Squid!! What you can not miss in Fukuoka!!

Ika （いか、烏賊）, or squid in 横文字, is THE grandee royal treat in Fukuoka. Showing here is the art work (AND it is actually edible!!) created by the renowned executive chef Aoki of Kawasho, one of the most exquisite sushi restaurants in Fukuoka. If you happen to be in Fukuoka, and not too concern with your cuisine budget, I highly recommend a dinner visit to the renowned sushi restaurant in town.

Squid sushi is one of those that looks easy to do, but actually requires a lot of effort to excel. Not to mention a lot of practise to perfect the art. Aoki-san would have to peel the squid's almost invisible skin with a towel and lots and lots of patience until its surface was all perfectly smooth and shiny. The next step is to use a sashimi-bocho (Japanese sushi knife) to cut evenly-paced fine and absolutely parallel lines through the squid's entire outside surface. Then the maestro would turn the squid 60 degrees around, and did the same thing. Again, even-interval, absolutely parallel, and exactly the same depth cutting lines to create a stunning delicate grid pattern. Click the pictures to the left for an enlarged picture to see what I am talking about.

There are three reasons to do so: 1) Aesthetics. Without the grids, the squid's smooth surface creates glare which does not look appetizing. Instead, the fine cut grid pattern creates a beautiful image to enhance appetite. 2) Health. More importantly, for practical serving and digestion purpose. Squid has very tough skin which is difficult for a normal person to bite and swallow. The fine cuts in fact divide the tough skin into many small parcels which are easy to chew and digest. 3) Taste. Lastly, to enhance the tasting pleasure and experience. When squid's sensitive meat, or muscle, meets the air it will quickly oxidize. With proper oxidization, the meat becomes softer and sweeter. However, there is a catch: you need to consume it right away. Otherwise it will become too watery to be tasty. Here, Aoki-san's work was a masterly demonstration of craftsmanship, precision and art. The picture is truly for any one's eye pleasure. The taste? It was absolutely surprising and pleasing. What a gracious tasting experience with Aoki-san!! Thank you, Aoki-san!!

玄海 Where the Best Fishes Come From!!

In Fukuoka, rather different from what you are used to in Tokyo, the fishes tend to be of firmer texture, sweeter, and more lively. When you ask where the fishes come from, the mighty sushi master at the sushi bar is likely to annouce with great deal of pride that all his wonderful local selections come from Genkai.
So what is Genkai, you are likely to ask, as when I first heard this word from my sushi chef. If that is your question, congratulations to you, my friend. By asking that question, you have just marked yourself a click up of knowldge in enjoying this seemingly simple yet extremely sophisticated sushi culture.

Yet, before I get into the explanation of this one of the world's richest fishery oceans, let me show you some wonderful sushi pictures from the cusine artists in Fukuoka.
Enjoy the pictures, and I will come back to talk more about the rich Japanese culinary culture and my beloved sushi and sashimi. 　Yes, yes, I shall not forget my subject: we shall talk about Genkai as well.

The Day & Meditation

The days started with meditation, that was of course if the house cleaning was not counted. (For those lazy buns like me that have problem getting up early in the morning, you should know that house cleaning in this dusk is part of the Zen ritual!!) Meditation in the morning is a great idea, provided if one can get up early enough to do that. Anything less than 30 minutes will not give you a quality meditation.

This is how I handled it: a 30 minutes mediation divided into two 15 minutes sessions. Take brisk break between the sessions. Rub your feet, arm and face to make yourself feel at ease and relaxed. Right breathing is essential. You should breathe in thru nose, and away thru mouth. Both as gentle and slow as possible. On your better days, you'll breathe so gentle as if you do not feel it at all.

The challenge is to rid off everything from one's mind. Think of nothing and let your mind rest at peace. It surely takes lots of practise to make that happen. Or, to be more accurate, to assure nothing happens. And you shall feel totally relieved and ready for the day. Whatever that will be, nothing is gonna bother you. Meditation is called "Zazen" in Japanese. Literally meaning "Zen Sitting", or "Zen Meditation". Take a look at the morning sight of Mt. Fuji, the spiritual symbol of Japan, you feel the calmness. Let zen take you for a ride. Be Zen and have a nice day.

PS. The pictures were taken in a trip to Mt. Fuji. To look for the peace not normally found in Tokyorian urban life, I tried to avoid tourists, and went to the lake at the hill of Mt. Fuji that most of the tourists, whether domestic or overseas, have little knowledge of and rearly pay a visit to. On the way to the lake, I bumped into this inconspicuous Udon & Soba place, nice and quiet, and totally intended for local villagers. In addition to the healthy and tasty udon, soba, o-bento, they also have this wonderful noodle called "Houtou (ほうとう)" which is served in a cast iron pot with lots of local organic vegetables. The Houtou, created by General Takeda (1521-1573) for his soldiers engaging in field battles, was unexpectedly delicious which deserves a thombs up!! To the dear nature lover Alex, I have to take you here to try your favorite soba, you gonna love it!!