In October 1587, the feudal warlord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, hosted a tea ceremony occasion at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, serving tea to his guests whether or not they were interested in tea. It is said that he created over 800 place settings and brought a golden tea room into the shrine and showed off his fine tea-making utensils.

Inspired by the Kitano Grand Tea Ceremony the Tokyo Culture Recreation Project is presenting the Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony, the first ever large-scale tea ceremony, at Hamarikyu Gardens.  Bring the kids along as there will be a special tea ceremony for children as well as traditional Edo-period Geisha dancing and music performed by musicians from Tokyo University of the Arts.

Hamarikyu gardens were used as a falconry site for Shogun families until 1644, eventually becoming home to the detached palace of Japan’s royal family and finally a public park in 1946.  It is a fitting venue of the Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony.

Event Details

Dates:  October 25th & 26th
Location: Hamarikyu Gardens, 7 minute walk from Shiodome or Tukiji-ichiba Stations, 12 minute walk from Shinbashi Station, or via the scenic Suijo Waterbus.
Park Admission fees:
Adults and students of 7th grade and over – 300 yen
Seniors (65 and over) -150 yen
Children (6th grade and under) and students up to and including 9th grade who live in Tokyo or who go to schools in Tokyo – Free
Tea Ceremony Participation Fee: An additional 300 to 500 yen, purchase tickets at the park entrance.

Image Credit: Flickr, tea ceremony

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Surrounding a stone paved courtyard with relaxing patio seating, near Daikanyama’s landmark green flower, Eataly is the largest Italian food & wine center in Japan.   The store is a bakery, deli and wine store all rolled into one great location and also offers prepared food that you can take home and a variety of dine-in offerings. 

La Pasta offers fresh pasta with a choice of three different sauces each day, I Salumi E I Formaggi offers sample plates of proscuitto and cheeses straight from Italy, authentic Neapolitan Pizza comes straight out of the wood burning at La Pizza E La Foccacia, and Le Verdue offers vegetarian cuisine.  If you have room left for dessert, Il Gelato serves artisanal gelato alongside a very tempting pastry bar.

At Eataly “you can follow taste itineraries or wander through themed educational areas, attend courses in food education or take part in cooking classes held by renowned chefs. The calendar of events is packed with tastings, drinks with producers and various events dedicated to local products, and there’s a specialized library available for consultation. Scattered throughout are mini-restaurants where you can sample delicious dishes or take away prepared foods for later.”

My lunch companion Honor, webmistress of Tokyotopia, ordered the vegetarian Lasagna and I had a scrumptious dish that combined a generous serving of a fresh plum tomato sauce served with a dollop of ricotta cheese and lightly toasted bread.  Great Italian bread along with olive oil and vinegar were complimentary as was bottled Italian water. 

Both our dishes were excellent but the service was not as attentive as we had hoped, probably due to the fact that we were one of the first diners on their first day open to the public.  However, we dined at the counter and the chefs, who spoke English, were very helpful and friendly with an obvious passion for the food they were preparing. 

I will definitely will visit Eataly again as it is not often that you find a store where you can buy, eat and learn about great Italian cuisine under one roof in Japan!  (Eataly store diagram)

Eataly is located a two minute walk from Daikanyama Station and is open daily from 10AM to 10PM (Eataly Tokyo Access Map)

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

In honor of the award, the staff of the Polestar Skybar have teamed up with the Liquid Culture team at The Japan Times to offer an afternoon workshop in the art of the cocktail.

Reserve your Red Carpet Treatment quickly as there are only 20 places and they will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

Details

Date: Saturday Oct. 18
Time: 1PM -3:30PM
Place: Polestar bar, 45F Keio Plaza Hotel, Shinjuku (Keio Plaza Access Map)
Price: ¥5,000 (includes workshop, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres)
Contact: Email coldicott [AT] japantimes [DOT] co [DOT] jp for more information or to apply.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Wink

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

In the fall, the harvest of new rice is celebrated at temples and shrines and moon viewing, tsukimi, is all the rage.  Residents and visitors alike head out for walks in the parks of Tokyo to take in the colorful fall foliage with almost as much delight as when they head off to picnic under the cherry blossoms each spring. The changing colors of fall foliage is a beautiful sight no matter where you are and Japan is no exception.  The leaves of Japanese Maple trees make a gradual change from pale green to a fiery red each autumn and the Ginko leaves turn a lovely shade of yellow.  Consider a cruise down the Sumida River to Hamarikyu Detached Palace Garden or a visit to Rikugien Garden to take in the stunning colors of fall in Tokyo.

Moon viewing is a traditional Japanese autumn event that coincides with the full moons in September and October each year. Japanese silver grass, dumplings called tsukimi dango and sake are usually displayed as offerings during tsukimi which will occur on September 14th and October 11th this year.  The Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel in Shibuya has put together a tsukimi accommodation package that includes a bottle of sake and seasonal foods meant to be enjoyed while you gaze out at the moon from your room on the upper floors of the hotel.  The package also includes a twin or king room and breakfast for ¥48,000 and is available through November 14th.

The city’s restaurants and home chefs take full advantage of seasonal foods and fall favorites such as pine mushrooms (matsutake), gingko nuts (ginnan) and mackerel (saba) will start to appear on menus and in the supermarkets along with new rice (shin-mai) which is harvested in September and October.

While summer in Tokyo is the peak of festival season in the city, there are many fun fall festivals and events on the calendar.  The Japan Times Festival Listings offer a good overview of events in the city each month and is a great resource to find the fall festival that fits into your schedule.

So get out there, sample some seasonal food, attend a fall festival and be sure to ponder the moon this Autumn in Tokyo!

Image Credit: Flickr, Happiness Found in Ueno Park & Full Moon

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

The story behind Ramen Tokyo goes like this, several years ago an IT guy from New Jersey moved to Tokyo for work and discovered a love of ramen.  He says that he always liked noodles as a kid but that “the taste, the smell, the variety, and the funky ambiance” of the ramen shops in Tokyo hooked him when he got to Japan.  In fact he became a little bit obsessed with finding the best bowl of ramen in the city and decided that he would check out as many ramen shops as he could.

The result is Ramen Tokyo, a blog that he started in July 2006, which provides reviews of over 160 ramen shops.  He updates the site every three weeks or so and says that he has only scratched the surface of what he estimates are over 5,000 ramen shops in the Tokyo Area.

Ramen styles are primarily defined by the type of broth and Ramen Tokyo offers detailed information and a glossary of ramen terms to help readers navigate the various styles.  Anyone who loves ramen will tell you that personal tastes differ significantly but the man behind Ramen Tokyo describes his favorite as follows:

“My favorite broth style is tonkotsu gyokai (豚骨魚介), this is a mixture of tonkotsu (pork-bone) and gyokai (fish, sometimes seaweed). It has a thicker texture and sometimes a richer flavor than most broths, but it’s a different taste and some people may not take to it immediately. Currently popular examples of this would be Rokurinsha or Tetsu. I prefer my noodles to be very thick and chewy (“mochi-mochi”) and sometimes a bit firm (“katame”). Good quality pork and lots of it, cooked well, is also a must.”

Sounds good to me!  He also shares how a combination of factors come into play when he rates a bowl of ramen.  The soup needs to have a rich taste, without being watery, the amount and quality of noodles provided needs to match the broth and lastly, the quality of the pork served must be good.  “Deal breakers are mushy noodles, too salty broth, or pork that looks like Oscar Mayer bologna.”

Ramen Tokyo has a simple rating system.  Almost every shop mentioned on the site is at least “decent”, but shops labeled “recommended” are significantly better than the rest and are worth a special trip to dine there. On average, a “recommended” rating is earned by one in three shops reviewed.  The following shops represent a cross-section of shop types, styles, and flavors and have all received a “recommended” rating: 

• Ikebukero Ramen Jiro
• Ikaruga in Kudankita (near Yasukuni Shrine)
• Tetsu in Nishi Nippori
• Ippudo (various locations).

What’s next?  Ramen Tokyo will soon feature a simple English-language guide to using “Supleks“, one of the largest Japanese-language online ramen databases, and the man behind the site says will continue to explore the ramen shops of Tokyo and share the results with the world for some time to come.

Ramen Tokyo readers want to learn more about this part of Japanese cuisine and experience it in Japan.  Are you one of them?

Image used with permission from Ramen Tokyo

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

A shojin ryori meal consists of seasonable vegetables and wild plants accompanied by with seaweed, miso soup, rice, soybean curd (tofu), seeds and nuts.  This simple style of cooking limits the use of sauces and seasonings and highlights the distinct flavors of each fresh ingredients.

Some temples in the Tokyo area serve shojin ryori to the public or you can choose from one of the vegetarian restaurants listed on the Tokyo Food Page or at Happy Cow.  Another resource for vegetarians visiting is the Tokyo Vegetarian Guide which offers restaurants listings and a variety of other information that is a bit dated but otherwise useful.

For those days when a restaurant serving vegetarian cuisine isn’t available, or conveniently located, you will want to review these useful Japanese words and phrases for vegetarians.  For example, if you want to say “I am a vegetarian”, the correct Japanese phrase is “Watashiwa bejitarian desu” and if you want to say “I don’t eat any meat” you would use the phrase “Watashiwa onikuga taberaremasen“.  The listing also includes the kanji for these and other phrases which will come in handy if you find pronouncing Japanese words difficult.

I am not a vegetarian but I have eaten many meatless meals in restaurants throughout the city.  While I cannot say with certainty that these meals met the standards of a truly vegetarian or vegan diet, I can tell you that finding them wasn’t difficult and that they were delicious.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Ekoin temple – Shôjin-ryôri Dinner (at 5:30pm)

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Established in 1951, as a way to preserve the traditions of old Edo while promoting their business to an evolving clientele that was moving away from the ‘old’ towards the ‘new’ after WWII, Toto Norenkai now has 53 members. From restaurants to kimono and fan makers, from traditional confectioners to to makers of fine Japanese Lacquer Ware, many great business are part of Toto Norenkai.

Nakasei Tempura Restaurant is a member, they have been making Edo-style tempura since 1870 featuring nothing but fish and shellfish caught in Tokyo Bay and deep-fried in aromatic sesame oil. (Near the Asakusa Station and marked by the green arrow on this map)

Kuroeya has been dealing in fine-quality lacquer ware since its founding in 1689. (B11 Exit from the Nihonbashi Station marked by the green arrow on this map)

Chikusen has been in business since 1842 and specializes in Edo Komon, a formal Kimono, and Yukata. (B3 Exit from the Nihonbashi Station marked by the green arrow on this map)

Miyamoto Unosuke has been manufacturing taiko drums since 1861 and has an interesting and interactive display in their Askakusa Museum (Near the Asakusa Station and marked by the green arrow on this map)

Take some time to visit some of the other businesses that are part of Toto Norenkai when you visit Tokyo and help support the preservation of the traditional arts and crafts that are unique to Japan.

Image Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

The Beer Museum Yebisu is dedicated to the history, science and culture of the beloved beverage and the century-old tradition of brewing beer. Beer making made its debut in Japan as early as 1876 when Seibei Nakagawa, who had recently returned from Germany where he studied the art of beer making, was chosen as brewmaster and oversaw the construction of a beer factory in Hokkaido, Japan. In 1887, Japan Beer Brewery Company was established in Tokyo by a group of local entrepreneurs and they invited a brewmaster from Germany to create what became Yebisu Beer. Production of Yebisu Beer ceased for a period of 28 years, but was re-launched in December 1971 and was the first German-type 100% barley beer to be sold in post-war Japan.

If you love beer, you will love this museum! Admission is free and you can sample some of the Sapporo products, including Yebisu Beer, for a fee after visiting the museum.

Beer Museum Yebisu is open from 10AM – 6 PM (Entrance until 5 PM), closed Mondays and during New Year’s festivities (when Monday is a holiday, the next day will be closed) and is located near Ebisu Station.

Photo Credit: Flickr, Lucky Yebisu & 200508 sappora beer station

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Any type of cold noodle goes down well on a hot summer day in Tokyo and Zaru soba is one of my favorites. I make it at home when I’m hungry but the thought of anything hot is simply not appetizing. Soba noodles are made by mixing buckwheat and water, the resulting dough is then kneaded and rolled out before being cut into thin strips and dried. The resulting noodles are then boiled and cooled under running water before being placed on a bamboo mat topped with nori (dried seaweed) and serving alongside cold tsuyu (broth) with green onions and wasabi commonly added. It is a light and delicious meal that you can easily make at home.

Another popular cold noodle dish in Japan is Hiyashi Chuuka, cold somen noodles topped with a variety of fresh vegetables and meats like ham or chicken. The salad is dressed with a sweet and sour sauce made from rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil and is very refreshing on a hot day.

Traditional green tea, or matcha, as it is know in Japan is not only served hot. If you visit a Tokyo teahouse in the summer you should not miss the opportunity to have tea overlooking a beautiful garden like we did when we visited Mihama-en this past week. Due to the heat we opted to have our tea sumitai, or cold, which was served by a kimono clad woman, with a light cake in an air conditioned tea room, overlooking the garden.

Unagi (eel) has been consumed in Japan since the 17th century and is rich in protein, calcium, vitamin A and E, and is said to give people stamina. It is a popular summer food that usually skewered and grilled over charcoal with sweet basting sauce called kabayaki, similar to teriyaki sauce, and served don style, over rice, in a beautiful lacquered box or bowl.

Hiya-yakko, or raw tofu, is eaten cold and is simply cubed and can be served plain or topped with grated ginger, green onion and soy sauce.

Watermelon is a summer favorite worldwide, but in Japan suika, or watermelon, are quite expensive and warrant honorable mention or the number six spot in this list of 5 Cool Summer Eats in Tokyo. I recently attended a matsuri (festival) where half of a melon sized watermelon was served with a spoon for Y600 (approximately US $6). Despite the cost, the sight of yukata clad young women wandering through the maturi stalls and taking in the entertainment on a humid night while eating their watermelons certainly looked like a great way to cool off!

Did I miss any of your favorite summer foods from Japan on this list?

Photo Credit: Flickr, zaru sboa, Hiyashi Chuuka !!, Unagi, FRF’07-0016.jpg, DSCF2572.JPG & Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Asahi Breweries tower over the other brewers with a 37.5% market share. Asahi Super Dry is the beer of choice in my home so it must be good! The Asahi Breweries Headquarters Building, one of the more unusual landmarks on the Tokyo skyline, is well worth seeing and the adjacent Asahi Super Dry Hall is home to a number of bars and restaurants where you can taste this great beer for yourself.

Read about the other great beers on the list after the jump…

The Kirin Brewery celebrated 100 years of brewing in 2007 and comes in 2nd with a 36.7% market share. Kirin Lager, Kirin Ichiban Shibori & Kirin The Gold are its three primary beer offerings in Japan.

Established in 1899, Suntory comes in third with a 13% market share, surpassing Sapporo for the first time since entering the market in 1963. Commonly know as Malt, the beer was re-banded in 2006 and is now known as Natural Water (Draft) Beer Malt’s.

Sapporo Breweries rounds out the top five with a 12.1% market share. If you are in Tokyo you can visit the Beer Museum Yebisu to explore the interesting history of this company and it’s products.

KennyG from The Vancouver Traveler wondered about the cost of beer when I asked “What do YOU want to know about Tokyo?” and I’m sure that others are thirsty and wondering the same thing after reading this article. A six pack of beer costs about US$12 at the grocery store and individual beer can be purchase at convenience stores and at vending machines conveniently located throughout the city. Alternatively, you can expect to pay about US$5 for a draft beer in a restaurant.

On your next trip to Japan why don’t you try all four of these brands to see of you agree with Japanese beer preferences?

Source: Daily Yomiuri Online, Suntory 3rd in beer sales for 1st time
Photo Credit: Flick, Asahi, A nice cold beer & beer!

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler