Monday, November 30, 2015

Lunches from One coin lunchbook (1コインランチ八戸)

One Coin Lunch Hachinohe came out vol. 3! Guess the response has been overwhelming that they continuously came up every time once the promotion ended. Thanks to the book, we enjoyed our affordable lunch and knew many restaurants. Otherwise we be always eating just at home or the same stores and I won't have an excuse to pester S to bring me out to eat.  

The good part since vol.2 was that we no longer have to buy a book each to get the promotion and  1 book is allowed for 2 person. We did not pay attention when we brought the vol. 2 and only realised after reading back at home. Here are some of lunches we visited with the vol. 3 book.


Mai Mai cafe ベジキッチンまいまい set lunch. always super healthy and delicious

Soba @ yamakura (Misawa).  Hot with slight spiciness. 

premium set 1000yen at Sakura department top level in Hachinohe

come along with soft cream

okonomiyaki @ towada, we left the place and the staff had to call us back again since we forgot the lunch set came with ice cream lol.

fried wings @ towada. Super Super delicious and a steal with the book: 10 wings for 500 yen. Forgot to take picture as we only concentrate on eating. 

Friday, November 27, 2015

Autumn sightseeing in various part of cities/towns near Aomori

The very next day when we came back from our Kyoto & Kanzawa trip, shrine fanatic S brought me for a long drive again. He said it was to see the leaves change during autumn and to sort of accomplish his shrine stamps collection. Yea right! I did not mind as long there's scenery for me to see. A good switch to enjoy the leisure drive and "us only" sightseeing compared to the busy crowd during our trip. It was also very cold back home and we were in our mountain wear, no more fashionable style. 

For lunch, we were driving randomly looking for resturants in tsuruta mura and we could not find any. Its all farms and local residences in sight, we were so hungry that we drove to the road station breadstore (also no restaurant there). Most of the bread were huge and cost only around 300 yen! It looked liked it can be eaten by 3 person lol. 

When we went back to okaasan house, otoosan (fil) was showing off his new toy, the sushi rice maker. Its basically to make the shape of the rice and you just place the sashimi on top of the rice and its done! We got tired after doing it for 3 rounds since eating it was much faster than doing it lol and my poor okaasan had to finish the rest while we were busy eating. 


view from jogakura bridge



Nakono shrine in kuroishi




saruka shrine in hiraka


His big lunch, everything in the breadshop was huge!

big bridge in tsuruta town

Takayama enari shrine

Ottosan new toy, sushi maker!

didn't know such toy exist,

we got tired of making and okaasan did the rest. Poor her

delicious dinner made by okaasan, they always prepare scallops since i love them.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Kanazawa Day 2 Part 2 & Back Home

For lunch, we followed the guidebook and ate the famous Kanazawa curry. The shop was small and many office workers were having their lunch, I ordered the set that has abit everything. It was delicious though a tad oily. Few stores ahead there was a famous melon shop, it was very striking with pictures on tv program interviewing the store. It was huge! The melon bread was hard and crunchy with ice cream and melon small toast bread. Super tasty! But it was too much for me which just had lunch earlier. On the side note, we actually ordered one but the store actually gave us 2 in his haste :p. 

S brought me to Nishi Chaya district as yesterday Hagachi Chaya was so crowded. Nishi Chaya was super small scaled and the stretch of street was done within 5 minutes lol! We did managed to capture good pictures since there was nobody. We then headed to Omicho market famous for their seafood, it looked good and I brought a huge sweet prawn cost 500yen. We had no interest in the seafood don as it was much cheaper back home. 

The next day, we board the train to go back to Osaka and took the airport bus back to Itami airport. Did not buy much since we had lack of baggage space.


the unassuming curry place.


the name is taban curry.

the melon store, must try when u r there.

tasty and messy as u bite it

Nishi Chaya district

very quiet

just us!


Omicho market

500 yen a piece prawn

ice cream made from rice but i was too full



I need to eat at least once hehe!


morning bento set while waiting for the train back to Osaka

at the airport having the last meal


some of the stuff we brought: plum tea and sake, Kyoto famous mochi, facial soup made from okonyaku, Yo-jiya lip balm and cream. From Kanazawa: gold flakes hand cream and travel set (don't dare to leave without buying as the store sales was explaining so much)

from Kanawaza: the melon toast bread from the melon store, face mask set, S's hand cream that leaked of honey smell.  

super cute winter blanket, most space consuming.

S's collection of shrines books 

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Kanazawa Day 2 Part 1

Headed to Oyama shrine in the morning, brought the 1 day bus ticket from the bus conductor.The gate designed by a Dutch architect, using elements of European and Asian religious themes. Next we moved on the 2 or 3 more shrines and my mood was getting bad. It was hot, glaring and my feet once again was aching. Even the Japanese cleaner could see my tiredness (or foul mood) and he said just abit more and i will reach. S had to pacify me by finding sweets but there were none and i tried controlled my mood but it didn't work lol! When we entered the Kenroku garden, it was even worse as the garden was big and 2 of resting areas, 1 was closed and 1 was packed. Luckily we exited the gate and there was a stretch sweet snacks. My face was super super bad before we found the place, he even took a picture as he never seen it. 

We re-entered the garden again since I was in no mood to tour previously. It will be nicer if only if you came in color changing season for the leaves. Moved on to Kanazawa Castle which was very impressive. The white fortress and sheer size of it was so distinctive that you only gap at the architecture in awe. Worthing entering to have a look and the construction of the castle did not use a single screw or any external material to connect. 

the special gate at Oyama shrine



oyama shrine



Kanazawa shrine


kenroku en

finally found it otherwise i would have strangled S. 

dango set

The bridge that S nearly fell into after i knocked against him. Maybe its my revenge?




Kanazawa Castle

someone trying to be funny

the miniature version