Kinwashi Tour Japan Thread

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 16:52

   

  

  http://www.japansubculture.com/2008/10/yakuza-bosses-take-legal-classes-to-evade-strict-new-law/

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 16:59

  source Wikipedia.

  Principal families

  Although yakuza membership has declined following an antigang law aimed specifically at yakuza and passed by the Japanese government in 1992, there are thought to be more than 103,000 active yakuza members in Japan today. Although there are many different Yakuza groups, together they form the largest organized crime group in the world. Most yakuza members belong to five principal families (see below.)

  Principal families	Description	Mon (crest)
  Yamaguchi-gumi (六代目山å�£çµ„Rokudaime Yamaguchi-gumi?)	Created in 1915, the Yamaguchi-gumi is the biggest yakuza family, accounting for 50% of all yakuza in Japan, with more than 55,000 members divided into 850 clans. Despite more than one decade of police repression, the Yamaguchi-gumi has continued to grow. From its headquarters in Kobe, it directs criminal activities throughout Japan. It is also involved in operations in Asia and the United States. Shinobu Tsukasa, also known as Kenichi Shinoda, is the Yamaguchi-gumi's current oyabun. He follows an expansionist policy, and has increased operations in Tokyo (which has not traditionally been the territory of the Yamaguchi-gumi.) The Yamaguchi family is successful to the point where its name has become synonymous with Japanese organized crime in many parts of Asia outside of Japan. Many Chinese or Korean persons who do not know the name "Yakuza" would know the name "Yamaguchi-gumi", which is frequently portrayed in gangster movies.	"The meaning of the samurai sword is in the warrior and the sword as one it could be a dangerous opponent" Yamabishi (å±±è�±)
  Sumiyoshi-kai (ä½�å�‰ä¼š?)	The Sumiyoshi-rengo is the second largest yakuza family, with 20,000 members divided into 277 clans. The Sumiyoshi-kai, as it is sometimes called, is a confederation of smaller yakuza groups. Its current oyabun is Shigeo Nishiguchi. Structurally, Sumiyoshi-kai differs from its principal rival, the Yamaguchi-gumi, in that it functions like a federation. The chain of command is more lax, and although Shigeo Nishiguchi is always the supreme oyabun, its leadership is distributed among several other people.
  Inagawa-kai (稲å·�会?)	The Inagawa-kaï is the third largest yakuza family in Japan, with roughly 15,000 members divided into 313 clans. It is based in the Tokyo-Yokohama area and was one of the first yakuza families to expand its operations to outside of Japan. Its current oyabun is Hideki Inagawa.
  Aizukotetsu-kai (六代目会津å°�鉄会?)	The Aizukotetsu-kai is based in Kyoto, is Japan's fourth-largest yakuza organization. Its name comes from the Aizu region, "Kotetsu", a type of Japanese sword, and the suffix "-kai", or society. Rather than a stand-alone gang, the Aizukotetsu-kai is a federation of approximately 100 of Kyoto's various yakuza groups, comprising an estimated 7,000 members. In October 2005, the group formed an alliance with the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest yakuza gang. Its current oyabun is Mitsugu Baba.
  Toa-kai (æ�±äºœä¼š?)	Founded in 1948 by Hisayuki Machii, an ethnic Korean, the Tao Yuai Jigyo Kumiai yakuza family quickly became one of most influential yakuza groups in Tokyo, especially Ginza and Roppongi. It is composed of yakuza of Korean origin, and numbers more than 5,400 divided into 10 clans. Its current oyabun is Yoshio Kaneumi. The fifth largest yakuza organization.

   

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 17:46

  

  http://www.japansubculture.com/2011/04/the-return-of-the-king-yamaguchi-gumi-boss-leaves-prison-today/

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 17:52

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13027109

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:07

  Japanese Cuisine: Himono-Dried Fish

  By dragonlife

  

  How many people outside Shizuoka Prefecture know that half (yes, half!) of all dried fish are caught and processed in our Prefecture, notably along the shores of the Izu Peninsula?
  When will I convince everyone that Shizuoka Prefecture is THE true gastronomic region of Japan? LOL
  To those guys living in Tokyo, may I remind them that Mount Fuji, Izu Peninsula and wasabi are all in Shizuoka Prefecture? Please, someone stop me!

  Soon the season for preparing died fish will start anew, although it lasts almost all year round in some parts of Izu peninsula. i take the opportuity to re-publish this posting. The Spanish in particular are good at making the same thing, and the basic recipe can be applied alost worldwide.

  

  I chose a fish called “isaki” or “Chicken Grunt” (who came up with that English name?) that is quite common on our shores.
  The same recipe naturally applies to loads of fish!

  CLEANING THE FISH:

  

  Using a strong short sharp knife (the Japanese use the same knife to cut and gut medium size fish), first get rid of the scales as much as possible.
  Wash once under running clear cold water.
  Cut along the back (not the belly! very important) from the tail to the head as shown on above picture deeply enough to reach the main bone.

  

  Once the knife has cut all along the back and reached the head, cut the head in half along the same cutting line.
  The head of a isaki being small it is quite easy. It might requires some strength for bigger head fish like seabreams. Call the MOTH then! (not the moths, the “Man”! LOL).

  

  Open the fish and continue cutting in half all the way through.

  

  Take out innards carefully so as not having them getting in contact with the flesh!
  Depending upon the season, you might be lucky to get male sperm sacks (shirako). Don’t throw that away. They are great simmered with soy sauce, mirin/sweet sake, japanese sake and chili pepper! (see pic below).

  

  Open the fish and clean it under running clear cold water.
  Take water off with some kitchen paper or a clean piece of cloth.
  Sprinkle with salt and dry outside under the sun until it has reached a nice aspect. You could also smoke it.
  It can be preserved insde an airtight plastic bag and frozen, although eaten quickly it will taste so much better!

  

  The Japanese grill their himono/dried fish pasted with a liuttel soy sauce or tare. Beautiful with beer, Good Beer and Country Boys!

  

  Great also grilled with a little salt!

  

  If grilled with salt don’t forget the freshly grated daikon (and lemon juice, and soy sauce…)

  

  The male sperm sacs (shirako) make for a great snack with your beer or sake once simmered in soy sauce, mirin/sweet sake and Japanese sake (and a little chili pepper)!

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:12

  Himono-onna  story.

  http://maki.typepad.com/justhungry/2009/11/himono-onna-dried-fish-woman.html

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:21

  Movie snack...Japan go for dried fish.

  over here olden days (kachang puteh)

  http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/features/cinema-snacks-of-the-world.php?page=2

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:25

  source

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:29

  This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series O-shogatsu Ryori

  Japanese New Year’s Osechi Ryori: Shopping for Fish at Kyoto Wholesale Food Market with Kichisen Owner Yoshimi Tanigawa

  
  At Kichisen, they start shopping for ingredients for osechi in July. Most all shopping is done at the Kyoto Central Wholesale Market. Every morning, before shopping though is a visit to a temple even older than Kyoto and prayers to a pilgrim from previous millennia.

   

  Master Chef’s Daily Routine
  Tanigawa wakes at 5 am and leaves Kichisen at 5:30 for the market. His students, who have only gone to bed a few hours before, have already prepared the vehicle and gather at the door of his apartment, they greet and bow to their master when he appears.

  This has been the routine at Kichisen for 28 years. Even though some of his students are experienced and have the eye to choose superior ingredients, Tanigawa goes to the market and chooses everything served at Kichisen himself.

  In the car, he listens to NHK radio news and makes a stop at Rokkakudo Temple in central Kyoto located near Shijo-Karasuma intersection.

  Kichisen Osechi: Morning Prayers at Rokkakudo Temple
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Morning Prayers at Rokkakudo Temple
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Morning Prayers at Rokkakudo Temple
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Pure Land School Founder Shinran
  

  Every morning Tanigawa stops at Rokkakudo Temple and prays. Rokkakudo is one of the oldest temples in Kyoto. The temple’s record says that it was built in 587, which is 200 years before Kyoto became capital. It is known as the origin of the Ikenobo School of flower arrangement. Rokkakudo Temple is also known for the pilgrimage of Buddhist monk Shinran, who is the founder of Jodo Shinshu, or the Pure Land School sect, Japan’s largest sect. Shinran walked down from Mount Hieizan to Rokkakudo every day for 100 days. On his 95th day, while circumambulating the temple he experienced a vision that led to the creation of the Pure Land School.

  Tanigawa visits this temple daily seeking enlightenment and direction in his life’s work.

  The gates opens at 5:50 a.m and he is usually the first person to enter.

  At the Market

  Kichisen Osechi: Local Newspaper at the Ice Vendor’s
  
  The first stop is the ice vendors, Kichisen uses the best ice too! While the lad prepares the ice, Tanigawa scans the proprietor’s Kyoto newspaper.

  Kichisen Osechi: Kyoto Wholesale Food Market Auction
  
  (Tanigawa doesn’t participate.)

  Kichisen Osechi: Asking the Price for Tarako Cod Roe
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Tarako Cod Roe
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Bodara Dried Cod
  
  Cod is caught in Hokkaido and dried whole exposed to the sun and wind for several months. They are rock hard and require about 2 weeks of soaking to reconstitute and prepare for cooking. At Kichisen, cooking takes two days.

  Kichisen Osechi: Bodara Dried Cod
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Examining Live Flounder
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Examining Live Flounder
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Fugu
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Cleaned Fugu Pufferfish
  
  The skin is mighty tasty but the lips are poisonous. One fugu has enough toxin in it to kill about 50 people. (Fugu is not used in osechi ryori.)

  Kichisen Osechi: Check Out
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Tuna Dealer – Maguro
  
  Maguro does not appear in osechi ryori.

  Kichisen Osechi: Tuna Dealer – Maguro
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Tuna Dealer – Maguro
  
  The tuna’s answer to ox tail.

  Kichisen Osechi: Tuna Dealer – Maguro
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Check Out
  
  It is cold at the market in this season. Notice the woman on the right giving change, she has an electric blanket wrapped around her legs.

  Kichisen Osechi: Uni Sea Urchin Dealer
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Dried Sardine Dealer
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Dried Sardine Dealer
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Dried Sardine Dealer
  
  Tanigawa swears by this dealer’s dried sardines. He scooped up some for us to eat and told me to remember the taste.

  Kichisen Osechi: Really Tiny ‘Jako’
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Inspecting Karasumi, Dried Mullet Roe
  
  This stack of white boxes contain about $10,000 USD worth of karasumi.

  Kichisen Osechi: Karasumi
  
  These are huge egg sacs and the highest quality, each pack costs $200-300 USD. This is excellent stuff!

  Kichisen Osechi: Red Snapper
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Monkfish and Liver
  
  Monkfish is popular in nabe in the winter but it is not used in osechi.

  Kichisen Osechi: Monkfish Liver, Made in USA
  
  An kimo, or monkfish liver is said to be the native foie gras of Japan. It is very good.

  Kichisen Osechi
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Namako, Sea Cucumber
  
  (not used in osechi)

  Kichisen Osechi: Shellfish
  
  (not used in osechi)

  Kichisen Osechi: Kazunoko – Herring Roe
  
  This salted herring roe is from the US. Kazunoko is a prominent feature in osechi.

  Kichisen Osechi: Crab
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Inspecting Dry Goods, Kombu and Shiitake
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Inspecting Dried Kombu
  

  Kichisen Osechi: Inspecting Dried Shiitake
  

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:35

  Fish: Shizuoka Marine Products from the Ocean; Dried Fish/Himono/干物 at Mochimune!

  By dragonlife

  

  Houbou/竹麦魚�魴鮄/Bluefin Robbin (Red Gurnard) Himono

  Mochimune is known all over Japan for its fishing harbor whose main catch is shirasu/白�/Whitebait. The fishing for the latter will come into full gear in Spring, but that is for another article.

  

  The signs for shirasu/�ら� will be floating everywhere soon!

  

  Mochimune is also a fine touristic spot known for its large black pebble beach and great views of the Izu Peninsula on clear days!
  Quite a few interesting shops and restaurants (one coming soon!) are to be discovered among the narrow streets.

  

  “Marukai”, a small fish shop

  Of course one can discover all the fish and the processed goods at the fish Market beside the harbor, but it is also great fun to wander away along narrow avenues to look at the small shops processing and selling seafood from the Suruga Bay.
  One typical product, and Shizuoka Prefecture produces 50% of the total in Japan, is “himono”!
  Himono is sun-dried fish that Japanese (and foreigners) are very fond of grilling any time of the day or the year.
  Each shop has its own recipes and they are all worth a second and third look!

  

  Saba/鯖/mackerel from Marukai drying across the street!

  

  For a closer view!
  I consider it the best way to appreciate mackerel. Perfect snack with a good beer!

  

  You will also find orange trees everywhere (I don’t think their owners will really mind if you pick one to taste!LOL)

  

  These are Houbou/竹麦魚�魴鮄/Bluefin Robbin (Red Gurnard), a true specialty fish from Mochimune.
  Also great fresh and prepared at the local Italian restaurants!

  

  Tai/鯛/Seabream form Mochimune. A bit extravagant for a dried fish.

  

  Aji/鯵/Horse Mackerel from the Suruga Bay. You can eat them all. Great source of calcium!

  

  Koshiotai/a small seabream variety from Mochimume. Can also be eaten whole.

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:39

  Chicken Feet

   chicken feet for the first time as a post-bar snack in Vietnam and they were not as "finger licking good" as I had hoped. My honest opinion was "what's the point." Most of the edible meat on the feet consists of skin and tendons, without much muscle. That means that all you get out of chicken feet is some dried up skin and chewy tendons. I really have no idea why chicken feet are so popular in Asia. In China they are called Phoenix talons, so maybe pretending you are eating a mythical creature makes it more palatable.  Though, personally I don't think I'd have much of a taste for Unicorn's hoof either. Useless.

  from source

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:48

  Japan snacks

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:52

  Komade motherland got one special kind of product, good thing you never share with us. Why?

  

  http://www.cookdays.com/cocktails/vietnamese-snake-wine-with-massive-cobras/

  some vendor their store are selling only rubber snakes in the bottler, becareful.

  go the genuine ones.

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 18:58

  Komade do you know in Japan, let me share with you.

  
  
  Yunessun is a resort near Mount Fuji famous for its 'amusement baths.' Bathers splash around in red wine, sake, coffee or green tea. Appropriately, the sign next to the pools reads “Do Not Drink.”
  
  
  

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 19:00

  			The Yunessun is our largest spa resort zone where you can enjoy more than 25 different kinds spa related services and fun water recreational activities (see the complete list below). It is like being at the beach, so bring your swimsuits. The main Spa facility is called The God's Aegean Sea and will amaze you with its fantastic aqua surroundings.There is a Mediterranean theme for the amusement spas along with the Turkish Hamam and the Ancient Roman Baths. Combined with the relaxing Spa enjoyments at Yuneesun we also have a less relaxed, more wild side, come and see our dynamic water attractions including huge waterfalls and water slides. Take a ride down one of our slides. Fun for the whole family, both young families with their young children can enjoy being together. Yunessun is a place to experience in Japan!

  The God's Aegean Sea Our biggest spa composed of three islands with relaxing spa waters. The God's Aegean Sea also includes a variety of water massaging devices. Also, experience the wonder and drama of dynamic special effects by a fully illuminated water screen high above on the ceiling.

  Ancient Roman Bath A fantastic spa styled in the ancient Roman period. You can experience an ancient Roman bathing experience, that is a combination of mixing a hot water spa, a cold water spa and a mist sauna. Taking two spas at different temperatures is good for your health.

  Turkish Hamam This Turkish style spa is designed like an Ottoman Turkish Palace. The dome-shaped ceiling is covered in mosaic tiles and creates an exotic ambivalence. A fantastic display of light display is reflected on the walls of the spa. Very simulating.

  Rodeo Mountain Exciting adventurous water slides. You can enjoy the water slides even in winter as the water is heated water.We have 3 types of water slides. Try them all! *Person who is 110 cm tall or smaller (under 4 ft.), are not allowed.

  Japanese Sake Spa There is a constant dripping from a huge cask filled with real Japanese Sake! It is said that Sake is very good for the beauty of your skin. It is an enjoyable experience taking this type of bath. A unique Japanese experience.

  Green Tea Spa A unique spa containing real green. The huge tea pot is 2m tall and is very remarkable. The tea is from the foot of the Tanzawa and Hakone mountains, known for a suitable climate for growing tea plants. The green tea grown in this area is rich in aroma and contains Catechin, a powerful anti-oxidant fighting tumors as well as enhancing the immune system. Also, good for the skin.

  Coffee Spa A very unique spa where you can only experience at Yunessun! The spa contains real coffee made with hot spring water. It has been said that coffee is an effective treatment from the recovery of fatigue, and also adds beauty to the skin. The aroma of the coffee will also perk up your senses.

  Wine Spa A unique spa containing real red wine. The huge wine bottle is 3.6m tall and is very remarkable. Bathing in wine is a rejuvenation treatment for the body, and it has been said that the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra loved to bath in wine. There are regular performances of pouring real wine into the spa a few times a day.

  
  

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 19:54

  Video,

   Kusaya.

  What is Kusaya?

  How Kusaya is prepare.

  http://youtu.be/T4v420lOZ7g

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 19:59

  So.. please enjoy eating Kusaya from Japan..  you dare!

  http://youtu.be/0X3D8lHKncM

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 20:28

  Gas mask needed!

  Kusaya...

  ��や�����食�方

  http://youtu.be/YEVxL4qWhDg

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 20:34

  Kusaya what actully is the smell?

  Cow Dung...http://youtu.be/30pDiTz89w8

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 20:56

  Kusaya manufacturing The raw materials to processing plants caught Yao Kusa, bring. The freshness of the fall, the process immediately. Kusaya proud to make the best first person, the goodness of fresh ingredients Fish species, blue Muroaji (This is the best), and Biuo (popular in recent years) True mackerel, Waka Hagi, sharks, red tail Muro, Muroaji, red back Muro Takabe, depression com, pike and various open soon - in the night " Open The skilled techniques, open to remove the built-in freshness of Ino Makoto. Blue, Muroaji Muroaji, mackerel system is open abdomen Biuoha 背開Ki and Waka Hagi, Masu Hashi in shark fillets. Professional work " è¡€å�ˆI taken cleanly, carefully treats like wear and tear. Rinse with clean fresh water. Pumped from underground, in the subsoil water, è¡€å�ˆI, down to dirt. Shimizu soaking through five minutes, remove the blood relatives. As è–„Maranai liquid, then drain off enough. Pickled " The size of the fish, when added to liquid cash in the fish by Yano Kusa ride so fat Determine the seasoning, put the natural sea salt. By the time also Tsukeè¾¼Mi adjust the seasoning. Kusaya to decide that the effect of this seasoning. Fish is 漬Keè¾¼Ma overnight. Kusaya liquid in underground tanks at the same temperature is maintained throughout the year. Throughout the year, oxygen, temperature, and the breeding of bacteria solution Kusaya Kusaya It is important to maintain. Rinse with clean fresh water. Kusaya from liquid, remove the fish pumped from underground, in the subsoil water, è¡€å�ˆI, down to dirt. (Wash tub 3) Shimizu soaking through one minute, disconnect the blood relatives. Arrange dried bamboo curtains. " While stroking the body gently arrange the fish. (I get brushed and polished) I brushed aside, I love Oshimu, I will then taste. Solar drying " Hiraki difference is not about the here and dried. By dry, sweet and amino acid changes in the components of salt will taste å¹²Se day is sufficient. è’¸Remasu dry and long. Cold air dryer " After the chamber, leave it to cold air dryer at 18 " Throughout the year as winter temperatures, humidity, remove it loudly. Is ready to multiply overnight. Increases hardness, dried dried for 5 days. (Mad about you)

  F Top

  ---

  Copyright (C) Shima Shin Kusaya 2000. All Rights Reserved

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 22:20

  

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 22:25

  Shopping for Japanese New Year’s Celebration Food at Nishiki Market in Kyoto

  December 31st, 2007 by Kyoto Foodie

  Shopping for Japanese New Year’s Celebration Food at Nishiki Market in Kyoto

  

  The New Year’s celebration, in Japanese, Oshogatsu (ã�Šæ­£æœˆ) is the most important celebration of the year, like that of Christmas in Western countries.

  The food eaten at Oshogatsu are many and varied. There are numerous traditional dishes that are only eaten at New Year’s, and it is also now common to purchase the highest quality fish, beef and poultry for family feasts.

  I went to Nishiki Market this afternoon to do some of my own shopping and to snap some photos for KyotoFoodie.

   

  Nishiki Market cannot be beaten for shopping for Oshogatsu feasts, it not only has everything, it also has the best. And the delicacies are priced accordingly!

  Oshogatsu Shopping Crowd in Nishiki
  Nishiki Market is just a narrow shopping arcade street, normally it is literally wall to wall people. On the last days of the year, it is even far more so. The crush of the crowd not unlike the rush hour trains of Tokyo and Osaka!

  All kinds of fish for sale!
  
  herring (nishin), herring-kombu roll (nishin-kombu maki), yellowtail (buri), Spanish mackerel (sawara)

  New Year’s decorations for sale.
  This temporary stand was set-up on a side street.

  New Year’s Flower Arrangements
  
  Shinise invariably have oshogatsu flower arrangements in and about the store.

  Nishiki Tea Shop with Nishiki Bancha
  
  Bancha is the popular ‘everyday tea’ in Kyoto.

  Various Teas for Sale, Roaster in the Background
  
  The roaster produces bancha, and plenty of rich, aromatic smoke.

  Roaster Detail
  
  Roasted tea leaves spill out into the container on the floor.

  Customers Sampling Kyoto White Miso
  White miso is sweet and is the most ‘Kyoto’ miso. It contains very little salt — and quite a few calories!

  Sozaiya-san
  
  This shop sells various ippin ryori type dishes, think of it as a Japanese deli.

  Sozaiya-san
  
  Scooping up goodies!

  Osechi-ryori for Take Away
  
  The boxes seen and beautifully wrapped contain the osechi-ryori for one person’s oshogatsu. These are for sale, or perhaps pick-up for orders.

  Dried Persimmons
  

  Tanaka, Wagashi Shinese
  
  Mochi (rice cakes). Mochi is a necessity for Oshogatsu and often handmade by families or neighborhoods.

  Bodara – Oshogatsu Cod
  
  Bodara (棒ã� ã‚‰), cod simmered in shoyu, mirin and sugar. This is a shogatsu staple. On the bottom left are sweetened black beans with candied chestnuts.

  More Oshogatsu Osechi Fixins
  
  In the center are candied kumquats — candied WITH the leaves still attached. I had never seen them with the leaves still attached. This is the kind of thing that makes Nishiki Market a cut above the super markets.

  Another Busy Fishmonger
  
  This shop had lots of crab for sale. Japanese love crab, especially in the winter.
  Tsukemono Shop
  
  Japanese LOVE tsukemono (pickles)!

  A Well Loved Grilled Fish Shop
  
  At oshogatsu everyone wants to eat snapper (tai), so this shop changes it’s offerings to only salt grilled snapper (tai no shioyaki). Prices are steep!

  10,000 Yen Snapper!
  
  Priced from about $50 to $100+, think of tai as the Christmas goose of the Japanese New Year’s celebration.

  Cooking and Selling Snapper
  
  The men in the background are tending the ovens.

  Fugu (Pufferfish) Specialty Shop
  
  This shop specializes in fresh fugu, another popular Oshogatsu feast. A very special treat.

  Fugu, Fugu and More Fugu
  
  On the left is chunks of fugu with large, heavy bones intact for nabe (hotpot). I always think of this as being like whole chopped chicken soup in Chinese cuisine, the meat is nibbled off the bone which is discarded on a plate. Next is paper thin sliced fugu for tessa, fugu sashimi. Next, fugu no shirako, this is the sperm sac of the male fugu. Thinly sliced fugu skin, called teppi on the lower right.

  Fugu, Fugu and More Fugu
  

  Fugu, Fugu and More Fugu
  
  Fugu no shirako, this can be eaten raw, steamed or lightly grilled. Again, it is the sperm sac of thefugu, you might want to give it a miss, although if you had it and did not know what you were eating, I bet that you would like it!

  A Popular Mochi Shop with Popular Oshogatsu Mochi Flavors
  On the left is the No. 1 ninki (popular) mochi, mame mochi (mochi with black beans), and No. 2 ninkiis yomogi mochi, it is green because it is made with the mugwort (yomogi) plant. Yomogi mochi is slightly astringent with a feel something like mint. Next, to the right, the yellowish colored mochi isawa mochi, awa is one of several kinds of millet that was eaten in ancient times. Now it is mostly used in confections and mochi.

  Various Kinds of Mochi
  
  The pink mochi is ebi mochi, shrimp mochi. Baby dried shrimp are added to the mochi. These ‘loafs’ of mochi are sliced and usually roasted and eaten with shoyu and sometimes a bit of sugar. The bags of round mochi to the right is for ozoni soup.

  TORO!
  
  Honmaguro chutoro is wild maguro (tuna). Chutoro (middle toro) is the cut between the red meatmaguro of the back and the fatty ‘pork belly’ bottom called ootoro. The prices are around $70 for a block of toro. While that is not cheap it can provide 4 or 5 people with a generous amount of toro to go with a New Year’s family feast.

  Dried Cod
  
  This dried cod is that is reconstituted and simmered with sweetened shoyu to make bodara, anoshogatsu staple.

  Chinmi – Namazu Kabayaki (Catfish)
  
  Chinmi, literally ‘delicacy’ is especially popular with drinkers in Japan (who are not on a tight budget). This item was labeled at ‘chinmi‘, it is broiled catfish (namazu). I have never seen catfish for sale in Japan before. Catfish are regarded as an indicator of a coming earthquake, rather than food in Japan. This shop specializes in fish from Lake Biwa.

  Red Snapper Heads for Sale
  
  The head of the tai are popular for making tai no ara, a nimono (simmered dish) ever popular with the Japanese. The slowly simmered tai head is carefully picked apart and the sweetest meat of the fish is teased out with chopsticks. Tai no ara is simmered with shoyu, sake, mirin, shredded ginger and sometimes gobo.

  Fugu
  
  Notice how rotund the fugu is. When fugu is written with the Chinese kanji characters, it is usually written as ‘河豚’. æ²³ is ‘river’ and 豚 is ‘pig’.
  Dashimaki-tamago, Serious Business at Oshogatsu
  Notice the sign with the number 2 on it. This shop is so busy that customers have to get a number and reservation at a different location and come to pickup their dashimaki at a set time, in order to lessen the chaos.

  Tanaka Keiran (Tanaka Chicken Egg Shop)
  
  The stacks in the background at the center of the photo are wooden forms that the dashimaki is put in and takes it’s rectangular shape as it cools down.

  Making Dashimaki
  
  Making Dashimaki — Frantically
  

  Making Dashimaki
  

  Miki Keiren — The Most Famous Dashimaki Shop in Nishiki
  Miki Keiren is insanely busy. The sign at the upper center shows where to go to get a number and reservation for a New Year’s dashimaki.

  Side Street with People Queuing for Miki Keiren Dashimaki Reservations

  Queuing for Miki Keiren
  

  Mishimatei in Daimaru Department Store
  
  Right around the corner from the west end of Nishiki is Daimaru Department Store which is also an excellent place to buy tasty things. Here, the man holding the sign shows where the end of the line currently is for people waiting to buy their Mishima-tei fine beef for Oshogatsu dinner. I took this photo about 4:30pm when they were nearly sold out and therefore the line was short. On the 30th and up until early afternoon on the 31st, the line would be hundreds of people long, taking hours buy some Mishima-tei beef, which many people are perfectly willing to do.

• kinwashi

  1 Jun 11, 22:33

  Nikuman or beef manju is a very common snack in Japan and something that Japanese are quite passionate about. In the cold months of the year, every convenience store chain has their annual best nikuman lineup in a glass case, steaming hot, next to the cash register. There is everything from primo wagyu-man to exotic pizza-man. Nikuman is of course Chinese, not Japanese, called baozi (包�) in Chinese.

  I love nikuman, both the Japanese and Chinese variety. I find the baozi in China has a wonderful variety of hearty and tasty, usually handmade fillings and the nikuman in Japan often have great steamed bread but are a little mass produced in taste and feel. Japanese nikuman lacks the hearty soul of baozi in China as it is almost never handmade or fresh.

  Kyoto-style baozi is not something that I had contemplated. It turns out there is a Kyoto kaiseki restaurant in Gion called Hattori Ebisu Rakuan (æœ�部ゑã�³ã�™æ¥½åºµ) that developed a Kyoto-style manju that is sold in a few places in Kyoto, one being the foodie’s paradise of Nishiki Market. Hattori Ebisu Rakuan doesn’t actually have a shop in Nishiki but the tsukudani store Ajidontsuki has a steamer full of their nikuman. Give this one a try if you are visiting Nishiki Market, especially in during the winter months. In one recent year this was the number one selling item in all of Nishiki Market!

  

  Kyoto-style Beef Manju Steamed Bun

  In addition to being tasty, these nikuman are beautiful. They have a delightful ‘yakiin’ hot iron brand that says kokyo hoka, kokyo means old capital and hoka means hot, and these manju are hot hot hot!

  Inside the thick streamed but is a mixture of beef tsukudani (wagyu beef simmered in sweet soy sauce), kimpira gobo (burdock root simmered in sweet soy sauce) and shibazuke tsukemono (Kyoto-style eggplant and cucumber pickled with red shiso)! The addition of tsukemono is really novel.

  

  Kyoto-style Beef Manju Steamed Bun

  

  Kyoto-style Beef Manju Steamed Bun - detail

  source

• kinwashi

  2 Jun 11, 23:30

   Katsuobushi.

  if you love japanese cuisine.

  one of this.

  http://youtu.be/sr0RwfglqeE

• kinwashi

  2 Jun 11, 23:37

  Okonomiyaki.

  this are very common street food in Japan.

  see what dancing.

  http://youtu.be/TiquJ47Mcjk