玉露 Gyokuro: Jewel Dew

In the world of teas Japan is King.  Don't get me wrong here, I don't want to take credit away from big brother China.  I know they've been cultivating  tea for over a thousand years.  They are the great teachers of tea then and now.  But like most things, the refinement and aesthetic beauty handed down to us today by the Japanese is unmatched the world over, dating back as far as the 9th Century.  Jewel Dew is roughly what Gyokuro translates to.

 

 

This post is not about Japanese tea culture,though, but more about how teas pair well with traditional Japanese sweets.  When it comes to sweets the list is endless.  I could sit here for years and go down the list of Japanese sweets.  What I seek to do with this post is highlight I few very popular sweets along with a premium Japanese tea called Gyokuro.   In the world of Japanese tea this is one of the highest grades of tea you can drink.  It's quality is partly attributed to how long it's left to grow in shade.  Shade and sunlight have an enormous affect on a teas aromas and flavors; teas grown in sunlight tend to be a bit bitter whereas teas grown in shaded areas more sweet. 

 

The three sweets or Japanese confectionery that will be featured have all been considered by many as  some of the best sweets to pair  with this grade of tea.    Teas can have a positive or negative effect on Japanese confectionery.  Sometimes pairing a good tea with a these sweets may take time and experience.  Here is a list for tonight's tea and sweets:

 

(Middle bag)玉露 / Jewel Dew/(next to the tea pot)豆平糖飴/まめへいとう/mameheito/flat sugar beans.

(next to the tea bag)おとし文/otoshibun/「清（さやか）」/clear /Wakayama Prefecture.

(at the edge of the table next to the tea bag)羽二重餅（ はぶたえもち ）Fukui Prefecture

 

When brewing the tea you should be very careful about the temperature of the teapot and tea cup.  How Gyokuro is brewed is quite different from other sencha.  A good guide would be here.  The greatest appellation attached to this tea is called Yame.  More than 40% of Gyokuro is produced in this town which situated Fukuoka Prefecture.  Here is a great video

How to Bew Gyokuro

Remember, one pouring per steeping.  Never just let water remain and become cold.

 

The first confectionery I will try with this premium tea is called おとし文/otoshibun/「清（さやか）」/clear /Wakayama Prefecture.  The reason for the green color is because it's the summer edition.

 

Normal toshibun is brown on the outside, but because its summer it's green on the outside and pink on the inside.  This is a sweet bean cake type confectionery that goes very well with Gyokuro.  The pink bean paste filling has a sweet fruity texture which blends very well with the natural almost grassy green sweet aroma of this tea.

Next up from Fukui Prefecture is another confectionary called 羽二重餅（ はぶたえもち/ Habutaemochi).  Another highly recommended sweet treat that goes very well with Gyokuro.  The wooden knife comes with it for easy removal of the layered confectionery.

This soft mochi taste so good.  So soft and sweet and delicate with this tea.  Describing it to you would be unfair.  You have to try it for yourself.

 

This next delicious treat is called Mameheito 豆平糖飴/まめへいとう/mameheito/flat sugar beans.

This is a very crunchy sugary sweet treat with flat beans in the center.  Slightly bitter but works very well with this premium tea.  All of these treats came highly recommended by dozens of tea experts in Japan and now I have tried a few choice selections of them and love them immensely.    Summertime, tea, and Japanese sweets are great!  

Kiwi Yoghurt Liqueur

On hot humid summer nights like tonight beer or Japanese sake usually hits the spot.  But tonight, I decided to switch over to Japanese liqueurs.  I have about three big hitters in my fridge right now, but for tonight I will highlight a delicious fruity summer treat called kiwi yoghurt liqueur, that's right, yoghurt liqueur!

 

Can you put together some of the flavor profiles in this drink?  Kiwi+yoghurt+citrus+Jasmine, and all over ice in a nice bell shaped Riedel glass.  It's creamy and green!  And it's got 7% alc.   I didn't know summer could taste so good. 

 

This liqueur hails from Nara Prefecture deep in West Japan from Kitaoka Honten.

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August is almost here, so one more full month of enjoying delicious summer time drinks!  Maybe even in September. 

 

The Kiwi used were domestic and not from New Zealand where the grow in abundance.  Traditionally I am not really into to sweet drinks, but I cannot leave any stones unturned in Japan.  I must try everything.

Rare and Precious Waters Collection!

Water is fast becoming a rare resource in the world today. I just wanted to showcase some of Japan's finest bottled mineral water from all over Japan.

I continue to chronicle Japanese water.  This time ordered seven different bottles.

Hita Sui from Oita Prefecture in Japan

Hardness: 66 !
Very good. Nice hard taste, but still very natural at the same time.   It's called Hita Sui from Oita Prefecture.

Awa Heart Water from Fukushima

Spring water tapped after 100 years of sleep ! This is a carbonated water.

 

Yakushima Island Jomon Water

Kagoshima
Hardness 12
Nice refreshing. Very easy to drink.

 

Hyotan Mizu

Remember, this water springs from a gourd deep in Nara the ancient city in Japan.
Again
Hardness: 89.5

This is the same mineral water but a different bottle

 

Mashyuko from Hokkaido

Hardness: 19

Peaches!

Store bought peaches vs. brand named peaches mean very little to people who rarely eat this fruit.  For me, summer wouldn't be complete without sinking my teeth into a juicy peach.  In this photo you can see a a Fukushima grown peach! 

 

Fukushima Prefecture and Yamanashi are prime peach growing regions in Japan - there are other areas too.  However, if there had to be one prefecture that's very well known and recognized for its peaches then Fukushima is one such prefecture.

 

Awhile back I took a trip up to this prefecture to pick these incredibly delicious peaches.  There really is a difference between just ordinary supermarket brands and brand named peaches.   Just a few days ago I was sitting outside eating some peaches that were store bought.  They were juicy, but lacked taste!  I couldn't catch the sour sweetness that really high quality peaches are known for.  

 

Fukushima brand peaches can be purchased at any major supermarket or department store chain, but expect to pay higher the usual prices.   It's worth it once. 

Wasabi: Japanese Horseradish

An Asian plant of the mustard family.  The pungent, greenish root of this plant, which can be grated and used as a condiment is one of the most important additions to a variety of Japanese cuisines.

I admit that prior to coming to Japan I didn't like wasabi at all - I was traumatized.  I was tricked into drinking a cup of liquidized wasabi by a bunch of ill natured caterers at a dance I was attending with my date.   I must've coughed up everything on my brand new silk tie and had to leave early that night because of it.  I didn't touch wasabi anymore after that.

 

After moving to Japan I finally started trying wasabi again, little by little.  I still didn't like it much even in Japan.   Then  I took a trip down to Joren no Taki where they grow organic wasabi, not the mass produced and over processed stuff, but real wasabi.

Even tried wasabi ice cream.  After that trip I never purchased processed wasabi ever again.  I buy the real plant root then grind off the desired amount I need for whatever I'm eating.

 

This wasabi is simply the best and it doesn't burn your nose.  Just a clean and refreshing wasabi.

Taka 貴 Happo Nigori 発泡 にごり

Another delicious Natsu Junmaishyu summer all rice sake which uses 100% Yamadanishi, a rice grain that's indigenous to Hyogo Prefecture.  Seimai is at 60% which indicates how much rice was used.  The nihonshu-do is plus 5, which indicates in a very general sense the sweetness or dryness of a sake; -3 and +10.  Higher numbers indicate dryness and about +4 is average.  

 

 

The brewer is called Nagayama Honke from Yamaguchi Prefecture.  This time I will also include some confectionary with this sake.  The word "Taka" denotes something precious and "Happo" means something that's either bubbly or gassy.  Nigori means a cloudy sake, i.e. sake with some lees remaining.  So what I'm drinking here is a precious sparking cloudy summer sake and on a record breaking hot summer afternoon from my balcony.

 

We had record highs in southern Yokohama today.  The ice I had in this bowl melted in less than five minutes, even tipping the glass over! I had to refill.

Taka  was also featured in the Dancyu March 2009 edition as one of the premiere sake for spring.  In this photo I'm drinking the summer edition.   Dancyu is a well known food and sake magazine that publishes monthly editions of newly discovered restaurants and seasonal food in Japan.

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The area where this sake was brewed is again called Yamaguchi Prefecture which is famed for bitter summer mandarin blossoms, red pine trees, hooded cranes and tetraodontidae.  Shimonoseki is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in that prefecture.

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2009 summer was also very good for me as far as sake drinking went.  If you are interested you can click here, here, here, and here. 

Some sake can be drank just as it is, or with either some sweets or  hors d' oeuvres.  But what would be a fitting match for this cool refreshing and curiously sweet drink. 

So, I looked to Niigata and discovered a fantastic mizu-manju shop as blogged about previously from another herethat was in Fukushima Prefecture.  This shop is different and it's called Miyukidou's and it's located in Kita-ku Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, the mother lode of sake in Japan.  

 

Each box contains 12 pieces of manju.  The list goes as follows:マンゴー、プリン、ブルーベリー、いちごみるく、モンブラン、抹茶、ショコラ、カフェオレ、大納言、、豆乳、プラム 各１個.  Mango, pudding, blueberry, strawberry milk, monte blanc, chestnut and cream, tea, chocolate, cafe ole,dainegon is not a government office, it's a kind of fig or fruit, red potato, and then plum.  

You can hear the explanation on this video.

 

These mizu manju were ice cold and amazingly tasty.  They were all filled with cream and fruit filling and all tasted exactly like what they say on the box. 

This and sake and a lovely Jukujo go very well together. 

 

This is summer.

Summer Junmaisyu 2010

( Summer Edition Masamune Junmai)

Please click here for the winter edition of Yamagata Masamune Junmai. There you can find the write up for this brewery. By the way, the name Masamune is not associated with the great sword smith.

One of the nicest times of the year to be in Japan is around July and August because it's during this time you get the biggest fireworks displays, especially around Tokyo and Yokohama. And it's during this time Japanese gather with family and friends to enjoy a fun filled evening of lights and sounds, often times with chilled nihonshu or beer.

This special summer edition sake was crafted with a premium rice grain called gohyaku-mangoku at 60% milled, acidity 1.3, alc 16%, and the nihonshu-do is plus 5. Mellow taste with hints of ripe melon and fruit. Nice summer taste here. Best if enjoyed chilled, sometimes you can even add ice to it. What this does is help release the acid. When I imbibe on this sake all of my old memories from many summers ago come flooding back to me. Prior to coming to Japan I used to complain endlessly about hot and muggy California summers were, but since living over here in Japan I can hardly wait for any season to come around. There's so much to get into over here.

In my area, around southern Yokohama families love to get together around the park in my neighborhood especially during the different seasons. Spring is always nice, but this summer is shaping up to be even nicer. I can see the tents going up already and people are getting in a festive mood. M fridge is fully stocked with all latest summer concoctions and I plan to blog about them all.

And if you have a chance to try any sake from this brewery Stateside try it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. This is a well established brewery. Masamune Junmaisyus are great!

She's not exactly my type but she has a summer look to her. Red,white, and sultry. Nihonshu and J-girls do go together, never let anybody tell you any differently.

Summer fun!

Kyougoku Natural Mineral Water

This is a well water, in Japanese well water is called " 鉱泉" or Kou-sen and I've been sitting on this box of water for a few days already.  I purchased it directly from the source from a small town called Kyougoku in the Abuta District on Japan's large northern island in Hokkaido which by the way is famed for its delicious seafood, and natural country beauty.  Acres and acres of farmland and cow grazing pastures as far as the human eye can see.  Where there's delicious water there's good sake, good food, and good onsen.

Near the foot of Mount Yotei there is a spring called Fukidashi Park that has delicious water that many Hokkaidoans travel to from all over the island.  The last time I was there was about 4 years ago on my way to Sapporo.  I remember it was an early Autumn afternoon so the water was especially cool and crisp.

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I have several photos of this place , but decided to show you this pick.  I remember the water being so cold when it came down from this source and into my cup.  In the general vicinity of this area is the Kyougoku Springs area, but I highly recommend visiting this park instead if you have the time and a rental car because you can enjoy collecting as much water as you like from various different sources around the park. 

According to the box, this water is best used for making coffee, tea, and for boiling vegetables.  I love it just for the sake of drinking cold delicious water in the summer.

Again, another fantastic water pick.  What's next...?

I've Got a Screamer!

So I've been the King of the Road now for a month with my  50cc master blaster sporting my super large Darth Vador/German war machine helmet and skeleton face mask.  I'm loving it. 

( Blade High Performance Series Muffler)

I finally got my call today that my new muffler had just arrived along with the weight rollers I had especially ordered. 

( Old 53g weighted rollers.  Heavy on the clutch!)

Often times people forget to replace these little rollers in the clutch when installing a new  muffler.   These little things help distribute torque evenly to increase speed; the lighter the roller that faster you go.  Often times factory bought bikes will have 53g weighted rollers installed and then a high performance muffler which actually slows the bike down.   The ideal weight should be around 43g weighted rollers(six rollers), or roughly 7.5g per roller.  What this does to a two stroke engine is increase the speed significantly!   Perhaps the biggest enhancement to any bike that's either a 2 or a 4 stroke is the muffler and the rollers.

 

I just got back from a nice scream down route 1!  I was instantly impressed with the difference in performance.   Summer is here and I plan to make my presents known around Shonan and Enoshima. 

 

Just about every bike in this class in Japan has a high performance muffler.   Japan and Taiwan are the King of cool scooters and no better place to have one is right here in Japan where almost every road leads to somewhere and there being so many roads that lead to so many different places  This summer the beaches is where the actions going to be at for me, and with my bike it only makes things a bit more interesting.

 

Summer fun.

Mori Kara no Okurimono: Water

Gift from the forest is what this water is called and It's  from Miyazaki Prefecture, Ebino Kogen, Minami-Kyushu(southern Kyushu Island).   I received a 20 liter case of this delicious water a few days ago and am just now getting around to drinking it.  No fancy bottles this time, just a plain ordinary looking green and white cardboard box.   

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First impressions were clean with a  medium hard texture, well balanced and easy to drink.   Summers are great and it's always interesting when I have a chance to discovered new water brands, not the usual Avian and Volvic water.  Onsen, like mineral water, are limitless natural assets this country has to offer.  For me, water is so important for everything; sake, onsen, and just plain drinking.  

My fridge has three compartment spaces so I stored this one in the middle, which is usually reserved for vegetables.   When you open the box there's a huge plastic container. 

There are a few other articles to catch up on here, here, and here

I'm about at the half way mark.  I need to open up another box  but this time from Hokkaido.   So keep drinking out there.  Japan summer's are very hot and humid.

Wash-kit

Washkit Originally uploaded by McAlpine Alexander

My wash-kit consist of, from left to right, a basket, scalp scrubber, shaving cream, razor, toothpaste, nylon towel, and lastly a cotton face towel. Studies have shown that the cotton hand towel cleans the skin better than a nylon towel. However, for therapeutic value, and for exfoliating dead skin the nylon towel is more beneficial. I get a new kit every six months or so. I always love looking around for interesting new stuff. I got a chrome razor this time and an extra hard nylon towel. Of course most people don't bring all of these things into a public bath house, some people bring absolutely nothing. I think having these toiletries add to the enjoyment of being at a spa. Welcome to Japan

Izu No Hu U Ka Mase: Mizu Manju

Izu , summer taste.

In my other post on mizu manju I highlight a favorite shop of mine in the Tohoku region that I used to frequent in between onsen stops some time ago. That shop was my favorite, and still is. Good food and good manju can be found anywhere in Japan, but I feel that some manju are worth mentioning. The picture below is one of them, a mizu manju from Mase Confectionary in Shizuoka prefecture.

While writing this, I was listening to "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" by Kanye West

Manju is a soft bean jam filled jelly treat that comes in various forms. The way I love eating these is when they are ice cold and on the rocks!

Highlights

On sticky sultry summer days in Japan these slide down the throat well. Best if you use your fingers. Sometimes I see people trying to use chopsticks and it's hilarious.

The shops homepage is: http://www.mase-jp.com

The shop name is kou-nichi-ahn mase, and there're a few chains located through-out Shizuoka.

They have a very large selection of well made Japanese style confectionary for every season. Since I don't get out that way often enough, I just order from home. I had searched hard and wide for these and was not disappointed at all.

Summer does have a taste of its own. Ice cold melt in your mouth mizu manju!

Tama-Reien 多磨霊園

This cemetery is located in Chofu, near Fuchu, where the largest cemetery in Tokyo is and the final resting place for millions of Japanese. 

 

The reason I visited this place was to pay homage to the late great man  Mishima Yukio, a famous playwright and author, best known for his famed suicide back in November 1970.   Another reason I was here was to help one of my girlfriends wash her family tombstone, so it was like killing two birds with one stone; pay homage to the man, and visit her folk's tomb.

(This picture is owned by me from my flickr account.)

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I'm not necessarily posting this information for people to visit, just for a better understanding of where I am talking about. 

 

Cemeteries in Japan are far from gloomy, not like in North America where the mood is somber and depressing, it's like you want to get out of there as soon as possible.  The energy at most cemeteries I've been to here are tranquil and well maintained.  I made my way to Mishima Yukio's final resting spot, also General Yamamoto and a few other Japanese heroes - paid homage.  

 

When George Bush is finally laid to rest I guess we'll honor his legacy for all of his murderous campaigns throughout the Middle East - I sure as hell won't.   I used to post the exact whereabouts of plots of great Japanese people but don't anymore for fear of vandals and ignorant expats whom I would gladly beat the living shit out of for desecrating anyone's final resting spot in Japan.

 

The soul of Japan is truly the infusion of what Japan is.  It is the shrine, the temple, the Jukujo, the onsen, food, the nihonshu, Mishima, Shinto, and Buddhism...(me?).  

 

The second reason for posting this was because around July 15th through August 15, depending on the region, many Japanese return to their hometowns to visit their family cemetery plots in order to pay homage to their ancestors.  This is a Japanese Buddhist custom called Obon (お盆), which has evolved into a family reunion.  It is also the busiest time of year for domestic travel so if you're planning to come out this way avoid August.  This is the hottest and  busiest month of the year in this country.   

 

As we get closer to August my post will become more politically charged where I'll be adding a lot of personal commentary about life, politics, and history in Japan.   The usual sake and food will be there but at a minimum.  August is the time of year in Japan where a lot of history was made so if you are light hearted then be forewarned.

 

The process of honoring the dead:

 

At the tombstone you pour water over the main stone, or marble headstone.   You clean around the plot being careful not to forget to remove any dead flowers and leaves.   Even a little weeding is not uncommon.  Add new flowers, sometimes food or sake can be placed either on or next to the headstone.  Say a prayer and done. 

Surugaya/するがや

A famous spot many locals flock to in order to enjoy a dessert called (shio-daifuku) 塩大福 is called Surugaya.  What this is is a rice cake stuffed with salt-seasoned bean jam.  Actually, you can find these at almost any major supermarket in Japan.  

One of the most recognizable sweets in this country is the daifuku, it's one of the most common sweets foreign tourist get to try when sightseeing here and it's available through-out the year.  How about a real taste of Japan.....?  Nothing artificial about these.

I love these soft chewy little powdery desserts that go well with tea.   I posted this one because they taste better than most of  your store bought ones and are not factory made;all are made and rolled by  skilled hands.  You gotta appreciate tradition.  You have to appreciate waking up at 4am to ready everything, and to organize the racks and  ladles  that help create the finished product.   The rest is all skill and patience. 

I have a photo of this opened, but I saw no reason to post it.  Just beans.  Very powdery stuff so it's good to have a napkin.  Some Westerners may be put off by how ordinary these treats taste, but I think you have to appreciate the simplicity in how they look, and the subtle textures and at how easy they are to eat.

 

The shop is modern, but the techniques used to make this dessert are traditional.   If in and around Hase I recommend a quick stop over and have one.   They are closed on Wed. and Fri. 

site:
http://www.kamakura-surugaya.jp/item/shiodaifuku/

 

It took me awhile to acquire a taste for these desserts, now I crave them and look forward to eating them whenever I'm out and about, especially with tea and some nice koto music.   I really truly believe that some things should never ever change. 

 

On a final note, many people who do decide to visit Japan and have  a chance to get out this way, Kamakura, and have a chance to stop through Hase then don't forget to stop by this shop.   It's listed as one of the must eat places and a true local shop, not some tourist traps.  It's a local stop. 

Kamakura Surugaya Honpo

 

Another spot that offers up some really tasty treats, and a place that’s another local fav spot is right in the Kamakura Station on the Enoden Line side.  What initially got my attention  were these small cake or balls of minced meat, poultry, or fish, or of rice, potatoes or other food stuffs.   Often coated with beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and fried in deep fat are called croquette.    To be quite honest I wasn't just a curious passersby I was actually thinking this place was a branch outlet from another prefecture.  I was wrong, but pleased nevertheless at this discovery.

 

The Japanese use katakana (コロッケ）ko-ro-ke.  Croquette is a french word, actually.
It’s no surprise the Japanese take things from other countries and then add a Japanese element to it to give it a Japanese taste.   Croquette was originally invented by the French and is a dish that has reached ecumenical status over the years, there’s even croquette in North America.  

 

 

I have always loved the taste of hot, crispy, melt in your mouth meat cakes!  The store bought kind, the ones you find in the supermarket, are often times soft  oily, and uninspiring, a big difference from the kind you find at this shop.  The croquette here in Kamakura and Ibaraki are KING.   There’s even a city in Ibaraki prefecture that's known for making the best croquette in Japan and that city is  called Ryogasaki

 

here: http://www.ryugasaki.or.jp/koromatiokosi/korokkeclub/contest/jigyou.htm

 

Us folks in Kanagawa Prefecture can thank the Kamakurans for creating a croquette that can rival Ibaraki’s, so we don’t have to travel so far to appreciate this delicious treat.  

 

site: http://www.surugaya-honpo.com/enoden/index.html

What I love is getting there early in the morning and eating up freshly made croquette.  Great stuff.  Nice spot for eye candy too, since this walkway connects the JR and the Enoden lines, tons of foot/leg traffic every minute.  Women running, some stopping over to buy a croquette, then running off to catch their trains.  Some anorexic was sitting next to me giving me googly eyes.  I told her to eat a whole bag of these potatoes first and then call me in the morning.   Put on some pounds first before looking over here!  

Again, Kamakura croquettes, try em' you'll love em' as simple as they are.   One thing I wished they has was the bulldog sauce.  I highly recommend trying the pork variety! 

Glass Bottom Boat: Feeding the Fish

I spend a lot of time eating fish, so now it’s time to give back by feeding the fish.  What better way than to take a cruise on a feeding boat with my 特別母!

The nice thing about this cruise is that below decks you can see fish, yes, that’s right, the bottom of the boat has windows you can see through.  

 

One of the nice things about this short cruise was that it was just right, no long drawn out explanations, just simple and to the point.  Our host was gracious and very knowledgeable about the Miura Peninsula.  

He gave us a brief history about the harbor and the feeding area we were headed to.   I think from port to feeding point was roughly 15 minutes.   As you can see this cruise is very popular with the aged.   I tend to follow them around as they know what's good to get into.   Trust me.

The helm area was cool to look at also.

Once we reached point we headed below deck.

I never knew blowfish and plaice were so cute when swimming through the ocean.    

When the feeding began everybody went gaga over all the fish.  It was very interesting.  

Japanese have so much appreciation for aquatic plants and animals.   I have also grown quite fond of animals since living here.   The seaman who lectured us topside was feeding the fish on both port and starboard sides of the boat.   Plus the boats cavitations stirred up the seabed which caused fish to swim around the boat to eat. 

 

Here you can see the fish food.  Guest are given an opportunity to throw food into the water. 

All and all, this was a nice little outing.  Some people got seasick.  The cruise lasted about 30 minutes, so not too long and not too short.  You felt you got your moneys worth.    I plan on exploring more of southern Miura in the near future.   In August this feeding boat tour gets full quickly.  We were lucky to grab tickets.