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| Ishmael 4537th Post
  
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|  "Re(3):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 printing" , posted Mon 4 Feb 01:51  
Thanks for the help everyone!
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You'll see nothing (due to the smog).
*rimshot*
Recommendations for functional and fashionable hazmat suits are also appreciated.
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I could provide literally hundreds of suggestions (and hit me up by email if you want others) but one place I insist that you see is the Beijing Dongyue Temple. If possible, visit at dusk. It was hands down the most interesting, coolest, and most video game inspiring thing I saw when I was there last year.
If you think of something else that is worth the trip you can always drop me a line at gleep9@hotmaildotcom. Still, I don't know what you could recommend that would top the Beijing Dongyue Temple. That looks like a fascinating piece of culture that looks totally cool as well so it is most certainly going on the itinerary.
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Visit Mao's tomb and the square around it, but only on a rainy and lightning-filled night! That was cool.
You could maybe read one of Peter Hessler's very excellent, sensitive-but-not-uncritical books on modern Chinese society and its relationship with its pasts. River Town, Oracle Bones, etc. I think it'd be very neat background, and they're great, to boot.
I will check out Peter Hessler's books. I'm trying to gain a better understanding of where China came from and where it is today and that sounds much more interesting than the dry textbook droning of guide books. But unless I have a big hole in my schedule I may skip on Mao. I've rarely been impressed when I meet politicians, dead ones even less so.
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| karasu99 1063th Post
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| "Re(4):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 printing" , posted Thu 7 Feb 02:35
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When on vacation I always like to get off the tracks set out for tourists and see how the locals actually live in an area. Too bad more often than not that involves me walking around a super market or something equally mundane.
Supermarkets are a typical part of visiting other countries for me. For some reason the packaging is always amazing. In Beijing I found (to my delight) an insane variety of shochu and soju available for bizarrely low prices in not only supermarkets but 7-11's as well (convenience stores there follow the Japan model, by the way). If you're a connoisseur of alcoholic beverages of the world (like me!) you owe it to yourself to try some Red Star, the local baijiu. Don't be put off by the solvent-like aroma-- the stuff's actually quite good!
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Speaking of housing, when reading through a guidebook the other day I came across this great quote:
"The old neighborhood south of Qianmen Gate has undergone a controversial transformation as part of Beijing's modernising facelift. What was once a traditional and characterful collection of restaurants, opera houses, shops and brothels dating back to the Ming dynasty has become a modern retail development."
How dare they tear down the old neighborhood, grandpa loved that brothel! While the renovation is bad news for the people who lived there I do wonder if the people who were most loudly complaining about the loss of local color don't actually live in Beijing and as a consequence don't have to deal with such an old neighborhood on a daily basis.
There were still a bunch of hutongs as of 2011, but almost all of the ones I personally visited had some degree of westernization, it's just a question of whether it occurred in in 1890 or in 2013. The word at the time was that they were all in danger of being cleared out prior to the Olympics but that a few had managed to stave off destruction.
Something else strange to look out for is the ridiculous number of below street level, high-end shopping malls. It seems odd to encounter shops that have literally have four articles of clothing on display (each costing over $5000US) in what is still officially a communist country.
One last tip and I'll shut up: in the city, don't trust crosswalks or traffic signals (or sidewalks), since drivers won't hesitate to run a red light, accelerate through a crosswalk, or drive their souped-up, sheet metal enclosed, 60 year old mopeds straight onto a crowded sidewalk. When in doubt, insert yourself into a crowd of locals and do as they do.
www.secret-arts.com
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| Nobinobita 1125th Post
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| "Re(4):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 printing" , posted Thu 7 Feb 04:18
quote:
How dare they tear down the old neighborhood, grandpa loved that brothel! While the renovation is bad news for the people who lived there I do wonder if the people who were most loudly complaining about the loss of local color don't actually live in Beijing and as a consequence don't have to deal with such an old neighborhood on a daily basis.
I've found this is often the case whether we're talking about Kyoto or Charleston North Carolina. Locals usually want to modernize while visitors want things to stay the same as they've always perceived them to be. I think there's value in preserving some history though (easy for me to say cos I'm a visitor!).
My tips for Beijing:
Visit the rundown parts of the great wall! Not the parts that a tourist group will take you to, but the parts where you gotta walk through some dude's property and pay him some Mao bucks to climb on the rubble that runs through his farmland. It's straight out of Shadow of the Colossus. It's one of the most fantastical things you can do in life.
Visit the 798 Art Zone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/798_Art_Zone
Even if you're not into fancy pants high art it's worth a visit purely for the novelty. There's such a great variety of work going on there and it's inspiring to see so much creativity in one place.
Eat some Muslim Noodles!
In China the muslim population is mostly known for wearing neat hats and making awesome street food. You can get beautiful, fresh hand pulled noodles for just a buck (well I was there a few years ago, so it might be like $2 now). It's a crazy good value as it actually takes some very skilled labor to pull off (I was told it takes about a month of training to get the technique down) yet it's one of the cheapest food options around. They also tend to serve a lot of lamb dishes. The Muslim run restaurants typically have a green sign and sometimes have a little arabic.
Further notes on Food:
Try to go where the locals go whether its for fancy stuff or street food. You might have to wait a little longer, but it'll be worth it. I know this sounds extremely obvious, but seriously, watch out for places or stalls with no patrons, many of them have no problem selling you spoiled stuff to cut costs.
Further Further Notes of Food:
Visiting China is a great way to expand your palette. The majority of Chinese food you find in the rest of the world is Cantonese style, even if it professes to be "Sechuan" or "Hunan." There are so many regional cooking styles in China all offering unique flavor profiles (and most are surprisingly spicy).
Local Beijing food offers more grilled meats, noodles and breads. They tend to use more wheat (as opposed to rice) than most Chinese cooking.
Real Sechuan food is incredibly spicy. It's the heaviest of all Chinese styles, but worth checking out if you're into extreme flavors. Most of the signature dishes are pretty oily, but they're meant to be balanced out with light veggies on the side (lots of greens). Keep an eye out for "mah lah" dishes which use Sichuan peppercorns which have a slight numbing effect on the tongue. It's a taste experience rarely experienced in The West (warning some places totally overdo it and you can barely taste anything afterwards, so tread carefully!).
Yunnanese food is closer to South East Asian food. It's earthier and tends to focus on just a few fresh ingredients, nothing too incredibly complex, but the balance of flavors is awesome.
Zhejiang Style cooking is lighter, more mellow. It reminds me of Japanese food a little bit, doesn't have the overpowering fragrance of most Chinese food.
Forgive me if you are already familiar with Chinese cuisine, I get very excited when I talk about food.
Have a great trip!
www.art-eater.com
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| Maou 2404th Post
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| "Re(4):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 printing" , posted Thu 7 Feb 10:09:
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I do wonder if the people who were most loudly complaining about the loss of local color don't actually live in Beijing and as a consequence don't have to deal with such an old neighborhood on a daily basis.
It's so hard to tell in China, since what the locals want doesn't matter in the slightest anyway, it's what the government and affiliated developers want. But you can read constant stories about people resisting getting thrown out of their old neighborhoods for far too little money. Why, it's even in the second Hessler book, Oracle Bones.
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Visit the rundown parts of the great wall! Not the parts that a tourist group will take you to, but the parts where you gotta walk through some dude's property and pay him some Mao bucks to climb on the rubble that runs through his farmland.
Nobi, I knew we were on the same page, but I love that we both hopped the wall. Yours sounds even more fantastical than mine, though. I did not see one colossus, I'm afraid.
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In China the muslim population is mostly known for wearing neat hats and making awesome street food
Unless you're in Xinjiang, in which case there is also the unfortunate addition of "getting shot at by the police."
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Thu 7 Feb 10:25] |
| Ishmael 4541th Post
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| "Re(5):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 printing" , posted Sat 9 Feb 01:43
This thread contains a wealth of information. Thanks everyone!
The 798 Art Zone not only sounds like it's right up my alley but it has been getting positive reviews from all around. That is most certainly being added to the schedule. Then after an afternoon spent enjoying artistic expression and modern, high-brow culture I can go to McDonald's! Actually, looking at the local differences in something familiar can be even more informative than going to something that is 100% regional. For example, one time when I was in Hawaii some friends bought me a huapia pie from McDonald's. While that traditional dish had been changed to accommodate modern tastes -I guess Americans won't eat anything that isn't fried dirt brown- it was still something you would never find on the mainland. Still, I'll probably pick most of my meals from the menu Nobi provided. I don't eat at McDonald's at home, I'm certainly not flying all the way to China just to spend my time eating a Quarter Pounder with Cheese... or Royale with Cheese... whatever.
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It's so hard to tell in China, since what the locals want doesn't matter in the slightest anyway, it's what the government and affiliated developers want. But you can read constant stories about people resisting getting thrown out of their old neighborhoods for far too little money. Why, it's even in the second Hessler book, Oracle Bones.
True, I'm coming from a very Western mindset where rampant consumerism trumps pretty much everything else. I'll be interested in seeing what the similarities and differences are in these two different methods of running a society. Hopefully my interactions with the powers-that-be in China will be of the begin variety. It will probably all depend on whether or not I get caught jumping the fence at the Great Wall.
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| Maou 2436th Post
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| "Re(9):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japan ver." , posted Tue 23 Apr 14:35
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So it's looking shockingly likely that after decades of trying to make it to Japan I will likely manage to make it there this year
!!!
"At last...it's finally time! The time has come to put my plan into action." Splendid.
I'm sure we can get a welcome committee for you in Tokyo and take you on the appropriately electronic or cultural journey you desire.
Short answer on Kyoto: I find Kinkakuji crowded and annoying, Ginkakuji less so. I like Nanzenji better than all of them, and if you wander deep into the back behind it, there is a "Oku No In," a hidden temple, off in the woods. Likewise, Saihoji/Koke-dera can be crowded, but you can get a similar moss temple gig at the much less-loved Jizoin. Best of all, you'll be there at a great time for night illumination at certain temples, where you can wander around lantern-lit paths with the eerie sound of gongs in the background. It is the coolest thing you can do.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
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| HAYATO 1081th Post
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| "Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japan ver." , posted Tue 23 Apr 16:56:
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So it's looking shockingly likely that after decades of trying to make it to Japan I will likely manage to make it there this year
!!!
In case you understand Spanish, this travel blog I made back in the day may be of some use to you. It's been almost 5 years since I went there, but my trip covered Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Yokohama and Himeji and I detailed it the best I could...
Look for entries in folders from "September" to "November" in the menu on the right, as I had to submit the article in several pieces.
Things not to miss in Kyoto: Fushimi-Inari Sanctuary, Ryoanji Temple, Ninnaji Temple (not only an outstanding temple but also a great and affordable place to stay for the night if you are qoing to spend several days around Kyoto) and the preceptive evening walk around Gion and Pontocho.
EDIT: I'm not sure if Terada Katsuya is your cup of tea, but even if you are only mildly interested in his art, this new exhibition in Kyoto should be worth attending...
[this message was edited by HAYATO on Tue 23 Apr 19:41] |
| karasu99 1111th Post
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| "Re(2):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Tue 23 Apr 23:30
Thanks everybody for the info! Maou and Hayato, you hit upon the exact sort of thing I was hoping to see in Kyoto! It will be hard to narrow things down there: I know, I'll just have to see EVERYTHING  Oh, and Hayato, thanks for the link-- I don't read much Spanish, but my wife does! And yes, SUPER huge Terada Katsuya fan!! I had completely forgotten that his show there is still live, so hopefully it still will be when I get there.
Professor, no kidding about the fast turnaround. It's looking more like late June/early July is most likely now, thankfully. Apparently next week was good for the use of airline miles, but... I've just got too many things to put in order before a trip of this magnitude. I'd love a tour of the subcultural/otaku areas, thanks! I'll have to hit up Nobi for the story about shopping!
Which is of course the other thing-- on such short notice, I had no idea what my short list of must-have items is.You'd think I'd have that kind of list a ready and prepared just in case a Japan trip was set to happen suddenly, but no.
Ishmael, thanks for the vote of confidence on my lack of language skills. Who knows, decades of puzzling out Japanese menus in games may have saturated my being like some kind of osmosis, and I'll amazing have learned more than I think. Kind of doubtful though.
www.secret-arts.com
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| nobinobita 1152th Post
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| "Re(2):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Wed 24 Apr 01:08
Just thought of a few other things that might help.
More Protips:
-Consider renting a phone or a mobile wireless hotspot. It will make navigation SOOOO MUCHHH EAAASIEEER. Also you can update Facebook every 15 minutes and make everyone jealous in almost realtime!
-Supplement your hotspot with a AA Battery Powered USB charger. You can find them in every 7-11 and Family Mart. SO CONVENIENT.
-When shopping, never assume "I can come back for this later." It never happens.
-We have pretty similar tastes. If you're short on time, go straight to Nakano Broadway. Akihabara is awesome, but Nakano Broadway is ... it's something else. It's literally my whole hobby life from childhood to present given physical form. You will find a monstrous variety of awesome stuff there. There is more stuff cataloged there than on the Internet. No joke! For instance, I was able to find a deck of Street Fighter 2 trading cards that used to come with these octopus ball snacks. I had a few of those cards as a kid. I cherished them and thought I'd never be able to collect the full deck--but hoho, lo and behold, there was an entire store dedicated to TRADING CARDS YOU GET FROM SNACKS. AMAZING!
Anyway, Akihabara is really awesome, but it's also really overrun with very stereotypical moe/loli/pervy stuff these days. Head to Nakano Broadway to get the good stuff!
-I think you will really enjoy the food in Kyoto. I'm pretty sure I had some amazing vegetarian friendly noodles while I was there (veggie broth, not meat!). Not sure if you can find that in Tokyo.
Have fun! Seriously, you are in for an amazing time!
www.art-eater.com
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| karasu99 1113th Post
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| "Re(3):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Wed 24 Apr 06:23
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Nobi's suggestions.
Wow, as the gravity of this thing sets in, I'm getting super excited and super worried. How will I ever decide if I should buy Psychic Assassin Taromaru OR A PC Engine with a bunch of games? I'm interested in waaay too many things for this to be easy. Fortunately manga is probably not even on the table, since it's so easy to get in the US these days, but art/game books... that's another story, especially if old Gamest Mooks are still findable.
Anyway, thanks for the advice! I'm keeping track of all these suggestions for my careful scheming, now that it looks like the trip will be just a bit further off (looking like late June to early July at the moment). Terada's definitely on my list too! His show here in Portland was extremely enlightening (to continue with the Buddhist theme).
Another few questions: since July is climbing season, is it worth it/interesting to climb Fuji? A relative of mine climbed it back in the 70's and for him it was the highlight of his trip. Clearly I've got other interests that he didn't have, but I'm curious to hear what anyone has to say. Also, any other suggestions for things to see outside Tokyo? I'm interested in Nara and Kamakura, but I'm not sure they're worth seeing unless I'm there for a long while.
www.secret-arts.com
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| HAYATO 1082th Post
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| "Re(4):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Wed 24 Apr 07:54
quote:
Nobi's suggestions.
Wow, as the gravity of this thing sets in, I'm getting super excited and super worried. How will I ever decide if I should buy Psychic Assassin Taromaru OR A PC Engine with a bunch of games? I'm interested in waaay too many things for this to be easy. Fortunately manga is probably not even on the table, since it's so easy to get in the US these days, but art/game books... that's another story, especially if old Gamest Mooks are still findable.
Anyway, thanks for the advice! I'm keeping track of all these suggestions for my careful scheming, now that it looks like the trip will be just a bit further off (looking like late June to early July at the moment). Terada's definitely on my list too! His show here in Portland was extremely enlightening (to continue with the Buddhist theme).
Another few questions: since July is climbing season, is it worth it/interesting to climb Fuji? A relative of mine climbed it back in the 70's and for him it was the highlight of his trip. Clearly I've got other interests that he didn't have, but I'm curious to hear what anyone has to say. Also, any other suggestions for things to see outside Tokyo? I'm interested in Nara and Kamakura, but I'm not sure they're worth seeing unless I'm there for a long while.
Everybody should be able to follow the route I did in about 15-18 days. Our total time schedule was something like this:
To do list from Tokyo (13 days)
- Kamakura-Enoshima Island: 1-day trip - Yokohama: 1-day trip
- Mt Fuji surroundings (Lake Kawaguchi): 1-day trip
- Exploring the capital: 10 days or so
To do list from Kyoto (4 days)
- Nara: 1-day trip
- Himeji and Himeji Castle: 1-day trip
- Exploring the city: 2 days and 3 nights
My personal advice: I'd spend more time in Kyoto and Tokyo's surroundings than exploring the capital. We spent too much time hanging around in Tokyo, some precious days we could have put to good use in our trip to Kyoto. The schedule posted above would be best applying a 11/6 ratio instead of the 13/4 we ended up with, unless you want to lose some serious weight (we had to skip lunch at least once a day and run like fuckers Strider Hiryu to reach all the landmarks on time).
Hope this helps to clarify things a bit... 
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| Maou 2441th Post
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| "Re(5):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Wed 24 Apr 12:40:
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(we had to skip lunch at least once a day and run like fuckers Strider Hiryu to reach all the landmarks on time).
Hahaha, Hayato, I think we need YOU to come to Japan again, too! Karasu, Hayato's laid out a nice way to see a lot of things...just depends on how much and what kind of things you want to see. If you want to see ancient cultural stuff, make more time for Kyoto and thereabouts, but if you're more interested in how most people (like, 10% of the country) live now, you'll want more Tokyo. Since it's summer, the temple-and-beach trip down to Shounan with Kamakura and Enoshima is great--I could help with that since it's a favorite, easy trip. Either way, we can most definitely find you a Gamest Mook. Perhaps we can find you ALL of the Gamest Mooks.
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Wed 24 Apr 13:02] |
| karasu99 1115th Post
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| "Re(6):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Thu 25 Apr 03:45
So it's official, the tickets have been purchased. Looks like June 23 to July 7, two whole amazing weeks! Maou and Professor, let's talk via email about meetup specifics!
Hayato, thanks again for all the details! I think that will make an excellent itinerary, although I agree, maybe ten days are more than we'll need in Tokyo. Plus we're going on a generally shorter trip than you did.
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(we had to skip lunch at least once a day and run like fuckers Strider Hiryu to reach all the landmarks on time).
Hahaha, Hayato, I think we need YOU to come to Japan again, too! Karasu, Hayato's laid out a nice way to see a lot of things...just depends on how much and what kind of things you want to see. If you want to see ancient cultural stuff, make more time for Kyoto and thereabouts, but if you're more interested in how most people (like, 10% of the country) live now, you'll want more Tokyo. Since it's summer, the temple-and-beach trip down to Shounan with Kamakura and Enoshima is great--I could help with that since it's a favorite, easy trip. Either way, we can most definitely find you a Gamest Mook. Perhaps we can find you ALL of the Gamest Mooks.
Argh, my luggage will be insanely heavy, I'm sure! I should probably narrow down my list a bit from that, hah.
Well, I want to do a mix of cultural stuff and modern Japan I think. But I've still go some deciding to do. I know I'll regret it if I don't see all kinds of amazing cultural sights, but I know I'll regret it forever if I don't see other things too.
www.secret-arts.com
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| chazumaru 996th Post
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| "Re(9):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Japa" , posted Tue 30 Apr 18:19:
Specifically for vegetarians, sorry I am not an expert. Exodus/Brandon should have good advice if he is around.
If you are in Tokyo, I do know of a very interesting and quite refined vegetalian restaurant owned by a sect, near Ueno. The (preset) course is something like 8000 yens/person and you need to book one day in advance.
Not very original but my favorite ramen is tonkotsu ramen, from Kyushu (south of Japan). A good place to visit for a foreigner is Ichiran, a chain of tonkotsu ramen that basically allows you to create the ramen you want. They have an English menu as well so it's easy even for a beginner. You can check their store locations here.
For Tonkotsu Ramen, if you are in Kyoto, I recommend going to Nagahama Ramen Miyoshi on Kiyamachi-dori but they do not speak English (Kyoto has a Ichiran as well). Every region has a local ramen so any new place you visit, you might as well ask the locals what kind of ramen they are proud of in their neighbourhood.
Also from the South, basically, if you are in Fukuoka/Hakata/Kumamoto, go to a local Kaitenzushi. The fish quality per price of the dishes is insane compared to the rest of Japan. And it's pretty far from Fukushima, if you are worried about that kind of thing (like eating contaminated urchins).
And I love miso so everything from Hokkaido is welcomed. They also have very peculiar Kare/Curry Rice in Hokkaido.
A cool thing you can easily find in Kansai, if you are going in the summer, is Reimen. Many people know zarusoba (cold pre-cooked soba served on ice, eaten by dipping them in a soy-based sauce beforehand) but few people know Reimen, which is a similar idea to zaru soba but with Ramen. Unlike Zarusoba, I am afraid it always involves meat. Reimen is easily found in Kansai because it comes from Korean tradition. As usual, there are some regional variations, such as the infamous Morioka Reimen (from Iwate) which I have never tried but has a "love or hate" reputation. The watermelon might have something to do with it...
Osaka is well known for takoyaki (squid-filled dough balls) but my favorite local treat is kushikatsu, usually called kushiage instead in Tokyo. Since they are usually made on the spot, you can tell them to refrain from providing any meat-based or fish-based kushi. If you are very anal about your vegetarianism, though, I am pretty sure all kushi are fried in the same oil. I know it's a problem for Brandon, for example.
Okinawa-inspired recipes are also really good. A lot of herbs and spices, it feels like a mix between Japanese and Thai cuisine. I am sure they have a lot of vegetarian-friendly dishes as well.
If some of you like eel, you might get a different type based on where you are visiting. From my experience, Anago is more common in the Setonaikai (from Kansai to Hiroshima), while Unagi is more common in other regions. I prefer Unagi.
78
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絵札はさすらい ♪ 78
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秩序は廻る ♪ 78
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絵札はさすらい ♪ 78
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未来を示す
[this message was edited by chazumaru on Tue 30 Apr 18:39] |
| karasu99 1119th Post
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| "Re(10):Re(10):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 Jap" , posted Wed 1 May 23:17
Thanks guys for your suggestions.
quote:
Specifically for vegetarians, sorry I am not an expert. Exodus/Brandon should have good advice if he is around.
I'm not sure I can complete the proper rituals to summon him, but who knows, maybe he'll see this. I remember almost going to Tokyo something like a decade ago and asking over at insertcredit. He had a bunch of suggestions then but I'm not even sure those forums even still exist (or the restaurants he suggested).
quote:
If you are in Tokyo, I do know of a very interesting and quite refined vegetalian restaurant owned by a sect, near Ueno. The (preset) course is something like 8000 yens/person and you need to book one day in advance.
Can you tell me the name of this place, or should it be obvious? I'll be in Tokyo for at least a week, so this place sounds pretty interesting.
quote:
There are stands where you can get hot, palm-sized senbei. I like those probably more than I should.
Argh, I predict that this kind of thing will be a real problem for me too! Sounds delicious! Although after so many years of playing certain video games I've come to have certain associations with senbei.
www.secret-arts.com
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| maese 678th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member
| "MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 ramen" , posted Thu 2 May 15:32
Hah, I'm back amongst the living and couldn't possibly think of a better comeback than talking about ramen!
quote:
Not very original but my favorite ramen is tonkotsu ramen, from Kyushu (south of Japan). A good place to visit for a foreigner is Ichiran, a chain of tonkotsu ramen that basically allows you to create the ramen you want. They have an English menu as well so it's easy even for a beginner. You can check their store locations here.
Not sure if tonkotsu (pork-based broth) is going to be the best choice for a vegetarian, but if you are not too strict and don't mind to avoid a pair or three of pork meat chunks when sipping your noodles, there's definitely one place to recommend in Tokyo. You know that indie movie "Jiro: Dreams of Sushi"? Well, this place might very well be called "Jiro, Dreams of Ramen".
Ramen Jiro is actually a chain, but the place to go is the original one, in Mita, not far away from Tokyo Tower and Sengakuji temple. If you are into japanese culture and/or History (specially from Edo period onwards), that's an interesting spot in its own right, being the tomb of the well-loved 47 ronin and their liege lord. But I digress! Ramen Jiro is a run-down, greasy and smelly little hut with space for like 10 patrons at best, but whenever you go there you will always be faced by a huge line of 30+ people religiously awaiting their turn for seating. And it's easy to see why. The flavor is great, that's for sure. Awesome broth, really good noodles, juicy and delicious chashuu (pork meat loafs)... But what's really great of Jiro is the atmosphere. It's worth going there only for the sheer experience. There, in the middle of 21st Century Tokyo, you can find a place that could have been taken straight from the pages of Ashita no Joe or some other manga of the 70s. I reckon the place is somewhat famous among ramen loving tokyoites, but I have only discovered it recently. It absolutely deserves a visit, anyway.
And for Kyoto ramen places, my weak spot is Tsukemen Man, a quirky but lovable ramen shop right next to Denmachiyanagi Station (one of my favourite spots on the city, btw). The speciality there is tsukemen, that is, the soup and the noodles are served separately and you have to pour the noodles into the broth by yourself. Tsukemen is fun to eat and even more delicious than normal ramen, but even if you can find tsukemen almost everywhere around Japan, there is only one place where the leit motif is a masked ninja-superhero cook and the menu is filled with orders like "Super Absurdly Thick Broth" or "Autum Special: Even More Strong Stuff!". My pick of choice for noodles whenever I'm in Kyoto, for sure.
Woah, that was long, sorry about that guys.
I guess we should arrange a ramen appreciation tour around Tokyo, or something!
P.D.
I must add that that stuff from Nagoya looks insanely delicious as well. Man, do I love noodles...
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| Spoon 2433th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(1):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 ramen" , posted Fri 3 May 05:43
I always find the Japanese "chashuu" to be extremely bizarre coming from a Cantonese perspective.
For one, the Chinese name literally means "fork roast", because it is a strip of meat skewered and roasted/barbecued. The Japanese one, which is rolled up and might not be roasted and kind of makes me think of pancetta and porcetta, is entirely different. Even the cut of meat used for the Japanese chashuu tends to be a fattier one (looks like belly at some places I've had it).
TOTAL SIDETRACKING ASIDE:
One of the things I really like about Chinese BBQ is that it's.... well, it's perfect. Cantonese roasted duck is a food that has been refined over decades, if not centuries. But one of the things I dislike about it is the lack of variation in it; there are higher and lower quality places for any given thing, but for a given thing the variety is nothing like what you see in Western BBQ (think about how many different rubs/marinades/sauces/glazes there are when you consider "barbecued chicken"!). But the notion for this thing has been inextricably linked in language: that particular kind of "roast duck" is universally described in Cantonese with the literal words, "roast duck". If you want a roasted duck that is deviant from it, you absolutely cannot just call it "roast duck" with no qualifiers. Maybe you could call it "French-style roast duck" or "Spanish-style roast duck" or "Chef's special roast duck", but it clearly is marked as a deviation from "roast duck".
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| Maese 679th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member
| "Re(2):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 ramen" , posted Sat 4 May 00:01
quote:
Holy hell it's Maese! I was just wondering where you'd gone. Are you still in Tokyo? If so, maybe you'd better come drinking with us when Karasu shows up. Still haven't found the Basque cheese you recommended, though.
Woah, I didn't expect people to actually remember me and my rants about Basque cheese... なんか感動しちゃった! Jokes aside, it's great to be here again.
Yeah, I'm still in Tokyo, so it would be great to meet you guys for a drink, and showing Karasu around 裏東京 should be quite fun too! Feel free to drop me a line at rubendvl at gmaildotcom. While it's a sad true that finding good cheese in Tokyo has become quite a difficult task nowadays, I have still some aces hidden on my sleeve, mwah ha ha ha.
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| HAYATO 1084th Post
PSN: Lord-Hayato
XBL: n/a
Wii: n/a
Red Carpet Premium Member
| "Re(3):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 ramen" , posted Sat 4 May 05:18
quote:
Woah, I didn't expect people to actually remember me and my rants about Basque cheese... なんか感動しちゃった! Jokes aside, it's great to be here again.
Yeah, I'm still in Tokyo, so it would be great to meet you guys for a drink, and showing Karasu around 裏東京 should be quite fun too! Feel free to drop me a line at rubendvl at gmaildotcom. While it's a sad true that finding good cheese in Tokyo has become quite a difficult task nowadays, I have still some aces hidden on my sleeve, mwah ha ha ha.
Hark! Gents, heed this man's words, for his mouth truly speaks words of wisdom. He was my faithful companion in my voyage across those lands of yonder and I assure you there's no better guide than this tough, seasoned freeman of the world.
Welcome back, my fellow aniki!
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| nobinobita 1257th Post
Red Carpet Executive Member
| "Re(1):Super MMCafe Travel: 2014 Arcade Editio" , posted Fri 21 Feb 07:30:
quote:
In a few months I will be visiting -of all places- Hefei and Nanjing in China. Anyone have any suggestions about what I should see or where I should eat?
Hefei is in Anhui provence, and Anhui (also just called Hui) cooking is one of the 8 regional culinary traditions of China. Anhui is mostly mountainous so you won't find much seafood and there's less emphasis on traditionally farmed animals and veggies. Instead, keep an eye out for dishes that use ingredients that are foraged from the mountains. Stuff like bamboo, mushrooms, freshwater fish, lots of great herbs and exotic meats like frog, pangolin and civit (ok I've never actually had those last two, but I hear you can get them there). Anhui cuisine is typically milder in flavor and less oily than the food of other regions.
Here's a good list of popular local dishes:
http://english.ah.gov.cn/travel/mainmenu.asp?newsid=156&title=Cuisine+&+Snacks
I recall having really good snail in Anhui as well. It was lightly simmered in a brown sauce, not very heavy. Some of them even had little baby snails inside of them that had crunchy half formed shells. A little gritty, but interesting (I'm sorry this must be horrifying if you're a vegetarian).
If possible, I also highly recommend you visit Huang Shan. It's one of the most highly regarded mountains in China. Really beautiful. Once you get to the top you'll see that all those old Chinese landscapes with the gnarly jagged mountains aren't actually so stylized after all. Like most Chinese mountains there's a trail and a lot of steps all the way up. You don't need any climbing experience, but dude, it is exausting, even if you're already in great shape. But totally worth it!
*edit*
Everything I know about Anhui is from the Huangshan area which a quick google search tells me is 3-4 hours away from Hefei by train. China is a huuuuge place so I'm not sure how relevant my suggestions will be. Still, maybe you can make a day trip to the mountains. They're gorgeous!
www.art-eater.com
[this message was edited by nobinobita on Fri 21 Feb 07:32] |
| karasu 1326th Post
PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a
Red Carpet Executive Member
| "Re(6):Super MMCafe Travel: 2014 Arcade Editio" , posted Sun 23 Feb 03:11
quote:
It's been a lifelong dream of mine to see all of Gustav Klimt's works in person. The majority of them are in Vienna, so please, live the dream!
Don't worry, that was of course already at the top of my list! I'm hoping, though, that his work is displayed more thoughtfully than Egon Schiele's is in Prague! As amazing as it was to see his work in person, the carelessness apparent in the exhibitions was disappointing. I'm sure it will be different for Klimt since he's one of those big names in, among other things, posters made for dorm room walls, haha!
www.secret-arts.com
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| exodus 4342th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(1):Super MMCafe Travel: Duck Blood Edition" , posted Mon 19 May 19:34
quote:
Although I didn't manage to eat a pangolin I still had a lot of great dishes.
having been isolated from that particular way of interacting with the world for most of my life, it sometimes strikes me as strange the way people talk about eating animals. I think of animals as live things, not as meat, so when someone says they're going to eat a pangolin, or eat a cow, I think of a live thing, and how someone is enthusiastically going to eat it.
for a long time I was just a vegetarian because I was one, but now, since I never inherently think of animals as food, every once in a while it surprises me the way people talk about this stuff, especially when the animal is a protected species.
I can't really articulate this super well at the moment, but it's probably akin to how americans and europeans feel when they hear/think about someone eating a dog. They think of a live dog, not a thing made of edible meat, and wonder how anyone could eat a friendly creature like that. For me that extends to all animals, since I don't think of any of them as meat, unless I'm confronted with/reminded of it.
I know people eat meat generally, and it's a natural thing, and I'm not against it in the general and sustainable sense, but it's super weird to a person like me who hasn't done it for 25 years. So there you go! That's something about how my mind works.
you really shouldn't eat endangered animals though.
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| Spoon 2604th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(3):Super MMCafe Travel: Duck Blood Edition" , posted Tue 20 May 10:13
quote:
I'm curious if there's a Cafe perspective for it or if anyone has any suggestions. Otherwise I'll just wing it.
I visited New Zealand!
If you have the time to spare, driving on the highways of NZ is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, because the geography beckons you to stop and look or to stop and explore.
If you have the budget and time for it, a trip to Kapiti Island I would consider a must-do. It is a small island nature reserve containing bird species that don't live in the wild anywhere else in the world (including the rest of the NZ), and provided you don't have storm in the morning, the bird chorus that starts at about 5am is something you will never forget. Depending on what time of year you go there, you may be able to also find penguins. It's magical.
Meat pies are NZ's version of the microwave burrito/hamburger. You can find a zillion kinds, and many diners/eateries/bakeries have very good ones that aren't expensive. Definitely a holdover of the UK influence. Ginger beer is one of the more popular soft drinks, and many brands can be found. There are 4 kinds of bacon that are common (shoulder, middle, eye, streaky), and soft-cooked bacon is de rigeuer. Some interesting produce can also be found there that isn't common to the US... of all of them, make sure you try feijoa.
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| Maou 2653th Post
PSN: zonepharaoh
XBL: n/a
Wii: n/a
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(1):Super MMCafe Travel: Duck Blood Edition" , posted Tue 20 May 12:29:
quote:
pangolin-mania
Man, I didn't even know what a pangolin was before this thread, nor that some people eat them (then again, the Cafe seems like the right place to talk about unusual foods), but it seems pretty clear to me from the content of Ish's perennially wry and funny posts that the devouring of pangolins isn't being strongly advocated, whatever the attraction may be in China.
That said, it is interesting to consider foods, both legal and illegal, that are available in some countries and not in others, and what to do when encountering them as a visitor. The scientific whale hunt and the selling of the resulting meat, for instance, has always been a preposterous facade, but fortunately it's a non-issue for most visitors to Japan because they will know that whale meat, in addition to being unkind, also...really sucks.
I had snake meat in China one time (chicken-like, just fine) that was supposed to come with blood soup, but they tossed that because they thought we "wouldn't want it." Seemed like a shame.
Edit: Spoon: aaaagh in addition to reminding me that I never seem to get around to finishing Last Window, you also remind me that I never seem to get around to going to NZ, and I sure would like to...
人間はいつも私を驚かせてくれる。不思議なものだな、人間という存在は．．．
[this message was edited by Maou on Tue 20 May 12:30] |
| HokutoAndy
65th Post
Occasional Customer
| "Re(2):Super MMCafe Travel: Duck Blood Edition" , posted Tue 20 May 14:13:
quote:
The scientific whale hunt and the selling of the resulting meat, for instance, has always been a preposterous facade, but fortunately it's a non-issue for most visitors to Japan because they will know that whale meat, in addition to being unkind, also...really sucks.
I've heard great things about whale meat from Norwegians and Iceland folks though. Here's a Norwegian's explanation on why they eat whales:
quote:
http://www.quora.com/Why-is-there-still-whaling-in-Norway
There's basically two different views of nature. When these two collide, people who are from one perspective and lack understanding of the other, are confused.
-In the first view, human beings and nature are distinct. We should avoid "interfering" as much as possible. A logical consequence is that we should live in cities taking up as little space as possible, and we should farm our food in efficient farms, again taking up as little space and resources as possible - while leaving as much as possible of "nature" alone as far as possible.
-In the second view, human beings are part of nature. We should strive to balance our impact so that we can live harmonically and sustainably as a part of it. A logical consequence here is that we should live more scattered, to reduce the ecological pressure in any one area. We should harvest our food and other resources from nature, but take great care that we never harvest more than is sustainable.
The minke whale, the one hunted by Norwegians is extremely numerous, the population exceeds a million, and is both healthy and growing.
Given this, the question is wrong from a Norwegian standpoint. Instead the question should be why not?
We harvest all other resources from nature, and as long as the quotas are set conservatively and well within the sustainable limits for the species, it's hard to see a reason to treat whales differently from other animals.
We hunt/gather/eat reindeeer, elk, salmon, blueberries, cloudberries, cod, deer, and essentially *all* animals and plants that are both plentiful and tasty.
Many of us considers this morally superiorto factory farming. I'm inclined to agree. I think it's better for animal welfare to be a free and natural-living moose until you're one day shot by a hunter, than it is to be a force-fed chicken living your short life in a tiny cage without ever seeing the sun or stepping on grass.
-Eivind Kjørstad
(Bolded as the person originally typed)
And here's some first hand accounts of eating whale, from non-Norwegians guessing by the names.
quote:
http://www.quora.com/What-does-whale-meat-taste-like
Minke whale tastes like the best steak you've ever eaten. I recommend trying it in Iceland with blueberry mushroom cheese gravy. It'll blow your socks off.
-Amanda Tendler
----
It wasn't awful, by any means. If I didn't have ethical qualms, and if it were commonly available, I'd probably say, "Yeah, sure, hook me up with some of that whale." It was meaty and a bit tangy. But it's not readily available, and I do have ethical qualms, so I'm content to have had it once. Should I ever return to Iceland I might try it in some other preparation, just to have the experience, but I'm not rushing back for it.
-Joshua Engel
----
've had whale in Norway as both steak and as carpaccio, and I would say the carpaccio versions have been a lot more interesting than the steak. As a steak it tastes like a bland version of steak from ox or similar, with a slight hint of sea. As carpaccio, on the other hand, it tastes a bit like something in between tuna carpaccio and wild game carpaccio.
I had the carpaccio at a restaurant, so I'm not sure if it was completely raw, or cured or smoked slightly.
-Christian H. Mosveen
National geographic also covered the whaling tradition in Norway with the very romantically titled "Last of the Viking Whalers"
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/06/viking-whalers/smith-text
Usually Nat Geo frowns upon whaling, so it was a surprising read.
----------
As for strangest dishes in Beijing... went to Fat Wang's Donkey Burger with a Chinese friend (he looks like a Chinese version of Garfield the cat as a human). I do love me a donkey burger (if you are in beijing, try 'em). Then my friend pointed out that those North Koreans at the other table were eating a donkey dong, so we should order one too. All the meat came and he said "Take a guess, which one's donkey dong eh??" It was pretty hard to tell as we ordered other organ meats too, all thinly sliced like baloney so it's not like you have a giant dong sitting on the table. We drank a lot of Yanjing beer (it costs 33cents for a 40oz bottle) that night.
Lamb meat kebabs are also really popular in Beijing. My favorite kebab stand in Beijing is near the bar street where this Kazakh family opens a stall at night and this squat guy with a giant scar on the corner of his mouth going up his cheek grills the meat. They got lamb meat of course, but also kidney (a favorite of mine, it's got a thick layer of fat that crisps up very well), liver (for Bas Rutten!), and... Lamb testicles. I MIGHT have accidentally ordered one when I thought I was pointing to a kidney, I'm not sure...
(and Yanjing was again the beer of choice. That is the beer of the mainland Chinese everyman)
[this message was edited by HokutoAndy on Tue 20 May 14:49] |
| Iggy 9762th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(3):Super MMCafe Travel: Duck Blood Edition" , posted Tue 20 May 19:54:
quote:
-In the first view, human beings and nature are distinct. We should avoid "interfering" as much as possible. A logical consequence is that we should live in cities taking up as little space as possible, and we should farm our food in efficient farms, again taking up as little space and resources as possible - while leaving as much as possible of "nature" alone as far as possible.
-In the second view, human beings are part of nature. We should strive to balance our impact so that we can live harmonically and sustainably as a part of it. A logical consequence here is that we should live more scattered, to reduce the ecological pressure in any one area. We should harvest our food and other resources from nature, but take great care that we never harvest more than is sustainable.
As a sometimes-meat-eating individual trying to lower the trace I'll leave on the world, I feel this dichotomy is dishonest at best. That's a basic rhetoric technique of trapping your opponent into choosing between two seemingly logical points of view, but which both inherently validate your own premise. The only way to play that game is refusing to play it.
And while we're talking about ideal Norvegian pisciculture, can we also talk about salmon farms, breeding diseased fishes swimming in their own feces?
Back on topic: Corsican donkey saucisson is the best.
[this message was edited by Iggy on Tue 20 May 20:18] |
| HokutoAndy
67th Post
Occasional Customer
| "Re(5):Super MMCafe Travel: Duck Blood Edition" , posted Wed 21 May 08:40:
quote:
People here will probably hate me for saying this, but if I were served whale I'd definitely try it (isn't it minke whales that Japan hunts, too?)
Also, I would totally be down for a donkey burger, and am upset with myself for having never even heard of eating donkey before this post.
Yeah, Minke is the whale consumed in those places. Donkey meat is similar to lamb and horse, though not as gamey as lamb and more fatty than horse on average. Here's what a typical Beijing donkey burger looks like:
http://www.thatsmags.com/uploads/picture/201306/WangPangZi2_97ff653958.jpg
Here's the storefront:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ekh_kFRgEBE/UcVWBmX79jI/AAAAAAAAGV8/HLv7WGYMD_0/s1600/DSC01403.JPG
They're about one to two dollars in price. You can also get a nice donkey soup out of it.
Ads from chains like Fat Wang's Donkey Burger are always tongue in cheeck, like:
http://lumdimsum.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_1240-700x525.jpg
The donkey asks "Do you think I'm beautiful?"
Or they'll have an obviously photoshopped picture of a donkey on some green alpine plains.
A few months ago I went out with my journalist buddy Eric Jou to the tourist snack street of Beijing WangfuJing
http://kotaku.com/its-the-snacktaku-fried-insect-special-1545362795
That's where they convince tourists (from other parts of China) to eat poorly prepared starfishes, sea horses, spiders and whatever. I ate a fried snake (it was all skin and bones) mostly so I could post a picture captioned "SNAKE EATER". I then said in a raspy David Hayter voice "Ugh, this is horrible!".
After that we ate the actual food tourists/locals eat around there, which is ice cream and legs of lamb. There's a really good jasmine and green tea icecream stand there.
[this message was edited by HokutoAndy on Wed 21 May 08:42] |
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. I'm pretty sure we'll spend most of our time around Tokyo with a very likely side trip to Kyoto.
what's going on!? Toh Shin Den is about to present to you a super hot virtual battle
"Re(3):MMCafe Travel Edition: 2013 printing" , posted Fri 6 Sep 00:06
