The autumn is beatiful

Mission, the beautful Japan's autumn (researched  26  Aug 2013)

 

 The autumn is just around the corner. Its going  to be cooling down shortly.

 

 I would say the autumn is the best season of a year in the nation, because  it  has several specialties which allow you to enjoy.

 

 Today, I will tell you what's gorgeous about  the Japanese autumn through this mission.

 

 1, the nicest food fills you up, fish like saury, boniito and salmon are in season. in addition, egg plants, mushrooms and chestnuts  are  worth trying.

My wife loves chestnuts as crazy, she buys a bag of chestnuts, boil 'em in a pot, halve one with a knife, dig it with a spoon to eat 'em all in a few minuts.

 The premior food  in the season is matsutake  mushrooms, the mushrooms have epic scent as trufffle in Europe, also they are not very budget to try

 

 2, stayble and dry wether allows you to go out for trying sports, the nicest  climate is the most suitable for sports. You would not be that  much sweaty, forget about the summer.

 

 3, the season makes your room very much comfortable for reading, it will free you from A/C. Get your self a cup of coffee and a good book. The autumn is the best season for reading.

 

4, coloured leaves are worth whatchig. The locals would know where to watch. Ask 'em.

 

5, the nicest climate is often said as "the best season for traveling". The friendly sun takes you out.

 

In addition, the major 4 beer breweries have their special beers for the autumn on sale. Go get your self very sophisticated beers.

The major breweries and products are listed below.

1, Kirin (キリン)-akiaji (秋味)

2,Sapporo (サッポロ)-Furano no aki maroyaka rich (富良野の秋まろやかリッチ）
 

3,Asahi（アサヒ）-akiyoi (秋宵）
 

4,Sutory（サントリー）-umami kobashi akiraku (旨味香ばし秋楽)

Those beers come in 350ml and 500ml cans, sold across the nation.

 

Farther more, the convenience stores have the special sweets for the autumn as well as bento (lunch box).

 

I suppose it would be fun to go watching the coloured leaves in the mountains with some special product for the autumn.

 

At last, typhoon sometimes occurs in the season, it can get very much distractive. Please be aware of it. 

 

Enter the gyudon

Mission, cooking gyudon on your own (researched 19 Aug 2013)

                                   She sliced onion to make it easier to eat.

 

 

 

 

Have you tried cooking gyugon on your own yet?

 

Last night, my wife cooked her gyudon at her kitchen. This is how it cooked.

 

In fact, cooking gyudon is simple.

 

 

Ingredients

1, onion, chopped into wedges.

2, broth, made of soy sauce, mirin (sweet sake, used as seasoning),bonito kelp dashi stock (convenience product)  and ginger juice (trace)

3, thinly sliced beef. If possible, try to find "sukiyaki" slice.

As usual, we don't care about the amount of each ingredient. Use your commonsense to prepare.

 

 

Cooking

1, chopping an onion into wedges.

2, making broth in a pot

3, heat the pot with broth to boil

4,add chopped onion and beef to the pot

5,simmer it for 10 min.

6,let it cool once, heat it up before serving.

 

Serving

Gyudon must be served in a bowl. The "don" stands for a bowl.

 

 

In addition

You are allowed to top it with whatever you like.

We top it with row egg and gari (pickled ginger)

 

 

Tips

You can find dashi stock to cook Japanese food at Asian groceries, come across many interesting cultural finds.

100ml of dashi stock requires 1 large spoon of soy sauce and 2 large spoon of mirin to make broth.

Minced beef can be used to substitute thinly sliced beef.

Pour broth enough to cover beef and onion wedges in a pot to cook.

Enjoy yourself eating the food of Machismo.

 

The knowing Noh

Mission, Nara Prefectural  New Public Hall (researched 13, Aug 2013)

 

 

 

 

 

I went to the Nara Prefectural  New Public Hall this morning to see what's there. This is what I saw.

 

For the beginning.

The new public hall was built in 1987, cost 'em 5 billion Yen, accommodates a Noh theater, a restaurant and conference rooms, has the under ground car park (pay).

The Noh = one of the Japanese classical plays, apparently similar to Kabuki.  

 

 

I have recently found this place to research.

In contrast to the other cultural heritages in Nara, the hall is literally newer by far.

This means that it is easier to research in my wheel chair. I turned out to be right

 

There are roughly two things which worth visiting.

1, The Noh theater(replicated the style of Muromchi period), this is what you have to see at the hall, accommodates 500 people,  it functions as one of several Noh theaters in Japan. (Nara is the birth place of Noh). The Konpal-kai regularly play their Noh at the theater while there were 3 more groups of people played Sarugaku(turns into Noh), such as Kanze-za,  Kongo-ryu and Houu-ryu……...check http://nohgaku.net/  more about Noh (translates into English).

 

 

 

2, the garden, is located at back of the bilding, has epic view with the greenly of Wakakusayama hill

 

.

I actually recommend you to visit the garden in the autumn to enjoy watching coloured leaves

 

Over all.

I have actually been to a Noh theater first time. I felt similar atmosphere to dojo (martial art gym) be cause of its tension. I even had an idea of watching Noh sometime.

As I wrote, the Konpal-kai often play their Noh at the theater, cost you ¥5000(general)¥2500(student) ¥20000 (5×coupon ticket) . Ask the Konpal-kai ph  0742-33-9720.

The  hall is totally accessible has elevators and accessible slops as well as priority toilets.

The under ground car park (pay) has priority parking space for wheel chair users. They allow you to take some rest in the building (may be good to stop by, when you visit the Nara park.)

Also, they have web site on http://www.shinkokaido.jp/ facebook on https://www.facebook.com/shinkokaido

 

 



the Noh masks, look a bit spooky.

 

 

How to get there.

 It takes 20 min on foot, heading the East from Kintetsu Nara station

Get on city circular bus at JR Nara station, get off at Daibutsuden-Kasugataishiyamae, walk towards the east for 3 min.

You can get there by car.

 

Conclusion.

Due to the parking fee was rising, we were in rush to research. We'd like to have some more time to see it in detail.

How ever, we might visit there again to watch the Noh or the coloured leaves in the autumn.

 

You wanna cold one?

Mission Soni kogen beer (researched 10 Aug 2013)

Let me guess what you love to drink in the summer (I'm gifted to see what's on one's mind). The answer is beer.

It's damn easy to guess what's your favorite drink in the middle of this crazy season. Yes we all love beers. I suppose you'd have your favorite beer.

Today, I'll introduce Soni kosen beer that is locally brewed beer in Soni village, Nara pref.

In fact, Japan has 4 major beer brewers such as Kirin, Asahi, Suntory and Supporo. They all very competitive each other, producing some of the best beers in the world.

Personally, I drink Kirin quite regularly. Two of the best beers I've ever drunk is Windhoek from Namibia and Steinlager from New Zealand.

How ever, Nara's Soni kogen beer is produced by a small brewery. You have to be lucky to come across this rear beer.

Here are two places where you can buy Soni kogen beer.  

1, Soni kogen farm garden, this is where the brewery is located , has a nice restaurant nearby. You can pretty much enjoy freshly brewed beer as well as good food.

They open from 10am-6pm, close on Wednesdays.

The place is located up in the high lands, normally requires you a car to get there.

Check their web site for more http://www.soni-kogen.com/

Actually, you can get there by train and bus, if you are keen.

Bus takes you there in 45min from Kintetsu Nabari station.

Also, you can stay at The National Soni Outdoor Learning Centre reasonably.

2, Kitora liquor store in Nishinokyo, Nara city. They open from 9am-9pm, close on Tuesdays

Address 3-30 Gojyo, Nara city, Nara ph o742-33-2557 fax  0742-35-3377    URL http://kitora.com/, they have  a shop on line. Check it out!!

Conclusion

When I was young, I was traveling many places, came across some great beers on the road. Now, they are all my good memories. I`m sure Japan would have some of the greatest beers. All you gotta do is "drink it to experience it."

The East side of JR Nara station story

Mission, the East side of JR Nara station (researched 03 Aug 2013)

 

To carry on the search for the area (researched the West side of JR Nara station 08 Jun 2013) I researched the East side to gather more information about the area. Here are what I saw.

 

 

 

 

You should start your day in Nara at the East side of JR Nara station. I have a few reasons why I recommend you to do it.

 

1, The East side still have atmosphere of the Showa era. You can see the real Nara that is old and deserted.

 

 

 

2, the old station building.(built 1934) the building was designed similarly to the temples in Nara.

 

 

.

    "When I was a kid my dad took me to the station as well as the old station building. He told me about the old station building, he looked proud of it. I guess he would have loved Nara."

 

Nowadays, the old station building accommodates  the information centre( deals with foreigners) and a bank, functions as the hub of tourism in Nara.

 

 

 

3, the East side has the great accessibility to visit the premier spots such as The Todaiji Temple(1h on foot), The Kofukuji Temple(20min),The Kasuga Taishiya Shrine(1h), the Nara national museum(30min) and the Nara park(20min)

 

 

 

4, the Sanjyo dori shopping mall. You can shop or ramble all the way to those places,

 

Over all

The East side is as friendly for wheel chair users as the West side

 

 

1, the accessible slopes are equipped. The Priority toilets are located ( there are no toilets are available at the old station building)

 

 

 

As a result, I have a plan to walk around the area (the Nara perk and all that).

 

Morning, you start off your day at the East side (see the real and present Nara).

 

Noon, you visit the temples, the museums, the park and have some lunch (see the ancient Nara).

 

Afternoon, you finish your day in Nara at the West side of station (see the sophisticated Nara)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion,

They looked very much welcome foreign tourists, they have maps in English and broachers

for free at the information centre of the old station building.

 

 

 

I honestly have never seen any touristy place that is such hospitable.