Short Stay in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Flashing back to Y2004, we experienced a 10-day free-and-easy sightseeing tour in Japan. We mainly focussed on trying various types of Japanese food, window shopping and countryside tour.

Lets start with food first.......

We had this Yakiniku meal or Korean BBQ at Fuji-Q Highland Theme Park, near Mount Fuji area. Cost per set meal was 1500 yen, with unlimited serving of hot green tea and a bowl of miso soup.

This restaurant is located at Sky Building in Yokohama City. Sashimi with salad served with a glass of Kirin beer. This was our welcome dinner organized by our Japanese friends.

On the next day, while strolling in the busy street in Kawasaki Railway Station, we stopped by a small Ramen stall to enjoy Char Siu Ramen. Imagine the broth being slowly boiled in pig bones + beef bones + chicken stock for more than 8 hours? The final outcome is the sweetest, most fragrant and tempting soup served with handmade ramen noodles. Not to say the tender and succulent char siu slices...just for 500 yen a bowl!

On the third day, we tried the Okonomiyaki, more like a Japanese (Osaka style) pan fried pancake with seafood toppings and very fine bonito fish (dancing fish) sheets. We had great fun trying our skills in mixing the batter and cook it to perfection... cost per set was 1200 yen.

At night, we had Monjyayaki (Tokyo style) which is more watery (actually more sauce)...which was quite unique. Anyway, both Okonomiyaki and Monjyayaki must be eaten hot and fast...cost per set was 1500 yen.

On the fourth day, we visited a friend's place (Iguchi san) in downtown Yokohama. Mrs Iguchi cooked some simple yet delicious food to welcome us. We had fried spring roll, Japanese fried rice (cha-han), salad and mapo tofu (slightly spicy).

WOW, what a fusion...Japanese, Chinese-Szechuan and Western.

On the fifth day, we visited another friend, Takami-san. I had the privilege to demonstrate my cooking skills this time. We had Malay style fried rice (nasi goreng) with egg, fried chicken marinated in cumin powder, Beijing style steamed Chinese cabbage with mixture of pork and beef mince and of course steamed Japanese tofu with fried onions. The cost of the meal for four persons was only 2,000 yen!

Now here comes the interesting places that we have visited......

This is Mount Fuji, taken from the exit of Fuji Safari Park. So nice and relaxing, on cloud nine...

We had a close up range with the lions at Fuji Safari Park. We actually drove the car into the park with freely roaming lions and other wild animals...cost per car was 2,500 yen, enter at own risk :)

We also visited the sunflower fields in Ebina. According to the owner of the fields, the sunflower petals would be used to make Japanese wine...and harvest season was on the way. We were fortunate to see the flowers before they were harvested. No cost incurred, absolutely free of charge.

As the Tokyo Fireworks festival was around the corner, we took the opportunity to witness fantastic forms of fireworks displays in Odaiba, Tokyo. Absolutely free!


Tokyo Tower, an interesting landmark in Tokyo. Used as a tourist spot, as well as tele-communication and radio/TV broadcasting tower...

And the night view of Shinjuku district, taken from Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) building at 45th floor...no entrance charge. But need to queue up and wait for our turn as limited
guests were allowed at one time...security reason maybe.


All our friends, at the farewell dinner held in a kisaten in Shin-Koyasu, Yokohama.

That's all... mata aimasho (See you again)!