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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOt-9emdXapzzZliyzvVri0zNlHIt9zKZcbetEz-DLYbI21FdTLn6oFqP67GLcS8rjITQQEOKMt1w2g-zS-c_E9btnUFqrC-YzGgT_vMdaVgx9hSV9d0HZLSKyMg9t5zjOZs-24w/s200/2.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLCXi744b3cqYAmrZoyqsw1h9rksJpsv7iV35zswtFG0BdhQ1NNPbwVqr2x7Ids5kzmOYoSlcJXlanuYr_bFb-zGd1dG2G3d9KEzj3a7TNpX9egy16Waqlf1LZmhOphAwquyH1w/s200/3.jpg)
My hotel was in Shinbashi, located between Tokyo and Yokohama.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_6cNy85QLoUSIscZ29PRc6dN_vazkuHsjaGOnYZAcV2RCWlOENUUJzrmn0B-I_iWeP-pEWFdH2kKrnJroqMR9wjQmuLGw9MAILV856InO-5kYp0mTFwtjOENP0PnihLZ7_Ics_w/s200/4.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTcFDYxsXirXBQCIpywdiiBcs3M2iFiHlfDJjvHXqfAcfSx_uMFMMsDUcIMKct2IcU4sCxuXZa6mRNuw-o3-fe3RJ7008z6mk12HXxFTcInFR3CaPsjctHbLnPEkAaD61eHbPsw/s200/5.jpg)
Once at his place, we toasted with the sparkling version of
Kariho "Rokushu".
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXubRl31BUVEZqsv2IfaRfgV_laJlLPw-iebOdvZSQ4l5ypFbxaBnqGqd34wtuoL5I_rys-hvpbxguf3gpORJwJg5IwswIfySbaTqIBI6QI9smsLGNse6tVjfefD8VwqOPK0bseA/s200/6.jpg)
Now on to the feast. We started with the sashimi selection...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBSztGm2gX9iPyh6ZnLldFc_li2Sv34ykb_u46gOGqA5Ty4tXW-vWxy1YwOaKFDQrTK2-6rS6ZEVZe73H-wn0L1GqdxMcJ6cXtLtkyFgf1mn4b3LlaJil_owQjpiJ9Vbsw66EvmQ/s200/7.jpg)
...and takoyaki from Osaka.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcYN0Jdz_3Wxo7-eXV0UI9nTcG4KsGJfmAJgC5wxO3CXRar-T9lHrEIrJfvp2fU3n46To99nDS1KDL4PT_gnCybVTDVrG66iqPJlv41yfldZXMxHRaYlOLhuo38CgHI-pMiOsTw/s200/8.jpg)
Then came pork served in three different ways: plumpy kuro-buta (berkshire pork) shumai...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgntpK-g52tyZsAUhe9eQUyLIwV-GZ815bEwHY-9Dstu-JN_UfikQPQimR8XVsisd0xfNBtMSYfUgos8drT_5-UhE7FryUanjIA_Wkxjoll3znUgyK9JgVM-JMc4feBicy0m4Bg/s200/9.jpg)
...flavorfully marinated buta-yaki (roasted pork, also from Osaka)...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGE-YLpNpYZaQOhP0aEzFENopHGVBt5DFCoTsxIeSmaaV0iC7-k1QXTfp7fJ9kqSTjr9ezR_6KthIqHEvOhONnR3fXM1We66OTL5ewBu0xFBNzNz56EfSBALiCHiIumT9SYaeJ6w/s200/10.jpg)
...and incredibly soft and juicy kuro-buta kakuni (braised pork belly).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZcFq4ihdg7VOmaPGLyZXQN770Y1kpNzze6waN8reySKvqRHLXfWm3oWZ1vUm9xisv2fUVX2omFzKC42CsAE3zcNub58FMfn21p1UAWMZhp1KoAcExwhw2NnkHv0MnNX-EC9nPw/s200/11.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxAyWskwtWKx6MK9XeC8U6GugimxpPsQMzgFeM3rh_0wRgy_piIzlajle-FAJ13rvL-x34g5YRzyAkBrRadkLjJ6KDYL7Zt3go7L42DMbhWw-bIxxImtEvxVtJzG3bjawyXQvVg/s200/12.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSASt0Wts6XcGX_zo_32K5xaQ7wo4W7AJweJWxhDRHAHB2IiLVOqBD_vVgtNnE8OysOvoj4hSG0YxBUTX5yOa9Lb6RlCRZXQ8c8Z9y1XaYFyJGDVEX02vEpRTfPBewIYh8P5aGg/s200/13.jpg)
The real finish was of course, dessert. When in Japan, I had to have the gigantic Kyoho grapes, which are phenomenal.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3emSWVt_AINDXkYbRzvXwL1FH5f8crydD1W7ZhyphenhyphenrZfhYMhXrJ3mPgAZ2XXk3yonDMSrfIug_Nb9k2ps9FS70U_ZW4k68pt1uvoUvbWEpQIiCMXFVX99p-uiDhPBbAGgK3urdjfQ/s200/14.jpg)
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...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Xe8GBOS7L2QjGN-mbQdOQ9vO-3frG4_6gEeT4-OH1mazOXLS-AtvoxGjrQXEJ6gzTuCR6ZjMTiA_6BUn3tIxE2716YUGT1H_C9JD233yHEbN0DHXBz6j-BZkjgYHUJRSR1G4kQ/s200/15.jpg)
...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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQt09FlP6Wo7z2YKby4SYirtSDt8S1hiJboMQhzSitNjw6n5HIAOBIS0jiMAu7v37FdKmPBfsww1AzmQqlt9yCbjB24WY4wnFhtRUhQc4xVRP8OXE3J5ATrBE58qMFLcyLvlQbg/s200/KC+Tessie.jpg)
Just like the
last timewe sure had a great time!!!