Enjoyed savory Kaga Cuisine at Otomoro in Kanazawa

Having Kaga Cuisine is one of the best things to do in Kanazawa. With its history as a town, Kanazawa has many long-established restaurants and businesses, known for various luxury restaurants and Japanese confectionery shops.

Kaga Cuisine is a unique local cuisine where you can fully enjoy Kanazawa's ingredients from the mountains and the sea. I was lucky that I could get a table at Otomoro, one of the long-established Japanese luxury restaurants in Kanazawa. Otomoro is believed that it was established by a cook of the lords of the Maeda Clan, which means the tradition continues from the Edo period. I felt exceptional that I have the same dish with lords at that time.

The most basic dinner course came with nine dishes, plus rice, soup, and a dessert. That was a lot of food, and I had to ask them to put rice in a doggy bag. I was most impressed by their sashimi. It was tender, smooth, and melted instantly in my mouth. Since I had sashimi at Otomoro, I truly understood the meaning that sashimi requires a profession to make it truly delicious.

I was also impressed by the beautiful plates and bowls. I think most of them were Kutani-Yaki, the traditional pottery of Kanazawa.

It was one of the most enjoyable dinners I had in my life, with its taste, sake, and the atmosphere of the old building.

Comments

Hiking Mt. Nabewari - walking up over 1,200 for a hot bowl of udon

As practicing hiking as my hobby, Mt. Nabewari was one of my top-list of trails that I had been willing to visit someday. Mt. Nabewari is not famous for its trails nor shrines; it's known for a hot bowl of udon noodles served at the rest house at the peak of the mountain. I waited until the beginning of December to fully enjoy a warm bowl of udon and leeches. Tanzawa Mountain Range, which includes Mt. Nabewari, is a habitat of leeches, and I heard many people bit by leeches during summer. So I decided to hike Mt. Nabewari on the first Saturday in December 2020. The weather forecast was sunny, but it turned out to be rain, which made it a tough hike. I left my house at 4:40 AM to catch the earliest bus from Odakyu Line Shibusawa Station to Okura Bus Stop. Okura Bus Stop is the most common bus stop to hike Mt. Nabewari. There is a building with a shop, benches, and restrooms near the bus stop where hikers can prepare to start hiking. You can also submit hiking registrati...

Kanazawa: a compact castle town perfect for a weekend trip

I visited Kanazawa for a weekend trip in early December. It was the best time to see autumn colors. Including the famous Japanese garden Kenrokuen. What I like about Kanazawa is that the city is compact and public transport is very convenient. Because of that, you can see most of the attractions within two days. I wasn't the exception. I could see most of the major attractions. Beginning with 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, The signature piece of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is "The Swimming Pool." Reservation is required to get inside the pool. Higashichaya District, which is a historic entertainment district with teahouses where geisha performed in the past, (now mostly turned into shops and restaurant/cafes) If you are Japanese sake enthusiast, Fukumitsuya sake shop is a must stop. Nagamachi Samurai District, where samurai used to reside and now preserves traditional samurai residences very well, Kanzawa Castle, Omicho Market, etc. In...

Visiting Nozawaonsen in summer: nothing but soak into onsen

In the past few years, Nozawaonsen, a village in Nagano prefecture, has become known for skiing in winter. Although I love to ski, I had a chance to visit Nozawaonsen in summer. It was my first time staying there during summer, but it was great because I could indulge in the onsen experience. There are 13 communal bath houses in the center of the village, and visiting each one is called "Sotoyu-Meguri." It's interesting that the bathhouses have been run and maintained by local families since the Edo Period. The bath was so hot that some of it was very difficult to soak in the whole body. I went there on the hottest time of the year but felt somewhat well after getting out of the bath. I visited 5-6 bath houses. It was interesting to see the differences; some of them had extremely hot water, while others did not. When visiting a bathhouse, remember to bring your own soap and towel. Unlike the usual onsen or sento, they offer nothing, even no shower. Also, although it is ...

Glimpses of Japan

Search This Blog