2013-06-30

Creative Dining Kazu in Iwamizawa City!

 by Chis.

The bistro was introduced on the Japanese gourmet web site.

和・創作ダイニング

0680024 北海道 岩見沢市 4条西7-8-2
0126-23-8888
is the sign and the address of the bistro. It seemed that the papa-mama bistro was run by a chef in his 30's or 40's and his wife.
The atmosphere of the bistro was so nice and each small room was so cozy to savor the dishes.
But the total capacity of the bistro might not so big to accommodate a hundred.  
The appetizer was a piece of grilled mackerel with miso (fermented soy-beans paste)-based sauce, fried egg curd with broth and macaroni salad with French sauce.
Pretty nice starter to stimulate our appetite.
Even after the first party thrown for the mayors of the municipalities in Sorachi sub-prefectural area, the draft beer in the cold pint was so nice for chug-a-lug.
Soy-beans curd "Tofu" and lettuce salad and the spring roll showed the high degrees of skills and sense of the owner chef in this bistro. To be honest, speaking of the salad, I prefer spicier and strong flavoring but to make the most of the original taste of the high quality soy-beans curd, subtle flavoring may be appropriate even for drunken guys.  
The crispy cover of the spring roll was shaped like a net and brought lighter feeling in our mouth. The taste ? Of course, all the essence of the contents got together and made up the mild harmony that fit the spicy plum sauce to a T.
Spicy Japanese Chitterlings was the original of this bistro. It is the must to have with pints of cold draft beer !
This pizza with no topping looked so normal and plain but six kinds of cheese were used to bake this pizza. It looked so simple but the taste was so complicated and superb !
With three pints of beer and a glass of ginger ale, it costed 5,500 Japanese yen totally.
Would you try the bistro at the beginning of this week?  

2013-06-29

Sunset Project in Esashi Town 2 !

by Hiyama Sub-prefectural Office of 
   Hokkaido Government

5:Atago Town

Going through the downtown of Esashi Town and heading to the north a little bit, you can find some best points to see the sunset here and there, such as the lookouts beside the national route along the coast facing the Sea of Japan.
 6:Furuhitsu Beach
  Furuhitsu Beach located on the border between Kaminokuni Town and Esashi Town is one of the best points to enjoy the beauty of sunset with the scenery of Seagull Island on your right, the downtown of Kaminokuni, the windmill on the hillside of Mt. Iou and the silhouette of Oshima Ohshima Island on your left.
7:Tomari Port
The silhouette of the seagulls can play the supporting part in the scenery of sunset. From the roadside station in Esashi Town, you may feel the magnificent scale of the sunset.You can go down to the beach called "Shigejirohama" from the parking of the station.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             


8:Kaiyo-maru
At the end of Edo Era, the battle ship Kaiyo-maru was wrecked. The silhouette of the ship might remind you of the history of the tragedy.







9:Gokatte Port
Gokattte Port near the residential area is one of the place from where the scenery of sunset can be savored subtly. 


 10:Tazawa Area
From the hilly area of Tazawa facing the border to Assabu Town, the beautiful scenery like a drawing can be enjoyed.
11:Fushikido AreaI got the shot in which the rock shaped like a bamboo shoot and the sunset extract the beauty each other. 
12:Minamigaoka Street
It is hidden spot to enjoy the sunset. It is located near the JR Station of Esashi Town and the residential Area of Minamigaoka Area.

Please visit Esashi Town that has the longest history in Hokkaido.

2013-06-28

Sunset Project in Esashi Town 1 !

by Hiyama Sub-prefectural Office of 
    Hokkaido Government
1:Seagull Island
  This island is the symbol of the town. The west coast of the island shows the countenance completely different from the east side that the citizens are used to. From the bulwark, the ragged rocks called Senjohjiki and the trail on the island, various kinds of scenery can be seen with the silhouette of Kaiyo-maru Museum shaped like a sailboat. The contrast of the sunset and a fire on the boat to lure squid also should be recommended.
2:Ferry Terminal 
  From the ferry and the ferry terminal, excellent scenery can be seen and have been designated as the spot to take the best photos.
3:The scenery from the deck of ferry
If you get on the ferry heading to Esashi Town from Okushiri Island, you may feel that the big setting sun   is chasing the ferry.
 4:From Matsunotai
   From the top of the hill called Matsunotai, the setting sun that fading out over The Seagull Island can be seen as well as the down town of Esashi.

To be continued.








2013-06-27

The field fat with grass in Biei Town !

 by Gen,
Kamikawa sub-prefectural Office of Hokkaido Government

Long time no see.
Sorry for failing to post the current information on Mountain Kingdom Kamikawa.
The best season for hiking has come !
It is not so hot and the young green compete each other to get the sunshine for their growth.

 The grass rolls made last year are here and there on the hill of Biei Town. I assume horse riding on these hills is so nice to try under the high blue sky.
Every time I visit this town, I am moved by the blue sky and white cloud. The hilly pasture naturally makes us look at the sky and recognize  the contrast.
The green pasture and the beautiful sky are waiting for you in Biei Town
Would you go hiking this weekend ?
Camping ? Yes, a variety of comfortable camping site are there in and around the .town.
Sleeping in the chorus of insects, frogs and other creatures may cleans your heart and body!

2013-06-26

Why is the ocean so blue ? Shakotan Peninsula !

by Kazu

Most of the tourists just enjoy watching the beautiful ocean and coast from the lookout or the top of the cliff but for me, under the surface of the ocean does matter much more than the scenery they enjoy.
 This one of the most beautiful coast lines in Japan, Shimamui Coast in Shakotan Town.
Yes, actually the bright color of blue, rocks and reef make up the ideal marital garden near the coast.
 But please watch your steps and pay attention to the creatures around you.
Some venom snakes called MAMUSHI are ranging over from Oshima Peninsula to Shakotan Peninsula. And some gnat might bite your skin during your stay on the beach.
 Shimamui Coast is the namesake of "Shuma-Mui" that means the cove made of rocks in the language of indigenous people in Hokkaido Ainu.
Snorkeling around this rock is very exciting but the number of fish might be smaller than the coral island albeit the color and the scenery are almost the same.  But I have to say that much more delicious fish can be seen in this ocean. Of course, horse dang sea urchin and purple sea urchin that we ate in the town also can be seen under the water. They are eating the kelp and sea weed.
Then why is the ocean so bright blue like around the coral islands despite there is no coral sand made by the fish such as  Calotomus japonicus (Valenciennes) and Napoleon Fish ?

 Because there are no long rivers that flow in the cove and bring in nutrition and minerals, the lack of fertility makes the rocks under the water white like limestone. No kelp and seaweeds can not take roots on the white surface of rocks under the water.
The wild yellow lilies Hemerocallis yezoensis
can be seen on the hillside of the coast and they ease the pain to climb the hill from the coast to the lookout.
They are in full flourish now and can be seen till the middle of July, I think.
Such "cafe and restaurant" is near the tunnel to go to the blue blue Shimamui Coast and the parking site. I am not sure the reputation of this "cafe'n restaurant" but after going down to the beach and crawling up the cliff, so cold something to drink or eat may grab the heart of the tourists.
Would you swim in the ocean. Skin guard is "the must" to have to avoid the bite of insect.

2013-06-25

The Season of Sea Urchin has come !

by Chis.

I decided to eat the very best of the sea urchin once a year in Shakotan Town, Rishiri Island or Rebun Island.
This year, I came to this seafood restaurant run by fishermen in Shakotan Town again.
Can you remember my hubby post the report last year ?
It seemed that the number of the seafood restaurant had increased.
I think this is the first restaurant we visit to eat the top level sea urchin that the former leader of DPRK also ate in his country.
This restaurant is filled up with the guests first.  
 In the restaurant we visit, the prices of the seafood rice bowl were shown as the right.
Horse dang sea urchin was 4,000 Japanese yen.
Two color rice ball topped with horse dang sea urchin and purple sea urchin was 3,400 Japanese yen.as other rice bowl lunch, such as crab meat, salmon roe.

As we had to compare the taste of horse dang sea urchin and purple sea urchin, we ordered the two color rice bowl.
The orange was horse dang sea urchin and the other was purple sea urchin.
The quality of the orange, horse dang sea urchin was excellent but to be honest, the purple sea urchin of this year seemed to lose the color and looked gray. An the taste of the gray was not so moving and it started to melt down.
I am not sure the reason.but that was the impression of the rice ball this year.
 I will search the photos that my hubby posted last year and compare the color of the purple sea urchin.
 As a result, the rice ball toppled with horse dang sea urchin and salmon roe was the best choice of this year, I think. In particular, the salmon roe was so nice and better than purple sea urchin.
 Which do you choose when you visit Hokkaido?
Of course, whole horse dang sea urchin is the most expensive choice but is it attractive for you to try just one kind?
This is the king of the taste, horse dang sea urchin.
Purple sea urchin is here. I think it is much
whiter than usual.
What do you think about it ?

2013-06-24

"Kamameshi" in Riceland Fukagawa !

by Chis.

What do you think these holes are ?
Each of the hole is for the iron pot to cook "Kamameshi", steamed rice with broth and various kinds of toppings in a iron pot.
Of course, the gas grill table in the kitchen is order-made. Each iron pot is for one order of "Kamameshi". It took 20-30 minutes to serve the "Kamameshi" after you order what you like to have. At lunch time, many people may make long line waiting for their seats and reservation is not accepted in the restaurant on the second floor of the roadside station "Riceland Fukagawa". I recommend to avoid the peak time of lunch and dinner.
This is my choice for today.
As the high quality delicious rice is produced in  Fukagawa City and the adjacent area, the restaurant can provide the guests with such simple menu in which the rice is the protagonist.
The pork boiled with broth is taken away the spare fat and a plenty of collagen is left in the meat. Sliced bamboo shoot, green peas, shiitake mushroom, ginger, carrot and soy beans make the excellent harmony and extract enough the essence of each other.
To be honest, "Kamameshi" was not my favorite but I strongly recommend to try that !
I love Spanish paella, too but this small sized "Kamameshi" is made "just for you". Is it also attractive to treat your friends to such "One on One" hospitality?

I hope this week will treat you kind and help you make it!

2013-06-23

Singapore Style KOPITIAM in Sapporo City !

by Kazu

Completely I forgot to post the Singaporean restaurant in Sapporo City. If you have been to Singapore, it is the best place to remember the city of vigor and to savor the recollection of exotic place.
 If you show the address
〒060-0063 北海道札幌市中央区南3条西7丁目5番地(狸小路7丁目) and the name of the restaurant, somebody will take you to the restaurant kindly.
The brass wares that seemed to be imported from the city of lion were on the counter table.
These sculptures and the picks reminded me the humid air of the south. 
Of course, Singaporean beer can be savored with spicy food like in Singapore. The atmosphere was like the chaos that can be seen in the downtown of Asian countries.  
 Some kinds of draft beer were from Europe, the U.K. and the U.S.A.
Drinking Tiger Beer under the red light makes you feel like in somewhere in Asia other than Japan.  
It seemed that Guinness was also popular in the restaurant with its thick taste of dark brown.
Some shows were performed in the restaurant albeit the stage is very small. Phei Phei is one of the most popular performer in the restaurant. I am not sure her actual nationality but her CV on the right said she was born in Hokkaido. Her performance can be seen on Friday and Saturday.  Based on the information, she admires a hermit and is eager to live long to the age 120.  She has a good command of English but I have never talked to her so far.

Would you feel the atmosphere of Singapore in Sapporo City?
The restaurant is always filled with happy guests.