Category: Uncategorized
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #12
Osaka & Kobe, Monday, May 18, 2026 We opted to play hooky this morning with respect to the udon noodle-making class at Iricosky. From what I could gather from our tour mates, it was something of a hoot, as well as delicious, involving kneading the noodle dough (in plastic wrapping) with the feet. I guess…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #11
Osaka, Sunday, May 17, 2026 Nearing the end of our Japan soujourn. Before we get into today’s activities in Osaka, a reference to our last dinner in Kyoto the day before. Dinner was at a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant called Il Ghiottone, run by Chef Yasuhiro Sasajima. He initially came to the professional culinary world through…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #10
Kyoto, May 15, 2026 The Ace Hotel, Kyoto, is fantastic. As noted in prior post, this was the site of the former Kyoto Central Telephone Office Building: Completed in 1926, it is a landmark heritage building desiged by Tetsuro Yoshida, a pioneer of modern Japanese architecture. Of course, that was then. This is now. Okay,…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #9
Kyoto, May 14, 2026 Thursday, May 14, began with a trip to the Arashiyama District in far western Kyoto, for a visit to Tenryu-ji Temple, built in the 14th Century. We had a lesson on Buddhism, and then went into the peaceful and beautiful garden. From there to the Sagano Bamboo Forest. Do you see…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #8
Arrival in Kyoto, May 13, 2026 Wednesday, May 13: This morning we left Kanazawa on the Shinkansen (Bullet Train), changed trains in Tsuruga, and arrived in Kyoto. The Kyoto train station was also a modernist work of art. From the Kyoto Station, we went to the Daitoku-ji monastery. But first a Zen Vegetarian lunch at…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #7 (Correction)
Kanazawa, May 12, 2026 CORRECTION! In the post I just sent out, there was material at the end regarding a dinner in Kyoto. That was premature. That belongs in an upcoming post. Sorry for the confusion
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #7
Kanazawa, May 12, 2026 Tuesday, May 12, began in the Kenroku-en Garden, ranked as one of the three most beautiful strolling gardens in Japan. The 28-acre garden contains ponds, teahouses (see below)…. ….waterfalls, and manicured shrubs and flowers. The garden was established in the 17th Century by the feudal lords of Kaga (which was the…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #6
Kanazawa, May 11, 2026 Yesterday, I referenced the tradition of the staff of department stores bowing to customers at opening time. We were told not to take photos, but it didn’t occur to me that pictures are available on the internet. So here we go: Andy pointed out that the word I had used for…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #5
Tokyo, May 10, 2026 This was our last day in Tokyo. We began the day with an architectural walk of the Marunouchi and Ginza neighborhoods. The first stop was the Tokyo Train Station, designed by the architect Kingo Tatsuno (reputed father of modern Japanese architecture), and built in 1914. The modern feel of the place…
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If You Knew Sushi Like I Know Sushi #4
Tokyo, continued, May 9, 2026 Yesterday, Saturday (May 9), the “culinary” part of the tour began in earnest. For literally hundreds of years, the Tokyo Central Market drew merchants as well as tourists to its major wholesale auctions of fish. The Central Market was surrounded by an unofficial “outer market,” an unorganized network of small…
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