Jul 10 (Japan by Food) - Just west of Tokyo, you’ll find a charming city known as Chofu–known for its lush botanical gardens, serene temples and shrines, sports stadiums, tasty soba noodles, and home of the popular manga ‘GeGeGe no Kitaro’.
Shizuka travels to Chofu and explores the streets of this peaceful city. She begins her adventure at Tenjin-dori Shotengai, an iconic shopping street lined with manga statues. Strolling down the street, she stumbles upon a retro toy shop then makes a stop at Azukiya Ando for some red bean paste sweets! After sampling some of the shop's specialties, she ventures on to Jindai-ji Temple to take in the tranquil surroundings.
Next up it’s time for lunch at Matsuba Chaya. Shizuka scans the menu before settling on a spread of soba-based dishes! Apart from soba, Chofu is known for being a mecca for manga lovers, as it’s the home of Mizuki Shigeru–creator of the famous manga ‘GeGeGe no Kitaro’. The final stop of the trip is Kitaro Chaya, a teahouse and cafe dedicated to GeGeGe no Kitaro. Our cheerful host steps into this retro wooden building where satisfies her sweet tooth before heading upstairs to soak up the history of the celebrated manga.