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Foraging at Mount Yaedake
My ascent of Mount Yaedake was truly magical, even as the rain gently enveloped us. With Yasuda by my side, I followed the hill track, embracing the drizzle without an umbrella or raincoat for the first time. This newfound sense of freedom was a welcome relief from the worries I often carried in Singapore. Surrounded by nature's beauty and Yasuda’s delightful company, my concerns about health faded away.
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Awamori in Okinawa
The most traditional way to enjoy awamori is by sipping it from tiny, thimble-sized cups called chibuguwa. It’s important to savor it slowly rather than consuming it in one gulp. Take a moment to appreciate the aroma before your first sip, and enjoy the fragrance again after finishing your cup. Awamori makes a great cocktail base, especially when paired with citrus flavors. It can also be enjoyed as awamori coffee!
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Can’t Forget Goya Spam Onigirazu!
The thick slices of bitter gourd are lightly battered and deep-fried to mellow their bitterness while retaining a satisfying crunch. The egg is cooked in the typical Japanese style—thick and soft. Spam, a beloved staple in Okinawa, is pan-fried until golden and crisp.
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Kamakura Farmers Market
Kamakura, former capital of Japan is about one hour train ride from Tokyo. It is a historical place with winding streets, temples, shrines, shops and markets. The farmers market, Rensokubaijo is opened throughout the week. The products in the market are from local farmers. I did not see any tourists on the day I went. However, the place was lively with customers chatting with the farmers who were there to sell their vegetables, fruits and pickles. I also had time to enjoy coffee and a piece of seed cake from a hippy coffee joint located within the market.
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Not Enough of Tokyo!!
I found Tokyo almost spotlessly clean. Surprisingly, I did not come across any signage exhorting the residents to keep the city clean. I hardly found any graffiti anywhere. There was no rubbish nor dustbins overflowing with garbage along pathways. Though I saw a number of people walking their dogs, there was no dog poop anywhere. After meals, the people clean their tables at most eating outlets. Hardly anyone eats on the go. Some well-dressed staff, probably at management levels, were seen cleaning signboards and glass doors in and outside their offices. Shop owners swept the sidewalks and streets outside their shops. I like Tokyo or rather Japan so much. If…
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Cool and Cute Harajuku
If you are in for “cool” and “cute” Japanese culture, head for Harajuku. This is north of Shibuya and a very fashionable, faddish and really crazy place for chilling out. On weekends, the place is so crowded – almost shoulder to shoulder with mostly youngsters. The most popular streets here are Takshita Street, Meiji Dori Avenue and Omotesando Dori Avenue. The shops sell a mix of American and English clothings and from Hello Kitty stuffs to hip hop. You get to see youngsters dressed in strange clothes with unique make-ups and many street performers. Some really high end restaurants and expensive restaurants line the Aoyama area.
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Samurai Temples
All the spirits and mind of “Samurai” were born from this ancient city of Kamakura. Samurai spirits have always be associated with temples and Buddhism in Japan. Though there are temples all over Japan, it is believed that the real Samurai spirits exists only in the temples in Kamakura! Some of the temples you should visit are Meigetsu-in, Zeniarai Benten, Kotoku-in（Kamakura’s Great Buddha) and Hase-dera.
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Hand Crafted Soba
Soba (buckwheat based) is the preferred noodle in the Kanto region in Japan, whereas, in the Osaka region, udon (wheat based) noodle is eaten widely. I had the freshest hand-made soba ever in my life in a restaurant in Kamakura. I watched the chef making it from scratch and ate it hot in a soy based broth. I was told that to enjoy a bowl of soba, you should not chew the soba noodles too much and you should feel comfortable to make noise when slurping the noodles.
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Kappabashi Street – Kitchenware Town
A visit to Kappabashi Street, the heart of Kitchenware Town is a must for all those in the food and hotel industry. This is the street to find bargains on kitchen utensils, Japanese porcelains, lacquerware, bento boxes, trays, baskets and knives! There are so many knife shops in this street and the craftsmen making the knives are usually there to explain the knives. They will even engrave your names in Katakana (Japanese alphabets for foreign words) while you wait. In this street and the neighbouring side streets you will also find shops taking orders to make plastic dummy pieces of your original food. You need to give them photographs of…
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Tsukiji Fish Market
The Tsukiji Fish Market is a must visit place when in Tokyo. To watch the Tuna Auction at the market, I had to leave the hotel at 2 am. There are no trains at night and, therefore, if you plan to visit this market, stay at a nearby hotel within walkable distance. No one is allowed into the fish market wearing flip flops or high heels as this could be dangerous since the floor in the auction hall is wet and slippery. At the market place, be prepared to dodge the numerous cars, motorized three wheelers, forklifts, vans, wooden hand carts, trucks and trolleys – all on the move. Though…
