July 4th and a pro chef.

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The other day I was lucky enough to get to enjoy a meal prepared by the famous 知久馬先生 at the Ohashi Ryokan (大橋旅館)。（Chikuma). There were a ton of dishes served, and each one was better than the last. Mr. Chikuma himself is a cool dude. I had met him at a conference a few months earlier, and he certainly did not fail his reputation.

Tottori is known for its famous seafood, and when I go home I am going to miss it a lot. Any time I go out for sushi I can rest assured that it was caught that morning, and you can REALLY taste the difference.

Misasa, the town where Ohashi Ryokan is located, is a hot spring town that attracts a good deal of domestic tourists from the Kansai area. It's spring waters are famous for having just a smaaaaall bit of radiation, which is supposed to beautify the skin and strengthen the immune system. Every once and awhile I will come out to this sweet spot where you can enjoy an outdoor public hot spring, then jump into the river to cool off, then do the whole thing over again.

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Photos

NOT shrimp!
This also tasted amazing.

Hot Rock
This rock was heated in a fire and was used to cook some of the fish by placing them on top of it.

Radish Net
He made this from a radish! Talk about skill.

Steak w/ plum shavings
It was served quite rare, but it was amazing.

Raw Clam
The Japanese love their raw foods, such as this large clam.