Sakura in Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

Hey everybody,

Ok, yup, people have been asking me when this post was coming for months.  It is officially sakura (cherry blossom) season in Tokyo.  And don't think that "season" is a figure of speech, they are literally monitoring the sakura on the news, delivering updates on the train ("The sakura have reached Kyoto!  Should be in Tokyo next Sunday!").  The sakura are a big deal out here, and as soon as the blossoms open the entire population of Tokyo heads to the parks to enjoy them.  I love it!

This is only the first round of sakura pictures, but I thought I would head back to my favorite garden in the city to see what they had to offer.  So here we are, from Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, the first of the season's sakura

While not as awe-inspiringly full of pink as some of the more famous spots in Tokyo that are nothing but cherry trees, I actually like the contrast of the mostly green trees with accents of blossom

I happened the be there a little later in the day, so the dark shade in some areas was a pretty awesome contrast to the areas still in light

Not a lot of sakura, but I feel like I was *really* lucky and this picture turned out amazing, so I had to include it.  No seriously, this is one of my favorites I've taken for this blog

No, we're not allowed on this island.  Which sucks, because I want to live there

Umm, dark foreground, light background shot again?  Apparently I'm just a sucker for that

While the wind whips through the rest of the city mercilessly, the walls around the garden are high enough to keep out breeze and street noise alike

This wasn't even at a prime time to visit, more like late afternoon.  I can only imagine how packed the garden is during midmorning

And finally, the requisite close-up shot.  Because artistic and stuff

More to come!

Noah out

The Beauty of the Warning Sign

Hi guys,

So, Japan has been well-known, throughout history and the modern era, for its art.  From classic screen paintings and woodblock prints to anime and manga, the Japanese are undoubtedly skilled.  But it has been said that the true force of their artistic ability can best be expressed through the media of warning signs and placards

Let's have a look:

Elegant in the simplicity of its message:  "Any masterpiece just becomes noise disturbance when emanating from headphones."  Not just a good lesson, but a powerful metaphor for the transformation of unique creation as it undergoes mass propagation

A classic from years ago, it's really sold by the facial expressions of the old couple.  I think the artist really captures their feelings of wry reminiscence as they contrast their lives of stability and security with those of the carefree young couple in love

Ok so this one was not found on a public train, but rather in a private restaurant. But its message is a universal one, and an important one for all of us that have ever considering using public restroom toilet paper to become a mummy

And finally, Tokyo Metro's latest ad campaign has gone full Banksy on us.  I believe they are trying to challenge us by juxtaposing a style popularized by social commentary with posters intended to promote domestic order, thus bringing into question our perceptions of the nature of societal structure

I feel honored to be in a country where I am surrounded, even on public transportation, by such thought and beauty

Noah out

The Dark Secret of JX Oil . . .

Hey all,

Headed on down the corporate headquarters of JX Nippon Oil & Energy Company, over by Tokyo station.  Now, they want the world to think that they're simply an oil and gas company, nothing more

And they almost fooled me.  Almost.  But they made one fatal mistake that allowed me to figure out their true purpose:  Making Gundams.  Yes that's right, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Company is secretly making Gundams, which I can only assume are waiting for the secret activation code to awaken and defend the soil of Japan

But every mastermind makes a mistake, even the perfect crime has a single flaw.  Oh yes, I never would have cottoned on to their disguise if not for one tiny mistake:  Putting pictures of Gundams all over their lobby walls

Gonna have to get up earlier than that to fool me, JX

Noah out

Hotaru Ika (Firefly Squid)

Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard about firefly squid?  They're super cool!  Bright blue bioluminescent, they of course spend most of their time in the very deep ocean (like most bioluminescent fish)

Science!  Science is fantastic!

However, once a year, they come up to the surface for mating season.  Toyama Bay here in Japan is famous for this, and every year the entire bay turns bright blue

#55,483 on my list of things to do here in Japan . . .

Cool, right?  The mysteries of science are even more impressive than fiction



Oh . . . and did I mention that they are delicious???  Hahaha you didn't really think this blog post was just about the pretty lights?  Yup, for a very short period of time in spring, you can find them on menus here in Japan

They have a very soft texture compared to normal squid, although still with a bit of bite to them.  The flavor is a touch briny without being overly fishy, and they're bite-sized, or if you're savoring them then I guess two bites.  More importantly, they have a subtle sweetness the pairs awesome with their savory ocean flavor

Enter Izakaya Hoochie Coochie . . .

Turns out, they are *delicious* tempura-style . . . there were a lot more to this order, but I got distracted because they were so delicious and ate half of them before remembering to take a picture

Oh and hey, you can flash-boil them and serve them sashimi-style.  Which happens to go *very* well with shochu, but that's another post, I think . . .

Moral of the story:  Always go with the seasonal goods here in Japan.  You will not be disappointed

Especially when Hiro is the chef.  Hell yeah

Noah out

Tonki: More benefits of specialization

Hey guys,

Ever since I mentioned it back in my post about Harajuku Gyoza Lou (one of my more popular posts, aww shucks), people have wanted me to write something up about Tonki.  Some say it's the best tonkatsu in Tokyo; others, the best in Japan.  I don't want to weigh in (I've had a lot of great tonkatsu, including Ouroji about which I wrote a post).  But there's no denying that this place is pretty special

My Uncle Ike was visiting, and this has been one of his favorite places for years.  So we decided to head on down a few days ago to see if they're still as delicious as we both remember (spoiler alert:  Yes)

The first thing to note about the place is that it is clean, spotless and pristine.  A single large room, you sit in one counter surrounding the open kitchen and the on-deck diners sit along the wall.  Even with fryer oil running constantly, the restaurant is entirely free of any smell.  The air is pure, the wood is clean, and everything about the place runs smoothly

Call it 30 seats or so, not as small as many shops but certainly enough to really pack it in

Although there's space in the back, 90% of the cooking happen right here in the central kitchen

As soon as you walk in, the majordomo will immediately take care of you--"host" is simply not dignified enough for this guy.  One gets the sense that if Prime Minister Abe himself were to walk in, accompanied by President Obama, Chancellor Merkel, and the ghosts of Queen Victoria and Emperor Meiji, the majordomo would confirm their party size of five, take their orders, and direct them to seats along the well

(alas, no pictures--we were here right at opening to beat the line, and apparently he isn't necessary until later.  I'll just have to go back)

Oh yes, you place your order as soon as you walk in, because there are more or less only three things on the menu:  Dark meat, light meat, or skewered with onions.  Breaded and fried, served with the traditional cabbage accompaniment, with rice and soup rounding out a full meal.

As soon as your order is placed, the full assembly line goes into action.  Your meat is floured and egged in turn repeatedly, then breaded in panko and dropped straight into the first of a series of vat-sized fryers.  The meat is turned carefully, transferred to each subsequent vat by a watchful attendant, and finally diced and served.

The perfect assembly line

At each stage a different chef takes care of it, with the final removal from the fryer overseen by what I believe may in fact be the happiest man in the world--no seriously, he is my favorite part of this shop.  He is always here, hunched over, and every single piece of meat eaten in this shop is inspected and sliced up by his eyes and hands

That is the smile of a man who knows 100% exactly what he wants to do with his life and has the contended knowledge that he does it the best in the world

The tonkatsu itself defies description.  Crispy on the outside, warm and moist on the inside, with sweet sauce, spicy mustard, and cool cabbage to complete a full combination of tastes and textures

Uncle Ike's hirekatsu (light meat)

Plus my rosukatsu (dark meat), plus an added skewer or pork and onions because Ike had never tried it

A little out of the way, but absolutely phenomenal.  Tonki, located in Meguro station, is an absolute must-try if you visit Tokyo

Oh, and free refills of rice and cabbage, by the way ;)

Noah out