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mackerel sushi

June itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Osaka Meal edition)

June itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Osaka Meal edition) (Wednesday, June 8)   Table of contents 1. Soraben 2. Okonomiyaki “Abeton” 3. Sushi “Abaraya”   1. Soraben For breakfast on June 8, I had a “Soraben (Sky bento)” at Haneda Airport. This trip to Osaka/Kyoto has nothing to do with Fukuoka Prefecture, but I bought a “Yamaya Mentai Saizen” (Yen 1,350) from Fukuoka Prefecture. The “Yamaya Mentai Saizen” is one of the more expensive “Soraben” sold at Haneda Airport. However, when I opened the lid of the bento, I found that the coloring was very plain. I was disappointed after opening the lid, because I think coloring is very important for both “Ekiben” and “Soraben”. The taste was good, but it was not good enough to make up for the very plain coloring. Considering the price, I felt that it was a very overpriced “Soraben”. I knew I shouldn’t have bought a Fukuoka bento at Haneda Airport.   2. Okonomiyaki “Abeton” After sightseeing at Shitennoji Temple, I had okonomiyaki at “Abeton“, which is located a little more than 5 minutes away on foot. “Abeton” is located in an underground shopping mall called “Abechika”. It is located on the Shitennoji Templeread moreJune itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Osaka Meal edition)

Nishiki sushi

May itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Kumamoto Meal edition)

May itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Kumamoto Meal edition) (Wednesday, May 18)   Table of contents 1. Hitoyoshi Ryokan 2. Yorifuji 3. Nishiki sushi   1. Hitoyoshi Ryokan Breakfast on May 18th was served at the accommodation “Hitoyoshi Ryokan“. I love breakfast at hot spring inns. Even though it’s breakfast, it’s great to be able to eat many kinds of side dishes. Also, the color of the small bowl containing many kinds of side dishes is beautiful. The breakfast at Hitoyoshi Ryokan was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had at a hot spring inn. I ate dried sweetfish for the first time. The Kuma River, which runs beside Hitoyoshi Ryokan, is famous for catching delicious sweetfish. The opening date for sweetfish fishing is June 1, so it’s a pity that I could only eat dried sweetfish this time. Next time, I wanted to revisit Hitoyoshi during the sweetfish fishing season. When I left the breakfast venue of “Hitoyoshi Ryokan”, beautiful flowers were laid. I was happy with the fresh flowers that matched the atmosphere of “Hitoyoshi Ryokan”. “Hitoyoshi Ryokan” is a wonderful ryokan, and the services of the landlady and female employees were also pleasant. The complaintread moreMay itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Kumamoto Meal edition)

Japanese tiger prawn

Seafood in season in June

Seafood in season in June We will introduce the fish and shellfish that will be in season in June by dividing them into the whole of Japan and the prefectures ranked at the top. Please note that the season may vary depending on the region and year depending on the landing conditions due to climate change, so please consider it as reference data only.   Table of contents 1. Fish and shellfish that are in season in June (whole Japan) 2. 1st place Miyagi prefecture (9 types) 3. 2nd place Nagasaki prefecture (8 types) 4. 3rd place Hokkaido (7 types) 5. 3rd place Shimane prefecture (7 types) 6. 5th place Ehime prefecture (6 types)   1. Fish and shellfish that are in season in June (whole Japan) The number of fish and shellfish that will be in season in June is 33 out of the 87 species surveyed, which is the second highest in a year. The following is a list of 33 types of fish and shellfish in no particular order. Fish horse mackerel, conger eel, sweetfish, chicken grunt, sardine, marlin, barracuda, flatfish, filefish, great amberjack, sillago, silver-stripe round herring, spanish mackerel, striped jack, Japanese sea bass, loach, flyingread moreSeafood in season in June

甘鯛

April itinerary in Japan Day 4 (Ehime Meal edition)

April itinerary in Japan Day 4 (Ehime Meal edition) (Thursday, April 21)   Table of contents 1. Sushi Ino 2. OKAIDO BREWERY 3. Sushimaru Main Store 4. Kadoya Matsuyama Airport store   1. Sushi Ino After finishing sightseeing in Matsuyama in the morning of April 21, I had lunch at the reserved “Sushi Ino“. I ordered the “Lunch Course” (Yen 8,800 including tax) at “Sushi Ino”. Considering the grade of sushi, I think it is a very valuable course. For Nigirizushi (sushi shaped by hand), I had flatfish, striped beakfish, halfbeak, bigfin reef squid, horse mackerel, tilefish, lean tuna pickled in soy sauce , dotted gizzard shad, Japanese tiger prawn, and conger eel. “Sushi Ino” is a sushi restaurant that I visited in 2020 and was very impressed. This time too, everything was excellent and I had a blissful time. “Sushi Ino” is a well-known restaurant that has been awarded one Michelin star. It is also one of the 100 famous tabelog restaurants.   2. OKAIDO BREWERY After enjoying delicious sushi at “Sushi Ino”, I drank craft beer at “OKAIDO BREWERY”. I couldn’t go sightseeing in the afternoon due to rain, so when I was looking for a craft beer,read moreApril itinerary in Japan Day 4 (Ehime Meal edition)

Tanaka Fresh Fish Store

April itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Kochi Meal edition)

April itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Kochi Prefecture Meal edition) (Monday, April 18)   Table of contents 1. Hirome Market Chinmi-do 2. Craft beer TOSACO 3. Tanaka Fresh Fish Store 4. Okamura Kamaboko store 5. Izakaya Kihachi   1. Hirome Market Chinmi-do I had to wait for about 2 hours for the limited express train from Kochi Station to Tosakure Station, so I had breakfast at “Chinmi-do” in “Hirome Market“. “Hirome Market” is open from 10 am to 10 pm, so it is a very convenient market for tourists. “Chinmi-do” is the largest store in “Hirome Market”. They have so many seafood and food of the mountains that are unique to Kochi that we can’t imagine them in the market. I ate “Noresore”, “Dorome (raw whitebait)”, “Crab innards”, “Whale sinewy meat”, “Grilled mackerel sushi” and drank a sake “Senchu Hassaku”. “Noresore” is a fry of conger eel (juvenile conger) and is a marine delicacy in Kochi prefecture. “Noresore” has a white and transparent body, and is also called a water fairy because of its mysterious appearance. The season for “Noresore” from Kochi prefecture is from February to May. In addition, “Noresore” is the name spread all over the country inread moreApril itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Kochi Meal edition)

sea urchin

Seafood in season in May

Seafood in season in May We will introduce the fish and shellfish that will be in season in May by dividing them into the whole of Japan and the prefectures ranked at the top. Please note that the season may vary depending on the region and year depending on the landing conditions due to climate change, so please consider it as reference data only.   Table of contents 1. Fish and shellfish that are in season in May (whole Japan) 2. 1st place Miyagi prefecture (8 types) 3. 2nd place Nagasaki prefecture (7 types) 4. 3rd place Hyogo prefecture (6 types) 5. 3rd place Shimane prefecture (6 types) 6. 5th place Hokkaido (5 types) 7. 5th place Mie prefecture (5 types) 8. 5th place Fukuoka prefecture (5 types)   1. Fish and shellfish that are in season in May (whole Japan) The number of fish and shellfish that will be in season in May is 24 out of the 87 species surveyed, which is the second lowest in a year. The following is a list of 24 types of fish and shellfish in no particular order. Fish horse mackerel, conger eel, chicken grunt, sardine, bonito, flatfish, silver-stripe round herring, spanishread moreSeafood in season in May

Myooin

Summary of March itinerary in Japan (Hiroshima, Okayama)

Summary of March itinerary in Japan (Hiroshima, Okayama)   I traveled to Hiroshima and Okayama prefectures from March 22nd (Tuesday) to March 25th (Friday). I was able to eat a lot of seasonal fish and shellfish and local dishes, and visited wonderful tourist destinations such as World Heritage Sites, National Treasures, National Important Cultural Properties, and National Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings on this trip. It was the most visited tourist destination in the four-day domestic trip so far. I was able to enjoy fresh seafood such as seasonal oysters and agricultural products unique to the production areas such as Kuwai (sagittaria rhizome, Fukuyama City) and Yellow Chinese chives (Kurashiki City), which are overwhelmingly produced in Japan on this trip. In addition, I was able to eat Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and Onomichi ramen, which are typical local gourmet foods. This is the March Japan itinerary that I highly recommend to everyone. Here is a summary of this trip and some notes.   Table of contents 1.”100 best of local dishes” and “Local dishes loved by the nation” by this itinerary in Japan 2. Seasonal “PRIDE FISH” by this itinerary in Japan 3. Travel precautions for itinerary in Japan 4.read moreSummary of March itinerary in Japan (Hiroshima, Okayama)

Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki

March itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Hiroshima Meal edition)

March itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Hiroshima Meal edition) (Wednesday, March 23)   Table of contents 1. Soba restaurant “Tonbo” 2. MIYAJIMA BREWERY 3. Hiroshima Gyoza Hiroshima Station ekie store 4. Izakaya Shin 5. Micchan Sohonten Hatchobori Main Store   1. Soba restaurant “Tonbo” While sightseeing in Miyajima, I had lunch at Soba restaurant “Tonbo”. At first, I was thinking of eating while walking after buying fried Momiji Manju (sweet bun) at Soba restaurant “Tonbo”. However, it took a long time to make the fried Momiji Manju, so I decided to eat soba at Tonbo as well. I had fried Momiji Manju for the first time, but it was hot and delicious. By the way, the next day I bought raw Momiji Manju at Hiroshima Station and ate it at the hotel. In conclusion, I found that I like the traditional and ordinary Momiji Manju the most. However, I think that both the fried Momiji Manju and the raw Momiji Manju were good experiences. At Soba restaurant “Tonbo”, I ordered “Conger eel tempura soba,” “Mini Anago-meshi,” and “Steamed oysters” in addition to the fried Momiji Manju. “Conger eel tempura soba” was delicious, but it wasn’t so impressive. However, I wasread moreMarch itinerary in Japan Day 2 (Hiroshima Meal edition)

live mackerel

November itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Nagasaki Day 1 Meal edition)

November itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Nagasaki Day 1 Meal edition) (Monday, November 15th)   Table of contents 1. Turkish rice 2. Yossou 3. Tarafuku Asa    1. Turkish rice The meal for this trip to Nagasaki and Fukuoka was a turbulent start. I arrived at Nagasaki Station at 10:38. The departure time of the high-speed ship “Shunkan” bound for Takashima was 11:50, so it was necessary to have lunch immediately. However, when I searched for stores that opened at 11:00 around Nagasaki Station and Nagasaki Port Terminal, I couldn’t find them, and all of them opened at 11:30. When I entered the restaurant at 11:30, I could miss the high-speed boat, so I had to choose to buy a lunch box at a convenience store. At the convenience store “Daily Yamazaki” near the Nagasaki Port Terminal, I bought a “Turkish Rice” lunch box, which is a local gourmet of Nagasaki, and decided to eat it on a high-speed boat. Turkish rice is a dish of Japanese pork cutlet, Chinese pilaf, and Western spaghetti served together on a plate. There is a theory that the name Turkish Rice was given because the mixed feeling of Japanese food, Chinese food, andread moreNovember itinerary in Japan Day 1 (Nagasaki Day 1 Meal edition)

domestic beef steak

October itinerary in Japan Day 8 (Hyogo Day 2 Meal edition)

October itinerary in Japan Day 8 (Hyogo Day 2 Meal edition) (Wednesday, October 27)   Table of contents 1. Osakana Kyowakoku (Fish Republic) Ebisu Maru 2. Michi no Ekinaka Shokudo 3. Craft beer 4. Takoiso 5. Akashi-tei Uo no Tana 6. Sandaya   1. Osakana Kyowakoku (Fish Republic) Ebisu Maru I ate “Raw Shirasu (whitebait) Don and Grilled Spanish Mackerel Don” (Yen950) at “Osakana Kyowakoku (Fish Republic) Ebisu Maru” at Road Station “Awaji”. Both raw shirasu and Spanish mackerel are specialties of Awaji Island. Awaji Island’s raw shirasu (season is May-November) and Awaji Island’s Spanish mackerel (season is September-November) are selected by Japan Fisheries Cooperatives as “PRIDE FISH” in summer and autumn in Hyogo Prefecture. It was a very luxurious experience to be able to eat both “PRIDE FISH” selected from Awaji Island in one bowl. Especially, the raw shirasu was excellent. If possible, I wanted to eat the Spanish mackerel as raw, not roasted.   2. Michi no Ekinaka Shokudo “Raw Shirasu (whitebait) Don and Grilled Spanish Mackerel Don” of “Osakana Kyowakoku (Fish Republic) Ebisu Maru” was very delicious and very satisfying, but I was hungry because the amount was a little small. Therefore, I wanted to eat theread moreOctober itinerary in Japan Day 8 (Hyogo Day 2 Meal edition)

Kaminari Sushi

October itinerary in Japan Day 7 (Hyogo Day 1 Meal edition)

October itinerary in Japan Day 7 (Hyogo Day 1 Meal edition) (Tuesday, October 26)   Table of contents 1. Breakfast “Ekisoba” 2. Lunch “Tacopy” 3. Dinner “Kaminari Sushi”   1. Breakfast “Ekisoba” For breakfast in Himeji, I had “Tempura Ekisoba” (Yen380) at “Ekisoba“. “Ekisoba” is a rare type of noodle that combines yellow ramen noodles with Japanese-style soup. In 1949, “Maneki Shokuhin” started selling “Ekisoba” at the platform of Himeji Station. It can be said that it is the local food of Himeji citizens. I’m a former Himeji citizen, so when I come to Himeji, I want to eat. As I introduced before, it is said that Ekiben was originally sold at Himeji Station by Maneki Shokuhin in 1888 (Meiji 21). You can see that “Maneki Shokuhin” is a company that has come up with various ideas since its establishment.   2. Lunch “Tacopy” I had Akashiyaki-style “Takoyaki” (Yen450 for 10 pieces) and “Himeji Oden” at “Tacopy” on the first basement floor of Himeji Grand Festa. The name of “Tacopy” has changed several times, but it has been in the basement of the station building of Himeji Station for a long time. The main restaurant is Takoyaki, but it offersread moreOctober itinerary in Japan Day 7 (Hyogo Day 1 Meal edition)

Ezoishikagekai

September itinerary in Japan Day 4 (Iwate Day 2 Meal edition)

September itinerary in Japan Day 4 (Iwate Day 2 Meal edition) (Wednesday, September 29)   Table of contents Breakfast Lunch Craft beer Dinner   Breakfast At “Michi-no-Eki Takatamatsubara” in the Takatamatsubara Memorial Park, there are two restaurants, “Matsubara Shokudo” and “Takata no Gohan”. “Takata no Gohan” was closed, so I had a late breakfast at “Matsubara Shokudo”. I ordered “Kaisendon set”. The “Kaisendon set” includes a seafood bowl made from fish and shellfish caught in the sea near Rikuzentakata, centered on Hirota Bay, and “stem wakame” pickled in wasabi and “mekabu soba” caught in Hirota Bay. https://takata-matsubara.com/ Even if it wasn’t delicious enough to impress, it was delicious enough for the “Kaisendon set” offered at the roadside station. This shop is recommended when you go to Takata Matsubara Memorial Park. However, if you have time, you should eat at restaurants around Rikuzentakata Station. https://edokagura.com/en/local-cuisine/455/   Lunch What I absolutely wanted to eat in Rikuzentakata was the “Rikuzentakata Ezoishikagekai (Clinocardium california)“, which is the summer “pride fish” of Iwate Prefecture selected by Japan Fisheries Cooperatives. When asked at the Rikuzentakata City Tourism and Products Association next to Rikuzentakata Station, it was said that “Sushi Matsuda” was serving “Ezoishikagekai”. https://takanavi.org/gourmet/12168 “Sushi Matsuda”read moreSeptember itinerary in Japan Day 4 (Iwate Day 2 Meal edition)

Seafood in season in Nov (4th place Miyagi)

Seafood in season in Nov (4th place Miyagi)   Table of contents Introduction Fish Other seafood PRIDE FISH   Introduction Miyagi Prefecture (6 types of seafood) was ranked 4th in the prefectures with the highest catches and types of seafood that will be in season in November. In Miyagi prefecture, the following 6 types of fish and shellfish will be in season in November.   Fish conger eel, broadbanded thornyhead, salmon, flounder, tuna Other seafood laver     PRIDE FISH “Oysters with shells of Miyagi” (season: November-March) has been selected for the winter “PRIDE FISH” in Miyagi Prefecture, which is selected by Japan Fisheries Cooperatives. It is also characteristic that there are various types of oysters because the oyster farming technique changes depending on the difference in each coast. Miyagi prefecture oysters are closely related to French oysters. In France, the plague threatened the annihilation of domestic oysters in the 1960s and 1970s. At that time, oysters from Miyagi prefecture, which are resistant to diseases, were provided, and the French oyster aquaculture industry was saved. Today, about 90% of French oysters are said to be descendants of Miyagi prefecture’s seed oysters. Due to these historical connections, France provided reconstruction assistanceread moreSeafood in season in Nov (4th place Miyagi)