The Soul of Japan

Reflections: Masterfully and Powerfully Made

2009-11-04T18:03:00.001-08:00

Sitting in silence on a very quiet weekday afternoon, not even one sound from a neighbor. There’s a distance hum of a washing machine, the smell of outside air still lingering from her purse and hair, hands still cold, she reflects on warm moist memories of a time long gone.

Quietude in this sense can be so surreal at times. The ambient lighting in the room can at times evoke a trance like effect on the mind where the body is seemingly paralyzed from the brain down. You move a finger to make sure there’s still some sensation.

I love a woman who can appreciate times like these. Not busy bodies that have no concept of time and space. Just chaos and disorder seem to be there only connection with the world. They seem to squander away every single opportunity for romance to the point where sex is merely a process rather than a natural phenomenon where two human beings can bring each other to glorious bliss.

Two human beings can bring another life in to this world – this is the power of God if you ask me. For two minds and two bodies working together in unison, and towards one single all defining purpose they can achieve anything! This is my ideal of what connubial bliss is about, and what I wish to achieve.

I love moving my nose and lips down the musculature of a Japanese woman’s smooth supple thighs. And then stopping every now and then just to look. No sudden movements. Appreciation for the most simplistic of all things is what modern day humanity has forgotten. I love the leg.

Japan can be saved by its own women.

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2009-11-03T00:00:00-08:00

Kirei Manen of Hiroshima Kirei Sake Brewery (Kirei 亀齢)

2009-11-02T08:05:00.001-08:00

Another very nice and well-rounded sake from West Japan.

This is a Junmai Ginjo, Nama Genshu. Junmai Ginjo means it falls into the premium class of labor intensive sake with rice that’s milled away at 50%. Nama, means that is a draft-style sake that is purified not by heat pasteurization but rather through micro-filterization. Genshu means it hasn’t been diluted with water which usually means that this sake has a higher alcohol content. The rice used is called Gouriki or in Japanese called 五拾(ごうりき)

What I like a lot about this sake is its full clean fruity textures and finish. I can taste hints of Muscat with deep undertones.

This afternoon, just before work, I ran over to Kimijimaya, my favorite sake shop, to pick out a good sake for this week. When I looked through the fridges I found one row of empty sake bottles, so I open the fridge door and poked my head in and located way in the back were two bottles left of the sake I am drinking now. I remember the week before a sake expert by the name of Daisuke told me about this sake and so I took his word for it and luckily for me there were two bottle left. I bought it and now I am drinking it as I type this post out to you.

There are just so many sake out there to choose from. It would probably take me and entire life time to try all of them.

From the Desk of "SoJ" November Edition: “Freedom”

2009-11-01T19:48:00.001-08:00

Greetings & Salutations,

I was confronted the other day by a student over the question of "Freedom." So, I had asked her to ask herself that same question instead of asking me. She told me that freedom, in the sense that Japanese understand the meaning means, to her, is when everybody gets along and when people can do whatever they want to do, whenever they want. She goes on to say that the free flow of ideas and peoples opinions are more outspoken in America than they are in Japan and that this is what constituted what freedom is as a whole. But I ask myself, couldn’t she do all of those things right here in Japan,too?

I have always questioned the notions of Japanese people about freedom in America, and I have yet to find someone with a rational and logical understanding of freedom. Personally, I think the term is vague. I think that freedom as a "principle" is a better way to understand what freedom is to millions of Americans rather than some premature notion of peace loving people who just love everybody regardless of race, religion, or creed.

I mean, let's face it, you cannot do whatever you want to do in America whenever you want to do it. I may have the constitutional right to bare arms and the right to use lethal force in order to protect myself and my property, as long as I am in/on my own property, that is. I may have the right to free speech and the right to appeal a court judgment and the right to legal representation in a court of law. I may also have the right to be treated fairly and equally. These are all basic and fundamental human rights that even the Japanese can enjoy right here at home under their own present day constitution, of which contains half of the U.S. Bill of Rights.

Freedoms and Rights in the broader sense are often times juxtaposed to mean the same thing, in other words you cannot have Rights without Freedoms and visa-verse. America is a society that was built off of the notion of equality, liberty, and justice for all. I have a right to be heard, which means I am free to express myself! I have a right to vote and to choose my own state and federal representatives, even the president, I’m free to stand in line and sign a ballot. Are these Rights and Freedoms not guaranteed under the present day constitution of Japan also? I believe they are.

What is freedom from the context of the American Constitution? According to FDR, there are Four Freedoms guaranteed by the American constitution:

1) Freedom of speech and expression

2) Freedom of religion

3) Freedom from want

4) Freedom from fear

Japan is the only country in the world where a male foreigner can wear a dress, if he so chooses to, and not be insulted, not even once by any Japanese person on any given day of the week. He may even become popular for being so different and unique in that regard. No Japanese will ever directly criticize a foreigner for being a misfit, a nerd or a geek. A foreigner can be fat and relatively unhealthy and never be bullied and laughed at; maybe teased a little, but never to the extent where teasing becomes harmful to ones mental state...i.e. nobody is going to throw rocks at you for being overweight. They probably would in America, though, or either that, they’d probably burn your house down.

Even the Japanese media glorifies Japanese and Western misfits, gays, and geeks whereas in America it is still too controversial to show scenes where two men are kissing each other, which reminds of a time when I was at an onsen, and these two grown Japanese men were openly tonguing each other and in the presence of children, too. It is this freedom to be and do what you want to “be” and “do” that’s the question. The Japanese have held too many misconception about America for far too long. Japan has always been the Sodom and Gomorrah of East, and in many ways has surpassed America in terms of carnality.

In many ways I feel freer in Japan than I did when I was living in America, simply because nobody gives a damn. Societies in America have unspoken rules and those rules must be obeyed, or , you’ll fall into a type of category where people will label you and treat you either like garbage, or someone deserving of respect. Here in Japan nobody really cares about who and what a foreigner is or was as long as he/she is kind to Japanese.

Here in Japan, one can choose his/her own religious affiliation freely and without public scorn. They can stand on a street corner and freely express themselves just like they do in America.

If I want to bathe naked in an onsen full of women I can do so freely and without public scorn or prohibition as long as there’s a sign that says mixed bathing.

In Japan, drunkards are not considered bums, just working class salary men on there way home from a night out on the town. In America, public drunkenness equals either a person being a bum or a homeless person according to our vernacular.

The Japanese should know better.

Yucho Brewery: Kazeno-Mori Junmai Shibori!

2009-10-28T10:37:00.001-07:00

Descartes once said that “I think, therefore I am!” And with that one phrase he became the father of modern philosophy. “I drink good sake, therefore I am” is what I say, and boy, did I choose a good one.

(This oil painting was rendered by one of my Jukujo moms….H.M.)

Another gem of a sake has been discovered once again, but this time from a prefecture in Japan called Nara which hardly ever gets any attention for its sake, but rather for its temples and shrines, most notably Todaiji, which is regarded as the largest wooden temple structure in world! Nara, the ancient capital, is also regarded as the Mecca of Japanese Buddhism, and the cradle of civilization for much of the country; the place where the samurai became civilized and enlightened, actually.

The sake once again is called Kazeno -Mori, a Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu Shibori. Muroka means it’s not charcoal filtered. What charcoal filtering does to sake is clean it up and make it look clearer. Some experts argue though that the sake looses some special quality about it if it’s filtered. I agree….

Nama means the sake is unpasteurized, but rather micro-filtered instead. Genshu means it’s undiluted. Most normal sake is diluted down in order to lower the alcohol content, this sake isn’t. Junmai means that this sake belongs to a premium class of sake where the rice is polished to about 70%. What this generally does to the flavor is give it a full fruity body, nice structure and a well roundedness. Shibori means squeezed or wringing.

Generally, premium grade sake uses either Yamada-nishiki or Go-hyaku-man-goku rice grains, this sake however, is using something called “Tsuyuba-kaze” a privately grown and cultivated brewers rice from Nara which is virtually unheard of in the sake world.

The nose on this sake was just wonderful. I must’ve sniffed it about three or four times before the first sip. The bouquet on this sake was so alluring with its hints of floral and pear that was so soothing to my senses. Goddddd….I’m still sniffing it.

The fruity flavors just fills the whole mouth up. The nihonshu-do or sake meter value is plus 2, making it fairly sweet, but pleasantly sweet and dainty, even. Oh, she’s beautiful. I’m talking to her right now. I’m looking at her through my Riedel Daiginjyo sake glass.

I am being assaulted by pears and flowers left and right. Beau Timkin where are you? You need to try this one! Man, I’m not saying this is the best sake, but it’s one that should be features on your site!

The tail finish is excellent leaving the mouth clean. No unnatural flavors. Even as I start to binge on this sake, there are no unnatural or unusual flavors. My tongue doesn’t start to loose the sensation of taste.

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2009-10-27T00:00:00-07:00

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Hulking Bovine Beauty

2009-10-26T20:57:00.001-07:00

Towering at 186cm/or 6’2, Erika Araki is one of my favorite volleyball players. She’s also a favorite type of mine.

Her dominance on the floor is only second to Oyama Kana’s, I think. Nevertheless, she has proven her worth as an excellent addition to Team Japan and a formidable spiker against her Western rivals.

I have always enjoyed watching the infusion of strength and beauty at work. Asian female athletes have always had this dynamic, I think, where they can play hard in one sport while maintaining a sense of natural feminine beauty off the court, as opposed to female Western athletes who tend to appear a bit… masculine on and off the court.

(“There are just some female athletes in the sporting world that even I would shy away from in a cage match….The Olgas and the Eva Brauns types….”)

This reminds me of the time when I was playing a one-on-one in Santa Monica with this spry young Japanese girl I had met at a language school in the area. I took her out to play basketball with me just before her class had started. She was very cute indeed and she had a gorgeous pair of well developed thighs. As I recall this story, it’s a miracle I am not cockeyed now because when I picked her up on that early Saturday morning she was wearing biker tights! I had to literally drive with my cocked left eye, while the right eye cocked and bobbling to the side looking down at those gorgeous hams. She made it to the park with me safely, don’t worry.

We played one-on-one three times and she beat me all three times! How much was I to bare this early in the morning? Getting bumped and grinded by hips, ass, and thighs, and then slapped in the face with that fine thick black mane as she dribble the ball into position moving into the key. I can still remember the smell of her shampoo. I can still remember the look of determination in her eyes, she was playing for keeps and bragging right that she was able to beat this POOR and distraught and confused American guy.

After that, there were chances to further explore her athleticism, but I didn’t seize the opportunity she had offer to me on several occasions.

The ideal of Japanese beauty is the infusion of strength, beauty, and determination. This is the hallmark of Asian beauty.

The Boss: Asia is only as strong as its weakest link

2009-10-26T16:44:00.001-07:00

With the departure of Taro Aso, the 59th Prime Minister of Japan, who had only proven to be just a "flash in the pan" and a major let down for many including his staunchest supporters, Yukio Hatoyama has now assumed the helm as The Boss.

Japan is now faced once again with the same bleak prospects of having to choose which resource laden country it wants to foster relations with, along with whatever concessions that comes along with those choices. Once again, Japan is placed in the international spot light of having to either play the traditional double hegemony role between America and America's foes in a bid to bolster its fledgling economy and its depleting natural reserves, or to seek a new direction, one that could possibly usher in a new era of prosperity for Asia through the possible emergence of a new and dynamic type of Asian co-prosperity sphere where America plays a supporting role rather than a leading one.

Never in all of modern history as Asia ever been poised to take front and center stage as the new “Rome of the East” and the leaders of the free world through its aggressive style of market economics. Japan has been the missing link, which has weakened the progress of this Asian economic unity. However, The Boss is looking to the East, and like the late Emperor Showa who once shared an affinity with the last Emperor of China, Puyi, is now embarking on reconciling those relations with the new leaders of China who too are eager to embrace Hatoyama’s Japan as the prodigal son and the missing economic link to all of Asia.

China, with its economic and military might, could be a formidable backer for Japan’s political interest in areas that it had traditionally depended heavily on the U.S. for, like its bid to secure a seat on the U.N. Security Council whereby China could reverse its previous decision to reject Japan’s bid, could now see Japan as a formidable Asian ally in an all “white” dominated security council. And quite possibly the interest of Asia can be front and center once again while restoring dignity to the world by lessening America’s power base.

It’s America that’s indebted to China, not the other way around. There are huge stakes in keeping America afloat, though, but this time with, and I’m sure the Europeans would also agree, a less powerful and less influential America is better for world peace.

(“ Striking while the iron is hot!”)

The question still remains, though. Is Japan ready to make its own foreign policy decisions for its own economic interest, even in the face of scrutiny, or will it once again bow down to the West...? Not under Yukio Hatoyama’s watch! but then again, that's what I said when Taro Aso took office and look at what became of him and his administration.

However, in recent years, Japan has been fine tuning its double hegemony practices by exploring oil interests in Libya, a country with 39 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, and a country once regarded as an enemy of the United States, a terror state. For the first time in history five Japanese oil firms were awarded contracts to drill for oil in Libya. Now, from an economic stand point this presents a long term benefit for the country. As to what impact these contracted oil fields will have is left up to speculation, though.

Now, back in 2004, there was another project to tap Iran's giant Azadegan oilfield, a deal that was worth 2 billion dollars. Japan came under strong condemnation by the U.S. for making back door deals with America's enemies. Thankfully Japan didn't back down under U.S. pressure over its own deals. Thank goodness Japan was able to show some balls on this one and to not allow itself to be intimidated and bullied by America’s interest.

The big question now that’s facing Yukio Hatoyama’s Japan is how far it is willing to develop its relations with China, a country which has had a long and thriving relationship with Iran, for centuries even. Iran aligns itself politically with the PRC and the PRC supports Iran’s interest in nuclear energy, which the U.S. claims is nothing but a cover up for Iran’s attempt at acquiring a nuclear weapon. China condemns this claims as a groundless accusation by the United States and its Allies, and has asked that such rhetoric be rejected from discourse on Iran. “Way to go,” I say. Noone ever questions America’s nuclear arsenal, America should follow suit and not question other nations.

It’s this rejection of the West that I am liking now. Asia is showing that it has teeth and that it can create and carry out its own initiatives. I think Mr. Yukio Hatoyama was right in choosing to deal first with his Asian neighbors, and by choosing to do this is showing that he is willing to break from tradition, which shows that he is a maverick in his own right.

I do believe that in the next six months some major policy shifts will begin to take form. With wars waging in Iraq and Afghanistan America has its hands tied in one of the biggest quagmires since the Vietnam War, even bigger perhaps. And while thousands of American soldiers who have all died spilling blood for oil in vain, with purple colored trigger fingers, Asia remains capable of solving it’s own issues, especially in regards to N. Korea, and some smaller Asian nations in the South-East. Asia has my VOTE of full confidence to be the next leaders of the world.

秋田酒こまち氷点囲純米吟醸:Akita Komachi Hyouten Junmai Ginjo

2009-10-25T12:43:00.001-07:00

On the way home the other day I stopped over at this neighborhood liquor store just to poke my head in the door to see what kind of stuff they had.

Within seconds I was greeted by throngs of old Japanese men who almost drug me into the store. Of course after I had said konnichiwa they swore up and down right then that I was fluent in Japanese! So rather than get barraged by countless questions I started talking about sake. Then they were really impressed. They treated me like I was the prodigal son who at long last returned home from living in the world.

(This is her robed)

The oldest of the five went for the fridge and snatched out about five different sake, most of which were from either Akita or Yamagata. Now, I love all of the sake that comes out of this region of Japan, but there were two that I had to get and the one I’m drinking now is my feature sake for today.

(unrobed)

First off, the sake brewery is called Tenju and it’s located near the beautiful Chokai Mountains in Akita prefecture, home of the Akita bijin ( fair skinned ladies written about in folklore in Akita). It’s a sixth generation sake brewery replete with all the history of old Japan. The brewery was established in 1874, which was also in the same year Japan’s first political party emerged called the Aikoku Koto (Public Party of Patriots). Sometimes it’s good to add an historical reference just to get an idea of the Times.

The Sei-Mai-booh-Ai (精米歩合) or the ratio of rice removed during the milling process is 50%. Standard table rice, the stuff you eat, is 10%. The actually rice used to brew the sake is called, which is very popular, Akita Komachi and is widely sold through-out Japan at very reasonable prices. The alc. content is at about 17.5%, which is something I really like because I hits you very gradually and then lets you down very sofly. The SMV or nihonshudou (sake meter value) is at plus 1.0, which is a measurement of the relative density of a sake. Simply put, normal sake at plus 2 is fairly sweet whereas plus 6 and up tend to be dry, of course this is not a RULE so to speak. There are sake out there with lower SMV and that are not dry.

(Ridel Daiginjyo Sake Glass Ware. Every sake geek should have one)

Another neat thing about this sake is that it was brewed in the most extreme cold temperatures, more than average actually, almost freezing temps.

Sake made from Tenju is excellent for having an elegant nose with full and well rounded tastes.

About the taste:

[What you are looking at is indeed an Akita Bijin, albiet, from a much older generation and without the make-up and without the costumes that are worn up there. Just simple, nice, and dignified!]

The nose is very elegant, almost like a fine white wine. The taste is complex, fruity, and dynamic. It fills the entire inside of the mouth up with flavors and aromas. I really enjoyed drinking this sake. The after-taste is clean and smooth.

On This Day in History: The Peoples Republic of China admitted to the United Nations, 1971

2009-10-25T06:29:00.001-07:00

A lot of things were happening all over the world in 1971. The President of the United States at that time was Richard Nixon, Republican, who was the first U.S. president in history to resign from office amid scandal. He was also the first U.S. president to not only visit China but the first president to ever normalize relations with that country which it had considered a foe for quite some time.

In 1971, war was also raging on in Vietnam as Asia was being swallowed up by the Communist and as a result China for years had branded Vietnam the "Cuba of the East" and had regarded its brand of Soviet style communism dangerous not only to China but to all of Asia. China eventually attacked along Vietnam's borders in an unsuccessful attempt to force the Vietnamese out of Cambodia. This action by the Chinese was an attempt to show the world that it wasn't just a paper tiger but a leader on an international level, and a country that could prove its might for the greater good of world peace in the Asian-Pacific region. The other reason worth mentioning is that China initiated this military action unilaterally without drawing support from the United States.

This was a unilateral act by Beijing to show its force against the Soviet threat of communism. And this is specifically why I believe is the real reason why Japan, even though a member of the United Nations, has never been able to garner enough votes to secure a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

Under Kofi Annaan's general assembly, Japan wasn't able to act in its own interest on a military level during and after the Cold War, and that this was a deciding factor in its rejection on the Security Council, despite Japans generosity to the U.N. I do believe that China has shown some initiative in being an international presence, but I do not think that that warrants them the right to a seat on the council, let alone as a member of the U.N., especially with its human rights abuses.

I do believe, however, that the Japanese deserve a seat just for having the willingness to assist the international body in international affairs. There's plenty of reason why it could be argued that the Japanese are not ready; their present day constitution which contains over 50 entries from the American Bill of Rights, which also prevents them from having the collective ability to wage war in the interest of peace.

China never had to make any compromises in order to be inducted into the Security Council nor the U.N. Even with its Maoist style of Communism, which is just a euphemism for the PRC or nationalist, and its quasi-free market economy, China is still very much so a communist regime in the broader sense. In the case of Japan, a country with the second largest trade surplus in the world, which also has a vibrant economy and a workable Democracy is very much, in my opinion, deserving of its own seat on the council, not just a membership in the U.N.

Having assisted the United States in the war against terror and its refusal to acquire nuclear weapons, along with its initiatives on the environment, Japan has certainly earned its right to be considered a member of the international community with full entitlements and benefits. The problem is is that Japan hasn't proven that it can wave a gun in somebody's face yet, and that it can do so without the approval of their "big brother" the U.S.A.

(" Wave a gun and get respected...mabye? Until then your membership in the United Nations is limited to fake smiles and cold fish handshakes. Thanks for being the largest donor to this organization.")

Basically, the general assembly said "HELL NO" to the only country in the world with a war renouncing constitution that prevents it from acting in its own interest. A country, Japan, which has sworn to never wage war again is not worthy of a seat on the security council because it cannot prove to be an effective member of a group of nations that wage wars in their own interest. Which leads me to question the merits of the Security Council....and its legitimacy in the world as a peace maker or a peace breaker...., but that's another argument.

In closing, I do believe that Japan, having been a member of the United Nations governing body for over fifty years, has most certainly earned it the right to be a member of the security council, too. In the case of China, having been one of the original members of the U.N., and then acquiring security council membership in 1971, has not done much to further peace at home and in the world. So where is the merit in being a member of the security council, or the U.N. for that matter? How has being a member of either of these organizations furthered world peace and stability…? Where was the U.N. and the security council during the mass genocides in Darfur and Sudan, after 70,000 people were butchered to death?

I often times wonder what kind of country Japan would’ve been like had it gotten a seat on the security council thirty years ago!? I wonder what the general “psyche” of the nation would've been like had the country played a more active role militarily in world affairs instead of being a lapdog for the U.S.….?

Porn: Non Pro Obasan Club!

2009-10-23T07:05:00.001-07:00

Shinjuku is literally flooded with porn shops that sell and rent porn flicks 24 hours a day. I remember stopping by one particular shop that was selling Jukujo DVDs for 1000 円, the guy behind the counter sold a few of his favorites to me, and this cover is from one of them. The lady in the read coat was the very first time I had ever seen a “Jukujo” on video, and I think that was back in 1998…..

Her name is Hirata Ritsuko; age 46; 3 kids. She has absolutely no talent when it comes to acting in my opinion. In fact, It’s her lack of acting ability that makes her so appealing to me. She can’t act! And this is another reason why I chose this DVD, no acting is required, hence the name ‘non pro obasan club’. I’m not much for story lines either and I absolutely can’t stand when music is played in a porn flick. Just the natural sounds of two people making it out is best.

Porn is no stranger to Japan. I mean you can watch any kind of smut flick out here, anything! In America, it’s the same, but here in Japan, well, the Japanese take things to a whole new extreme. A whole new dimension of sickness exists out here in terms of the porn industry. Porn has been around in Japan for quite a very long time, actually, so, it could be said that there is some cultural relevance there.

I’m not sure I want to delve into some of the different types of porn, actually. Perhaps the rarest DVD I have seen has something to do with a nose fetish where some Japanese guy gets off by torturing women’s noses by attaching hooks to their nostrils then pulling until the actresses faces are distorted. I have no idea how anybody can get off on that….

There’s a favorite porn shop I frequent around my area, and it’s the only one since it has an entire section devoted just to ‘Jukujo' and at fairly reasonable prices. In addition to that they also sell the Japanese version of ‘easy glide’ at 100 yen a bottle, pocket sized, since you’ll never know when you’ll be in a tight situation.

Just up the street and around the corner there is an adult movie theater which features mostly Jukujo and Gay porn. I haven’t mustered up enough courage to go there, yet. I will, though, as soon as I can get a free day. You see, they operate on banking hours! That’s right, 9 to 5. Not like in America where most adult movie theaters stay open all day and all night long. That’s probably has something to do with where I live, but then again the night life where I live is vibrant every night.

About two weeks ago, this student/customer of mine handed me three DVDs; one bootleg movie called Grand Tourino which he had copied and the other a porn flick that had way too much mosaic. After about three minutes I stopped watching it and threw it away. Some skinny anorexic was on it and you know I am not into the anorexic types who squeal like little babies at the mere sight of a penis.

At any rate, for my own personal record I had to document my first Jukujo! She is still number one for me.

The Law of Contradiction

2009-10-22T16:56:00.001-07:00

The U.S. of A. It's difficult to understand America.

The law of contradiction is what governs America. It was the slave owners who declared " We hold these truths self evident that all men are created equal."

I mean, we are the most godless and the most religious; the most puritan and the most lascivious; the most charitable and the most heartless of societies; we are interventionists to the degree that we are isolationists; we espouse Thoreoux's Maxim that government governs best which governs least, yet we look to Washington to address our every problem.

Our environmental conscientiousness is out matched by our environmental recklessness; we are outlaws obsessed by the rule of law; we are individualist who speak of family values; we are a nation of fat people with anorexic standards of health and beauty; the only things we love more than nature's wilderness are malls and hyper-technology.

Twisted Fujiさん

2009-10-22T08:31:00.001-07:00

This is a picture of Mount Fujii from start to twist. I think it’s lovely, don’t you?. I think so much of the human body goes under-appreciated. Smooth tofu complexioned skin, a full head of thick black hair, well developed and well toned hamstrings are just examples of really nice things one can appreciate here in Japan.

In most of my entire corpus I have always written about this affinity towards a kind of natural order and balance in day-to-day living. I liken things like sake and food to the female body in many ways. I think what’s best enjoyed is when one can experience the taste of good sake, delicious food,good sleep, and Jukujo, and of course onsen all together.

There is just something about Jukujo who love sake. I mean they just liven up and release themselves and allow fate to carry them into a natural direction. My direction. The last sake event I had attended did just that.

Have human beings forgotten about the order of being natural to the point where material things replace the nascency of human evolution and the development of our conscious awareness of human sexuality and sensuality? You humans all still have a very long way to go. I mean, something as pure and as simple as breathing and sweating….Are these things not beautiful? I do believe that the greatest evolutionary challenges facing mankind is his/her own mind.

Let me tell you, the day humans become so prudish that they no longer love their own bodies, and the sensual pleasures that come along with it, because of some quirkish morality switch in their minds that tells them to shun such natural things, will be the undoing of everything that’s natural, pure and beautiful. We were fearfully and wonderfully made, almost with god-like qualities.

The greatest challenge of evolution is if humans can live up to those qualities. Being godly is sexual.

Junmai Ginjyo Breakfast: “Daijirou!”

2009-10-21T20:57:00.001-07:00

Back in the day when I was traveling all over Japan, I remember seeing old Japanese men drinking either beer or nihonshu for breakfast. In fact I recall a time when I was staying at an onsen ryoukan overnight once, a very old rustic onsen actually, where the only people who frequent such places are old people, I could see these old people ordering up sake with their breakfast—imagine that. Eggs, fish and sake.

For me, there is nothing like waking up on a dazzlingly beautiful Sunday morning, tucked away in an old rustic onsen hotel in a deep valley somewhere with nothing to do and with no care in the world, no schedules, no appointments—just free. The morning sun is so radiant and so powerful this time of day, but even the radiance of the sun is calmed by the deep blue hues of the clear cloudless morning sky. I exhale.

The best smells in all of life for me are Japanese womb, nihonshu, hot rice, onsen, coffee, smegma, biore shampoo, lion heart cologne, brown tea, green tea, broiled fish, chicken karaage, and tatami, sometimes even tabacco.

I can also recall the aroma of onsen from a mineral rich natural hot spring permeating from my bath towel from last nights dip.

Today, now that I am officially living in my new mansion, alone, thanks to my connections I am inaugurating this day with a nihonshu breakfast of champions; sashimi, sake, and homemade miso soup!

The sake in the picture is called “Daijirou” and its from Shiga prefecture, home of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. The sake itself came highly recommended from the store clerk yesterday when I was browsing around for a seasonal sake for breakfast. The guy mentioned that this is not only good, but organic.

The sake is a Jyunmai Ginjyo, Nama Genshu, and it is brewed by Hata Shuzo in Shiga prefecture. The rice used is organic Yamadanishiki. I can even taste faint hints of pine and hinoki in the after-taste. Just lovely.

Alc: 17.5

Nihonshudo: plus 3

Acid 1.8

The flavor profiles were excellent and quite typical of a sake of this class; Fruity, complex, well balanced, clean finish. One of the best sake I have had since the Shimane tasting event. Actually, this is the best sake I have had all year. It’s almost 11am and I’ve already drunk half of the bottle down.

What better way to spend a weekday morning than in a clean new mansion, fresh sashimi, pipe and hot miso soup, and very cold sake!? There’s even a clear blue sky out today.

Links for 2009-10-16 [del.icio.us]

2009-10-17T00:00:00-07:00

The Soul of Japan: 1,000ml Special “Doburoku” Sake from Miyazaki Prefecture!

1,000ml Special “Doburoku” Sake from Miyazaki Prefecture!

2009-10-16T00:21:00.001-07:00

This is exactly how it came in the mail this morning, in bubble wrap.

1000ml of a rare “doburoku” type sake from Miyazaki prefecture. As you can see it looks half full, which is by design, not a mistake. A standard bottle this size is usually 1800ml or 1.8L(isshoubin) in size and is about 90% full of sake.

This sake is called "Chiyo-no-Kame Moonshine Doburoku - Oyaji's Moonshine! Or, homebrew type sake.

Sent to me chilled. It is an active Junmai Daiginjo cloudy pure Sake where natural yeast from Shiiba Village of Miyazaki Prefecture has been carefully fermented at low temperatures. Right in the middle of the brewing process.

A pure sake where the Sake mash that is fermenting has been scooped with a ladle. It makes you feel that you are truly drinking “Doburoku".”

The lively acidic flavor from the fermentation really compliments its creamy
sweetness.

Recommended for ladies.

1 liter has been poured in a 1.8-liter bottle so the yeast does not make it overfill, and Sugi leaves are used as the cork for degassing.

It can also be enjoyed frozen.
Do not topple over: KEEP REFRIGERATED
Best drunk at: 0 to 10 degrees
◎The cork has a hole in it because there is no worry about spilling with
Sugi leaves.

【Quality Level】Junmai Daiginjo Pure Sake
【Quantity】1000ML
【Raw Materials】Rice / malted rice
【Percentage of Polished Rice】50%
【Sake Meter Value】-20
【Alcohol Content】 14.0 to 14.9%
【Brewer】KAMEOKA Sake Brewery
【Address】Ehime-ken, Kiga-gun, Ikazaki-cho

純米大吟醸生酒1000ＭＬ「千代の亀密造酒どぶろくおやじの密造酒」名称募集という名前のお酒です
発送はクール便を使います。
宮崎県の椎葉村の天然酵母仕込み、丁寧に時間をかけて低温発酵させた純米大吟醸活性生酒のにごり酒です。
仕込みの真っ只中。発酵している醪をひしゃくですくった生酒です。「どぶろく」て感じです。
クリーミィな甘さのなかに発酵している活き活きとした酸味が全体をひきしめます。女性の方におすすめです。
●酵母が活発に活動してもふきこぼれないよう、1.8Ｌ瓶に1Ｌを詰め、ガス抜きのため杉の葉の栓をしています。
また、凍らせても美味しくいただけます。
横倒厳禁：要冷蔵品【酒質内容】純米大吟醸生酒
【容量】 1000ML
【原材料】米/米麹
【精米歩合】 50％
【日本酒度】-20
【アルコール分】 14.0～14.9％
【醸造元】亀岡酒造（株）
【住所】愛媛県喜多郡五十崎町
飲用温度：0～10度

The first video showcases the bottle and the second pictures showcases the glass I use.

In the end, this is a delightfully delicious “doburoku” sake, which in actuality comes from Ehime prefecture. Only the yeast is from Miyazaki prefecture.

There is also a pink version of the same sake.

Links for 2009-10-14 [del.icio.us]

2009-10-15T00:00:00-07:00

Travel Adventures: Carnival for Travel Writers

Shimane Sake Tasting Event Oct, 09’

2009-10-13T06:00:00.001-07:00

Just around these giant sake containers I entered into another of Japan’s prefectures. Shimane prefecture to be exact, a place with a long history of culture, great sake, and home of the portentous looking Japanese Black Pine and the Whooper Swan.

Here, there were over 17 breweries exhibiting a variety of different sake, each with its own unique flavor characteristics. I was not disappointed at all over any of the choices that were offered.

This event, which was organized by Etchan, of TokyoFoodcast who did an excellent job of explaining about the event and the sake, was glowing with joy over the anticipation of this sake event. Thank you for spreading the joy around.

Of the 17 different breweries present, there were a few that really impressed me, actually all of the sake was good, but namely was Izumofuji. Their junmai ginjo received full marks by me and a few others too.

Izumo is located in 出雲市今市町（Izumo City, Ima Ichichyou Town),

Special Note For Japanese Readers

[ 出雲富士純米

山田錦

お待たせしました！出雲富士の純米酒の入荷です。
中身もラベルもリニューアル！島根県産山田錦（70）、純粋な熊本９号酵母を使用し、米の旨味をどこまで上手に引き出せるかをとことん追求した１本！味わい深く、心地よい酸味が特徴。
飲み続けたくなる酒です。
原料米：島根県産山田錦(70)]

My other favorite, and one which I fell in love with because of its bamboo taste and texture was called Nitamai Daiginjyo or 仁多米大吟醸 by Okuizumosyuzou. The last time I had a sake like this was about four years ago from a buddy of mine. In fact, he had hand-crafted a sake tokkuri and masu from a bamboo tree in his yard. The next day he gave it to me along with a sake from Gifu and asked me to drink sake from it straight away. I did and was immediately impressed with the aroma of freshly cut bamboo and sake. It was a perfect combination I thought to myself. The perfect marriage between nature, sake, and friends.

To order it just go here

As the evening wore on, the sake started to take effect, I noticed people smiling more and coming alive.

I had to assume that there were either a few people driving their own cars, or they had a very low tolerance for alcohol. These things you see are used for spitting.

All of the sake representatives were so warm, friendly and generous. They were all eager to explain their products.

Other excellent sake were Gassan. The Kobetsu was a real hit with me and it’s also quite expensive. It’s here. In fact, I do plan to order this bottle very soon.

Every good sake tasting event offers atsukan 熱燗, or warm sake

An then a little more traditional way of warming sake

What an excellent evening people were having

Blue collar and white collar workers were all present.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a final note, I look forward to attending more of these in the future. I have a new found respect for Shimane sake. Oh, let me not forget Toyo No Aki Tobinogori awesome hiyaoroshi seasonal sake for autumn!

All of the sake were great. I know I left out some really big names, sorry about that.

故郷　(唱歌)

2009-10-11T20:29:00.001-07:00

Today's Song

Furusato

1. 兎（うさぎ）追いし　かの山
I hunted rabbits on that mountain.
小鮒（こぶな）釣りし　かの川
I fished for minnows in that stream.
夢はいまも　めぐりて
I still dream about those days I spent when a child.
忘れがたき　ふるさと
How I miss and long for my old country home.

2.　いかにいます　父　母
Mother and father　―　are they doing well?
つつがなしや　友がき
Is everything all right with my old friends?
雨に風に　つけても
When the rain falls, when the wind blows, I recall
思いいずる　ふるさと
My happy childhood and my old country home.

3. こころざしを　はたして
Some day when I have done what I set out to do,
いつの日にか　帰らん
I will return to where I used to have my home.
山はあおき　ふるさと
Lush and green are the mountains of my homeland.
水は清き　ふるさと
Pure and clear is the water of my old country home.

Anyway, I really love this song. Even when I was traveling around Japan for so many years, this song was always perfect for those journeys.

Kochutenchi こちゅうてんち

2009-10-10T01:51:00.001-07:00

高橋酒造長岡市

大吟醸（酒米：山田錦）精米40％

２００９年春は、残念ながら入賞するも、金賞を逃しました。

そのお酒を無ろ過で６０本だけ、瓶詰めしていただきました。

無ろ過のためオリが少しありますが、オリジナルなおいしさをお楽しみください。

ラベルは入賞酒になっています。画像は昨年の金賞受賞のものです。

２００８年春、全国新酒鑑評会金賞

２００８年秋、関東甲信越清酒品評会金賞

ダブル受賞の酒です。

Roku No Esshu

2009-10-10T01:41:00.001-07:00

Junmai Daiginjo:
Green apple; rice; Senshuraku rice; complex taste;
使用米：千秋楽４０％精米
使用酵母：協会１４号酵母
日本酒度：＋２
酸度：１．１
アルコール度：１４．０～１４．９
仕込み水：宝水（軟水）
杜氏：木曽健太郎郷正博

I enjoyed drinking this sake a lot. I enjoyed the full range of complexity in every sip. The after-taste was interesting, though. I picked up on hints of rice….

The Letourneau Effect

2009-10-07T14:23:00.001-07:00

Ok, so maybe that's a bit of a stretch since I'm not young anymore, at least not young enough to be victimized by a female teacher. I mean, I was always a ' teacher's pet' all through out my primary school days, but in my thirities...? Is there even such a term called The Letourneau Effect?

In 1997, Mary K. Letourneau was arrested on charges of statutory rape of a 13 year old boy(student) whom she was impregnated by. The boy was 13 at the time. Mrs. Letourneau, because she had been married to her first husband Steve Letourneau at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 89 months in prison, but her sentenced was eventually reduced down to 6 months and then reimposed after she had violated her terms of parole.

Since the Letourneau affair there have been many such similar incidences of ' teacher student' relationships. In fact, the courts have become more lenient in how they sentence teachers who are involved in physical relationships with their students. Of course, female teacher and male student only...

( It's never acceptable for a male teacher to prey on a female student in any court).

Teacher student relationships have always been taboo in America. However, Just about every student has fantasized about being with their teacher in an intimate way, in one way or another. Since as early as elementary school I have always had such fantasies, but have never lived them out until I came to Japan.

My first Letourneau experience happened here in Japan back in early 2000, even though I wasn’t in grade school. I was always a really good student, nevertheless, and was never late for my lessons and, always did my homework. I loved my teacher not only because she was a ' Jukujo class ' but because she was good at teaching. Occasionally I would bring her some sweets or add some extra money to her hourly rate. I enjoyed our lessons and everything was professional until she allowed her personal life to get in the way of her teaching.

I was having dinner with one of my girlfriends at the local yakiniku when I suddenly receive an email. "Who could this be?", I said to myself. At dinner I never check my e-mails or accept phone calls, but something felt different about this e-mail because I received it at around midnight, and I don't know anybody who would e-mail me at around this time, either. So, I excused myself and went to the restroom. Flipping my cellphone open I discovered it was her! My teacher....at around midnight? The e-mail read, "I feel so sad." All kinds of thoughts were going through my head. At first I thought it was such a cruel joke being played on me.

I called her up immediately and she was sobbing. She had told me that she needed to see me first thing tomorrow afternoon and that her future was uncertain. So, I went to Tokyo where we met at a coffee shop. She explained to me that she needed someone to talk to, and that her life as a single 46 year old Japanese woman with two kids can sometimes be unforgiving. I was not sure why all of a sudden she was telling me this.... It sounded like some drama was being played out, or rehearsed. This couldn't be real.

Of course I put everything through a litmus test, especially here in Japan where a smile and flowery words can mean absolutely nothing at all. Often times in order to test things out I may ask a woman to do certain things in order to prove that she is not lying to me. I would either ask her to buy something very expensive for me, or head straight for the love hotel. In this case, I had asked her to walk with me towards the love hotel. Every Westerner who is familiar with Shibuya knows the route. They know where to walk the ladies. They know where to go, believe me.

Once I got within 1 second of the nearest love hotel I pointed in its direction. She looked, then looked at me and understood. When we entered the lobby there was a man who had appeared to be in his 70s. He was walking with a cane and the lady who was paying for the room was no more than 20 or 21...I think. A burst of laughter came from my teacher. I was like, why are you laughing? Didn't she realize that we were about to engage in such intimate activities, and that it's shameful for the both of us to be in this hotel lobby? The money I just paid you an hour ago for that lesson is being used to pay for this room....We really shouldn't be laughing.

The three great features I liked about her was her very large breast, her hair, and skin. Another nice thing about her was that she allowed me to do 中出し。。。 which is rare. I never do that, but not only did she encourage me to do it, she begged me and would say things like " good boy!" afterwards, or something along those lines. I didn't exactly pick up on what she was saying to me until the second and third time.

We continued these wonderful meetings for four months. I always thought it was strange though. I mean, every time I had paid her for the Japanese lesson, she’d use it to pay for the room; she’d open the same envelope with the money I had given her to pay for the room. I was standing there looking at the front desk lady knowing that she knew what the hell was going on.

The one thing I just can’t get out of my head though were the breast. They were so huge and natural.

Autumn Poetry by Georg Trakl

2009-09-30T20:55:00.001-07:00

Whispered Into Afternoon

Sun of autumn, thin and shy
And fruit drops off the trees,
Blue silence fills the peace
Of a tardy afternoon's sky.
Death knells forged of metal,
And a white beast hits the mire.
Brown lasses uncouth choir
Dies in leaves' drifting prattle.
Brow of God dreams of hues,
Senses madness' gentle wings.
Round the hill wield in rings
Black decay and shaded views.
Rest and wine in sunset's gleam,
Sad guitars drizzle into night,
And to the mellow lamp inside
You turn in as in a dream.

Choushi Fisheries and Auction!

2009-09-29T20:25:00.001-07:00

When Japanese think of the big names in fishery products they think of places like Tsukijii, Kushiro, and Hachinohe. Very little, however, is ever mentioned about Choushi fisheries, which is located at the northern tip of Chiba, on the Pacific Ocean side.

The day I decided to go there it was on a comfortable Monday morning at 9a.m. This time I didn’t have to worry about waking up at the crack of down, like when I went to Tsukijii back in Tokyo. I took my time after checking-out of the hotel and headed down to watch these sage fishermen auction off their fresh morning catches.

These are tuna and the white labels are the identification markers.

Fish inspectors

They cut the tails in order to measure the meat and fat content.

These three fish are called Bonito or Katsuo.

Here’s a look at the lineup for the auction

There is just nothing like standing in a fish market like this where literally hundreds of thousands of pounds of fish lay on wet pavement. Even now I am craving more sashimi. The taste of freshly sliced bonito and tuna that’s no more than a few hours old is the best.

As a general rule of thumb, I like to order an ice cold beer first in order to clear the throat hole. Then I back that up by ordering some good quality nihonshu, if possible a junmai ginjo.

The auction is usually open Mon. thru Fri. from 6am to 9am. Getting here on foot will take about 25 minutes – the walk is good exercise. There are also plenty of buses that head to the general vicinity of the fishing ports.

Having access to great fish markets, great sake and fantastic onsen along with delicious Jukujo is heaven for me, and yes, I even included a temple on this trip.

Inubosaki Keisei Hotel

2009-09-29T20:05:00.001-07:00

Entrance

Rear

After that extravagant lunch at Akemi's restaurant I headed back to Choushi Station to catch the Dentetsu, a small one car local private train, which has been popularized in various travel magazines with its beautiful decor and old country feel. It was a lovely experience riding on a train this small and being able to enjoy a full 360 degree view from all the windows of beautiful country fields as the train snaked around rails covered in flowers and mangled brier patches.

This commute was very different from the sweaty heat boxes like on the Keihin Tohoku line during rush hour. Riding the Dentetsu is based on an honor system which means you don't have to actually purchase a ticket, as most stations along its line have neither a ticket wicket nor a machine to purchase it from. You simply head for the platform, board and tell the conductor where you want to go and pay him directly. ( if you don’t say anything he won’t ask)

I got off at Inubo Station - nice name and catchy, too. I was immediately greeted by throngs of lovely country Jukujo who were fawning all over me. There were three by the door who greeted me without hesitation and welcomed me with bright eyes and full smiles. They were beautiful, all of them, with heads full of thick, smooth, black and shiny hair - full bounce. They had flawless make-up and sturdy bodies just the way I like them- hulking bovine beauties. For a moment there I thought I had stepped into another world, or transcended another realm of sorts, don't know....But, for sure, I was in heaven that day.

Inubo Station

During the whole trip I wore seta( zori ) sandals, or flip flops. ( geta are hard sandals and seta are soft) It felt good not wearing any socks this whole trip, just walking in these seta's made my feet feel so wonderful and cool. I had to walk about 1km to the Keisei Hotel which is famous for having an excellent seaside view from the bath, plus it was available for day-use .

At about this time I had wondered whether or not they would have any accommodation left from a possible cancellation, since my original intent was only to bathe there, not stay, and then head back to the not so popular hotel in Choushi which sadly had no real onsen at all.

Before leaving Yokohama I always book a hotel in advance just in case the unexpected happens. Since I had originally booked the not so popular hotel around Choushi Station, I had made up my mind to stay with them for the night, but because of the bad reviews I kept hearing from the locals in the area I had to at least try and see if the Keisei Hotel had any availability for the night - Sunday Night! Same day booking for rooms is rare, especially on weekends.

From the front entrance the hotel was nice. The lobby was impeccable and clean and the staff was welcoming. As I approached the front desk the female front desk staff was ushered into the back office by another gentleman, and then shortly after ,a sixty year old Japanese man emerged from the back office to help me. Sixty year old Japanese men never smile, they just grin and nod their heads. At any rate, he greets me. I return the greet and ask if I could use the day-use onsen. No problem, he said. I handed him the coupon that Akemi gave me which was 20% off the regular day-use rate. As soon as he accepted this coupon I asked if there were any rooms available, and that if so, I would like to know how much (this whole conversation was in Japanese). He said yes and that he could offer me a room with two meals for 13000 yen( I was traveling alone which is extremely rare even for Japanese, unless of course they are on business. Most hotels do not offer accommodations to single travelers, and the ones that do charge almost double the price even for single occupancy).

Since I had arrived at noon he couldn't check me in until 3pm, so he gave me a voucher to take down to the bath to give to the attendant who in return gave me a hand and face towel. I was to bathe hear and relax until check-in time - who was I to complain, this was just a fantastic experience. The onsen was so hot and good I could've died right there in the water - perfect temperature and since it was by the beach the salt and calcium content in the water was high, plus it was 100% onsen with no chlorine or chemicals added. Sitting there in the onsen, overlooking the huge expanse of sea and tide, I had to deal with the guilt of canceling on the other hotel in Choushi.

It's very rude to cancel on the same day, and it's even ruder to not call to inform the hotel of your cancellation either. I had to seriously consider these feelings while relaxing in this onsen, but after checking into my room and downing a few more beers I quickly forgot the name of the hotel in Choushi.

I finished up at around a quarter til and went out and sat in the lobby waiting to see if they could check me in early. They did and they escorted me to my room, and all the while I was wondering what kind of room they were going to stick me in; a closet maybe? Or some run down room?

( shaky video)

When we reached the room the door flung open and angels began singing " Haaaallelujah, Hallelujah, hallelujah, HHhaaaallujah!" I was captivated by this huge room with a full view of the ocean. Flat screen T.V., fully stocked fridge, two beds with remote operated inclines. I could elevate my head or body, even my legs. I elevated my my upper body so that it would be easier for me to drink nihonshu. I also elevated my legs in ordered to keep the sake centralized in middle part of my body.

The room was fantastic and far better than what I could have ever expected with no previous booking. Even the yukata fit perfectly. I jumped into the bed to test out the reclining mechanism, flicked on the T.V. via the remote, then dozed off for a few hours, woke up and then it was dinner time. When I got down to the dining hall there was a nice little table by the window for me overlooking the waterfront against a dimly sunlit evening sky, and boy, what a spread they had for me, too. Bonito cocktail salad marinated in ponzu, baked Foie gras over broiled salmon, a clam and vegetable soup, one tokkuri of sake, and the menu went on and on. That was a miraculous dinner! Just the meal alone could've easily cost 13000 yen by itself.

Sashimi plate

clam soup covered in seasonal vegetables

Salmon and foie gras

seasonal vegetable soup( very good)

Baked chicken in miso paste with chestnuts

I honestly forgot the name of this dessert.

The meal was very satisfying and very good.

After finishing up there I headed back to my room and cracked open a bottle of local jizake from the mini- fridge. Sat back and enjoyed the rest of the sunset then crashed again, woke up and headed down to the bath for another hour, went back to the room drank down another bottle of sake, checked-some email, walked around the hotel, crashed again, got up and did another onsen round, crashed again, got up one last time at 2a.m. did an onsen photo shoot, bathed and reflected on the whole trip, returned to my room and crashed. Woke up at 7a.m. had a fantastic power breakfast and then checked-out at around 9a.m., and the reason being is because I had to head over to the fish auction down in Choushi! By the way, the onsen was open 24hrs!

Night Shot!

And I can’t forget breakfast

Links for 2009-09-28 [del.icio.us]

2009-09-29T00:00:00-07:00

The Soul of Japan: Chiba Prefecture: Choushi 銚子

How to Properly Enjoy Seafood in Chiba!

2009-09-28T20:16:00.001-07:00

Before saying goodbye to Mr. Hidenori, he introduced me to his favorite restaurant called "Hitachi," which is ran by a lovely jukujo ' momma class' woman who was born and homegrown right in Chiba. She's married and a mother of one fully grown son, and together all three of them run the restaurant.

One of the great charms upon being greeted by her was her lovely smile and tender eyes. Her lips were full and covered in expensive deep red lipstick; you know, the kind that doesn't come off easily when kissing and eating. She's also semi-fluent in English, which was great because she was able to explain everything she served to me in English. I was treated like royalty, literally! I haven't felt this kind of hospitality since my Hanamaki days up in Tohoku.

The restaurant itself was old and traditional looking. Everything inside was clean and the whole atmosphere was homely and warm, and most of all, I didn't feel like I was out of place as a lone traveling foreigner at all. Of course coming here, it's a good idea to brush up on your kanji since the menu is full of old and difficult to understand characters. I knew exactly what I wanted though, so I had no problem ordering things. The first thing I ordered was the Bonito sashimi ( かつお）, since this is the season when they are the fattest and tastiest.

The second thing was the pacific saury sashimi (sanma), which is also in season this time of year, too. And then, how could I forget. I ordered sake. The sake of choice is called Choushi-no- Homare, a locally brewed sake that almost nobody has ever heard of. It tasted very local to me, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. When I mean ‘local taste’ I mean there was no noticeable flavor characteristics, just light rice flavored sake brew. It was the sashimi that was awesome, and this is what made up for the sake. Chiba prefecture is also known for having its own soy sauce brands: Yamasa on the left and Kikkomon on the right.

Pacific Saury

A good thing to pay attention to when visiting these old restaurants is that food is made and prepared to order; in other words, there is no ready made food served unless it's pickled vegetables. In the Western world we would call this method slow food, which literally means that the restaurant grows and harvests its own food products then cooks them when ordered. For example, when I ordered the pacific saury, they run to the back and snatch a live one from the tank and cut it open while it's still a live, that way when they bring it to the table it's still moving on the plate. That's slow food at it's finest. Of course this notion of ‘slow food’ has been around in Asia for centuries, long before the Italians first pioneered the term itself.

In the Western world, there are certain taboos against this kind of killing and eating straight away. There are places in Australia, for example, that have ordinances that make it illegal to kill and eat fish the Japanese way. Often times the chef's have to allow fresh catches to completely die first before cutting them open. Another thing, when eating sashimi in Japan the fish is at almost room temperature whereas in , say, places like Los Angeles they tend to over chill the sashimi which can make it dry and in turn make it difficult to enjoy the protein flavor that you get when eating something freshly cut open, and this is especially true in tuna also.

In these small rural mom & pop restaurants one can get a since of how sashimi is supposed to taste, along with the convivial atmosphere that comes along with it. They really made me feel like I was at home and welcome, which is something I rarely pay attention to. I ate and ate to my hearts content. I ordered another tokuri( carafe ) of sake and my final bill came out to 2800 yen!($30).

I remember during the course of the meal Akemiさん would bring a free dish or two to my table. Unfortunately, she brought me two of my least favorite dishes, squid guts or innards called (shiokara) in Japanese. One was salted and fermented, and the other was marinated in shoyu( soy sauce), they are repulsive. As a courtesy I did try one small tiny little innard then quickly washed it down with some nihonshu.

As I was packing up my stuff and getting ready to leave the restaurant Akemi asked me where I was going? I said Inubo! Her face lit up and she ran back behind the counter and brought me back a coupon for a day use onsen at a very nice hotel in Inubo of which I will post about next.

Chiba Prefecture: Choushi 銚子

2009-09-28T01:24:00.001-07:00

Most junior high school students in Japan, who actually pay attention in class, can recognize names of places around their own homeland; places like the name's of major fishing ports, temples and shrines, and so on. Some Japanese may even recognize what's called the Big Three fishing ports: Tsukijii, Kushiro, and Choushi! Of course there are many more amazing fishing ports, but the three I just mentioned are major hubs that not only haul in some of the largest catches in Japan, but are also internationally recognized distributors of just about every kind of fish you can imagine.

When I got off the train at Choushi Station, the first order of business was food – as usual. The plan ran like clockwork: get off the train, collect some tourist information before leaving the station , and then footing it all the way to the fishing port. About five minutes into my walk a portly gentleman approached me unexpectedly from my right. He introduced himself as Hidenori Kakuta, a wholesaler and imports & exports dealer in this city. Normally, I try to avoid talking to strangers, but since I was in high spirits that day, and one beer down, I decided be to a little warm, so I indulged him and allowed him to use me for English, and in return he became my guide for the afternoon.

As we were walking, he gave me a brief run down of the city and its happenings. He's a drinker who loves sushi, but often times he's bored out of his mind in Choushi because there's absolutely nothing to do, but drink and gamble. He also mentioned that there was a lot of labor from China who work the docks and that on any given day you can even run into someone from Maui, or even South America. He and I got a nice chuckle from that because we both understand the growing trend, especially in rural areas where young people want to escape the mundane life of farm work and slow life in small fishing port towns like Choushi. At least he chose to remain.

As we continued walking towards the fishing port the weather began to warm up a bit. First signs of perspiration start to appear on my face; good thing I bring a towel with me everywhere I go. Finally arriving at the port I was greeted with that familiar smell of fish early in the morning. Kind of welcoming actually because I love fish. Since it was Sunday the auction house was closed and there were only a few mom & pop shops open. He lectured me on fish and the two most popular fish from this region, one being "Kinmedai" splendid alfonsino, which is noted for having golden eyes, and the other red sea bream, which is associated with sumo ceremony. There are other delicious types of fish also.

As it’s autumn we were able to see and sample some Pacific Saury (sanma) and Katsuo ( Bonito ). September through October is the perfect time to eat bonito because it’s the fattest and most flavorsome. The fish itself is fished twice a year, once in autumn ( when they are the fattest) and in spring ( when they are the leanest).

After my tour guide and friend gave me the run down on what’s good to eat and where, we parted and went our separate ways. I had promised to catch up with him later in the evening but couldn’t which I will explain later. The next entry will be about where I ate at….stay tuned if you are interested.

From the Desk of McAlpine: 結婚しき。

2009-09-23T21:43:00.001-07:00

A co-worker once told me that the best marriages are the ones where both husband and wife run a business together.

Trust is key in any business, and what better business partner to have than your own spouse. But, can a traditional style family nucleus model work also? Can a working husband and a sit-at-home wife have a successful marriage, too?

Today, the perceptions of the role of man and woman in a marriage is being challenge more now than at anytime in history. More and more women and men are asking, why marry? What’s the incentive?

Recently, I got into an argument with a ridiculous Japanese lady on Skype the other day. She said that she had to have a husband who was not only able to work ten hours a day, but come home and wash the dishes, too. She went on to say that she was angry at me for even suggesting that she wash the dishes. She angrily said that her role in the marriage would only be to stay home and cook!

I went on and asked her, “ What about your mother and father’s marriage now, and what do they think about you?” She said that her mother and father had assumed the traditional Japanese role of mother managing the household and the father working fifty hours a week. She had also mentioned that her parents hated her and loathed the fact that she was still living at home with them at over 30!

Japanese women, who are clear into their thirties, living at home with their parents is not uncommon in Japan at all. In fact, in some instances it is encouraged for all the obvious reasons; save more money, help around the house, and so on.

More often than not, the Japanese women who choose to live at home with their parents is a growing trend nowadays. Not only that, but there is less interest in settling down into a marriage with a working spouse for all the obvious reasons; what role will the woman assume in this marriage? Will she be able to manage the household affairs and support the husband, too? Will she work, or will they share these responsibilities evenly amongst themselves?

But, could both husband and wife perform more naturally in a marriage that’s centered around a business that they run together? Would roles be less ambiguous? The wife could be more clerically inclined in terms of handling the paperwork, and the husband could be the negotiator…? I’m not sure, but for sure , running business and defining which role a husband and wife would play in that business would be less complicated than trying to define the role of both in a traditional style marriage, in my opinion.

2nd Edition Japanese Sake Blog Carnival

2009-09-21T00:41:00.001-07:00

October is fast approaching, so if you have an article or blog/website posting of a favorite sake submit it before September 30th before midnight.

For this 2nd edition try to pay attention to Autumn themes. There are many great seasonal sakes out now that taste awesome this time of year. If you have a particular food dish you had with that sake please submit that as well. The idea here is to bring together new ideas and new types of sake for the season. The first time I did this we had a nice turn out at the 1st Edition.

Below is my submission for Autumn:

Minori no Jozen; junmai ginjo hiyaoroshi; Autumn Jozen of Niigata: Bursting with flavor and texture is what autumn sakes are about. This one is what autumn is all about.

Another local favorite is Kiheji; fruity, light, and very well balanced.

This blog carnival is open to bloggers and sake enthusiast from all over the world.

If you don’t have a blog then submit a small write up and I’ll post it.

Also, for those participating I would ask that you add a link to this carnival in your blog, or add a tag or anything that links this carnival.

Submissions: In my sidebar you can submit your post there. Pictures are also accepted. Thank you for your participation.

Happy Drinking!

Links for 2009-09-21 [del.icio.us]

2009-09-22T00:00:00-07:00

The Soul of Japan: 2nd Edition Japanese Sake Blog Carnival

Links for 2009-08-18 [del.icio.us]

2009-08-19T00:00:00-07:00

The Soul of Japan: 昭和天皇　武蔵野の陵