Some historical outing today. After Chinese Yam Cha at a nice Hong Kong Dim Sum in Ebisu, it was foot trekking and train to Harajuku. The first visit to Meiji Jingu near Harajuku. Meiji Jingu is a Japanese Shinto shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shouken. Emperoro Meiji, who dies in 1912, from the Meiji restoration fame. He supposedly put Japan on the modernisation path.
Meiji literally means "enlightened". So Meiji era means enlightened era. After the emperor's death in 1912, the Japanese diet passed a resolution to commemorate his role in the Meiji Restoration. Upon his death a new tradition of giving the late emperor the name of the era coinciding with his reign was established. Following Meiji, it was Showa and now Heisei. An iris garden in an area of Tokyo where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken had been known to visit was chosen as the building's location.
Personally, I am unsure if all the Japanese people are revered by the Meiji Restoration, but that is just my personal opinion. Perhaps, just perhaps, they existed more meaningfully or were happier as a civilisation without the influence of American capitalism. After all, Cmdr. Perry did pressure Japan to open itself up with his armada of black ships, something which the Americans are still perpetuating in the world today, until recently.
In bridged mode it will put out 300W per channel into 4ohms.
Tonight at fugu restaurant. One of the 慕年会 (bohnenkai) or year end parties. This restaurant is in Ningyocho （人形町）and they use famous Fugu from Shimonoseki （下関）in Yamaguchi （山口県） prefecture。
The whole course is fugu, from sashimi, to the skin, to deep fried fugu and nabe. The taste was great. The dish was accompanied by ひれ酒 (hirezake), where a hot cup of sake comes with an immersed roasted fin of the fugu. Interesting. It gives it a smoky, fishy tinge to the sake. Last dish was josui, a congee like dish.
The restaurant was fully packed and enjoys turnover of up to 3 times daily...We had to sit at the counter, even with reservations. But in such Japanese restaurants, e.g. sushi, teppanyaki, it is better to be seated at the counter so that you can also watch and experience all the action going on at the kitchen behind the counter. Plus you also get the attention of the chef himself.
With such brisk business, no wonder the owner seems to be always smiling.
Today collected the ww.tc (worldwide time control) from Sowind k.k. Japan. This is the BMW Oracle limited edition of 750pcs worldwide. It runs on GP's Movement GP033C0 Caliber 13.
The movement sports 63 jewels and runs at 28,800vph. Power reserve is an amazing 46hours ! There are very few of these limited edition watches left in the market, new. You're advised to buy it before it disappears, if you like it. You won't regret it.
This is a fish restaurant in Shinbashi. The shop is run by an elderly couple. The husband sometimes catches his own fish. The uni (sea urchin, foreground) was fresh and excellent. One of the best I have eaten so far. It is from the northern territories in Japan, the four islands occupied by Russia. The otoro (fatty tuna) was also good but unexceptional. Defitnirely a place to go back to.
The fired fish is a unique fish called meh hikari (目光) or shiny eyes, as the eyes glow in the deep darkness. The fish is a deep sea fish found only in Fukushima prefecture. You can eat the whole fish, bones and head included. It is really delicious! In the background are mildly salted Ginko nuts or ギナン. Yummy.
It is consistently spewing hot gases the whole day, made clearer by the relatively cloudless sky.
Tomorrow and day after will be golfing days again. Took a day's leave tomorrow to go to Karuizawa, playing at the Mitsuinomori Country Club and Saku Resort. Temperature expected to be down to 6deg in that area !
Visiting friend's birthday, so took him for dinner and later went to Badd Girls: Campus Cafe.
Most of the girls working here are part timers as they are mainly undergrads, or student learning make-up artistry, fashion or hair styling.
Upon request English speaking girls are available. If you're lucky some of them may take a liking to you and give you their phone numbers and email. Not Badd......
The Conrad Centennial Hotel.
View of the colourful lobby from above.
This is the Canary Garden Country Club in Chiba. Being peak season, this was one of very few courses avaiulable for golf in Autumn. The cost of green fees is also horrendous, JPY21,600 without lunch ! With highway toll fees and fuel, a round of golf comes up to an atrocious S$400!
The course is long but not fantastic. It has a quite friendly layout and not many blind holes. The fairways are also fairly wide.
I wonder why he brought a change of clothes...
I swear the I saw the water rippled..
Now how do I get her to remove the blanket??
Believe me...Stare long enough and the colour changes.
Dinner was with Ms S. She is a CA, or better known as cabin attendant in Japan. Very fun and outgoing personality, is all I can say. Some of my photography circle friends would say this is not bird photography or birding....or is it not? Perhaps a longer lens is needed...
Also tried an interesting dish, live prawns cooked on rock salt. Fantastic dish, comparable to Singapore's Drunken Prawns at the popular Seafood joints..The shrimps jump all over the place, and the tricky part is the restaurant provided a few live prawns in a bucket for those more adventurous who like sashimi, (Live and raw!). I had 2 myself but had to pick them prawn head off myself ....awwww....
Pictured above is Korean fish sashimi, cartilege and all. The cartilege has to be eaten ! Anyway I enjoyed the grilled version much more....cartilege or not.
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