28 November 2015
Etihad guest night at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
The luxury night at Nihon-bashi
My blogger friend was invited to this party. He invited me as a companion.
The party was coordinated in the Mandarin Oliental Tokyo, one of the most luxury hotels in Tokyo.
In European countries or North America, the Etihad Airways is well known company as one of the developing big three in Middle East airlines. The image of this airline was package tour economy class passengers and some businessman who had the trip to Middle East on upper class. The aim of the party might be commercial advertisement to show the new CI in Japanese market. There were a lot of FFP elite members who traveled with Etihad Airways.
The food were served with the buffet style. The food were payed attention not to be served under the Isramic rule. The tastes were nice as the Mandarin Oriental service. The wine were served easy to drink by there was no champagne. After the dinner, the strong brack coffee and various selected tea were served with lovely sweets.
As the entertainment, the Arabic music were played by Alatour, three performers. The performance was very nice. The attendance may have had a lot of experience like this.
The party was closed at 2100, two hours after the opening.
I has several talk with ground staff at Narita. All characters of Etihad airways have unspecific in the airline markets. The thin Arabic tastes, international crew members, next to Emirates and less facilities in Abu Dhabi than that of Dubai were very disappointed point for us.
26 November 2015
Jiang Ji Dong Men Dou Hua/Tofu, Dong Men soy milk stand, Dong Men Market(江記東門豆花 東門 台北), Taipei, Taiwan
The lovely breakfast in Tong Men Market
Soy milk is a popular drink and food in
North East Asia. The major market may be Chinese culture area as Taiwan, Hong
Kong and Mainland. There are also some soy milk products in supermarket in
Japan.
This Dong Men Douhua is located in the
heart of Dong Men Market opposite side from the Din Tai Fung, one of the most
famous restaurants in Taipei. This small soy milk stand may be run by a family.
The food list was very simple as Dou Hua(豆花),
warm Dou jiang(豆漿), cold Tong jiang(豆漿). Some had brought for their family or
themselves, the other had eaten in the shop where has several table sets in
small space. We have visited this stand in late morning, and found long queue
for soy milk products. The queue was very beautiful like that formed by
British.
台北市金山南路一段(東門市場内)142巷5号
0968-109-709
7:30～15:00頃・月曜日定休
24 November 2015
Kaya toast, breakfast, the Majestic hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kaya toast is known as the breakfast menu from the Malay Peninsula in Japanese tourists. The tourists will buy the Kaya jam as a souvenir or daily food for them.
This simple snack is eaten in the Malay and Indonesia. The Kaya jam was made from coconut milk, some egg and sugar. The sweet taste with the coconut flavour will remind us where we were at the Tropical area. This spread may be very nice nutrition for the people in this area.
At the Majestic hotel, the butler will
bring the breakfast set on the time you have order. Kaya toasts will serve with
some tea or coffee, juice and fresh fruits. The Kaya toast was very nice. The sweet
from the coconut, sugar was matched with the black coffee.
21 November 2015
Bar NonNon, Hilltop Hotel, Ochanomizu (ノンノン 山の上ホテル 御茶ノ水 東京), Tokyo
The Hilltop hotel were located on the top of the hill in Ochanomizu area. The Ochanomizu area is the cultural and university area in Tokyo. The university of Tokyo is located in the north of this area. In the bottom from this hill, there is the street of Jinbo-cho, antique and used books shop street. This area is the heart of academism in Tokyo. This hotel is located in the heart of academism and a famous classical hotel in Tokyo.
On the ground floor, the bar is located in right side from the entrance. In the back wall from the customer position, there were very beautiful stained glass. The counter was nicely polished as reflexing the light in the small space. The young bartender will serve to you. The chef Barman, named Mr. Takeuchi, is famous in Tokyo.
On the ground floor, the bar is located in right side from the entrance. In the back wall from the customer position, there were very beautiful stained glass. The counter was nicely polished as reflexing the light in the small space. The young bartender will serve to you. The chef Barman, named Mr. Takeuchi, is famous in Tokyo.
I ordered gin with tonic and gimlet on my visiting. I heard a lot of old book lovers visited to this bar after bought the targeted books and opened the book on the counter with happy faces. The sweet smell of the old book will be lovely marriage to the Speyside whiskey.
20 November 2015
How to get the tickets for Shinkansen, Japan railway companies (JR East, Central, West and Kyusyu).
First, Plan. We make the plan of our journey. The Shinkansen has frequently running among the cities. Search the time table to find our train fitting our plan. There were several dozen railway companies. The JR (Japan railway companies) were the privatised national railway companies and there were several private railway companies as Tokyu, Keihan, Hanshin, Kintetsu, Keikyu or Chichibu etc. In this article, I will describe the JR ticketing.
Attention: The Japanese rail way company was separated to
six companies. The Tokaido Shinkansen is under the jurisdiction of the JR
central.
Second, Buy the
tickets. Unfortunately, there is no online reservation web site in English.
We should go to the ticket counter in the station. On the vending machine, you will get the tickets for the simple journey or short distance journey. Almost all station around
the sightseeing spot has the ticket office for the tourists named Midori no Madoguchi
(みどりの窓口).
I highly recommend you to make an itinerary of your train journey to present at
the ticket counters. Several staff will can communicate with you in English,
but almost staff will not speak in English. I attached the itinerary example following.
Please print out or copy to your iphone memo, fill into all blank and present.
Itinerary 旅行予定
日にち(date) (MM)月(DD)日 から (MM)月(DD)日(if
return)
片道(oneway) 往復(return)
発駅(departing
from) (Station name)駅 (city) (Station
name)駅 (city)
出発時間(departing
time) 00:00 00:00
着駅(the
destination) (Station Name)駅 (city)
到着時間(arrival
time) 00:00 00:00
If you
decided the train,利用列車(the train) (train name)、(train number)号
The fee in the train ticket of Japan railway companies were
very complicated system. In plain language, the fast or express train cost you
the additional service charge. There were three levels depend on the train, the
distance ticket (乗車券 for all trains in Japan), the
service ticket (特急券 for all limited express and
Shinkansen trains) and reservation ticket(指定券 for reserved car on all limited express and all Shinkansen
trains). The latter two tickets will be printed on the same card.
example) Nozomi superexpress No.35 1310-1449 Tokyo to Nagoya
Distance ticket JPY 6260
Service ticket JPY 4100
Reservation ticket JPY 730
Total: JPY 11090(for reserved car), 10360 (for non-reserved
car)
Attention:
About the Class and the reserved seat. There was three classes in limited express
train and Shinkansen. If you will take the seat at the Green car (First class
some local train, Shinkansen and Limited express), Grand class (Superior first
class in Hokuriku or Tohoku Shinkansen line) and reserved car (Second class
reserved), you need a reservation tickets.
The JAPAN
RAIL PASS holder can use the non-reserved car in Nozomi superexpress, reserved
car in Hikari or Kodama. Please get farther information in “Step 3 Make a seat
reservation” in this web site.
*If you have
the JAPAN RAIL PASS, you must turn the order coupon in your Exchange to JAPAN
RAIL PASS to get the validation.
The exchange office: http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html
Tips: If you can crack Japanese, you can use the Ekinet from
JR East, e5489 from JR West. You will officially get discount ticket through these
web site. You can pick up your ticket at the ticket office at the stations
under each company. Near future, I will explain the reservation systems. If you
need assistance please contact via comment.
Third, Ride. Almost all stations around major cities as metropolis
Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka or Fukuoka have the automatic ticket gates as the Underground
of London. Put your ticket into the machines, the gate will open, proceed to the platform.
19 November 2015
Is the Bond martini (shaken vodka martini) delicious for drinkers?
Bar
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essay
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Far East
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James Bond
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Japan
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Tokyo
No comments
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Spector is released on 4th December in Japanese market. The new 007 film Spector has already released in UK.
“James is not a real drinker, I think. The Bond martini is
small amount of alcohol because the shaking sound is very dull with clashing
ice sound, thus the martini glasses are very large.” The lady who love to taste
the cocktails in the famous bar said and I said “The Martini which Japanese skilful
bartender had shaken will throw him down, with the strong alcohol contains in
the Shaken vodka martini.” We told about the weak martini in the 007 movies over
a glass of sherry and a glass of thick White lady at the early evening.
The shaken vodka martini must have been very thin and tasteless
in the Bond movies as Sky fall (the bartender in Macao was at least better than
other ones.), Casino Royal or Living Daylight (we may know the taste of the poison
in such as thin martini). When I visited to the bars in these Anglo-Saxon countries,
I had been very disappointed the quality of the cocktails. The bar man in these
countries used very loose ices containing a lot of airs bubble and almost
melting for their cocktails. They also were not able to measure the amount of liquors
for the cocktails. The shaken vodka martini made with loose ices were nicely
weak cocktail before going out on missions. In the United States or England,
the ice for the cocktails is really low quality.
From the economist web site
Ian Fleming may have known and anticipated the worrying future
of cocktail in UK. He had Mr Bond drunk 92 units per week in his novels. In this
“scientific” article, the author had described that he counted the vodka
martini as 3 units alcohol (1unit is 8 g of ethanol.) same amount as the glass (150mL)
of the wine or Japanese sake. The Dukes bar in Dukes hotel, London where Sir
Fleming loved to drink and was inspired the Vesper martini is serving 8 units alcohol
martini with 150mL Martini glass. He had written Mr Bond as the strong role
model but the movie producers had drawn his as the “not-real drinker.” The
amount of alcohol unit must flexed depends on the recipes of the cocktail.
http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7255.full.pdf+html
17 November 2015
Japan airlines first class lounge, Narita international airport, Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
Airline lounge
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Far East
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JAL
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Japan
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Tokyo
No comments
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Sushi Bar in the Airline loungeThe terminal 2 of the Narita international airport is the desert for eating. You will find several coffee shops or bars but there is nothing to eat except airline lounge in transit or departure area after the seculity control and immigration. If you want to taste Sushi or Tempura on your transit at Narita, you should be admitted to Japan. I like to hear about entering the country just to eat Sushi or other foods, but that is very inconvinient for the travellar.
On the Sushi bar, they will serve Maguro(tuna), Ebi(shrimp) and Tamago(egg, Japanese omlett). The variation is very poor but you will be entertained the chef's technique at the counter.
This service must be homage for the on-board Sushi bar or Sushi service in the JAL first class.
I don't know for certain whether there used to be some Sushi bar in the restriction area.
16 November 2015
Keep calm, enjoy the diversities of the huge world, and then think about the people in far place. After Terror attack in Paris.
essay
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Far East
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France
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Japan
No comments
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Read "Soumission" written by Michel Houellebecq in
Far East anew after the massacre in Paris
If the massacre on last Friday would happen on the “Soumission”
situation after 2022, what comment will the people talk on the media or SNS?
After the peace of Westphalia, the “shape” of Europa have been destroyed and
re-constructed again and again. For these several years after Greek crisis, the
people of Europa is losing the identity as the citizen of Europa. In addition the
population of the Muslim is increasing as the immigrants and refugees from the
Middle East area. The immigrants were formed local communities in the countries
only with Muslims in the European countries.
What kind of the situation are the citizens in our developed
countries? They had the smartphone, convenient fast food, middle to high
education, not big but not little income and small number of family. An
individual will communicate with other individuals one way through the SNS (as
Facebook or twitter) or internet through the smart phone without seeing their
voice or face each other. The people in Japan are following the current trends
of fashion, food or also politics in the mass media. They have never made decision
if like or not, fit them or not, realistic or not. This type of society may be
very weak to the sudden and slight terrorist attacks.
Tokyo is one of the most international cities in the world. The
major cities of Europa in these days also show the huge diversity in international
culture, religious, foods and customs. Francois drank a lot of amount and kinds
of liquor or wines and ate broadly international foods, including from the Islamic
cultures, in the novel. The restaurant which the terrorist had attacked was the
Cambodian restaurant. Fundamentalist would not have the tolerance of the
diversity (In the situation in “Soumission”, the Islamic fundamentalist may
attack the 2022 Arabic government in France.). On the other hand, the citizens
in Europa might enjoy the difference between the original nationalities or
cultures in the communities. We should know more about each other on the earth.
The elite in the countries are very frail in their
principle, will and social position. Under the Nazi government in Germany or
Austria, in the South Korea or in the Post-World War II Japan, the class of
elite has converted to the complete opposite side to keep their position or
incomes. The pressure from the social awareness, unemployment or promotion will
easily break the spirits of the elite.
We should keep our daily life as going to the restaurant or cafe, meeting our friends, going to working by metro or bus as usual, drinking some drinks in bar and watching movies. The terrorist wanted to destroy our daily life and our communities with their despicable attacks. And After enjoying the daily life with grief, then we should think about the farther places as France, Iraq, Sylia and Lebanon etc. Under the dynamic and rapid transition of the world, we
should broadly take notice of this Paris massacre to find what we must know and
think. We forgot a lot of attacks around Middle East as the Turkey, Lebanon or
Iraq. The attacks were not only Paris. To know something, the culture or friends
will help us.
14 November 2015
Short haul Japan Airlines Business class (JAL Sky Suite 767) from Tokyo to Manila
The worst business class services on the aeroplane in developed countriesThe Japan airlines had proud of the long history and nice quality of the Japanese style service. On this visiting to Manila, I must choose Japan airline. The aircraft was the Boeing 767-300ER which was the common aircraft for the short to middle haul international flights from Japan as Manila, Saigon, Hanoi, Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.
The business class seat was the new Sky Suite 767 style which was the renovated products from Japan Airline. The Sky Suite 767 seat will be fully flatted bed but the seat has too narrow space to take a nap on these seats. The length of the seat will be fit for the foreigners but the narrow seat will be difficult to be relaxed. The relax position is Okay.
The meal service will start with the drink service as the other airlines. There were some selection of wines, liquors and soft drinks but nothing was special. The snack which was served with the first drink service was Dry Natto and some rice chips. The Natto will be familiar to Japanese passengers thus the foreigners may not like smell and texture of Natto.
The meal service had nothing special. I chose the Japanese style menu from the lists. The portion was normal as the other airline company. All meals were placed on one tray in the JAL short haul like Manila. The meal level of this short haul was as the economy class meal service which was served on Narita-Paris JAL flight twenty years ago. The main course was a little bit less warmed because all courses were served on the same tray.
the whole view
Grilled Halibut with Yuzu miso flavour and Grilled chicken with miso sauce
Syokado box (for the Entre)
After dinner, I had some cognac from the list. The inflight service manager had brought a glass of cognac and told me in Japanese, "If we had some chocolate for you sir, (we will serve some piece of lovely chocolate)."
The cabin announce was too frequent to interupt the movie several times. Each announce was very long and superficial. The cabin crews had not pay attention for the passengers comforts.
All things were aimed at the average marks in the service for Japanese. All cabin crew have not been able to speak frequent English and had no ability to entertain and serve for the passengers. They had never served and just ridden the aircraft with passengers to place the drinks and meals, also in business class. I have not been able to find the Japanese Omotenashi service.
11 November 2015
The first flight of Mitsubishi Regional Jet airplane on 11. Nov. 2015
At the time
of the second start of aviation industry of Japan …
The first lift of the MRJ aircraft
From the website of Mainichi Shinbun.
This
morning, the first passenger jet airliner from Japan had the first test flight
from Nagoya Komaki airport (prior Nagoya International airport). The airliner was
designed in the Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and named Mitsubishi Regional
Jet (MRJ). In the market of commercial airline in Japan, the cost effective
aircraft for the company and replacing the regional airliner were expected. The big two commercial airlines, All Nippon
Airways and Japan Airline, have decided the introduction of this aircraft
series.
YS-11 aircraft
the photo from the Department of defence.
After YS-11
aircraft, the commercial aviation industry of Japan had declined for long
period. The YS-11 aircraft was the classical turbo propped air craft which were
tailor made for the Japanese aviation condition and military taste massive
aircrafts. The engines were produced from the Rolls Royce in the UK. There were
a lot of funs of YS-11 in Japan. The last commercial flight was 2006 between
Okinoerabu Island and Kagoshima airport.
This
Mitsubishi Regional Jet airliner was designed to fit and bring out the ability
of PW1000
(PW1215G) series engines produced by Pratt &
Whitney. This
airliners were characterised by the next generation environmental performance, the
comfortable cabin for the passengers with new stylish cabin design and highly
efficiency with 20% lower operation costs.
www.flythemrj.com/
The Ryotei based taste restaurant in Nagasaki, Kiyokawa, Nagasaki (清華和，長崎), Japan
The combination of highly sophiticated Dashi soupstock and Nagasaki traditional dishes and service
100th article anniversary
The Nagasaki city has two different face in one city. One is Urakami area where is very famous as the old Catholic village and Atomic bomb ground zero, the other is Old Nagasaki city centre which has long history as the only international port in Edo era for three hundred years. These two village has been separated by the beach located in today's Nagasaki main station area. The Old Nagasaki is like Amsterdum or Antwerpen and strictly controlled by government.
This Kappo is the real Old Nagasaki. The Itacho will speak in the traditional Nagasaki distinct and his technique is very traditional Nagasaki foods. The signature of this restaurant is the courses using with the Dashi soup as cooked with Dashi soup, Osuimono (clear soup), Miso soup or cooked rice. The Dashi soup stock is the very important part in the Japanese food. There are several variation of Dashi soup made from the various ingredients like Kombu (tangle), bonito (Katsuo), tuna (Maguro), dried sea slug (Iriko) or flying fish (Ago). The combination among tangle and other dried matured fish bring you the different flavour and taste. The sense of using the Dashi soup with the ingredient is one of the most important technique in Japanese food cooking.
The counter in the ground floor. We can have lovely dinning over our dishes and counter.
The Itacho love into the fish landed to Nagasaki fisher-mans port. The seas around Nagasaki were good fishing points catching seasonal and various fishes all seasons. I love to eating Sashimi the Itacho cut and decorated on ice and to talk about the seasonal fishes with him. I recommend you to enjoy the taste and the texture of fishes.
Itacho like also charming events like some surprising or impromptu arrangements. On this visiting, he served the Champon noodle which was not listed on the menu cards. It was very luxury Champon noodle.
Address: 2-13 Funadaikumachi, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki-ken 850-0904, Japan
Tel: 095-822-9233
web: http://www.kiyokawa-nagasaki.com/kiyokawatop.html
10 November 2015
Sushi bar, Shobu, Nagasaki airport, Omura, Nagasaki (しょうぶ 長崎空港 大村), Japan
The video of the spouting of the whale in Nagasaki Okunchi festival
The shop name is “iris” in Japanese. The name has likely
come from the irises planted in the moats around Omura castle. Nagasaki
prefecture has several ports for the fisherman and the amount of landing seafood
were No.2 in Japan. The seafood and seafood products were specialty in this
prefecture.
Before leaving Nagasaki, I recommend you to have a glass or
beer and several Sashimi, seafood soup or Sushi in this restaurant. You also
taste the Japanese Sake (rice wine) or Shochu (clear liquor) at this
restaurant. The black fishes were very nice on the season with Shochu with warm
water (Oyuwari お湯割り).
On my visiting, I had whale and Sashimi with rice and soup.
The whale had been the signature special products in Nagasaki. For the almost
all western country person, Whales were just Mammalia with natural resource of
whale oil. Till end of World war II, the whale oil was the major oil resource
for the human society. For the Japanese society in Edo era, the whale was one of
the sources of Proteins. In modern ages, the whale was oil resource and food
for the Japanese life style. The whale was a deity in the local community,
giving food and some materials from born or teeth to the village. These days,
the people in Nagasaki had nostalgia to the whales. The most popular whale was blue
whale (Balaenoptera musculus) which was known as the king of the whale meats.
Akami of Whale (The fillet part of Whale meat)
Mackrel pickled with soy source Don
The Miso soup of Arakabu (scorpionfish)
The sea shepherd, like the pie name, has no background of
the culture as the friend of whale. Their progenitor has chase about the hip of
whale to get only oil and money. They had no qualifications to say about the
culture.
9 November 2015
Bar Archive, Daikoku-cho Nagasaki (バー アーカイブ 長崎), Japan
Bar
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Far East
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Japan
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Nagasaki
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The newest bar spot in Nagasaki
The interior was conservative but gave the relaxed atmosphere to the guests. The red brown colour of Rose wood were nice accents in your view. Orange lights were nicely reflected from a lot of glasses. The space was small but comfortable .
The cocktails are lovely because the bartender has training in the famous and popular bar named Bar Waverly located in the city centre of Nagasaki. I had Gin with tonic, Side car and dry Martini on my first visiting bar. All cocktails were nice quality and very traditional style.
I was very surprised at that he serving the Master’s dream beer from the Suntory premium Malts series. The flavour and taste of this brand is very lovely in Japan. The bars where serve this brand beer is very rare. The bartender will serve you one of the best beer with his careful maintenance of beer server and skilful technique.
9-7 1F Daikoku-cho, Nagasaki city
7 November 2015
Walking course in Tokyo vol.1, Hongo area, Bunkyo (散歩コース 東大本郷キャンパス), Tokyo, Japan
Far East
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Japan
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Tokyo
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Walking
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The Yasuda lecture hall
On coming through the main gate, the huge clock tower and lecture hall has faced to us. This building is Yasuda hall. The hall was very famous on the campaign against the Japan‐U.S. Security Treaty on 1969. The lecture hall was half circle and the beautiful lumps were hung in the centre of the hall. The balcony shaped round give the beautifully atmosphere.
There are a lot of old building belong to the departments. Each building was placed in the nice distances each other. All building were designed by different architect but were likely unified motif and design in this campus. The brick walls of the building were reflexed sunshine beautifully.
The galleries were beautiful spot in this campus. The lovely arched roof and constricted designs remind us these buildings were for the academic persons. The students and lecturers were pass through with faces like monk.
Autumn is the best season to visit this university. Ginkgo trees were planted along the street and the centre of the places. The leaf of Ginkgo is the symbol of this university. Late November, the leaves will change to yellow and the contrast of the leaves and brown bricks wall were lovely.
Autumn is the best season to visit this university. Ginkgo trees were planted along the street and the centre of the places. The leaf of Ginkgo is the symbol of this university. Late November, the leaves will change to yellow and the contrast of the leaves and brown bricks wall were lovely.
Ginkgyo Tree on the place in front of the School of Technology
When you feel tired, please visit the café like the students. Subway or Starbucks were open in weekdays.
6 November 2015
The Bento of autumn produced by Nada mann, the food galarie in department store, Tokyo , Japan
Nada Mann is the famous luxuary restaurants group in Japan. On 1980 to 1990s, a lot of skillful Itamae had joined in this restaurant and customers can enjoy the Japanese traditional luxuary dinner course at this restaurants. It was the past story in theses days.
The Nada Mann played the most important part for socialising and generalising the Japanese traditional Ryotei style food as Bento or deli. We, as the foreign tourists or visitors, can enjoy the taste, seasonal dishes and presentation in one small box anywhere. NadaMann's Bento is nice textbook for the beginners of Japanese food.
This season, autumn, we can enjoy the matsutake mushrooms rice from this dinner box, bento. I hope you will enjoy the box with the view of Mt. Fuji from our bullet train.
The menu
Rice: Matsutake, carrot and fried tofu Takikomi Gohan
Nimono: Turnip, octopus and eggplants
Tamagoyaki (japanese omelette)
canard smoked
keelpout winding
pacific saury
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