Suehiro of Fukushima
Originally uploaded by McAlpine Alexander No. I haven't officially removed my summer sake from the fridge yet, but I'm starting autumn out a bit earlier than usual just to get the word out. I still have one more bottle and a half of some great summer sake left of which I will post about later. This is the first edition for this autumns sake lineup from Fukushima Prefecture. This sake, Suehiro, has an excellent blend of sourness and sweetness which is typical for many autumnal sake for this seasons! What you can expect with these types of sake are fuller and more dynamic flavor profiles, so if you want something that will coat the tongue well, something that embodies the falling yellow and brown leaves in that old country field then definitely you want to attend as many of these sake tasting events as possible. A good thing to remember about autumn sake is this word " Hiya-Oroshi" a sake pasteurized once soon after brewing and is released in the fall, but without the normal second pasteurization. Hopefully this will be a good start for you for the season. Cheers, URL: www.sake-suehiro.jp
Last weekend was nice. I went to an art gallery near Shonan on Sunday with my special squeeze to view the art work of a Japanese man named Toyoshige Watanabe. On display he had roughly about 30 works of art, all with the theme of "oni," or devil in English. Since the tickets were free from one of my momma-san English members, who too is a burgeoning artist, I jumped at the offer and went.
The Sunday we visited that gallery was on August the 15th, the day I usually visit Yasukuni Shrine. I didn't go this year because of all the pacifist press that was coming from the newspapers and television documentaries. Just so disgusted at how the media portrays the war and the atomic bombs, and these weak apologetic Japanese men; I was lecturing a 72 year old Japanese man on Shumei Okawa the other day at Starbucks. He never heard of him. He told me that he used to receive chocolates from the Yanks back in his day and at how he had been exposed to Western ideas back then. He was duly impressed and sought knowledge and asked more questions about his own history after listening to me. I guess he must've gotten tired of all the anti-Japanese press he had grown so used to hearing when he was growing up, and then listening to me, drew a sharp contrast and became refreshed in knowing that there was a time when even his own people were great.
I wasn't going to stay home and gloat all day, though. I was just hoping the right wing could have a voice alongside all the apologist. I love some of the nationalistic rhetoric, even if it is pointed at me and others. I love it when I see and hear the authoritative righteousness flow from the veins of a Japanese man's neck and head. Draped in all black and standing on top of that black bus shouting and spitting in the microphone at the top of his lungs at the masses as they're being herded across that intersection by computers and neon lights. The Right needs to be heard, too. It's just as much their country as it is the atomic bomb loving apologist Japanese folks.
Back at the gallery we walked around admiring Mr. Watanabe's oil paintings. I have never seen such art work before. Devils with neither torsos nor heads, just brute arms connected to legs, and then seeing its hands clutching at air, with its thick bearish claws, perhaps representing man against society, or god. As if good needs evil in order to be validated, and vise versa. Art is good. Art is healthy. I wasn't going to let the negative silly press get the best of me. I wasn't going to let Chris's refusal to not publish a very inflammatory piece about my thoughts on this day. I was going to have a good day and I made up my mind to do just that.
Leaving the museum, feeling refreshed, we headed over to a very famous tempura shop called Karari. The tempura was heaven on a plate. For those of you who've eaten real tempura made at a reputable shop will know what I am talking about with good tempura, not the store bought kind. I had to admire the attention to detail each chef showed for each tempura, and then at how they served and arranged the food on the table. The courteous mannerisms that so many Westerners mock as fake and insincere is not always the case. Good restaurants are different. Neither can I see the newer generation embracing these cultural mannerisms where the customer is "god." The Japanese Way is best.
At any rate, we loved this place. In the video you can hear and see a brief explanation of what we ate at this restaurant.
After finishing up here we headed over to Gokurakuji Temple, offered up some prayers and then walked all the way back to Kamakura station on foot - quite far by the way. Since the weather that day was unusually mild we walked along the beach barefoot. It feels good to feel cool water and sand flow through your toes as each ebb & flow of ocean water recedes in and out. And then the sound of waves crashing against the shore. I am a nationalist.
Yesterday afternoon I headed over to a "nice middle"* Japanese mother's house for a chat and some tea. I was quite surprised at how much she knew and understood about how differently her own people treated Democracy than in America. It was nice resonating with a real Japanese person, which is rare by the way, most are so full of shit and ignorance sometimes. She's also an amazing cook. I often wonder what her husband thinks about me being there alone with her and the baby...And on numerous occasions? Sometimes her and I chuckle over this. Life is good.
She was a little peeved though when I showed her my bike. The Hinomaru sticker. She didn't mentioned anything about it, though. She gently walks up embraced me again and readjusted my Germany chrome helmet so that it fit squarely on my head, aligning it with my biker goggles. I rode off and she waved at me for what seemed endlessly.
* nice middle is a Japanese/English phrase that means a pretty Japanese woman in her 30s
When I think of summer in Japan this post comes to mind. I enjoy sake from all seasons in Japan, so without further ado allow me to introduce another summer sake. The name as the title says, Raifuku. The title has no association to anything in particular, but one thing that caught my eye is the yeast that was used.
Many people in North America associate this perennial flower Hydrangea with summer, much like Japanese do in their own country. Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers as you can see here. Some people have been known to use this shrub for medicinal purposes, but for sake? Yes....!
Hydrangeas were used as a flower yeast to brew this sake. What this does to the tasting profile has more to do with smell and texture. The aromas you catch on this sake are just beautiful. Summer...When you sniff it you smell summer, actually, you smell the sweet nape of a 40ish year old Japanese woman. I can almost see the black devil handed swoop of Watanabe Toyoshige's famous "oni" paintings rise up, fingers and hands clutching and shaking from that dark abyss. Scaling that wall of forever, and struggling to reach to the top, blood tainted fingers and nails, black and red, with arthritic middle and forefingers, not white and compliant and overly obsequious.
Raifuku has a BY 22/7 so it's fresh. It's a Junmai Ginjo, which puts it in the premium class of sake. Junmai type sake are all rice only. I love the refined rice flavor of Japanese nihonshu. It is the best for me. But, did I just drink sake only? No. Look down. (small hickory chip at the top left).
How did I cook this Camembert cheese?
I used a blend of two different types of wood. Hickory smoke chips and sakura wood chips! I soaked them in water for 30 minutes, drained them, and then packed them in aluminum foil, making sure to stick a hot brisket in the middle to enhance the smokiness and heat. I slow cooked everything for four hours! The cheese just ...god...just melted in my mouth and full of nice hickory and cherry blossom smokiness. My second day in a row smoking camembert cheese and fresh water and salmon fish. I am hooked, plus this delicious ice cold summer sake, max chilled(sigh).
Seimaibui 50% nihonshu do + 4 acid 1.4 alc. 15 %. Clean and a bit dry. I really love how clean the finish is on this nihonshu. Really. It leaves behind faint aromas of its existence in your mouth. Some "nihonshu-do" is not always an accurate indication of sweetness to dryness. In this case, I feel this is a sweet, dry and refreshing drink. If summer had a flavor then this would be it, I think. Love Japanese nihonshu. It is the national drink of Japan.
Long live Heisei!
300 year Okite Yaburi is what the label says, and it's another Yamagata style sake. The brewery is called Kotobukitoraya. What this is is a Honjozo-shu, a grade of premium sake that falls below the Ginjo category. The rice is generally milled away at 70%, in which additional alcohol is added in limited quantities. What this extra added alcohol does is give sake more complexity and depth whereas say, a Junmai, which is all rice will give you gamey rice flavors.
Honjozo type sake are generally more popular with men because they have a higher alcohol content and more strong. You definitely can feel it at the back of the throat and down the chute. It's really nice.
Another neat thing is that this sake uses two different koji mold rice. The first is called a koji-mai 65% and a kake-mai at 65%. Koji, rice, and water are the three most essential ingredients for making good sake. In this case two rice molds were blended together whereas usually it is only one. This lends a type of complexity to this category of sake; stronger and bolder flavor profiles. Honjozo is a complex sake, not so much in terms of refinement though. Just complex because of what you can get away with.
The last two points that sold me on this sake is that for one, it's a Muroka, which basically means, unfiltered, but not like a nigori-zake(i.e. cloudy sake), but as in not charcoal filtered after brewing. Often times when a sake is charcoal filtered you lose a little of the natural roughness a sake has. This may be better for the consumer, and not so much for the true sake lover who loves that full on natural taste of a great nihonshu.
The last point is the brewing year. From July of this year to June of the next year is the brewing season for sake in Japan. Anything brewed in the fall of 2008 to spring of 2009 the season is the same. They would both be called 2008. And, since the imperial calendar is used and not the Gregorian, the proper labeling would be Heisei 22, for this year 2010, in accordance with the current reigning Emperor of Japan. This sake was slow brewed from winter of 2009 to the summer of 2010, so the label claims it's a summer type sake and slow brewed.
Flavor profiles are just what I would expect. Stronger and more acidic. Sweet and complex.
Remembering Those Who Have Been Forgotten
The Marianas is a purgatory full of the essence of the soul's of imperial Japanese soldiers who were sent to fight and die in the Emperor's name, now lie either in limbo somewhere or stuck between hope and damnation, and whose bodies have yet to be exhumed and returned to the land they defended so fervently. Less than 40% of the total number of soldiers who fought to defend Japan still have not been reclaimed. Who knows what lurks in the shadows across the southern seas of echoes of empty corpses that lie in unmarked graves all across the islets and enclaves on distant archipelagos. Some in places that will never be known, not even by shadows.
While writing this, I was listening to "I Bought That" by Yung Ralph
Once my souls is called to account for this essay I too will be faced with that big question... Why? I love the old Japan. I love the old way. There is no new way, and there never will be! There can never be a new Japan. It may take you awhile to understand this but believe me, it's true. There is only the old way! The old way is Japan regardless of what a young Japanese may say or think. You'll see...!
What are Japanese thinking on August 15th...? Again, these fallen soldiers whose soul's were either left in limbo or strewn about somewhere half past forever lay trapped and unclaimed in eternity....somewhere bordering between the heavens of the Buddha and that of Shinto, or even in limbo. It is commonly believed that souls remain on this plane and walk around unbounded. it is also said that upon death souls are required to make their way across that body of water that divides us from the world of the living.
Those who have been reclaimed and who are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine are considered to be honorable soldiers who fought for the country. It is said that the hallowed grounds of Yasukuni is the final resting place for over a million fallen souls who have been deified and elevated to god status, but how could that be so if even the emperor of Japan doesn't even visit the alters of this place, once a god himself....?
" Don't question me. Don't ask why I write this. Just read."
Emperor Showa Tenno has a book with the names of all the Souls he sent to die in his name, but he too has already crossed over. I wonder if he's in the company of his own subjects, the ones he sent to die in his name? I wonder if he speaks through séances to his people in this realm and to the current reigning emperor his son Heisei Tenno? What would he whisper? Was it enough to snap a photo standing shoulder to shoulder with , MacArthur, at the end of the war when no Japanese has ever even met the son of heavens gaze, yet this tall lanky foreigner hovering over the emperor stood tall and victorious over him did, and for what....? To spare the Japanese race further humiliation; only served to create more humiliation.
Tomita Tomohika, former grand steward of the Japanese imperial household recorded in his diary that the emperor ceased visiting the shrine because of the enshrinement of class A,B,&C war criminals. But again, standing shoulder to shoulder with a foreign victor and then refusing to honor these so-called convicted war criminals, who were convicted by criminal foreign courts, which he sent to die fighting in his name adds more insult to injury to the Japanese psyche then anything. Please try to see the correlation here my readers. Why would the emperor feel shame for the actions of his own people, yet not feel any hatred nor anger towards the Americans? Standing next to a foreigner who dropped the atomic bomb on his own people...Nagasaki...? What happened here?
" I didn't mention Hiroshima. But Nagasaki!"
"I have heard that when the American soldier who either died a Christian or a Catholic is laid to rest its soul is hoisted out of this realm by great angels through Christ but when the Buddhist dies its soul is left to fend for itself, to navigate its way to the other side. The world of the dead is horrific beyond imagination so one must be prepared. Naked souls freshly removed from its warm flesh...watch it quiver."
There's a major flashpoint of contention regarding the enshrinement of soldiers at Yasukuni Shrine. Many of the fallen who were either Buddhist or Shinto are interred together there against the wishes of many of the bereaved. Some of the bereaved have demanded the removal of their family members , which has more to do with religious reasons than anything else. The State didn't allow this nor consent to having them there in the first place. The bereaved just want to reclaim their loved ones and place them in their own family plots.
According to the State back then, all imperial soldiers who fought in campaigns since Meiji will be interred at this shrine, even alongside wartime prime minister Tojo and the other 14 who were tried for war crimes.
Now I’ve been to both Yasukuni Shrine and Arlington Cemetery. If you haven’t been to Arlington then I recommend visiting there at least once in your life time, especially if you are an American. If you are a Japanese then it's only common sense for you to visit Yasukuni Shrine first before paying homage at Arlington, for whatever reason you can think of.... It's dishonorable to the bereaved at Arlington for a Japanese to visit their memorial if their only aim is to snap photos up to show to their friends back in Japan - smiling with horrible teeth. Nearly half of the dead at Arlington were places there by the Japanese Army. Have some dignity, and stop wearing U.S. military hats too! You should honor your own first and wear Japanese military regalia with pride and dignity to commemorate your own fallen not the ones who killed off your own people. Not everybody's on the "forgive & forget" boat. Many bereaved will never forgive the Japanese.
The central difference between Yasukuni and Arlington is that the soldiers enshrined at Yasukuni fought wars of aggression and expansion, but did so in order to liberate Asia from Western economic influence and to slow the spread of Anglo Western domination in that part of the world whereas the Americans fought tyranny abroad in order to expand its own domination with a fully segregated Armed Services in order to liberate others nations and peoples from oppressive regimes that it too had back at home.
The freedoms that Americans like myself enjoy is partly due to the sacrifices American soldiers have made in the name of freedom. I was brainwashed into serving and I had also sworn to protect the United States against all enemies both foreign and domestic. I too have stood the watch while millions of Americans were fast asleep in their little comfortable beds at night. Even I can appreciate some of the sacrifices a few good men have made in America’s interest, so I am no stranger to the American Armed Services. However, this partial admiration of the uniformed services was not very kind to its own people during the great unpleasantness, namely during the early half the 20th century, so my admiration is mixed.
"When the German war machine was finally defeated the German P.O.W.s were given priority over the African American soldiers in chow lines and mess halls, and were even granted honorary white status, even as P.O.W's. Yet the African Americans who fought bravely to bring an end to Hitler's regime were treated worse than Hitler's hit men."
"After the war, Japanese who were eventually released from internment camps in America received financial restitution for their extremely mild treatment whereas the African American soldiers received only a pat on the back and a metal of valor for killing somebody else in their backyard and more racism at home. That's the reality."
We Americans honor our soldiers regardless of their transgressions, though. We don't draw lines in the sand and say this soldier is bad and this one is good. A soldier is a soldier, unlike in Japan where the average Japanese hangs his head in shame over anything remotely associated with the war. This shame has been enforced and reinforced not only by the former GHQ, but also by their own institutions.
"Most Japanese regard the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as merely incidences, and not crimes against humanity, their own governments have even gone as far as to deny some benefits to their own people who were affected by the fall-out. Most Japanese would rather forget the atomic bomb ever existed."
In America's case, I'm sure there's a nice plot at Arlington for the perpetrators of Abu-Ghraib and Guantanamo and for the National Guards men who shot and killed other Americans who were living in oppression under that racist regime back during Jim Crowe, or the hit squads that were sanctioned by the U.S. government under the directives of Negroponte who had torture chambers set up in Latin and South America to torture people and in renditions under Bush all over Europe. The soldiers and special agents used to carry out these operations will be honored at Arlington and rest peacefully. American's aren't necessarily hanging their heads in shame over this - some are, most aren't. It's because Americans cherish the idea of freedom and they recognize this over the politics, even if it's a lie..
The allied forces who followed orders during WW2 will rest peacefully at Arlington and at Cambridgeshire, they will be remembered and honored as men and women who fought to defend and protect America and England's interest at home and abroad, and all for mines and yours freedom???
Soldiers interred at Yasukuni are all soldiers, even Tojo. War criminals are not honored in Japan. Tojo is a judicial martyr along with the other 14. Problem is, is that most Japanese aren't aware of this uncomfortable truth regardless of how the media hypes up the "war criminals" label, and doing so to appeal to the left and to the West. We don't argue whether Tojo and the rest were merely instruments of the State back then, Western courts had assumed that Tojo had acted independently along with the other fourteen class A war criminals. Thankfully, here in Japan, these men are labeled as Judicial Martyrs rather than that ignorant label used previously and thankfully their bereaved can still receive pensions as a result of this correct labeling. Soldiers are soldiers.
Exploring myth and fantasy, and being caught away down there to interview some of the fallen a distant memory is invoked. General Honma and Tojo both Japanese men are dishonored today because near towards the end of their taut arm shimmering gold emblem emblazoned chrysanthemum engraved cuffs the look of horror gasping for air staring back in horror at them, through black fully dilated baby blues, are considered evil men, but the bloody horrors that took place all across Midway and Okinawa are merits because it was the Westerner doing the punishing is pure sickness. We know the man whose hands loosed the atomic bomb over the heads of a quarter million innocent ladies and babies, even these men are honored and given a military burials at Arlington, so how (un)Japanese it is for a Japanese to honor these men at Arlington without first honoring their own peoples first!
In order to preserve the sanctity of the law which applies to all human beings it has to apply to all citizens of the world irrespective of military power or skin color. War was/is not illegal. Death is the consequence of war and the soldiers at Arlington are a testament to this, even today by wars they have instigated against other nations, in the name of Our freedoms.
America learned nothing from the court proceedings that took place in Tokyo sixty years ago, absolutely nothing. They've continued to shape and reshape laws to suit their own agendas and interests and giving very little credence to the fundamental rule of law and how it applies to all citizens of the world. Here in Japan, generations of Japanese after McAuthor were force fed lies about how criminal their own people were , again even by their own institutions, and all for what? To debone and uproot all vestiges of nationalism...?
In the picture below this child may grow up to become a patriotic Japanese, one who understands who he is and where he came from. Not the weak apologetic, I don't know anything about my own history types who would rather bend over for the MAN than to stand tall and strong and proud. Or the ones who believe in " peace & love, and how all the peoples of the world are brothers and sisters." Or even better " we Japanese were farmers and we didn't know anything about war." This is a fallacy. Wars happen in order to preserve peace. It's been like that in every society that has achieved peace and prosperity. The gears of war will turn again someday...
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Around this time of year I like to explore these topics in detail by analyzing the present day condition of the Japanese psyche, hell and purgatory,damnation and hope. When it comes to matters of heaven Japan is that place , so I have a vested interest here. I like Japan the way it is and I hope it never changes.
Japan for me is a heaven, heavenly in the fact that it's uniquely Japan and that this was the primary reason for falling in love with the country - I abhor multi-culturalism. The notion of many cultures living together is false. People follow the dominate culture. Unique for me because of its largely mono-cultural and mono-linguistic and some of its non-Anglo Western influencing elements.
In order to be sensitive to their neighbors the Japanese disavow those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who would disembowel themselves without hesitation, those who would accept death gladly over the shame of living with the defeat of their nation lie forgotten at the bottom of foreign seas and rotting in unmarked graves where weeds now grow, stinking. No tears shed over their headstones. No flowers lying across that tin can riddled with bullet holes for a name plate leading to the whereabouts of that Japanese soldier's remains. The dead cannot smell what sentient beings can smell. The dead can smell the tears of the bereaved, for them their tears smell like a bouquet of fresh roses. For them, they only get to hear how apologetic their living god is for their sacrifices! The sacrifices they made in his name have all gone in vain. Instead, Japanese will be crying over their favorite Korean idol or maybe even MJ. August 15th many Japanese will be heading off to foreign countries to relax and forget about their country. They'll by laying half naked on a beach somewhere in Saipan and having a great time, not once will they stop to remember the men who fought to defend the island or the remains that still remain there.
I can imagine some of them squinting up in pain from the ashes of that squalid black pit, lungs still full of sut, and hearing how pitiful their legacy was and at how ashamed their own people are of them today. They didn't have the opportunities this spoiled little present day generation has had since the war ended. What was their worth?
I met an idiot today at the coffee shop. He told me about a trip he had taken to Washington D.C., and about how beautiful Arlington Cemetery was to him. I questioned his logic. I had asked him why he hadn't visited Yasukuni Shrine? He said back, " I hate that place!" "But you love honoring the people who murdered your own people and those who had bombed and raped them by paying respects to their final resting place first, before your own country's memorial !?" I said back. He had no words to answer back. Nobody ever approached him like that. Leave it up to the silly foreigners to patronize the Japanese peoples ignorance. Yes. I am an offensive gaijin. I don't believe the bereaved at Arlington are happy when you snap photos of their loved ones headstones! Or wear American military hats and suits just to look cute.
All the while this is happening millions of foreigners are coming to Japan and opposing anything that even remotely resembles Japan's wartime past and even going as far as to criminalize the entire legacy of imperial Japan as the worst pre-war industrial nation that had ever existed in modern history. The ignorant youth, and the reticent elderly have no words to defend their own culture and history, especially against the onslaught of foreign condemnation, which is more out of ignorance of their own history and relative inability to articulate a defense of their nation.
This August the 15th, Japan will reflect on the war and its aftermath. The nation will also reflect on its role in the modern world and its standings in the international community. It's bleak ladies and gentleman. Millions of Japanese will reflect on the country's defeat not the sacrifices made - most will reflect on nothing at all. This is the nation with the worst defeatist mentality in the world! This is not a Japanese mind, this is a poisoned mind that was instituted into their education by MacArthur and his thought police.
The original Japanese never knew nor understood what defeat was, 2000 years of history of never being defeated. Now defeat is a byword here. Defeat is a word that fits the Japanese psyche of today because they've grown comfortable with it. America won and we lost so lets kowtow, let's acquiesce to the West, let's not honor our war dead, let's pretend that ignorance is bliss, let's kiss America's ass, let's disregard the tenants of our ancestors; this way we can keep food on the table. There are only two minds in the world, the Western mind and the Japanese mind, this truth has been relegated to the dust bins of history, why? Because two minds cannot agree unconditionally.
"This wasn't the case for the German war machine. Even now, 2010, there're still thousands of bodies left unclaimed all over Europe of former soldiers who served under Hitler, even the soldiers who disagreed with him but who had to keep food on the table who would've otherwise starved if they hadn't joined the German Army. Even these men are regarded as the same criminal element that steam rolled over Europe still lie unclaimed alongside the Waffen, who by the way were bred killers. Contrasting these men with the imperial solders of Japan who were merely serving for the sake of the country and their god is a completely different soldier, yet foreign courts condemn them as pure killers and homicidal murderers who acted independently, nothing could be further from the truth."
Where these souls are nobody really knows. I'm not sure I even know, but they didn't choose their fate, fate chose them. That's like asking the African American why he served in all three major conflicts for America when the country he swore to protect and to serve had sanctioned by the supreme court the lynching of his own people as a means of punishment ? Or, like asking why a native American would throw on a G.I. Jane suit just to go and kill somebody else in another country when his own people were almost all wiped out in a genocidal murdering spree through the use of government sponsored terror and poison attacks. Why did some Japanese men volunteer to fight in the war? Many were drafted, yes. These men loved their country, not because they needed put and keep food on the table. They didn't do it because they had mouths to feed. They did it for the love of their country.
Both the Native American and the African American were were regarded as the lesser of all the other races in North America, and were treated as second class citizens in the country they were fighting and killing for. I guess it was to keep food on the table, too? Or love of country? Yet these two lesser soldiers are honored for their sacrifices and for being a part of that criminal element that dropped napalm and who raped ladies and babies all across Vietnam.
Custer and his men have received honors for their valor against the native Americans and for invading foreign land by employing some of the most heartless tactics in modern warfare. Again, the American honors Custer, no one will ever forget his name. History books are full of his name. The Japanese who fell receive nothing but shame for their love
At the end of it all Japan chose the way of prosperity, which gave this country a chance to become a world leader in trade and surplus and in technology, and most of all peace along with a war renouncing constitution, the first of its kind in the modern world. Sixty years of deconstructing the Japanese mind by removing all vestiges of nationalism and patriotism only to be replaced by a work machine brain with an artificially processed emotion chip for a heart. After the Occupational Authorities left Japan, the old bureaucracy had to weave this new mind into old values.
For a generation of prosperous Japanese this new mind worked, then backfired with the newer generation who were let down after the bubble economy collapsed. This newer generation became the lost generation. I wish to shine a light through the darkness. I wish to pierce the darkness and remove the vail.
August 15th, like the 4th of July is where these two countries explore and ask themselves these unpleasant truths. We just buried McNamara the man who orchestrated much of the horrors witness over the last quarter of a century is now buried with honors and with so much blood on his hands.
When will men who fought for the country they loved so much receive their honor here in Japan? When will they earn the respect and admiration from their own people and not so much of the shame? Even if they disagreed with the war, no Japanese should feel ashamed if its their own people being condemned by people next door who are unforgiving, and who only care about money. I want to see a proud generation of Japanese lead the country. Not, let's open the flood gates and let's all wear flower printed T-shirts and pink sunglasses. I long for the days when Obuchi was prime minister. This conservative angle he had embraced was very good and natural. This country needs leaders like him. Japan needs to return to the ' old school' mentality, for the sake of the country and for the greater good of its own people.
That's a wrap for my August the 15th post.
Ok. Folks. I'm back to my semi-annual porn feature for the soul of Japan, so if you're put off by this kind of topic be forewarned.
A few weeks ago I downloaded a new app. from the itunes store called RunKeeper. Since it's summer I decided I wanted to get in shape a little while keeping track of my routes using this app, which has a built in GPS and an upload feature for keeping track of my progress from my PC. On one sunny summer afternoon on one of my routes I stopped by an old favorite porn shop of mine for a break. Quickly heading over to my favorite section, Jukujo and Busty mommas section, this DVD caught my eyes immediately, called in Katakana ジョギングーミセス or Jogging Mrs.
Ms. Nakamura is a wonderful, spry, and vivacious 30 something momma from Fukuoka Prefecture who's incredibly hot on and off the set. Typically Japanese women from West Japan are known for being well built in all the right places, especially in the trunk and chest areas! I can confirm this.
The DVD starts out really somber. The musical composition was nice and everything was well done from storyline to finish. All was good. The actors did a wonderful job of not looking fake. I said to myself " this is good porn." In the States, good porn used to have very realistic storylines with nice plots and stage settings. Now all you see are just straight fuck scenes with no realistic storylines. It's nice to see the Japanese focusing on all aspects of good porn.
Ms. Nakamura plays the part of a housewife who's constantly being told how imperfect she is and how overweight she's gotten by her stinky ungrateful salary man husband. She then takes up a new hobby. Jogging. She joins a running circle and every morning her and her new mates jog in a park in the wee hours of the morning. The cameraman does an excellent job of capturing every physical aspect of her body; the bobbing tits, and tight ass. The quads and hamstrings snapping tensely as she pushes herself to run harder and faster. Some of the best porn camera action I have seen in a long time. You can check out a few pics here. You can also follow her on her blog.
She's overtaken passionately in a locker room by one of her mates, and later on the other guy joins in and everything gets really good. All-in-all, very nice and worth the 2800 yen.
The main factors for purchasing this DVD are simple; legs, ass, and age. She has all three and is gorgeous. Plus she is an excellent actress who really enjoys her work on the screen. You know, a few weeks ago my mom was complaining to me about some of the members at the Jukujo club I teach at. She was telling me about how they were complaining about how big busted she is and how she needed to lose weight because they'd thought it was unhealthy to be heavy. I was pissed. I had told them that being old and skinny is not sexy at all. There's nothing sexy about an old woman with no tits and ass. I had also explained that once a woman hits her 30's she should start weight training and continue like this for the rest of her life. Jogging or riding a bicycle are also essential for good bones and lower leg development. Eating good food in moderation, not dieting are also good points. Skinny and old is not sexy. Heavy and busty and muscular is best!
The name is Shuwacchi ( shu-wa-chi), and it's a junmai ginjo kasseishu nigori. What that basically means is that it's a premium unfiltered milky colored sparkling sake with active enzymes. Again, this is another summer season type sake as you can see from the colorful label on the bottle. Summers are famous for ginjo type sake, so here's to summer.
Look at how she stands so tall and beautiful, against the vast expanse of blueness and white clouds; etherized. Neatly adorned in her robe and warmly cold.
This is a nama variety which means it needs refrigeration since it's unpasteurized and has enzymes which are active and alive. How that translates in to flavor is quite noticeable; refreshing, fruity, and a bit gassy. Whenever in Japan and you are faced with that difficult choice about what to drink then always go with a "nama" because most good ones are hard to come by, this is one of them.
The name of the brewery where this sake is brewed is called 上喜元/Jyoukigen in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, in the Tohoku region.
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For those of you who have never been to this part of Japan I highly recommend visiting here either in early spring where you can see snow clad pink plum blossoms change into cherry blossoms, or during the dead of winter when the rugged majestic mountains are capped with powdery white snow. That plus a nice hot mineral rich outdoor bath and some sake are what life is all about. All carved out by the hands of an ancient god I presume - it had to be.
I'm patient. I can wait. For now I just want to enjoy summer with this deliciously refreshing nihonshu.
Those who aren't quite familiar with sake levels let me give you just a enough information to get you going. Again, the sake I am drinking is a junmai ginjo-shu. It's a grade of premium sake made with rice milled to at least 60% of its original size from rice, water, and koji only! Other grades tend to have an infusion of alcohol added to it in order to create a more complex taste and texture.
The rice used to make this sake is called Yamada Nishiki which is generally regarded as the best sake rice for its texture. The koji mold used is produced in Yamagata and provides saccharification to the nihonshu. The Seimai Buai is at around 50%, which indicated how much rice is used in a given sake.
Flavor profiles are more emotional, less associative. We aren't talking about bananas, pear noses, and stuff like that. Just refreshing summer notes here. Clean, gassy, and refreshing. Again, I will reiterate, these " nama" rare sake types sell out so quickly. I cannot begin to stress that when given a chance to try sake, drink "nama" types as most of them cannot be kept for prolonged periods of time. The nihonshudo is plus 2. Enjoy!
We are half way through the first week of August and temps are still hovering up around 30 in southern Yokohama, so it's still baking out here.
Just last weekend and the night before there was another fireworks show in Minato Mirai. The colorful displays that illuminated the summer night sky was breathtaking as usual. So what better way to enjoy another summer night in Japan than with another nice summer sake.
What this sake is is a Ginjo-Namachozoushu, you can click on the link which explains a bit about what a namachozoushu is. The breakdown is as follows: It uses Yamadanishiki rice as the brewing rice. It's nihonshu-do is plus 3, and its smv is 55%. Acidity is 1.4. Alcohol is 15%. The name of the sake is called Natsuko-Mono-Gatari-Hanabi
Flavor profiles are soft pear, dry, light, and crisp. The pure taste of summer on your tongue, in other words. We've got a full month left until summer starts to wind down. Don't forget to try a nice summer brew while you are in Japan.
I had recommended this original cocktail to Blue Lotus over at http://blue_moon.typepad.com/ awhile ago, but now come to find out, she won't be drinking any kind of cocktail for a long time to come, so here's to you Blue Lotus.
This original cocktail called the Mt. Fuji consists of gin, egg white, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. It's around 1400 yen and then there's a 525 yen cover charge. The Fuji is a fruity, clean, and refreshing little cocktail. Didn't pick up on the essence of Mt. Fuji. the cocktail had more of a tropical feel to it than anything. I guess the frothy white top and yellow color gives it a happy feel. I still prefer nihonshu as a drink that embodies every single element in Japan.
It's been ages since the last time I sat in an old Victorian Style bar and had one of these kinds of cocktails. This bar is located in the Fujiya Hotel in a bar called Victoria.
This Hotel which is located in Miyanoshita has been renowned globally as one of the finest classical hotels in Japan. Once you enter the hotel, just off to the right, there's a narrow passage way leading up to this Victorian style bar.
The directions if you're driving are on the map. There's also a pick up service for those staying overnight at the stations listed on the map if you are taking a train.
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I think staying and or visiting this world class hotel, even if it's just for snaps, then I highly recommend it. Legendary Japanese customer service as usual. Expensive and clean and very well maintained facility. Bar hours are from 5 to11.
I don't know about you, but some of the nicest aromas during summer in Japan is the ocean breeze, freshly grilled squid and corn. These three combinations over a nice tall frosty mug full of beer and of course an oyster or two create the perfect environment for summer in this country.
I was back in Enoshima again on route to Hakone. I needed to take a nice lunch before continuing my journey. I had said to myself " should I eat at a restaurant or a revolving sushi shop?" Why the hell would I eat - in? And on such a beautiful sunday afternoon.
From my table I could see a sea of Japanese people all along the Shonan Coast line. It was an incredibly beautiful sight. There was even a Hinomaru at full mast blowing in the breeze right along the lifeguard shack.
No matter where you go in Japan you can get delicious fish, so coming to Enoshima just for great eats in not necessary. I come here for the atmosphere and the seafood.
I just can't get enough of the smells.
In the world of teas Japan is King. Don't get me wrong here, I don't want to take credit away from big brother China. I know they've been cultivating tea for over a thousand years. They are the great teachers of tea then and now. But like most things, the refinement and aesthetic beauty handed down to us today by the Japanese is unmatched the world over, dating back as far as the 9th Century. Jewel Dew is roughly what Gyokuro translates to.
This post is not about Japanese tea culture,though, but more about how teas pair well with traditional Japanese sweets. When it comes to sweets the list is endless. I could sit here for years and go down the list of Japanese sweets. What I seek to do with this post is highlight I few very popular sweets along with a premium Japanese tea called Gyokuro. In the world of Japanese tea this is one of the highest grades of tea you can drink. It's quality is partly attributed to how long it's left to grow in shade. Shade and sunlight have an enormous affect on a teas aromas and flavors; teas grown in sunlight tend to be a bit bitter whereas teas grown in shaded areas more sweet.
The three sweets or Japanese confectionery that will be featured have all been considered by many as some of the best sweets to pair with this grade of tea. Teas can have a positive or negative effect on Japanese confectionery. Sometimes pairing a good tea with a these sweets may take time and experience. Here is a list for tonight's tea and sweets:
(Middle bag)玉露 / Jewel Dew/(next to the tea pot)豆平糖飴/まめへいとう/mameheito/flat sugar beans.
(next to the tea bag)おとし文/otoshibun/「清（さやか）」/clear /Wakayama Prefecture.
(at the edge of the table next to the tea bag)羽二重餅（ はぶたえもち ）Fukui Prefecture
When brewing the tea you should be very careful about the temperature of the teapot and tea cup. How Gyokuro is brewed is quite different from other sencha. A good guide would be here. The greatest appellation attached to this tea is called Yame. More than 40% of Gyokuro is produced in this town which situated Fukuoka Prefecture. Here is a great video
Remember, one pouring per steeping. Never just let water remain and become cold.
The first confectionery I will try with this premium tea is called おとし文/otoshibun/「清（さやか）」/clear /Wakayama Prefecture. The reason for the green color is because it's the summer edition.
Normal toshibun is brown on the outside, but because its summer it's green on the outside and pink on the inside. This is a sweet bean cake type confectionery that goes very well with Gyokuro. The pink bean paste filling has a sweet fruity texture which blends very well with the natural almost grassy green sweet aroma of this tea.
Next up from Fukui Prefecture is another confectionary called 羽二重餅（ はぶたえもち/ Habutaemochi). Another highly recommended sweet treat that goes very well with Gyokuro. The wooden knife comes with it for easy removal of the layered confectionery.
This soft mochi taste so good. So soft and sweet and delicate with this tea. Describing it to you would be unfair. You have to try it for yourself.
This next delicious treat is called Mameheito 豆平糖飴/まめへいとう/mameheito/flat sugar beans.
This is a very crunchy sugary sweet treat with flat beans in the center. Slightly bitter but works very well with this premium tea. All of these treats came highly recommended by dozens of tea experts in Japan and now I have tried a few choice selections of them and love them immensely. Summertime, tea, and Japanese sweets are great!
On hot humid summer nights like tonight beer or Japanese sake usually hits the spot. But tonight, I decided to switch over to Japanese liqueurs. I have about three big hitters in my fridge right now, but for tonight I will highlight a delicious fruity summer treat called kiwi yoghurt liqueur, that's right, yoghurt liqueur!
Can you put together some of the flavor profiles in this drink? Kiwi+yoghurt+citrus+Jasmine, and all over ice in a nice bell shaped Riedel glass. It's creamy and green! And it's got 7% alc. I didn't know summer could taste so good.
This liqueur hails from Nara Prefecture deep in West Japan from Kitaoka Honten.
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August is almost here, so one more full month of enjoying delicious summer time drinks! Maybe even in September.
The Kiwi used were domestic and not from New Zealand where the grow in abundance. Traditionally I am not really into to sweet drinks, but I cannot leave any stones unturned in Japan. I must try everything.
Water is fast becoming a rare resource in the world today. I just wanted to showcase some of Japan's finest bottled mineral water from all over Japan.
I continue to chronicle Japanese water. This time ordered seven different bottles.
Hita Sui from Oita Prefecture in Japan
Hardness: 66 !
Very good. Nice hard taste, but still very natural at the same time. It's called Hita Sui from Oita Prefecture.
Spring water tapped after 100 years of sleep ! This is a carbonated water.
Yakushima Island Jomon Water
Kagoshima
Hardness 12
Nice refreshing. Very easy to drink.
Hyotan Mizu
Remember, this water springs from a gourd deep in Nara the ancient city in Japan.
Again
Hardness: 89.5
This is the same mineral water but a different bottle
Mashyuko from Hokkaido
Hardness: 19
Store bought peaches vs. brand named peaches mean very little to people who rarely eat this fruit. For me, summer wouldn't be complete without sinking my teeth into a juicy peach. In this photo you can see a a Fukushima grown peach!
Fukushima Prefecture and Yamanashi are prime peach growing regions in Japan - there are other areas too. However, if there had to be one prefecture that's very well known and recognized for its peaches then Fukushima is one such prefecture.
Awhile back I took a trip up to this prefecture to pick these incredibly delicious peaches. There really is a difference between just ordinary supermarket brands and brand named peaches. Just a few days ago I was sitting outside eating some peaches that were store bought. They were juicy, but lacked taste! I couldn't catch the sour sweetness that really high quality peaches are known for.
Fukushima brand peaches can be purchased at any major supermarket or department store chain, but expect to pay higher the usual prices. It's worth it once.
An Asian plant of the mustard family. The pungent, greenish root of this plant, which can be grated and used as a condiment is one of the most important additions to a variety of Japanese cuisines.
I admit that prior to coming to Japan I didn't like wasabi at all - I was traumatized. I was tricked into drinking a cup of liquidized wasabi by a bunch of ill natured caterers at a dance I was attending with my date. I must've coughed up everything on my brand new silk tie and had to leave early that night because of it. I didn't touch wasabi anymore after that.
After moving to Japan I finally started trying wasabi again, little by little. I still didn't like it much even in Japan. Then I took a trip down to Joren no Taki where they grow organic wasabi, not the mass produced and over processed stuff, but real wasabi.
Even tried wasabi ice cream. After that trip I never purchased processed wasabi ever again. I buy the real plant root then grind off the desired amount I need for whatever I'm eating.
This wasabi is simply the best and it doesn't burn your nose. Just a clean and refreshing wasabi.
Another delicious Natsu Junmaishyu summer all rice sake which uses 100% Yamadanishi, a rice grain that's indigenous to Hyogo Prefecture. Seimai is at 60% which indicates how much rice was used. The nihonshu-do is plus 5, which indicates in a very general sense the sweetness or dryness of a sake; -3 and +10. Higher numbers indicate dryness and about +4 is average.
The brewer is called Nagayama Honke from Yamaguchi Prefecture. This time I will also include some confectionary with this sake. The word "Taka" denotes something precious and "Happo" means something that's either bubbly or gassy. Nigori means a cloudy sake, i.e. sake with some lees remaining. So what I'm drinking here is a precious sparking cloudy summer sake and on a record breaking hot summer afternoon from my balcony.
We had record highs in southern Yokohama today. The ice I had in this bowl melted in less than five minutes, even tipping the glass over! I had to refill.
Taka was also featured in the Dancyu March 2009 edition as one of the premiere sake for spring. In this photo I'm drinking the summer edition. Dancyu is a well known food and sake magazine that publishes monthly editions of newly discovered restaurants and seasonal food in Japan.
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The area where this sake was brewed is again called Yamaguchi Prefecture which is famed for bitter summer mandarin blossoms, red pine trees, hooded cranes and tetraodontidae. Shimonoseki is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in that prefecture.
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2009 summer was also very good for me as far as sake drinking went. If you are interested you can click here, here, here, and here.
Some sake can be drank just as it is, or with either some sweets or hors d' oeuvres. But what would be a fitting match for this cool refreshing and curiously sweet drink.
So, I looked to Niigata and discovered a fantastic mizu-manju shop as blogged about previously from another herethat was in Fukushima Prefecture. This shop is different and it's called Miyukidou's and it's located in Kita-ku Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, the mother lode of sake in Japan.
Each box contains 12 pieces of manju. The list goes as follows:マンゴー、プリン、ブルーベリー、いちごみるく、モンブラン、抹茶、ショコラ、カフェオレ、大納言、、豆乳、プラム 各１個. Mango, pudding, blueberry, strawberry milk, monte blanc, chestnut and cream, tea, chocolate, cafe ole,dainegon is not a government office, it's a kind of fig or fruit, red potato, and then plum.
You can hear the explanation on this video.
These mizu manju were ice cold and amazingly tasty. They were all filled with cream and fruit filling and all tasted exactly like what they say on the box.
This and sake and a lovely Jukujo go very well together.
This is summer.
( Summer Edition Masamune Junmai)
Please click here for the winter edition of Yamagata Masamune Junmai. There you can find the write up for this brewery. By the way, the name Masamune is not associated with the great sword smith.
One of the nicest times of the year to be in Japan is around July and August because it's during this time you get the biggest fireworks displays, especially around Tokyo and Yokohama. And it's during this time Japanese gather with family and friends to enjoy a fun filled evening of lights and sounds, often times with chilled nihonshu or beer.
This special summer edition sake was crafted with a premium rice grain called gohyaku-mangoku at 60% milled, acidity 1.3, alc 16%, and the nihonshu-do is plus 5. Mellow taste with hints of ripe melon and fruit. Nice summer taste here. Best if enjoyed chilled, sometimes you can even add ice to it. What this does is help release the acid. When I imbibe on this sake all of my old memories from many summers ago come flooding back to me. Prior to coming to Japan I used to complain endlessly about hot and muggy California summers were, but since living over here in Japan I can hardly wait for any season to come around. There's so much to get into over here.
In my area, around southern Yokohama families love to get together around the park in my neighborhood especially during the different seasons. Spring is always nice, but this summer is shaping up to be even nicer. I can see the tents going up already and people are getting in a festive mood. M fridge is fully stocked with all latest summer concoctions and I plan to blog about them all.
And if you have a chance to try any sake from this brewery Stateside try it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. This is a well established brewery. Masamune Junmaisyus are great!
She's not exactly my type but she has a summer look to her. Red,white, and sultry. Nihonshu and J-girls do go together, never let anybody tell you any differently.
Summer fun!
This is a well water, in Japanese well water is called " 鉱泉" or Kou-sen and I've been sitting on this box of water for a few days already. I purchased it directly from the source from a small town called Kyougoku in the Abuta District on Japan's large northern island in Hokkaido which by the way is famed for its delicious seafood, and natural country beauty. Acres and acres of farmland and cow grazing pastures as far as the human eye can see. Where there's delicious water there's good sake, good food, and good onsen.
Near the foot of Mount Yotei there is a spring called Fukidashi Park that has delicious water that many Hokkaidoans travel to from all over the island. The last time I was there was about 4 years ago on my way to Sapporo. I remember it was an early Autumn afternoon so the water was especially cool and crisp.
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I have several photos of this place , but decided to show you this pick. I remember the water being so cold when it came down from this source and into my cup. In the general vicinity of this area is the Kyougoku Springs area, but I highly recommend visiting this park instead if you have the time and a rental car because you can enjoy collecting as much water as you like from various different sources around the park.
According to the box, this water is best used for making coffee, tea, and for boiling vegetables. I love it just for the sake of drinking cold delicious water in the summer.
Again, another fantastic water pick. What's next...?
So I've been the King of the Road now for a month with my 50cc master blaster sporting my super large Darth Vador/German war machine helmet and skeleton face mask. I'm loving it.
( Blade High Performance Series Muffler)
I finally got my call today that my new muffler had just arrived along with the weight rollers I had especially ordered.
( Old 53g weighted rollers. Heavy on the clutch!)
Often times people forget to replace these little rollers in the clutch when installing a new muffler. These little things help distribute torque evenly to increase speed; the lighter the roller that faster you go. Often times factory bought bikes will have 53g weighted rollers installed and then a high performance muffler which actually slows the bike down. The ideal weight should be around 43g weighted rollers(six rollers), or roughly 7.5g per roller. What this does to a two stroke engine is increase the speed significantly! Perhaps the biggest enhancement to any bike that's either a 2 or a 4 stroke is the muffler and the rollers.
I just got back from a nice scream down route 1! I was instantly impressed with the difference in performance. Summer is here and I plan to make my presents known around Shonan and Enoshima.
Just about every bike in this class in Japan has a high performance muffler. Japan and Taiwan are the King of cool scooters and no better place to have one is right here in Japan where almost every road leads to somewhere and there being so many roads that lead to so many different places This summer the beaches is where the actions going to be at for me, and with my bike it only makes things a bit more interesting.
Summer fun.
Gift from the forest is what this water is called and It's from Miyazaki Prefecture, Ebino Kogen, Minami-Kyushu(southern Kyushu Island). I received a 20 liter case of this delicious water a few days ago and am just now getting around to drinking it. No fancy bottles this time, just a plain ordinary looking green and white cardboard box.
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First impressions were clean with a medium hard texture, well balanced and easy to drink. Summers are great and it's always interesting when I have a chance to discovered new water brands, not the usual Avian and Volvic water. Onsen, like mineral water, are limitless natural assets this country has to offer. For me, water is so important for everything; sake, onsen, and just plain drinking.
My fridge has three compartment spaces so I stored this one in the middle, which is usually reserved for vegetables. When you open the box there's a huge plastic container.
There are a few other articles to catch up on here, here, and here
I'm about at the half way mark. I need to open up another box but this time from Hokkaido. So keep drinking out there. Japan summer's are very hot and humid.
Washkit
Originally uploaded by McAlpine Alexander My wash-kit consist of, from left to right, a basket, scalp scrubber, shaving cream, razor, toothpaste, nylon towel, and lastly a cotton face towel. Studies have shown that the cotton hand towel cleans the skin better than a nylon towel. However, for therapeutic value, and for exfoliating dead skin the nylon towel is more beneficial. I get a new kit every six months or so. I always love looking around for interesting new stuff. I got a chrome razor this time and an extra hard nylon towel. Of course most people don't bring all of these things into a public bath house, some people bring absolutely nothing. I think having these toiletries add to the enjoyment of being at a spa. Welcome to Japan
Izu , summer taste.
In my other post on mizu manju I highlight a favorite shop of mine in the Tohoku region that I used to frequent in between onsen stops some time ago. That shop was my favorite, and still is. Good food and good manju can be found anywhere in Japan, but I feel that some manju are worth mentioning. The picture below is one of them, a mizu manju from Mase Confectionary in Shizuoka prefecture.
While writing this, I was listening to "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" by Kanye West
Manju is a soft bean jam filled jelly treat that comes in various forms. The way I love eating these is when they are ice cold and on the rocks!
Highlights
On sticky sultry summer days in Japan these slide down the throat well. Best if you use your fingers. Sometimes I see people trying to use chopsticks and it's hilarious.
The shops homepage is: http://www.mase-jp.com
The shop name is kou-nichi-ahn mase, and there're a few chains located through-out Shizuoka.
They have a very large selection of well made Japanese style confectionary for every season. Since I don't get out that way often enough, I just order from home. I had searched hard and wide for these and was not disappointed at all.
Summer does have a taste of its own. Ice cold melt in your mouth mizu manju!
This cemetery is located in Chofu, near Fuchu, where the largest cemetery in Tokyo is and the final resting place for millions of Japanese.
The reason I visited this place was to pay homage to the late great man Mishima Yukio, a famous playwright and author, best known for his famed suicide back in November 1970. Another reason I was here was to help one of my girlfriends wash her family tombstone, so it was like killing two birds with one stone; pay homage to the man, and visit her folk's tomb.
(This picture is owned by me from my flickr account.)
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I'm not necessarily posting this information for people to visit, just for a better understanding of where I am talking about.
Cemeteries in Japan are far from gloomy, not like in North America where the mood is somber and depressing, it's like you want to get out of there as soon as possible. The energy at most cemeteries I've been to here are tranquil and well maintained. I made my way to Mishima Yukio's final resting spot, also General Yamamoto and a few other Japanese heroes - paid homage.
When George Bush is finally laid to rest I guess we'll honor his legacy for all of his murderous campaigns throughout the Middle East - I sure as hell won't. I used to post the exact whereabouts of plots of great Japanese people but don't anymore for fear of vandals and ignorant expats whom I would gladly beat the living shit out of for desecrating anyone's final resting spot in Japan.
The soul of Japan is truly the infusion of what Japan is. It is the shrine, the temple, the Jukujo, the onsen, food, the nihonshu, Mishima, Shinto, and Buddhism...(me?).
The second reason for posting this was because around July 15th through August 15, depending on the region, many Japanese return to their hometowns to visit their family cemetery plots in order to pay homage to their ancestors. This is a Japanese Buddhist custom called Obon (お盆), which has evolved into a family reunion. It is also the busiest time of year for domestic travel so if you're planning to come out this way avoid August. This is the hottest and busiest month of the year in this country.
As we get closer to August my post will become more politically charged where I'll be adding a lot of personal commentary about life, politics, and history in Japan. The usual sake and food will be there but at a minimum. August is the time of year in Japan where a lot of history was made so if you are light hearted then be forewarned.
The process of honoring the dead:
At the tombstone you pour water over the main stone, or marble headstone. You clean around the plot being careful not to forget to remove any dead flowers and leaves. Even a little weeding is not uncommon. Add new flowers, sometimes food or sake can be placed either on or next to the headstone. Say a prayer and done.
A famous spot many locals flock to in order to enjoy a dessert called (shio-daifuku) 塩大福 is called Surugaya. What this is is a rice cake stuffed with salt-seasoned bean jam. Actually, you can find these at almost any major supermarket in Japan.
One of the most recognizable sweets in this country is the daifuku, it's one of the most common sweets foreign tourist get to try when sightseeing here and it's available through-out the year. How about a real taste of Japan.....? Nothing artificial about these.
I love these soft chewy little powdery desserts that go well with tea. I posted this one because they taste better than most of your store bought ones and are not factory made;all are made and rolled by skilled hands. You gotta appreciate tradition. You have to appreciate waking up at 4am to ready everything, and to organize the racks and ladles that help create the finished product. The rest is all skill and patience.
I have a photo of this opened, but I saw no reason to post it. Just beans. Very powdery stuff so it's good to have a napkin. Some Westerners may be put off by how ordinary these treats taste, but I think you have to appreciate the simplicity in how they look, and the subtle textures and at how easy they are to eat.
The shop is modern, but the techniques used to make this dessert are traditional. If in and around Hase I recommend a quick stop over and have one. They are closed on Wed. and Fri.
site:
http://www.kamakura-surugaya.jp/item/shiodaifuku/
It took me awhile to acquire a taste for these desserts, now I crave them and look forward to eating them whenever I'm out and about, especially with tea and some nice koto music. I really truly believe that some things should never ever change.
On a final note, many people who do decide to visit Japan and have a chance to get out this way, Kamakura, and have a chance to stop through Hase then don't forget to stop by this shop. It's listed as one of the must eat places and a true local shop, not some tourist traps. It's a local stop.
Another spot that offers up some really tasty treats, and a place that’s another local fav spot is right in the Kamakura Station on the Enoden Line side. What initially got my attention were these small cake or balls of minced meat, poultry, or fish, or of rice, potatoes or other food stuffs. Often coated with beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and fried in deep fat are called croquette. To be quite honest I wasn't just a curious passersby I was actually thinking this place was a branch outlet from another prefecture. I was wrong, but pleased nevertheless at this discovery.
The Japanese use katakana (コロッケ）ko-ro-ke. Croquette is a french word, actually.
It’s no surprise the Japanese take things from other countries and then add a Japanese element to it to give it a Japanese taste. Croquette was originally invented by the French and is a dish that has reached ecumenical status over the years, there’s even croquette in North America.
I have always loved the taste of hot, crispy, melt in your mouth meat cakes! The store bought kind, the ones you find in the supermarket, are often times soft oily, and uninspiring, a big difference from the kind you find at this shop. The croquette here in Kamakura and Ibaraki are KING. There’s even a city in Ibaraki prefecture that's known for making the best croquette in Japan and that city is called Ryogasaki
here: http://www.ryugasaki.or.jp/koromatiokosi/korokkeclub/contest/jigyou.htm
Us folks in Kanagawa Prefecture can thank the Kamakurans for creating a croquette that can rival Ibaraki’s, so we don’t have to travel so far to appreciate this delicious treat.
site: http://www.surugaya-honpo.com/enoden/index.html
What I love is getting there early in the morning and eating up freshly made croquette. Great stuff. Nice spot for eye candy too, since this walkway connects the JR and the Enoden lines, tons of foot/leg traffic every minute. Women running, some stopping over to buy a croquette, then running off to catch their trains. Some anorexic was sitting next to me giving me googly eyes. I told her to eat a whole bag of these potatoes first and then call me in the morning. Put on some pounds first before looking over here!
Again, Kamakura croquettes, try em' you'll love em' as simple as they are. One thing I wished they has was the bulldog sauce. I highly recommend trying the pork variety!
