It was another big day for the Koyama household. Ruki had school today (most Japanese secondary schools have Saturday classes every two weeks), so my host mom stayed home while Kanon, Mr. Koyama, and I ventured out together.
We left the house at 6 a.m. to drop off Kanon at her swim meet, which started at 7. After taking the train to the other side of Tokyo, we walked to the swimming complex. It filled an entire city block.
The swimming competition was the annual championship meet for the entire Tokyo metropolitan area, and when we arrived, there were at least 700 junior high schoolers waiting to get into the pool. After watching Kanon get warmed up, my host father and I left the pool for the Tsukiji fish market.
Tsukiji (pronounced ski-ji) is the largest wholesale seafood market in the world and a major tourist attraction. The market is known for its daily tuna auction, where bidders size up the day's catch and try to secure the best fish. The auction is so popular that the line to gain entrance forms at 4:00 a.m.
We did not show up early enough to get to see the auction, but walking around Tsukiji was still cool.
We got to look around the wholesale area where the bidders bring the fish after they purchase it. Every type of seafood imaginable was in the warehouse, and most were being cut up by workers to package and send off to restaurants. The atmosphere inside was grungy, smelly, and pretty hectic. All around, men whizzed by, driving large carts with huge boxes of fished stacked on them as the unmistakable stench of raw seafood drifted through the air.
Across the street from the market, a cluster of seafood restaurants sell dishes made from fish just purchased at Tsukiji and a group of vendors sell cooking materials and other foods.
We had lunch at one of the many sushi places in the area, but it was no ordinary sushi restaurant. It had the best sushi I have ever eaten. I won't forget that meal for a long time.
The setup was simple: all seating was on stools around a bar. The chefs behind the bar took orders directly from customers and made the food right in front of them, first molding the rice base of the nigiri sushi, then slicing a piece of fish, applying a dab of wasibi between the two, and placing the completed order in front of the customer.
Eight pieces of sushi cost about $25. I considered it a reasonable price to pay considering the quality of the food. Everything about it was perfect. The fish was fresh and cut perfectly, the sushi held together well, and even the ginger was high quality.
We walked down the street to check out Ginza, one of Tokyo's most famous neighborhoods. Ginza is basically Tokyo's equivalent to Fifth Avenue in New York. Filled with stores like Gucci, Coach, and Breitling, it normally wouldn't be my cup of tea. One thing drew me to Ginza: the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."
The movie is about an 85-year old sushi chef named Jiro Ono, who owns Sukiyabashi Jiro, a Michelin three-star restaurant. The movie profiles his life and complete dedication to mastering the art of making sushi.
Jiro's commitment to his craft is unflagging. He has worked as a chef his whole life and is famous for making his sous chefs practice making a dish for 10 years before he lets them cook it on their own, much less serve it to a customer.
Jiro's restaurant only has 10 seats and serves a tasting menu with 20 courses of sushi for $280. It takes months to get a reservation. President Obama dined there with Shinzo Abe when he visited Japan a few years ago. I was inspired by the movie and felt a strong desire to see it in person.
Located in a train station in Ginza, the restaurant is inconspicuous and hard to find because it's underground. We went to visit at about noon, and it was closed. However, I poked my head inside to try and get a glimpse, and as luck would have it, I saw Jiro standing in the corner, adjusting a pile of menus. We made eye contact briefly before he glared at me, turned around, and walked away. I was thrilled to have seen him, even if only for a moment.
We headed to Shibuya, another well-known area of Tokyo. Shibuya is famous for two things. One is the Hachiko statue, which is dedicated the dog who waited for his master to return from work at the station everyday during his lifetime and continued to do so for nine years after he passed away. Several movies and books have been made based on his story.
The second notable landmark in the neighborhood is the Shibuya crossing, which is a scramble of crosswalks in the neighborhood's main intersection where all traffic is stopped and pedestrians flood the entire street when they have the walk signal. My dad (my real dad, not my host dad) tells me that urban planners in the United States call this arrangement of traffic signals a "Barnes Dance."
My host dad and I walked around and saw the many shops in the area. We stopped at a coffee shop and refueled with a drink and some matcha cake (they have matcha-flavored everything here).
We headed to Harajuku Station and then walked to the Meiji Shrine, which is directly adjacent to a huge shopping district. The shrine is dedicated to a former emperor of Japan and his wife. It sits directly in the shadow of downtown Tokyo, providing a serene escape from the bustle of the city.
After visiting the main shrine, we walked around the garden area, enjoying the weather, and savoring the shade from the large oak trees.
After we got home, I was able to take a quick nap and recharge a little. For dinner, my host mom showed me how to make Nikujaga, which literally means "meat and potatoes." The version we made used braised beef, potatoes, peas, carrots, and onions.
It was simple and easy to cook. We started by stir frying the beef, then adding the vegetables and potatoes. After that, we added some water to cover all of the ingredients and let it boil before adding the sauce ingredients, which were soy sauce, mirin (rice wine), sake, and sugar. It tasted great and was very flavorful. I was glad to get another recipe to bring back home.
Tomorrow my entire host family will be back together for another exciting day of adventuring. I'm excited to see what awaits.
We left the house at 6 a.m. to drop off Kanon at her swim meet, which started at 7. After taking the train to the other side of Tokyo, we walked to the swimming complex. It filled an entire city block.
The swimming competition was the annual championship meet for the entire Tokyo metropolitan area, and when we arrived, there were at least 700 junior high schoolers waiting to get into the pool. After watching Kanon get warmed up, my host father and I left the pool for the Tsukiji fish market.
Biking to the train station at 6:00 a.m.
Kanon (right) and a friend on her school's swim team
The swimming complex
It was huge
Tsukiji (pronounced ski-ji) is the largest wholesale seafood market in the world and a major tourist attraction. The market is known for its daily tuna auction, where bidders size up the day's catch and try to secure the best fish. The auction is so popular that the line to gain entrance forms at 4:00 a.m.
We did not show up early enough to get to see the auction, but walking around Tsukiji was still cool.
We got to look around the wholesale area where the bidders bring the fish after they purchase it. Every type of seafood imaginable was in the warehouse, and most were being cut up by workers to package and send off to restaurants. The atmosphere inside was grungy, smelly, and pretty hectic. All around, men whizzed by, driving large carts with huge boxes of fished stacked on them as the unmistakable stench of raw seafood drifted through the air.
At the entrance to the wholesale area
Boxes filled with fish ready to be delivered to restaurants
That's a very large knife
More pics of people using large knives to cut up fish
Last fish slicing shot, I promise!
Across the street from the market, a cluster of seafood restaurants sell dishes made from fish just purchased at Tsukiji and a group of vendors sell cooking materials and other foods.
The restaurants were packed - even at 9:30 a.m.
Lots of knives!
People stand in line for the restaurants
My host dad and I sample tamagoyaki, which are
sweet scrambled eggs served cold (it was delicious)
Hey, big guy!
We had lunch at one of the many sushi places in the area, but it was no ordinary sushi restaurant. It had the best sushi I have ever eaten. I won't forget that meal for a long time.
The setup was simple: all seating was on stools around a bar. The chefs behind the bar took orders directly from customers and made the food right in front of them, first molding the rice base of the nigiri sushi, then slicing a piece of fish, applying a dab of wasibi between the two, and placing the completed order in front of the customer.
Eight pieces of sushi cost about $25. I considered it a reasonable price to pay considering the quality of the food. Everything about it was perfect. The fish was fresh and cut perfectly, the sushi held together well, and even the ginger was high quality.
They whip the sushi up for you right on the spot
Fatty tuna, mackerel, and white fish
That's sea urchin on the left and salmon eggs on the right
We walked down the street to check out Ginza, one of Tokyo's most famous neighborhoods. Ginza is basically Tokyo's equivalent to Fifth Avenue in New York. Filled with stores like Gucci, Coach, and Breitling, it normally wouldn't be my cup of tea. One thing drew me to Ginza: the documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."
The movie is about an 85-year old sushi chef named Jiro Ono, who owns Sukiyabashi Jiro, a Michelin three-star restaurant. The movie profiles his life and complete dedication to mastering the art of making sushi.
Jiro's commitment to his craft is unflagging. He has worked as a chef his whole life and is famous for making his sous chefs practice making a dish for 10 years before he lets them cook it on their own, much less serve it to a customer.
Jiro's restaurant only has 10 seats and serves a tasting menu with 20 courses of sushi for $280. It takes months to get a reservation. President Obama dined there with Shinzo Abe when he visited Japan a few years ago. I was inspired by the movie and felt a strong desire to see it in person.
Located in a train station in Ginza, the restaurant is inconspicuous and hard to find because it's underground. We went to visit at about noon, and it was closed. However, I poked my head inside to try and get a glimpse, and as luck would have it, I saw Jiro standing in the corner, adjusting a pile of menus. We made eye contact briefly before he glared at me, turned around, and walked away. I was thrilled to have seen him, even if only for a moment.
Jiro's place
Ginza
Stopped in at Gucci and got a few things for my peeps back home
We headed to Shibuya, another well-known area of Tokyo. Shibuya is famous for two things. One is the Hachiko statue, which is dedicated the dog who waited for his master to return from work at the station everyday during his lifetime and continued to do so for nine years after he passed away. Several movies and books have been made based on his story.
Hachiko, the model of loyalty.
The second notable landmark in the neighborhood is the Shibuya crossing, which is a scramble of crosswalks in the neighborhood's main intersection where all traffic is stopped and pedestrians flood the entire street when they have the walk signal. My dad (my real dad, not my host dad) tells me that urban planners in the United States call this arrangement of traffic signals a "Barnes Dance."
The "Shibuya Scramble"
Found a cool guitar store in Shibuya!
My host dad and I walked around and saw the many shops in the area. We stopped at a coffee shop and refueled with a drink and some matcha cake (they have matcha-flavored everything here).
We headed to Harajuku Station and then walked to the Meiji Shrine, which is directly adjacent to a huge shopping district. The shrine is dedicated to a former emperor of Japan and his wife. It sits directly in the shadow of downtown Tokyo, providing a serene escape from the bustle of the city.
After visiting the main shrine, we walked around the garden area, enjoying the weather, and savoring the shade from the large oak trees.
At the entrance
More temples. Hooray!
Bonsai tree in the foreground
After we got home, I was able to take a quick nap and recharge a little. For dinner, my host mom showed me how to make Nikujaga, which literally means "meat and potatoes." The version we made used braised beef, potatoes, peas, carrots, and onions.
It was simple and easy to cook. We started by stir frying the beef, then adding the vegetables and potatoes. After that, we added some water to cover all of the ingredients and let it boil before adding the sauce ingredients, which were soy sauce, mirin (rice wine), sake, and sugar. It tasted great and was very flavorful. I was glad to get another recipe to bring back home.
The ingredients
Stirring the pot
Mrs. Koyama checks to make sure everything is in order
The final product!
Tomorrow my entire host family will be back together for another exciting day of adventuring. I'm excited to see what awaits.
Wow! Great update! I Love the sushi master story and loyal dog statue.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Z! Glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteIncredible update...beautiful photos! I also want the recipe for meat and veggies. I saw the movie about the dog...I think Richard Gere was in that one. The dog was better than him though....
ReplyDeleteI'll send over the recipe, Lorcan! And isn't the dog always better?
DeleteWhat a day Kelly! The fish market sounds really cool and glad you got to see Jiro.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was awesome.
DeleteKelly, i feel like i jusst visited Tokoyo with you for the day!My favorite was the fish market. Keep up the interesting narrative.
ReplyDeletePa, you would have loved the fish market! It had your name written all over it. Glad you're enjoying the posts.
DeleteShibuya crossing = Barnes dance. We should try one of those around here - maybe in downtown Bethesda?
ReplyDeleteLove the picture of you and Hachiko. And quite amazing that you got to see, not only Jiro's restaurant, but the Master himself. Truly your lucky day. What a great memory!!
ReplyDelete