Category Archives: Tokyo

Meguro River et al (2013 Hanami)

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Meguro River Sakura (2013)

Meguro River Sakura (2013)

This year, with my trip to Takamatsu, I was not really capable of doing a lot of hanami.  While I was in Takamatsu, the weather was too cold and all of the cherry trees were still completely bare and without any buds on them.  There were still a few plum trees that were blooming so it wasn’t a complete loss, but there were no spectacular cherry blossoms either.  I took the opportunity of having a few days off before I return to work and decided to enjoy the decent weather and head to Meguro.  It is on the top 5 list of the best places in Tokyo to see the cherry blossoms for free.  I have been to many places in Tokyo, notably Shinjuku Gyoen, Ueno Park, Sumida River Park, and so on.  Meguro has always been a place that was far away from me.  I used to live in Shinjuku where Meguro was a pain to visit involving a walk to Shinjuku or switching trains.  Now that I live on the east side of Tokyo, it is more of a logistical problem than anything else.  With so many people recommending me to visit Meguro and the Meguro River, I had to go there once to see the cherry blossoms before I left Japan.

Kinshi Koen Sakura with Tokyo Sky Tree (2013)

Kinshi Koen Sakura with Tokyo Sky Tree (2013)

When I arrived at the river, I was greeted with a sea of pink on both sides of the river.  I thought that it was really nice and a great place to see the cherry blossoms.  With the sun out, it was obvious that there was going to be hundreds, if not thousands, of people taking pictures of the cherry blossoms over the river.  I thought it was nice but the river was very dirty and brown.  It ruined the feel of the cherry blossoms for me.  In fact, after learning about the cherry blossoms in Waseda, I think the Meguro blossoms are a pale comparison.  Even Rurosha should agree.  You can even see her own report about the Arakawa Line and the cherry blossoms on her blog.  If you want, you can even head to my post from last year, 2012 Hanami (Cherry Blossom) Report to get more information as well.  I doubt I’ll go back to Meguro unless someone has a nice party to go to.  I wouldn’t mind going back to Waseda and the Kanda River again, but that may not be for a while.  For now, I’ll be content with my local Kinshi Park and the views of Tokyo Sky Tree with it.

Meguro River et al (2013 Hanami) is part of my annual reports on the cherry blossom season in Japan.  To read other reports and get information about the cherry blossoms themselves, please read the following posts:


2013 Cherry Blossom Season (Hanami Season with Tokyo Sky Tree)

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Hanami Tokyo Sky Tree

Hanami Tokyo Sky Tree

2013 is one of the earliest Cherry Blossom seasons in history in Tokyo, and Japan for that matter.  On March 16, the cherry blossoms officially started to bloom in Tokyo.  It was almost 10 days earlier than normal meaning the hanami season is now almost upon us.  Parties are being planned for the next 2 weeks and it would appear that things are continuing to go smoothly.  Ueno Park is in full swing preparing for the festivities and Tokyo Sky Tree has also gotten into the swing of things.  As of March 18th, Tokyo Sky Tree has been changed to its hanami colours.  Every 15 minutes, Tokyo Sky Tree will be changing between a white and pink version.  The white version is a simple white base with pink sparkles.  The pink version just changes the column to pink.  It is really nice to see and will be great when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.  If you are in Tokyo at that time, you will be able to get a lot of good photos.  Tokyo Sky Tree will be having this special colour until April 10.  Hope you enjoy the couple of photos I was lucky to get before my trip.

Hanami Sky Tree (White Version)

Hanami Sky Tree (White Version)

Sky Tree through some blossoms.

Sky Tree through some blossoms.

2013 Cherry Blossom Season (Hanami Season with Tokyo Sky Tree) is part of my annual reports on the cherry blossom season in Japan.  To read other reports and get information about the cherry blossoms themselves, please read the following posts:

 

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Tokyo – Yasukuni Shrine

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Large torii and the Japanese flag at the approach to Yasukuni Shrine.

Yasukuni Shrine is the most controversial shrine in all of Japan.  It was prominently in the news when former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was in power.  During his entire time in power, he visited Yasukuni Shrine 6 times which caused relations between Japan and China and South Korea to grow very tense.  He was seen by many in Japan to be honouring the war dead and promoting peace.  From China and South Korea, he was seen to be honouring war criminals and thumbing his nose at both China and South Korea.  Yasukuni itself has tried to shy away from such controversies by claiming to be a religious place with no ties to political activities.  Yasukuni Shrine is a religious area and it can hard to imagine why it is such a polarizing place if you don’t know the history of the shrine.  Ultimately due to the separation of state and religion in Japan, the government has no official power as to how Yasukuni is operated, but it is also a troubling problem for Prime Ministers looking to pray for peace within Japan.  It is a very tough problem for Japan but one that many foreigners seem to not fully understand.

Omura Masujiro from the approach to Yasukuni Shrine.

Yasukuni itself is located north of the Imperial Palace.  The closest stations to Yasukuni are Iidabashi Station and Kudanshita Station.  There are many other ways to reach Yasukuni Shrine but these are the closest and easiest methods.  If there is time, I prefer to go through the Kitamaru area of the Imperial Palace due to the beautiful park in the Kitamaru area.  The best way to enter Yasukuni Shrine is from the eastern corner of the shrine grounds.  There is a long broad approach that is lined with trees and a statue of Omura Masujiro located at the top the approach.  Omura Masujiro was the principle figure who modernized Japan’s military from the samurai system into what we know of today.  The approach continues until you reach the main area of the shrine itself.  The approach is one of the most popular places to visit as it is lined with many trees that are extremely beautiful during the cherry blossom season and in the autumn season when the leaves change colours.  While the approach is one of the most beautiful approaches in Tokyo, the shrine left a little to desire in my own eyes.  The only interesting aspects of the shrine itself are the intricate details within the main area of the shrine and the pond behind the shrine.  Looking around the shrine grounds you can see various symbols of Japan, specifically the chrysanthemum shield and the rising sun motif.  When Japan was at war, the main flag was the sun burst design which became known as the “rising sun flag”.  It was used mostly for military ships and contained the typical Japanese flag with red rays coming from the central red disc.  This is still a controversial design and never flown in Japan aside from the ultra-right wing conservative groups.  The closest design to this is the naval flag which uses the same design but offsets the sun to the left.  You can see this rising sun imagery around Yasukuni Shrine as it is a war memorial shrine.

War Imagery at Yasukuni Shrine

Yasukuni Shrine is a shrine that is dedicated to the war dead.  All of the people who fought for the Emperor of Japan are written down in a registrar and the registrar is enshrined within the shrine itself.  Anyone who is an enemy of the Emperor, including many of those who fought for the Tokugawa Shogunate, the de facto head of Japan during the Edo Period when the Emperor had little to no power, are not allowed to be enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.  Enemies of the Emperor and most foreigners fighting for the Japanese military are often enshrined within the Chinreisha, a small separate shrine located adjacent to Yasukuni Shrine.  It is so small that you can easily miss it.  The controversy of Yasukuni Shrine comes from the names in the registrar that are enshrined.  Since Yasukuni enshrines those who fought for and died for the Emperor, it also includes the names of several war criminals.  During World War II, several Japanese military men committed war crimes against people in China and South Korea.  Because they were fighting for the Emperor at the time, they were granted the status of being enshrined within the registrar of Yasukuni Shrine.  Registration into the registrar is supposed to be a completely independent process that the shrine does on its own.  The enshrinement of people into the registrar of Yasukuni Shrine should be done without the explicit influence of the government.  Some people do argue that Yasukuni Shrine was influenced by right wing supporters to enshrine some of the war criminals rather than placing them into the Chinreisha.  Any evidence that the government or the right wing supporters had of their influence is probably gone and few people are talking about that now.  Either way, Yasukuni Shrine made the decision to enshrine some of these war criminals as they technically fought for the Emperor.  Whether this is the correct thing to do, politically or otherwise, is beyond our control now.  What was done is done and the main problem is that it is nearly impossible to move such “deities” from a shrine after they have been officially enshrined.  One of the reasons the Chinese and South Koreans are upset over this is due to the fact that within Shintoism, once a person is enshrined, they are forgiven for their misdeeds.  In other words, the war criminals were forgiven in the afterlife and allowed to rest in peace.

Yasukuni Shrine, Inner Shrine

On a sadder note, Yasukuni Shrine also enshrines thousands of Korean and Chinese soldiers.  These men and sometimes women were enlisted into the Japanese army and possibly forced into battle against their own people.  Many people within their families objected to the family member being included into the registrar and some have tried hard to get their relatives out of the registrar as well.  The only problem with this is that within the Shinto religion, it is generally impossible for an enshrined deity to be un-enshrined.  They are eternally enshrined in whichever shrine they have been enshrined within.  This is a big problem with Yasukuni as it is very difficult for any of the people within the shrine’s registrar to be removed or even moved.  I have often though that the easiest part is to just move the enshrined war criminals into a new shrine, even one that is just adjacent to the main shrine, specifically Chinreisha.  Perhaps moving all of the Chinese and Korean listed people into a completely new shrine would be more satisfactory.  It is a very sensitive subject and Yasukuni, mainly due to the enshrinement of the war criminals, has created a spark point in Japan’s relations with its neighbours.  When we look at the strict meaning of Yasukuni itself, it appears to have the image of being peaceful.  Yasukuni should be a peace shrine where all those who died in war are enshrined, save for the war criminals.  It is hard to contemplate and understand enshrinement as it is akin to become a demi-god.  The fact these people are promoted to demi-god status is where many foreigners get upset and angry.  When you look at it from the other side of the coin as a place where you look at the loss of life and also as a type of peace memorial, you realize the double meaning of this shrine and things are no longer black and white.

Garden Behind Yasukuni Shrine

I am not a priest and I have no authority over Yasukuni Shrine itself.  It is still a lovely shrine to visit and one of the more important shrines in Tokyo.  It is not my favourite shrine in Tokyo as that would go to Meiji Jingu or one of the countless smaller shrines that dot Tokyo.  There are far better places to go around Tokyo than Yasukuni.  Due to its controversial history, it took me a very long time to decide to visit it.  I almost didn’t visit Yasukuni due to its controversial past.  It is something I don’t regret having put off and I’m happy to have visited the shrine.  It is just not something that I find particularly interesting and it is not a place that I would pray to.  Everyone should have the right to pray and have their own beliefs.  Whether you agree with their religion or not, it is a personal choice.  Hopefully the world can grow up and respect other religions both for their positive points, and their negative points, and learn to move on.  It is not just a one way street either and I think Yasukuni Shrine could do more to help others or to educate people in better ways rather than keeping a tight lid on what happens.


5 Worst Places in Japan for Tourists

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The JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization) published a list of the best and worst destinations in Tokyo. Rocket News 24 published an article talking about the worst 5 on the list (originally sourced from Madam Riri, a Japanese blog from what I can tell). While I can understand the reasoning, there are a few caveats that must be explored before being able to call them the worst places to visit for a tourist.

1. Roppongi

Garden Behind Tokyo Midtown

Garden Behind Tokyo Midtown

Roppongi has always been a bad place to visit. Before I even came to Japan, I knew Roppongi was a bad place. It was full of foreigners and a lot of hustlers trying to get you into expensive bars and clubs. It is a place where foreigners go to party and the local folk keep away. It is akin to talking about the infamous Gas Panic night club, rather bar. Gas Panic is in the Metropolis magazines, a typical read for people new in Japan. It is well known for being home to foreigners looking for a Japanese hook up and for Japanese people looking for an easy foreigner. It is not a place for respectable people to visit. Do note that these are over generalizations and I have never been to Gas Panic in my life, but from the stories my friends tell me, I doubt I’ll ever visit. Roppongi has changed a lot in the last 10 years. It is a lot safer and there are better places to visit these days. Roppongi is next to Azabu Juban which is home to a lot of great eateries and also a lot of foreigners. Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown are great places, but not for everyone. If you are touring around Japan, Roppongi should always be your last place to visit, but I believe it is considered bad mostly because many people just hear that Roppongi is the place to be for the night life but they don’t realize that the night life is for foreigners only. If you want good authentic Japanese night life, there are a lot of better clubs in Tokyo, you just have to dig deeper than the typical travel guides.

2. Tokyo Disneyland

Entrance to Tokyo DisneySea

Entrance to Tokyo DisneySea

Unless you are a big Disney fan, you shouldn’t be thinking about visiting Disneyland in the first place. DisneySea, as the report says, is more interesting but even then you will be hard pressed to find a lot of people who will want to go. If you want to go to the happiest place on earth, I find it better to do it in your own language. The main problem with Disneyland is that it is very crowded and even DisneySea is terrible on weekends due to the lines. I don’t think Disneyland is a bad place to be, but it is definitely a victim of its own success. Japanese people love Disney and even as adults they feel they need to visit Disney at least once a year.  For a tourist, even if you do have kids, there are a lot of better places to visit in and around Tokyo. As an adult or an older child, Disney Resorts may be a good place to visit, but don’t forget that Disney always charges Disney rates and the lines can be horrendous.

3. Imperial Palace

 

Imperial Palace East Gardens

Imperial Palace East Gardens

I think this one is bad because tourists don’t know where to go. The Imperial Palace itself is a very boring place to visit and I thought it was a terrible place to visit until I actually saw the better area of the palace grounds. Most people visit the main area outside the main entrance but few head to the East Gardens. The East Gardens are very lovely and free. Instead of going to Shinjuku Gyoen, you can save money and visit the East Gardens. While Shinjuku Gyoen and some of the other parks are better, the East Gardens are free, so you can’t beat the price. Skipping the main entrance is fine, but you can’t discount the East Gardens. You also have to consider the area around the Budokan as part of the Imperial Palace and that area is also quite good in terms of greenery. If people don’t go there, it is their loss and I’ll be happy to keep it as my own personal secret.

4. Sapporo Clock Tower

Sapporo Clock Tower

Sapporo Clock Tower

This one also makes the Japanese list of worst tourist draws in Japan. The top 3, worst tourist draws in Japan, include the Sapporo Clock Tower as well as Harimayabashi in Kochi. I forgot the third one and I can’t find any information on this by myself. This information was bestowed upon me by a student many years ago and I do agree with it. The Sapporo Clock Tower is just a simple building with a clock on it. It is a symbol of Sapporo but in a city the prides itself on the Snow Festival and desserts, why would you consider visiting a clock tower? In reality, Sapporo doesn’t have too much to see. Otaru is a better place but the clock tower is a quick visit on the way to and from Sapporo Station. It doesn’t hurt to just take a look for a minute or so.

5. Tokyo

Tokyo Station Marunouchi Station

Tokyo Station Marunouchi Station

This is a bit of a surprise, yet it isn’t. People who come to Japan are looking for either the historical side of Japan or the modern side. Those looking for the historical side will be let down, but mainly because they don’t know where to look. Tokyo has a lot going for it and being a resident here does make me a bit biased. Living in Shitamachi now has opened my eyes to the old side of Tokyo. It is very difficult to find old heritage buildings and it is difficult to feel like you are in a different world when many of the temples and shrines are surrounded by large modern buildings. It is even harder when an apartment building was built on top a temple or shrine. People who ask for advice on Japan often get a lot of people saying that if they want to see the old style of Japan, they have to go to Kyoto. This is very true if you want a real old feel, but Tokyo does have some good gems. I can’t show everyone where to go, but Tokyo is just one stop on a tour of Japan. As the article says, “I don’t think there’s any one place in the world that typifies a ‘real’ experience of the entire country that it happens to be a part of.” This is very true of any place, and you don’t have to visit Tokyo as you can easily get a similar experience in Osaka, albeit not the same. For a tourist, it won’t make a huge difference.

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White Smoke

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White Smoke

White Smoke

White Smoke is a new eatery in Azabu that has been gaining popularity very quickly.  They opened over a year ago and they are still going strong.  They are billed as a Texas Smokehouse.  A Texas Smokehouse, as they say, is a place where barbecue is made using a slow cooking process of nothing but wood chips.  There is no liquid smoke and no gas heaters to help with the cooking process.  Everything is done in the slow traditional way of southern barbecue.  They also use a dry rub which they say helps keep the meaty flavour.  The prices are a little steep when you look at it but the flavours and quality of the food more than make up for it.  They have a special 5000 Yen all you can eat special from Monday to Wednesday and that is the course that I had.  It was really good and I can still taste the meat, even a week after eating it!

White Smoke (Decor)

White Smoke (Decor)

The restaurant ambiance is fairly unique.  The main floor is pretty small as the kitchen area takes up most of the space.  There is a small bar counter but the ambiance and smells are divine.  The second floor is the dining area.  It has a very American décor.  One wall has images from the US dollar bill and there is a column decorated in pennies.  The dark atmosphere is pretty interesting and it prevents the smokiness from being noticed.  While the second floor is not located next to the kitchen, the smoke from the kitchen still reaches the dining floor so that you still get the whiff of smoke.  It is a great experience that is made even better with the food.

First Floor

First Floor

The night I went was a friend’s party, and just less than 100 people showed up.  It was a great time and the second I arrived inside, there was food and beer waiting for me.  The first plate or plates were sausages and wings.  The chicken wings were good but the sausages were divine.  The “Spicy Smoked Beef Sausages” were soft, full of flavour, and melted in your mouth.  I could have easily eaten just sausages the whole night, but it was early in the evening so I had to pace myself.  For the main dish, we were served turkey breast, brisket, and ribs.  We also had a side of salad and mashed potatoes.  All of it was buffet style.  The brisket was the best meat, although other people disagreed.  Either way, it was all very good.  My stomach was completely filled by the end of the night and I could barely walk.  If someone punched me in the stomach, food would have been coming out.  I ate more than I should have but it was definitely worth it.  I had a great time and got to have great barbecue.

Texas Barbecue

Texas Barbecue

White Smoke is a great place to go for barbecue.  I would love to go there more often but it is likely that I will be too lazy to head to Roppongi/Azabu-juban.  It is also a bit expensive for me to go there every day, but once in a while I would love to visit White Smoke.  If you live in Tokyo and really have a craving for good barbecue, White Smoke is one place you can visit. I haven’t been to other places so I can’t comment on them, but I do know that I would go back again if the opportunity, and money, arises.

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Tokyo – Asakusabashi

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Asakusabashi Station

Asakusabashi is an often overlooked place in Tokyo by both tourists and residents alike.  Most people will see Asakusabashi on their way to Ryogoku as it is situated just across the Sumida River from the Sumo Stadium.  Due to its location, Asakusabashi is also a place that is easy to skip for all but a select few who belong to a niche market.  For these people it is a place that shouldn’t be missed at all.  In the past, Asakusabashi was a very important area as it was one of the main crossing points between Tokyo and Chiba.  People would cross over the Ryogoku Bridge that linked Asakusabashi to Ryogoku and then continued east to Chiba.  Even after the major earthquake in March 2011, Asakusabashi became important as it saw hundreds of thousands of people pass through the area as the Ryogoku Bridge is still a major crossing point along the Sumida River to get to Chiba from Tokyo.  On a normal day, the section of train tracks between Asakusabashi and Ryogoku is considered the busiest section of train tracks in Tokyo but very few people ever stop in Asakusabashi.

Ryogoku Bridge

Asakusabashi’s primary business is to be a distribution area.  When walking along the side streets from the Kanda River to the south as well as the area north of the station, you will find various warehouses and companies that mainly do business in importing and exporting.  Of course you will be able to find a few residents as well as some schools, but for the most part the side streets away from the station are devoid of life on weekends and nights.  While the area may be devoid of life at times, you can find some of the nicest small shrines in Tokyo around Asakusabashi.  Going to the Sumidagawa Terrace provides beautiful views of Tokyo Sky Tree as well as decent views of Ryogoku.  While the areas away from the station may not provide any interest for anyone aside for those with specific business, the station itself is surrounded by a few restaurants and izakaya.  You will be hard pressed to find any high end restaurants in the area.  While there are a few high end restaurants in Asakusabashi, most of the restaurants lean towards the cheap and plentiful side.  You can find various major chains operating in this area such as “Sekai no Yamachan”.  “Sekai no Yamachan” is a Nagoya chain of izakaya that specializes in Nagoya’s own chicken wings.  There are several branches around Tokyo but the branch in Asakusabashi seems counter-intuitive till you remember that there are many distribution centres in the area and a nice cold beer and some wings are a great way to end a tough day at work.

Bead Shop in Asakusabashi

Anyone who is into arts and crafts must visit Asakusabashi.  Nippori is the centre of Tokyo for fabric, and Asakusabashi is the heart of accessories for those fabrics.  Asakusabashi Station is the focal point for all of these shops.  Under the station itself, there are several shops, but from the east side of the station, going from the Kanda River in the south and several blocks north of the station, there are dozens of craft stores.  You can purchase everything from bead accessories, lace materials, sewing thread and so on.  The area changes constantly to adapt to whatever holiday is approaching.  You can find decorations for Valentine’s Day, the summer, Halloween, and even Christmas depending on when you visit Asakusabashi.  Prices are usually pretty cheap due to the fact that most of the shops used to be distributors.  For stationary buffs and scrapbookers, you can also find various stationary items and materials for your scrapbooking needs as well.  The variety of items for sale may not be as varied as some of the major stores in Tokyo but for those looking for good deals on slightly older models and bulk items Asakusabashi is a great place to go.  Many of these same shops also cater to people who own a small business.  A visit to the area can provide some useful materials for their company as you can purchase nearly anything necessary for a shop or even an outdoor stand at bulk rates.

Doll Shop in Asakusabashi

Asakusabashi is also somewhat known for selling Japanese dolls that are used for the Hinamatsuri (doll festival).  These are very expensive Japanese looking dolls that are displayed in February, up to the Hinamatsuri itself.  These dolls are said to provide good luck to daughters within a family and many of them are handed down through the generations.  For those who need replacements or new ones, Asakusabashi is one area people can obtain new ones.  While walking through Asakusabashi, I was surprised to see a doll for sale that was designed to be Darth Vader himself.  You could even purchase a stormtrooper version if you wanted to.  The prices were just as high as you would expect for a one of a kind Star Wars doll.  The quality and craftsmanship of the doll is very impressive and worth a look for any Star Wars lover, but the price might set some people back.  With these types of shops, it is very possible that you can custom order your own doll based on certain specifications, however I wouldn’t expect a miracle or a price that is reasonable.  The main shops that sell these dolls have been around for generations and take great pride in their abilities.

Leather Shop in Asakusabashi

Asakusabashi is an interesting place to visit for a specific niche group of people.  If you are into crafts of any sort, Asakusabashi is the place to go.  If you aren’t into crafts, you can still have an adventure walking around the area.  Seeing the commercial/distribution side of Tokyo may be of interest to you.  The buildings tend to be very similar to each other and there are also several cheaper hotels and hostels around the station.  You can also easily spend an extra hour or less after visiting Ryogoku to get a taste of Asakusabashi.  It isn’t the most ideal location in Tokyo but it isn’t bad either.  It is just one stop from Akihabara and it is an easy walk to get back to Asakusabashi if you end up partying too late and miss the last train.


Devil Craft & Beer Loves Company

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Devil Craft

Devil Craft

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting up with a very friendly couple from New York.  They are the owners and bloggers of the Beer Loves Company website.  I met them almost by chance as they found my post on Kirin Frozen Draft and decided to take a plunge and ask me for some information.  I was all too happy to help them find the coveted Kirin Frozen Draft, even though it was the middle of winter and not the best time to enjoy it.  We talked a little about various places in Tokyo for them to enjoy a little craft beer and before I knew it, we were setting up a time to go to Devil Craft.  It is a place that I have wanted to visit for the last few months and due to time and the lack of friends I could convince to join me, I had never been able to go.  When they asked if I wanted to join them, I said yes, of course, and we met up at Kanda Station and headed to Devil Craft.

Swan Lake Amber Ale

Swan Lake Amber Ale

For those who don’t know, Devil Craft is a “Craft Beer & Pizza” shop.  It is a small restaurant that can seat around 38 people.  It is a busy place with guests packed into the main floor.  We arrived soon after they opened and there were very few people there.  We were given a generous table, but a stern, yet polite, warning that the next party would arrive at 8pm.  It wasn’t a problem so we got straight to chatting and ordering beer.  I started with a Swan Lake Amber Ale (hand pumped) and finished with the North Island IBA (sic – Note: I believe they mean IPA).  I even had a taste of a beer called the Sank Gallen Orange Chocolate Stout.  The Swan Lake Amber Ale was a nice start.  It was hand pumped so it wasn’t as carbonated as regular beer.  The North Island IBA (sic) was also really nice.  The Stout was the most interesting.  It was a chocolate stout, but it felt as if they added Hi-C or SunnyD to the mix.  If you don’t know, Hi-C and SunnyD (Sunny Delight) is an orange based drink that is closer to a soft drink than a juice.  Needless to say, I didn’t order the stout as a second round and I was pretty content to have it as a simple taster only.

 

Deep Dish Pizza

Deep Dish Pizza

While the beer is the main reason I went there, the pizza was the second reason I went.  They are probably the only deep dish pizza joint in Tokyo, although I don’t know any others.  They did a good job, but to be honest, I have never had a true deep dish pizza.  I have had deep dish pizza in Canada but I always suspected it was not an authentic Chicago style deep dish pizza.  The pizza I had at Devil Craft was pretty good.  It wasn’t the easiest thing to eat and using a fork and knife really helps.  I attempted to eat the pizza with my hand at first but when it was still hot it was difficult to lift as things just wanted to fall flat.  By the end, when the pizza had cooled, it was easier to hold with my hand and eating was faster and easier.  The food was good but I was a little disappointed with our appetizer, the chicken wings.  The flavour was good but the portions were small.  American style food, but Japanese sized portions.  Needless to say, I doubt I’ll order appetizers from them, although the nachos seemed good.  I’ll stick with the deep dish pizza from now on.

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings

Devil Craft is a great place to go, but it is a victim of its own success.  From all accounts, it seems to be a very busy place.  They are always busy and fully loaded, even on a weekday night.  I would love to visit Devil Craft more often but I fear it will be nearly impossible due to their popularity.  I do recommend making reservations early but if you get there early on a weeknight, you might be lucky enough to get a table.  Either way, I can already feel another trip coming up.

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Happy Holidays 2012

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Yurakucho Christmas Lights

It’s that time of year again.  The Christmas season is in full swing now and while autumn is still here and the leaves are still beautiful, almost all of the Christmas Illuminations have been put up.  You can walk almost anywhere in Tokyo and you will see something regarding Christmas.  Last year I talked about all of the Christmas lights in Tokyo and how things have grown.  This year, my goal is to go and see as many of the Christmas decorations as possible.  I will be busy with work but I will do my best to take a look at each of the major areas.  While I may not be able to see the lights at night, I will at least try to see them during the daytime at the very least.  My adventure has already started with the Yurakucho area.  I will be posting photos as often as I can on Instagram as I have just started using it.  Think of it as a photo blog.  I will also be posting updates here with photos that I take around Tokyo.  While many of the photos will be from my phone, I’ll do my best to bring a nice camera with me when I go around.  For now, just read up about my past holiday posts and you’ll get a good idea on what Christmas is like in Japan.

Happy Holidays 2012 is part of a series of posts each year talking about the year-end holiday season in Japan.  To read more, please venture to the other posts below:

Christmas in Tokyo 2012

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Kamata (Kappabashi)

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Posted in Japan, Tokyo
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Kamata

I recently went to Kappabashi to get a gift for my trip home.  I went mainly to purchase a knife.  I know it is a bit of a taboo to buy a knife as a gift, but I’ll exercise caution as it is for family.  I went without any knowledge of knives and I was pleasantly surprised after visiting several shops that one of the staff finally approached me and started to be friendly.  I was in a shop called Kamata.  It isn’t one of the small old looking shops but one that looked old enough.  They had displays with about a hundred or so knives.  They all had different shapes and different uses.  I explained that I was looking for an all-purpose kitchen knife and he proceeded to explain everything I really needed to know.  He knew I wasn’t an expert and just looking for something as a gift.  He was really polite about it and went to the trouble to explain things in Japanese.  Thankfully my Japanese was good enough to follow him.  He started to show me several of the basic chef knives.  There were several varieties but since it was a gift from Japan, I was only interested in the Japanese style knives.  Getting a single pressed knife is pretty easy anywhere in the world.  Getting a folded knife is a different story.  I was presented with several choices but in general, he said that they were all the same.

V12 Damascus Steel Knives (From left: Santoku; chef; long chef)

The first choice I had to make was which one to go for.  Some had different handles.  One was ergonomic, another was slip resistant.  One knife was special just because it had a blue handle, and nothing else.  Then he explained the folded steel knives.  One was folded just 3 times, and the one I eventually bought was folded 63 times.  It is a bit harder and of course more expensive, but the knife that was folded 63 times would stay sharp for about half a year.  The 3 fold knife would only stay sharp for about 3 months or so.  Not a huge difference, but large enough.  I asked a bit about the shape too; rather he explained it all to me.  He explained that a traditional Japanese knife was merged with western knives to create a hybrid, the santoku knife.  A western chef knife is a bit longer and shorter than a santoku.  The same amount of metal is used, but the shape is slightly different.  The difference in shape is less than a centimetre but it is large enough to notice when you see them side by side.  There really isn’t a big difference but the santoku, being shorter and taller, is better for vegetables.  Western style chef knives tend to be better at cutting meat.  Both styles are not suited for hard objects such as bones or frozen food because the knives are very thin.  A meat cleaver would be better suited for this situation.

3 Folded Knives

When I did a little research after I went shopping, I discovered Kamata’s website as well as what I think are the knives that I was looking at.  The knife I eventually bought was the V10 Damascus Steel Santoku Knife.  I was also looking at the V10 Damascus Steel Chef Knife but decided that a Japanese style knife would be a better gift.  Either way, both knives were really nice.  I do recommend this shop for the service, although all of the other shops were quite nice.  I was more impressed by the fact that they carry mostly their own custom knives.  Most of them are made for their shop only and they are all stamped with their own name.  It is a good tradition in Japan and I will probably go back to buy another knife for myself in the future when I decide to get another one.

Knife Display

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