Apr 4, 2010

Happy Kawagoe!

Saturday, friends and I went to Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, after a long absence for viewing sakura blossoms.

In the small river behind the Hikawa Shrine were people enjoying a boat ride. On the river banks, sakura flowers were in full bloom.

We ate lunch with COEDO beer, the beer of Kawagoe.


But, I liked to eat more and to drink sake. I went to the restaurant Furin (風凛), where they have the reputed Kawagoe sake, Kagamiyama (鏡山)!

At Renkeiji Temple, there being held was a kimono contest.

Among the participants was such a nice lady clad in quite sexy kimono. I asked her to pose with me, and she kindly did so.

"Do you care for this mammoth size ramen?"

This is what I bought for myself: Junmai Ginjo Kagamiyama

I frequent this town of Kawagoe, where I really enjoy being. Saturday, I also had a nice day there in Kawagoe. Thank you, Kawagoe City.

3 comments:

Timothy Sullivan said...

How far is Kawagoe from Tokyo? please let me know the taste of the Kagamiyama!

いちべー said...

From Tokyo, you can get to Kawagoe (Hon-Kawagoe Station) in one hour and half. Use Seibu-Shinjuku line from Takada-no-baba Station, or Seibu-Ikebukuro line from Ikebukuro Station. If you use Seibu-Ikebukuro line, you need to change line at Tokorozawa to Seibu-Shinjuku line. If you have any question, do not hesitate to ask me anytime.
As to Kagamiyama, it tastes rich in koji flavor, but I am not good at describing sake taste. For further tasting retails, I hope you can have a chance to drink it by yourself.
They are making this sake in very small units, using only the futa-koji or hako-koji method and pressing moromi by the fukuro-shibori method. If necessary, they use only the bin-hiire method to pasteurise their sake.
Their production is very limited, and I think it is difficult to purchase their sake outside Kawagoe City. So, if you have a chance to visit Kawagoe, Kagamiyama is your must!

Timothy Sullivan said...

If I get a chance to visit Kawagoe, I must try this sake! Thank you for the recommendation!