Roppongi Rag / 六本木ラーグ

Wendy's - Back in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:41:00 +0000

After a nearly 2 year absence in the Japanese fast food business...Wendy's opened up a new restaurant on a side street near Omotesando dori in Tokyo today.

They plan to open roughly 100 new locations throughout Japan over the next 5 years.

So get out there fans of the square burger.

All the best....Mark

Tohoku Earthquake 東北地震

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 18:09:00 +0000

In light of the horrific events (8.9 magnitude earthquake and 10 meter high tsunami wave of water) that have taken place in Miyagi-ken and the Tohoku (東北) region, I've listed below some organizations that were posted by yahoo.com on their site indicating that these organizations are accepting donations to assist in the relief/recovery efforts in Japan.

American Red Cross
Global Giving
Save The Children
Salvation Army
Convoy of Hope
International Medical Corps

All the best...Mark

Podo Marunouchi - ぽど丸の内

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:44:00 +0000

Have you ever walked by all of those signs along the street pointing to a lounge, cafe, shop in the basement level of a building and wondered what they were like????

Podo in Marunouchi is certainly worth taking a look.

This casual basement level hidden gem is a lively after-work pub that serves eleven kinds of makkoli, a milky pumpkin flavored sake from Korea, starting at JPY380 per cup.

Podo Marunouchi
B1F Shin-Tokyo Building
3-3-1 Marunouchi

So make sure to try a taste of Korea in the heart of Tokyo.

All the best...Mark

Jukka 十火 - Designer Senbei 煎餅 in Aoyama

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 03:02:00 +0000

Are you a fan of senbei 煎餅 (rice crackers to you and me)?

Well there is a great little shop in Aoyama between Koto Dori and Omotesando Station named Jukka 十火.

This is not your run of the mill rice cracker shop - the owners have taken it to a whole other level - the display cases found here resemble those found in high end jewelry shops - displaying the items under glass and on pedestal stands.

A modern ascetic combined with simple Japanese tradition.

The shop also offers a wide variety of tea options to act as a companion to their senbei offerings...you didn't hear it from me ( wink, wink) but they give free tastings to those that stop in for a visit.

They have a great web site with pictures of their creations - and a shop on line option as well : http://jukka.toyosu.co.jp/

So if you are a fan of senbei, you'll want to make sure to head to Aoyama to sample these tasty treats.

All the best...Mark

Japan Restaurant Week 2011 - ジャパンレストランウィーク

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:16:00 +0000

Sorry for the extended silence, the economic crisis required all of us to focus on other matters...but I'm back.

Since we are all looking for deals these days, I thought I'd start posting again with an interesting, tasty and cost conscious posting.

Japan Restaurant Week is coming in February and it is a great way for all of us to try new restaurants while not breaking the bank or budget at the same time.

Check out great spots in Roppongi, Shinagawa, Nihonbashi, etc.

They have a great web site with more details: http://www.jrw.jp/

Here's to a better 2011 for all of us.

All the best....Mark

World Cup 2010 - Japan Team Arrives in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 21:20:00 +0000

Friday June 11th starts the supreme soccer event that takes place every 4 years - the World Cup.

This year the country of South Africa is hosting and if previous events such as the Rugby World Cup are any indication the hosts will pull off an incredible job on the world stage.

Japan’s soccer team arrived for the World Cup in South Africa ready to give it their level best.

They will play in Group E with the Netherlands, Cameroon and Denmark, will be based in George and play matches in Bloemfontein, Durban and Rustenburg.

So, whichever team you are routing for, the next few weeks are sure to be entertaining.

All the best...Mark

Kyoto 京都 - Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺,

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 21 May 2010 01:32:00 +0000

So looking for an escape for the day from Tokyo. How about heading to Kyoto 京都.

What..too far you say...not at all. In less than 3 hours via Shinkansen 新幹線(bullet train) you'll be in Kyoto and able to explore and enjoy all that this great city and former capital has to offer.

Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺 or the Temple of the Golden Pavilion to you and me, was originally constructed in the late 1300's for the use of Shogun Ahikaga as a villa. This villa was converted to a temple later on by his son Yoshimochi.

The temple that we currently see today is not the original, as that was burned down, rebuilt and burned down again.

The most famous episode of burning down the temple was in 1950 and this event was immortalized in a fictional account of events in Yukio Misima's famous book The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. For those who have not yet had the chance to read this incredible book, it relays the tale of a monk, Hayashi Yoken, who burned down the temple while he attempts to commit suicide.

The Golden Pavilion is a three-story building on the grounds of the Rokuon-ji temple complex and is set amidst a superb Japanese strolling garden (kaiyū-shiki). The pond in front of it is called Kyōko-chi (Mirror Pond). As you can see in my photo, the image of the temple is reflected wonderfully in the waters of the pond. Certainly on a sunny blue sky day your pictures will be out of control and will wow your friends and family.

There are many islands and stones on the pond that represent the Buddhist creation story.

My next few posts will cover other spots in Kyoto well worth your time. So book that train ticket now and head west.

All the best...Mark

Narita Taiko Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:10:00 +0000

Heading to Tokyo this week????

Since you'll be flying into Narita International Airport you might want to check out the city of Narita before heading into Tokyo city center.

In Narita-city is Naritasan Shinshoji Temple which attracts about 12 million visitors in a year. A large-scale Japanese taiko drum festival takes place on April 10 & 11, 2010 at the temple and the front approach to the temple.

Japanese taiko drums 和太鼓 are impressive and were used in feudal times to inspire/motivate the soldiers as they marched off to battle. Today the style is appreciated more for the music and the coordinated rhythms but is still worthwhile an interesting.

All the best...Mark

Amanogawa (天の川) Sake Bar - Shinjuku

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:08:00 +0000

While in Tokyo everyone seems to be looking for the 'real Japan'. One such gem is a great little sake bar in the heart of Shinjuku's business district inside a hotel.

While I normally like to recommend places that are not simply an elevator ride from your room, Amanogawa is worth it even if you are not staying at the hotel where it is located - Keio Plaza.

This tiny 10 seat sake bar is actually inside of one of the hotels restaurants Kagari on the 2nd floor of their main tower. In light of the size of the space and the fact that it is only open from 5PM - 10:30PM, I would encourage you to make a reservation in advance.

This distinctive sake bar featuring some 40 different brands of sake from producers nationwide and with a resident sake sommelier on site Masaki Tada, you will be able to pair sakes with some specially prepared Japanese items or simply enjoy the sake on its own. Under the care of Mr. Tada, everyone from a novice to a seasoned sake aficionado can find something to suit their palette.

So after a long day of sightseeing, shopping or business meetings head over to Amanogawa for a real treat.

All the best...Mark

Capitol Hotel Tokyu ( 東急ホテルズ) to open newly contructed hotel in Tokyo October 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:02:00 +0000

Looking for the next great hotel property to stay at on your next trip to Tokyo this fall????

Tokyu Hotels, Co., Ltd., recently announced that The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, its new flagship hotel in Tokyo, will open its doors October 22, 2010.

The hotel is a new property located on the same grounds as the former Capitol Hotel Tokyu in Tokyo's Akasaka district.

The new twenty-nine story building with 251 rooms, 13 suites, 5 restaurants and bars, plus banquet space, pool and fitness center will be one of the most luxurious hotels in Tokyo, will be situated very close to four different subway lines and just a short distance from the Prime Minister's Official Residence and the Hie Shrine.

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu's latticework-inspired exterior design and new construction conjures up a more traditional Japanese aesthetic and was designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma.

Address: 2-10-3, Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Guest rooms: 251 rooms Deluxe King (45 m2), Premier Corner Twin (57 m2), Premier King (63 m2), Executive Suite (102 m2), Garden Suite (108 m2), Sanno Suite (180 m2),The Capitol Suite (218 m2)Library Lounge (for guests staying on the Club floor, floors 27-29, and in the suites)

For those who had stayed at the Capitol Tokyu in the past and came to expect a superior level of service and amenities this latest offering is sure to meet and exceed your expectations.

Check out their web site: www.capitolhoteltokyu.com

All the best....Mark

Japanese Health Ministry announces proposed ban on smoking in public spaces

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:25:00 +0000

So....I just heard about news in Japan of a change that I never ever thought would fly.

Japan, which without a doubt, has what can undeniably be categorized as one of the largest markets for consumers of cigarettes, announced today that there is currently a plan announced by the Health Ministry to call for a nationwide ban on lighting up in bars/restaurants and other public places.

Smoking in public spaces is still very commonplace in Japanese bars and restaurants, so bringing about a nationwide change like this would be massive and certainly welcome by non-smokers and tourists from other countries where smoking in public spaces is not permitted.

Certainly this move towards a 'healthier' lifestyle will be good for everyone, but change is often slow and difficult to effect in Japan....so stay tuned as they say.

All the best...Mark

Four Season's Hotel Chinzan-so offering Maiko meal/performance February 28th

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:04:00 +0000

So....as we head into Cherry Blossom season, the Four Season's Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-so is offering a unique culinary item.

The esteemed hotel's restaurant Miyuki will have an interesting Kyoto focused meal and maiko to entertain diners this month on the 28th. You'll only need to hop on the subway to the Edogawabashi Station and after a 10 minute walk you'll reach the Four Season's Hotel instead of making a special trip all the way to Kyoto.

The maiko performance will highlight a traditional dancing at 15:30 and 15:45 after enjoying your meal which are scheduled to begin at 14:30.

As with all things Four Season's the even will be special indeed - after the show, there will be a photo session with maiko.

With a price of ¥5,800 this is certainly reasonable for all that is offered. Enjoy the experience if you are in Tokyo that day.

All the best...Mark

Roppongi 六本木 Art Night - March 28 & 29, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:17:00 +0000

So....of course we are partial to events in and around Tokyo...so we thought this upcoming event taking place next month might interest art enthusiasts and culture vultures alike.

The Roppongi Art night this March is a one-night only event - from dawn to dusk - celebrating a wide array of art around Roppongi in a variety of venues such as:

Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown, The National Art Center,Tokyo, Suntory Museum of Art, public spaces, and participating shops and restaurants in the Roppongi area.

Of course given the time of year, if the weather permits, this might be a wonderful time to check out the cherry blossoms as you walk from exhibit to exhibit.

All the best.......Mark

Shimokitazawa (下北沢) Bear Pond Coffee House

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:35:00 +0000

So the winter cold, cloudy weather and holidays near and we can all use a jolt or at least a good shot of espresso.

Look no further than Bear Pond in Shimokitazawa (下北沢,) 2-36-12 KitazawaTEL: 03-5454-2486 東京都世田谷区北沢2-36-12

Honestly, it doesn't look like much from the outside, but the coffee if wonderful and a welcome change from the more watered down version of espresso that is popular in Japan.

Opened in April 2009 by Katsu Tanaka, Bear Pond is a welcome addition to the coffee scene around Tokyo. Created by Katsu Tanaka after close to two decades as a barista/trainer in New York City, Tanaka moved back to Tokyo to open his own shop.

Armed with a desire to offer true espresso, Tanaka found an old candy shop that he transformed into his coffee haven.

So what motivated the choice in name Bear Pond for a coffee shop? Tanaka, as previously mentioned, lived in NYC for several years and was fond of a part of the New York lake region - hence the name.

Tanaka's beans are provided by specialty roaster Nori Yoshimi.

So head to Shimokitazawa for the day, walk around and then take a break at this wonderful little coffee house.

All the best......Mark

Google's Pacific Fiber Optic Cable

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Some exciting news for the tech geek in us all.....

The laying of a new high-bandwidth fiber-optic cable connecting North America and Asia via the northern Pacific Ocean began on November 1st from Japan. The cable line, called “Unity”, is a project of six major communication companies, including Google and Japan’s KDDI.

In light of the ever increasing traffic between the two regions of the world, six companies aim to increase the overall transpacific cable capacity by at least 20% when it is set to launch approximately in the spring of 2010.

The cable, when finished, will stretch approximately 10,000 km (6,200 miles) from data centers in the Los Angeles area to KDDI’s data center in Chikura, just outside of Tokyo. From Japan, information can then be distributed to other countries in East Asia.

News sites noted that the planned maximum capacity of Unity was 7.68 Tbps; however, that number has since fallen to 4.8 Tbps for its initial use, according to a report from Japan’s ITpro. (For the curious, according to one reporter, John Bourdreau, 4.8 Tbps would supposedly be the equivalent of approximately 75 million simultaneous voice calls!)

All the best.....Mark

Japan Selected to host 2019 Rugby World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:21:00 +0000

Hot off the presses......the International Rugby Board (IRB) announced today July 28th that Japan will host the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

In the past, Japan was considered a lock to hold the 2011 World Cup but lost out in the end to New Zealand.

As Japan continues to be in the running for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games...if selected this will prove to be a very interesting decade for international sports using Japan as their stage.

All the best.....Mark

Zen 禅 - 2009 Takahashi Banmei film

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Zen (禅) - the Banmei Takahashi film originally shown in theaters in January, will be released on DVD with English subtitles this month in R2-J DVD format.

This interesting film follows the life of Dogen Zenji, a legendary Zen Buddhist monk, philosopher and founder of Soto-shu (曹洞宗) - played expertly by noted kabuki performer Kantaro Nakamura (中村勘太郎), with emphasis on the rather tumultuous Kamakura period.

At the urging of his dying mother, the main character becomes a monk to focus on the welfare of others. Losing both of his parents at a young age made this monk appreciate the fleeting nature of life and motivated his search along the path of enlightenment.

While he studied Buddhist teachings elsewhere, it was upon his return to Japan that he met with the greatest resistance as he worked to promote a new form of Buddhism Soto-shu (曹洞宗).

Well worth it.

All the best....Mark

JR East Test Runs New Shinkansen at 320 kph

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:17:00 +0000

Japan's East Japan Railway company rolled out a new shinkansen 新幹線 (bullet train) - E5 type bullet train - capable of reaching 320 kph. The new higher speeds can be reached in part due to the sleek construction of the train and its prominent elongated nose cone which will reduce air friction/resistance.

The new train started test runs at Sendai (仙台) Station and once officially used the train will link Tokyo (東京) and Shin-Aomori (新青森) Station in a bit more than 3 1/2 hours by the end of 2012.

Starting in December 2010, the E5 will first start operating between Shin-Aomori (新青森) and Hachinohe (八戸) stations, both in Aomori Prefecture.

The beauty of the Tohoku region (東北地方) will soon be able to be enjoyed by the masses as Tokyo (東京) and Aomori (青森) are accessible with even more efficient and timely methods of transportation. Whether you plan to visit Hirosaki, the Oirase Valley Gorge, Lake Towada, or any one of the other spectacular areas in Aomori Prefecture now you'll get there even quicker.

All the best....Mark

Cell Phones - 携帯電話 - rentals in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:36:00 +0000

So you are heading to Japan and want to be able to keep in touch and realised that your mobile phone either will not work in Japan or will be ridiculously expensive and are looking for options.

Unfortunately, Japans telecom system is not compatible with GSM or other US Systems.

You can either buy a prepaid calling card sold all over Japan at convenience stores and vending machines or you can arrange to rent a cell phone 携帯電話 (keitai denwa) while in Japan.

The rental option seems to be more popular and certainly convenient with pick-up/drop-off at airports such as Narita in Tokyo, Kansai in Osaka as well as deliveries to various hotels when arranged for an additional fee.

Some of the more popular companies are Softbank, KDDi, NTT DoCoMo, AU and G-Call.

I found the site for Softbank to be the easiest to understand, navigate and place an order. Softbank has a rental option using the 703SH model noted below, as well as a phone only rental option or a SIM card only rental option.

Softbank's daily rental is 250JPY per day and all incoming calls are Free. Calling locally in Japan 105JPY/min and calling back to the USA 300JPY/min. They have a table listing rates to other international destinations as well as additional fees for insurance, SMS, etc.

Their web site is http://www.softbank-rental.jp/ and the site is available in English and Japanese.

For those interested, some additional company sites offering rentals in Japan are http://www.roaming.nttdocomo.co.jp/ and http://www.g-call.com/

Lastly, many of these same companies also offer a for sale option which might be of interest especially to those who plan to stay in Japan for a while. Mobile phones are cheap to buy and there is a wide array of choices to pick from.

All the best....Mark

Akihabara 秋葉原電気街 - an electronics playground

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0000

So you have a craving for the latest and greatest electronics item not yet available back home....

Akihabara ( 秋葉原電気街) also referred to as 'the' spot to go to in Tokyo if you need any kind of electronics. With nearly 600 shops and merchants offering everything under the sun... this should certainly be one of the first stops on your itinerary as it is a major shopping area where you'll find electronics (Digital Cameras, electronic dictionaries Eng-Jap, flat screen/plasma TVs, rice cookers), computers, new DVD/CDs, robotics as well as anime can be found here.

New items are mostly to be found on the main street, Chūōdōri, with many kinds of used items found in the back streets of Soto Kanda 3-chōme.

Parts for PC-building are readily available from a diverse range of shops. Merchants along the cramped passageway of Soto Kanda 1-chome sell any number of tools, electrical parts, wires, cameras, etc.

Laox, Yodobashi and Radio Kaikan are some of the big name shops, with multilingual staff, very popular with out of towners looking for the latest and greatest electronics item before it can be found back home flock here to also take advantage of additional discounts afforded those Duty Free shoppers - come with your passport and your shopping list.

As you walk around Akihabara you'll see many people dressed in cos-play costumes - either fans of a particular anime series or simply an employee trying to get you to go to their cafe or trying to sell their companies products and looking to draw customers with their costumes and signs.

If you are a die hard manga fan you'll want to stop by two spots: 1. UDX Building housing the Tokyo Anime Center (you can record you voice and have it dubbed into an animated movie) or 2. Kanda - roughly a 12 minute walk where you find approximately 160 second hand book shops housing roughly 10 million books many stores specializing in new and used books.

All the best....Mark

Sake 酒

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Sake 酒, while the term is often used in the west to refer to Japanese rice wine, can actually be used to refer to any kind of alcoholic beverage - beer, shochu, whisky, etc.

While I am far from a sake sommelier, I wanted to from time to time list some interesting brands that might appeal to those looking for something new to try.

Sake falls into 4 categories:

Honjōzō-shu (本醸造酒), in which a slight amount of brewer's alcohol is added to the sake before pressing, in order to extract extra flavors and aromas from the mash. This term was created in the late 1960s to distinguish it, a premium sake, from cheaply made liquors to which large amounts of distilled alcohol were added simply to increase volume. Sake with this designation must be made with no more than 116 liters of pure alcohol added for every 1,000 kilograms of rice.

Junmai-shu (純米酒), "pure rice sake," made from only rice, water and kōji, with no brewer's alcohol or other additives. Before 2004, the Japanese government mandated that junmai-shu must be made from rice polished down to 70% or less of its original weight, but that restriction has been removed.

Ginjō-shu (吟醸酒), made from rice polished to 60% or less of its original weight.

Daiginjō-shu (大吟醸酒), made from rice polished to 50% or lower of its original weight.

Typically sake is judged on aspects - such as sweetness, bitterness, sourness, etc. - and can be drunk warm or chilled - the finer or higher quality sakes are best consumed when chilled so as to enhance and retain the flavor of the liquor.

Some varietals that you might enjoy are:

Kikusui no Junmaishu - Junmai (純米酒) brewed in Nigata

Hoyo Manamusume - Junmai (純米酒) brewed in Miyagi and crafted from rare Manamusume rice grown only in Miyagi Prefecture.

Hakkaisan Honjozo - Junmai (純米酒) brewed in Niigata

Masumi Arabashiri - Junmai nama Ginjyo (吟醸酒) - a mild sake with a fruity taste and aroma best served with robst foods such as Latin dishes.

Enjoy.

All the best...Mark

Kalafina カラフィナ - new CD single Sprinter

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:07:00 +0000

So now that I can focus on something other than the economic meltdown...it's time to get back to posting.

I just heard the new single Sprinter by a J-Pop band Kalafina カラフィナ and really like it.

The band created back in 2007 and represented by Sony Music Japan primarily records songs to be used for anime releases.

Sprinter is the second single by Kalafina, featuring Wakana Ootaki, Keiko Kubota along with two new members Maya and Hikaru. The single will be used in the Fifth Chapter of the anime series Kara no Kyoukai. Also, for those with an iTunes account this single and the corresponding album are also available on-line to download onto your iPod.

The song is great and upbeat - perfect for a run on the treadmill at the gym.

All the best....Mark

Ebisu (恵比寿) - Beer Museum Yebisu

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:09:00 +0000

Tired of looking at another Renoir, Rodin, or Monet...well how about a museum of a different sort? The Beer Museum Yebisu is indeed a full fledged museum that is not only open to the public for free but has a Tasting Lounge at the end of the tour. Mind you there are no free samples at the end , but for beer lovers this is certainly a spot worth stopping by for a visit.

The museum covers everything from the brewing processing , ancient brewing equipment, historical photos, labels, a theater with a 3d film, etc.

One of the items that was indeed of interest was a display from WWII to encourage the return of empty bottles that surely will have any bottle deposit program currently in place in the USA beat. The display message read as follows:

Beer For Use of Allied Forces Only and Free of Tax

Please return all empty bottles. The loss of bottles means that much less beer for you.

Dai Nippon Brewery Co., Ltd.

I've no doubt this was a strong motivator to get the troops to return those empty bottles back in the day.

As mentioned, at the end of the museum is a Tasting Louge, where you can get a 4 beer sample course of draft beer and enjoy the labels product. The 4 items on offer are Edel Pils, Yebisu Beer, Major Ale, Yebisu Premium Black Beer. (Photo below of tasting course offered)

The museum is open daily Tuesday - Sunday from 10AM - 6PM and you can contact the museum directly for additional questions at Tel: 03-5423-7255.

All the best...Mark

Gonpachi Restaurant Tokyo 権八

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:11:00 +0000

Strolling through Tokyo....hungry...tired of yet another meal that seems just like all of the others that you've had week after week?

Well foodies out there, there is a great unique and innovative culinary wonder in the heart of Tokyo, a great restaurant named Gonpachi.

"Gonpachi takes the best of traditional Japanese cuisine to the next level, serving soba noodles and "kushi"-style skewered delicacies in a traditional Japanese setting orchestrated to both relax and inspire. "

The restaurant is housed in a unique building constructed to resemble a recreated Japanese warehouse also know as a kura. I have no doubt that when the Director Quentin Tarrantino was looking for inspiration for sets for his film Kill Bill, he saw this place and said ...Ah Ha, that's it!

When you enter the entire staff screams out in unison welcoming you to the restaurant. It is wonderful and certainly different from other spots you may have eaten at previously.

The restaurant has 3 levels and an inner courtyard area where an open air kitchen is located, giving the restaurant a 'theater in the round' feel. The welcoming staff and the ability to see the staff prepare your meal all lend to the feel and ambiance of Gonpachi.

I went all out and had the JPY6,000 set course which was well worth it. Plate after plate of delicious edibles were paraded to our table by friendly and attentive staff. Isn't it great to eat something beautifully presented and have no idea what it is but thoroughly enjoy every last bite?

The restaurant has a great web site with menu offerings, additional photos and directions if you want to take a look before heading there for a meal

http://www.gonpachi.jp/en/nishi_azabu/home/location

Impressive yet restrained, Gonpachi is an oasis of calm amidst the urban chaos that is Tokyo.

I hope you enjoy this special culinary find while enjoying all of the other things that the capital has to offer.

All the best....Mark

Sengakuji (泉岳寺)

noreply@blogger.com (Mark) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Honor, loyalty, revenge....these are all sentiments that make up the fabric of the story associated with Sengaku-ji (泉岳寺) a Buddhist temple located in Takanawa, central Tokyo.

Every Japanese student learns this tale which centers around Lord Asano and his 47 Samurai warriors - the events of which took place in 1702.

Lord Asano was forced to commit seppuku 切腹 (suicide by disembowelment) after a quarrel with Lord Kira. As a result of the fight, Lord Asano drew his sword while they were on the grounds of the Edo Castle, which was strictly forbidden. Lord Asano's punishment was to kill himself, as was the custom at the time; however, Kira went unpunished. (A statue of Lord Asano was erected on the grounds of the temple - photo below)

After this, the 47 samurai associated with Asano, then had no master and became Ronin 浪人(masterless samurai). Since they had no master and their former master was disgraced, they had no means to earn a living and no other master would take them into their group.

The 47 Ronin plotted revenge and attacked Kira, beheading him and presented the head at the grave of Asano which was located at Sengakuji temple. After they avenged their masters death, and restored honor to his name, these 47 ronin committed seppuku at the temple.

The grave for Asano as well as those of his 47 samurai are all located at Sengakuji and even to this day are still adorned with flowers by fans and admirers of their loyalty and the honor they demonstrated on behalf of Lord Asano.

So in this day and age of instant gratification and me first attitudes, I think we can all take a moment to reflect on the message of this story and learn a thing or two.

All the best....Mark

Roppongi Rag / 六本木 ラ ー グ

Wendy's - Back in Japan

Tohoku Earthquake 東北 地震

Podo Marunouchi - ぽど丸の内

Jukka 十火 - Designer Senbei 煎餅 in Aoyama

Japan Restaurant Week 2011 - ジャパンレストランウィーク

World Cup 2010 - Japan Team Arrives in South Africa

Kyoto 京都 - Kinkaku-ji 金閣寺,

Narita Taiko Festival

Amanogawa (天の川) Sake Bar - Shinjuku

Capitol Hotel Tokyu ( 東急ホテルズ) to open newly contructed hotel in Tokyo October 2010

Japanese Health Ministry announces proposed ban on smoking in public spaces

Four Season's Hotel Chinzan-so offering Maiko meal/performance February 28th

Roppongi 六本木 Art Night - March 28 & 29, 2010

Shimokitazawa (下北沢) Bear Pond Coffee House

Google's Pacific Fiber Optic Cable

Japan Selected to host 2019 Rugby World Cup

Zen 禅 - 2009 Takahashi Banmei film

JR East Test Runs New Shinkansen at 320 kph

Cell Phones - 携帯電話 - rentals in Japan

Akihabara 秋葉原電気街 - an electronics playground

Sake 酒

Kalafina カラフィナ - new CD single Sprinter

Ebisu (恵比寿) - Beer Museum Yebisu

Gonpachi Restaurant Tokyo 権八

Sengakuji (泉岳寺)

Roppongi Rag / 六本木ラーグ

Tohoku Earthquake 東北地震