At long last I was able to make use of the aiprort they built in 2008 in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture under the name of Shizuoka Fujisan Airport, that is the airport that welcomes you to Shizuoka, the home of Mont Fuji!
Why did I use it?
Because I paid a short visit to Taiwan.
I traveled from Shizuoka City, and you will discover how easy and practical it has become to travel from and to Shizuoka Prefecture!

The above map will you give you an idea of our location!
Now just follow me!

You can always board the bus from Shizuoka JR Station, platform 4, but even more practical for people who live in Shizuoka Cty is the bus station at Cenova Department Store where you are protected from all nature elements.
First go to Gate 6!

Gate 6!

The route!

The schedule: far right column!

You can’t miss the bus!

Shizutetsu Company Limousine type bus!

You can pay cash or use a Shizutesu Line Prepaid Card.
Fee: 1000 yen per person for a 52-minute trip.

The airport in day time.
Note that drivers can leave their car at the airport for free as long as they want in the 1000-car parking lot!

The entrance at night.

Past the entrance.

Just look around you in the lobby and you will know why the Airport is called “Fujisan/ Mount Fuji”!

A modern rendition of the sacred mountain!

Internet service available (not free, though)!

Plenty of drinks vending machines available.
Incidentally, the washrooms are spotless clean!

Plenty of local souvenirs in wait for you!

Plenty of miniature models! Shizuoka is the world capital of miniature models!

Kokko/Chick cakes!

Green tea, of course!
Shizuoka produces more than 45% of all tea in Japan!

Introduction of Shimada City with a personal greeting to Taiwanese visitors!

Introduction of the nature habitat surrounding Mount Fuji!

An original size painting of Mount Fuji! (not for sale!)

Lots of shopping to do, and basically all local products!

Shizuoka Tea!

Shizuoka sake!
Some of the best and rarest in Japan!

More of them and even rarer Shizuoka shochu!

The perfect gift!

Chibi Marukop, the TV manga character which made Shizuoka and Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, famous all over Japan and beyond!

Kameya (Mishima City) Company’s wasabi products!
Shizuoka produces 80% of all premium wasabi in Japan!

Tamaruya (Shizuoka City) Company’s wasabi products!

Miniature models of FDA/Fuji Dream Airlines (Shizuoka-based) airplanes!

If you are hungry. a restaurant is waiting for you upstairs, notably featuring local sushi!

Most of the fish comes directly from nearby Yaizu Harbor!

More food including local unagi/eel!

Plenty of drinks also available!

Practical system!
Select your food or drink, pay and hand the ticket over to the staff!

There is also an observation deck!
Pity it was night by then!

Note that the airport is located in the middle of nature away from cities!

Christmas is drawing near!

Inside view from the observation deck.

And then, it is the next step through the Customs!
Can you see the official trying to tell me not to take pictures? LOL

Another souvenir shop inside the waiting lobby.
I wasn’t allowed to take pictures of the articles on sale, though…..

Plenty of snacks and drinks for those who can wait until they are inside the plane!

Waiting patiently inside the spotless clean little waiting lobby.

Good-bye!
See you in Taiwan!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Line-Up made with Shizuoka Homare Fuji Sake Rice (Official Shizuoka Brewers HP)

This is the first part of a long series featuring all aspects Shizuoka Prefecture Gastronomy from Restaurants to brwers and Producers which hopefully will serve as a complete guide in the future
This particular article features all the working (and producing their own sake) Sake Breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture:

EASTERN PART:

Bandai Brewery
Izu City, Toshigawa, 34
Tel.: 0558-72-0050

Takashima Brewery (Hakuin Masamune)
Numazu City, Hara, 354-1
Tel.: 055-966-0018

Fuji-Takasago Brewery
Fujinomiya City, Takara machi, 9-25
Tel.: 0544-27-2008

Fujimasa Brewery (Chiyonomine)
Fujinomiya City, Shimojyou, 642-1
Tel.: 0544-58-0003

Makino Brewery (Shiraito, Fujisan)
Fujinon\miya City, Shimojyou, 1037
Tel.: 0544-58-1188

Fujinishiki Brewery
Fujinomiya City, Kamiyuno, 631
Tel.: 0544-66-0005

Negami Brewery (Kinmei)
Gotemba City, Hodozawa, 850-4
Tel.: 0550-89-3555

CENTRAL PART:

Eikun Brewery
Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Iriyama, 2152
Tel.: 0550-89-3555

Kansawagawa Brewery (Shosetsu)
ShizuokaCity, Shimizu Ku, Yui, 181
Tel.: 054-389-1733

Sanwa Brewery (Garyubai, Hagoromo no Mai)
Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Nishikubo, 501-10
Tel.: 054-366-0839

Haginishiki Brewery
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Nishiwaki, 381
Tel.: 054-285-2371

Masu-Ichi Brewery
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Yamazaki, 2-32, 5
Tel.: 054-278-6005

Kumpai Brewery
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Tegoshi, 302
Tel.: 054-259-3062

Suruga Brewery (Tenko)
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Nishiwaki, 25-1
Tel.:054-288-0003

Hatsukame Brewery
Fujieda City, Okabe Cho, Okabe, 744
Tel.: 054-667-2222

Isojiman
Yaizu City, Negishima, 307
Tel.: 054-628-2204

Sugii Brewery (Sugi Nishiki)
City, Koishikawa Cho, 406-4
tel.: 054-641-0606

Aoshima Brewery (Kikuyoi)
Fujieda City, Aoshima, 246
Tel.: 054-641-5533

Shidaizumi Brewery
Fujieda City, Miyahara, 423-22-1
Tel.: 054-639-0010

Oomuraya Brewery (Wakatake, Onigoroshi, Onna Nakase)
Shimada City, Hontoori, 1-1-8
tel.: 0547-37-3058

WESTERN PART

Morimoto Brewery (Sayogoromo)
Kikugawa City, Horinouchi, 103-3
Tel.: 0537-35-2067

Doi Brewery (Kaiun)
Kakegawa City, Konuki, 633
Tel.: 0537-74-2006

Yamanaka Brewery (Aoitenka)
Kakegwa City, Yokosuka, 61
Tel.: 0537-48-2012

Kokkou Brewery
Fukuroi City, Yamada, 537
Tel.: 0538-48-6405

Senju Brewery
Iwata City, Nakaizumi, 2914-6
Tel.: 0538-32-7341

Hana no Mai Brewery
Hamamatsu City, Kita Ku, Miyaguchi, 632
tel.: 053-582-2121

Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery (Shusseijyo)
Hamamtsu City, naka Ku, Tenjin Cho, 3-57
Tel.: 053-461-6145

Cute lady selling dango/団子!

The last three days saw the annual Shizuoka Festival which was held all over town.
It is slowly becoming better organized thanks to contributions from the whole Prefecture and volunteer citizens, although the city and authorities do very little…
Anyway yesterday, a beautiful Sunday, I took the opportunity to take a few (a lot actually) pictures to show you all what a local (in Shizuoka City) festival looks like!

I first went to the Sumpu Castle (a 2/3 scale copy of the original) and Sumpu Park!

The entrance to the main “square” where most of the food stands were located.

The map of the whole park!

A small traditional band manned by physically-impaired children!

Tough-looking girls on the Japanese drums!

Drummers start young in Japan!

Unimpressive and idle Shizuoka policemen…
Shizuoka policemen (actually traffic wardens in spite of their guns and plates…) are notorious as a lazy breed…

Now, what is that castle for?

A giant air cushion for kids to play on!

Fancy a tour with a “jinrikisha”?

Some people also call this Festival the “Shizuoka Spring Cherry Blossoms festival”!

These knee-high stockings are very much in fashion this year!

Plenty of food and drinks under the cherry trees! Ever heard of “Hanami/花見”?

Bento stand!

Japanese-style country food!

Yomogi wagashi Japanese cakes!

Shizuoka Oden!

Tsubuan Manju!

Shizuoka-style okonomiyaki!

Floating balls for the kids!

Try your luck!

Shizuoka specialties: dried sakura ebi/cherry shrimp and shirasu/sardine whiting!

A treat that kids all over the world look for!

More Shizuoka Oden!

Very well organized event with many public dustbins!

Kimonos are still very much in fashion!

A whole range of fancy okonmiyaki!

Japanese-style soft ice creams!

Korean-style karaage/deep-fried chicken!

Preparing o mochi and kinako wagashi cakes!

More okonomiyaki!

No, they are not selling kangaroo meat!

Shizuoka is strawberry country!

The Japanese too love their hamburgers!

Yakisoba!

Famous Shizuoka’s Hatsukame sake!

Takoyaki/Octopus dumplings!
I took a break to enjoy some with a cup of the above sake!

Charcoal-grilled ayame and ayu trouts!

Dango/団子!

Hiroshima-style Suwaganiten and nigiriten!

Utsunomiya gyoza!

Japanese-style corn on the cob!

Mini okonomiyaki?

More Shizuoka-style oonomiyaki!

Sausages!

Giant Sasebo (Kyushu) hamburgers!

Yakitori and oden!

“Love and Peace Ice Cream”!

I finally moved out to a quick look at Aoba Park Street where the kids were having on giant air cushions!

Right in front of the city hall! I suspect that many a civil servant’s kid was there!

And then I walked and made myself a nuisance taking pics of dancing groups in the middle of the main thoroughfare!

Sexy dancers! Sorry for the fuzzy pic, I was not really looking at my camera….

Mothers and kids waiting for their turn!

The Japanese love to be taken in photographs but the setting sun was a bit of a nuisance!

Is that a gentleman in the middle?

My personal first prize for colorful costumes!

The last pic!

Looking for and forward to the next local festival!

Nobuhiko Onuma/小沼宣彦 between his daughter/睦代, and wife, Yoshiko/良子!

Dekopon (デコポン?) is a seedless and very sweet citrus fruit, a hybrid between Kiyomi and ponkan (Nakano no.3), developed in Japan in 1972 starting from Kyushu Island. Originally a brand name, Dekopon has become a genericized trademark and it is used to refer to all brands of the fruit; the generic name is shiranuhi or shiranui (不知火). Dekopon is distinctive due to its sweet taste, large size and the large protruding bump on the top of the fruit.
Shizuoka prefecture has become a major producer thanks to its ideal climate.

Okitsu Mountains under a glaring sun.

I recently had the chance to make a new friend, Ms. Chikayo Onuma working as a nurse at the Shizuoka Children’s Hospital, whose parents are producers of Dekopon and other oranges in Okitsu, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!
Her parents were very kind to accept this foreign resident to visit and interview them!
Okitsu in Shizuoka Prefecture is nationally famous for its citrus fruits thanks to an ideal sun exposure and wide differeneces of temperature between day and night contributing to an extarordinary sweetness of the fruit.

Unfortunately the picking season was finished but we still had a lot to talk about before moving to the ozawa’s home to have a look at their crops.
Mr. Onuma produces an annual crop of 3,000 kg of Dekopon, 1,000 kg of Aoshima (Aoshima Shutarou) Oranges, as well as Kiyomi and Suruga Elegant varieties.

A typical farmhouse in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Mr. Onuma sells some of his crop through the JA but mostly deals with a network of private customers and accepts orders through the phone/fax as long as there are any fruit left. You had better hurry as they will disappear soon!

Mr. Onuma was kind enough to prepare an explanation of the cultivation for my perusal:
May: Flowering
July~August: Pruning and thinning the trees to keep only the best fruit. A neck braking work!
From August: regular watering
About the 20th of November: Each fruit is individually protected with a paper bag. More neck-breaking work!
From Januray 20th: Harvesting.

But the work is far from being finished as I will explain later!

Moreover, fungicide has to be spread 12 times a year.
Mr. Onuma told me that he keeps any such fungicide to a minimum and does not use any other agrichemicals.

More work is to come as the fruit will be stored in a dark cool shed to mature.
The fruit must attain a level of 13 on the official sweetness scale before they may be called Dekopon.
Mr. Onuma’s crop of Dekpon has been awarded the special appelation of shiranuhi (不知火) by the Prefecture, as a sure mark of its excellence!

Mr. Ozawa’ shiranuhi have even been prized in spite of the fierce competition!

Even Japanese nationals will be hard pressed to pronounce the Kanji for shiranuhi (不知火) properly!

Temperature inside the shed is strictly regulated!

And the place is also kept dark at all times!

Moreover, each fruit has to be individually wrapped in an open vinyl pouch!
I can’t start to imagine all the work and time spent!

Not to mention all the back-breaking work carrying 10 kg trays out and preparing orders!

Mr. Ozawa’s dekopon in my bento!

All this to make sure that all the fruit reach customers in the perfect state!
Thank you so much, Mr. Ozawa!

Nobuhiko Onuma/小沼宣彦, Dekopon and ornages producer
424-Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Okitsu Inoue Machi, 177
４２４－０２０２静岡市清水区興津井上町１７７
Tel./Fax: 054-369-2670

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

White peonies?

Spring has finally arived with a steep rise temperature and flowers blooming everywhere although the main cherry trees are still late and will bloom only for the Shizuoka Festival taking place next week (report in the offing!)!

I couldn’t help taking pictures on my way to work yhis mornig.
My office is only a 10-miute bicycle ride away and I took these pics along the way to show you the simple pleasures of everyday life in Japan!
I don’t know the names of many of these flowers and I hope my friends help me there!
I will credit them of course!

All pices are shown in the order on my trip to work!

I know the French word for these but not the English one!

These small white flower bushes are very popular in Japan!

Late blooming Japanese plum tree.

Red camelias in front of a vetenerary hospital.

Rape flowers.

Not flowers, but kumquats!

Cherry blossoms.

Large cherry blossom variety.

Winter oranges!

More white peonies?

Cherry blossoms at a kindergarten!

Very popular again but I don’t know their name…

Cherry blossoms.

White peonies again?

Peeking over the hedge…

I don’t know their name but their yellow color suit the nearby police-box well!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Saurel pike/Aji from Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

Very few people will disagree with the notion that Japan is the ideal place to discover and savour sushi and sashimi in the whole world. Nevertheless, there are a few rules of the thumb to respect, even in this gastronomic paradise.
The overriding rule is that you should try and eat only local fish or seafood.
Tsukiji might be considered a sushi paradise by Tokyoites (it has or will be moved to another location), but the cheap prices enjoyed by tourists cannot conceal the reality: the fish and seafood are “imported” from all over Japan and beyond!
More than often, Edomae (Tokyo) sushi is nothing but a clever way to “dress up” ingredients to lure officionados (and customers) into believing they are eating top quality sushi (with the consequent prices).
Now, if you have the chance and time to explore Japan beyond Tokyo, you will discover an unfathomable treasure trove of gastronomic pleasure and knowledge!
After all, this country is a vast archipelago stretched across greatly different seas and climates, making for a diversity difficult to equal.
So, even if you cannot possibly explore all the shores of this nation, make a point to learn about the food available wherever you choose to stay.
The same goes for residents, not only for their own sake, but for that of their visitors and friends!

Sushi set with fish all caught in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

You also ought to do some homework. Sushi chefs worthy of their salt will be only too happy to answer questions to genuinely interested customers and come up with revelations of their own.
As an example to illustrate the need for some basic knowledge, in Hokkaido “oyakodon” (“parent and child”) is not cooked chicken and omelette on a bowl of rice, but raw salmon and its roe spread on top the same bowl of rice!
Likewise, the same fish will more than often be sold under a myriad of names.
Many morsels will not be found anywhere else suc as “sakura ebi/cherry shrimps” and fresh”shirasu/sardine whiting” in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sashimi in most cases has to be perfectly fresh as typified by “kubiore saba” in Yakushima Island where fishermen break the neck (“kubiore”) of mackerels (“saba”) to preserve their quality upon catching. The same fish will be served within a few hours, or less, on the local tables.
On the other hand, tuna sashimi is best consumed first thawed and then ripened for a few days in a refrigerator.
In Hokkaido, large shrimps, especially “botan ebi” will be served only raw, whereas “kuruma ebi” will be first boiled in other regions.

If you ask for “tataki”, make sure it means the whole fish, especially “aji/mackerel pike” that will be served finely cut as tartare atop the dressed fish. And if the fish is really fresh such small and medium fish will have their bones and heads served deep-fried for a beautiful crispy snack!

Flying Fish/Tobiuo sashimi from Yakushima Island

On the other hand, sushi follows different rules.
Fish and seafood placed on “donburi” (bowl) are usually of the freshly brought variety but fish served as nigiri is prepared in a different way.
The greatest sushi (and this cannot be done in Tsukiji!) are made with fish which has been gutted and cleaned live within seconds, then dressed into strips/fillets left to mature in a refrigerator on clean cloth/kitchen paper. This can be done only with fish caught locally!
The same obviously goes with shellfish and other marine ceatures: One cannot sample better “uni/sea urchin” away from Hokkaido or sakura ebi from Shizuoka.

Vegan and vegetarians, upon finding a restaurant willing to satisfy their priorities should also ask for food grown locally, a search easier than one might think at first as there are many non-meat eaters in this mainly Buddhist country.
The same vegetables will make for the perfect combination when associated with local fish!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Mount Fuji from Miho Peninsula in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City

Mount Fuji, the Soul of Japan was not always as it looks now dominating every view In Kanagawa, Yamanashi and mainly Shizuoka Prefectures.
Still an active volcano, it presently peaks at 3,776 meters, the highest mountain in Japan. Approximately 400,000 to 300,000 years ago, a first series of eruptions gave birth to Mount Komitake on its left (2,300 meters) and Mount Ashitaka (also called Echizen, 1,504 meters) on its right. Approximately 80,000 to 20,000 years ago a second series of eruptions formed the Old Mount Fuji until it reached a height of 2,700 meters. The present Mount Fuji (“New Fuji”) was formed after a new series of eruptions pushed the volcano up to its present altitude of 3,776 meters. The last eruption occurred in the 18th Century, an event recorded on ancient woodblock prints. Volcanologists agree that an eruption, which could well happen in the near future, would have disastrous consequences with lava flows reaching far to the east and a thick blanket of ash covering the whole of Tokyo!

Mount Fuji by Hokusai

One of the original Thirty-six (36) Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai Katsushika is probably the most famous of innumerable woodblock prints on Mount Fuji. Needless to say that a picture collection would fill too many books!

Mount Fuji, with its magnificent, almost a perfect cone, has been both the object of various styles of worship and adoration, as well as the subject of masterful works of art
The Prefectures of Shizuoka and Yamanashi are presently pushing for the recognition of Mount Fuji as the fourth Japanese World Cultural Heritage Site.

Mount Fuji has long been revered as a sacred mountain: in the early Heian Period (9th Century), a Sengen Shrine (another one stands in Shizuoka City), a Shinto Shrine associated to the goddess Kanohana-Sakuya-Hime (the name of a great shochu brewed by Fujinishiki Brewery-Distillery in Shibakawa-Cho at the foot of Mount Fuji!), was built at Mount Fuji’s northern base in order to quell any eruptions. In the late Heian Period (11th Century), Mount Fuji became a center for the ascetic practices of the Shungen-do religion. By the Muromachi Period both the Murayama Mountain Trail (later replaced by the Omiya Trail) and the Yoshida Trail were opened, making Mount Fuji widely known as a sacred mountain for the devout to climb.
In the modern age, The Murayama (Omiya) Trail and other trails starting from the volcano’s southern base were frequented by even more pious climbers who were guided by the Shugen-do Practitioners.
On the other hand, the Yoshida Trail and other trails starting from the northern bas became even more popular with followers of Fuji-ko, a sect of of Mt. Fuji worship started by Kakugyo Hasegawa at the end of the Muromachi Period and dominant around the Edo capital during the mid-Edo Period.
Today, Mt. Fuji is loved by young and old alike, with enormous crowds climbing the mountain every year.

Kakita River

Being the tallest mountain in Japan, mount Fuji is home to a widely diverse distribution of plant life that changes as one goes higher in altitude, from its Warm Temperature Zone toits Alpine Zone. And despite the harsh natural conditions, many animals inhabit Mount Fuji.

The abundant, high-quality subsurface water has been used in the daily lives and agriculture of the people who live at its base from old. In recent years the water has also played a large role in the development of paper, chemical, electronic and other industries.
Water from Mt. Fuji is also drunk as mineral water and contributes to thecreation to some of best Japanese sake, shochu and beer in Japan!

Mount Fuji from Nihondaira, Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City

In 1998, the two Prefectures of Shizuoka and Yamanashi drafted the Mount Fuji Charter so that Mt. Fuji, symbol of Japan to the World and property of her citizens, could be protected for future generations.

Mt. Fuji Charter
1. To study, familiarize ourselves with, and respect the natural environment of Mt. Fuji.
2. To preserve the beauty of Mt. Fuji and develop its rich culture.
3. To ease the burden under which Mt. Fuji’s environment is now placed, and to establish a balance whereby the environment and mankind can live in harmony.
4. To pursue activities on an individual basis with the aim of preserving the environment.
5. To preserve Mt. Fuji’s environment, landscape, history, and culture for future generations.

Keeping this in mind, you are warmly invited to bring your camera and enjoy the sights of the most beautiful mountain in Japan!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Gembei River

Mishima City is the located at the first important crossroads in Shizuoka Prefecture, whether you choose to follow westwards to Shizuoka City or veer southward into the heart of Izu Peninsula.

Mishima, as described in Hiroshige’s wood prints as the eleventh of fifty-three stops along Japan’s famous Tokaido Road, has welcomed travelers for centuries.
It is blessed with some of the purest water in Japan flowing down from Mount Fuji. One just needs to stroll along Gembei River or hop across it on flagstones to realize why the area has been a long-prized destination for famous and lay people alike.

Mishima Taishya Shinto Shrine

Mishima City’s most popular landmark is its shrine, Mishima Taishya. It first attracted attention when 800 years ago the future Shogun, Minamoto Yorimoto, prayed for his family’s return to power on his way back from exile in the Izu Peninsula. The shrine is located in the midst of beautifully-laid grounds including an area where visitors can feed domesticated deer.
But the best time to enjoy a visit of the shrine is when its 200 cherry trees, numbering some 15 different species are in full bloom between the end of February and the beginning of April.
The Mishima Festival takes place August 15th~17th every year in and around Msihima Tashya Shrine as well as near Mishima JR Station when Dashi/Parade floats and Mikoshi/portable shrines are rolled or carried through the streets and the Taiko/Japanese drums are played.

Other must-see spots include:
-Sano Museum celebrated for its collection of ancient swords and its great monthly exhibitions (Tel.: 055-975-7278).
-Yamanaka Castle Ruins Park where a castle used to during the Fighting Feudal Era. One can admire an exquisite vista on Suruga Bay and Mount Fuji from that very spot.
-Rakujyu Park designed in 1890 in the middle of a forest which had naturally over the lava left by Mount Fuji’s last eruption thanks to the constant flow of pure water from the nearby volcano. (tel.: 055-975-2570)
-Old Hakone Route, an ancient flagstone-paved road where one can experience a timeless walk amid centenarian cedar trees.

Recommended Visit Route:
Mishima City has conducted for a long time a project to improve the downtown area by using its historical and natural resources. The project’s title includes the word “seseragi”, which roughly means the sound of a burbling stream-a fitting choice for a city filled with rivers, ponds and natural springs. Forested parks and wide streets cover the city, but a particularly relaxing excursion is to walk along the Genbei River just south of the station. This winding path of moss-covered stones pokes above the gently flowing stream. The north end of the Promenade finishes behind The Japanese Park Rakujuen, which includes a zoo, amusement park, and a variety of Japanese gardens throughout its sixteen-plus acres.

Mishima Unagi!

After exploring Mishima City, hungry visitors are sure to come across some of the area’s distinctive culinary specialties. Connoisseurs often travel to this city to sample the local eel, called “unagi” in Japanese. Before being cooked, the eels are left to sit tubs of clear spring water that flows from nearby Mount Fuji to remove compounds in the eel’s skin and to cause the fish to burn off excess fat. “Unagi-don”, which features eel broiled with a sweet, rich sauce and served over a bowl of rice, is the most famous dish in town. In 2008, the Association of Eel Restaurants in Mishima have taken the remarkable step to use only domestically-bred eels to preserve natural stocks and prevent rampant illegal import!

ACCESS:
About 50 minutes by Shinkasen Bullet Train from Shinagawa JR Station (JR Tokaido Line)
*FROM NARITA AIRPORT (International Airport):
About 2-2.5 hours from NARITA-Airport to Mishima (pronounced MI-SHI-MA) (The JR “NARITA Express” train from NARITA to TOKYO & JR Super Express “HIKARI or KODAMA” from TOKYO to MISHIMA).

*FROM HANEDA AIRPORT (Domestic Airport, a transit from KANSAI International Airport):
About 1.5 hours (A KEI-KYU train from HANEDA airport to SHINAGAWA & JR Super Express “HIKARI or KODAMA” from SHINAGAWA to MISHIMA)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Fuji safari Park in Susono City at the foot of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefectures is one of only six full-scale zoological parks you can enjoy visiting all year round.
Open in 1980, it includes a vast Safari Zone where many animals live in controlled freedom. They can be observed from your own car or from the car bus inside seven different zones for bears, lions, tigers, cheetahs, elephants, and many other animals from rhinos to flamingoes.

The “Jungle Bus” with wire netting over windows is popular because visitors can feed fierce animals at close quarters.
The “Animal Village” or “Fureai” in Japanese, allow visitors to come into direct contact with more than 22 kinds of small animals.
Depending upon the season, a “Night Safari” allows visitors to observe animals at night.

Guides available with guided tours (fees apply)

Address: Shizuoka Prefecture, Susono City, Suyama, 2255-27
Phone enquiries: 055-998-1311
Access: About 15 minutes by car (10 km) from Susono IC on Tomei Expressway
About 25 minutes by car from Gotenba IC
About 35 minutes from Fuji IC.
By train: Shinkasen for Tokyo to Mishima Station~bus service to Fuji Safari Park 50 minutes)
Normal train to Gotemba Station~bus to Fuji Safari Park (35 minutes)

Opening hours: 09:00~17:00 (Mar 16th~Sep 30th)/09:00~16:30 (Oct 1st~Oct 31st)/10:00~15:00 (Nov 1st~Mar 15th)
Entry fees: Adults, 2,700 yen. 4 years old~Junior High School students, 1,500 yen. Group discount available from 15 people or more.
Over 65 years old: 2,000 yen.
Jungle Bus fee: 1,200 yen
Night Safari: + 1,000 yen
Free parking available for 1,400 passenger cars.
Website: http://fujisafari.co.jp/ (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Masatoshi and Tsuneyo Hirano/平野正俊・常代 at Kiwifruit Country Japan in Kakegawa City.

“Let’s introduce the greatness of the nature, importance of agriculture and taste of the real thing! Let’s learn together! Discover the valuable life!” is Masatoshi Hirano’s motto, in his own words, for farm management.

Entrance to Kiwifruit Country Japan

Mr. Masatoshi Hirano (and his two sons, too) speaks fluent English, because he spent a long time researching about citruses in four different States in the US before starting agriculture at his parents’ farm. His family has seen a lot of history go by as he is the 19th generation!
Nonetheless, as a youngster he understood that tradition was one thing, and good farming management another.

Kiwi fruits across the parking lot!

This led him, originally against his parents’ disagreement, to enlarge the family enterprise and introduce new cultures.
One was that of kiwifruit which he started from a single spoonful of seeds he had brought back home!

Agritour programs in front of the shop.

Then for the last 21 years he has expanded the cultivated land to include the largest Kiwifruit Agritour Orchard in Japan, tea, organic citruses, organic vegetables, organic edible flowers, space for domestic animals (as food and pets), self service stand direct sale shop, a whole forest for kids and adults alike, a BBQ area capable of welcoming 500 guests, a campsite, onsite field classes for children and students and agritours for Japanese and foreigners.

Baby goat.

A pet sheep.

A　pet goat.

Pet rabbits.

Mischievous baby goats!

A baby pig, not a wild boar!

A peacock (there are two varieties, actually!)!

Kiwifruits, according to varieties (he grows 80 of them and conduct experiments on 500!), are either grown in an enormous greenhouse (which also serves as an BBQ and event space) or in open-air fields.

This kiwifruit tree wood is actually very popular with local artists!
Another great way to recycle nature!

Greenhouse-grown kiwifruit on display for practical information!

Kiwifruit varieties ready for sampling!

One can study about kiwifruits in Japanese and English while eating them!

Chickens for their meat and eggs.

More chickens!

And even more chickens! These are pets kept together with rabbits!

And more chickens. These always seem hungry!

The whole range of edible organic flowers and mountain vegetables/sansai/山菜 grown on site!

Organic shiitake.

Organic pumpkins!

Peaceful sheep.

Organic mandarines/mikan/蜜柑.

The grass and plants are left to grow naturally from the soil mixed with natural compost.

Another variety of organic mandarines.

Tea fields.

Vast open-fields of kiwifruit trees. Would you believe that Mr. Hirano pollinate them all by hand? A back and shoulder-breaking work!

A view inside the very old forest. It is actually crossed by a centuries-old path!

Small concerts are organized in that space inside the forest!

A kids’ heaven!

Look at these air-breathing roots. Now, this is an ancient tree!

100% organic potatoes sold at the shop!

Kiwis on sale at the shop.
One can eat as many as one wants onsite for a fee!

All kinds of varieties and packaged kiwifruit can be sent all over Japan directly from the shop!

These are the ones I took back hoe!

Obviously this is only the first of a long series of articles as the place will have to be visited every month by your servant or reporters from Agrigraph!

Kiwi Fruit Country/Experience & Learning Farm
Masatoshi & Tsuneyo Hirano
436-0012 Shizuoka Ken, Kakegwa Shi, Kamiuchida, 2040
Tel.: 0537-22-6543
Fax: 0537-22-7498
Free dial: 0120-014791
E-mail: wbs02626@mail.wbs.ne.jp
HOMEPAGE(Japanese, but phone calls can be taken in English)

Business hours: 09:00~17:00
BBQ (even by rainy weather) and tours possible on reservation.

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery