Marimo in a can

It's been more than two years since I posted about Marimo and bought two canned Marimo in Hokkaido, yet I haven't got time to open and 'plant' it. It's not really like planting a tree but Marimo is a plant, it's a green algae. I just opened my Marimo and placed it in a small plastic jar and let see if it grows then I'll need a bigger aquarium.

The label says 'for sale in Japan only', but if you'd like to have one I found it on rakuten, so you can order it online I guess.

Frozen Fantasy

I've visited Japan three times yet I've still got two unfulfilled dreams, first is experiencing hanami in Japan and the second is visiting Sapporo's Snow Festival. This news from Mainichi about 'Frozen Fantasy' in Sapporo makes me think..' when will I visit Hokkaido again..?'

These pictures courtesy of Mainichi news..

Otaru Beer

Otaru is well known for its canal, fresh sushi, and Otaru Beer.

I was reading this article from Japan times:

"While Japan's major breweries continue to report flat beer sales amid an ailing economy, there is one Hokkaido-based beer maker that's brewing up a storm. Otaru Beer in the port city of Otaru has continued to flourish since its inception 15 years ago, with output growing at an annual average of 10 percent....

Ingredients used are all organic, with high-grade barley, wheat and hops imported from Germany to be combined with Otaru's soft, pristine water. The only other ingredient — yeast — is propagated by Braun himself and is the reason why Otaru Beer's draft ales and their bottled equivalents are only available within a 100 km radius of Otaru."

The news brings back memories of white Christmas trip around Hokkaido. I was on a one day trip in Otaru, exploring the beautiful streets with its irresistible sweets shops and came across this medieval theme cafe next to the famous Otaru Canal and then I found myself sitting on a timber bench overlooking the canal and sipping Otaru draft ale...

'nodogoshi ga ii...'

(Otaru Canal in snow, Christmas 2009)

Yubari Melon

Yubari is a small town close to Sapporo, Hokkaido. It used to be a coal mining town but that's not what makes this town special. Yubari is famous for its orange-fleshed melon called Yubari melon, a melon priced from 6,000 to 15,000 Yen or could reach 20,000 for the good ones.

Yubari melon's price record at auction was established in 2008 at 2.5 million Yen for one set of two melons. This year's first auction of Yubari melons was held last Monday at the Sapporo City Central Wholesale Market, with two melons selling for 1.5 million Yen, triple last year's highest price.

(Source: Mainichi News)

(A pair of Yubari melons, picture courtesy of : msnbc)

On my visit to Hokkaido last year this luxury fruit wasn't in season but even if it were, I am not sure if I could afford to try this most expensive melon in the world.

Hokkaido Corn

This morning I went to Padys market and found interesting juicy looking corns, what so special about this corn? While the normal corn sold as 'sweet corn', but this un-normal corn labelled as 'super sweet corn', the corn looks a bit different with a few white kernels among the yellow ones, that's way in some country they call it 'pearl corn' as the white kernel looks like a pearl.

Pearl corns

The above corns I found this morning reminds me of corns I tried in Otaru last year-end.

Hokkaido corn, that's what it's called in Japan since it's a special and premium produce from Hokkaido. The Hokkaido corn is famous for its sweetness and even local people say that we can eat the corn raw and tastes so sweet. Steamed or roasted? Try the slightly roasted corn smothered with butter and soy sauce, a really tasty combination, heard that's the favorite way to eat the corns in Hokkaido. I proved myself that this favorite food in Hokkaido has an outstanding sweetness

Hokkaido corns sold on the streets of Otaru

Ready to eat Hokkaido corns in Otaru

Marimo

What is Marimo?

Here is the definition I found on wikipedia: Marimo literally means seaweed cone, also known as Cladophora ball or Moss Balls is a species of filamentous green algae found in a number of lakes in the northern hemisphere. A marimo is a rare growth from of the species where the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance.

The plant was named "marimo" by a Japanese botanist Tatsuhiko Kawakami in 1898. Mari is a bouncy play ball and Mo is a generic term for plants that grow in water. The native name in Ainu are torasanpe (lake ghost) and tokarippu (thing that rolls in mud), they are sometimes sold under the name 'Japanese moss balls'.

Marimo colonies in Lake Akan, Hokkaido rank among the strangest plant communities on Earth. The growth rate of Marimo is about 5 mm per year, in lake Akan they grow particularly large, up to 30 cm.

Marimo souvenirs from Hokkaido

Marimo, the most unique souvenirs I got from Hokkaido. I bought two marimo, one is the key ring with fake marimo and the second one is real marimo in a can, I need to 'plant' this marimo in a jar with water, I even bought the 'food' for marimo but unfortunately I haven't got time to 'plant' this Marimo and I left them in my hometown.

There is a Marimo Matsuri in Hokkaido, this unique festival featuring Marimo has developed into a major event of Hokkaido and is even referred to in the following way, " The Sapporo Snow Festival is the champion of festivals in Western Hokkaido and the Marimo Festival is the champion of festivals in Eastern Hokkaido." Both festivals were held for the first time in 1950.

Lake Akanko and marimo are closely associated with the indigenous Ainu people, who lived mainly in Hokkaido, as is this festival. (source: JNTO)

Hokkaido Sky

The amazing sky of Hokkaido! This picture was taken minutes before my ANA flight landed at Sapporo Chitose Airport December last year. The sky was very clear and lucky that my window seat has a clear view, wasn't blocked by the wing or anything. When I grabbed my pocket camera I wasn't sure whether it's allowed to take a shot, so I looked quickly at the stewardess sitting right in front of me and she didn't say a word, she just smiled! I took it as ".. quick.. quick.. you still can use the camera before landing as soon as no flash" :)

The name of the mountain? Frankly, I have no idea. This was taken somewhere along my Osaka - Sapporo flight. It could be any mountain around Nagano maybe? Anyone have idea what's the name of this mountain?

Hotate

I can go on and on with things I love. I've got a bunch of post from my trip to Hokkaido last December yet I still have some posts I'd like to share since I love Hokkaido! Hokkaido is famous for its seafood, that's another thing I love in Hokkaido. The Hokkaido King Crab? yes I think that's one of the most famous seafoods from Hokkaido but it's very expensive so I tried only the the small grilled crab in Otaru instead of the King ones, quite affordable though.

One morning when I strolled around Hakodate morning market next to the JR Hakodate station, I found this hotate or scallop wrapped in small plastic bag and hung on every shop in the market. This dried hotate is quite famous, said the 'obachan' who sells it, and I couldn't refuse when she gave me some samples to try. The dried ones was a bit hard to chew but then she gave me another one which was very soft and tasty! It was the first time I ate dried scallop and I love it, so I ended up buying one pack of hotate, the dried scallop from Hokkaido.

Hotate or scallop

Hokkaido King Crab

Hokkaido hairy crab

Fresh seafood at Hakodate morning market

Otaru Sweets

It's been one month since I left Japan and seemed like I left half of my heart over there too..

Here is another foodie post from my trip around Japan, especially from Otaru, Hokkaido.

Otaru, an old city worth visiting for its beauty and yummy food. Should you walk on the main streets of Otaru, you'd find cafes and shops along the streets with historic yet charming architectures, some look very traditional and some look very unique and creative. Sushi and seafood might be the most popular food for tourist, besides, there are some worth trying sweets in town, chocolate, cheesecake, sweet potato cake, cream puff and the list still goes on..

Chocolat de Otaru

Sweet Potato cakes in Otaru

Otaru Cream Puff

Apple Pie

Choco Cheesecake from LeTao cafe

LeTao Cheesecake

Christmas' sweets

Kitakaro cakes, fresh from the oven!

Kitakaro cake shop in Otaru

Kitakaro cake

Ramen Walker

Ramen or Japanese noodle is one of my favorite foods and almost every region in Japan has its own variety, from my favorite tonkotsu ramen of Kyushu to miso ramen from Hokkaido.

Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido is famous for its rich miso ramen which is ideal for Hokkaido's snowy winter. Should you visit Sapporo and want to try the local famous ramen, you just need to find one place called Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Republic Ramen) in ESTA building level 10 just next to Sapporo JR station. You'd find more than a dozen ramen shops with its specialty and you can try different ramen each day just like what I did during my four days visit in this city.

During my trip in Japan last year-end, I could't resist to try every ramen I found in every city I dropped by, not only in Hokkaido but some other cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto as well. Here are some of my ramen's shots:

Starts from my favorite ramen in Sapporo, these two ramens are from Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku.

This one was the best one, unfortunately I couldn't remember the name

Sapporo miso ramen

Miso ramen in Asahikawa

Shoyu ramen in Hakodate

Shio (salty) ramen in Shinagawa (Tokyo)

Tonkotsu ramen in Kyoto

Shoyu ramen in Shinsekai, Osaka

Miso ramen in Namba, Osaka

One ramen shop in Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku

Free eggs from above shop in Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku

Yes the eggs are free! One of ramen shops in Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku offers free eggs with your ramen, you can eat as many as boiled egg with you ramen for free.

Itadakimasu!..