Sleeping under the Sakura Tree - Park Hotel's Artist Room by Hiroko Otake

When in Tokyo, I always stay only at the Park Hotel in Shiodome, a few steps away from the head office.  While I have tried other hotels in the area, I prefer this hotel for its quiet, relaxing ambience and discreet stylish elegance.

Park Hotel is on the 24th to the 34th floor of the Shiodome Media Tower,  also the headquarters of Kyodo News, a non profit Japanese news organisation.  

The past couple of years, the hotel has embarked on an arts program -- inviting well known and contemporary Japanese artists to showcase their work in the hotel.  The artwork is not confined to just exhibits in the lobby and public areas -- rather the art is brought right into the guest rooms themselves.  Featured artists are invited to create a special "Artist Room" with themes of their own choosing.

On my last business trip to Tokyo this March, I decided to book my stay in an Artist Room.
Since it was almost sakura season,  I was happy to choose the " cherry blossoms" room so that I could sleep with sakura all around me.  This particular room featured art done by Ms Hiroko Otake.

The entire hotel room is the artist's canvas.  As I entered my room, Otake san's happy blue butterflies greeted me at the hallway entrance.

This hardly prepared me for this  astonishing,  stunning sight --  a gorgeous cherry blossom tree in full bloom.  Pink sakura, petals and butterflies seemed to shower down on the bed.
Dreamy gold clouds made up of separate gold leaves added warmth and richness.
What  dreams would I have amidst all this breathtaking beauty?

Otake san's  large sakura tree trunk dominated a corner of the room -- spreading out blossom laden branches throughout the two walls.  Butterflies continued their flight on the dark blue ceiling.  

It was an enchanting, captivating sight.  I felt like I was part of one big magical canvas.  

And I was almost sorry to spoil the effect by my presence.  

Perhaps I thought,  I should sleep in the bathroom and preserve this scene, unsullied by my ordinary, messy self.

Gold butterflies flitted about wherever I looked, even behind the small t.v. on the work desk.
Each day of my stay,  I hurried back to Park Hotel as soon as my meetings ended to luxuriate in my delightful surroundings.
And for once, I kept the t.v. turned off throughout  -- it didn't seem right to watch sordid and mundane affairs such as the world news on CNN in the midst of a peaceful and tranquil setting.

It took quite an effort to break my gaze from Otake san's art, so soft, serene and timeless,  to view the steel and concrete city that unfolded below me.  
I always book a room with the view of Tokyo Tower at the Park Hotel.
Then I would sit and watch the changing colours of the city skyline, a panorama  I never grew tired of.
This time, the blues, pinks and gold of the art on my walls perfectly complemented the vista that unfolded outside my window.

This small plaque with Otake san's  bio data and brief description of her artwork and her aesthetic    was tucked discreetly on one portion of the wall.  As I read her message about the sakura and its meaning and symbolism, I appreciated her art and her aesthetic even more.

Domo arigato gozaimashita, Park Hotel Tokyo and Otake san.
I am truly grateful for this extraordinary stay --  it was brief but utterly exquisite -- just like the remarkable sakura.

A German break at Stein Haus in Ginza, Tokyo

It was a Sunday afternoon and I wandered around the side streets of Ginza, not knowing what I wanted to eat -- but knowing what I didn't want to eat.  

And sacrilegious as it may sound, and the Japanese embassy may revoke my visa for saying this, 

but at this particular moment in time, I knew I didn't want to eat Japanese food.

Fortunately, Ginza has many international cafes, trattorias, bistros -- you name it, you can find it.  

In Ginza 2 chome, I stumbled on Stein Haus,  a German beer garden that also serves hearty German fare.

Stein Haus is on the 8th floor of  Ginza Velvia.  The building itself houses a lot of froufrou trendy boutiques and shops.  The restaurants on the 7th and 8th floors all had long queues this Sunday afternoon -- making me think that these young Tokyo-ites had just woken up and were sitting down to a very late lunch.

I ordered a glass of a premium German draught beer called Franziskaner Weissbier,  which was golden and cloudier than the normal Japanese beer.  It was slightly pleasantly sour  and had a fruity and a bit of a spicy undertone.   Much heavier than Asahi or Kirin but still very easy on the throat.  

Stein Haus offers a number of high quality German beers and I was very happy with my choice.

 A side dish of piping hot truffled  fries arrived right after the beer did --  I had to exercise extreme restraint to keep from finishing the entire plate.

Please don't think I ate this all by myself.   My colleague and I ordered a sausage platter good for two with three different kinds of sausages, a  generous slice of ham, roasted potatoes and a very good sauerkraut that wouldn't be out of place at the Oktoberfest.  

Hot grilled sausages and beer  -- Ach mein Gott,  sehr gut!  

On top of the fries and the roasted potatoes, we ordered the bread plate -- warm soft pretzels and slices of sourdough bread -- these certainly upped the carbohydrate count.
I was so tempted to take two pieces of bread to make a sausage sandwich but didn't want to raise the stylish eyebrows of the hip young diners beside me.

Tomorrow I promise to go back to sushi and sashimi but for now -- Prost! 

Danke, Stein Haus.

A Salaryman's Super Chirashi Bowl at Sushidokoro Marui in Ginza, Tokyo

When in Japan for work,  I try eat where the normal salaryman eats.  This has led me to some of my favourite restaurants -- the food is always good, served fast and most importantly is reasonably priced.  On this last trip to Tokyo, my colleague took me to a sushi place in Ginza -- an area where prices are usually on the high side.  But surprise, surprise -- I had a fantastic lunch at normal salaryman's prices.

Sushidokoro Marui is hidden somewhere in the back streets behind Matsuya Department Store.  We arrived way past the lunch hour on a Saturday so the entrance was devoid of the usual long queue of office workers.

Sushidokoro Marui is compact --  the sushi counter  on the ground floor seats just six people.
While there were vacant chairs in front of the sushi chef, we opted to take our meal upstairs in less cramped surroundings.

 There are just 11 items on the lunch menu.   Marui caters to salarymen and OLs or office ladies who need to get back to work right away and thus, do not have the time to lengthily ponder the question "What am I going to eat today?"
I find it so amazing that most of the sushi offerings fall well below 2,000 yen.  Such a bargain for sushi in the Ginza district.

 I ordered the Zukeana Chirashi which is a bowl topped with grilled soft anago and slices of dark red maguro.  A raw quail's egg sits atop the fresh ingredients, ready to be poured over everything.    Bright yellow tsukemono or pickles,  fresh perilla leaves, a smudge of wasabi and other greens make this bowl so colourful, vibrant and appetising.

 The fresh quail's egg mixed with the sticky sushi rice complemented and tied all the flavours together.   This was definitely one of the best chirashi bowls I had ever had!
Once I got past the surface of the bowl  I found more meltingly delicious tidbits mixed in with the sushi rice.  There were bits of tamago, mini umami-laden globules of tobiko, pieces of ebi, salmon,  shredded nori ... each bite yielded a new texture and surprise.
It was such a delicious and satisfying lunch bowl and at 1,300 yen -- definitely a culinary steal!
Marui -- I will be back!

Denboin Garden in Asakusa - hidden in plain sight

Senso-ji in Asakusa is my favourite place in all of Tokyo.  I never fail to visit each time I am in the city.   It is the oldest and most popular Buddhist temple in Tokyo where the Goddess of mercy Kannon is enshrined.
There is a garden in Senso-ji called Denboin that I had passed by many times but had never been able to enter.  It is located beside the pagoda and is hardly ever open to the public.

On this last trip to Tokyo, Denboin opened its doors with an exhibit of traditional Japanese paintings.   This exhibit would last till May 7 and would give visitors a chance to see both the gallery and the garden.  The first day of the Denboin's opening coincided with my visit to Senso-ji so it was indeed serendipity -- and of course, I believe it was a grace given to me by Kannon herself.

It's a pity that photos were not allowed inside the gallery where I enjoyed a small but excellent  exhibit of traditional antique Japanese paintings and sculpture. 

As I stepped out of the gallery, the garden of Denboin slowly unfolded before me, transporting me to a serene and tranquil place -  far from the crowds and noise of Senso-ji.

The gardens comprise a land area of about a hectare and was designed by a famous Japanese landscape gardener more than 300 years ago.  While a hectare may seem large, the garden itself was compact and very easy to navigate.  

So many varieties of trees, shrubs and plants can be seen in Denboin.  Perhaps it was a bit early for spring blossoms but if I had come a few weeks later,  the greenery would probably be in full flower.

The main reason why Denboin is closed to the public is that for generations, this has been the residence of the head priest of Senso-ji.  Only nobles like the Shogun and priests were allowed to enter.    Denboin is very much an active part of the workings of the temple.  I was told that the gardens are opened occasionally to the public, perhaps twice a year.  Which is why I felt truly fortunate to be in this place at this time.

Today, the priests of Senso-ji have opened the gardens to us and have even laid out cups of steaming hot matcha.  These provide a warm welcome, particularly on this chilly March afternoon.
The deep rich matcha tastes of the woods, of trees, of the earth, of goodness --  I feel it tastes of the gardens of Denboin.

I make my way through the garden and come upon this tangle of branches with a single sakura blossom.  It's a sweet early sign of cherry blossom season and a perfect example of wabi sabi, the Japanese aesthetic of impermanent beauty.

Like many traditional Japanese gardens Denboin features a pond built in the middle.  Looking at the reflection of the trees and the buildings on the water doubles my pleasure and enjoyment of this lovely place.

As I make my way around the path that encircles the pond, so many alluring and captivating views are revealed.  From this spot, the pagoda of Senso-ji makes  a magnificent backdrop against the blue spring sky.

Each step, each glance opens up another exquisite perspective.   I find myself stopping at certain spots, hoping to imprint this particular memory in my mind's eye so that I can return to it again and again.

 Even this last look at Denboin, with the towering Sky Tree in the background does not strike me as incongruous -- I see it as a harmonious balance between old and new, traditional and modern, efficiency and elegance.

 As I reluctantly make my way out of Denboin,  I come upon this small rock pool.
Surely not by design, but perhaps blown down by the wind, one pink camellia rests on the edge of the stones.   I know it as a parting gift from Kannon, a sign of her mercy to lift my spirits.
Namu amida butsu.

Savoring Sapporo's Specialties, Part 4 -- Breakfast with Buta at Drive In Ito, New Chitose Airport

All good things must come to an end.  It was time to say good bye to our short, fun working visit to Sapporo and head back to reality.

Nana san and I had separate late morning flights back to Tokyo so we headed to Sapporo station bright and early to catch the train to the airport.

Quick! A selfie before entering the station!

It was rush hour so the train to New Chitose Airport was full of commuters -- we had to wait for the next one before we could get on board.

New Chitose Airport is chock-full of shops and eating places.   It's even more interesting than
Narita Airport. The restaurants are one floor above the departure level so after checking in our bags, we checked out where we could have a quick but delicious meal.
Pork in the road immediately zoomed in on this corner place that featured piggy decor and furnishings.  Buta or pig for breakfast would be the perfect last meal in Sapporo!

This is Drive In Ito, a Sapporo restaurant specialising in pork.  Apparently, the original restaurant is a drive-in place,  hence the name.   Perhaps here at New Chitose Airport, this branch should be called Fly In Ito!

The cute mascot at the entrance holds up the restaurant's famous dish, butadon or pork and rice bowl.

Even at this hour of the morning, there were some die hard pork aficionados  who were tucking into their savoury breakfasts.  My kind of people!  This was definitely not the skinny latte crowd.

 This is the piece de resistance at Drive In Ito.  A huge bowl of porky scrumptiousness.
Slices of tender, utterly divine pork marinated and grilled with a piquant, lip smacking sauce covered this bowl of hot, sticky Japanese rice.  
Toku betsu. So special.
Shita ga tokeru -- it melted in my mouth.
Drive In Ito's butadon was one of the best pork dishes I have ever had!

 Our happy faces certainly attested to the delightful eating we enjoyed at Drive In Ito.  Oh yes, that and our near-empty bowls.

So farewell for now,  Sapporo and New Chitose Airport.  If I ever make my way back here,
I certainly know what my first meal will be ... butadon at Drive In Ito on the 3rd floor!

Savoring Sapporo's Specialties, Part 3 -- Doing Genghis Khan proud at Aji no Hitsujigaoka

This was my first trip to Sapporo and since I was going to be there for all of two days, I wanted to discover her tastes and specialties as much as I could in the short time that I had.   

It was a good thing that my young colleague Nana san,  who was with me for this business trip, had the same thing on her mind.  She had done her "due diligence" as to what and where we should eat.

It was our last evening in Sapporo and we had just come from a successful launch of our project. 

To celebrate, we headed to Susukino, Sapporo's famous "red-light district".  A bit of a misnomer perhaps because while all the clubs, bars and entertainment centres are here, this is also where you can find very good restaurants, cafes and high end stores and shops.  

Susukino plays a major role each year at Sapporo's Yuki Matsuri or Snow Festival.  It is one of the three areas where the festival is held.  This long ice corridor sponsored by Kirin had thousands of tiny twinkling multi-coloured fairy lights - truly a dazzling display.

This long street in the Susukino district was the site of  the ice sculpture competitions.  

The judging would be done the next day but some contestants were still putting the finishing touches on their entries.  It was - 5 degrees that night and I could just imagine how cold it must have been to be working with ice and standing on the snowdrifts around these sculptures.

While I had seen and marvelled at the gigantic snow sculptures in Odori Park, these smaller but very detailed ice carvings were no less impressive.  

This was one of my favourites. Now where can I get that giant can of Sapporo beer?

Viewing all these original and creative ice sculptures finally took its toll on us.  We were hungry, thirsty and yes -- we needed to get in from the frigid night air.  Thankfully, we finally arrived at our dinner destination.  Here are my colleagues in front of Aji no Hitsujigaoka -- one of Sapporo's best places that serves a local favourite ... jingisukan.

A narrow flight of stairs led us to the second floor where the restaurant was.  There was just one long counter good for about 20 diners -- and because we had reservations, we were able to grab the last few seats.  

These domed hot grills have blazing charcoal briquettes inside and are the basic cooking implements for jingisukan.  Interesting factoid -- the dish is named after Genghis Khan, the great Mongolian warrior.  Jingisukan is essentially grilled mutton -- a meat that was associated with the Mongolian tribes, hence the name.  It is also said that these skillets look like the helmets that were used during Genghis' time. 

At the restaurant, these skillets are placed in front of the diners as jingisukan involves cooking your own meal.

To spare diners' clothes from splatters paper aprons are de rigueur at jingisukan restaurants.  

Here's how the aprons looked like, as modelled by my colleagues Hashi san and Okamoto san.

Nothing goes better with grilled meat and barbecue than a mug of cold beer.  And when in Sapporo, it must be  Sapporo Classic -- a beer sold only in Hokkaido.

We ordered mutton to start off with.  The lady behind the counter lined the sides of the hot grill with assorted vegetables --  bean sprouts, slices of bell peppers, cabbage pieces.  She left space in the centre -- this was where the meat would be cooked.

Aside from the vegetables and the meat, another key ingredient of jingisukan is sheep lard -- that's the white chunk in centre of the grill.   The  charcoal embers rendered the lard which then coated the metal and kept the meat from sticking to the grill.  The sizzle coming from frying lard and meat gave off such a tantalising aroma.

 We cooked our mutton on the hot grill and the meat juices slid down to the vegetables, making them even more tasty.  Mutton does not need a lot of cooking time -- medium rare is the best way to enjoy  it.  The mutton at Aji no Hitsuijigaoka was tender and not at all gamey.  Even if mutton has very little marbling compared to beef,  each cooked piece was juicy and tender and it was oh so easy to eat slice after delightful slice.   I was in the throes of mutton mania!

 We had a bit of  space left in our stomachs so we ordered  sausages.  They were quite mild and not as spicy or strong flavoured so perhaps they were made of lamb and not mutton -- which is the meat from older sheep.  The sausages were excellent  and  went very well with the beer.

 We certainly ate a lot of jingisukan that night at Aji no Hitsujigaoka.  Genghis Khan would have approved.  Stuffed with sheep lard and meat,  faces warmed from the beer and the hot grill,
we stepped out of the restaurant, ready to face the frosty February night.
But first,  one last "group-fie" before we ended our most satisfying last night in Sapporo.