CLinardich

Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest in the world, is a fascinating amalgam of fishermen, fishmongers, and sushi chefs at the doorsteps of Tokyo. Many people know it for the famous tuna auction held there during the early morning hours. Just this past January a 754lb bluefin tuna caught off the northern coast of Japan was auctioned at a world record price of $736,000! Just saying that Japanese people are tuna-crazed doesn't give justice to the statement, I would say it's more like everyone's personal but publicly solicitous love affair. A Japanese person that claims they don't eat tuna meat would be like saying they didn't drink water or breathe air, it's simply inhumane. How can I blame them, it is truly the king of pelagic fishes. I could go on and on about the accolades of ... read more

It was at least a few hours worth of trains, including a stint on the Shinkansen (the famous bullet trains of Japan), to arrive at Minakami, a town in mountainous Gunma Prefecture famous for their onsens (hot springs). We had been looking forward to this weekend stay at the ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) of Takaragawa Onsen for a good while. Japanese people have been using the onsens across the country over the centuries for the relaxing and healing qualities of their mineral-rich waters. Traditionally, clothing is not permitted in the onsen, but a towel to conceal certain parts may be used while walking around. We had lunch at a casual restaurant near Minakami station as we waited for the shuttle bus to the ryokan. Once again, we were impressed by the food, which consisted of hand-cut ... read more

This past weekend was full of Tokyo and cherry blossom viewing (known as hanami in Japanese). What started as an emperor's private party under the sakura (cherry blossom) trees hundreds of years ago, eventually evolved into a national tradition of celebration involving copious amounts of alcohol, food, and friends. The sakura only remain in bloom for two weeks, so once they arrive, people gather for a picnic of epic proportions amidst the snowy branches of their favorite park. We decided to stroll through the large Shinjuku Park during our Tokyo wanderings on Saturday to peek at the renowned collection of sakura located there. This park does not allow the consumption of alcohol on the premises, but many people still gathered to picnic. I was floored by the sheer amount of people and their tasty looking bento ... read more

This past Monday I decided to take the train to Kamakura to check out the surf breaks along the beach. The waves tend to be on the small side unless they score some swell from a typhoon, much like the U.S. east coast and hurricane season. It was a calm, slightly drizzly day, but there were a few spots breaking in the ankle to knee range, surfable, but I imagine fun really only on a longboard, which is fine by me. I began my beach walk at Shichirigahama station where I stopped in any surf shop I came across to inquire on board rental fees. It was amusing to see that much of the retail items such as t-shirts in the shops had surf spots in California printed all over them. I saw more English in ... read more

Today I ventured out for a hike in Kamakura, an area rich in history, temples, and shrines. I followed instructions from hike #21 in the book 'More Day Walks Near Tokyo' by Gary Walters. This is my first time using this book as a guide and am slightly nervous considering it was published 20 years ago, hopefully things have remained mostly the same. After departing the Kita-Kamakura train station I began walking along a paved path with signage in both Japanese and English. I passed by Engaku Temple almost immediately and continued on to Kencho Temple, where I paid 300 yen to enter. Kencho Temple is the leading of the five great Zen temples in Kamakura and is the oldest training monastery for that discipline in Japan. I was overtaken by the intricate woodwork of which ... read more