from people on the line. Like assembly line, they prepare several at a time...

...flip to make sure both sides are cooked...

...coat one side with egg, cook, then apply the secret sauce...

...here we are, one step away from the finish...

...finally, sprinkle ao-nori, and we are done!

The verdict? This was definitely one of the very best I've ever had. The noodles were thin,firm, and chewy, and in perfect harmony with the cabbage, crepe, and sauce. The next time I'm back in town, I am definitely there!

Yup, we had a real good time!

11/22/09: Day 3 in Japan, Part II - Izakaya Danjiri

2009-11-23T19:27:00.007-05:00

Since I enjoyed Danjiri izakaya so much 2 years ago, I decided to go there again. Accompanying me this time is a teammate from my baseball team.

As we are in Hiroshima, we toasted with Ugo No Tsuki "Koiomachi" Special Junmai Ginjo, refreshingly dry saké.

As we were drinking, the food arrived. Our selections were various orders of Yakitori. This is tsukune, formed like a meatball.

Yakitori uses all parts, including cartilege (left), liver (to the right), among others. We also ordered shiitaké mushrooms.

The next two sakés were also Ugo No Tsuki, including their twisting "Black Moon" Junmai Ginjo and mineral-driven Aiyama Junmai Ginjo.

Moving on to other brands we tried Kokuryu #39 Junmai Ginjo, bit less dry but rich in umami.

By this time, we were feeling pretty good, and I am relying on my photographic evidence to indicate what we drank. My friend recommended Kyokuhou brand, so we went with their Hiroshima Hattan Junmai Ginjo.

Somewhere along the way, we also ordered a nama of some type, but I don't remember which one...

Last order was Shichi Hon Yari Yamadanishiki Junmai as I caught the sight of the bottle in the big fridge. I don't remember the taste as much as the fact that we had a blast drinking it.

11/22/09: Day 3 in Japan, Part I - To Hiroshima

2009-11-22T02:49:00.007-05:00

So, the hotel has this breakfast plan. Pricing for the food looks appealing (ham and sandwich for $1.25 or so.) However, you have to pay for drinks, which costs something like $8. Figuring I can have better use for my $800, I stepped right outside into McD's. Normally, I don't do McD's, but it's always fun to see the regional differences. Here, they have Mega Muffin Combo (490 yen), which includes Hash Browns and small drink (roughly 6 oz). Mega Muffin has 2 layers of sausage sandwiching American cheese-like substance, Egg, and already seasoned with ketchup.

Next to the hotel is a convenience store, where I picked up yogurt drink, stewed pork bun (角煮), and egg pudding for $405 yen.

The stewed pork bun was soooooo gooooood!

After checking out, I was on my way to Shinagawa Station to catch the Shinkansen to Hiroshima via Shin-Osaka.

One of the joys of long-distance rail travel is what they call "eki-ben," shortened term for lunch boxes sold at rail stations. I chose matsutaké mushroom lunch, although the star of the show was the marinated abalone to the left...

11/21/09: Day 2 in Japan - Shinjuku, Dinner at Aunt and Uncle's

2009-11-22T02:22:00.008-05:00

My second night will be spent in Shinjuku, which was about 30 minutes away from Tokyo by JR Yamanoté Line. It has some nice architecture, such as this Coccoon Building.

Of course, the main strip has the decidedly Tokyo feel with the neon lights and all.

On the way to train station, I passed along a smoke filled alley full of old-school restaurants and izakayas. I would've stop by for yakitori and saké, if not for the fact that I was heading to my aunt and uncle's place in Ebisu for dinner.

Now, here's something you don't find out on every day basis. My aunt and uncle has been getting sakés shipped to their apartment from a certain brewery. They told me that the brewery is operated by a family of my paternal grandmother. Which brewery is this? Upon close inspection, the Dewa No Yuki from Yamagata. First bottle was the special saké, Tobingakoi Junmai Daiginjo, made usig 25% Yamadanishiki from Hyogo and 50% local Miyamanishiki, both polished down to 50%.

The Tobingakoi really came alive when paired with mixture of coarsely grated Yamaimo potatoes, salmon roe, and nori.

The next bottle was their "Giou Ginyo" Junmai Daiginjo, an outstanding saké for their very clean finish.

We spent the evening drinking sakés, and enjoying this view of the Tokyo Tower (right) and Roppongi Mori Building (left) from their bay window.

11/21/09: Day 2 in Japan, Part I - Tokyo

2009-11-21T15:36:00.008-05:00

The hotel has free breakfast, which is assortment of bread and salad. They promote their selection as being healthy, which means I was very healthy this morning.

After uploading post of Day 1, checking out of the hotel, and dropping off luggage at hotel #2, the lunch awaited in Tokyo. In the New Maru Building across Tokyo station, I found Suju, restaurant based on Nagano cuisine.

I ordered lunch set of Ginger Pork Sautee, which came with miso soup, pickles, and rice. With added umeboshi and large bottle of beer, the lunch tab was 2,530 yen ($29.08)

Heading little bit north is the Imperial Palace. Water display entertain the visitors on the outer perimeter.

Here is the moat. It's safe to say that the castle is well defended.

There were lot of pine trees on the premises...

This bridge is very famous, appearing in a lot of historic drama.

What is this rather innoculuous looking gate?

Why, it is Sakuradamon, where a famous assasination of progressive thinking senior advisor of the shogun took place. Assasination of Ii Naosuké was one of the key events preceding the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

On the walk back to the train station, a regal looking swan decided to accomodate me.

Another perspective, illustrating the width of the moat.

11/19/09 - 11/20/09: Day 1 in Japan - Touchdown

2009-11-20T18:56:00.006-05:00

11/19/09 10:00 EDT

My annual trip to Japan started at Oasis Lounge, courtesy of a lounge ticket for NWA.

Although my flight is at 12:40, why not get there early and take advantage of free amenities (ahem, "drinks"), right?

With the acquisition of NWA by Delta, my flight was technically NW 0799 but the plane was Delta fleet B770.

11/20/09 20:00 Japan Time
11/20/09 06:00 My body clock

After safely touching down then checking into the hotel, next on my agenda was to enjoy ramen, ~~even though~~ especially because my body clock reads 6:00 am. Since last year's pattern went well, I decided to retrace the same steps.

Asahi Dry, medium bottle (well, it's large for us): 480 yen.

Large serving ramen with Char-Siu Pork: 780 yen.

Gyoza dumplings: 300 yen.

Total dinner cost: 1,560 yen ($17.93*)

11/20/09 20:30 Japan Time
11/20/09 06:30 My body clock

The next stop was saké bar. By this stage, I am ignoring my body clock.

While the saké bar features saké selections directly sent from Yokobué Brewery, there were many shochu and spirits on the list.

This year, I had their Honjozo (SMV: +5) which had some hints of creaminess with a clean and dry finish, followed by their "Tachinomi"(立呑) limited release (SMV: +5), made specifically for their bar. This was softer with more creamy flavors on the palate. Each order cost 300 yen.

The last selection was Kodou (古道) junmai (SMV: +2), described as made in richer styles in the older style. Generally, such styles meant darker color, rich and full palate, and sweeter finish. In reality, it was intense, clean, and dry, more along the lines of modern genshu. As a special brew, it cost 400 yen.

All in all, not a bad way to spend 1,000 yen ($11.49*)!

*Note: Conversion rate is $1 = 87 yen.

11/11/09: Akita Saké Tasting Event

2009-11-17T20:54:00.005-05:00

This was the ninth installation of the Akita Saké Tasting Event. As usual, the place was packed.

One of the guest saké was the perfect opener...

I was very pleased to see Misato by Hinomaru Jozo, the saké I remember fondly from the Sixth edition of the tasting.

Kirishima-san from Joto Saké holding Akita Komachi Daiginjo, one of their top selections.

This bottle caught my attention. Sendai Bozu is made from the rice of the same namesake polished down to 50%. Evidently, it's a junmai ginjo genshu using a rice strain discovered in Miyagi prefecture in 1955. Today, its cultivation is limited to a section of one farm in the city of Odaté in Akita. The flavor expands quickly with depth, and it's a type of saké that might serve well lightly heated.

Next saké was highly controversial. Aged in barrel used to age Ay Grand Cru Champagne, chene d'argonne was a complex saké that didn't taste like saké due to its flavors that include green apples, vanilla, and spices. It's a very well-crafted saké, but far from what we're used to... for better or for worse.

No saké brought bigger smile to my face than seeing Hakuun Yuu Yuu Junmai Daiginjo by Asamai Shuzo, famous for their Ama No To label. Why the big grin? Because it brought me back to this time and place.

11/4/09: Reuter Charity Saké Event/ Robataya

2009-11-16T21:05:00.008-05:00

Thomson Reuters Asia Pacific Employee Network hosted a charity saké tasting event to benefit victims of natural disaster in Asia. The event featured 3 breweries: Dassai, Akita Seishu, and Tenzan.

My evening started with a toast with Dassai "39" Sparkling Nigori.

My next stop was the Akita Seishu booth to see Ito-san (right) and my friend and sommelier Yang-san.

I especially enjoyed soft and smooth Matsukura Tokubetsu Junmai.

Right by the front entrance was this interesting character, who turned out to be Shichida-san from Tenzan Brewery. The design of the mask incorporates kanji characters of the brewery ("天" and "山").

Tenzan is known for their Genshu which is packaged in a bamboo leaf, but he brought Hitenzan Daiginjo and Junmai from Shichida brand.

As many of the audience was actually there for noble causes, the event featured saké lecture by Tim Sullivan to get the audience up to speed.

The lecture was followed by brewery introduction.

As the event lasted "only" two hours, some of us didn't have enough of a good time - time to plan for the next stop. We chose Robataya NY, which is the sister restaurant to Sakagura.

Once inside, a large counter awaits, lined by fresh ingredient to be grilled.

The counter and table area is separated by a decorative garden and water feature.

All the sakés that were ordered, naturally, were associated with the brewers. This one is light and delicate Rokushu Junmai Ginjo by Akita Seishu.

Don't believe we're having a good time? Well, then...

10/20/09: Joto Saké Tasting at Matsuri

2009-11-01T20:36:00.006-05:00

On this day, Joto Saké welcomed several brewers at Matsuri restaurant. The brewers from Saiya ("Yuki No Bosha"), Eiko Fuji ("Eiko Fuji" and "Banryu"), Tomita Shuzo ("Shichi Hon Yari"), and Kasumi Tsuru were present.

The evening started with a lecture, followed by tasting. Lucky for us, the brewers brought sakés that are not available in the U.S. including seasonal Hiyaoroshi namazaké.

Here is Shirahata-san from Eiko Fuji with Midori-san from Joto Saké.

After the event, Henry was nice enough to invite me to join the brewers and Joto staff for a dinner (lucky me!). Here is Tomita-san with bottle of Shichi Hon Yari Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo. As a limited release, only 400 bottles are brewed each year. In the rear is Fukumoto-san from Kasumitsuru.

The evening lasted into the wee hours...

9/26/09:Nanbu Bijin at Sakagura

2009-11-01T20:06:00.004-05:00

Kuji-san and Chizuko-san hosted a Nanbu Bijin tasting night at Sakagura. There were 4 selections to the set, the familiar Tokubetsu Junmai and Daiginjo, as well as innovative All-Koji and umeshu.

While I don't generally greet umeshu with overwhelming sense of enthusiasm, this umeshu was different. Based on All-Koji saké and made without any added sugar, Nanbu Bijin umeshu relies 100% on the plum and saké's natural sweetness. The result is a umehsu with clean flavor and semi-dry finish.

The sakés were served with smoked cheese and Iwaté sembei crackers. Kuji-san brought the crackers in his suitcase - how they didn't break remain a mystery to this date...

Kuji-san was his usual self, full of energy, even though this was third of four events they were hosting!

9/24/09: Scenes from The Joy of Saké 2009

2009-10-14T22:09:00.011-04:00

Like last year, the Joy of Saké was held at Webster Hall.

Although the turn out was smaller in the beginning, the crowds began to pick up about one hour into the event.

The first bottle I found was Shichi Hon Yari Junmai, one of my favorites.

"Matsu Kura" by Dewazakura, was one of the standouts early on for its outstanding texture and balanced flavor.

Modorikawa made this interesting bottle, aged in snow, although I am not sure how I feel about wine-inspired bottle...

Right by Niigata Saké Selection was Beau Timkin of True Saké, America's first saké store. He was kind enough to present me with an autographed book he authored, "Saké, Modern Guide."

On the second floor, where the lights got funkier, I bumped into Kuji-san from Nanbu Bijin. He is holding his Daiginjo that was on display.

Right next to Nanbu Bijin was Akitabaré "Sui Raku Ten" Daiginjo, which was the first saké that got me addicted to the "water from heavens."

Sakura Masamuné was not hard to spot, as the 1800 ml towered over other 720 ml bottles.

Next bottle on my radar was another Akita saké, Manabito Junmai Ginjo by Hinomaru Shuzo.

One saké really stood out from the evening, in the form of Yuki No Bosha "Hiden" Yamahai Junmai Ginjo, which was flawless. Only if this bottle was available in the US... (hint, hint, Henry!)

ASPEC wsa very active as usual, holding their booth and inviting some of their brewers. Here is Suzuki-san fron Suzuki Brewery, maker of "Hideyoshi" label.

Next to him was Ito-san from Akita Seishu, famous for their "Dewatsuru" label.

Moving right along, I came across Ohi-san from Tenju Brewery and his award winning Chokaisan Junmai Daiginjo.

Another familiar face was next to Ohi-san, none other than Sato-san from aforementioned Hinomaru Jozo.

One of the good thing about events like this is the chance to try rareties like "Juhachidai Ihei" Junmai Ginjo Shizuku saké from accomplished producer Okunomatsu.

On the third floor, I came across Tenju Junmai made from Miyamanishiki rice.

Also in the area was Shichiken Brewery, which made my memory flood back to the good old days as well.

Lastly, I found Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai hiding on the third floor. According to Kuji-san, the batch I helped ~~poison~~ brew was a Tokubetsu Junmai. I certainly was glad to see it on display despite my involvement!

8/20/09: Hanging out in Astoria

2009-10-12T22:13:00.008-04:00

On this balmy night, I went over to Ms. Aomori's place to hang out with our fellow baseball team members.

As Ms. Aomori recently got back from Japan with a few bottle of souvenirs, the theme was a simple Bring Your Own Bottle.

I figured that this was the perfect evening to contribute a bottle that's been sitting in my refrigerator since last fall, a gift from Kakizaki-san from my visit of Asamai Shuzo. This is their Daiginjo made with local Gin No Sei, polished to 45%.

To complement the sakés, our hosts graciously prepared wonderful Japanese dishes. (It really helps that her S.O. is an accomplished chef!)

The dishes include steamed lobster, grilled chicken, boiled octopus, and...

...essense of crab from Japan.

The first bottle from Japan was Sawa No Izumi Honjozo from Miyagi.

The second bottle was also from Miyagi, by Hidakami Junmai from Hirakou Brewery.

The third bottle was Maruden Tokubetu Junmai from Hokkaido. All three bottles had traditional feel, a taste of saké lover's saké.

I wasn't able to take much of tasting notes, as I was hanging out with Shiro, the pet cat of the hosts. For some reason, it decided that my right leg was the perfect place to spend the evening...

Shaking hand with the kitteh...

Eventually, it really got comfortable...

...before totally falling asleep on my lap. Hey, it's all good!

5/19/09: Niigata Saké Selections Tasting

2009-10-03T11:47:00.004-04:00

While sakés from Akita are getting lot of publicity in NYC, Niigata still carry a lot of clout in the world of saké.

On this date, I was able to sample quite a few sakés at the brewer tasting courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Kobayashi, who run Niigata Saké Selections.

Mr. Saito from Kirinzan Brewery holding Kirinzan Junmai (SMV: +4, Acidity: 1.4, Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Yuki No Sei, Seimaibuai: 60%, Yeast: G9NF), one of my favorites from the tasting. While I am a big fan of their Junmai Daiginjo, the junmai more than held its own. Slightly more brawnier than the subtle and smooth junmai daiginjo, the junmai brings out the essence of the flavor of the rice.

Speaking of the junmai daiginjo, here is their highly distinctive bottle.

Here I am with Mr. Hirashima of Obata Shuzo, which is located on the Sado Island in Japan Sea. He was pouring their fruity daiginjo (SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.1, Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Seimaibuai: 50%, Yeast: #1701), and deep and balanced junmai ginjo muroka genshu (SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.7, Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Seimaibuai: 55%, Yeast: #1701), both from their Ma No Tsuru label.

The four diamond boxes on the family crest of the brewery represents rice, water, man, and "Sado Island terroir." Although tough to find in the NYC area, their sakés are worth seeking out.

It was great to see Mr. Aoki from Aoki Shuzo, who I first met 2.5 years ago. I noted with a tinge of fear in my voice that the Junmai Ginjo seems to be more fruitier compared to 2 years ago. Fear not, this was a result of changing rice from Miyamanishiki to the locally grown Koshi Tanrei, to keep with the brewery's philosophy of using local ingredients.

No, this man is NOT from Niigata (Sakurai-san from Dassai Brewery in Yamaguchi.)

We have couple of attendees representing Akita. Speaking with Mr. Kobayashi is Mr. Kakizaki from Asamai Shuzo, maker of Ama No To label, and saké sommelier Chizuko Niikawa.

Rick Smith of Sakaya, Tim Sullivan of Urbansaké, and Mrs. Kobayashi of Niigata Saké Selections.

Here I am with Mr. and Mrs. Kobayashi, who is holding a bottle of Yukikagé Tokubetsu Junmai (SMV: +4, Acidity 1.3, Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Seimaibuai: 58%, Yeast: S3). For under $30 a bottle, Yukikagé is one of the best valued quintessential Niigata saké, showing gentle and subtle expressions of rice and grain.

For these sakés and ones I couldn't mention, visitNiigata Saké Selections for further details.

4/30/09: Sakagura

2009-10-02T22:24:00.004-04:00

Tonight's visit to Sakagura was a momentous occasion, as it marks the last night for my long time friend Kadoi-san before moving onto Robata-ya in East Village.

For this occasion, he brought out Juyondai "Hiden Tamagaeshi" Tokubetsu Honjozo (SMV: +2, Acidity: 1.2, Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Seimaibuai: 60%) that has been resting in the Sakagura refregirator for 4 years. The aging brought out ripeness both in the nose and the palate, and while the flavor was initially sweet, the intenseness and dryness led to a long finish. I couldn't really decide whether I liked it or not, but it certainly was interesting.

The second saké was one of my comfor saké, the Shichi Hon Yari Junmai. This complex junmai never fails to meet my saké demands!

Third saké was Ama No To "Junkara" Junmai, as Akita is always on my mind (when it comes to saké).

Lastly, I had Kikuyoi Tokubetsu Junmai (SMV: +6, Acidity: 1.6, Rice: Nihonbaré, Seimaibuai: 60%, Yeast: Shizuoka) based on Kadoi-san's recommendation. Soft on approach and exzpressing true essence of saké, I very much enjoyed Kikuyoi.

I will miss his friendship as well as this type of personal attention. Best of luck!!!

3/9/09: Pairing Saké with... Pottery?!

2009-08-23T22:27:00.008-04:00

Saké Hana teamed up with antique pottery dealer Makari to bring interesting saké tasting event: studying how different pottery impacts flavor of saké.

There were three famed pottery styles represented in Hagi, Iga, and Imari (three on the left, clockwise).

Each pottery was paired with a different saké, also poured into the control cup (three small glasses to the right).

In the end, I found Imari to have very minimal impact in terms of flavor, as the material is fine china instead of rough clay. The wide mouth did allow the sides of the tongue to taste the sakés first, which made the the saké feel lighter in the mouth.

Hagi had a significant change to the flavor, as it brought out more mineral flavors. With high grade sakés, I am afraid it may detract from the fruity flavors.

In my mind, Iga was the ideal vessel as it softened flavors and rounded out the edges. This is a definite plus if you're having some Junmai or Honjozo. For the Ginjo and Daiginjo classes, it provides similar effect to aging saké without the oxidization.

In an interesting twist, Toshi had submerged a Hagi cup in saké overnight, which made it much more round and mellow.

All in all, it was a great lesson to see how the material and shape of a vessel can affect flavor of saké. If you have different saké cups, try to see how different they can make your favorite bottle taste!

2/1/09: Nanbu Bijin Junmai Ginjo

2009-08-22T16:40:00.005-04:00

2009 greeted me with new job at a very well-known Japanese Media Company. The good news is that it's a big step up in my career and keeps me challenged. The bad news is that I haven't had too much time to play (kind of explains why I am posting about February in August...) It also took me into February to get my first saké-centric post.

On this cold Saturday,I invited few friends for a home-made pasta party (saké and pasta? Sure, why not.) Here is one of the lovely guests making her first hand-made pasta.

The saké of the choice was another bottle I came home with, the Junmai Ginjo Hiyaoroshi Nama Genshu (SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.5, Rice: Miyamanishiki, Seimaibuai: 55%, Yeast: #9) from Nanbu Bijin. Fruity with vibrant and lithe texture with tremendous depth, this was the highlight of the party.

It should be noted that we didn't actually pair saké with pasta, as it was drank while waiting for water to boil. Let's just say that we didn't wait too long to get to the next bottle, the Vietti Barbera...

November and December, 2008

2009-08-19T21:23:00.007-04:00

11/29/08: Nabé Party

After my trip to Northern Japan, I definitely had to meet up with the Tohoku Girls. This time, I was invited to Ms. Iwaté's place for a Japanese hot pot party, along with Ms. Aomori, Ms. Miyagi and a new member, Ms. Hokkaido.

Ms. Aomori prepared marinated Gyu-tan, which is a thinkly sliced beef... well, you can Google it.

I contributed two bottles. The first one to be opened was Nanbu Bijin Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +1, Acidity: 1.5, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 40%, Yeast: #9) that I brought home from Japan. This was a prototypical modern-style Jumnai Daiginjo, with soft apporach and incredibly round and fruity flavor.

Nabé, or Japanese hot pot is essentially cooking ingredients in a dashi-filled communal pot at the table, which makes it a very social event and highly suited for drinking saké. The ingredients were fresh vegetables and seafood.

The second bottle was Kudoki Jouzu Junmai Ginjo from Yamagata. The refreshingly fruity and clean style was a good match to go with the nabé.

Here is Ms. Aomori, Ms. Iwaté, and Ms. Hokkaido. Ms. Miyagi is presumebly holding the scallops shown on the lower right...

12/13/08: Nanbu Bijin Nama

On this Saturday, I stopped by Sakaya to discover that Nanbu Bijin Nama is now available in the US. Surely, this must be from this batch. Two years ago, Nambu Bijin Nama was light and dry with flavors of steamed rice, more traditional in style. Last year, the style was far more modern, emphasizing fruits. This year, the change in yeast added elements of fresh mushrooms to the fruits. I wonder what next year's version will bring?

12/31/09: New Year's Eve

My friend Hideo invited me to a New Year's Eve Party at our mutual friend's office space. While "office space" doesn't sound particularly attractive, I couldn't resist as it was located right near Times Square,where I could enjoy the atmosphere from inside.

Inami-san contribted a whopper of a bottle, Kokuryu Shizuku Daiginjo in a 1.8L size. Polished down to 35%, this was extremely gentle, fruity, and deep.

My contribution was Ama No To "Umashiné" Tokubetsu Junmai.

Much more traditional in style, I really enjoy the rich umami of Umashiné.

A shochu made an appearance, and a rare one at that - Hozan red label made with sweet potato koji mold. Soft, complex, and delicious.

I am sure that wlcoming the New Years with Umashiné will bring good luck in 2009!

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-16T21:30:00.005-04:00

The day after touching down, I attended the Akita Saké Tasting. Of course, I was jet-lagged, but the good thing was, I was able to sleep in. What's a litte saké for breakfast?

My enjoyment of these sakés were amplified, with the trip to Akita still fresh in my mind. For example, any time I have Ama No To, I am reminded of times like this.

In the following days, I met up with friends to share the tales from my trip. This should come as no surprise to say that the sakés I chose were bottles that were fresh in my memory, such as the time I brought Také No Tsuyu Tokubetsu Junmai to a friend's place.

Of course, I also had to go to Sakagura. My drink of choice was Hakuro Suishu. (I believe I might have depleted their inventory through subsequent visits.)

The food selection was slanted towards various type of meat, which is a rarity for Daiginjo-grade saké, but at this point, I can convince myself that anything would have paired well with Hakuro Suishu.

11/13/08 - Day 14 Part II: Food for Thought

2009-07-12T14:47:00.007-04:00

Having added few bottles to my luggage, my priority was to get to the Airport ealry to unload. As the flight was scheduled for early afternoon, most of my time was spent inside the airport.

I picked up few books, walked through countless souvenier shops, and of course, hit the food court for lunch.

One of the great thing about Japanese restaurants is the visually-driven storefront menu. You see these at practically every restaurant.

These plastic models give you a very good idea of what to expect, and in fact, will make you hungry just looking at them - a tremendous marketing tool, if you ask me. I wonder why we don't have these in the States?

Since my first meal was ramen, I figured the last one be might as well. From symbolic standpoint, after a night of drinking, it is customary to finish with ramen - it's just that my night lasted 14 days. Scanning the menu, I decided on this ramen and curry set.

So, what did the real thing look like in comparison?

Not too bad, eh?

11/13/08: Day 14 in Japan Part I - Trains of Japan Part II

2009-07-08T22:42:00.006-04:00

Following the earlier installment, here's part II of the trains of Japan.

Space age-like interior of Shinkansen Hikari(ひらり), which I took from Tokyo to Shin Osaka.

This massive structure of steel and glass is the Kyoto station.

Shinano(しなの), which I took on the Nagoya leg during my visit to Shichiken Brewery in Yamanashi.

Returning from Yamanashi to Tokyo, I took Super Azusa(スーパーあずさ).

View of the rail tracks of the Yamanoté Line.

Traveling from Tokyo to Kamakura is done on Yokosuka Line (横須賀線).

Kamakura also is the terminal for Enoden(江ノ電), which we took to go to my home town of Gokurakuji.

Kamakura leg of Enoden goes through narrow residential areas. Here is a view of the tracks between Yuigahama and Hasé Stations.

A mountain separates Hasé and Gokurakuji. This is the tunnel through the mountain.

Emerging from the tunnel.

After all is said and done, it's time to head to Narita Airport taking NEX...

11/12/08: Day 13 in Japan Part III - Yokohama

2009-06-03T20:43:00.008-04:00

I can't remember the last time I was in Yokohama, the city by the bay. Fortunately, my friend Yuka is from Yokohama, and she has agree to take me to the newly developed area as well as introducing me to a delicious dinner.
鎌倉育ちなのに、横浜で遊んだ記憶は無い。Yukaさんは横浜出身なので、案内してくれた。しかも、夜はあるレストランに紹介してくれると。

This is the area by the harbor, with decomissioned "Nihonmaru" Memorial Park backed by "Cosmo Clock 21" ferris wheel.
最近よくテレビでみる「横浜みなとみらい21」の夜景。日本丸メモリアル・パーク、コスモクロック21が綺麗。

What I thought was a random picture of a building turned out to be Yokohama Landmark Tower, which is the tallest building in Japan at 295.8 meters (approximately 970'). It is the 44th tallest building in the world.
適当に撮ったビルは、実は日本一高い超高層ビルの横浜ランドマークタワー。295.8メートルのビルは世界で第44位の高さ。

After walking around the bay area, we were ready for dinner. Yuka introduced me to Banri, the restaurant said to be the first to introduce Gyoza dumplings to Japan.
一日中歩き回ったので、さすがにお腹が減ってきた。Yukaさんが紹介してくれたのが北京料理亭の萬里(ばんり)。萬里は日本で始めて餃子を売り出した店らしい。

Entry way.
入り口。

The famed fried dumplings.
噂の焼き餃子。

The skin was thin but chewy, with juicy fillings. Just what we needed!
皮は薄いけどもちもち感があり、具もジューシーで最高。

Of course, when you go to Chinese restaurant, you have to try Chinese saké. They are aged, with heavily oxidized flavor that I find less than pleasing.
中華料理亭では当然、紹興酒。基本的には、酸化した味が濃い紹興酒は好きではない。

But, Yuka introduced a great way to have Chinese saké, which is to warm it up first then serve it on the rocks. This method really rounds out the flavor to make it more drinkable.
でも、Yukaさんが飲むのにいい方法を教えてくれた。最初は燗にして雑味を飛ばし、ロックスで味をまろやかにする。意外と悪くは無かった。

As they serve over 100 different dishes, so we sampled a few dishes：
萬里では100種類上揃っているので、数品オーダーした：

11/12/08: Day 13 in Japan Part II - Kamakura

2009-05-25T22:31:00.011-04:00

The next destination was Kamakura. All the walking worked up our appetite, and there is one place to go: Kayagiya.
大仏様の次は鎌倉見学。結構歩いたので、腹が空いてきた。エネルギー回復のランチには茅木屋に行くしかない。

Kayagiya specializes in eel dishes. The combination of fatty eel with their secret sauce cannot be surpassed.
茅木屋は鰻の専門店。脂が乗った鰻の蒲焼きと秘伝のタレの組み合わせがたまらない。

The lunch set includes clear soup and Japanese pickles.
うな丼セットはお吸い物と漬物込み。

Kamakura came into prominence in 1192 AD, becoming the first capital of the East under the reign of Genji clan. The giant Torii gate welcomes visitor to the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
鎌倉は源頼朝により建久3年に幕府がおかれた。鶴岡八幡宮の足元には巨大な鳥居が。

Beyond the Torii is the highly arched Taiko-Bashi, or "Drum Bridge."
太鼓橋。

The sign for the Shrine incorporates pigeons.
本宮のサインには鳩の姿が。

The main hall.
本宮。

Right at the base of the Shrine are couple of ponds, collectively named Genpei Pond. Genpei signifies ruling Genji Clan and rival Heiké Clan. In the vicinity of the Genji Pond is series of flags dedicated to goddess Benzaiten.
源平池の旗上弁財天社近辺に飾られている旗。

On this particular day, there were series of display of chrysanthemums. This one was absolutely brilliant.
今日は偶々菊の祭が行われていた。

Side view of Taiko-Bashi, connecting Genji Pond and Heiké Pond.
源氏池と平家池を跨ぐ太鼓橋。

Interior of a saké shop near the vicinity of the Shrine. Because of the dinner plans and not enough space in my luggage, I had to pass on saké purchase.
八幡宮近辺の酒屋。夜は外食するし、荷物も多すぎたので、酒は買わなかった。

Even though I just had lunch, I had to have Kamakura croquette. This particular one is made from purple potato.
おやつは最近注目されている鎌倉のコロッケ。選んだのは綾紫。

Yum!
うめ~!

Maybe I shouldn't have eaten so close to dinner time...
夕飯直前に食べなかった方が良かったかも...

11/12/08: Day 13 in Japan Part I - Home Sweet Home

2009-05-25T19:50:00.011-04:00

Today is my last full day in Japan, and as usual, a busy schedule awaits. First on the itinerary was Gokurakuji, my home town.
日本旅行もついに最終日。今日も凝縮な一日が待っていた。先ず向かったのが、故郷の極楽寺。

I met up with my friend Yuka. Here we are in front of the Gokurakuji station.
今日もユカさんに付き合ってもらった。江ノ電の極楽寺駅前。

Once arriving, we headed to the house where I grew up. It's hard to believe that this house has been built for over 30 years now.
駅から、旧篠崎家へ向かった。この家が建ってから30年以上過ぎたとは信じられない。

Our grandparent's property, however, looks quite different.
おじいちゃんが住んでいた土地は随分違う様子。

Our home is located on a mountainside. Here is the view of Zaimokuji beach from the mountain top.
極楽寺近辺は山が多い。これは近所の山から見る材木座海岸。

Next to Gokurakuji is town of Hase, home to the Great Buddha.
極楽寺の隣は大仏さんで有名な長谷。

Getting closer...
見えてきた...

The familiar sight of home sweet home.
大仏さんを見ると、ホーム・スイート・ホーム。

11/11/08: Day 12 in Japan Part II - Tsukushi No Ko

2009-05-13T07:29:00.015-04:00

Tonight marks the return to Izakaya
that was recommended by Sakurai-san of Dassai. I tried to go earlier, but a lost in translation moment resulted in missed connections.
今晩は獺祭の桜井さんがお勧めした居酒屋へ向かった。実は、以前に伺ったけど、連絡ミスで断れた。

I had no such issues this time around. Tsukushi No Ko specializes in saké, and does not carry shochu, beer, or wine. Impressively, most of the selections are nama.
今晩は問題なく入れた。「つくしくしのこ」では日本酒専門店なので、焼酎、ビール、ワインなどは無い。しかも、セレクションのほとんどが生酒。

The place is small, seating about 2 dozen customers per session. On the wall are selecions of saké, with similar font as found on bottles.
「つくしのこ」は比較的に小さな居酒屋。壁には酒メニューがボトルのラベルと同じスタイルで
飾られている。

This is what you get when you order a beer - Dassai sparkling saké.
「つくしのこ」でビールを頼めば、獺祭の発泡にごりが現れた。

Having a toast with my friend Yuka, who I know from New York.
今晩はNYからの知り合いのユカさんと乾杯。

Incidentally, Dassai Sparkling was featured in Manga comic.
ちなみに、獺祭の発泡にごり酒は漫画でもフィーチャーされていた。

The food at Tsukushi No Ko can be best described as taste of home, cooked courtesy of the mother of the store manager. We ordered these great dishes:
「つくしくしのこ」の料理はおふくろの味。店長のお母さんが一品づつ丁寧に作ってくれる。今晩の注文は遠慮しなかった：

These 9 dishes and sakés to match set each of us back mere $58 each. Unheard of in NY...
9品と酒の飲み放題で、一人￥6,000。NYではありえない...

Here I am with the manager. I will certainly be back the next time I am in town!
店長のとおるさんと記念写真。また伺いますので、よろしく!

11/11/08: Day 12 in Japan Part I - Family Crest

2009-05-09T18:34:00.010-04:00

After a quick but fun visit to Shichiken, I am headed back to Tokyo for the last leg of the trip. My agenda today is to meet up with my uncle and aunt who happen to be in the town for lunch.
七賢の訪問はあっという間でした。今日は早朝から東京へ向かい、日本に尋ねている家族とランチで合流する予定。いよいよ、この旅の最終段階が近づいてきた...

The people in the first picture are my uncle (your eyes haven't betrayed you, he is Caucasian), and my aunt (Japanese.) When I visited their apartment, they showed my a picture of my great-great-grandfather. I was particularly interested in the designs etched on both sides of his chest, which is our family crest.
写真には叔父のグレッグ(日本人ではありません)と叔母のテルコさん(日本人)。彼らのマンションに訪ねたら、家族の先祖の珍しい写真が飾られていた。私が注目したのは和服の胸に飾られている家紋。

I find Japanese Family crest to be a fascinating traditions, carrying significant meanings. Our family crest symbolizes toughness from a certain type of ~~weed~~ plant, and the fact we belong to a samurai class.
家紋は伝統的なシンボルであり、意味も深い。篠崎家の家紋は「丸に剣片喰」と呼ばれ、雑草の粘り強さと武家の意味が示されている。

Of course, the most respected family crest belongs to the house of the Emperor, modeled after chrysanthemum.
勿論、日本の代表的な家紋は天皇家。

These are the crests for the lieutenants of Shinsengumi.
新撰組局長と組長の家紋。

This is a crest commonly seen in temples, called "Mitsu Domoe."
よく神社などで見られる三つ巴。

The family crests can still be found in many traditional buildings. Of course, it is a common sight in breweries. More I visit the breweries, the more I feel attached to the history of Japan.
家紋は伝統的な建物に飾られる。色々な蔵でも見られるので、歴史を感じる。

11/10/08: Day 11 in Japan - Shichiken Brewery

2009-04-20T21:59:00.010-04:00

My next destination took me to Yamanashi Prefecture, where Shichiken Brewery is located.
今日は七賢の見学のため、山梨県へ向かった。

Yamanashi is a landlocked prefecture, located at the foot of Mount Fuji in central Japan. Yamanashi reminds me a bit of Switzerland, and is famous for their water. In fact, Suntory operates Hakushu Distillery to take advantage of this water.
山梨は山に囲まれ、まるで日本のスイスみたいだ。山梨は水の質で有名で、サントリーも「白州」蒸溜所を持っている。

The brewery is surrounded by the mountains.
勿論、蔵は山に囲まれている。

Decoration around the brewery.
入り口にはおめでたい飾り物が...

The brewery is modern and clean, yet there are plenty of spaces that showcase their history.
七賢はモダンで綺麗な蔵でありながら、歴史を感じる空間も十分ある。

There is calming sense of zen.
和の空間

The high ceiling is supported by these wooden beams.
屋根を支える梁。
Garden from the view of the main guest room.
客間から見える中庭。

These rooms once occupied by Meiji Emperor during his visit in the area.
実はこの客間に明治天皇が宿泊したこともある。

Polishing machine.
蔵自慢の精米機。

Steaming machine and vats of rice
蒸すための機械。

Fermentation tanks.
発酵用のタンク。

Floor above fermentation tanks. The vastness of the area is indicated by scale of size compared with kurabito.
上の階。蔵人を見れば広さが伝わる。

Fermentation in action.
発酵中の酒。

Thermal tank for high grade saké.
大吟醸レベルの酒はサーマルタンクに貯蔵される。

The preferred method of pressing is by Yabuta.
七賢では搾りにやぶたを使用。

Shichiken aims to maximize the character of their water. As a result, they use heavy amount of charcoal during filtration to bring out clean flavors.
七賢は山梨の水の質を生かす酒造りに励んでいる。透明感を出すため、濾過は石炭を多めに。

They also experiment in different styles, from using yeast meant for shochu to aged saké.
七賢はすっきりした酒だけに限らず、黒麹仕込みや古酒などと色々なスタイルをチャレンジしている。

After the tour, Kitahara-san took me to the house restaurant to take advantage of the local ingredients.
見学の後に、北原さんが蔵のレストラン「臺眠」で地元の素材を生かしている料理をご馳走してくれた。
Kitahara-san treated me to a fantastic dinner featurin local igredients at brewery restaurant, "Daimin."

The evening ended with not famous houtou, but plain udon noodles.
〆は山梨名物の「ほうとう」ではなく、うどん。「ほうとう」は現地の方より見学者に人気があるそうだ。

Here is Kitahara-san, son of the President of the brewery. I shared quite a few sakés with him in New York, and it was a pleasure and honor to drink their saké from their brewery.
社長の息子の北原さん。ニューヨークでは飲み友達だったので、地元で彼の酒を飲めたのは光栄でした。

11/9/08: Day 10 in Japan - Food of Kansai

2009-03-29T20:25:00.010-04:00

Kansai region in western Japan is very famous for their food culture. Recently, horumon has been a big hit in Osaka. Although this is parts of animals that may be considered less than desirable, its high collagen content makes it popular among women.

Western Japan is famous for "kona mono," or "powder food" which refer to food made from flour. Ramen is one such food, and one can have pretty heated debate about this particular subject matter. This particular ramen was the Dan Dan Ramen I had at a Chinese restaurant in Kyoto.

I believe that there is some sort of unwritten law that if one orders ramen, it must be accompanied by pork gyoza.

When one thinks of mecca of Kansai food culture, it is Dotonbori in Namba. The big crab is one of the landmarks of Dotonbori.

We stopped by Creoru, and proceeded to have yakisoba for appetizer...

...and okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki means "cooked the way you like it," and it's like a cross between pizza and omelet.

Following Creoru, we went to Tako Masa for their famous tako yaki, which is a hot cooked flour ball stuffed with piece of octopus. It actually tastes much better than it sounds. Nothing is better than a smoldering hot tako yaki and ice cold beer.

Of course, there is nothing better than a well-made saké. This is a bottle of Hakuro Suishu I received from Aisawa-san. Nothing is better than a light, fresh nama after all that food!

11/9/08: Day 10 in Japan - Kobé Shushinkan

2009-03-14T21:30:00.006-04:00

When in Hyogo, I always visit Kobé Shushinkan for their hand-made soba and freshly brewed namazaké. Incidentally, Shushikan produces saké under "Fukuju" label.
灘の酒蔵巡りでは神戸酒心館の手打ち蕎麦と生酒は欠かせない。酒心館は「福寿」の銘柄で有名。

Inside Shushinkan is Sakabayashi restaurant. On this day, their garden was full of lush, fresh vegetables.
レストラン「さかばやし」の庭には美味しそうな野菜が盛んに育っていた。

I had their Junmai Ginjo "Hiyaoroshi" Nama.
注文したのは純米吟醸のひやおろし。

The hard Miyamizu water of Nada is clearly expressed through clean and intense flavor.
この酒には味が確りして切れが良い宮水の特徴が生きていた。

For the appetizer, we had their home-made tofu with yuba tofu skin. The soft texture of the tofu was a great contrast to the lively body of the saké.
前菜には手作りの豆腐と湯葉。豆腐の食感が生酒のスッキリ感を強調する絶品のマッチング。

The main dish was tempura soba.
注文したのは天ぷら蕎麦。

There is nothing like tempura in Japan.
やっぱ、日本で食べる天ぷらは違う...

Because I was going to Osaka in the afternoon, my time at Shushinkan was very limited. That is not to say that I didn't savor every strand of soba...
午後から大阪へ向かうので、酒心館での時間は限られていたが、料理は十分味わった...

11/8/08: Day 9 in Japan Part II - Kiyomizu-dera

2009-03-04T09:23:00.020-05:00

Each time I am in Kyoto, I feel compelled to visit Kiyomizu Temple because of the magnificence of the temple itself and fun atmosphere surrounding the temple.
京都へ行く度、清水寺の魅力に引っ張られる。寺の周りの雰囲気も賑やかで楽しい。

Kiyomizu Temple is established in 798 AD, and its current buildings were constructed in 1633. The construction process is reknowned for not using nails.
清水寺は宝亀９年（７７８）に開創され、寛永１０年（１６３３）に現在の規模に再建された。

The main hall has a veranda at the height of 13 meters (40 feet), and there was a tradition during the Edo Era that one can have their wish come true by jumping from the stage and surviving. (My wish would be to survive the jump.)
本堂は「清水の舞台から飛ぶ…」の諺(ことわざ)で有名な舞台がある。江戸時代では舞台から飛び降りることも流行った。

My visit coincided with the rare opening of a hall that houses rare statues, but unfortunately, photography was prohibited. One of the areas we visited was situated underneath the temple, and it was the darkest room I have ever been. We were supposed to navigate our way through the winding corridors following the guardrail, but I kept bumping into a wall. At the end was a lighted golden statue that appeared like a hologram.
今年は偶然、25年おきの「清水寺御本尊御開」。普段には見られない像の見学は出来たが、写真は許されない。もう1件の像は地下に保存されていた。光が漏れない闇の中、手すりを頼りに迷路をしっかり進んだ。像は奥の部屋にあり、ライトアップされていた。今まで真っ暗だったので、像はホログラムらしく見えた。

After visiting the temple, we made our rounds of the store down the hill and admired the beautiful buildings that feature lot of traditional elements. While there were many eateries, Kiyomizu area is famous for their pottery.
見学の後は、坂を下り、色々な店に立ち寄った。勿論、清水は清水焼が盛ん。

It has been my tradition to make my own Kiyomizu-yaki, and I've made a rice bowl and medium-sized plate during my prior visits. This time, I was looking to make a serving bowl.
以前には茶碗とお皿を作ったので、今回は煮物用の器に挑戦。

The place to go is Kashogama.
お世話になったのが嘉祥窯（かしょうがま）。

It takes 15~20 minutes to shape your ware, and after that, you choose the color.
器の形をとるのには15~20分かかり、満足した時点で色を選ぶ。

Once everything is set, it takes few weeks for the pottery to dry, colored, baked in the kiln, and shipped. (Shipping fee is flat rate of 1,000 yen which is roughly $9.70).
乾燥、色塗り、焼きは数週間かかる。アメリカに届くのには1ヶ月後。海外への送料は激安の1,000円。

Here is my 2008 creation. The total cost was 4,000 yen, or $38.80.
これが2008年の作品。

Believe me, all my cooking seem to taste a lot better now!　
手作りの器だと料理が益々美味しく感じる。

11/8/08: Day 9 in Japan Part I - Shinsengumi

2009-02-03T22:17:00.015-05:00

Today is one of the most highly anticipated day of the trip, as I will take a day trip to Kyoto. One of the first places of visit is the home of Yagi and Maekawa families, which served as a base for the band of samurai known as Shinsengumi (新選組・新撰組).
今日は1年ぶりの京都見学。今回は初めて新選組(新撰組)の本拠の八木邸と前川低を訪ねる。

Mid-1800s was a very interesting time in Japan. With increased pressure from other nations to open the country to trade, the country became divided into those who want to maintain the purity of tradition versus those who preferred modernization. Even those two factions were subdivided among those for the Imperial governance or those in favor of the Shogunate. It is in this turbulant climate that Shinsengumi was formed.
19世紀は日本の歴史でも特に面白い時代である。ペリー将官を初めにして異国から鎖国の扉を開かす命が下りた日本では貿易等で国を生かす開国派と外人を払う攘夷派に分かれてきた。更に、各位の中でも天皇に従う尊王派と幕府に従う佐幕派が争い始めていた。この混乱している環境をきっかけに新選組が生まれた。

The leader of the group was Kondo Isami (近藤勇), dojo master of Shieikan and a practitioner of Ten-nen Rishin Ryu (天然理心流) martial arts.
局長は試衛館道場で鍛えた天然理心流四代目の近藤勇。

Although raised from farmers, Kondo strived hard to prove that he is worthy to be a Samurai, and dedicated himself to the bushido (武士道) warrior code. This belief ultimately formed the creed of "sincerity" (誠 "makoto"), which is evident in their flag.
近藤は百姓の生まれ。その壁を乗り越えすには「武士より武士らしくなる」と誓った。この努力があの「誠」の旗で示されている。

With this belief, Kondo opened up Shinsengumi to fighters of all different backgrounds instead of limiting to Samurai warriors. Although they were initially based in the home of Yagi family, their eventual popularity led to increase in membership.
新選組の兵士採用は武士だけに限らなかった上、応募者も多かった。

When the member grew too large for the Yagi home, they procured Maekawa home right across the street. In order to support the membership financially, Shinsengumi was able to align with Aizu Clan (会津藩) who served under the powerful Tokugawa Shogunate (徳川幕府) and gain recognition as the official guardians of Kyoto.
隊士の応募が八木家も追いつかない勢いであり、手前の前川家も抑えた。新隊士を支える手段として、徳川幕府に従う会津藩の下についた。

Here is the sign for Maekawa home. As evident on the sign and robe from photo #2, Shinsengumi's signature look was the light blue/white combination of triangles.
現在の前川邸のサイン。新選組のダンダラがモチーフ。

Like any organization, Shinsengumi had their share of internal problems. Initially, there were two dominant leaders in Kondo Isami and Serizawa Kamo (芹沢鴨). While Serizawa Sensei was skilled swordman, he was equally ill-tempered. After numerous incidents that defied the Makoto code and defamed the Shinsengumi name, Aizu Clan ordered Kondo to take care of their business. Serizawa-sensei was assassinated by several lieutenants shortly thereafter.
新選組は内部でも政治的な争いがあった。浪士組から新選組に改める直前、試衛館代表の近藤勇と水戸の浪士芹沢鴨、新見錦が局長の務めを果たしていた。芹沢は優れた先生であるが、京では色々乱暴な振舞いを起こしていた。ついに会津藩は芹沢を処分するよう命じた。先ずは新見が罪を払う為に切腹を申し込み、その後、芹沢は試衛館派の隊士に暗殺された。

Serizawa Sensei's grave and few other memorials are located in Mibu Temple, right in the neighborhood.
芹沢先生は壬生寺に眠っている。

Within the Temple, there is an island in a pond that forms the memorial garden.
芹沢先生の墓、新選組隊士の遺跡は池の橋を渡った庭に築かれている。

The legacy of Shinsengumi is interesting. While they were true in their purpose to served the Emperor, once Tokugawa Shogunate fell and Imperial Courts were aligned with the bitter enemies of Satsuma/Choshu alliance (薩長連合), Shinsengumi suddenly became the enemy of the Emperor.
朝廷に忠義を尽くしたのも限らず、徳川幕府が滅びて薩長連合が朝廷を手を組んだ瞬間、時の流れが新撰組を逆賊の立場に追い込んだ。

Shinsengumi fought under the "Makoto" flag until the bitter end. As the culture of battle shifted from sword to guns, Shinsengumi disappeared from history along with rest of the samurai.
新選組は「誠」の旗本で戦ってきたが、最終的には時の流れ、砲術には追いつかなかった。新選組は侍の時代と共にこの世から消えた。

11/7/08: Day 8 in Japan - Trains of Japan Part I

2009-01-25T16:40:00.006-05:00

As today is a travel day, this entry will focus on the trains that I rode in the first half of my trip.

While most of America is automobile-based society, Japan is heavily reliant on rail. Japan boasts perhaps the most modern and cleanest train system in the world.

I used a Japan Railways (JR) Rail Pass, which allows for unlimited rides for predetermined time frame. For my purpsses, I purchased "Green Car" ticket valid for two weeks for 60,000 Yen (about $570 at the time of the purchase.)

Shortly after landing, I took the Narita Express to go from airport located in Chiba Prefecture to Tokyo Station.

The "Green Car" is like the train version of Business Class, and in many cases, they are reserved seats. For Narita Express, the Green Cars had two rows on one side and single across the aisle. I was assigned a single seat, and here is the view across the aisle.

From Tokyo Station, I transfered to Yamanoté Line (山手線) to make a quick trip to Ueno. Here is the imposing view of Tokyo, right off the platform.

I stayed in Ueno the first night, because it was a departing point for "Komachi" Shinkansen (こまち) to Akita.

Komachi is connected to Hayaté Shinkansen (はやて) destined for Aomori. The trains separate at Morioka Station. I boarded Hayaté when traveling to-and-from Iwaté Prefecture (Nanbu Bijin).

In order to get to Yashima, home of Tenju Brewery, I transfered to the local Uetsu Line (羽越本線) once arriving at Akita City. I rode Uetsu Line quite a bit during my travels within Akita.

Further more, I made one more transfer to even more local train at Ugo Honjo Station. This is Chokaisan Roku Line (鳥海山ろく線). And by "even more local," this train ran on diesel as opposed to electricity (note the lack of wire above the train car). This is quite a transition from the Shinkansen...

I came across a different type of train when heading from Akita City to Tsuruoka (Také No Tsuyu, Eiko Fuji). This is "Inaho" Limited Express (特急いなほ). This train reminded me of the modern Japanese trains... from the late 70's/early 80's.

After Tsuruoka, I took Inaho to Niigata where I transfered to Shinkansen "Max Inabiko" (MAX いなびこ).

What's different about MAX Inabiko is that it is a double decker version of the bullet train.

After returning to Tokyo, I took subways to get to Oakwood Midtown near Roppongi then to Meguro. One thing about Japanese subway station is that it is very clean. Take note, MTA!

Here is the interior of the every day commuter train. Unlike the hard plastic seats, Japanese subways and commuter seats have comfortable cushions.

On my way to Osaka, I went through Tokyo Station. Here is one of their ticket gates. In Japan, they use either mangetic tickets or Suica cards. The tickets are inserted into the gates for verification at both entrance and exits, as fares vary according to the distance traveled. I admit I like the MTA pricing policy of $2.00 for a ride regardless of distance!

To get to Osaka, I rode "Hikari" Shinkansen (ひかり). There is a fasster line called Nozomi (のぞみ), but it is excluded from the Rail Pass program.

Here is the interior of the Green Car for Hikari. It is very modern and sleek, which wouldn't be out of place in Star Trek.

Part II of the Trains set will be available at the end of the trip...

11/6/08: Day 7 in Japan Part II - Back to Tokyo

2009-01-20T22:36:00.010-05:00

After my too brief visit at Eiko Fuji, I was on my way to Tokyo via Shinkansen. The train left Tsuruoka, and headed to Tokyo via Niigata. Niigata is famous for rice, and it's easy to see why - miles and miles of rice paddies surrounded by mountains and cool breeze of Japan Sea.

短過ぎた栄光富士の訪問の後はまた新幹線の旅。今回は鶴岡発で、新潟経由で東京へ向かった。永遠と広ばる田圃は山脈に囲まれ、日本海から涼しい風を受け、米育ちに最高な環境とは言うまででも無い。

I checked into a hotel in Meguro area of Tokyo, as I was planning on visiting a certain izakaya famous among saké brewers and fans. But before that, my reunion with former neighbor Namiko-san awaits.

As Namiko-san works for Veuve Clicquot, we were invited to a wine party at Oakwood Premier Tokyo Midtown, a premium newly built long-term builf rental facility. Here I am with Namiko-san and Ludo from Oakwood.

東京では獺祭の桜井さんがお勧めする北尻大橋の居酒屋へ向かう予定があったので、ホテルは目黒区。だが、その前にニューヨークの近所の友達と再会する約束が。

洋子さんは現在シャンパンで有名なVeuve Clicquot社に勤め、その接待でOakwood Premier 東京 Midtownのワイン会に誘われた。これは洋子さんとOakwoodのルドさん。

We had such a good time, that by the time we left Oakwood it was well past 9:00 pm. Unfortunately, we were unable to gain entry to the izakaya as we were late. Thus, we had to find a backup plan, and found Ginza Kan izakaya in the neighborhood.
ワイン会では盛り上がり、会から離れたのは9:00過ぎ。目的の居酒屋へ向かったら、遅すぎてあっさり断れた。その代わりに近所にある銀座Kanレストランに立ち寄ることにした。

Ginza Kan is modern-Japanese in style, and menu is presented in Japanese paper.
銀座Kanはモダンな和が溢れる空間で、メニューも和紙に。

As enjoyable the time spent at Ginza Kan, we were still somewhat disappointed. Best solution was to try some of their sakés.
銀座Kanは楽しかったが、我々は落ち込んでいた。仕方が無いので酒を飲んだ。

The food was delicious. This particular dish is minced chicken skewer. We didn't stay out too long, as I was tired from my trip. Next stop is Osaka.
こちらの飯は美味かった。この一品は鶏のつくね。今晩は旅の疲れのおかげでそれほど遅く飲まなかった。明日は大阪へ。

11/6/08: Day 7 in Japan Part I - Visiting Eiko Fuji Brewery

2009-01-19T19:40:00.008-05:00

Shortly after emerging from my morning onsen session, I was greeted by Kato-san from Eiko Fuji Brewery. Although Eiko Fuji is a recent entrant in the NY market, it is one of my favorites.
朝の温泉から上がった直後、栄光富士の加藤さんがわざわざ竹の露まで向かいに来てくれていた。栄光富士はつい最近、ニューヨークでも販売されられた銘柄で、個人的には好みなタイプ。

We arrived at Eiko Fuji after driving 30 minutes northwest towards Shonai Airport. Greeting us was an building from different generation.
栄光富士は竹の露から車で庄内空港方面へ30分程運転して到着。時代を遡る立派な建物が迎えてくれた。

As I needed to head to Tokyo by afternoon, I was pressed for time. Upon arriving, Kato-san took me on the tour of the premises. The steamer was the first stop, right by the entrance.
今日は午後に東京へ向かう為、時間は限られていた。到着し真直ぐ蔵元見学へ飛び込んだ。入り口の近くには蒸釜。

The brewery is spacious to a point where Kato-san kept saying that Eiko Fuji is not the most efficient operation. Thus, brewers had to run to koji room before rice cooled off. Located right next to the koji room is Yabuta press.
栄光富士は広く、加藤さんは常に「効率が悪い」と言っていた。蒸舞が冷め無い様、蔵人は遠い麹室へ猛ラッシュ。麹室の隣はヤブタ。

Fermentation tanks.
醗酵用のタンク。

Storage tanks.
貯蔵用のタンク。

More sets of fermentation tanks.
醗酵用のタンク#2。

Machine for labelling bottles.
ラベル取り付けの機械。

Area for bottle storage.
倉庫。

After the tour, I was guided to the guest room. There was a bottle display right by the entrance; the "Ari Kato" labels on the right is for exclusive distribution in Japan.
見学の後は蔵の客間へ。入り口の近くには避けボトルのディスプレーが。右側の「有加藤」の銘柄は日本国内専用品。

There is an old brewery sign displayed in the first tatami room.
最初の畳部屋には蔵の古いサインが飾られている。

In the second room, I noticed a nice room divider with gold fan motif.
隣の部屋には金箔の間仕切りが。

For this tasting, Kato-san prepared four selections: traditionally styled Banryu Honjozo, mellow yet clean "Jungetsu" Junmai, clean and dry "Shinki" Junmai Ginjo, and highly aromatic and deep "Kozakaya No Hitoriyogari" Daiginjo. The only regret was that I wasn't able to enjoy a long drink with Kato-san.
利き酒の為、加藤さんは4種類のお酒を選択：いかにも「酒」らしい味がする「万流」、優しい米の味がする「純月」純米酒、スッキリ感が溢れる「心鍵」純米吟醸、香ばしく味が深い古酒屋のひとりよがり」大吟醸。この度、加藤さんとゆっくり飲めなかったのは残念。

11/5/08: Onsen Hot Springs

2009-01-01T21:31:00.008-05:00

(今回は外人に温泉のコンセプトを説明するので、英語オンリーで行きます。)

I've mentioned onsen hot springs several times in the past. It is rather unusual concept in the US, and it goes beyond the idea of "public bath."

(For obvious reasons, I do not have photographs for this entry...)

Japan is an island nation with considerable volcanic activities. Although this creates some major isues (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.), the Japanese can take consolation in enjoying natural hot springs as a byproduct of these dangerous heat-induced activities.

As the soil composition varies based on location and depth, the mineral composition of the onsen varies.

Onsen facilities have multiple areas. The first is the locker room, where in addition to changing, you can also groom yourself. Once in the onsen area, the first place where you would need to go is the washing area. As bath is communal, it is important that each bather go to the washing area and thoroughly wash their bodies.

Once cleansed, bathers are ready to enjoy the amenities, which may include bath with different mineral compositions, area with jacuzzi-like jet stream, soft bubbles, steam room, spa, cold bath, and if lucky, outdoor "rotenburo." Again, it is important to note that after going into the steam room or spa, one need to shower off sweat before re-entering communal bath.

On 11/4/08, I stayed at Hotel Grantia in Akita City. One night stay included single room, set dinner, breakfast buffet, and unlimited access to the hot springs for a very reasonable price of $70. Here is the Japanese site.

In this particular onsen, the color is rust due to the composition of sodium (natrium). The bath temperature is 92.5F with Ph level of +7.5. These properties are said to be ideal to treat fatigue, muscle ache, joint ache, and indigestion, among others. Naturally, I spent considerable time in the evening and following morning relaxing!

Here is the floor plan. Scrolling over dotted areas will open the photographs.

The following night, my stay at Také No Tsuyu allowed me to visit Yupoka Onsen on the adjoining property. As you may recall, construction of Yupoka resulted in a certain accident. Nevertheless, Aisawa-san was more than happy to take me there in the evening of the 5th and morning of the 6th. The entry fee was about $4.00 per visit, and in the morning, I ordered "breakfast set" ($9.50) which also included buffet-style Japanese traditional breakfast.

Unlike the onsen at Grantia hotel, the water was clear. Although I was given about one hour on my each visit, the time seemed to fly very quickly. Perhaps my best memory was sitting in the outside "rotenburo" during the evening, with a lone pine tree and being bathed by a moonbeam from a full moon. Only thing lacking was a bottle of Hakuro Suishu...

11/5/08: Day 6 in Japan Part II - Water and Rice of Také No Tsuyu

2008-12-20T09:28:00.014-05:00

This entry will focus on the water and rice of Také No Tsuyu Brewery.

今回は竹の露の命と言われる水と米の説明。

WATER・水

What do carp in a pond has to do with the water? Actually, a lot. Také No Tsuyu has been using city water sourced from Mt. Gassan, which was ideal for brewing sakés.

Unfortunately, the city changed source of water to the detriment of the brewery about 7 years ago. Right around this time, an developer was digging a deep well in the adjoinig property to find onsen hot spring to open up a spa.

Tapping well water can be risky. Depending on the water pressure, the water could slowly reach the surface, or aggressively gush out like a geyser. In this case, the latter took place. Unfortunately for Aisawa-san, he quickly found out that carp were not as fond of the concept of hot spring as us.

Rather than seeking compensation for the now extinct fleet of carp, Aisawa-san asked for the soil data from excavation.

この鯉にはある意味がある。2001年までは、竹の露は月山から流れてくる市導水で酒造りを行っていた。7年前、市は水を酒造りに不適切なのに切り替えた。丁度その頃、建築会社が隣の土地で温泉用の井戸を深く掘っていた。

湧き出てくる水は、圧力により勢いが変わる。この場合、激しい勢いで水が沸き、竹の露も含め辺りは洪水の状態。この時、相沢さんは鯉は人間と違い温泉と合わない事実に気が付いた。

相沢さんは賠償金の代わりに、建築会社から土のデータを要求した。

When the water runs through the ground, the different sediment layers behave like a filter. Therefore, understanding how these sediments are layered can help predict the quality of the water. Aisawa-san prefers to use soft water, and he eyed depth of 300m (984').

The photograph is of this water inside the holding tank. Aisawa-san estimates that the water has been resting inside Mt. Gassan for 5,000 years. The inner wall of the holding tank is white, and the aqua color of the water seems unreal. (Color of the photo has not been altered in any way.)

This refreshing yet soft and delicious water is the basis of Také No Tsuyu sakés since 2002.

土は水が流れると各レイヤーがフィルターみたいな役目になる。そのレイヤーの仕組みを分析すれば湧き水の質が大体解る。相沢さんは柔らかい軟水を望み、その水が300メータの深さにあると読んだ。

この写真は300メータの深さから湧いてきた仕込水、「天然弱アルカリ無菌超軟水」。月山の中に5000年眠っていた水。貯蔵タンクの中は真っ白で、それに対した水色の水はまるで嘘みたい。(写真の色の調整は一切していません。)

このスッキリしながら柔らかく美味しい仕込水が竹の露の味を2002年から支えている。

RICE・酒米

Také No Tsuyu uses local rice for their sakés. They include, among others, Dewa No Yuki, Miyamanishiki, Kairyo Shinko, Kyo No Hana, Yamadanishiki harvested in Tsuruoka, Dewasansan, and Kamé No O. Aisawa-san studies the protein content of the rice every year, and determine appropriate polishing ratio for each rice. Lack of adequate milling means poor water absorption, making it difficult for koji mold to access protein. On the other hand, polishing too much results in extremely mushy conditions. If rice distintegrates to a point it coats other bits of rice, then koji mold will feast on the outer coat and not reach the protein.
竹の露は現地栽培の米を中心に酒造りを行っている。主な種類は出羽の里、美山錦、改良信交、京の華、鶴岡山田錦、出羽燦々、亀の尾。毎年、米の心拍に応じて精米歩合の調整を行う。磨くのが足りなければ給水率が落ちその分、麹菌が心拍に混ざらない恐れがある。磨き過ぎたら澱粉が蕩け、他の米粒に余計なコートを塗る。この場合、麹菌は外側のコートに食いつき、心拍にたどり着かない。

Before polishing, there is a process to unify size. This process is handled by a machine called grader, which acts like a coarse mesh filter. Due to fine harvest, Aisawa-san is using Dewasansan rice that is at least 2.10mm instead of the usual 2.00 mm.
精米する前に、グレーダーと呼ばれる回転網を使い、米のサイズを統一される。ちなみに、今年の出羽燦々は素晴らしい粒張で仕上がったため、通常の2.00mmサイズを上まる「A網2.10mmサイズ」で整粒されました。

From this point on, I'll explain the late night work. The timing of my visit coincided with cultivation of koji for daiginjo. This is the daiginjo koji resting.
ここからは深夜の作業に関する説明。私が訪れた時は、大吟醸の麹を仕込んでいた。これが麹室で準備されてる麹。

Every one hour and half, brewers mix the koji rice to balance out the temperature and moisture. The box is tapped twice on the left, right, top, then bottom before the rice is spread out evenly. According to Aisawa-san, the one-and-half hour shift coincides with the human sleep cycle. Each shift lasts 2 weeks.
毎晩、一時間半おきに蔵人が麹の作業を行う。この作業は、箱を二回左、右、上、下と叩き、麹を平らに整える。麹に快適な温度と湿度を保つ必要な調整である。相沢さんによれば、一時間半の作業は人間の睡眠パターンに合う。蔵人は2週間おきに交代しながら作業を続ける。

I gave this a try, but it was more difficult than it seemed. Aisawa-san's advice was to imagine "Karesansui," which is a formation of the Zen rock garden.

私も挑戦してみたが、意外と難しい。相沢さんは「KCさん、枯山水を思い浮かべて下さい」とアドバイスを与えてくれた。

Does this remind you of the rock garden?
枯山水に似てますか?

At Také No Tsuyu, saké is brewed in a clean environment by brewers dedicated to their craft. In a way, I got to witness the old Japanese spirit in the form of their careful craftmanship and determination. As a Japanese, nothing makes me more proud than to see the old Japanese spirit and tradition kept alive by these craftsmen.

Anytime I enjoy Také No Tsuyu sakés, I can fully appreciate the water, rice, and people (Japanese spirit) of Yamagata. What more can I ask?

竹の露では清潔な環境で蔵人が酒造りに一心に励んでいる。プロセスには近道を通らず、丁寧に作業している根性は現代の大和魂と言ってもおかしくない。蔵人の姿を見ると、私は日本人として生まれて良かったと思う。

毎回竹の露を飲む度、山形の水、米、人(魂)を思い浮かべる。私にしては、これ以上贅沢なことは無い。

11/5/08: Day 6 in Japan Part I - Visiting Také No Tsuyu Brewery

2008-12-14T15:47:00.012-05:00

After a nice morning dip in the onsen hot spring, I was on my way to Akita Station to board Shinkansen. On my agenda today is visiting Také No Tsuyu Brewery, located in Haguro Village in the city of Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture. Welcoming me at Tsuruoka Station was Aisawa-san.

今朝は温泉に入り、秋田駅へ。今日は竹の露合資会社の見学の為、山形県鶴岡市羽黒町へ向う予定。鶴岡駅では相沢さんがお迎えに来てくれた。

First thing we did after arriving at the brewery was to go out for lunch. Aisawa-san chose a local restaurant located amidst rice paddies, known for their hand-made soba. "Yama No Sobaya" specializes in thick and coarse "inaka-style" soba. We ordered the hot version, with its generous topping of roast pork and fried tofu. The combination of flavorful soup and firm texture of the soba was simply out of this world.
蔵元に到着したら真っ先にランチ。相沢さんのお勧めは田んぼに囲まれた「山の蕎麦屋」で田舎蕎麦。蕎麦は自家栽培で、ジューシーなチャーシューと油揚げ付き。味が確りした蕎麦汁と蕎麦の歯ごたえが最高。

Mr. and Mrs. Aisawa in front of the entrance to the brewery.
相沢夫婦と蔵の前で記念写真。

My first impression about Také No Tsuyu is extremely clean. That is not to say that other breweries are filthy, but at Také No Tsuyu, nothing seemed out of place.
蔵の印象と言えば、清潔感が溢れる。これは決して他の蔵が不潔と言う事では無く、竹の露の全てがキッチリされているからだ。

The first place Aisawa-san showed me was the tank where they keep well water. (The next entry will be dedicated to the water and rice of Také No Tsuyu.) Needless to say, Aisawa-san takes great pride in his water.
蔵の見学は水の説明から始まった。これが井戸水の貯蔵タンク。(次のポストは竹の露の水・米の詳しい説明。)相沢さんの話を聞くと、「水は命」の意味が十分解る。

This machine steams then cools the rice.
米を蒸してから冷やすマシーン。

Tank for the yeast starter. The aroma is quite something.
酒母タンク。酒母の香りも最高。

Nestled in the back of the brewery are fermentation tanks.
蔵の置くには仕込みのタンクが。

Right outside this room is a bamboo forest that inspired the name of the brewery (loosely translated as, "Bamboo Dew.") The shade offered by bamboo forest and cool draft descending Mt. Gassan provide ideal environment for aging and storing saké, even over the summer.
仕込みタンク部屋を囲んでいるのは蔵の名前の由来になる竹林。竹林の木陰と月山おろしが夏でも醗酵・貯蔵に快適な環境を作ってくれる。

This machine manages cultivation of koji mold. Their data management is very meticulous.
これは純米酒用の麹を管理する機械。竹の露ではデータの管理も徹底している。

Daiginjo-grade koji mold is manually managed by brewers in koji room in the 2nd floor.
大吟醸用の麹は2階の麹室で。勿論、職人の手作業。

After the tour, I went to onsen hot spring, then Aisawa-san took us for sushi dinner. Také No Tsuyu sakés went exceptionally well with the finely prepared sashimi by the sushi master of Happo Sushi. As we came straight from the hot springs, we don't have pictures for obvious reasons. After returning to brewery, we prepared for some evening work. Of course, preparation involved indulging in Hakuro Suishu sakés...
見学の後は先ず温泉。入浴後は和服へ着替えて、すし屋へ向かった。「八方すし」はマスターが繊細な腕を披露し、刺身と「竹の露」のお酒は最高のペアリング。温泉から直接向かったので、残念だが写真は無い。蔵に戻ったら、夜の作業の準備。その意味は「はくろすいしゅを」を飲むことであった...

11/4/08: Day 5 in Japan Part II - Akita Nagaya Sakaba

2008-11-29T14:38:00.022-05:00

At the end of Ama No To event held in Akita City on Day 3, we went to a great saké bar. As I am spending the night in the same Akita City before traveling to Yamagata, it goes without saying that I'll enjoy my drinks at Akita Nagaya Sakaba.

日本到着して3日目の夜、秋田市で行われた天の戸応援会の次に。最高な居酒屋に立ち寄った覚えがある。山形県へ向かう途中の今晩は秋田市で一泊するので、一杯する場所は言うまでも無く秋田長屋酒場。

Namahagé mask is used for a year-end festival to ward off evil spirits.
日本三大祭の一つと認められている「なまはげ」のマスク。

I wonder what saké I should drink... let me think long and hard...
この居酒屋ではどのお酒を注文するべきか、迷いますな～。

As I was by myself, I sat at the counter seat. In the middle is a hibachi grill.
今晩は1人なので、カウンター席で。七輪も設備されている。

No, this is not a corn dog. It's acutally a miso-grilled Kiritanpo, a famous Akita cuisine made using Akita Komachi rice. It went very well with all three sakés I ordered (Kariho Rokushu, Ama No To Umashiné, Ama No To Junkara.) I ordered Kariho (SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.7, Rice: Miyamanishiki, Seimaibuai: 57%), as they were out of Ama No To "Kamé No O Shikomi" Junmai Ginjo. Kariho was excellent: refreshing, crisp, and clean. 　
秋田名物のキリタンポ味噌田楽。この一品は今晩飲んだ三種類のお酒全部に合った(刈穂「六舟」吟醸、天の戸「美稲」、天の戸「純辛」。) 売り切れの天の戸「亀の尾仕込み」純米吟醸生の代わりに頼んだ刈穂「六舟」 (日本酒度＋５、酸度１．7、原料米美山錦、精米歩合 57％)はスッキリ感がする爽やかな辛口。

The onsen hotel I am staying includes dinner, so I ended my visit with butter- sauteed maitaké mushrooms cooked in aluminum foil.
泊まる温泉ホテルは夕食込みなので、ここでの注文はやや軽めで。〆は「舞茸ホイルバター焼き」。

Luckily for me, the staff remembered me from two nights ago, and were extremely friendly and kind with their services. With great food, saké selection and friendly staff, I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're in Akita.
店のスタッフさん達が私を覚えていてくれて、とても親切なサービスに恵まれました。美味い郷料理と地酒、親切なサービス、本当に最高の一晩でした。秋田市に行かれる方々には是非お勧めの居酒屋。

11/4/08: Day 5 in Japan Part I: Nanbu Bijin Experience

2008-11-26T10:30:00.020-05:00

Today called for another early wake up, this time at 6:30 am. Today's agenda is to tour Nanbu Bijin Brewery. In addition, Kuji-san has arranged for me to participate in parts of the brewing process, something I've seen but never done before.

To see Nanbu Bijin's account of my visit, please click here.

今朝も6:30の早起き。今日は南部美人の見学で、久慈さんが酒造にも手を触らしてくれる。今まででは酒造りは十分拝見しているが、手伝うのは初経験になる。

この件は南部美人さんのブログにも書き込まれましたので、ご参考下さい。

The first thing Matumori Brewmaster did was to check the tanks and gather data.
最初には松森杜氏が醗酵中のタンクをチェックし、データの取得。

The fermentation in this tank is very vibrant. To control the fermentation, they've added extra lip to the tank as well as machine that pops the bubbles to keep from overflowing.
このタンクは結構アクティブ。泡が溢れるのを抑える為、タンクには木のふちと泡を潰す機械が設備された。

Here, I find the tag for Tank #1 which we got to taste last night. It says, "October 8, Batch #1, Shiboritaté Nama."
昨夜搾って飲んだ第一号の札を発見。

Tank #7 is a Tokubetu Junmai Nama slated to be shipped to the US. Fermentation began 10 days after Batch #1.
アメリカ用のタンクは第7号。仕込みは1号から10日後に始まった。

My first assignment is to mix the mash.
最初の仕事はモロミを混ぜる作業。

Mixing the new batch is a very hard work, as it is mostly solid,.
仕込み始めたばかりのモロミは硬いので、かき混ぜるのには相当な体力が必要。

After the rice is steamed...
酒米は蒸してから...

it is shoveled into...
スコップで...

a machine where...
ある機械へ放り投げ込まれ...

it is cooled then separated by the brewers.
コンベヤーを通り冷やされ、蔵人に解される。

The rice is then packed into sacks, and sent upstairs to the Koji Room.
解された米は袋に詰められ、2階の麹室へ。

Nanbu Bijin uses silk sack instead of can when sprinkling Koji mold. This task is tougher than it looks. To sprinkle the mold, you must maintain the right rhythm. I was so focused and tight during my first attempt that I was actually told, “you know, you really ought to breathe.” To appreciate the difficulty, put three quarters in a dress sock, and shake it so that the quarters bounce and make sharp clinking sound each time.
南部美人は麹菌を蒔く時には缶ではなくシルクの袋を使う。これは見た目よりハードな仕事。振るタイミングが崩れると菌は出ない。振っている途中に“あなた、息した方が良いですよ”と言われるほど自分は緊張していた。実験としては、100円玉3個ソックスに入れ、しっかり「カチン!カチン!」と音が出る様、上下に振ってみよ。

Working in the Koji Room made the biggest impression. After sprinkling the koji mold, the job was to mix the rice and manage the temperature. We used digital thermometer to track temperature, and brewers made small adjustments by opening and closing the door. They really live in a world where a mere half a degree makes difference. When the koji rice is down to about 32.5C, then it is neatly wrapped for resting.
麹室の仕事の印象が深く残った。麹菌を蒔く作業の直後は米のかき混ぜと温度の調整。麹米は常にデジタル温度計で温度を測り、室のドアを開けたりしながら妙な温度調整を行う。この作業は0.5℃の勝負と言ってもおかしくない。32.5℃未満に下がった時、丁寧に包み、しばらく寝かせる。

Although I don’t have the photo, the next assignment was making boxes for shipping. This was low pressure job by comparison, but in the worst case, screwing up here can result in breakage and waste all the previous efforts. Thus, the importance of this job cannot be understated.
写真は撮ってないが、次の仕事は出品用の箱作り。これは比較的にはプレッシャーが低いけど、最悪な場合はビンが割れ酒が台無しになる。酒造りのプロセスとしては欠かせない重要な作業。

After boxing, we had lunch. Because last night’s ramen was a huge hit with the gang, Kuji-san asked the kitchen to make the Nanbu Bijin-style ramen. My first serving was the traditional soy ramen, while the second was miso. The soup was rich and balanced, and exactly what we needed.
箱作りの後は昼飯。実は、昨夜ラーメンで皆が相当盛り上がった為、久慈さんが蔵の厨房へ南部美人風のラーメンを申し込んだ。蔵人大感激。最初の一杯は醤油ラーメンで、二杯目は味噌ラーメン。汁もこくがありバランスが良く、最高の味。

After extended lunch break, I assisted in preparing rice for steaming the next day. As there are several layers in the steamer, my job was to make sure each layer was evenly distributed.
休みの後は翌日に蒸す米の準備。これは米を4～5枚のレイヤーにして蒸すため、丁寧に広げる作業。

Posing ith Kuji-san. My work day ended around 5:00 pm, as I had to go catch a train to Akita City.

As I am traveling from Ninohé to Akita City, I kept thinking of how people throughout the trip has been very generous in welcoming me into their domain and letting me participat in these rare experiences. I will forever be grateful to everyone.

久慈さんとポーズ。仕事は5時で上がり、秋田市へ向かう準備をした。

新幹線の中で振り返って見れば、私は非常にラッキーであると感じた。何所でも私を歓迎してくれ、更に普段には出来ないことを色々と経験させてもらった。皆様へのご恩は一生忘れませぬ。

11/3/08: Day 4 in Japan Part IV: Drinking with Nanbu Bijin Brewers

2008-11-23T13:42:00.015-05:00

After lunch, I made 2:45 trip to the city of Ninohé in the neighboring Iwaté Prefecture to visit Kuji-san from Nanbu Bijin Brewery. While the brewery tour will take place the following day, the night was reserved for socializing with the brewers.

After checking in at the nearby hotel, Kuji-san picked me up for the festivities.

昼食後の予定は南部美人の久慈さんへ会いに岩手県二戸市へ2:45の旅。蔵元見学は明日だが、今晩は蔵人と一杯する予定。

ホテルのチェックインが後り、久慈さんと蔵へ向かった。

Coincidentally, they were just starting to press their saké today. As luck would have it, this is the very first lot of the year. I had the honor of tasting first saké as it was being pressed. I have not tasted a saké that is more livelier.
偶然に今日から新酒を搾り始めていた。つまり、今年の第一号である。やぶたから搾られているの生酒をそのまま味わうのは初体験。これほど味が生きている酒は飲んだことが無い。

After freshly squeezed saké, we toasted to Junmai Ginjo Hiyaoroshi. I also opened the bottle of Mansaku No Hana Junmai Daiginjo "Kamé No O" Hiyaoroshi I received from Sato-san for comparison. Nanbu Bijin was cleaner and drier, while Mansaku No Hana was softer and fruitier.
「しぼりたて」の後には純米吟醸の「ひやおろし」で乾杯。私も今朝に佐藤さんから頂いた「純米大吟醸亀の尾ひやおろし」を開け、「ひやおろし」の飲み比べを行った。南部美人はスッキリ感の辛口で、まんさくの花はフルーティーで優しい味だった。

At Nanbu Bijin, there is one gentleman who is responsible for serving saké warm. Sugahara-san stretches the limit of the concept of "kan," coming up with creative ideas. To convince me, he served junmai nigori warm (pictured) and even 2003 Koshu. The common thread between two sakés were that warmth rounds out acidity to make it more approachable. I must say that I was definitely enlightened!
南部美人では一人、「お燗番」と言われる方がいる。菅原氏はお燗のコンセプトを常に勉強し、普段では予想しない様なお酒も出してくれた。燗をあんまり飲まない僕を説得する為に準備して頂いたのがこの「純米にごり」と2003年の古酒。お互いの共通点と言えば、燗は酸味を押さえ、味をまろやかにしてくれた。お蔭様で燗には目覚めました!

Later on, Kuji-san brought out Aiyama Junmai Ginjo. It had gentle and round flavors of rice and straight forward and clean flavor. In NY, this saké is available exclusively at Sushi of Gari.
後で登場したのが「純米吟醸愛山」。米のまろやかな香りと癖が無いきれいな味。これはNYではSushi of Gariだけしか飲めない限定品。

Some brewers of Nanbu Bijin. The staff is relatively young compared with other breweries. To the left is Matsumori-san, the Brewmaster.
南部美人の蔵人は比較的に若め。左は杜氏の松森氏。

Running into the room shouting, "I want some saké!" is none other than Kuji-san's son, Taiyo.
「酒のみて～！」と駆け込んできた久慈さんの息子太陽くん。

The dinner consisted of various sashimi and skewers. The highlight is the hand-made ramen delivered from local restaurant, a taste Kuji-san grew up with. Mild yet complex soup complemented by chewy noodles... ramen does not get much better than this!
夕飯は蔵が刺身と焼き鳥などを準備してくれた。〆は手作りラーメンを出前で。このラーメンは久慈さんが育ったラーメンの味。優しくコクがある出汁と手打ちメンの食感が何とも言えない最高な味。

At this time, my travel fatigue began to kick in. With an early work day ahead, I was off to bed...
ラーメン完食した時点で、疲れが追いついて来た。翌日は朝早くから仕事なので、お休みなさい...

日本酒道ＮＹＣ Nihonshudō NYC