How to make  soba noodle soup?

Nihonbashi is the core of the city of EDO.

As can be heard in the lyrics of the well known song "Oedo Nihonbashi":

"As we depart from Nihonbashi, EDO before dawn, " the famous "Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido"route begins from Nihonbashi in EDO.

From places like Kyoto, Shiga and Wakayama, came the "Kamigata" merchants , who built the foundations of EDO culture.

The establishments of some of these merchants developed into such present day Japanese companies as Mitsukoshi, Isetan, Daimaru and Nishikawa.

We are able to see here how the basics of company management expertise began.

We are able to see here how the basics of company management expertise began.

At the beginning of EDO, the diverse aspects of Kamigata culture - including its food culture were still very much alive.

To be continued…

Food is something that energizes us. It also animates wisdom and creativity of people and the flow of goods.

When it comes to fast foods, EDO is the home of Tempura, Sushi, Soba and Unagi.

Nowadays the cuisines which were created by the EDO locals are considered as luxury foods.

They say that in the beginning, the city of EDO only had the EDO castle which stood in the wilderness.


Merchants from "Kamigata"(Kyoto and its' environs) all  “headed down to” EDO (now known as Tokyo) and initiated the first examples of EDO food culture.

"Kamigata" refers to where the Emperor resides.


Thus, whatever originates in "Kamigata" (literally meaning "the upper side") “heads down” as "Kudari-mono" ( things which travel down ) to its destination.
To be continued…

In July, the beginning of the swimming season, the mountaineering season and river festival.
Japanese people is looking forward to enjoying summer.

Hina-Matsuri  （ひな祭り）also known as Girl's Festival  or  Girls' Day is  celebrated each year on the March 3.


It  is custom to display  traditional ornamental dolls called Ohina-sama（おひなさま）in their homes .It  is custom to display  traditional ornamental dolls called Ohina-sama（おひなさま）in their homes .

It is said that these dolls ward  off evil spirits, calamity and disease. 

Families generally start to display the dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival. Superstition says that leaving the dolls past March 4 will result in a late marriage for the daughter.

There are  many types  of dolls and this photo represents one form of them.
It is a rare type. The male doll is holding a baby in his arms.

Rissyun（立春）was on the 4th of February.
It is the first day of spring. It' s getting warmer and warmer, but sometimes it'll be very cold. 

Sunshine and yellow plum; Robai（蠟梅）.

Recently it is getting colder. But Spring comes soon.

These dolls (photo) are made of china. It is a unique style. It is called Shigaraki-yaki（信楽焼）,  明山窯  in Koka City in Shiga prefecture　(滋賀県甲賀市）.　
My friend,Toshimichi Isino （石野敏通） makes these ones for Christmas events
This is his address as below.
www.meizan.info
www.meizan.co.jp

Wish you a happy Christmas.

It is called Shiwasu（師走） in December.
Shiwasu means a time when monks used to rush to houses and temples to sing the sutra.

I visited Honolulu in Hawaii last week.

Japanese Christmas is cold and covered with snow, but on the other hand Hawaii has a hot christmas.

It was a very unique and interesting experience!