A-Mao的部落格

Before landing on the Land of the Rising Sun, in the cabin of ANA, one of A-Mao’s compatriots asked: Where is the must visit place in Tokyo? Shinjuku, he said: You can find lots of fun as long as you have cash! Arai Hifumi’s favorite tenpura restaurant is near by Sinjuku Station, too. Although business trip this time was very tight, finally, the Funabashiya was visited. He was planning to go for tenpura course but went for tendon & taranome (or shoot of aralia elata) in order to save money for his company. The octopus sunomono (or Japanese salad) is a free but nice appetizer, whereas the fried taranome is evocative of spring. There are two shrimps, one sand borer & eggplant on the delicious rice; in addition, the excellent, unforgettable sauce seems to be added something like marijuana or opium! No wonder Arai Hifumi likes to celebrate her birthday at this long-established store.

On night in Shinbashi, Miss Y & K would like A-Mao to be their gourmet guide. They were going to go to Honjinbou to eat soba, but the pity is that customers without reservation have to wait, and no answer for how long. They gave up and visited Karikaru in the basement of Shinbashi Station Higashi-guchi. It appeared two girls were enjoying their meals, and A-Mao reviewed fried oyster curry, as tasty as usual! It was the fifth time visiting this small curry bar, each time was with different people or alone, and honcho A, who found it with A-Mao in 2006, has left Ultracker already. In the future, maybe, shall come back again with other ones. Suddenly, a little bit somber……Thinking whether or not lonely Tiffany has run out of her food.

A-Mao is still uncertain when he will not lose himself in Tokyo, a maze that even locals cannot show ways to where you want to go. One night he was a gourmet guide for Miss Y & K, K said that she would like to sample ramen. Well, although a map was printed, and there is a ramen store we hasn't visited on it, A-Mao was afraid of getting lost, especially for that it was raining and we had no umbrella. Lucky that we went to Atago Rokusuke (愛宕六助) directly from Shinbashi Station. Their concept is tonkotsu, thin straight noodles goes well with the rich, milky broth, and the chashu is as delicate as juicy. During dinner time or on Saturday—off on Sunday, in addition, the first beverage, including beer, is free; besides, up to 2 nigiri (or rice ball) is without charge. If A-Mao had not just finished one plate of curry, he would have asked for 2 nigiri to make a delicious porridge. Very good cooking in its category!

When it comes to Kobe, what do you come up with? I asked some of my friends and colleagues, and all of their answer is steak. As for mine, it is about travel and, of course, Kobe beef. Been to there twice, I mainly visited a customer so that there was no time to enjoy this city located between the bay & mountains but was bought a lunch at The Sky Buffet in 2008. Food is not bad, and the view is so magnificent at 24 flours.

It is weird that Okinawa soba is totally different from normal Japanese soba made from buckwheat. A-Mao ordered his first one at an Okinawan restaurant in Akihabara. It tasted simple and supposed to be healthy. Boring, he poured some koregusu which is chili soaked in awamori, the local sake in Ryukyu Islands. Then, the flavor became a little bit interesting. Shall Okinawa soba be tested again? How about buying one bottle of koregusu? He wondered.

ときどきパスポートでビザまたはスタンプの上で日付と都市を調べる事は、旅行の歴史を検閲。2008年に日本上陸許可の色はオレンジ色から灰色に変更しました。A-Maoが最初の灰色のを得た時、何も起こらなかったので、法的基礎は同じ事であるようです。彼は7日間JRパスによって寝台列車旅行を構想している。その時シールの色は何でしょうか？

大好き！第一に、機内食はこれまでに最高です。第二に、手荷物規則は厳しく実行されません。第三に、客室乗務員は心から親切です。 最後に、大部分のアルコール飲料は小さなカンまたはビンによって出されます。今度A-Maoは1本の可愛いガラスの月桂冠を受けました。このさけが辛口けれども、単独で飲む事はたくさんの楽しみです。

In deep autumn, 2007, I went to Nagoya with Rex. After putting luggage at Toyoko Inn in the afternoon, we decided to walk around. According to this travel map, seeing that the Nagoya Castle is so close to the JR Nagoya Station, I proposed that we should go to the former on foot. Big Mistake! Coldly, it took one hour more on clean streets, and the castle was closed when we arrived. In the front of the gigantic gate, we made an appointment to come here again by subway if there is a chance.

In March, 2006, I & honcho A finished looking around Security Show and took the Yurikamome to Shinbashi. Before taking the Yamanote Line back to Shinjuku, we found this delicious curry bar—the best is that their fried oyster is crunch outside & soft inside. Accompanied with me, boss M in March, 2006, & engineer R in November, 2007, went to there, and both of them really enjoyed. In September, 2008, therefore, it was my forth time visiting this curry maker, Karikaru.

On the last day of this 7-day unaccompanied business trip, I went to the Hibiya Park. The sole motive is to banquet myself in the Matsumotorou which's founder, Mr. Shokichi Umeya, was a zealous supporter of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and donated greatly to our revolutionary cause; besides, Hifumi Arai recommends this restaurant. Hoping my hard work & Ultracker's H.264 DVR at SXGA (about four D1) resolution would cause a revolution in Japan CCTV industry as well.

It was my second time visiting Unamaru, a 9-seat restaurant specializing in kabayaki eel in the Omoide-Yokochou. Not only is the location near by Shinjuku Station, but its price is also cost-efficient. Their cultivated eels are delivered daily and directly from Yoshida, Shizuoka, in which cultivators are fighting against their compatriots in Aichi, and, of course, Taiwanese & Chinese. However, the restaurant's suppliers' marketing strategy is to highlight that their eels are fed with waste from fisheries processing factories nearby so that theirs are more nutritious & flavorful.

The best Japanese octopus is come from the Seto Inland Sea, serving as a waterway between the Pacific Ocean & the Sea of Japan. In Okayama in the night of September, 2008, I was planning to find takoyaki but could not make it. I therefore went to this Kondoya Udon for my late snack.

When you have no idea of where to eat, a restaurant which is being lined up should be an easy choice. A little after noon in September, I stood in a line for 5 minutes around, sat down and then opened the menu of Wako, a famous tonkatsu chain collecting the best ingredients. Six kinds of moriawase (or combo) attracted my interests, and I went for azami (or thistle) because this set includes fried pork cutlet rolled with cheese & perilla, fried shrimp, crab cream korokke & mini burdock salad. Besides, rice, clam miso soup & shredded cabbage are all-you-can-eat.

In the night of September, 2008, after visiting three customers within one day, I was trying finding something good to eat on the streets of Shinjuku. The night was not young, but people were lining up in front of this Kouryu Ramen, and poor A-Mao was in a dilemma as to whether to eat ramen—most of them were too salty for me—to refill my battery or to keep on search. Eventually, I gave ramen another chance.

I like Arai Hifumi’s prose. Her style is kind of wise, casual & mo lei tau. Before returning to Taiwan, as usual, I would purchase some ingredients bringing Japanese flavors home. At a supermarket under Shinjuku Station, A-Mao encountered Ikkyudo Yakumi Kyo-Shichimi which is catering for Arai Hifumi. Therefore, there was no reason not to open my wallet. This shichimi contains chili pepper, sichuan pepper, green laver, mandarin orange peel, black sesame seed, hemp seed & poppy seed. It smells delicately stimulating and, with cool beer only, tastes not so hot but fantastic. Because of hemp & poppy seeds especially, this relish is sort of illusionary.

Each time watching TV introducing “Tanpopo (dandelion) Omuraisu”, I cannot help swallowing saliva. Finally, I went to Kissa You serving this delicacy. Not hard to find this cafe which is between Higashi-Ginza Station exit 5 & Kabuki-za.

By the World Heritage Pass issued by Tobu Railway for foreigners only, I went to "Ryuuoukyou" (or Ryuokyo). The meaning is Dragon King Valley, and it sounds so attractive to me. However, the last station of Tobu Railway is Shin-Fujiwara Station, which is next to Ryuuoukyou Station operated by Yagan Railway. Well, A-Mao did not mind working around to save money. After leaving Shin-Fujiwara Station, asking for direction and strolling for a while, I easily found this guidepost. Just one kilometer. A piece of cake!

In March 2007, M & A-Mao were visiting some customers in Tokyo for few days. M returned to Taiwan in advance, while I started my two-day travel, without plans in detail, in Nikkou & Kinugawa by a World Heritage Pass. I encountered Koos from Netherlands, and both of us happily spent a whole afternoon in Nikkou. After that, we said goodbye and then were on "different trains"—somehow it reminded me of this Reich’s music. He got to go to Tokyo, whereas I had to continue my travel. It was snowing in Kinugawa at night, and I found no cheap hotel or guest house there. Well, what could I do? I went to an “onsen hotel” and negotiated by my poor Japanese. Finally, it took 20,000 yen “only” for one-night stay as well as dinner & breakfast at this Isshinkan.

For budget travelers, Toyoko Inn is good value, clean and mostly at good location. A-Mao loves traveling abroad even though it is mainly for business. After doing team works in the daytime, however, I don’t like to accompany the other male colleague in a twin room at night, especially when we finished all topics to talk. And, sometimes we had no choice but a double room! Thanks God for that I & engineer R encountered “business twin” of Toyoko Inn in 2007. As soon as I opened its door, surprisingly, another door was in front of me—it seems to be against Chinese Feng Shui, and we happily noticed it is a toilet almost separating the room. There are two beds, two desks, two TVs, two air conditions, you name it. Both of us had basic private space, and the best is that the cost is the same as a normal twin. Those having “business twin” I know: Tokyo Kamata Higashi-guchi, Kyoto Shijo-Omiya, Shin-Osaka Chuo-guchi Honkan & Shin-Osaka Chuo-guchi Shinkan.