Latest Posts
Seasonal Event : Setsubun (February 3rd)
On the 3rd of February, we have the day of “Setsubun” (seasonal division) in Japan.
Setsubun has been an important time-honored rite to welcome the New Year by banishing evils and keep the house from calamity.
On the day, people threw beans to banish demons who cause various evil things and plagues. The beans used in “Mame-maki” (bean throwing) are parched and edible. It is believed that one can maintain good health throughout the year by eating the sam e number of thrown beans as one’s age. And they shout, in principle, “In with good fortune! Out with the demon!”
At the same time, we eat “Eho-maki”, sushi roll containing 7 ingredients associated with the Seven Deities of Good Fortune “Shichi-fukujin”, facing the direction of Eho that is most lucky for the year as determined by the Way of Yin and Yang. (I use more than 7 ingredients! :-D)
In 2017, the derection of Eho is North-northwest!
It is also customary to eat Eho-maki while making a wish in the mind with the eyes closed and without uttering a single word. You will eat the whole roll at a stroke in order not to lose ties.
Like the picture, shown on the left side.
To make this thick sushi roll, please check the recipe here!
Recipe : Sushi roll
Please try it out & Have a wonderful day!
Sweets & Izakaya @ Shimokitazawa
I visited one of my favorite and closest area “Shimo-kitazawa” just recently. In this area, you can see many fashion boutiques, antique goods shops, record shops, used clothes shops and so on.
Shimo-kitazawa was ranked as No.1 Coolest neighborhoods in the world by VOGUE magazine (September 2014 issue) . *Here is the link of the article. http://www.vogue.com/slideshow/1080625/fifteen-coolest-street-style-neighborhoods/
Every time we visit Shimo-kitazawa, we just like to walk around the town and check what is new in this area. (And also, we go to the Starbucks, sit outside of the shop and enjoy watching people.)
Also, we like to go to Daiso, UNIQLO and MUJI shops and do shopping there.The large urban development is now on progress in this area, so my husband and I partly feel sad and also excited to see the new atmosphere!
For other photos, please check YJC Facebook page!
Kyodo : Ogura-an
This is the Japanese sweets called “Taiyaki”.
It’s usually a fish-shaped pancake filled with bean jam.
There is a popular Taiyaki shop near the Kyodo station!
They change the fillings everyday like custard cream, banana cream, chocolate milk, soymilk cream, chestnut cream and so on…
When I visited the shop, it was a Matcha cheese cake filling♡
Please try its taste!
Taiyaki @ Kyodo
Have you ever seen this sweets in Japan?
This is the Japanese sweets called “Taiyaki”. It’s usually a fish-shaped pancake filled with bean jam.
There is a popular Taiyaki shop near the Kyodo station! The name of the shop is Ogura-an. They change the fillings everyday. For example, custard cream, banana cream, chocolate milk, soymilk cream, chestnut cream and so on…
When I visited the shop, it was a Matcha cheese cake filling♡
Please try this yummy Japanese sweets!
Repeaters take photos of two weeks menu calendar.
Ramen @ Roppongi
Since I have a late winter vacation now, I visited one of my favorite area, Roppongi!
To visit this area, I usually take the subway Chiyoda line to Nogizaka station and walk to the Tokyo Midtown. In Tokyo Midtown, there is a lot of cutting-edge stores so I always enjoy the window shopping and got inspired by them.
After that, I visited the Roppongi Hills to see the beautiful illumination near the building. You can still enjoy the Christmas mood there!
In the end of walking, I visited one of my favorite Ramen shop, Gogyo. Almost every time I visit Roppongi area, I go to the restaurant. The soup of this shop is amazing. You will see soon after sipping the soup!
I hope you will enjoy other photos as well!
Can you see the white strawberries?
Happy New Year 2016!
Pancake @ Harajuku
I visited the Harajuku area. Harajuku is located at the west side of Tokyo and next to Shibuya. Harajuku is famous for the subculture and fashion. What is more, it’s the competitive area for sweets and food!
These days, cup cake shops, pancake shops and popcorn shops from overseas are opening their stores in this small cozy area. And people line up and make a cue for long hours. I heard that the longest cue for the pancake shop was 8 hours!!!
To know the taste of famous pancake, I visited one of the famous pancake shop, the Maena cafe. (This is the shop that musician Justin Beaver came to visit spontaneously last week. ) I ordered the cinnamon pancake topped with cheese cream and Maui coffee. The combination of cinnamon sugar and coffee was amazing! I will try to recreate at home! ;-)♡
For other photos, please check YJC Facebook page!
Popcorn shops are also popular in Harajuku area!
Autumn leaves in Tokyo
December, the last month of 2015 has begun!
And today, my son became 6 months old♡
I visited the Gotokuji temple near my place with my son.
Colored leaves were about to start and they were so beautiful♡
Since it’s already December but it’s still not so cold here in Tokyo.
I think you can enjoy the autumn leaves a little bit more this year!!!
Glass bowls by IWAKI
Butter Case by NODA HORO
I have been looking for a butter case for a long time and I finally found my favorite one!
It’s NODA HORO Butter Case 450g produced by the Japanese manufacturer Noda Horo (http://www.nodahoro.com/).
I usually buy a CALPIS Butter (450g) at the supermarket so this butter case is the perfect size and easy to stock. Additionally, its look in the fridge is very SIMPLE and BEAUTIFUL
. I have three bowls and two of them are the same size. I like to use those bowls especially when I do baking. They are heat-resistant so you can use them for microwave and also for oven! You don’t need to move the dough to another bowls. I mean, you don’t need to use several bowls at the same time. Thanks to those bowls, my kitchen is always clean and simple.
What is more, these bowls are good match with stainless whisks.
