Official Author

新井 美紀（Miki Arai）

Sushi Aoki, Ginza - Two stars in the Michelin Guide This video is a documentary on the famous sushi restaurant "Ginza Sushi Aoki" in Tokyo's Ginza district. Ginza Sushi Aoki is located in Ginza where many of the best sushi restaurants are located, and has been awarded 2 stars in the Michelin Guide. In the video, the chef prepares fish that he has carefully selected from Tsukiji Market and talks to us about the fish and ingredients as we watch from the counter. Also, from 2:18, you can see the tuna being processed, and from the big slice of tuna, you can see the bellows, marbled fatty tuna, medium fatty tuna, and lean meat. The marbled fatty tuna is sometimes mistaken for marbled beef because of its appearance. Ginza Sushi Aoki is also open for lunch, and you can enjoy the taste of a Michelin Guide restaurant at a reasonable price. Definitely give it a try if you have the chance! ◆Ginza Sushi Aoki Store Information◆ 【Address】Ginza Takahashi Bldg. 2nd fl., Ginza 6-7-4, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 【Access】A 2-minute walk from Exit B5 of Ginza Station off the subway line 【Price Range】¥20,000+ 【Hours】12:00-13:30 (L.O.) / 17:00-21:30 (L.O.) 【Closures】New Year's holiday season (12/31-1/1) 【Parking】None 【Phone】03-3289-1044 【Official Homepage】Ginza Sushi Aoki https://www.sushiaoki.jp/en/index.html 【Tabelog】Ginza Sushi Aoki Ginza Branch (銀座 鮨青木 銀座本店) https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13000563/

Amazing See-Through Koi Made With Squid! This video shows how to make artistic koi fish sushi with squid. In the video, the squid is cut into thin slices to recreate the swimming imagery. Also, tamagoyaki and salmon are sandwiched between the rice and squid to create a wonderful see-through pattern. Artistic sushi that's both a feast for the eyes and mouth! Check it out!

It Just Gets Bigger and Bigger as It Cooks! "Basho Senbei," a Specialty of Osaka! This video shows a demonstration of baking basho senbei at a festival stall. Basho means "banana" and basho senbei (rice crackers) are named after the shape of a banana leaf. It's pretty uncommon to find even in Japan, but it's an Osaka specialty, and you can buy it online as well. In the video, you can see the rice cakes that start out the size of the palm of your hand getting bigger and bigger as they're cooked. Be sure to check it out!

Beef Shiogamayaki at Gion Sasaki This video introduces the amazing beef "shiogamayaki" (protein cooked in salt crust) at Gion Sasaki, at three-star restaurant in the Michelin Guide. Gion Sasaki opened in 1997 in Ponto-cho, Gion, and after moving once in Gion, opened its current location in 2006 in Gion, where many old establishments are still standing. The restaurant has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide. In Gion Sasaki's beef shiogamayaki, wagyu beef is first seasoned with salt and pepper, let to sit, and then wrapped in a cherry leaf. They use egg whites and salt to create a "salt kettle" around the beef and then place it in the pizza oven until it's completely browned. When you crack the salt kettle, you can smell the fragrance of cherry blossoms in the steam. Be sure to check out the video of the beef shiogamayaki with beautifully cooked wagyu beef and the aroma of cherry blossoms! ◆Gion Sasaki Store Information◆ 【Address】1F, 566-27 Komatsucho Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-fu 605-0811 【Access】A 10-minute walk from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station / A 12-minute walk from Shijo-Kawaramachi Station off the Hankyu Kyoto Line 【Price Range】¥30,000+ 【Hours】【Lunch】12:00- Simultaneous start【Dinner】18:30- 【Closures】Sundays・The 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month・Irregular 【Parking】None 【Phone】075-551-5000 【Official Website】Gion Sasaki http://gionsasaki.com/ 【Yelp】Gion Sasaki (祇園 さゝ木) https://www.yelp.com/biz/%E7%A5%87%E5%9C%92-%E3%81%95%E3%82%9D%E6%9C%A8-%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82?osq=%E7%A5%87%E5%9C%92%E3%81%95%E3%81%95%E6%9C%A8

RyuGin - Three Stars in the Michelin Guide This video introduces the amazing "Oyogashi Ayu" (Swimming Sweetfish), at the Japanese restaurant "RyuGin" in Roppongi, Tokyo. In the video you can see the fish swimming around in salt water before being turned into amazing cuisine. This gives them a somewhat salty taste as they absorb the salt through their gills. Also, when they skewer the sweetfish, they stick the gall bladder with the skewer to release the bile and reduce the bitterness of the sweetfish, giving it an elegant aroma. Every process is at RyuGin has a purpose and brings out the most flavor possible. Be sure to check out the video to see their superb river fish dishes. ◆RyuGin Store Information◆ 【Address】7F Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 1-1-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100-0006 【Access】Directly connected to Hibiya Station off the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, Hibiya Line, and Toei Subway Mita Line / Directly connected to Yurakucho Station off the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line (4-minute walk) / Directly connected to Ginza Station off the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line and Ginza Line (5 minutes walk) / Yurakucho Station off the JR Yamanote and Keihin Tohoku lines (5-minute walk) 【Price Range】¥50,000+ 【Hours】17:30-23:00 (L.O. 20:00) 【Closures】Irregular ※Please check on their website 【Parking】None 【Phone】03-6630-0007 【Official Homepage】日本料理 龍吟 | Nihonryori RyuGin http://www.nihonryori-ryugin.com/ 【Tabelog】RyuGin (龍吟) https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A130102/13001457/

The "Unagi Donabe Gohan Zen" at Kyouman Gion in Gion, Kyoto This video shows "Unagi Donabe Gohan Zen" being made at Kyouman Gion.　It's a type of rice dish cooked in an earthenware pot with unagi eel. In the video, you can see the chefs at Kyouman Gion starting off by filleting live eel taken from their tank, skewering it, grilling it over a charcoal fire, and finally making their specialty dish Unagi Donabe Gohan. They use delicious domestic eels from Kagoshima, Aichi, Shizuoka, and other parts of Japan, as well other fresh ingredients bought on the day. When you visit Kyoto, consider stopping by Kyouman Gion for some delicious eel dishes! ◆Kyouman Gion Store Information◆ 【Address】51-2 Motoyoshi-cho, Yamato Shinbashi Higashi-iru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 【Access】318 meters from Gion Shijo Station 【Price Range】¥5,000+ 【Hours】11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:00) / 17:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:00) 【Closures】Irregular 【Parking】None 【Phone】075-551-7337 【Official Homepage】Kyouman Gion | KIWA https://kiwa-group.co.jp/kyouman_gion/ 【Tabelog】Kyouman Gion (時菜 今日萬 祇園) https://tabelog.com/en/kyoto/A2601/A260301/26031429/

Cooking Eggs on a Teppan Grill?! This video shows how to make dashi-maki tamago (Japanese rolled omelets) using a teppan grill at Nanpu, a teppanyaki restaurant in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. Nanpu is a chain of izakaya (Japanese style pubs) established in 1996 with 13 locations in Aichi, Gifu, and Okinawa. In this video, they make dashi-maki tamago and fluffy omelets at Nanpu's main branch in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. You probably don't imagine cooking eggs when you see a teppan grill, but in the video, the use a spatula to expertly cook the eggs. The highlight of the video is the final twirl of the dashi-maki tamago, which can be seen at 1:13. Be sure to check it out! ◆南風 -NANPU- Store Information◆ 【Address】〒462-0056 Aichi, Nagoya, Kita Ward, Chumarucho, 1−4-4 【Access】A 10-minute walk from Shonaidori Station on the Chickamae Subway Line. 【Price Range】¥3,000+ 【Hours】17:00-24:00 【Closures】Irregular 【Parking】Available. 6 spaces 【Phone】052-910-3654 【Official Homepage】南風 -NANPU- https://nanpu.co.jp/ 【Tabelog】Nanpu https://tabelog.com/en/aichi/A2301/A230113/23033046/

A Single Bamboo Branch Turned Into Various Garnishes This video teaches you how to cut pine tree and shrimp decorations using bamboo leaves. There are several types of bamboo cutting, such as the ken-zasa, which is placed vertically between dishes, the shiki-zasa, which is placed underneath the food, kesho-zasa, which is placed on top of the food, and the kazari-mono, which is larger than those used for food. Check out the video to learn the steps for cutting pine tree and shrimp decorations from a single bamboo leaf! It's a great way to entertain guests when they come over, or to add a touch of class to your dishes on New Year's, etc.

Japan's Delicious Baby Castella This video shows the artisans at Aoi Renga, which is said to be the best baby castella maker in Japan, making baby castella. Aoi Renga has a branch in Shimokitazawa, Setagaya City, and has been covered by various media outlets. The "Aoi Renga" baby castella, which are also delicious when eaten chilled, were certified by the Setagaya Ward as a "Setagaya Souvenir." In the video, you can see the Fresh Cream Fondue made with fresh cream from Hokkaido, the Fresh Chocolate Fondue made with bitter chocolate and fresh cream from Hokkaido, and baby castella being dipped in them. Be sure to check out the video to see the quick skills of the best castella chefs in Japan! ◆Baby Castella Specialty Store "Aoi Renga" Store Information◆ 【Address】2-25-4 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 【Access】44 meters from Shimokitazawa Station 【Castella Pricing】¥500+ 【Hours】11:00-20:00 【Closures】Tuesdays 【Parking】None 【Phone】03-5453-8711 【Official Website】Baby Castella Specialty Shop「Aoi Renga」 https://www.aoirenga.com/index.html 【Tripadvisor】Aoi Renga https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1066455-d13294823-Reviews-Aoi_Renga-Setagaya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html

A Look at Kyo Tsukimachian's Broad Bean "Rice" Crackers Made Using Traditional Techniques! In this video, we see a craftsman baking bean crackers in Gion, Kyoto. The Gion branch of Kyo Tsukimachian offers a variety of bean crackers, made with plenty of broad beans and carefully baked using a traditional method. How about a souvenir from Gion? Check out the video to see how they bake the bean crackers! ◆Kyo Tsukimachian Store Information◆ 【Address】247-14, Gion Kitagawa, Higashiyama, Kyoto, Kyoto (京都府京都市東山区祇園町北側247-14) 【Access】A 1 minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station from the Keihan Electric Railway 【Admission Fee】¥110+ 【Business Hours】10:00-19:00 【Closures】None 【Parking】None 【Phone】075-533-0141 【Official Homepage】Kyo Tsukimachian Kyoto Branch https://www.kyo-tsukimachian.com/ 【Tabelog】Kyo Tsukianmachi Kyoto Branch https://tabelog.com/en/kyoto/A2601/A260301/26024783/