When 'Fresh' Takes on a New Meaning

WARNING: Some of the following content may be offensive to certain vegetarians, vegans or avid animal lovers.

First things first - at the risk of completely humiliating myself - I would like to revise a statement that was made toward the end of my previous blog post. It has recently been brought to my attention that what I thought were mini post-it notes that came inside my container of gum, were actually......small papers supplied for a more sanitary means of discarding one's gum. Of course. That makes much more sense! hahaha, while I was elated at the thought of receiving some bonus stationery with my gum....I am equally impressed with little papers for the sake of sanitary disposal. Genius. (Little papers which seem to...double as post-it notes! even better.) hahaha --> Thank you, Lisa Pollard.

Now, for today's events.
I woke up to a text message asking if I would care to join a few girlfriends in venturing over to the fish market for lunch. Anyone who knows me would know that an invitation to some fresh and delicious sushi is one I wouldn't think to decline. I had slept in, and it seemed as though everyone else was waiting on me - so I rolled out of bed, quickly attempted to make myself look presentable - and was on my way ! The sun was shining, and the temperature was warm; it was perfect weather for wandering around aimlessly in search of some good sushi. We hopped off the train at Tsukiji station only for our nostrels to be greeted with a pungent fishy smell. We knew we had to be close. There is nothing like waking up to a potent stench of raw fish, I will tell you that much. We roamed around for just a short time before noticing a large swarm of people waiting outside the doors of a fairly long building. Surely these people were all here for the same reason - lunch in the world famous Tsukiji fish market. Over the doors hung different restaurant signs; we chose to eat at Daiwa (as suggested by our "Lonely Planet Tokyo" guide) and stepped in line. The restaurants were all very similar, in that, they were tiny in size, with small stools in front of a small bar. Each restaurant seemed to be able to seat no more than 15 guests. After waiting in the lineup outside for somewhere around 20-25 minutes we made it in. By this time, our appetites had peaked.

Now I would like to make yet another revision in reference to my previous blog post which describes "sushi in the fish market". It seems to me, that what I had previously thought was "sushi in the fish market" would be more accurately described as "sushi near the fish market". What I experienced today, was more precisely, sushi in the fish market! I certainly have had my share of fresh and delicious sushi since I have been living in Japan - however, as of today, the term "fresh" has been redefined for me. My dear friends......you have not experienced fresh sushi until you have literally watched it die in front of you before consuming it.
Today.....I made eye contact with a portion of my meal. As repulsive as that may sound, how many of you can say that? It was quite the experience to say the least.
Today.....I ate some things I absolutely loved, and others...I would never eat again.

We decided to order the 'set meal' for 3500 yen (approximately $35.00 cdn). It seemed like a wise choice to order a smorgasbord from such a reputable sushi-ya to get the most out of our fish market experience. Take note, one thing you should never do in Japan is leave food uneaten. Personally, what I think truly enforces this principle of etiquette is the fact that you're sitting and eating directly across from the chef (which is much different from leaving food on your plate in a Canadian restaurant, before escaping and having the food thrown out by a server who couldn't care less). All that to say, you eat (and swallow) what is placed in front of you and that is that; mind you, when you don't know what you're about to eat, or you do but you're afraid to eat it - this task becomes 'easier said than done'.
Sushi was love at first taste for me, so I was thrilled to be enjoying a sushi meal in its country of origin, and furthermore in the world famous fish market of Tsukiji. The tuna was my favourite (always a safe way to go), I also sampled flounder (which was tasty - in spite of making me think of the adorable Disney character), scalop, sea urchin (not a fan), squid (ick), prawn (I witnessed its death), grilled shrimp head (Mmm...), fish eggs (salty & they pop in your mouth), flat fish (not sure what that is, but it was good). All of which was accompanied by some tasty miso soup and green tea. Not all of it went down easy, but I left feeling full and with a sense of accomplishment.

While we were walking around soaking up the sun, we noticed a sign for a 'scenic park' called Hama-rikyu Gardens. What I find particularly fascinating is that such a gorgeous and serene park is located right by the hustle and bustle of a concrete coated city. In following the stone paths weaving around the gardens of trees, flowers, and Cherry Blossoms, we spotted a Japanese couple dressed in traditional wear on their wedding day and an old tea house just by a large pond. After walking around for an hour or so, we decided to take a boat tour on the 'water bus' (also referred to as a 'boat cruise'). We 'cruised' along a river that passed through areas with fabulous architecture and some lovely Cherry Blossom trees that lined the waterfront. In spite of growing all over the place in Japan, for some reason I find these trees remain breathtaking every single time I see them (I can assure you that even the decorated Christmas tree cannot compare to these Cherry Blossoms). Along the way we passed under several bridges (13 to be exact); they were spectacular, no two were remotely alike. After 45 minutes of kicking back and being tourists we arrived at our final destination which was Asakusa.

In Asakusa there was a nice pathway and grassy areas where tons of people gathered to have a picnic and enjoy the weather (possibly continuing to celebrate the Cherry Blossoms). There were booths scattered around everywhere with more delicious food being cooked up. Crepes (yum!), Yakitori (various meat skewers), and more. After inhaling the various tantalizing scents, we finally caved and chose to indulge in some mouth-watering Takoyaki (which are fried and garnished octopus balls). Amazing. Not such a healthy choice, but definitely a treat!
We were exhausted after all of this walking around and being tourists, so we head back to residence and relax. I discovered another treat on the way when we made a quick stop at the 7-11 (conbini). This unfamiliar dessert caught my eye, so I decided to try it out. It was by far one of the most different, yet exquisite desserts I have ever sampled. It's called Daifuku; this is a small round rice cake, stuffed with red bean paste. Beans?! in my dessert, you say? Yes. And it was absolutely scrumptious. I have a feeling that I will have to actively restrain myself from eating these eight times a day. Ohhhh Daifuku, my new love. I will never look at red beans in the same way again.

Overall, today was filled with a variety of delectable treats from the living lunch to the deepfried snacks and the lentil stuffed desserts! Now I'm off to unwind for the night over a hot cup of tea.

As always, much love to my people. xo