Excited to have been tapped by Travel + Leisure Asia to pen a piece on eating in Japan. Great working with my editor, Veronica Inveen, to share with readers insider tips, having worked at both the Park Hyatt Tokyo and Takashimaya, and as the author of Food Sake Tokyo on dining out in Nippon. I hope you can…
Category: Toyama
L’Evo
Gastronomy tourism is a big part of why tourists are coming to Japan. L’Evo is an example of a restaurant featuring hyper-local ingredients and worth a journey. Chef Eiji Taniguchi’s restaurant is in the mountains of Toyama in the village of Toga in the remote Nanto district. The menu features local seafood and game with…
Mochitsuki
Mochitsuki, pounding sticky rice to make #mochi at #Masuizumi #sake brewery in #Iwase, #Toyama. Here with Boris Priesol who is one of the founders of the hip Kobo brewpub down the street. We stopped by to say hi and were lucky in our timing to get a taste of the mochi which included #kombu #kelp….
Toyama Tips
Other highlights of Toyama city include dinner at Suehiroken for wonton ramen which has a branch in the Daiwa department store. I asked what their osusume, recommendation, is and they said the wonton ramen was popular. Everyone who came in after us all ordered the wonton ramen. 🙂 Dining at department stores is one of…
Toyama Kobo
Kobo Brewery in the Higashi-Iwase district of Toyama City is a fabulous spot for craft beer and beer-friendly bites like sausages, pate de campagne, cheese, and pickles. Czech brewer Jiri Kotynek has created a portfolio of fabulous beers. A flight of beers is the way to see an ale, lager, IPA, or pilsner. I love…
Toyama Tsutaya
Kissaten are retro coffee shops that often serve my favorite breakfasts while I am on the road. Tsutaya in Toyama city opened in 1923. A smooth cup of coffee with toast, omelette, and a salad. Just like I have at home. Perhaps that is why I love these meals. Love the handwritten notes on the…
Toyama Onyado Nono
In room #onsen #hotsprings at #OnyadoNono in #Toyama. Just press a button and the wooden tub 🛀 fills up with hot springs water. There is also a larger hot springs, both indoor and outdoor, on the property but this was perfect. Part of the #DormyInn chain there is a complimentary bowl of ramen after 9:30…
Toyama Glass Art Museum
Toyama City, near Kanazawa, is one of my new favorite places to visit. The shinkansen 🚄 stops here on its way to Kanazawa and I highly recommend spending a night here to explore the area. The Toyama Glass Art Museum building was designed by Kengo Kuma and has a stunning interior. The city’s public library…
Saseki Saké Tasting Room
Saseki is the tasting room for Masuda Shuzo sake brewery in Toyama. We were honored to have the 5th-generation Masuda introduce us to several sakes in his portfolio including aged sake, nigori cloudy sake, and nama unpasteurized sake. The sakes are well-balanced and food-friendly. The tasting room has sake-friendly small bites including dried hotaru ika…
Tsuriya
Tsuriya in Toyama is a shop that specializes in seafood in many forms: dried, marinated in oil, marinated in nuka rice bran, smoked, and much more. Toyama prefecture specializes in these sake-friendly seafood products. Tsuriya is near Toyama Bay and the area has a long history of seafood – both fresh and these seafood products….
Kobo Brew Pub
Masuda san of Masuizumi sake brewery guided us through the Iwase area of Toyama City. We stopped by the cool craft beer @kobobrewpub for a flight of brews and meats. Czech brewer Jiri Kotvnek is creating a vast portfolio of award-winning brews. The menu features sausages, cured meats, pate, and cheeses. Kobo is a great…
Masuda Shuzō
The highlight of our Toyama trip was the day spent with Masuda san of Masuda Shuzō. His #saké brewery creates a portfolio of delicious #nihonshu under the #Masuizumi label. He invited us into his home and graciously offered us green tea. Check out the beautiful hearth for heating up water for tea. Chef @diegoguerrero asked…
Toyama Kissaten
When on the road I always seek out kissaten for morning coffee and breakfast. Many Japanese hotels offer a buffet breakfast but I am avoiding crowded restaurants. I also love the ambience of kissaten retro coffee shops. Shimeno Coffee is near Toyama Station. The kissaten is in a newer building so the coffee shop interior…
Kurobe, Toyama Port
@sakananoeki #Ikuji seafood market is at #Kurobe, #Toyama port. Toyama Bay is famous for its #seafood. There is also a restaurant and there is pressed sushi and some #bento. The variety and freshness of seafood is impressive. There is also miso marinated filets, shellfish, air-dried fish, 🍥 kamaboko fish cakes, and shiokara fermented seafood. The…
Kombu
On our visit to Kurobe city in Toyama we had the great pleasure to visit Aimono Kombu. Kombu kelp is a sea vegetable rich in natural umami called glutamates. It is essential for making dashi stock which is used in many Japanese dishes. Most kombu is harvested in Hokkaido. In the Edo to Meiji periods…
Toyama Onsen
Kurobe Unazaki Onsen on the Kurobe River in Toyama is a hot springs resort area that is celebrating 100 years this year. Enraku is a lovely ryokan inn with onsen hot spring baths. A stay at Enraku includes a multi-course dinner of seasonal dishes and a traditional and luxurious Japanese breakfast. Highlights of the meal…
Rice Bran Fish
Sanma Pacific saury is marinated in nuka rice bran and salt for four days before grilling. This local lunch spot in #Kurobe,#Toyama is at Hokuyo no Yakata. The café is charming. There is also a shop with local products including kombu kelp, pantry items, and seafood. Hokuyo no Yakata is on the Sea of Japan….
Food Sake Tokyo 