Bringing Back Cocktail Hour – Minato Neighborhood, Tokyo, Japan

 Certified Kobe Beef...The Best Beef Ever!It seems only appropriate that our final Asia related blog entry pertains to the region’s amazing food, a theme we embraced and celebrated throughout our travels in this unique corner of the world.  Our decadent indulgence in certified Kobe beef, sourced from top-grade Japanese Tajima cattle, was generously sponsored as a birthday gift from Jenn’s family.

Our evening began with a relaxing walk to the Minato neighborhood of Tokyo, an area known for its internationally-acclaimed selection of restaurants.  A peaceful side-street led us to the unassuming door of Kobe Beef Kaiseki 511, a quiet and inviting venue.  A quick glance through the menu revealed a selection of multi-course dinners, each presenting Kobe beef in unique ways to highlight its tender, marbled flavors.

Jenn selected the Maeda course and Matt opted for the Hearth Baked Kobe Beef and Seafood course.  Each offering included eight reasonably sized, meticulously presented dishes.  A sample of items included:

• Consumme jelly-contained vegetables and Kobe beef
• Sakhalin surf clam rolled Kobe beef
• Butter roasted foie gras and bamboo shot with red wine sauce
• Steamed egg in a tea bowl mixed with Kobe beef
• Sea bream with champagne and wasabi sauce
• Kobe beef chirashi sushi
• Sautéed onion wrapped Kobe beef
• Hearth-baked Kobe beef steak
• A light and refreshing desert (surprisingly, not infused with juicy, beefy goodness!)

We paired the seemingly endless parade of dishes with a bottle of light-bodied and refreshing Kubota Manju saké.  With our sake glasses in hand, we offered a toast of Kanpai to Jenn’s family for making it a birthday meal that won’t soon be forgotten!

SUMO!

Sumo wrestling is Japan's national sport, dating back 1,500 years.  Sumo is also more than just a sport, it's an art form presenting pageantry, showmanship, and to put the cherry on the top, it's beyond entertaining to watch.

Before we booked our flight to Japan we had already purchased tickets to see "opening day" of the Grand Sumo Ryogoku Kokugkikan tournament, which is supposed to be one of the busiest tournament days of the two week event.  When we arrived, we scoped out our surroundings and then decided to sit down with our fellow spectators for a bowl of chanko stew made of vegetables, meat and potatoes.  Sumo wrestlers eat this meal to "beef up" and we thoroughly enjoyed these fortifying bowls of hearty deliciousness.

Once we had our fill, we strolled to our seats to catch the Jyuryo bouts.  These wresters are considered sumo professionals, but have not obtained the status of Makuuchi or the top division yet.  Sumo wrestlers come in various shapes and sizes, so the matches are entertaining and we tried to guess who would win each bout.  Jenn based her selection on the flexibility demonstrated by each wrestler during their pre-match stretching.  Often the smaller wrestlers won, literally demonstrating the concept that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. 

After the Jyuryo bouts, there is a brief break where the Makuuchi Entrance occurs during which the top division sumo wrestlers enter the ring.  These matches offer increased ritual and showmanship including the salt purification tradition in which salt is thrown in the ring to remove all bad energy.  There is also sizing the opponent up, slapping of the belly, arms, face, and foot stomping. 

As a foreign spectator, it is not necessary to understand what was being said, simply sit back with a local brew, watch the bouts, and cheer with the crowd while enjoy the amazing sport of sumo.

Bringing Back Cocktail Hour - Tsukiji Fish Market, Japan

It doesn't get any fresher than this!

No trip to Japan would be complete without enjoying fresh sushi, and the Tsukiji Fish Market in Chuo, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan offers some of the freshest fish in the world!  Every day at 4:00 AM the market opens to receive the latest catch for processing, wholesaling, and auctioning.  We did not attend the pre-sunrise activities, but arrived in-time to enjoy an incredible early lunch thanks to the generosity of Jenn’s previous employer, QEP Resources – IT Department.

The scene at the huge market was delightful; market workers moved about hurriedly wearing their waterproof Wellies, the shops near the market were abuzz with activity and the distinct smell of fresh fish was in the air.  We headed over to a row of small, nondescript buildings next to the hustle and bustle to find a small sushi bar / restaurant.

We entered; saddled up to the bar, and requested sushi and sashimi sample plates accompanied by dry sake...it was surely noon somewhere in the world.  We savored familiar flavors and tried some pieces which we didn't recognize along with a two inch long raw squid that, when bitten, popped to reveal its inner juiciness.  The sushi chef must have been impressed because he offered us samples of fresh eel, compliments of the house.

While sitting with the locals and enjoying the flavors we acknowledged our meal as the best, freshest sushi / sashimi available.  When we couldn’t eat any more we left to walk-off our healthy, though nontraditional, breakfast.  It was still early and the day beckoned, so we explored the stalls and gawked at the food, fine cutlery, and oddities available for purchase.

We extend our appreciation to the IT Team at QEP Resources for their generous funding of this one-of-a-kind experience in the Land of the Rising Sun - It was truly one of the best meals of our trip.