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Pizza @ Amani: イタリアン食堂Amani

In Okinawa, there are a few tabehoudai 食べ放題 (all-you-can-eat) pizza places; some are good some are bad. Italian shokudo Amani is definitely one of the good! It is so much better than Ocean’s Pizza/Pizza-Inn, which are typically popular with some of the Americans.

First, there is ample parking located across the street. Second, it is a casual-trendy kind of feel inside. Third, it is all you can eat, but set up differently than some of the others Americans are used to. You order the (small-ish) sized pizzas at the table from the waitress, and over the course of your time (up to 90 minutes), you can order them as you finish them. The best part is, you can order half-and-half… this was awesome for me, since I went here ALONE, not realizing it was tabehoudai! When she said this was possible, I was relieved because that meant I could try more kinds. Besides the pizza, there is a pasta of the day and a salad/rice/curry/tapas/drink bar. The quality was actually quite high for only 1180yen (adult price, kids are cheaper).

Everything I tried was really good; my favorite was probably the bamboo shoots white pizza (special of the day). Basically, this place was definitely a win, and my husband was incredibly jealous I went alone… I need to take him here sometime.

**The menu is only in Japanese. But there are some pictures on the paper menu. There is also a chalkboard with specials of the day you can order (no pictures).

address: 〒902-0068 Okinawa Prefecture, Naha, Makabi, ２−２９−２６

https://goo.gl/maps/inpyCLXjjvo

Local Foods, Restaurants

Parlor de jujumo

Awhile back, on a nice sunny day, my husband was itching to get out. So, I had heard of this small place with veg offerings and really wanted to check it out; luckily my husband was game. So off we went to the Ashibinaa outlets in Tomigusuku to walk around for some exercise before hitting up Parlor de jujumo nearby.

Really, it is more fair to say it is a shack, albeit a really cool, trendy one. It is located off some really random streets with not much else around, but that just makes it quaint. Anyhow, if the owner is not there, just hit the call button on the walkie-talkie.

The menu is small; veg curry or veg burger for food, sugarcane juice, organic coffees for drinks. You can eat at the counter (outside) or take it to go.

Each plate was only 450yen! They were both good, but my husband preferred the burger; they were both made from the same sort of bean curry and had some nice added spices. It was a small plate, which was okay, because the next stop for the day was to try the chiffon miso cake at Yume Koubou.

The owner is also in a band, so if you visit the shack, check out the fliers for their next event.

address: 490-12 Yone, Tomigusuku-shi, Okinawa-ken 901-0224
https://goo.gl/maps/2tdr4DSzSYU2

Local Foods

Okinawa suba (soba): すば (そば)

すば suba

Okinawa soba: in the local language it is actually called “suba” but many places will list it as “soba,” the Japanese word. I figure a place here is authentic if it actually uses the word suba instead of soba, since all locals understand the meaning of suba. But, Okinawa soba noodles are not actually made from buckwheat like Japanese soba. Really, it is quite a different dish altogether!

Okinawa soba shacks are all over the island; just within short walking distance of my house there 3 that only serve soba, and 2 more that are shokudo restaurants that include Okinawa soba on the menu. On a longer walk… well, probably a dozen more, I really couldn’t say for sure. Okinawa soba is very much considered “soul food” here.

I cannot really eat pork, so this is a dish I do not indulge in. Usually it consists of a clear pork based broth, with thicker-than-ramen but thinner-than-udon flour noodles (very chewy in texture), and topped with slices of pork or soki (pork on the bone ribs). My husband occasionally orders Okinawa soba, but he usually prefers ramen. That being said, if you have no dietary restrictions, do not pass up the opportunity to try this dish while you are in Okinawa.

There are all sorts of variations on Okinawa soba; there is main island Okinawa soba, Miyako soba, Yaeyama soba… everywhere in Okinawa prefecture seems to have its own slightly different version!

Some places will sell their fresh soba noodles in their restaurant, but you can also buy them in any grocery store here in the refrigerated section near produce. It is great for making noodle dishes at home (such as ramen, yakisoba, etc). I always buy fresh over the dried, since it is actually a bit healthier, plus it tastes so much better!

*There are a few restaurants where you can watch the owner-san making the fresh soba noodles! I will link these in the next few days.

Culture, Local Foods

Ryukyuan Cuisine: 琉球料理

琉球料理 ryuukyuu ryouri means Ryukyuan cuisine.

The other day, I was idling away some time at the university library, when I came upon the “Okinawa Section.” Most books were in Japanese, but one in English caught my eye. It was simply titled, “Ryukyuan Cuisine.” So out of curiosity I flipped it open, and read about some of the more traditional dishes (some pictures below). While there were no actual recipes, there were several descriptions of the foods and the types of local ingredients– it was really quite informative. This book was published in the 90s by the Okinawa Tourism and Cultural Promotion organization. I would like to find a copy for myself, but it has turned out difficult to find. It further inspired me to check out the local bookstore, and peruse some magazines and books on Ryukyuan cuisine (in Japanese, so I am a bit slower to read). Reading through these books really reminded me how Ryukyuan cuisine is quite different than traditional Japanese cuisine; it is definitely influenced quite a bit from Chinese cuisine, but still very unique.

I made a quick guide to Okinawa dishes here and a guide to some traditional sweets here and here.

Here is some info on Okinawa produce here.

Local Foods, Restaurants

Okinawa Saien Buffet Karakara: 沖縄菜園ブッフェカラカラ

In Tomigusuku, in the Ashibinaa outlet Mall located next to the Starbucks and the Bikkuri Donkey, there is an excellent Okinawa local and fresh foods buffet called 沖縄菜園ブッフェカラカラ Okinawa Saien Buffet KaraKara. Most of the dishes feature local ingredients, and you can try several types of local Okinawa soul foods. Lots of fresh greens, too, and dishes will rotate based on seasons; the menu focuses on local island vegetables. Plus, all the dishes have allergy card information.

There are dishes that feature hechima, goya, tougan, Okinawan pork, Okinawa soba, tofu, shiraae, fish, as well as some more westernized dishes. Plus there is soft-serve and a variety of desserts. Everyone can be happy eating here. We like to take out-of-town guests here to get a feel for local food, while still having lots of options. Personally, I prefer KaraKara to Daikon-no-Hana, another popular Okinawa buffet chain with a similar style. KaraKara is a must-try for anyone coming to Okinawa.

It is cheaper to go during lunch rather than dinner– but at dinner time the buffet has sushi items! Lunch is about~1500yen, dinner ~1800yen, and children are cheaper. There is also a second location on the 9th floor of the Ryubo Department store in Naha, but I prefer the Tomigusuku location (the interior is nicer in my opinion).

I don’t have any pictures (hmm, guess I should go back soon…), I am always too busy eating.

address: https://goo.gl/maps/fWLHmU9N2B62

Culture

Hanta Michi: ハンタ道

ハンタ hanta: Okinawan word for “cliff”

道 michi: road or path

Hanta Michi is an old Ryukyu kingdom road constructed around the Gusuku era (12th century). It runs from Shuri-jo to Katsuren-jo, passing through Kouchi-jo in Nishihara and Nakagusuku-jo in Nakagusuku Village. Several historical cultural properties remain along this path. It was lined with pine trees, cutting through hills and cliffs along the way.

Nowadays, the most accessible path of Hanta Michi is from the SanA on Rt 29 in Nakagusuku through to Nakagusuku-jo. Agai-tidabashi (bridge behind the SanA/Matsumoto Kiyoshi/Wafuutei) is the typical starting point. The trail ends at the border with Nakagusuku-jo– if you enter the premise you are supposed to pay the entrance fee at the end of the path marks the beginning of the castle ruins site. Another important thing to remember is that the gate to leave the castle site will be LOCKED if you are walking the trail during closed hours (one of my friends ran into trouble with this…), so if you plan on using the castle ruins as an exit, you must go when the premises is open for business.

The path runs from urban to rural farms to forested area, with sweeping views over Nakagusuku Bay. Occasionally the path is overgrown, depending on the season. A good tip to remember is to look for the white-ish coral stone in the road along the path in most areas. It is not too long of a “hike” (walk?) to do the whole thing, maybe 5 km or so one-way, within 2 hours if you walk with a regular pace with a few stops for pictures or a snack.

If you plan your day well, you can make sure to take a break or end at one of the restaurants along the path (near the SanA end, not Nakagusuku-jo end). I recommend either LOHAS garden or Hanta Baru, both have good food and gorgeous views overlooking Nakagusuku Bay.

Click the imgur link for images:

https://imgur.com/a/NBoGF

Sites along the Hanta Michi:

Agai-tidabashi Bridge 東太陽橋: Stunning views of Nakagusuku and the bay can be admired on sunny days. It is also a very popular spot to watch the first sunrise of the New Year and for full moon viewing.

161.8 Kouchi Jinchi 161.8高地陣地: Atop of the rocky mountain at an elevation of 160m in Kitauebaru area, the Japanese army built a high-ground position, known as 161.8 Kouchi Jinchi. A panoramic view, north to south, from Chatan town and Yomitan village to the Chinen peninsula is possible from this location.

Kishimakono-taki キシマコノ嶽: Okuma settlement began at the top of the mountain and people in the settlement still pray at this prayer ground today.

Arakaki Stone Bridge 新垣の石橋: This arched stone bridge is located over the stream near the fields of the Arakaki settlement. Similar types of stone bridges existed until just after WWII, however now there is only one remaining.

Prefectural Road Construction Monument 県道開削記念碑: This monument was built in commemoration of the opening of the Futenma-Yonabaru route (currently rt. 35) in October 1934.

Tunmaasu ツンマース: A pine tree is encircled by a low stonewall. Arakaki gusuku and Nakagusuku-jo are to the east and Ginowan is to the west.

Arakaki Gusuku 新垣グスク: The year for the construction of this castle is unknown, however, it is estimated to be early 14th century. Utaki (sacred place in Ryukyu culture) and shrine are seen inside the castle ruin grounds. These places are considered to be highly significant for the Arakaki settlement.

Uchibara-no-tun 内原の殿（ウチバラノトゥン）: Hall of worship in Arakaki gusuku where people pray for health, longevity and to give thanks for good harvests.

Perry’s Banner Rock (Taachii Ishi) ペリーの旗立岩: It is said that Commodore Perry and his expedition team placed the American flag on top of this rock with a gun salute to commemorate their conquest during their expedition in Okinawa.

Giisu-no-tera ギイスのテラ: Prayer ground located south west of Nakagusuku-jo. The ancestor of Masu Shimabukuro of Soeshi village is said to have enshrined the spirit stone and began the ritual here.

SanA near the starting point of the Hanta Michi: https://goo.gl/maps/BXbBdYVTUh32

Nakagusuku-jo (end point): https://goo.gl/maps/GWHKmPFzMPv

Map Link (Google Maps): here

Extra information on MapItOkinawa: http://www.mapitokinawa.com/search?q=hanta

Shops

Wine in Okinawa: ワイン

No doubt, Orion beer is the drink of choice in Okinawa. And on a nice evening, it does hit the spot. But to be honest I enjoy (and possibly prefer) wine.

Wine is slowly gaining some popularity in Japan and Okinawa, but options are still pretty limited most of the time. Most grocery/food stores (such as SanA, Aeon, Ryubo, Big1, Direx, etc.) will carry some small amount of wine (usually not very good, but sometimes you get lucky), and there are a few liquor stores and wine shops around (though most seem to be in Naha). Here I will list some of the more notable places to check out (there are others that I have not visited or have not been particularly impressed with that are not on this list).

CENTRAL AREA: The Aeon Mall Rycom in Kitanakagusuku has a very good selection near the grocery store. Kaldi Coffee (located in most malls here) have a smaller, but still pretty good selection that often rotates varieties. The Plaza House Shopping Center in Kadena area has a store on the first floor with an acceptable selection as well. There is a small wine shop in American Village (cannot remember the name), but usually it is too inconvenient for me to visit that area. For me, the closest place is the Nishihara City SanA; they have recently added a small “fancy foods” section behind the bakery area which has a few new nice wines for reasonable prices (small selection though).

SOUTH AREA: Cote D’or has 4 shops located throughout Naha; they tend to have some pricier stuff, but definitely a nice place to check out when you are in the area. Another favorite for me is Smile Sake 酒のスマイル near the airport; they have a lot of different types of wine and alcohol. The Ryubo Department store has an extensive wine section in the Basement food floor. The other Ryubo grocery stores that have been remodeled into fancier stores also tend to have a pretty solid selection of wine (the ones I know of are located in Urasoe Barclay’s Court, Shintoshin, and Tomigusuku by the Ashibinaa Outlets).

The BEST time to get good wine (and often good deals) is during grocery/department store events! The Ryubo department store in Naha has an Italian fair once a year– with an extensive wine selection that you can sample before buying. We ended up with a “value box” of 6 various Italian wines for 10.000円 (~100USD), each of them very good. I am already looking forward to the next event. It is definitely key for any “wine lover” in Okinawa to keep their eyes out for these specialty events that are set up in Ryubo, SanA, and AEON stores!

If you want to take a gamble, check out “wine lotto” (usually held around New Years).

Some words to look for on Japanese wine labels:

ワイン “wain”: wine
赤 “aka”: red
白 “shiro”: white
甘口 “ama kuchi”: sweet
辛口 “kara kuchi”: dry
やや “yaya”: somewhat

Typically, the sweet to dry will look like this on wine labels:
極甘口→超甘口→甘口→やや甘口→やや辛口→辛口→超辛口→極辛口
extra sweet → very sweet → sweet → medium sweet → medium dry → dry → very dry → extra dry

-産 “san”: where the wine comes from **This will probably be in the language of origin on the bottle UNLESS it is covered up with a 日本語 label pasted over it!

日本 Japan
フランス France
スパイン Spain
イタリア Italy
チリ Chile
アルゼンチン Argentina
オーストラリア Australia
南アフリカ South Africa
カリフォルニア州: California

Local Drinks, Restaurants

Rakurobi kitchen, macrobiotic cafe:楽ロビkitchen

I have an affinity for wholesome, veggie cafes. I decided to give the macrobiotic food at Rakurobi kitchen (楽ロビkitchen) a try.

First of all, they have a nice large free parking lot (hooray!), which is not always the case in Naha. The next thing is it is located on the second floor of the building. When you enter, there is an area to remove your shoes. The inside has a very clean and cute decor, fairly typical of most of these types of cafes.

For the most part, the menu is very limited, so the best option is the mangetsu 満月 (full moon) plate. I believe the plates are mostly vegan, excepting for maybe the use of dashi or fish sauce (at least that is what their menu board said when I went awhile back). Serious vegetarian/vegans might be critical of this, but for me, it honestly does not matter much. The food was amazingly delicious and healthful, though the price was not too cheap (~1300 yen per person). I love getting all the small dishes that make up a wholesome lunch, although usually I am not too into soup (strange I know), so I ended up letting my husband have most of my soup since he loves it.

I had learned about this nice cafe restaurant awhile back, and then was reminded of it when I was reading the Uchina magazine (which during that month’s issue was focusing on vegetables and healthy living). Luckily my husband is patient with me when I suggest these places to go to, and ends up enjoying them as much as I do.

address: 沖縄県那覇市真嘉比1-29-16 ブランシュール真嘉比 2F

https://goo.gl/maps/oVBFwZhkKhH2

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rakurobikitchen

Japanese foods

Ice Cream Mochi

So coming from Hawai’i, I have a deep appreciation for ice cream mochi. Here in Okinawa, I can find it in basically every conbini and grocery store. The flavors rotate year-round (although there are always old standbys like vanilla); during spring you see sakura (cherry blossom), during fall there are flavors like sweet potato. Sometimes you will find chocolate, strawberry, cookies and cream, matcha, etc. Ice cream wrapped in soft mochi… what’s not to love? If you have never tried such a wonderful creation, you are missing out.

The most common brand (at least in Okinawa) seems to be LOTTE 雪見だいふく (yukimi daifuku), sold in packs of 2 in the conbini freezer next to the other ice creams.

Travel: Outer Islands

Minna-jima: 水納島

Minna-jima 水納島 is a small crescent-shaped island off the Motobu Peninsula in Okinawa. There is a ferry service that runs between Toguchi Port and Minna-jima, and takes approximately 20 minutes (it is actually fairly close to Okinawa main island, not so remote). During the off-season (Oct-June), the ferry service only runs 2-3x per day; during peak season, July-Sept, the frequency increases to 6-12x. We showed up on a Sunday in November (off-season), and there the ferry was almost completely empty… only about 12 other people (the ferry capacity is over 100). So even on a weekend day with gorgeous weather, it was easy to get a seat on the ferry during non-peak times. We took the first ferry of the day at 10am. I suppose during the peak summer season, it would be better to reserve in advance since I hear it gets quite crowded though. Also, there was a lot of parking at the Toguchi port ferry terminal (and it is free).

The population of the island is very few (maybe 100 residents). There is not much to the island except for the marine activities (scuba, snorkel, boating, swimming). The entire islands coastline is less than 4km; the whole island can be walked in about an hour.

During the peak season, a few food stands are open, as well as coin lockers, coin showers and a changing room. As we confirmed NOTHING except for the marine sports rentals and one soba stand was open during the off-season. Nope, not even the showers/changing room! There are, at least, bathrooms available in the ferry terminal, as well as 1 drink vending machine (albeit sold out of about half the drinks)… okay, there were 2 but one was broken, so I didn’t count it. So, basically, if you are coming to Minna-jima during any time other than peak season, BRING your own food and drink! Which, luckily, we packed a lunch, some snacks, and drinks after reading the scant few “reviews” of Minna-jima (we almost didn’t).

Since the island was fairly empty, we ended up leaving our lunch bag and snorkel/swim gear in a shady spot on the beach right next to the ferry terminal building. And because this is Japan, no one messed with it. We walked to the “secret” beach past the tiny elementary/middle school and some small farms, then over towards the marshy lagoon area, next crossing some diving shacks towards the lighthouse, and back to the main beach. It was pretty, while not terribly exciting, still a nice way to spend a Sunday.

Back at the beach we sat on the wooden porch of the ferry terminal building and had our packed lunch, looking over the water. At this point, I was ready to get in the water a bit, even though it was a little chilly. So we made our way across the entirety of the tourist beach in the direction towards the lighthouse. If you swam out, you could see some interesting things by the reef edges, otherwise towards the water by shore itself was not very exciting. I also recommend wearing your water shoes (of course I did not, and my feet are answering for it), as the beach is not that sandy and filled with lots of sharp little shell and coral bits. I saw dark spot in the water near the shore, to realize it was a crazy swarm of minnows. Around the curve of the island brought us to some large rocks, so at this point, figured it was time to head back.

The showers and such were locked up (grr), but there were 2 foot showers that were outside of the building at the very least. Not ideal, but better than nothing. We cleaned up a bit, until the 1pm ferry to go back to Okinawa main island. For the off-season, 3 hours was more than enough time to explore this tiny island– during peak season, it might be nice to enjoy some food and beer at one the small stands if you can get extra time. Just keep in mind during peak season, this places gets packed and the beach turns into a sea of parasols from people trying to get a bit of shade. You can bring your own breach umbrellas or small shade tents, which from what I understand is almost a necessity during the summer months.

If you want to stay overnight, there are maybe 2-3 minshuku (inns) and 1 log house (managed by Marine Sports Mermaid); these places typically provide meals. You can also book snorkel and diving tours, which will take you on a boat so you can enter further from the shoreline (also, as a bonus, during the off-season, they have their own changing and showering facilities). There are also a few other marine leisure activities available.

**the nickname of the island is “Croissant Island.” For some reason, I find this funny.

Japanese sweets, Local Foods, Shops

Miso chiffon cake, Yume Koubou: 菊みそ加工所夢工房

Today was full of adventure. One reason was Kiku Miso Dream Factory 菊みそ夢工房 in Yaese. This place makes homemade miso… and chiffon cakes!

I read about this place on a Japanese-Okinawa news site. It talked about tasty fluffy chiffon cakes, and the number one seller was made with miso. Well, who can pass that up?! Not me! So I made plan to explore some places nearby and drag my husband there (and it worked!). After a nice veggie lunch, we made it to Kiku Miso Yume Koubou. It was in a pretty quiet area, nice rural surroundings. Inside was clean and cute. There were many types of chiffon cakes (whole and sliced), but my objective was miso flavor. My husband chose coffee flavor. They also sold homemade miso (among some other products) for a very reasonable price, and since we were almost out at home, we decided to pick some up as well.

Anyway, we went to a nearby park and devoured our cakes with some tea. So fluffy and delicious! Seriously, so fluffy! Success.

address: 菊みそ加工所夢工房

254 Tōme, Yaese-chō, Shimajiri-gun, Okinawa-ken 901-0414

https://goo.gl/maps/xHwitfgUfL62

Culture

Child’s 1st birthday, tanka-yu-eh: タンカーユーエー

Tanka （タンカー）: means 1-year-old’s birthday (Japanese: 1才の誕生日)

Yu-eh（ユーエー）: means celebration (Japanese:お祝い)

In Okinawa, some people celebrate a tradition called tanka-yu-eh タンカーユーエー, which has the meaning of a child’s first birthday. On this day, a ritual to predict child’s future is done! One of my student’s granddaughter recently celebrated her first birthday, so she shared this custom with me. Her granddaughter chose the abacus, so she will become good in business and very good at math.

A variety of things are placed before the child, such as an abacus, pen and ink, money, red rice, ruler and scissors (in the case of girls). Each item has a meaning, so whichever item the child chooses, is a prediction for their future.

book: scholar, good grades
abacus: good in business
brush and ink: become an official, government worker
money: become rich
red rice: will never go hungry
ruler/scissors: good at sewing

Some families will include other more “modern” items (like a ball for athlete, instrument for musician, etc) as well, or use a calculator instead of an abacus.

It is strictly for fun, and not so serious, just to hope for the happiness of the child’s healthy growth and a chance to gather family. This custom is similar to ones in Korea and elsewhere in Asia.

Japanese foods, Local Foods

Deciphering Rice Labels in Japan

Rice 米: There are so many types of rice in the Japanese grocery store, how do you know what you are getting? Well, to start with remember that Japanese rice is going to be short-grained, although some long or medium grain may also be imported.

Well let me touch on some basics on reading the rice labels in stores. I will update with some pictures in a bit, but I will try to get you started.

精米 polished (white) rice

玄米 unpolished (brown) rice

-産: where it is from

examples: 国内産 domestic (Japan), 福島県産 Fukushima Prefecture, 沖縄県産 Okinawa Prefecture, 新潟県産 Niigata Prefecture

精米年月日 date of rice polishing

産年 production year

新米 newly harvested rice

*** These years are in Japanese calendar, NOT western! So the year 2016 is 28年, 2015 is 27年, 2014 is 26年. Older rice tends to be discounted, so keep in mind you usually get what you pay for.

単一原料米 single-source rice (100% from 1 place)

複数原料米 multiple-source rice (from different places)

*** -割 indicates RATIOS (by 10’s). so 10割 is 100%, 6割 is 60%, 1割 is 10%, etc.

販売者 seller’s name (company)

内容量 contents volume

Some popular types of rice: (I will add some better descriptions later… gomennasai)

こしひかり (コシヒカリ) Koshihikari

ささにしき Sasanishiki

ひとめぼれ Hitomebore

もち米 Mochi-rice (glutinous rice, this is really more for sweets)

無洗米 no-wash rice

Later I will update this post with some of the mix-ins you can buy and which grains they contain… these are a great way to add nutrition to you average bowl of rice.

Culture, Restaurants

Bali Terrace: バリーテラス & Halloween Kimono Party

I first went to Bali Terrace in Urasoe for lunch awhile back. It is a sort of French/Italian kind of restaurant, and for lunch has set menu choices (entree such as pasta, chicken, fish, etc) with a semi-viking salad/drink bar (the cost is reasonable, maybe ~1300yen).

The interior is really interesting and comfortable; the view is quite amazing, as the restaurant is on the second floor of the building, perched atop a hill overlooking the ocean in the distance. They even take advantage of the view by having (indoor) tables that look directly out the windows, sort of like cushy sofa seating with plenty of pillows.

A second-hand kimono shop advertised a Halloween kimono dress-up event to be held here. So, since I knew the food would be decent, I decided to buy a ticket. Plus I could practice wearing kimono. I decided to go as “kitsune” (fox demon). I bought a cheap mask off amazon.jp, and coordinated some fall-woodsy colors with my brown kimono.

The ticket was for tabehoudai/nomihoudai (all you can eat and drink) party plan, so they brought out various foods throughout the night and filled drinks. This type of service is very popular for drinking parties in Japan, so you do not have to think about what to order, they just have various sets that they bring out throughout the night.

There were all sorts of nice foods served; pasta, gnocchi, pizza, salad, fried potatoes, deer carpaccio, sausages, cheeses… a nice place for this sort of event. Everyone had a lot of fun and chatted through the evening. All the kimonos were so cute, too.

address: 沖縄県浦添市仲間1-24-26 https://goo.gl/maps/suXHGbijaV22

A few lunch time pictures:

Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Jozankei & Date: 定山渓&伊達

The last full day in Hokkaido, we decided (a little impulsively) to go ahead and drive down towards Lake Toyo and Date areas. We did not have much of a plan, other than to make some stops along the way and enjoy the fall colors.

We started the morning with an early stroll round town, just admiring the atmosphere in general before heading to the hotel breakfast. After breakfast we soaked in the hotel onsen before we jumped into the car and started on our way.

Our first stop was Hoheikyo Dam. Good thing we did this early, just as it opened (9am)… it was a Sunday. When we arrived there was enough parking, but as we left… there was a long line of cars waiting to park! This dam is on Jozankei Lake (funny, Jozankei dam is on another lake…). Anyway, we parked and started towards the dam. There are 2 options: a rather quick but crowded round trip bus ticket, or a 40 minute walk up a slight slope. We had a busy day ahead of us so we chose the bus. There were 4 buses continually making round trips, so there was not really a wait. At the dam/lake you can walk around and enjoy the leaves and the fresh air. Many people come to take photography, picnic, etc. It was really nice! But.. somewhat of a crowd! One thing I will mention: if you do not rent a car to drive to this dam, you can take a city bus– BUT it will have to wait in the SAME traffic as those waiting (to get in) to park at the dam parking lot… so you do not save any time!! Although the crowds are probably only during the Autumn season (so weekends in October)… probably other times of the year (or weekdays) are much quieter.

After the dam, we got back into the car and continued our road trip. Along the road we stopped at many local produce stands and a pasture with ice cream (yes, I ate MORE ice cream!) and cheese. There was also a road side michi-no-eki 道の駅 (service station), which was in Kimobetsu 喜茂別. Road side stations are popular stops in Hokkaido and each is supposed to be known for a certain food. I noticed a line for something called age-imo 揚げいも, which means fried potato. My husband was reluctant to stand in line but I insisted I would and he could use the restroom and get drinks; the line though long was quick, less than 10 minutes. Not sure what to order I just chose the number one regular age-imo and hand-cut chips. They had some other stuff, but everyone was getting age-imo. Oishii~~ ! My husband was surprised to find me food in hand already, so I added some (free) sauces to my giant stick of 3 age-imo balls (it looked like an oversized dango!) and sat outside on the bench to devour. The age-imo is a cooked (reasonable sized) potato covered in batter (sort of like a corn-dog) and fried. It sounds weird, but it was really good, especially with the garlic sauce. The hand-cut chips were also crispy and hot. I highly recommend making a stop here if you are anywhere near the area!

Anyway, we continued our trip down the road, making many small stops along the way. We reached our “destination” of Date and stopped at the park next to the Bocca restaurant. While somehow associated with Bikkuri Donki, do not be fooled… this place makes its own fresh mozzarella and puddings. For lunch, my husband and I split caprese salad, margerita pizza, and potato-cheese soup. It was all very good. We also got pumpkin-caramel puddings to go… amazing.

At this point it was time to start heading back to Jozankei, and make any stops we missed along the way; one of these was the mushroom kingdom store. There were so many types of mushrooms and mushroom products. Plus you could get miso-mushroom soup (loaded with many types of mushrooms) for only 100yen.

As we headed back, traffic up to the Hoheikyo dam was really backed up. So, why not stop and relax in the Hoheikyo onsen? We were (barely) able to get parked, since this was a popular idea.

The building is a little run-down, and it was very crowded with people taking a rest from the stopped traffic. The facilities were similarly pretty “tired” looking, and the amenities scarce; I have been in rustic onsen that you could claim are traditional or retro, which makes them charming, but I don’t feel it applies to this onsen… “tired” is the best description. The changing room was elbow to elbow, make sure to have enough 100yen coins for shoe lockers, etc. Entering the bathing area was similarly crowded, and there was a bit of a wait for people to rinse off to get into the bath, as there were only about a dozen wash stations. After a good soap, rinse, etc., it was onsen time. There were 2 onsen; one inside and one outside. Almost no one was inside, everyone was outside. And, really it makes sense. The air was comfortable, the water warm, the scenery quite beautiful. Despite its tired and somewhat drab building, it was fairly refreshing. The outside onsen was a decent size, so it was not too crowded, plenty of space for everyone. While I would not necessarily recommend this onsen to everyone, it was not too bad… just be prepared for crowded weekends during autumn foliage season. Otherwise the place is probably pretty quiet during the off season.

After a good soak, I changed back into my clothes and drank a beer while hanging out with my husband for a bit, hoping for the traffic to die down a bit. There was an Indian restaurant in the onsen, but opted out of it after eating all day, plus there was a long wait to get in. When we left, it was still fairly bumper to bumper with people returning home after a long day of leaf-viewing, but we managed to make it back to the hotel. *Special note: this onsen allowed tattoo. It also allowed drinking beer while in the outdoor bath, but the older Japanese ladies gave stinkeye to the younger (and mostly foreign) ladies doing this. On the men’s side my husband said many of the ojiisan had a beer.

Back at the hotel, we took a night walk to enjoy the illuminated pathway by the river and the bridges, before going back to the room and relaxing with some beers. The next morning was an early day to head back to the airport. Since we were returning the rental car to the airport, the drive was quite lovely and we ended up taking the “back roads” and stopping at a waterfall area, perfect to see some ore autumn leaves!

The Sapporo airport was much larger than we anticipated; there is HelloKitty area, Doraemon area, Royce Chocolate factory, a spa, a cinema… we did not have much time unfortunately, but I was able to make some omiyage purchases and grab some goodies for the plane ride home!

Full album on imgur:

Hokkaido 北海度

Previous days here and here.

Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Jozankei: 定山渓 (part II)

Continued from Sapporo (part I).

After spending the morning in Sapporo, we loaded into the rental car and started our route towards Jozankei onsen town for some leaf-peeping.

On our way out of the city, we stopped in some orchard areas, tasted some fruits, and purchased some snacks for the road. We also stopped at a winery, which had wines and hard cider (real hard cider, not just soda!).

After trying some wine, we stopped at a soup curry restaurant for lunch… yum! This place was nice, you had several choices to customize your order. Right after lunch my husband wanted to stop at a conbini; next door was an ice cream shop and many people were indulging despite the chilliness in the air… so of course even though I am stuffed, I have to try some! I ordered camembert cheese flavor, it was really good!

The next stop was at Jozankei Dam to check out some autumn leaves (kouyou 紅葉). It was gorgeous. There are 2 locations, one at the dam itself where there is a museum, and one on the lake overlooking the dam.

Afterwards we headed to the hotel, checked in, grabbed a town map and set off to explore Jozankei. There are many kappa statues hidden all over. The town itself if rather small and not so many shops or restaurants, but it was nice. There are a few footbaths and even a hand bath. The river had a nice walking path, which is illuminated at night. The leaves were pretty but dusk settled in quickly being up north. After strolling around the whole town, we felt a bit tired so we grabbed some beers and snacks as we headed back to the room. Back at the hotel I changed into yukata and relaxed in the onsen baths.

Kappa 河童 are a type of yokai 妖怪 demon that inhabit rivers and lakes in Japanese folklore, supposedly luring people in, sometimes paying harmless pranks to drowning. Supposedly cucumbers are the favorite meal (ever heard of kappa-maki, a type of roll sushi?). Jozankei has many statues of kappa scattered all over.

continued in Part III: Jozankei & Date.

There are too many wonderful pictures from the trip, so here are the highlights. For more, go to the imgur album here.

Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Sapporo: 札幌 (part I)

We took a 3-day trip to Hokkaido, stopping over in Sapporo overnight, then continuing on to Jozankei Onsen. It was October, so the weather was crisp, and the leaves were turning!

We arrived Friday night in Sapporo; our bags came quickly and we jumped onto the JR train from the airport to the city. IC cards are accepted here, so I used my PASMO without worrying about separate train tickets. The ride was not so short, maybe about 45 minutes.

We made it to our cheap hotel just south of Susukino area, checked in, and got ready to see the nightlife. We decided to walk from our hotel up towards Sapporo station area, even though it was a bit chilly. Most of the tourist sites were closed at this time, but we could at least enjoy the views. We walked by Odori park, Sapporo TV tower, Sapporo clock tower, the Sapporo Beer Hall… and stopped for some famous Sapporo miso ramen topped with corn and butter for dinner! We passed by the touristy “Ramen Alley,” but continued on to a smaller place out of the way, which happened to be quite popular with the local crowd.

The next morning, we got up early and ate hotel breakfast which came with the room; this is very popular in Japan unlike the US, so consider trying the hotel breakfasts.. it is nothing like the stale pastry and cereal that make up the typical “continental breakfast” at many budget US hotels. Afterwards, we walked to the Nijo seafood market and back to Odori park for some day time photos. The leaves in Sapporo were only just starting to turn, but it was lovely anyway.

At this time, we needed to check out and pick up the rental car… time to drive to Jozankei!

Our time in the city of Sapporo was wayyy too short! We have already decided we need to go back another weekend. Maybe when the weather warms up…

continued in Part II, Jozankei Onsen.

For more trip photos, go to the imgur album here.

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Floresta Nature Doughnuts: ドーナツ

ドーナツ doh-na-tsu is “donuts.”

A while back I had the cutest doughnuts at Floresta in Naha. It is a chain from Nara, in the mainland of Japan.

They are ultra-cute and natural donuts, making the famous “animal” donuts (doubustsu donuts どうぶつドーナツ)… I got a panda. The products are made with Hokkaido flour and organic soy milk. Prices here are be higher than MisDo, but the quality is very good. There is also ice cream… besides the panda donut, we got a maple-walnut donut sundae with milk ice.

company website: http://www.nature-doughnuts.jp

address: https://goo.gl/maps/2JeuYvxeEuB2
〒900-0005沖縄県那覇市天久2丁目29-3 タートルマンションQ 1F

Culture

Wearing Kimono: 着付け

着付け kitsuke: wearing/putting on kimono. This is truly an art form! But if I can do it, anyone can. I have not taken formal lessons, although I suppose I should at some point… as you can see in pictures below I am not very good but hopefully I can practice and improve some of the key points to “good kimono technique.” There are some guides online in Japanese which are very good for a beginner like me; there are also some English resources, but it is hit or miss as to how useful they are (some had good information and instructions, but others were significantly less informative). If you are interested, I recommend checking out some youtube videos on kimono dressing, yukata dressing, and obi tying, as well as tips and tricks to look good, and even tons of hair/make-up to match. This post is not a comprehensive guide, just the initial impressions of a beginner to the kimono scene.

Yukata is quite a bit simpler to put on than kimono, so after a collecting all the fiddly bits needed to put on kimono properly, I was finally ready to begin practicing with the kimono I purchased at the bargain sale. I bought the various accessories online and at second hand stores. Okinawa is not exactly mainland Japan, so very few stores even sell the pieces needed for kimono dressing, and ones that do tend to be a bit expensive. The obi-age (decorative scarf) and obi-jime (decorative cord) I was able to purchase cheaply at second hand shops (OFF-HOUSE is excellent for finding cheap bits and pieces).

So, here is the final list of items that I used for my first attempt, which is pretty much the minimum you should have to try and wear kimono. Obviously, you could use some different items, or make some substitutions to cut down on cost. Or you could go all out and add-in some of the extras (hair pieces, decorative collar, etc) to look super fancy.

hadajuban 肌襦袢: this piece may not be necessary if you want to simple use a camisole and leggings of some sort. It is simply thing cotton one-piece to protect the kimono from sweat and such.
nagajuban 長襦袢: this piece is more necessary. It is also an undergarment, but it features long sleeves to line the kimono sleeves and a collar (you can attach a fancier one if you wish) that should be exposed. I have seen some pictures with people definitely not wearing one of these with kimono, and without the exposed collar lining it looks a bit silly/strange, so I recommend to have some version of this. I think the effect is much cleaner and nicer looking. Yukata do not need the collar (although you can if you want), but kimono just does not look right without it. Some people use like a hadajuban and just attach a separate collar piece (the collar itself is called haneri 半襟, there is something called “easy collar” 簡単半衿, kantan haneri)– this is economical and probably a lighter feel, so I may just try this sometime. Okinawa is fairly hot and humid, so during warmer months, this would feel more comfortable. **Note: I have 2 types of nagajuban: 1 is a summer type and very thin/meshy (great for Okinawa!) and the second is a solid polyester-type fabric for cooler weather (only necessary for winter here in Okinawa).
erishin 衿芯: collar stiffener put through the nagajuban. It gives the beautiful collar shape.
koshihimo 腰紐: fabric ties to secure undergarments and kimono. You can instead use an elastic waist belt (often sold as a pair with korin belt), though it is handy to have some of these for helping tie obi (you remove them in the end, it just helps you keep it secure while adjusting the obi).
korin belt コリンベルト: help stabilize the kimono collar area (secured around the body under the bust area.
tabi 足袋: split-toed socks.
datejime 伊達締め: used to secure the waist below the bust, where the obi will be tied.
magic belt マジックベルト: a type of datejime with velcro, can be used instead of, or with the regular datejime. Usually one is used over nagajuban.
obiita 帯板: stiff plate inserted between obi and kimono to maintain shape.
obimakura 帯枕: makura means “pillow,” it is used to give the obi a beautiful shape.
obiage 帯揚げ: decorative cloth, also used to secure obimakura and obi.
obijime 帯締め: braided decorative cord, also used to secure obi. *you can use a obidome 帯留め decorative piece with this too.
geta 下駄: wooden sandals worn with kimono and yukata. You could also wear zori 草履 sandals, which tend to look a little fancier.
And of course a kimono 着物 and obi 帯.

For these pictures I used a Nagoya obi 名古屋帯, which is pre-stitched to make tying the taiko musubi easier. I have another fukuro obi 袋帯 as well, which can be used for the taiko musubi or some other types of knots as well. For informal kimono, either of these are a good choice. There are many rules as to which knot should be made with which obi should be worn with which kimono for which occasion during which season… etc. Do not feel overwhelmed. Honestly, just choose some things that you like and complement your appearance; many people, especially young people, do not know all of the rules, or even care to. People will be happy to see you in kimono, so have fun and don’t worry too much about adhering to any strict rules.

Top: Date-jime 伊達締め, Bottom: obi-makura 帯枕

Top: korin belt & waistbelt, bottom: koshi-himo 腰紐

For my first time dressing and wearing kimono, I unfortunately did not bother much with hair and makeup, or even accessories… I was just sort of happy I got everything looking close to decent. I need to adjust the taiko musubi with more height, but otherwise everything else seemed to work nicely. As far as matching season, rank, etc… well I looked at some charts, and it appears that perhaps I have done O.K. Yellow, Gold and Orange are autumnal colors, matched with a komon kimono 小紋着物 (patterned kimono, best for informal wear or everyday wear, but also okay for New Years! however not for graduations, weddings or ceremonial events). I used a Nagoya obi, which also matches for the same occasions as a komon kimono (but again, not appropriate for formal events). I picked up the Nagoya obi at a second hand store, I just loved the momiji/kaede (maple leaves) with the kiku (chrysanthemum) and the fans in the orangey fall colors. I thought it would be lovely with the yellow kimono and appropriate for the season. Next time I will try my dark green fukuro obi for a slightly different look.

Since this first time, I have added several things to my “collection” both purchased or handmade… various obi-dome (ornaments for the obi-jime), obi-jime (decorative cords), obi-age (cloth), kinchaku (Japanese-style bag) and basket, different colors of haneri (collar), kanzashi (hair ornaments, also can use with the obi) and obi-kazari, different color tabi (socks), and of course a few different kimono and obi. It gives you a chance to explore different styles for different occasions; the possibilities are endless.

Culture, Travel: Japan

Okinawa Omiyage: お土産

Omiyage お土産 are souvenirs. I posted about omiyage in general, but what should you bring back from Okinawa or send to friends back home? These are some of the things I have sent to friends or taken with me to give to the host when we stay at an AirBnB. Here are a few of the top omiyage that are distinctly Okinawan… (don’t get me wrong, the weird KitKat flavors are interesting, but not really unique to Okinawa).

Food:

chinsukou ちんすこう: small cookies/biscuits, made mostly of lard, flour, and sugar. Not recommended for vegetarians or Muslims, since it is usually pork lard. You can find various flavors such as brown sugar, salt, milk, sweet potato, and even sakuna.

Okinawa brown sugar 黒糖 (pronounced kokutou): cubes/chunks of brown sugar are sold in bags (and sometimes as candies). Also many other omiyage items will be flavored with Okinawa brown sugar.

shikuwasa (fruit, juice, etc) シークワーサー or シークヮーサー: small limey citrus fruit. You can buy the juice concentrate, or snacks/candies made using the flavor.

beniimo tarts 紅いもタルト: these are super popular omiyage. It is a small tart with the Okinawan purple sweet potato flavor. They are very pretty. They even make some for dogs now!

Okinawa soba 沖縄そば: packages of Okinawa soba.

awamori 泡盛: the local liquor. You can buy small or regular size bottles.

spam スパム: while not especially Okinawa exclusive, it is extremely popular here in Okinawa, and not many people on the mainland of Japan eat this. There are many types (similar to Hawaii, really), and some may be exclusive to Okinawa.

Non-food omiyage:

Shisa シーサー: these come in pairs, and are replicated like the larger ones you see all over Okinawa on buildings, houses, etc. These range in very cheap, to very expensive. You can buy them about anywhere, but for nicer ones check out the pottery districts in Tsuboya or Nanjo.

bingata 紅型: beautiful Ryukyuan technique for dying fabric. You can buy all sorts of items made from this fabric: coin pouches, purses, scarves, shirts, kimono, hair-ties, or even framed pieces of the fabric.

Ryukyu lacquerware: Ryukyu lacquerware has a unique style compared to other Asian countries.

ujizome うーじ染め: a technique for weaving and dyeing fabric using sugarcane leaves (uji うーじ in Okinawa language, 染め zome is dying). Items are a beautiful green color.

umeshi うめーし: Okinawan chopsticks (hashi 箸). They may look plain at first, but have an interesting history.

Culture

Bargain Kimono Sale: 着物

I wrote about summer yukata in another post, but recently, I went to a used/bargain kimono and yukata sale… which of course led me to pick out some items for very cheap. While there were some beautiful pieces (even pre-picked out sets) for higher prices, my budget for these types of things is not very high. That being said, I am happy with my purchases.

First, I found a pink rabbit hanhaba obi (with a silvery pattern on the opposite side)… super kawaii. So since it is a casual (half) obi, I decided to look for a yukata that would match it; I ended up with a discounted medium blue yukata with pink and purple sakura-looking flowers on it. While normally I would not choose a flower pattern, this one contrasts and complements the obi so well. I am excited for next festival season already! I will need to alternate between my cats yukata and my bunny/flower yukata set.

The second combination I found was an antique komon 小紋 kimono 着物, which is a semi-formal/informal kimono with a repeating pattern (less rules, more free patterns and variety), and an full-width obi that I thought went well with it. The kimono is yellow-gold with a pattern of colorful omamori (charms, amulet) お守り; it is rather unique, and maybe a little kitschy, and definitely not your typically flowers or elegance. At first I though the design was pots, like for shoyu or sake (which sounds like an awesome design itself!) until I looked closer. The obi is a dark green with wisps of white and black color on it, so it gives a nice contrast to the bright colors on the kimono. It is not proper for full formal events, but rather better as a more casual piece, while still being acceptable for semi-formal events by dressing it up a bit. This is perfect since I cannot imagine any formal kimono events in my future! I have started to assemble the fiddly bits that I need to be able to wear the full kimono ensemble; just learning to tie this type of obi seems daunting in itself. I am even tempted to hire a kimono dresser at some point so I can get it put together properly! Yukata are quite simple, but kimono add layers upon layers of complication.

Some of the fiddly bits necessary for kimono dressing:

Being a bargain shopper meant going through a large number of fabrics and obi to find the right size (I am a medium height Western female, which means rather on the tall side compared to most Japanese females), quality (some had obvious defects hence the discount), price, and designs. After a good hour of perusing, I settled on these 2 sets after contemplating some other designs. Considering new kimono run to the equivalent of hundreds (or even thousands) of US dollars, paying 2000yen (~$20 USD) for an antique kimono in good condition made me happy. The other pieces were all cheaper (900yen each, except the bunny obi costing me 2200yen, the only item over budget).

In Okinawa, there are a few places you can find secondhand yukata and kimono, mainly “recycle” shops (リサイクル), such as Manga Souko and OFF-house (2 of the bigger chain recycle shops and well known to gaijin, though perhaps you could get lucky with a smaller unknown recycle shop). There are also a few secondhand and antique kimono specialty shops (such as Kimonobana, the shop that held the bargain event). Prices at recycle shops can be as low as 500-1000 yen, but often the quality will be very poor in this price range (unless you are very lucky!). Most prices seem to be a bit higher than this, and I have seen some very beautiful 30,000 yen (or more!) kimono in some of the secondhand shops, you can imagine what the orginal price must have been. Of the 2 larger chains, OFF-house seems to be a better value and selection than Manga Souko in my opinion. I have yet to explore all the secondhand kimono shops, but hopefully I can get around to it before the New Year. Overall, these are still a pretty decent deal compared to paying for new kimono, so if you are in Okinawa and interested in kimono and yukata options, definitely check out some of these places. And of course, keep your eyes out for used Kimono sale events that happen throughout the year.

Japanese foods, Restaurants

Izumo soba: 出雲蕎麦

The other day, my husband was complaining that I did not take him with me to (Japanese mainland-style) soba restaurants. This was a bit of a surprise, as I assumed he mostly just tolerated my soba-eating habit and did not care for it as much… perhaps after eating it several times he has grown to enjoy it as I do. So I told him of a new Japanese soba restaurant I had heard of here in Okinawa, located in the old foreign housing neighborhood of Minatogawa 港川 in Urasoe, an area known for trendy little restaurants; he immediately says he is going there for lunch, if I want to meet him there… and off I go.

As a reminder, Okinawa soba (noodles made from regular flour, always served in hot pork broth) is quite different than mainland Japanese soba, made from buckwheat (buckwheat is actually called soba 蕎麦 in Japanese). Okinawa soba always feels like a misnomer to me since it is not made from buckwheat, and many foreigners here do not know what mainland soba is!

Anyway, I drove over to the neighborhood and checked the map on the sign at the entrance, but it was not labeled, so I followed GoogleMaps. I found the building that looked just like the picture online, but again, no signs or labels! I went to the entrance and sure enough this was it; my husband showed up a minute later. We chose one of the tables and started perusing the menu. What I did not realize was this was a special type of mainland soba 日本蕎麦– Izumo soba 出雲蕎麦! Izumo soba is darker and more aromatic than other mainland soba because the buckwheat hull is left on and ground up when making the soba flour. It also makes it a little chewier I think.

We ended up both choosing 2-tier 二段 warigo 割子 soba; this is considered the smaller size, 3-tier 三段 is the medium size, and 4 or 5 tiers for big appetites. We also split a 2-person size tempura, because what better to accompany soba than crispy tempura!

Warigo 割子 is round lacquered boxes stacked in tiers to serve the soba. It is particularly unique because unlike dipping soba, this soba you pour toppings and tsuyu (sauce for soba) into the first tier of noodles, mix and eat! When you finish, you take the leftover sauce and add it to the next tier of noodles, refresh the toppings and tsuyu, and continue this pattern until you finish. This was our first time eating soba in this way.

After we finished our noodles, the soba-yu 蕎麦湯 came out; it was thicker and more flavorful than others I have had. We poured our leftover broth into it and drank up to finish the meal.

address for 手打ち日本蕎麦松平 Matsudaira: 2 Chome-19-3 Minatogawa, Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture 901-2134 https://goo.gl/maps/qDYWCE9B6jn

Uncategorized

Types of Wagashi: 和菓子

A short introduction to “wagashi,” meaning Japanese sweets. There are many types, so let me review a few of the common ones. This focuses on Japanese sweets not Okinawan sweets, though it is possible to find most of these in Okinawa. Many of these are the perfect accompaniments to tea, especially matcha 抹茶. I will try to make posts about each of these individually at some point, but for now here is a brief description of each.

Nama-gashi 生菓子: these are fresh, delicate sweets, only lasting 1-2 days. The fillings, shapes and designs vary by the seasons and regions. If you click on the link, you can find out a little bit more about them in my previous blog post, and some places to find them.

daifuku 大福: soft mochi wrapped around sweet bean paste or other fillings, covered with a light dusting of starch to keep them from sticking together. A popular type of daifuku type is strawberry (ichigo 苺). You can even find ice cream filled daifuku in the freezer of most conbini.

dorayaki どら焼き: 2 light, sweet “pancakes” typically with red bean paste in between. Do not mix these up with hotcakes ホットケーキ which are western and serve with syrup.

ohagi おはぎ: cooked glutinous rice with red bean paste (or sometimes other toppings such as sesame or kinako) on the outside. Typically served during Autumn. The Spring version is called botamochi.

dango 団子or だんご: small pieces of steamed mochi dumplings, often served on a stick. Hanami dango 花見団子 is a very popular type, with color of pink, white, and green. Sometimes served with toppings such as mitarashi dango (sweet shoyu), goma (black sesame seed), anko (red bean paste), etc.

manjuu 饅頭 or まんじゅう: small “buns” that are either steamed or baked, filled with sweet bean paste or other sweet filling. Manjuu encompasses many different types of buns, so you will see a lot of variation. The one above is a stuffed pastry manjuu from an onsen town.

taiyaki たい焼き: fish-shaped pancake-like pastry with filling, traditionally red bean, but many flavors can be found such as custard, kinako, chocolate, and more.

youkan 羊羹: sort of sweet, firm, jelly-like confection made from sugar and agar (kanten かんてん). Travels well, so it is often a popular omiyage.

monaka 最中 or もなか: a wafer shell filled with sweet bean paste; the shells can come in different shapes and sizes. A popular modern variation of monaka is filled with ice cream, easy to find at the conbini! (I do not seem to have a picture of this one! mmm maybe that means it is time for a snack…)

sakura mochi (Kansai-style) 桜餅: mochi rice dyed pink and sweetened with red bean paste inside, wrapped with a sakura (cherry blossom) leaf. It is traditionally eaten in spring during sakura season and Girls’ Day (March 3rd). You can eat the leaf or not eat the leaf; from I have heard there is no actual rule regarding this, though the leaf is edible– don’t let anyone tell you are doing it wrong!

warabi mochi わらび餅: jelly-like, similar to mochi, but made from warabi (bracken) starch. It is a little chewy and soft. It is usually covered in kinako or matcha powder.

higashi 干菓子: known as “dry sweets,” or sweets with little to no moisture content. Sometimes this is a glutinous rice flour, sugar and starch mixture or a wasanbon sugar pressed in molds to form dry sweets. Rakugan 落雁, used during ceremonies and obon, also fall under this category.

Other special types:

Mizu manjuu 水まんじゅう: “water” manjuu made with kuzu, popular in summer!

Hanabiramochi: specialty namagashi named flower petal mochi, often served during the first tea ceremony of the New year.

Akafuku Mochi: 赤福餅: a type of namagashi from Ise.

A few of the wagashi I came across in Kanazawa (there are so many more, but these are the ones I managed to capture pictures of before nomming):

Culture, Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Matsuyama 松山, part 3: Festival 祭 & final day

Continuation from part 1 and part 2 of Matsuyama trip.

At the end of the first day, we were lucky enough that there was a Lantern and danjiri (shrine/temple cart) festival scheduled during our visit, held in the park at the foot of the castle. So of course, we go to check out these interesting mainland matsuri called 大神輿総練 Oomikoshisouneri!

灯りの祭典(ランタン祭り): Lantern festival 

だんじり danjiri: a cart made to represent a temple or shrine, it has 
wheels, but can also be lifted up on the shoulders.

神輿 mikoshi: palanquin carried on the shoulders used by shrines and 
temples during festivals.

I have way too many photos to post, but it was certainly a lively and exciting matsuri. First we ate some matsuri food and drank some beer, then watched the taiko performances.

They lit the lanterns (by hand, all candles!) that adorned the danjiri. Next they started with the all-female mikoshi, parading through the crowds. Then the enormous mikoshi/danjiri rolled out with enthusiatic men on each corner whistling, waving towels, and shouting, while several men were carrying the cart and occasionally lifting it high into the air. Once they had their turn, the smaller danjiri got to go all at once– the field was filled with carts jostling about, drumming, chanting, whistling…! It was a site to see, a great way to end the evening.

To view all of the images, here is an album: https://imgur.com/a/03dUy

During our final full day in Matsuyama, it rained quite a bit, so there were less pictures. We still had a fairly eventful day, though.

First we explored a historic tea garden and a folkcrafts/textiles museum, both which happened to be open fairly early.

We then went to the day onsen near the hotel 伊予の湯治場喜助の湯 (“Kisuke”), while not historical, pretty nice with lots of different types of baths. You had to purchase amenities separately which could add up if you do not bring your own.

Afterwards we headed towards the castle gardens, despite the rain. We paid the admission fee to look around the gardens, as well as the tea set. The garden does not always do tea ceremony, so we were fortunate that it was being held this time of year. We were brought out usuzumi youkan 羊羹 to eat and frothy, bright green matcha to drink.

Even though we indulged in a tea set, I was not finished yet… we ended up also walking downtown where I sought out various treats famous to this area, including ichiroku (1-6) tart and shoyu dango. Ichiroku tart is a lovely yuzu citrus castella wrapped around smooth bean paste; you can also buy chesunut and matcha flavors. I also bought Madonna dango (also Botchan themed), which has a really western dango taste: strawberry, vanilla, and cafe ole! It is really good, and I think it must be popular with women.

A gelato shop called SunnyMade also caught our eye, and well, yes… ! Of course we decided to split the “10 small scoops of your choice plate!” We were given a check sheet and decided which of the 18 available flavors to try (the 10 we chose were kabocha/pumpkin, iyokan marmalade, kinako/roasted soy bean, passionfruit, blueberry, strawberry, matcha, salt milk, pear, and another local citrus flavor). There was even a free toppings bar. It was delicious and I would recommend trying it, especially the local flavors!

We shopped for awhile under the covered arcade until dinner time. For dinner, we happened to find this “German” restaurant… well, it was German themed but not really so German at all. It was called Munchen ミュンヘン. We noticed a large number of people getting carry-out right away and wondered what it might be… turns out it was karaage, and this place is super popular spot to get karaage. We ordered some (Japanese) beer in king size mugs, karaage, German sausage plate, and fried gobou (burdock root). It was all actually really good, and not pricey at all. Overall my husband was very happy. Afterwards we crashed at the hotel with a few more beers from the conbini and watched the local news.

Culture, Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Matsuyama 松山, part 2: Castle 成

Continuing from where I left off about Matsuyama, part 1…

After Dogo onsen area, we set out for lunch and walked a bit aimlessly until we settled on an okonomiyaki place, which turns out to be a lovely find. We split a kimchi yaki-ramen and a Hiroshima style okonomiyaki with some beer. The owner ojiisan and customers were a bit amused by the gaijin coming inside (this was not exactly on the main path, but rather tucked behind some sketchy neighborhoods), and then being able to order in Japanese. Quite good, really.

Next it was time for sake (nihonshu) sampling! There is a place where you can (for a price) sample sake from all over the prefecture. The price is per glass, so not really so much as sample, as just a small glass. To be quite honest, I felt completely overwhelmed by the menu… so I plucked up my courage and asked in Japanese if he (the worker) could recommend 4 different sakes from Ehime prefecture, since I really do not know enough about the subtle differences of sake to decide. Luckily, he understood my dilemma, and I got the feeling this was actually quite normal for Japanese to ask for his recommendations, so he chose 2 sweet and 2 dry for us. I was relieved, as I wanted to try some, but again… the menu had probably over 50 different choices with not much description that I could properly understand (other than the very basic types and alcohol percentages). I would definitely recommend visiting this shop if you find yourself in Ehime, and try some of the local alcohol.

It was still fairly early, so we decided to go ahead and visit the castle since there was rain in the forecast for the following day (and good thing we did!). To get to the castle, you can walk up a steep trail or for 1020 yen round trip + castle tower entrance fee (entrance by itself is 510 yen), you can take either a chair lift or a ropeway car. My husband wanted to take the chair lift since it would be more exciting. The chair lift is continuous, so there is essentially no wait time to get on (the seats are individual, so no riding in twosies), while the ropeway leaves every 10 minutes, and has room for probably a dozen or so people in the cabin. The chair lift has no restraints, you just sit in the chair and hold on… I felt a little nervous, but it was fun and the view wonderful. At the top, you still have to hike a bit up to the castle no matter which mode of transport you chose.

The castle and grounds were really nice; the views on top of the tower were quite good. The tower was pretty interesting, lots of historical information. You must remove you shoes to enter the castle tower, and you can opt to wear rubber slippers. The stairs inside are very steep and narrow, just as a fair warning in case this might pose a problem. I almost slipped a few times.

After the castle, of course I need another snack so my husband and I split an iyokan 伊予柑(type of local orange citrus) soft serve by the chair lift/ropeway (which is CHEAPER than the one by the castle, only a few meters away!). It was delicious! I highly recommend trying this if you visit in warmer weather.

At this point, we head back to the room clean up and get ready for the next exciting adventure: the festival! To be continued in Part 3!

Again, a very small sampling of photos, for more visit: https://imgur.com/a/03dUy

Culture, Japanese foods, Travel: Japan

Matsuyama 松山, part 1: Dogo Onsen 道後温泉

During the recent holiday weekend, we visited Matsuyama 松山 in Ehime Prefecture 愛媛県 on Shikoku 四国. While this may not be a “must-see” for most people taking a visit to Japan, it was certainly a lovely place… I am now wishing I had more time and could have seen more of Shikoku. Another trip maybe…

Matsuyama is known for 2 things: it is the setting of the famous Japanese novel “Botchan,” by Natsume Souseki, a tale of a head-strong Tokyoite named Botchan sent to the rural Matsuyama town on Shikoku Island to teach middle school math, set in the Meiji era. It was also recently turned into a J-drama movie starring one of the Arashi members, and is really entertaining! The second thing is the Dogo Onsen, not only famous due to Botchan, but also said to have been 1 of the onsen that inspired the backdrop for Ghibli’s Spirited Away animated film.

Anyway, on to the trip!

First thing to know, there is no train from the Matsuyama airport, you will need to take a bus downtown (which is actually a very short ride, 310 yen to the JR station, or 410 yen to the city station, I think it must have been less than half an hour). Exit the airport, and there will be a ticket machine to buy tickets, then just get on the bus. Easy. Depending on the number in your party, it is not unreasonable to simply take a taxi (fare ~2000yen when we took it on the return trip from our hotel to the airport!).

We got off at the JR station, but realized too late that the tram that goes to our hotel a) runs only 2x per hour, and b) actually runs in a loop which is somewhat reverse and inconvenient. Anyway, at the JR station you can buy 1 day or 2 day passes for the Iyotetsu trams (**PASMO and SUICA do not work… sigh). For a some extra fee, these can include more trains, the Botchan train ride, and Matsuyama castle entrance. For what it is worth… I do not think these passes are worth it, at least it ended up not be for us. The “city” is actually really walkable (or even bike-able), and the trams not so convenient. It turned out to be cheaper for us not to use the day passes, since we sort of enjoy walking most places anyway. Just something to think about.

Anyway, we end up walking to our hotel (next to the castle park area) from the station since it is not a very long walk anyway. We checked into the hotel, admired our “castle view,” which was a bit like, oh yeah, I can see a cute little castle at the top of that hill over there… and headed out to enjoy the evening views. We headed towards Okaido station shopping area, admired some food stuffs in the department store and surrounding shopping arcade. At sunset we took the ferris wheel on top of the department store. FYI: If you show your PASSPORT this is free! We did not do our research… and had to pay the fare. sigh. BRING YOUR PASSPORT for the free ride! Well, it was a nice view, not spectacular but a cute way to wind down a day.

Afterwards, it was time to head towards Dogo Onsen 道後温泉, one of the onsen that is said to have inspired Spirited Away (Japanese title: 千と千尋の神隠し)! I came at night in order to get the night shots of the onsen all lit up and romantic (bathing would happen the next day). A warning: if you really, really want to bathe at Dogo onsen at night, just be aware it might be crowded… nighttime is the most popular time to visit (for very good reason, it is stunning!). We opted just for pictures at night (I dislike crowds overall). So we enjoyed the public foot bath, the strolling the small shops in the area, trying out the famous botchan dango, and taking pictures for the first evening. Really, Dogo Onsen is just fantastic at night; the atmosphere really is amazing, people wandering around in yukata with bath baskets, leisurely heading towards the bath… I was quite jealous now that we had not opted to stay in the immediate area (but the prices were literally 3x that of where we were staying… alas!). We also tried the Dogo Beer Brewery… it was okay… but honestly 600yen per beer was a bit much. The beer was so-so (I thought the Madonna beer was best), and if you were not eating a meal there, you could only do “take-out” which meant drinking the beer in a plastic cup in front of the building. So lessons learned: stay as close to Dogo Onsen as possible in one of the minor onsen hotels (assuming price is not unreasonable) and do not feel pressured into trying Dogo Beer, as it is not that great (not terrible, just, Asahi is better and cheaper).

The next day, we decide to hit up Dogo Onsen for the actual bath around 8ish after taking breakfast at our hotel. This so happened to be a PERFECT time for visiting… not too crowded so enjoying the bath was amazing! We arrived, took a shoe locker, and bought our tickets. Now, there are many levels of tickets, most are for a total of merely 1 hour in the bath… there is the basic, no frills, no nothing just entrance fee for just a few hundred yen. Then you can start looking at the Tama-no-yu bath with senbei (rice cracker)/tea snack on the second floor lounge for a bit more, and then the high rollers of Tama-no-yu bath plus private changing room and botchan dango/tea snack at a whopping 1500yen, but you get 80 minutes in the bath. Well, in coming here, I am going for the whole experience, so I insist to my husband we get the highest tier. Now, I will not kid around, knowing Japanese is a huge advantage here. I am unsure how you could get around here comfortable not knowing it. I am sure it is possible, but I imagine rather difficult.

So we get our tickets, and they direct us to the 3rd floor. On the 3rd floor, we are received by a mama-san, who gives us bath towels, yukata with the special crane design, and shows us to our private 2-person tatami changing room. She explains we have the room for 80 minutes, and can use both the second floor Tama-no-yu bath, as well as the public 1st floor bath. When we are finished and ready for tea, to ring the buzzer on the table. So we change quickly, admire the view from our third floor room, and head down towards bath areas. We are entranced by the beautiful interior of the whole complex, with winding halls, narrow stairs, beautiful rooms with small details, cheerful bathhouse workers… seriously, something out of a Ghibli film.

I enter the 2nd floor baths, and as it turns out, I am the only one using it at this time. It was wonderful, even if a bit simple. Even so, images of Botchan (a Japanese novel set in Matsuyama) and Spirited Away surround me. Perhaps I have a good imagination. After a good soak, I finish up, eager to scope out the rest of the complex, as well.

I looked around at the second tier lounge, just to see what I upgraded from. This floor was also quite lovely; while it was a mixed, open floor plan (changing rooms for the bath segregated), you could enjoy senbei and tea while wearing yukata with the basic design with a nice view from the balcony. I think a majority of visitors choose this option.

From here, I wandered down to the first floor public bath. It was larger and obviously more lively (less private), but that is also a good thing. I like variety. There are no amenities down here, so you need to bring your own towels, robes, soap, shampoo/conditioner (the more upper level bath comes with these), just remember if you choose this option!

Afterwards I went back to our 3rd floor room where my husband was waiting. We buzzed for tea, and moments later it arrived~ green tea and botchan dango. Botchan dango has 3 flavors: red bean, matcha, and local citrus (although very light citrus flavor). Finally our 80 minutes have passed and it is time to leave. My husband liked that we had a room together and he was not just changing with ojiisans, even if our baths were separate.

Before we headed down the stairs, the mama-san showed us the Botchan room. It is all in Japanese, but I could get the basic idea. On the second floor, we were then given a small tour of the imperial baths (where the emperor bathes on his visits). They explained that the 2nd floor mens bath is where the bodyguards bathed; my husband was amused and now brags he bathed where the imperial bodyguards bathe. Anyway, it is an interesting little area.

Feeling refreshed, we look for the next item on the itinerary; the onsen shrine and the Dogo Park area. These are not particularly spectacular, but enjoyable nonetheless. We get tickets for the Botchan train; it is so cute. We also watch the “gizmo” clock, as on the hour, it plays music and little Botchan characters come out and move around.

Here is a “sample” of pictures:

Click to continue to Part II!

Additional images from Matsuyama (not organized or labeled yet…): https://imgur.com/a/03dUy

Restaurants, Shops

Kinjo bakery: 金城ベーカリー

Buffets in Japan are often called “viking” バイキング (baikingu). Tabehoudai 食べ放題 means “all you can eat.”

Kinjo bakery in Shuri has a savory and sweet bread buffet, during morning and lunch/cafe times. It is really pretty good, and the price is not too bad either, especially if you bring your appetite (adults are 648 yen in the morning and 810 yen at lunch, cheaper for kids). You can stay for 2 hours, and there is self-serve coffee, tea, and juice. But it is total carb and sugar overload!

I only stayed for probably 45 minutes, just to get out of my office during lunch break, and nibbled on some breads, but even if I did not take full advantage I was happy with the price and everything was tasty (though I definitely had 800 yen worth of bread and tea). There were so many choices, and the staff kept bringing out more stuff. Next time I will need to bring my laptop and some study stuff, and use up my 2 hours. There were some small groups of people eating, as well as a few one individuals like myself, also students looking for a good bargain. I should have taken more pictures, the selection was overwhelming!

address: 沖縄県那覇市首里赤平町2-51-3

Cooking, Japanese sweets, Local Foods

Okinawa Sweets: 沖縄のお菓子

沖縄 is Okinawa, and お菓子 okashi means “sweets.”

I have posted many times on sweets found in Okinawa and Japan, but this is an interesting little paper I picked up at the COOP grocery store (the one with the apple logo, not the JA’s ACoop) that described a few of the most popular and easy to make at home. I will try to adjust these recipes with more “accurate” measurements and add some personal pictures, since knowing the “right proportion of water and mochi flour to make mochi cake” is not necessarily well-known to most English speakers, as well as the fact that most people do not have easy access to the pre-mixed ingredients you can buy in local grocery stores.

First up, we have sata andagi サーターアンダギー. These are like fried donuts. Sata andagi were used for celebrations like weddings and babies being born.

6-8 eggs (in Okinawa, eggs are a bit smaller than American versions, so 6 medium-large or 8 small-medium eggs)
brown sugar, 700 grams
flour, 1 kg
baking soda, 15 grams
vinegar, 2 tbsp
oil for frying

Mix eggs and sugar, than mix in flour, baking soda, and vinegar. Making spoonfuls of dough, drop into frying oil (deep fry) at 150-160 C, rotating until golden brown.

Next up is chinpin チンピン and popo ポーポー. These are very similar; they are fried crepe-like pancakes using flour and eggs, rolled up. These were traditionally made on the 5th month 4th day of the lunar year, a day known as yukkanuhi ユッカヌヒー (to pray for good luck in fishing and maritime activities, a celebration day with traditional haarii boat races), and the 5th day, known as gungwachigunichi グングヮチグニチ (this day is known as Boy’s Day, or Children’s Day, in the Japanese calendar). On Henza-jima, popo is also traditional on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month.

Popo:
80 g brown sugar
100 g flour
1 c of water (some people will also replace part of the regular water with carbonated water to increase the number of bubbles in the pancake!)
1/2 tsp baking powder
small amount of veg oil for frying
small amount of andansu (Okinawa pork miso)

Make a thin pancake with flour and water, grilled in a fry pan with a bit of oil. Add a bit of andansu (Okinawa miso) to the middle and roll up. Traditionally, the sugar would be omitted from the pancake and added to the andansu filling instead, so that the pancake would be white. Some people would even just add white sugar to the pancake batter instead of brown sugar to the pancake to keep it white. These days, as tastes have changed, I notice most people add sugar to the pancakes which tend to give them a brown appearance similar to chinpin. Also, depending on your tastes, you could use milk instead of water in the batter. One place I bought popo actually replaced the andansu completely with a brown sugar mochi instead; so, anyway to each their own.

Chinpin: mix flour, brown sugar, egg whites, and water (again, often carbonated water in hopes for more bubbles in the pancake). Make a thin pancake and grill in fry pan, you should see many small bubbly holes on the surface. Roll up and serve. No filling in this one! *Note: many people refer to chinpin as brown sugar popo 黒糖ぽーぽー, and sometimes even just popo. Technically they are different, but it seems many people do not distinguish between the two.

Also, for those of you living in Okinawa, it is quite easy to find “chinpin” mix in the local grocery stores as well.

Agarasaa アガラサー (also romanized as “agarasa”) is a steamed sponge cake, similar to castella. This was also made for special occasions. It has a mochi-mochi texture (chewy) and is very enjoyable. Many grocery stores will sell the mix for this, so all you need to do is add water and using a steamer basket, add batter into small aluminum tins and steam over high for ~10 minutes. (I will post a “from scratch” recipe later). Traditionally it is made with brown sugar, though you will see other “flavors,” and it would probably be steamed in sannin サンニン/月桃 (shell ginger leaves). Most people at home do not bother with the sannin leaves these days, and likely most grocery stores selling these prepackaged do not either.

Kuzu muchi クズムチ, also called kuji muchi クジムチ, is a type of mochi made with a sweet potato starch (imokuzu):

芋くず imokuzu, 1.5 cups
water, 6 cups
sugar, 200 grams

Mix imokuzu with 3 cups of water, and dissolve sugar in remaining 3 cups of water; mix together. Heat mixture for 3 minutes on 600 watts in microwave range and remix, 5-6 times. Pour into containers, sprinkle with kinako and let chill until gelled/solidified (it won’t get firm per se, but should hold together).

Last is fuchagi フチャギ, which I wrote about in another post. The recipe is very simple, mix 1 1/4 cups of water and 300 g of mochiko (mochi flour), form into rectangular shapes, steam for 15 minutes, and cover immediately with softened/boiled azuki beans.

Interested in more Okinawa sweets? Check out these posts on sweets that are special to Okinawa:

Muuchii: ムーチー (part 1)

Muuchii ムーチー: Folklore and Recipe (part 2)

Okinawa mochi, pt.3: Nantou ナントゥー餅

Machikaji: まちかじ (松風)

Kippan: きっぱん（橘餅）

Tougatsuke: 冬瓜漬

Sangwachi gwashi: 三月菓子

Kunpen: くんぺん

Chiirunkou: ちいるんこう (鶏卵糕)

Ryukyu Traditional Sweets

Okinawa Zenzai: 沖縄ぜんざい

Japanese sweets, Restaurants

Miyabi Chaya Nakamoto: みやび茶屋仲元

茶屋 chaya: tea house

Miyabi Teahouse Nakamoto みやび茶屋仲元 is a small tea house located in Okinawa city, off a back alley from Rt. 330 past the Rycom mall. You might not realize it exists, unless you recognize the hiragana for dorayaki どらやき on a purple flag in the alley and then think to follow it down an even more narrow alley to a parking lot leading to what appears to be an unmarked house except for the Okinawa City Omotenashi (おもてなし “hospitality”) flag outside the door.

Anyhow, it is a teahouse, leave your shoes at the door and enter the tatami room; during lunch they have some light meals, and during tea time you can order tea, coffee, ohagi, dorayaki, hot zenzai, and Okinawa ice zenzai. My quest in coming here was mainly to try the ohagi おはぎ.

Ohagi is named for the autumn flower, hagi (bush clover). In spring, this same dessert is called botamochi ぼたもち which is named after the spring flower, botan (peony). It is most commonly eaten during the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes.

Ohagi is sweet mochi rice with an azuki bean paste around the outside, although there are variations. This place had kinako (roasted soy flour) outside with anko (red azuki bean paste) inside, sesame outside with anko inside, as well as the typical anko outside and anko inside kinds. My husband and I ordered an ohagi set and a dorayaki set to share between us, so we ended up with 1 of each type, plus 2 dorayaki, and 2 matchas. What a nice experience. The owners were surprised to see Americans (at least by themselves and not accompanied by Japanese), and asked us how we found out about it and where we were from, etc. I explained about the Okinawa cafe book I purchased awhile back from the bookstore. The menu is in Japanese, but it seemed like the wife spoke some English, so I would not worry about trying this place out if you have trouble with Japanese language.

address:〒904-0032沖縄県沖縄市諸見里3-22-15

open 11-6 Wed-Sat (closed Sun, Mon, and Tues)

Culture, Holidays

Okinawa Lion Dance: 獅子舞

獅子舞 shishimai is “Lion Dance.”

This obviously has roots in Chinese culture. The shishi dog-lions are similar to shisa dog guardians; they are meant to protect or ward from evil, and to bring prosperity. Okinawa lion-dogs have hairy bodies, unlike the mainland, and lacquered heads made from the wood of Diego trees. Each region is a bit different in style, as well as dancing.

Shishimai are popular during traditional celebratory events, such as the New Year and Harvest festival (豊年祭 hounen-matsuri, around juugoya). Ryukuan lion dance is bit different from the Chinese style; less acrobatic, and usually larger or bulkier. There is a “handler” that sort of leads them around as they perform.

This is a terrible picture… hopefully I can get some better ones this year. This is the style of shishi lion in my village; he has a green lacquer face and and brown dreads.