Japanese Yatai

The Japanese Yatai, or portable food stalls, could be found in numbers along the streets of Tokyo and Fukuoka, and other localities in the past, but now are few and far between. Nowadays the yatai appear late at night and almost stealthily to avoid the police. The portable "food wagons" cook the food on site and provide benches or chairs for their customers.  The yatai operators usually serve ramen(noodles), oden(Japanese stewed vegetables), or fried and grilled food. On a recent trip to Japan I ate and drank at a yatai right outside the Shinjuku station late one night(around 11:30 PM)and had a bowl of hot ramen along with 2 large glasses of sake. Needless to say, the food, drink and company were excellent, and the tab “yasukatta”(inexpensive). This would definitely qualify as cheap eats.
If you are lucky enough to stumble across one in the evening, please be sure to stop in and have some food and drink. I think you’ll like it. Plus it’s a rather unique part of the Japanese culture and an experience that shouldn’t be missed.
It's especially good on a cold night with a hot bowl of ramen or a hot bowl of oden and sake to cut the chill.  This is a Travel Japan favorite!

Crab Crab Crab

Crab Crab Crab in Sapporo Japan. That’s all you can eat crab, in 90 minutes. Hard to believe-well it’s true. All-you-can eat KING CRAB in 90 minutes, for 4,000 Yen($50 US). In Susukino, the entertainment center of Sapporo, Japan, there is a crab restaurant called Ebi Kani Gassen, on the 11th floor of a commercial building where you can get this unbelievable meal. I had the 3,600 Yen($44 US) All-you-can eat(tabehoudai)assorted crab(King crab, Queen crab, Snow crab) in 90-minutes meal. Here’s what I got:

3-shrimp tempura and vegetable(sweet pepper)tempura

3-shrimp and crab sushi, shrimp tempura sushi

1-chawan mushi with lots of crab crab crab

3-very large platters of assorted crab legs and body meat

Those crab legs were super sweet!!!!

All that crab went well with 2 bottles(300ml each)of Chitosetsuru Junmai Ginjo sake.


Tips and notes:

The staff will only bring out what you can eat because crab is a valuable resource in Hokkaido Japan. Don’t order what you cannot finish.


The staff is a little slow in coming out to help you, so ask them with a “Sumimasen-Kani okawari!” (Excuse me-More crab please!) when you are getting low on crab.

Don’t forget-you must finish the crab on the plate before the 90-minutes.

How to eat the crab: Use the scissors provided to cut the crab shells-makes it a lot easier to get to the meat, and use the small spoon to dig out the crab meat from the body cavity or as you get to the outer reaches of the crab legs. Discard the shells in the big containers on the table.

This is a Travel Japan recommendation for hungry crab eaters. So go ahead and eat crab crab crab!

Location: A short walk from the Hosui Susukino subway station or the Susukino subway station. Address is 1-jo South, 4 West, 2-chome (1chi-
jo Minami yon Nishi ni-chome. On the 11th floor. 4:00PM - 12:00AM. Telephone: 011-231-3043. Restaurant name is Ebi Kani Gassen.


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Hakone Prince Annex

Hakone Prince Annex Review

Upon arriving at the Odawara Station from Tokyo, we inquired at the local Odawara Visitors Bureau office in the station and the very nice lady there helped make us a reservation to catch the Hakone Prince shuttle. The shuttle driver met us outside the station next to the samurai statue. Upon boarding the van, the driver stored our overnight bags and when all the other guests arrived we drove out of the station. The driver was gracious enough to give us a guided tour of the Hakone area as we drove-but in Japanese.

The Hakone Prince Annex is the newer wing of the original Hakone Prince Hotel. The front desk staff spoke English and serviced us quickly and gave us tips on what to do in the area. There was a large sitting area just off the front desk with a great view of Lake Ashinoko. I think it doubled as a lounge.

The room:
The room was larger, much larger than the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo. The room on the 1st floor had a back door which gave us access to the back lawn overlooking Lake Ashinoko and gave us a wonderful view. The room had nice furniture and the sitting table allowed us to have a cold beer and snacks to eat before we went out. The room had the deep tub and the bidet toilet. The safe in the room was a larger. Little older model that we liked. We also found that the “rotem buro” outdoor onsen bath was a mere 50 feet from the room. Although the onsen was small, the hot water and the cool air hitting your head made it feel almost zen-like. The men’s bath had the same nice lake view we had from our room.

The food:
Since we arrived off-season, the hotel was not full, and the restaurant limited meals to the Potomac Restaurant just past the front desk. The restaurant had that same great Lake Ashinoko view as the lounge. With a salad bar that was quite good, we found the meals quite good as well. For dinner we had the “set menu” beef tenderloin that was cooked to a perfect medium rare and very tender and with the cooked veggies and starch and a dessert of a Japanese roll cake with filling and coffee to end the meal. 4,500 Yen for the dinner.

Shopping:
There was a nice shopping area at Hakone-en next to the Hakone Prince Hotel where you could find food items, clothing, and souvenirs, including an aquarium and the Komagatake Ropeway station, and also a bus terminal for both the Izu Hakone Bus Company and the Hakone Tozan Bus Company.

Location:
Hakone Prince Annex, Hakone-en, Hakone Japan.

For more information and photos please go to http://travljpn.blogspot.com

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Richmond Hotel Sapporo Odori

The Richmond Hotel Sapporo Odori is basically a businessman’s hotel in Sapporo, Japan, with smallish rooms with nice amenities.  The hotel has a small restaurant next to the lobby that serves good food and drinks, and desserts at reasonable prices.

I recently rented a double room of 177 square feet and found a small room with a double bed, a nice Regza 25” Toshiba digital TV, a bidet toilet, air conditioning a Sharp Ion unit, refrigerator, coffee pot and complimentary coffee and tea, and internet connection.

The staff is extremely helpful and very accommodating, the breakfast buffet is good, but the best thing about the hotel is its direct entrance into the Tanukikoji Arcade, nearby access to Pole Town underground shopping arcade, sheltering you from the inclement winter weather in Sapporo, Susukino entertainment district, Nijo Fish  Market, and the Nanboku Subway line.  If you walk through the Tanukikoji Arcade 3 1/2  blocks to the south, you will end up at the Nijo Fish Market where you can see and taste some excellent seafood including king crab and huge scallops fresh off the fishing boats.

To get there: From the new Chitose Airport take the JR train to and exit from the Sapporo Station, then take the Nanboku subway line from Sapporo Station to the Odori Station. Walk from the Odori Station through Pole Town underground arcade until you get to the south Exit #4,5,6,7, exiting Pole Town using the up escalator and go into the Tanukikoji Arcade and walk less than 100 yards until you see the Richmond Hotel Sapporo Odori sign.

For more information and photos, please go to http://travljpn.blogspot.com

For more information on Japan please go to http://traveljapan-us.com.

Sapporo Chitosetsuru Sake Brewery

Sapporo Chitosetsuru Sake Brewery
From the time you get there you are met with the large round Sapporo Chitosetsuru Sake Brewery cedar ball at the entrance, and you know that the adventure begins.


Once inside the museum you will be greeted by a fountain of pure water from the Sapporo area. This pure, clean water is the key ingredient of wonderful Japanese sake. Take a sip of the water from the fountain, and you will know that excellent sake is made there.

Take some time to look at the old implements that were used to produce the sake. You will notice many wooden barrels that were used by the sake makers of old.

The free sake tasting features 5 of the brewery’s sake, although many more types are made.

Start with the “junmai” grade, dry, about +4 on the Nihon Shudo scale and made from 100% sakamai, or special sake rice which is 40% ground away. Then try the second “junmai”grade with a sweeter fruitier bouquet. The Nihon Shudo scale is about +3. Then try the “Honjyozo” grade, made from sake rice and a shot of brewers alcohol at the end of the process to spike the flavor. Next try the “ginjo” grade, with a slightly fruity and nice bouquet. Finally try the “daiginjo” grade, the top sake of the brewery-smooth, sweet, and very good bouquet. All of the sake I tasted were excellent, and I ended up purchasing 4 bottles.

Location:  Nippon Seishu Company, about 5 minutes from the Bus Center Mae Tozai Line subway station,Minami San-jo, Higashi go-chome, Chuo-Ku, Sapporo.  The museum is open 10:00AM-6:00PM.  Only closed at year end and New Years.

For more information on Japan please go to http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.

Sapporo Crab Restaurant Kaniya

Sapporo Crab Restaurant Kaniya

Looking for a great crab restaurant in Sapporo, Hokkaido? Kaniya, a chain crab restaurant located in Susukino, Sapporo should make you happy. The crab restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and great service by its staff.


We were ushered upstairs to the 3rd floor where we found tatami mat seating with a open well in the floor so you could rest your feet and not need to fold them. I opted for the “Kiyomizu” course set for 5,250 Yen which consisted of zuwai or queen crab. My wife opted for the king crab course for 4,900 Yen.

Course 1: The appetizers featured pieces of fried katsuo(bonito) or maguro(tuna)in soy sauce and boiled Hokkaido potato eaten with crab miso(innards)as a topping.

Course 2: Consisted of a chawan mushi mixture of crab meat and tofu-delicious!

Course 3: Crab sashimi-the crab was so sweet, it really didn’t need to be dipped in soy sauce provided-outstanding!

Course 4: Boiled crab legs and body meat. The crab legs were sliced for ease in accessing the meat. The crab was dipped into a mild vinegar mixture and complimented the crab taste perfectly-superb!

Course 5: Hot pot “nabe” of crab legs, rice noodles, enoki mushrooms, nappa cabbage, tofu, in a tasty seasoned sauce cooked over fire-delicious!

Course 6: Crab shumai(tempura crab balls)and mild peppers.

Course 7: Crab meat sushi maki rolls-3 pieces with a red miso crab soup.

Course 8: Dessert of Japanese pear, a very large and sweet grape, and a delicious rolled cake.

I ordered a side dish of vinegared sea cucumber(namako)which was crunchy and refreshing for an additional 430 Yen, and a 300 ml. bottle of cold Chitosetsuru junmai sake(the local sake) which was very good and went well with the meal.

Location: Kaniya Sapporo Main Branch: 2-11 Minami 4-jo Nishi, Chuo-Ku, Sapporo. Telephone: 011-222-1117. Open Weekdays: 11:00AM-3:00pm, 5:00pm-10:30pm. Weekends/Holidays: 11:00AM-10:30PM.

For more information on Japan please go to http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.

Tokyo Restaurant Ogo Ono Loa Hawaii

Tokyo Restaurant Ogo Ono Loa Hawaii

Looking for an inexpensive place to eat authentic Hawaiian food? Looking for Tokyo Nightlife? Try the Tokyo Restaurant Ogo Ono Loa Hawaii in Akasaka. Get on the elevator to the 5th floor of the Isomura Building and you will find a very large can of Spam as you enter for some delicious Hawaiian food and drinks. I met the owner and chef Ryoji Soranaka, Hawaii ex-pat and found him to be easy to talk to. I took relatives who live in Tokyo there and we ordered the lunch special-2 choices for 1,100 Yen-very reasonable for authentic Hawaiian food. The Kalua Pig(roasted, shredded pork)was tender and with just the right amount of seasoning, served on a bed of shredded cabbage with a scoop of rice, and a bowl of Spicy tuna(cubed maguro and tobiko with a special mayonnaise base chili pepper sauce on rice), and a scoop of macaroni and potato salad.

Ryoji won the 2007 Hawaiian Poke Contest, so you know that spicy tuna bowl was good. Too bad they had just run out of their famous Loco moco(fried egg over a hamburger patty over rice, smothered with brown gravy)-we wanted to try it. The neighboring table had the last serving. After all, the Loco moco was invented by Mr. Miyashiro of Café 100 in Hilo, Hawaii. Beverages they serve included Kona Brewing Co. Longboard ale. Ryoji mentioned that they have more on the menu for dinner.

This Tokyo restaurant Ogo Ono Loa Hawaii quickly became a Travel Japan must stop for authentic Hawaiian cooking.

Located on the 5th floor of the red brick Isomura Building, a minute walk from the Akasaka subway station. Left out of the Exit 1 of the subway station just after the Akasaka Biz Tower Building.

Look for the yellow and white sign. From 11:30AM to 2:00PM, M-Fand 6:300PM to 11:30PM, M-Sat.

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Tokyo Restaurant Kisoji

Tokyo Restaurant Kisoji Shabu Shabu

Looking for a place to unwind after a long day? Looking for Tokyo nightlife? Try the Tokyo Restaurant Kisoji in Okachimachi, near Ueno‘s Ameyokocho. Kisoji is a chain restaurant originally from Osaka. Walk downstairs to the basement and you will find a very lively place for some delicious food and drinks. The set course dinner meal I had was wonderful-from eye-pleasing petite appetizers to unforgetable shabu shabu and such attention to even minute detail. The best shabu shabu restaurant in Tokyo.


Mozuku - cold and refreshing vinegared seaweed with grated yam.

Unagi (fresh water eel) seasoned with soy sauce, then wrapped with kelp.

Kuri (chestnut) blended with tofu.

Sashimi (raw pieces of maguro(tuna) and hamachi(yellow tail)on a bed of ice.

Shabu Shabu - thinly sliced, well marbled beef strips, rice noodles, maple leaf shaped shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, sliced nappa cabbage, mizuna (Japanese mustard greens), kelp, and green onions cooked in a hot broth.

The beef strips are very briefly dipped in water boiling in a cast iron pot along with the other ingredients, then taken out of the pot and dipped in a goma(sesame oil)with grated daikon (Japanese turnips)and chili sauce, or a ponzu sauce with thinly sliced leeks.

16-grain rice is served at the end of the meal-just delicious.

Light and refreshing-green apple ice cream for dessert.


Meal is complimented by a cup of hoji(roasted) tea.

Kisoji is one of Travel Japan’s favorite restaurants in Tokyo. Etsuko gave exceptional service and was a great waitress!

Located at B1F, Ueno Kyodo Bldg,2-7-13 Ueno, Taito-ku. From 11:30AM-3:00PM and 5:00PM-10:00PM weekdays and Saturdays, Sundays & holidays 11:30-9:30PM. A 1 minute walk from Ginza subway Ueno Hinokoji station or a 5 minute walk from the JR Okachimachi station.

For more information on Japan, please go to http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.