I spent last week exploring Japan in search of the next great flavour for Ainsley Harriott’s World Kitchen range of soups. I had so much fun!
Japan has been one of my dream destinations ever since I was a little kid watching episodes of the classic cartoon Gigantor. So, winning Ainsley’s competition was kinda like a dream come true for me. My expectations were high but nonetheless were exceeded in almost every way by the amazing experiences I had. I even got to bring a guest – Kemey, of course – with me. She had as much of a blast as I did. Our only complaint: it was all too brief!
The second day of my Japanese #SoupSearch continued with more adventures in Tokyo. Here’s a taste of the day’s highlights:
Our morning started off being met in the lobby of our hotel by our guide for the day, Hidesada Shimazaki. He was extremely knowledgeable about all things Tokyo and adaptive to our interests … and gracious as all get out while fielding the heap of questions we threw at him all day.
First on our agenda was a visit to Tsukiji Fish Market. 23,000sq m of wholesalers peddling more than 400 species of sealife – Tsukiji is not only the busiest market in Tokyo but the biggest fish and seafood market in the world. From fresh-off-the-boat tuna to freshly made traditional fish cakes (I’d jump at a chance to do a #fishcakesearch of Japan!) with all sorts of other fresh and sometimes unidentifiable sea creatures and treats in between – Tsukiji is a must-visit item on any foodie’s Tokyo checklist.
After browsing round the market and its nearby Shinto shrine, we made our way to Hamarikyu Gardens. A bucolic swath of ancient parkland and ponds surrounded by Tokyo’s towering modern skyline, Hamarikyu is the site of the 17th century villa of the Tokyo’s first Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Hamarikyu was an oasis of calm, a great place to learn about – and experience – the traditional Japanese tea ceremony and a convenient spot to hop onboard the Tokyo Cruise boats for a ride up the Sumida River to Asakusa for a stroll round Sensō-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. And with more than 30 millions visitors a year, the temple is also one of Japan’s top attractions.
Taking in so much of Tokyo really built up our appetites. Good thing soup was on the menu! Yes our soup du jour was chunko nabe – a mega healthy hot pot of chicken, fish, tofu and vegetables in a miso and fish broth that sumo wrestlers guzzle in copious amounts to gain weight. We had our sumptuous “sumo soup” at Hanano Mai restaurant near the sumo stadium in Ryogoku. The food was great and the atmo was total fun: there’s actually a sumo ring in the middle of the restaurant.
After such an epic lunch, walking off some calories was mandatory. So, we took to the famous “restaurant street” of Kappabashi to check out a considerably less authentic but still quintessentially Japanese phenomenon: plastic sushi! You know those incredibly realistic plastic samples of menu items you see in the window of Japanese and east Asian restaurants? Well, there’s a street in Tokyo where the shops specialise in them, along with pretty much everything else imaginable you’d need to run a restaurant. For quirky souvenir shopping accompanied by plenty of laughs, Kappabashi rocked.
Dinner on our second night was with Destination Asia guide, Taka, who met us at our hotel and escorted us to Tokyo’s Ueno district for dinner at a sushi train restaurant. Taka was about as laid back as I think is possible for someone living in Tokyo and a fantastic host for the evening.
I can’t seem to find an online link to the place he took us to eat, but if you ever find yourself hungry and in Ueno, Misakiko restaurant is a safe bet. Maki and nigiri were topped with topple-over amounts of fish and seafood. The sea urchin and the crab with salmon roe were probably my faves – and I did my darnedest to taste everything Misakiko’s conveyor belt brought my way. The pros on the other side of the belt were hilarious and completely un-PC. They served us with swords, sneaked secretly super spicy rolls (so hot I almost gagged!) onto out plates as special treats for foreigners and offering up an Engrish joke about any and everything rude. I loved it.
Check back around the same time tomorrow for my next #SoupSearch installment.
