Saga prefecture

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. Saga district, Tokyo .
- see below - Sagacho 佐賀町
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Saga Prefecture



Saga Prefecture (佐賀県, Saga-ken)
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Tsushima current 対馬海流 and the Ariakekai Sea　有明海. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of
Karatsu　唐津, Imari　伊万里, and Arita　有田.
The capital is the city of Saga.
Kyūshū's smallest prefecture, Saga, is located on the northwest corner of the island, bordered by the Genkai Sea and the Tsushima Strait to the north and the Ariake Sea to the south.

In ancient times the area composed by Nagasaki Prefecture and Saga Prefecture was called Hizen Province. The current name dates from the Meiji Restoration. Rice farming culture has prospered here since ancient times, and vestiges can be seen at the ruins of Nabatake in Karatsu and the Yoshinogari site in Yoshinogari.

From the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period it is thought that over 100 feudal clans existed. Also exerting great influence during this time was a samurai clan operating along the Genkai Sea called the Matsuratō. Upon entering the Sengoku period, the Ryūzōji clan expanded their control to include all of Hizen and Chikugo Provinces, and part of Higo and Chikuzen Provinces. After the death of daimyo Takanobu Ryūzōji, Naoshige Nabeshima 　鍋島　 took control of the political situation, and by 1607 all of the Ryūzōji clan's domain was under the control of the Nabeshima clan.

Around the middle of the 19th century, Naomasa Nabeshima strove to set right the domain's financial affairs, reduce the number of government officials, and encourage local industry such as Arita porcelain, green tea, and coal.

Agriculture, forestry, and coastal fisheries form a large portion of the prefectural economy. Regional agricultural specialties include Saga beef, onions, and strawberries.
The prefecture is the largest producer of mochigome (sticky rice) and
greenhouse mandarin oranges in Japan.
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The Ariake Sea (有明海, Ariake-kai)
is a body of salt water surrounded by Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto Prefectures, all of which lie on the island of Kyūshū in Japan. It is the largest bay in Kyūshū. Its deepest point is only about 50 m deep, and extreme tides exceed 6 m. It is used for aquaculture, with nori being a major product. Various species of fauna including mudskipper (mutsugoro), Pen shell (Atrina pectinata), and fiddler crab live in the Ariake Sea. In autumn, there will be red-grass along the sea shore. Recent years have brought increasing pollution, with resultant red tide. Isahaya Bay is a branch of the Ariake Sea.
Across the Amakusa Islands lies the Yatsushiro Sea.

Many harbors are located on the coast. Among them are Misumi (in the city of Uki, Kumamoto Prefecture), Shimabara (Shimabara, Nagasaki), Taira (Unzen, Nagasaki), Nagasu (Kumamoto), Kumamoto (Kumamoto) , Miike (Omuta, Fukuoka), Kuchinotsu (Minamishimabara, Nagasaki), and Oniike (Amakusa, Kumamoto).
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Ariake ryoori 有明料理
Cuisine of products from the Ariake-kai sea
The Ariake sea and flatlands are rich in nutritients and rivers carry more nutritients from the mountains to the sea. The mix of fresh water and sea water is good for many kinds of seafood. The tide changes the sea level about 6 meters.
This food is served often in the town of Saga.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. nama kurage 生クラゲ raw jelly fish
eaten with grated ginger and soy sauce
akakurage, aka kurage 赤水母（あかくらげ）red jellyfish
Chrysaora melanaster


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Regional Dishes from Saga 佐賀の郷土料理
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


agoyaki あご焼（トビウオ) / yaki ago 焼あご fried flying fish


aisu puranto アイスプラント "ice plant" , sea fig, chrystal leaf
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Carpobrotus chilensis
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
It was originally planted to keep the sand on the beaches of Saga prefecture and other parts of Japan. It has white spots like salt on its leaves.
It is now promoted for eating, called
barafu バラフ Barafu.
salty vegetable 塩味野菜
Saga University's Department of Agriculture, Prof. Ogawa Takahiro is promoting it as edible since 2006. Fa. Nokendo (Nookendoo 農研堂（のうけんどう）.
Made into Barafu ice cream and other sweets like roll cake or short cake.
http://www.barafu.jp/sweets.html . . . with photos
Or fried with other ingredients or used in salads.


burakku monburan ブラックモンブラン "black Montblanc"
ice cream with chocolate cover
when you finish eating, you might win something, written on the stick. Invented by 竹下小太郎, when he saw the Monblanc in Swizzerland and thought it might be more delicious with a chocolate cover.



dabu だぶ food for communal festivities
kyoodoshoku 郷土食. Also prepared when entertaining important visitors.
Regionally called 「ざぶ zabu 」「さぶ sabu」「らぶ rabu」
With boiled root vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, konnyaku (mostly frozen konnyaku), fu wheat gluten crutons etc. and always the lotos roots from Ariakekai. Kombu and chicken for the broth and kamaboko for more filling. Thickened with a bit of katakuri starch. Juice from squeezed fresh ginger adds some flavor and keeps the body warm in winter.
When eating the broth, it makes the sound SABU SABU when old people eat it, hence the naming.
Prepared for all the villagers.
On happy occasions, the food is cut into small squares and flavored without sugar. An even number of ingredients is used. Salt and soy sacue are usef for flavoring.
On sad occasions like funerals and memorial services (うれいの時), it is cut in triangular form and sugar is used to enliven the palate. Instead of chicken atsuage tofu is used.
It is served in a large bowl and each person can take as much as he likes into his own personal "dabu bowl" だぶ椀.
Famous isKaratsu, Hamasaki village. 唐津市浜崎地区
When prepared only for the family, it is inaka dabu 田舎だぶ, when prepared for guests, it is okyakusama dabu お客様だぶ.
This is also prepared in villages of Fukuoka in Northern Kyushu.


dagojiru だご汁 miso soup with dumplings
Famous at the hot spring Takeo onsen 武雄温泉, in the sprit of samurai simplicity and fortitude (shitsujitsu gooken しつじつごうけん【質実剛健】)
Dumplings from wheat flour are made from hand, called tsunkiridango つんきりだご, others elongated like udon are nobedango のべだご.


ganzuke がん漬け / 蟹漬 kani crab pickles
made from local fiddler crab シオマネキ shiomaneki
a kind of shiokara salt pickles
From Ariakekai
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


gyorokke 魚ロッケ/ ぎょろっけ fried mashed fish and vegetables
from 唐津市
mashed fish (surimi) eggs, carrots are mixed, covered with breadcrumbs and fried. It is formed like a fish in shape, but basically a croquette コロッケ.
Since the early Showa years at the Fujikawa Kamaboko 藤川蒲鉾本店 shop. It had also been called haikara ten ハイカラ天 highclass tempura, karee ten カレー天 curry tempura or panko ten 「パン粉天 bread crumbs tempura. Now there are two flavors, with curry or just salt.



Hizen chagayu 肥前茶粥 rice porridge from Hizen
Prepared in an earthen pot. Green tea is put in a bag and boiled with the rice.


Kanzaki soomen 神埼そうめん(神崎素麺) somen noodles from Kanzaki
They are prepared with the fresh water from rivers from the mountain area of Sefuri 脊振. They are quite chewy, but smooth. You can enjoy them cold in summer and hot in winter.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



kuri okowa 栗おこわ mochigome rice with sweet chestnuts
A necessary meal for chrysanthemum festivities on the ninth of september, the double 9 day, in the local dialect called Okunchi おくんち【御九日】 . In Arita, this is celebrated on the 9th of October


marubooro 佐賀まるぼうろ sweet round cookies
The most important sweet of the area, introduced by the "Western barbarians" from Holland to Nagasaki, more than 300 years ago. Now these cakes are made with honey and eggs and baking powser to make them softer.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Matsuura zuke, Matsuurazuke 松浦漬け
whale pickles from Matsuura
The cartilage of the lower jaw of a whale (kaburabone かぶら骨) is watered for a long time, until all the fat is gone and then pickled in sweetened rice bran. This delicacy is counted as one of the five best in Japan 日本珍味五種.

It is sold in cans or containers from Arita porcellain that look like water goblins (kappa 河童)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


mutsugoroo むつごろう 　/ むつ五郎 haze-type mudskipper of the wetlands
This animal is prepared as food in various ways.
mutsugoro no kabayaki むつごろう蒲焼 grilled on charcoal
Eaten from May to September.
Also as sashimi or simmered in sweetened soy sauce.


niimoji にいもじ sweet potatoes in vinegar dressing
mizuimo, mizu imo みずいも【水芋】, a kind of satsumaimo.
Best in summer to induce an appetite. Sometimes called "zuiki", when it is dried.
(See also KUMAMOTO for zuiki.)


nori 佐賀のり / 佐賀海苔 Saga Nori Laver. seaweed
from the Ariakekai Sea, which is rich in nutritients and rivers carry more nutritients from the mountains to the sea. The mix of fresh water and sea water is good for growing these nori. Since the tide changes the sea level about 6 meters, they also absorb a lot of sunight to give them extra sweetness.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
..... yakinori aisu 焼きのりアイス icecream with roasted nori flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




Ogi koi 小城　鯉 carp from Ogi town
Near the Falls of Kiyomizu are many restaurants to serve them as sashimi or in miso soup, since the meat does not have a raw taste to it.
The fish grow in the clear rivers of the Tenzan mountains nearby.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the waterfall and fish dishes!


Ogi yookan 小城羊羹 (おぎようかん）bean jelly from Ogi
also called sakura yookan. Some green powdered tea is added to the mix of sweet bean paste and kanten jelly.
Even the warlord and later regend of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is said to have liked this.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Sagagyuu 佐賀牛 beef from Saga
One of the best in Japan. Cattle grazes in the mild climate of the area, with plenty of fresh water and clean air. It has a sweet taste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


sazae さざえ【栄螺】 turban shells
Best grilled, near Cape Hado. They taste slightly salty and of the soy sauce grilled with them. 波戸岬サザエ
from Chinzei town, Karatsu
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


shishirian raisu シシリアンライス Sicilian rice
served on a plate, decorated with mayonnaise, eaten with chopsticks
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


shooro manjuu 松露饅頭 (しょうろうまんじゅう) round Manju cakes
"like shoro mushrooms (truffles) that grow on the trees of Niji na Matsubara 虹の松原 in spring and autumn". The cakes are filled with sweet bean paste, outside is castella cake. They are about 3 to 4 cm in diameter.
Speciality of Karatsu 唐津市.
shooroo ショウロ Rhizopogon rubescens
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Suko sushi 須古寿司 from Suko town
Suko Town, Kishima island 杵島（きしま）郡白石（しろいし）
The area is famous for its rice planting, since more than 500 years Sushi is made. Especially mutsugoro and other seafood from Ariakekai are used. Also shiitake mushrooms, eggs, goboo, Narazuke pickles, red pickled ginger and mountain vegetables are used to bring sea and mountain on one box sushi (oshi sushi). It is thus very colorful and often also made for festivities. The villagers make it in memory of a former daimyo, who helped them inprove the rice plants of the area.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Takesaki kani, Takezakigani 竹崎蟹 crab from Takesaki town
aogani アオガニ "blue crab" Callinectes sapidus
They are as large as 30 cm. Females are better in winter, the males in summer.
They are boiled in seawater 茹で竹崎蟹 to enjoy their natural taste.
koorazake, koora sake 甲羅酒 hot ricewine in the crab shell
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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toofu 豆腐 bean curd
Saga is famous for its various bean curds.

. . . . . godoofu ごどうふ tofu made with kuzu vines
It is like a pudding with a shining surface and taste of rice.
from Arita 有田名物, often served in a beautiful pot of Arita pottery.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


. . . . . ishiwaridoofu - ishiwari toofu 石割豆腐 ishiwaridofu, ishiwari-dofu "tofu that can split a stone"
"stone breaking tofu"
from Kashiwajima island 神集島, near Karatsu
It is very hard and quite salty. The amount of eight normal portions of tofu are used for one serving.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi brought this preparation back from his war excursion to the Korean peninsula in the 16th century and is alive to our day.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




. . . . . zarudoofu ザル豆腐 / ざる豆腐 tofu in a bamboo basket
This tofu is made without soaking the beans in water, so it has the natural flavor of the soy beans.
from Karatsu 唐津

see also below, Ureshino Onsen Tofu

. Saga Tofu from Kyoto　嵯峨豆腐


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Ureshino cha うれしのお茶 / 嬉野茶 tea from Ureshino
Green tea and black tea are produced, since it was introduced by the Ming-Chinese in 1504. The original tea is roasted in a metal container or kettle.
Some say this was the origin of tea production in Japan.
Also used to flavor soft ice and other regional sweets.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Ureshino Onsen Tofu　嬉野温泉豆腐 tofu with hot spring water
Onsen water is used to make this delightful local dish. The alkaline in the water makes the bean curd in the tofu soft and mellow when it is heated in ceramic pots. Onsen tofu is traditionally served with condiments such as green onion, ginger, and sesame paste to taste.
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warasubo 藁素坊 (ワラスボ) green eel goby
Taenioides rubicundus
ワラスボ（藁苞）
Odontamblyopus lacepedii
from Ariakekai. sometimes also called subo スボ、jinkichi ジンキチ or even mutsugoroo ムツゴロウ.
His strange outlook with sharp teeth made him a model for ALIEN.
His flesh is rather tasty. Raw as sashimi, or boiled or grilled with miso. Also dried. A good friend for the sake drinker.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Yobuko ika よぶこイカ / 呼子（よぶこ）squid from Yobuko town
near Karatsu town. The squid is almost transparent when served fresh as sashimi. Other parts are eaten as tempura.
The port of Yobuko is famous for its rich fish grounds nearby and fresh fish.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Yoshinogari 吉野ケ里
In Memory of Queen Himiko


Yagura manjuu やぐらまんじゅう Yagura manju
Himiko manjuu 卑弥呼まんじゅうや / 卑弥呼饅頭 Himiko manju
Himiko senbei 卑弥呼せんべい / 卑弥呼煎餅 Himiko sembei


akamai aisu 赤米アイス red rice icecream
Yoshino gaarikku 吉野ガーリック giant garlic from Yoshino
Yoshinogari kodaimen 吉野ヶ里古代麺 noodles the old style
Yoshinogari saburee 吉野ヶ里 サブレー Sablee from Yoshinogari

. WASHOKU : 吉野ケ里名物
Specialities near Yoshinogari, Saga 　

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yudedago, yude dago ゆでだご simple wheat cakes
dough from wheat is formed into small round plates by hand and cooked in water. Then brown sugar is coated around it. Sometimes yomogi mugword or red beans are mixed into the dough.
Eaten as a snack by the farmers.


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Delicacies from Saga
- source : www.asobo-saga.jp/lang/english

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HAIKU and SENRYU

aki no tabi Ariakekai no umi no sachi

travelling in autumn -
the good seafood from
Ariakekai sea

Nakayama Hanako, October 2004


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むつ五郎むつ十郎の泥試合
mutsugoroo mutsujuuroo no doro shiai

mudskipper five
and mudskipper ten
fight in the mud

Mutsugoro
und Mutsujuro
machen eine Schlammschlacht

Awano Seiho 阿波野青畝 (1899 - 1992

This is a play of words with the name of Mutsugoro. Five and ten, a small one and a big one are fighting for a female.

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仏滅の晴天を呼ぶむつ五郎
butsumetsu no seiten o yobu mutsugoroo

bringing fine weather
for Buddha's death day -
Mutsugoro

Nagajima Tenseki 永島転石

(butsumetsu is also an unlucky day in the traditional yearly almanacs.)


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Related words

Mutsugoro むつ五郎 a type of haze, mudskipper, kigo for late spring

***** WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes


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. Tokyo Kōtō 江東区 Koto ward, "East River" .
Sagacho 佐賀町 . 佐賀一丁目,佐賀二丁目 Saga district, first and second district



In 1692, it was named after the village headmen, 藤左衛門町 Tozaemoncho and 次兵衛町 Jiheicho.
In 1695, it was named after the Saga prefecture, because the harbour of 肥前国佐賀湊 Saga looked similar to the area in Edo.
Near the 深川地域 Fukagawa area, former 深川佐賀町 Fukagawa Sagacho.
In 1878, it became part of 深川区 Fukagawa ward.
In 1947, Fukagawa became part of Koto ward.

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Senbei Arare

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rice crackers (senbei 煎餅)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Topic
***** Category: Humanity

*****************************Explanation



There are many specialities with the name ... senbei.
Some are made from rice flour, some from mochigome rice flour and others from wheat flour.

age senbei 揚げせんべい deep-fried crackers
chibimaru senbei ちび丸せんべい, for Chibi Mariko Manga
ebisenbei, ebisen　えびせんべい with shrimp
goma senbei 胡椒せんべい with sesame seeds
haatogata senbei ハート型せんべい shape of a heart
oshiage senbei 押上せんべい
shoyu senbei with soy sauce 醤油せんべい (しょうゆせんべい)
shio senbei with salt 塩せんべい
tai senbei 鯛せんべい with sea bream
teyaki senbei 手焼きせんべい handmade senbei

ebisenbei from shiba-ebi, Aichi prefecture

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- - - - - other types are made from glutinous rice:
arare あられ
okaki おかき (御欠き)
kakimochi 欠き餅(もち)

quote
Arare (あられ "hailstones") is a type of bite-sized Japanese cracker made from glutinous rice and flavored with soy sauce. The size and shapes are what distinguish arare from senbei.
There are many different sizes, colors, and shapes of arare. Some are sweet, and others savory. One, called norimaki arare (nori meaning an edible seaweed foodstuff in the form of a dried sheet; maki meaning roll shape) is wrapped with dried nori seaweed. Another, kakinotane (柿の種, kakinotane), takes its name from its resemblance to a persimmon seed. (Kaki is Japanese for "persimmon".) Kakinotane are often sold with peanuts, a combination called kakipī (かきピー, kakipī. These are a popular snack to accompany Japanese beer.

Japanese typically consume arare to celebrate the Doll Festival (Hinamatsuri), on March 3, Girls' Day in Japan. The arare made during the festival are very colorful - pink, yellow, white, brown, light green, and so on. Regular arare can be bought throughout the year, but the colorful ones are only available around January to March in anticipation of the Doll Festival.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. arare ochazuke あられお茶漬 Arare with green tea
from Mie prefecture


- - - - - My Photo Album - - - - -
Senbei


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Senbei (irimochi) (煎餅, せんべい)
are Japanese crackers, made from nonglutinous rice. They come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet. Senbei are often eaten with green tea as a casual snack and offered to visiting house guests as a courtesy refreshment.

Senbei are usually cooked by being baked or grilled, traditionally over charcoal. While being prepared they may be brushed with a flavoring sauce, often one made of shoyu and mirin. They may then be wrapped with a layer of nori. Alternatively they may be flavored with salt or so-called "salad" flavoring.

In China, senbei are called jiānbang (煎餅). There are varieties like Shandong Jianbing and Tianjin Jianbing. However, these are in actuality a different food. In China, they are more like wraps and pancakes, similar to okonomiyaki, whereas in Japan they are hard (not floppy), and are bite-sized snacks rather than meals.

Sweet senbei (甘味煎餅) came to Japan during the Tang dynasty, the first recorded usage in 737 AD, and still are very similar to Tang traditional styles, originally often baked in the Kansai area, of which include the traditional "roof tile" senbei. These include ingredients like potato and wheat flour or glutinous rice, and are similar to castella cakes. (Not like what people most think of senbei today).

What Japanese commonly refer to as sembei nowadays was popularized by a shop in the Edo Period, Sōkajuku, which spread salty soy sauce flavored sembei throughout Japan.
- Soka Senbei, see below -

There are several types of traditional Japanese senbei. They include the 2 categories, sweet sembei (over 15 types) and rice candy senbei (米菓煎餅),
and others, which include even fish senbei (魚せんべい), lotus senbei (蓮根煎餅) and bone senbei (骨せんべい) from fish bones.

Modern senbei versions are very inventive and may include flavorings can which range from kimchi to wasabi to curry to chocolate.

Kansai senbei tend to use glutinous rice and have a lightly seasoned and delicate in texture (saku saku). Kantō senbei were originally based on uruchimai, a non-glutinous rice, and they tend to be more crunchy (kari kari) and richly flavored.
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. Food vendors in Edo .

senbeiya, senbei-ya　煎餅屋 Sembei shop, Senbei shop
Senbei were very popular in Edo and sold at many shops.

Danjuroo senbei 団十郎煎餅
named after the popular Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro were especially popular. They were round and imprinted with the family crest of the Danjuro family, the 三升 Mimasu.

Asagao Senbei 朝顔煎餅 / 朝顔せんべい morning glory rice crackers
were mentioned in the Kabuki play
. Sukeroku yukari no Edo-zakura 助六由縁江戸桜 .
The funny clown actor was named 朝顔仙平 Asagao Senbei. The painting of the actor's face was related to various parts of a morning glory.


source : kabuki-za.com/syoku

The play has a long monologue about the various uses on senbei.
senbei zukushi せんべい尽くし

「事もおろかやこの糸びんは砂糖煎餅が孫、羽衣せんべえはおれが姉様、
双六（すごろく）せんべえとは行逢（ゆきあ）い兄弟、姿見煎餅はおらがいとこ、
竹村の堅巻せんべえが親分に、
朝顔仙平という色奴（いろやっこ）様だ」

They were sold by Fujiya Seizaemon.
- reference source : tukitodora.exblog.jp -

and modern Kabuki Senbei　歌舞伎せんべい



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. Kokeshi Senbei こけし　せんべい .

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Darums Senbei from Maebashi だるま煎餅　
前橋の丸福本舗
Gunma Prefecture



七転び八起き
Nanakorobi yaoki
seven times down, eight times up - - - Daruma Lore

八起せんべい Yaoki Senbei







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Asakusa Iriyama Senbei shop 入山せんべい





- reference source : shinise.tv/iriyamasenbei... -


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Edo Daruma Hakkei 江戸だるま八景
Eight views of Daruma in Edo





Eight different flavors of Daruma Senbei!
だるまの形をした8種類のおせんべい。Nihonbashi Nishiki Horin
- reference source : 日本橋錦豊琳 -


. Hokusai, Great Wave and Tsunami
北斎　津波　 .


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Fish bones roasted "like senbei",
hone senbei 骨せんべい

If you grill fish at home, you can grill the big bones in a final round to produce your own. They are full of calcium and good for children and the elderly. They are sold as a snack.


Knochen-Kräcker

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Ebisenbei from Hokkaido えびせんべい
ebisen えびせん


source : 　store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp

かにせん kanisen with crabmeat
わかめせんwakamesen with wakame seaweed
うにせん unisen with sea urchins

えびせんべい・抹茶 ebisenbei macha .. shrimps with green tea
えびせんべい・かぼちゃebisenbei kabocha shrimps .. with pumpkin
えびせんべい・いかすみえびせんebisenbei ikasumi ... with ink from the squidえびせんべい・えびせんべい・わさびせん kawaebi ... with river shrimp

and many more !

Buson-An and Sakura-Ebisen 蕪村菴 さくらえびせんべい




Darume Ebiesn だるま海老せん
桂新堂




「和物」プリントえびせんべい福だるま

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Kappa Ebisen　かっぱえびせん



- quote -
Kappa Ebisen (かっぱえびせん) is a Japanese snack food produced by Calbee of Japan in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima. It is a crunchy, shrimp-flavored snack resembling Krupuk, Indonesian traditional snack food and It became very popular in Japan. The version produced by Calbee America is called Shrimp Flavored Chips.
The primary ingredients of Kappa Ebisen are wheat flour, vegetable oil, starch, shrimp, sugar, salt, baking powder, amino acid and sweetening.
Kappa Ebisen was first produced and sold by Calbee in 1964 and has gained wide popularity among Japanese consumers as a snack food. Its simplicity makes it a popular snack in many settings, and is often a popular choice for karaoke or as a bar snack. ...
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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. Ichiyo Senbei 一葉煎餅(いちようせんべい) 　
In honor of the poetess Higuchi Ichiyo 樋口 一葉

. Ishida Mitsunari 石田三成 せんべい
In honor of the famous samurai 　

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Jibachi senbei 地蜂煎餅, 地蜂せんべい
Wasp rice crackers



In Omachi, 120 miles northwest of Tokyo, there is a fan club Omachi Jibachi Aikokai (Omachi digger wasps lovers group) that has teamed up with a local biscuit maker to create jibachi senbei, or digger wasp rice crackers.
Elderly wasp hunters from the village, who are mostly in their 80s, catch the insects in nearby forests, boil them in water, dry and sprinkle them over the cracker mix, which is then stamped by hot iron cracker cutters.
Five or six black digger wasps are added to the rice cracker each, clearly visible to the naked eye and while the senior citizens love them, young Japanese see the bugs and refuse to eat the senbei!
source : 　japansugoi.com

Sold in a bag with 20 pieces.

More about
Konchu Ryori, konchuu ryoori 昆虫料理 Insects as food


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- - - - - 18 types of senbei - - - - -


Imaya Senbei Store, Kanazawa 今屋のおせんべい　


burandii senbei, burandei senbei ブランデーせんべい / ブランデー煎餅
senbei with brandy flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
from Tsukui Senbei Shop 津久井せんべい本舗
They even got an official prize 内閣総理大臣賞受賞.
They are normal senbei covered with a layer of flour mixed with real French brandy.
The owner was inspired by whiskey bonbons and tried his family trade, senbei, with various flavors. Now they create 30 different ones for example
koohii senbei 珈琲煎餅 senbei with coffee flavor
wain senbei ワインせんべい wine flavor senbei


There are also wine senbei in memory of Takeda Shingen from Yamanashi.
武田信玄のワインセンベイ


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karee senbei カレーのおせんべい sembei with curry flavor
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


kootsuu anzen senbei 交通安全せんべい
senbei used in campaigns for safe driving


. Masakado Senbei 将門煎餅 .
for Taira no Masakado 平将門 / 平將門 (? – 940)

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Nanbu senbei, Nambu senbei 南部せんべい
from Morioka, former Nambu province
Nambu Sembei, waffles from Nanbu
Made from wheat flour, salt and water. The dough is pressed into round waffle molds with long handles and baked over charcoals. The overflowing baked dough is cut off and also sold as "ears" mimi to put into soup.
They come in variuos flavors. Originated in Hachinohe, where there are many local brands in the shelves of the supermarkets.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

senbeijiru せんべい汁 senbei soup
Make soup with vegetables, mushrooms and meat and add Nanbu senbei just before eating.
There is a special senbei brand which does not dissolve in hot water.




senbei aisu　せんべいアイス Senbei filled with ice cream !




- - - - - Nambu-Waffeln
Die berühmten Nambu-Waffeln kommen aus der Stadt Hachinohe, die in der heutigen Präfektur Aomori liegt, einst die Domäne Nambu. Früher dienten die Waffeln als haltbare Nahrungsmittel für die langen Wintermonate.

In den Supermärkten von Hachinohe finden sich endlose Regale mit über 40 Sembei-Sorten, allein zehn davon mit Sesam. Meistens werden sie in kleinen Familienbetrieben von Hand gebacken, sodass jede Sorte ihren einzigartigen Geschmack erhält.

Bei ganz einfachen Waffeln besteht der Teig lediglich aus Weizenmehl, Salz und Wasser. Die Sembei werden in Waffeleisen mit langen Griffen über glühenden Holzkohlen oder in einem elektrischen Heizgerät gebacken. Die Temperatur für Waffeln ohne Füllung sollte 130 °C betragen. Der Bäcker muss darauf achten, sie ständig zu wenden, damit sie nicht anbrennen. Mittlerweile wurden auch spezielle Maschinen zur Waffel-Herstellung entwickelt, die in Kleinbetrieben bis zu 3000 Waffeln täglich backen können. Die Bäcker allerdings müssen stets wachsam sein, da gleichzeitig Teig in die Formen gegossen und Waffeln aus den Formen herausgenommen werden mussen.



Zur Geschmacksverfeinerung wird häufig schwarzer Sesam mitgebacken, der den Waffeln einen unverwechselbar aromatischen Geschmack gibt. Einige Hersteller bestellen das unverzichtbare Salz für den Teig sogar aus den Hochebenen von Tibet, weil dieses Natursalz dank seines Mineralgehaltes dem Gebäck überraschenderweise eine gewisse natürliche Süße verleiht.

Für andere Sorten werden klein gehackte Erdnüsse mit etwas Zucker eingebacken. Andere Mischungen ergeben sich aus Äpfeln und Kürbissen, Süßkartoffeln und Shiso-Blättern. Auch verschiedene Getreidesorten werden beigemischt. Für einen herzhafteren Geschmack kommen Zwiebeln, Sojasauce, Chili, Tintenfisch oder Jakobsmuscheln mit in den Teig.

Der bei der Herstellung am Rand herausquellende Teig wird nicht entfernt, sondern mitgebacken, und in Körben gesammelt. Viele Kunden lieben diese von den Japanern »Ohren« genannten Reststücke als Zutat für die tägliche Suppe. Sie kommen daher auch in den Verkauf. Ebenfalls als Suppenzutat, und zwar für Eintöpfe im Winter Senbeijiru, werden weiße Sembei gebacken. Sie sind sehr hart und lösen sich im heißen Wasser nur langsam auf. Weitere Zutaten dieses Eintopfs sind Hühnerfleisch, Wintergemüse, Pilze – und alles, was der Familie schmeckt.

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ninniku agesenbei ニンニク揚げせんべい
fried senbei with garlic


from Northern Japan, Fukushima
also with cheese flavor

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Soka senbei, Sooka senbei 草加せんべい
Soka (Sooka), Saitama, a famous senbei city
埼玉県草加市


A Senbei (Rice Cracker) is the traditional confectionery of Soka. There are, however, many people make a mistake that it is Tokyo's specialty product. For this reason, we would like to let you have a correct understanding that how our local special product "Senbei" has been made and has become famous in all over Japan. Also, in February 2006, Soka Senbei was specified as " regional food brand (the genuine product made at the genuine place)", and in June 2007, it was registered as "regional organization trademark". For such the situation, Soka Senbei has been recognized as the brand name nevertheless there are many similar products being manufactured and sold. Here, we would consider how we should make more popular the brand name value of the real genuine "Soka Senbei"

Origin of Soka Senbei
When Town Soka was busy as the post town point on Nikko Kaido (Nikko Highway leading to Nikko) during the era of Edo, Ms "Osen-san" was selling dumpling cakes. One day, under suggestion from a passerby "samurai", she made a sort of Senbei in the shape of a baked rice cracker by crashing dumpling cake to flat and keeping it dry under the sun heat. It has been told that she, then, began making and selling it.

History of Soka Senbei
With regard to the history of our special product "Soka Senbei", we would herein introduce how it has finally become popular all over Japan as follows.
Hard Baked Rice Crackers were changed to Flat Salty Senbei during the era of Edo.

The Soka region was the typical village for cultivation of rice and in order to store surplus rice, people made Senbei, initially called Kata-Mochi (Hard Rice Cake).
When the Soka Post Town was set up during the era of Edo, there were many teahouses and food shops along with Nikko Kaido Road and this preservative food were being sold to travelers, which finally became very popular. At the early stage, salt was mixed into the Senbei rice cracker, but after the end of Edo era, it changed to put soybean sauce (shoyu) on a flat shaped Senbei after baking. At the beginning, some shops were called Salt Senbei Shops.

Turning Point was when the Senbei was presented to the Emperor
-- Eras of Meiji to Taisho

From the later of Meiji era, Soka Senbei shops had been gradually increased but many of them handled the Senbei as the side job in addition to sell other general merchandizes.
At the time of Taisho (after the era of Meiji), the Japanese army had a comprehensive military practice in Kawagoe and Soka Senbei was presented to Emperor Taisho, who was, then, the general commander of the Japanese army. This fact became the good turning point to expand the Senbei business.
The Soka Senbei was specified and expanded to all over Japan because "the emperor family purchased the delicious senbei". The local Soka Senbei Industry has been established, which was further expanded around that time and begun to enjoy making the product as the Soka's specialty product. It, then, continued making a prosperous progress for expansion.

Time of Sufferings, Glory and Fog
-- From Eras of Showa to Heisei
The Soka Senbei industry had made a good progress when entered to the era of Showa. However, during the Second World War, it had become very difficult time to obtain the material - i.e., rice - due to the severe control by the government on rice, so that many Soka Senbei Manufacturers (shops) had to discontinue the business one by one. Some of them, however, continued business obtaining the rice material somehow under the severe control by the authority (police). That time was the most difficult time for the Soka Senbei industry.

But only the good thing was Soka Senbei Manufactures maintained the manufacturing method (technique) under the dangerous situation (by police and military group).　This was very good and lucky because the police authority is controlling rice distribution at the black market very severely, but some shops obtained the material (rice) somehow. Under such situation, the industry kept the traditional technique to make the Senbei, which is now greatly contributed for the industry and the market.

During the time of 1960s, the rice control was discontinued and the industry could follow the way of the high degree economic growth as the same as other main industries. Again, the name of Soka Senbei had been well known through special sales campaigns at department stores and big railway station's shopping areas.

However, in a proportion to rising of the well-known product name as "Soka Senbei", Senbei makers of other regions had begun making similar products even under different production methods. They began selling under the name of Soka Senbei at many places in Japan nevertheless the quality and taste were not good as the genuine Soka Senbei. As the result, although the name of "Soka Senbei" could obtain the good popularity, its reliability was deteriorated and the definition of "Soka Senbei" could badly become vaguely. The tendency has been continued to today.
source : 　www.city.soka.saitama.jp

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Takabe Jinja Senbei 高家（たかべ）神社煎餅
In honor of the God of Cooking,
God of Iwakamutsukari no Mikoto 磐鹿六雁命


. Tokyo Sky Tree Senbei 東京スカイツリー .
May 22, 2012 - Grand Opening

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Unzen yusenpei ゆせんぺい senbei from hot spring water
Nagasaki, Mount Unzen

. Urashima Taro 浦島太郎 Ebisen えびせんべい .

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Lucky Waffles with Toys inside, fukutoku senbei 福徳せんべい

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Yaotsu Senbei 八百津町　せんべい
From Yaotsu Town, Gifu.
They produce about 100 different kinds of senbei with many flavors.
The latest is a huge one of 1 meter diameter, made for events to share with the kids.
sauce yakisoba senbei　ソース焼きそばせんべい is loved by younger people.
Senbei as containers of local ice cream, eaten with a senbei formed like a spoon.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Worldwide use

Reiskräcker, Waffeln, Nanbu-Waffeln
Gebäck

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Things found on the way

- - - Naschen erlaubt: Sembei
Unter Sembei fasst man in Japan verschiedene Gebäck-, Waffel-, und Kräckersorten zusammen, die entweder aus Reismehl, Mochigome-Klebreismehl oder Weizenmehl gebacken und flach gepresst sind. Sie können süßlich oder salzig schmecken. Eine Sembei-Dose ist in jedem japanischen Haushalt zu finden, denn Sembei bilden das Mindestmaß an Gastfreundschaft. Kommen Gäste ins Haus, wird als erstes grüner Tee gekocht, gleich darauf werden Sembei aus der Dose genommen, auf einem Servierteller angerichtet und vor die Gäste auf den niedrigen Tisch gestellt. Der grüne Tee folgt unverzüglich. Sembei sind nicht nur für Gäste ein beliebter Snack, sondern auch für die ganze Familie. Sie werden zu jeder Tageszeit gegessen.

Das Gebäck gibt es in unzähligen Geschmacksrichtungen mit Sojasauce oder anderen Zutaten gewürzt. Sie sind rund oder viereckig, sternförmig oder wie ein Dachziegel geformt. Am beliebtesten ist die flache, runde Sembei-Sorte aus einfachem Reismehl mit dem Geschmack von Sojasauce. Sie verbreitete sich ab dem 17. Jahrhundert von Edo (heute Tokyo) aus über ganz Japan. Diese Sembei sind besonders knusprig und werden durch weitere Zutaten im Geschmack variiert.

In vielen Städten mit Sehenswürdigkeiten gibt es Geschäfte, die gleich am Ortseingang oder Bahnhof frische Sembei herstellen und einzeln verkaufen. Der verlockende Röstduft zieht die Kunden schon von weitem an, die hier Reisemitbringsel (meibutsu) aus der Gegend erstehen können. In Japan ist es üblich, von einer Reise etwas für die Daheimgebliebenen, insbesondere Arbeitskollegen, mitzubringen. Sehr gern werden Sembei, die zusammen in der Pause genascht werden können, nach einem Urlaub verschenkt.

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HAIKU

煎餅をいぬがかむ音花の雨
senbei o inu ga kamu oto hana no ame

the sound of senbei
when my dog crunches them...
rain on the cherry blossoms

Hoshino Tatsuko 星野立子
Tr. Gabi Greve

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long autumn rain -
the smell of senbei and
smoked cheese



These senbei, rice crackers, have a very typical smell. They are called mame mochi with roasted soybeans, from Tokachi, Hokkaido. Each one is wrapped in an extra pouch and when you open one, the rich fragrance of rice emerges from it.

Gabi Greve, September 2009


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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information

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- #senbei #sembei #ricecrackers #kappaebisen #ebisen -
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Ameyoko Kappabashi Ueno

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. 河童 The Kappapedia .
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Ameyoko Street in Ueno

***** Location: Japan
***** Season:
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

Ameyoko あめよこ (アメ横) is a famous shopping street running from Ueno station to Okachimachi in Tokyo.
Ameyoko street market.Ameyoko shopping alley.

It is a MUST for the shopping for New Years items, everything is cheap ...
After WWII it was a place for smuggled itmes, and also a famous sweet shop, ameya 飴屋 was in the area. AME also was an abbreviation for AMERICA in these days.

There is also a lot of other discounted stuff there. There is second-hand fashion, super bargains and a lot of candy! It is a heaven for bargain shoppers.



Officially the name is Ameya Yokocho, ameya yokochoo アメ屋横丁.
yokochoo is the normal name for a small alley.

CLICK for more English information !



Ameyokoyaki アメ横焼き Ameyoko-style pancake
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


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Close to Ameyoko is the famous

Asakusa KAPPABASHI 東京都 かっぱばし/ かっぱ河 / 合羽橋

where you can buy all kinds of wax or plastic replica food.
They are used by restaurants and shops to decorate their windows and inform customers about their dishes. This is very useful for foreigners to see what is served in a restaurant.



. . . CLICK here for Photos !

. Kappadera かっぱ寺 Kappa temple - 曹源寺 Sogen-Ji .
and the legend of Kappa Kawataro Kihachi.


道具街, the kitchen district
In Kappabashi, they also sell all the equipment and utensils you need for a restaurant and kitchen, pots and pans, chopsticks and plates ... you name it.


Gujo Hachiman Town 郡上八幡 in Gifu is a famous producer of these food replicas. There are still four factories which produce these plastic items.
Iwasaki Mokei in Gujo was one of the first to produce these sample foods since 1932.




Kappabashi-dori, also known just as
Kappabashi (Japanese: 合羽橋) or Kitchen Town,
is a street in Tokyo between Ueno and Asakusa which is almost entirely populated with shops supplying the restaurant trade.
- reference - Kappabashi -



source : R on facebook
Seen by a friend in Kappabashi


. Asakusa Kannon　Temple 浅草観音 .
Temple Sensooji　浅草寺 Senso-Ji

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Asakusa and the Kaminari Okoshi sweets
"waking up the thunder"
made by Tokiwadoo

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Kaminari-okoshi is a snack popular for its crispy texture. It was originally sold by street venders near the Kaminarimon gate in Asakusa sometime in the mid Edo period. Kaminari-okoshi is made by roasting steamed sweet rice to pop, mixing them with other ingredients such as peanuts, and forming them into a shape with sugar and mizuame. It is believed that the name "okoshi" came from a Japanese verb "okosu," which means "to establish" a family or a name, and therefore the snack was considered as a good-luck item. It is known as one of popular Asakusa souvenirs today.
source : 　www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp

Further Reference

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Asakusa nikomidoori 浅草煮込み通り street with shops of nikomi stew in Asakusa
浅草2丁目の「煮込み通り」

浅草煮込み通り

CLICK here for PHOTOS !




Ningyooyaki 人形焼, 人形焼き figure waffles


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Akihabara, the Electric Town
originally
Akibahara with Shrine Akiba Jinja at its center.

Some shops have Oden hodgepodge in cans.

Maid-Coffeeshops. They welcome you : O-kaeri nasai.
Maids write a greeting with ketchup on your omuraisu omelette.
meidokissa, メイド喫茶 maid kissa
meidokafee メイドカフェ
meedokissa メードﾞ喫茶
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



LaoX features a large store with items for tourists.

Bridge Manseibashi　万世橋
niku no mansei　肉の万世 the first to make kurokke, croquettes.


Agemanjuu 揚げまんじゅう / 揚げ饅頭
normal manjuu with koshi-an bean paste, deep-fried afterwards for a crispy taste.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Shotaro Ikenami (Ikenami Shootaroo) wrote about Mukashi no Aji in Edo/Tokyo, discribing the restaurants and eateries of the times.


Jinbocho jinboochoo 神保町 district with books sold.
Part of Kanda.

Inventer of Hiyashi Chuka ... gansoo hiyashi chuuka
from a Chinese who got the inspiration from the cold soba noodles of Japan. He arranged his noodles with vegetables and chicken meat like a Mount Fuji on your plate. His son now cares for the restaurant.
Chinatown in Jinbocho has disappeared, now Chinatown is in Yokohama.



Kanda Daruma 神田だるま
shop which sells taiyaki waffles in a wrapper with Daruma





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Things found on the way


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HAIKU



ameyoko ni matsutake tataki uri ni keri

at Ameyoko
they sell matsutake mushrooms
at such reduced price !

Umi no Ko san . 海の子 さん

tataki-uri, the vendor hits his board with a stick and reduces the price with every slab. It is a kind of backward auction and raises the attention of all other buyers around !


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. Ueno 上野 Ueno district - Taito .

- - - - - Kobayashi Issa in Ueno -

夕涼や草臥に出る上野山
yuusuzu ya kutabire ni deru Ueno yama

evening cool--
weariness sets in
on Ueno Hill
Tr. David Lanoue

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露三粒上野の蝉の鳴出しぬ
tsuyu mi tsubu ueno no semi no nakidashinu

three drops of dew
and the Ueno cicadas
are crying already
Tr. Chris Drake


This humorous mid-autumn hokku was written in the eighth month shortly after Issa returned to the city of Edo on Sept. 23, 1812 after making a trip to his hometown to try to negotiate with his half brother about their mutual inheritance. Ueno was an area of Edo with many temples, ponds, and trees that was famous as a good place to hear birds sing, so presumably it was also a place where many insects could be heard. Perhaps the cries of the cicadas in Ueno seemed much stronger to Issa than the weaker cries of the cicadas he'd been hearing in his highland hometown, where the air was probably several degrees cooler than in lowland Edo.

The three drops of dew seem to be hyperbole. Adult cicadas drink tree and bush sap, but in East Asia it was widely believed that cicadas live by drinking dew on the leaves and branches of trees and bushes. In the hokku, almost as soon as the early evening dew begins to appear in Ueno, the cicadas drink it, gain strength, and begin to cry out vigorously and loudly. It's common for cicadas to begin crying intensely at the end of the day, but Issa is amazed by the way the vigorous Ueno cicadas suddenly and almost in unison begin to create loud, throbbing waves of sound even before the light begins to fade. Perhaps these lively cicadas, which still show few signs of weakening in autumn, remind him of the brash, loud, assertive way commoners in Edo live their lives.

Cicadas are above all a summer image, but there are many different types, and some appear in spring (haru no semi), while many others (aki no semi) continue to cry out vigorously until the end of the eighth month (September). Some cicadas were even known to cry in the tenth month (November). Lunar autumn starts with the seventh month, which usually begins in the first week of August, and many kinds of cicadas in Edo/Tokyo don't begin to cry loudly until late July, and they continue to cry loudly until mid-autumn or later. These autumn cicadas are not long-lived (they only live 1-2 weeks) but simply cicadas of types that mature and mate later in the year. Likewise, dew is primarily an autumn image, but spring dew (haru no tsuyu) and summer dew (natsu no tsuyu) are also fairly common, depending on the context in the hokku.

Chris Drake

. Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 in Edo .


- More about Ueno in the Edopedia
. Ueno 上野 (Taito ward) .

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Related words

***** WASHOKU : General Information


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Ningyooyaki figure waffles

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Figure waffles (ningyooyaki　人形焼)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season:
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

ningyoyaki, ningyooyaki, ningyoo yaki, ningyoo-yaki　

waffles in the form of small figures
Ningyo-yaki
are small snack cakes, made from cooking batter of flour, eggs and sugar in an iron mold. They are sold both with and without sweet bean paste (anko).
Many come in the form of the seven gods of good luck (shichifukujin　七福神) or the great lantern at the Kaminarimon gate of Asakusa temple.


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They come from the Ningyocho-District of Edo.
人形町通り
This main street has many restaurants, teas shops and Japanese style bars (izakaya).
The confectionary stores sell the famous NINGYOYAKI from the area.
This sweet is also sold at Asakusa.



The people of Edo believed in the worship of the seven gods of good luck. Each shrine is located in the Ningyocho district. It takes about an hour to stroll around all the shrines. Each god has its own luck you can receive by visiting the shrine.





. WASHOKU
Benten, Benzaiten Ningyoyaki 弁財天 　
One of the Seven Gods of Good Luck


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A special one is the TAIYAKI
sea bream waffles 　鯛焼き taiyaki
kigo for all winter


WASHOKU : Asakusa


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Himeji 姫路名物『お城やき』O-Shiro-Yaki
Castle waffles


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Worldwide use

Figuren-Waffeln

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Things found on the way


Daruma San waffles だるま人形焼
There is a special waffle iron to make them !




. Daruma Yaki だるま焼き 　Taiyaki Daruma たい焼き達磨


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HAIKU and SENRYU



新緑に人形焼の香り立つ
shinryoku ni ningyooyaki no kaori tatsu　

among the fresh green
there is the fragrance of
figure waffles

Akane あかね
source : あかね


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Related words

***** . Shichi-Fukujin　七福神 Seven Gods of Good Luck .

***** WAGASHI ... Sweets SAIJIKI


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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo .


source : ゆたほん


Ningyoochoo, Ningyōchō 人形町 Ningyocho, Ningyo-Cho
"Doll district", "Doll-maker distsrict"
. 中央区 Chuo Ward "Central Ward" .


- quote -
Ningyocho is sophisticated district of old downtown Edo with history and tradition, located in central Tokyo’s Nihonbashi. This neighborhood with a flair of old downtown Edo is home of Amazake Yokocho street, and is popular among people young and old.


Mechanical figurine clock towers: Symbols of Ningyocho
There are two clock towers on opposite sides of Ningyocho-dori Street. They feature themes of hikeshi firefighters and rakugo comic storytelling.
On the every hour, from 11 am to 7 pm, their figurines move to entertain tourists and others passing by.

The area holds many traditional crafts shops dating back to the Edo period and tasty long-established eateries. One can experience Japan’s unique feel of the seasons that it is becoming harder to find today through seasonal events such as the Flower Festival, chinaware market, and doll market.
Ningyocho gets its name from being a town of dolls (ningyo). In the past, it was a lively town of those involved with dolls, such as doll makers, puppeteers, and puppet theaters. About 400 years ago in Edo era, when the Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa ruled, Ningyocho was vibrant as the birthplace of Edo Kabuki theater. Puppet shows for the common people too developed into affordable entertainment, gaining great popularity.
The very famous Suitengu Shrine that is said to bring fortune for safe childbirth and childrearing can also be found in Ningyocho. On Inu no Hi* that is said to be a fortuitous day for safe childbirth, many pregnant women and their families come to worship at the shrine.
Ningyocho
is even today colored with the traditions and customs of old downtown and features sophisticated customs. It is popular as a town of tradition, and is lively with visitors of all kinds. Long-standing restaurants, traditional craft shops that exhibit skills passed down from the past, Japanese sweets shops indispensable for the tea ceremony, and more can be found here.
*Inu no Hi, literally “dog day”,
is day in the oriental zodiac that comes once every 12 days. From ages past, the first “dog day” of the fifth month of pregnancy has been a time when pregnant women traditionally wrap their belly in cloth and pray for safe childbirth. As dogs are said to have an easy time giving birth, this is a good time to pray for safe childbirth.
- source : ningyocho.or.jp/english -



. shinise　老舗　a long-established store in Edo .
Ningyoyaki Honpo Itakuraya (Ningyoyaki: small buns with the faces of deities)
Ningyocho Imahan (sukiyaki and shabu-shabu)
Ningyocho Shinodazushi Sohonten (sushi)

- reference : edo ningyocho -

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. Motoosakachoo 元大阪町 Moto-Osaka district .
Chuo ward, Nihonbashi, Ningyocho first sub-district

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. manekineko 招き猫 beckoning cat .

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. Food and Drink with Kappa 河童 .

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#ningyocho #motoosakacho #osakacho #ningyoyaki
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