MEGURO - EBISU area

This is something i found at Happo-en, a beautiful Institute with large Japanese garden and is very popular to arrange wedding ceremony there, that explains about BONSAI. I really don't understand why they first say "it has countless admirers around the world". So we should all also admire it? WTF? The reason why i am so annoyed about it is because i saw many many similar explanation at Temples in Kyoto or even at Museums. Something like "what you are seeing now is very very rare". Leave me alone. Please try best to explain it and excite us purely about BONSAI or whatever artwork. But Bonsai here was marvelous.
八芳園で見つけたこの盆栽を説明をする看板。なんで最初に「世界中で愛好者を広げている」で始まるのかが理解できないって言うかすごください。こんなのを京都のお寺でも何回も見たから今思い出して本当に残念に思って書く。「今ご覧になっている屏風は日本でも他に類を見ない大変貴重な」云々。何だそれ？他に類を見なくて貴重だから素晴らしいと言えとでも言うのか？ほっといてほしい。と言うか純粋に盆栽や作品についての説明のレベルをあげて僕らを盆栽で興奮させてほしいなーーーーーー。盆栽もお庭も素晴らしかったですけど。。。

One of my best food experience in Japan was Soba noodle at "TOSHI AN" in Shirogane on Gaien Nishi Dori. I think the first time I have visited there was when I was 19 years old advised by a friend TAXI kobayashi back then. Its taste didn't change a bit as well as interiors and type of people who come here to have Soba. What i like about this Soba restaurant is of course about Food (soba and Tenpura) but also its atmosphere. Going soba restaurant nowadays could be a posh thing. It could be a bit pricey too. Yes, this TOSHI AN is also not cheap, but it is worth visit. it's not too much, not too less. Just perfect for me.
日本滞在期間中の食事の中で一番印象に残っている物の一つがこの白金、外苑西通りにある利庵と言う蕎麦屋さん。一番最初にここにきたのはTAXI小林に教えてもらった１９歳の頃。その頃と味も変わらず店もお客さんの雰囲気も変わらず続いている。勿論ここで出される食べ物（蕎麦に天ぷら）が好きだから行く訳なんだけど、この雰囲気が好きで行くって言うのもある。そば屋に行くって言うのはポッシュな事にもなれる訳で、値段も割とはる訳で、それでもここは行く価値ある。やりすぎずわびしすぎず。最高。

I was always answering "I want to eat TARANOME TENPURA" when I was asked "what do you want to eat when you go back to Japan this time?". Here it is. A bit too early for this mountain wild plants, but right on time for me. Believe or not, this is the amount you would get for 1 dish. and it costs 8 euro or something. yes, crazy but you will understand how special it is when you eat it.
「日本で何が食べたいですか？」って聞かれるといつも「たらの芽の天ぷら」と答えてた。今が旬だし大好きだから。それで念願が利庵で叶った。時期が少し早すぎたかもしれないけどドンピシャ。これが一皿分って言うのが驚愕的。1000円近辺だったような。高いけどこれは外せない。

I don't know how to describe its tastes. But for a minute i couldn't talk or react after I bite this KAKIAGE. It's really THAT good.
これを食べた後1分くらい何もしゃべれなかった。かきあげマイラブ。オーマイゴッド。

Zen sometime makes Soba noodle with German ingredients. And it was unexpectedly good. But this noodle at TOSHI AN, look at it! To me it is Thelonias Monk's piano play.
禅さんはドイツの材料を使って蕎麦をうつ。それが全然悪くない。でもこの利庵の蕎麦を見てると。。。。。モンクのピアノが聞こえてくるような。

Another amazing bar I went was Dry Food speciality. Bartender is also a dry food "Sommelier" that advises what fits most to which drink. The way how they cook is also kind of ceremony. Actually this bar is EXTREMELY DARK. You really don't see anything except your table that has light 40 cm above the counter. NO MUSIC. You will be drinking REALLY in the DARK. This was really a special experience for me. But if you take a closer look at interiors, you would realize they put ridiculously so much effort to the details which you don't actually see. Very conceptual. I LOVED IT. It's in Ebisu area. Quite Pricey.
乾物スペシャリティーとでも呼ぶべきバーも面白かった。バーテンダーは同時に乾物のソムリエでもあった。その乾物を焼く様も儀式のようだった。何にしてもこのバーは極端に暗い。カウンターの上４０cmに隠れてあるライトに照らされた物以外は何も見ることができない。無音。暗闇で飲んでる感覚になる。それがすごく面白かった。それでも内装に近づいてよーく見てみると異常に細部までこだわってる事が分かる。実際には誰にも見えないのに。すごくコンセプチュアル。素晴らしい。恵比寿にある。想像した通り結構高い。

And i can not miss this Bar-restaurant, KIRYU, in Ebisu area. Staff are all B-Boys so you eat and drink while listening to "dont sweat the technique". What is special about this place is that you don't feel stupid even if you are alone coming here at 7 in the morning and order a big glass of draft beer because you have many others who do the same.
And food here is no joke. Soup-Curry-Rice here was another best food experience for me.
I am now trying to make similar curry at home now but very difficult. basically it was "bouillabaisse" with curry.
この恵比寿にある飲み屋さん「吉柳」も外せない。スタッフ全員B-boyだから"dont sweat the technique"で首を動かしながら飲める。朝７時に一人で入ってきて生一丁って言う事に何も躊躇する必要がないくらいに似た者好き者がここにはたくさんいる。特筆すべきは食べ物。ここのスープカレーは滞在期間中の食べ物体験のベストスリーに余裕で入る。家に帰ってきてから試してるんだけどまだ遠い。基本的にブイヤベースのカレー味と言う理解なんだけど。。。

And again 8 in the morning. sleep tight.
それでまた朝８時。おやすみなさい。