Tokyo Metropolitan News: 2010

8/01/2010

What's the Mentaiko Park? : Ibaraki Short Trip

Mentaiko (明太子) is one of popular japanese foods. If you love it, I will recommend for you to visit the Mentaiko Park in Ibaraki. You can buy various mentaiko foods there. And you can try food samples, know the history of Mentaiko, enjoy the factory tour. They are all free :)))

This is a mentaiko. Mentaiko is egg of Theragra chalcogramma seasoned with a spicy source. It is delicious on their own or with rice.

I love Unaju and Tendon

Today's dinner are an Unaju (うな重, 鰻重) and Tendon (天丼). They are popular cuisines in Japan.

Unaju is made with rice and unagi kabayaki, grilled eel coated with a special sweet sauce. Una (うな) means a eel and Ju (重) means an a black box. This Unaju was very good, which is served by my favorite small restaurant :D

This is Tendon (天丼). Tendon is a rice bowl cuisine made with fritters of seasonal vegetables and seafoods. Ten (天) means fritters, don (丼) means rice bowl. Today's Tendon, fitter of asparagus was very good :)

7/24/2010

Lets go to summer festival with friends : Shimbashi Koichi Matsuri

A essential item for Japanese in summer is really Summer Festibval! In Shimbashi, Koichi Matsuri was being held between 7/23 and 7/24. So many people in yukata, young and old, have enjoyed this summer festival. There are many foreign people there :D

This is Bon danecs. It is the main event in summer festival. It is said that Bon dances was originally a religious ceremony to send ancestral spirits back to the spiritual world. Illuminations with lanterns are very beautiful.

Photos at Nakaminato Fish Market : Ibaraki Short Trip

Nakaminato Fish Market is very exciting : Ibaraki Short Trip

Do you like seafoods? hahaha. Yes, I love seafoods. Today, I went to shopping fresh seafoods at Nakaminato Fish Market (那珂湊お魚市場), which is one of the most popular travel spots in Ibaraki. All seafoods are fresh and inexpensive there. In addition, there are a lot of seafood restaurants at there. You can also enjoy delicious cuisine there.

This is in the Nakaminato Fish Market, which is crowded with travelers and local people.

Using the train "Super Hitachi" : Ibaraki Short Trip

The big three travel spots in Japan are Tokyo, Osaka, Kyouto. But, other spots are also very good. Ibaraki, where I made a short trip to, is one of them. Ibaraki Prefecture is located in the Kanto region on Honshu island. The capital is Mito. You can enjoy a beautiful nature surrounded by mountains and sea, a lot of fresh foods and various sports in Ibaraki. For example, people have enjoyed ocean sports, golf and hiking this time of year in Ibaraki.

I uesed the train "Super Hitachi" in this Ibaraki short trip. It takes just 1 hour and 10 minutes from Ueno station to Mito station.

This is in the train.

This is the seats.

That reminds me, are you hungry? If you are, please don't forget to try Ekiben (駅弁). Ekiben are boxed meals sold at stations and on trains. Now, many types of Ekiben are served. Some people eat Ekiben as a hobby :D

These are menu of Ekiben at Ueno station. Which Ekiben do you like best?

This is a rice balls set and Japanese tea, I ordered them.

Rice balls set has 3 rice balls, 2 rolled eggs and 2 fried chickens. It is very good. Have a good Ibaraki trip! :D

Ueno station is here.

Mito station is here.

7/19/2010

Chinese foods in Japan

I had a dinner with my family then went Karaoke on Sunday. I had really a good time. Today's restaurant is my favorite Chinese restaurant. I will show you dishes at that time. They are Chinese foods in Japan. Now, Chinese foods are served all over the world. I want to know Chinese foods in your country. Is it same, or not? :D

This is a typically round table. Most Chinese restaurant have round tables in Japan. The black part on the white table is able to be turned over.

Preserved Duck Eggs. It is called "ぴーたん".

Chinese Vegetables. This English name is incorrect. Sorry I don't know it... It is called "フーシンサイの炒めもの".

Toufu with Minced Pork, Chill Source. It is called "麻婆豆腐", my favorite dish!!

Diced Chicken Wrap in Lettuce. It is called "レタスの鶏肉包み".

Original Source Whole Flatfish. It is called "カレイの丸揚げ特製ソース掛け".

Shark's Fins Soup Noodle. It is called "ふかひれ入れそば".

This is one of the menus. Braised superior shark's fin is very expensive!!

7/18/2010

High-quality Anpanman is very scaring : Tokyo Toy Show 2010

Do you know Anpanman? Anpanman is one of the most popluar anime for kids in Japan, whose head is a bread filled with An (bean jam). He is a very strong, can fly like a superman. It's unbelievable that his head is edible bread. He lets the hungry creature or person eat part of his head...

This is Anpanman. It's really cute. But I found another type of Anpanman in Toy Show.

This is the one. To be honest, it is very scaring. Although products made in japan are high quality, it is too much. I think that kids always cries when they look at him. :D

At the site, most visitors were intrigued by high-qualitiy Anpanman. The woman touched it and smelled it. Well, she didn't eat it...

Closeup of his cheek. High-quality bread dough is very scaring. :)))

Closeup of his eyes and nose.

Closeup of his eyebrows. This crack is very exquisite.

At last, I like low-quality Anpanman better. Thank you Anpanman for saving the world!! :)))

7/17/2010

Outline of International Tokyo Toy Show 2010

This year's Toy Show is being hold at Ariake, Japan. A lot of toys from around the world are exhibited there. About 20,000 people visited on BUYER'S DAY (7/15-7/16). Increase of visitors is expected on PUBLIC DAY (7/17-7/18). Today, I will show you an outline of International Tokyo Toy Show. Have fun! :)))

Tokyo Big Sight, the venue of the event, is known as an it's unique shape.

This is made from 9,071 Rubik's Cubes. It is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Woody, a hero of Toy Story, is made form LEGO. I also see a Buzz Lightyear there. I will upload him next time :)

Jabba the Hutt of Star Wars. Who is the android standing next to him? :D

This is a helicopter, one of inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. In addition, there are many inventions at there. Everything is beautiful and inspiring. I will upload them next time :)))

A headpiece of the famous warlord DATE Masamune. He, an outstanding tactician, was often called Dokuganryu (means: one-eyed dragon).

Gummy candies. Shark and squid are very exquisite. I also see beetles, larvae, wood louse... yuck!! Next time, I upload them...

This is edible play-dough! It is invented by 2 German girls in 2006. You can eat or bake their creations.

Beautiful jigsaw puzzle, based on the famous painting Zodiac of Alphonse Mucha.

1/18 F-14A TOMCAT VF-84 JOLLY ROGERS.

GUNPLA! GUNPLA = GUNDAM + Plastic Model. Over 400 Million GUNPLA models have been sold in the past 30 years since 1980. Do you love it. Yes, I love it!!