BonVivant

Finally, a break in the weather we have been waiting for. A good day to go biking, but first breakfast. I can't abide mayonnaise. The partner ate this macaroni salad for me. My "Neba-neba don" (or, slimy rice bowl). The one ultimate "neba-neba" ingredient missing here is grated yamaimo ("mountain yam"). Some say "Neba-neba don" is a test for the adventurous eater. People are really put off by the texture, especially when every ingredient in the meal is slimy (minus the rice). Some photos from the bike trip today. We couldn't see everything (only people with cars could cover the distance in one day) but still, it was a fun thing to do on the island. Hardly anyone on the street or outside but when we saw someone they would nod hello (and sometimes give a thumb up). Probably because it's not common to see foreign tourists, let alone using bikes. The bus goes 3 times a day in each direction. One of the most typical sights on Kikai: natural coral lagoons (usually surrounded by coastal plants). A traditional island-style stilt house. The coral wall looks like it's damaged in parts, otherwise it would not be possible to see much behind it. A lone tree in an area full of sugarcane fields Sago palm and other opportunistic plants on the same lone tree This road is known as Sugarcane Road. 2.5km (1.5mi) long and is completely straight. The 3 main crops on Kikai are sugarcane, sesame, and citrus. In the old days they coudln't grow rice, were forced to grow sugarcanes. Kikai was an impoverished island throughout much of its history, including the years under US occupation. Those days are finished. Sugarcane fields absolutely everywhere and no one was around. Living the fantasy: being on a silent, people-less planet. A tiny supermarket in a village along the route was open. We needed some cold drink and snacks. Dutch traders brought potatoes to Nagasaki from Jakarta in 1598. They are still growing and eating potatoes but sweet potatoes are used far more in regional cuisines. Found a place to eat our snacks and rest a little. A shrine in the middle of nowhere. So eerily quiet and cool under all these trees. Tuna, rice parcels and citrus (thick skinned, always green but sweet). Came across a farm with sesame drying just next to the farmers' house (which is next to the parked car). The above and this is the total production of sesame. Farms here are small, like most things. Autumn is harvest season. No wonder we saw drying sesame everywhere. Passing through this village, which is on every tourist's itinerary. It's on the list of "most beautiful villages in Japan". To us, coral walls on an island called Taketomi in Okinawa is far, far more beautiful, though. The coral walls are low, which allow full views of the typical Okinawan homes, the gardens that's full of fruit trees, dripping bougainvillea and hibiscus, dragon fruit plants use the wall as a support. It's not like that here. The coral walls are much too high, you can't see the gardens and houses at all. In the old days corals were used in construction and to make many other things. After collecting corals was banned they used concrete. The main purpose of these coral walls is to protect the house from frequent typhoons. They say the walls also give you an idea about the (financial) status of the owners. The nicer the coral wall, the more (financially secure)/successful the people living behind it. More farms My bike admiring Kikai's sea and sky Not able to finished the bike tour yet but we had to head back during golden hour. Took 8 hours in total. In some parts we had to get off our wobbly bikes and walked half an hour each time until we reached a flatter surface. You would probably not feel it in the car but on a bike it's not so easy going up hill, especially in hot and high humidity conditions. Farms cover much of the island's surface. Time passes very slowly here, islanders are cheerful and friendly. Nothing really happens here. We loved it. It's like going back in time, when things were simpler. Tired and famished after the bike trip we went to a simple sushi restaurant round the corner from the hotel. I don't like sushi but we wanted to give them business, and besides, it's not like there are endless choices of places to eat on this small island. Welcoming and friendly owners made me a bit more enthusiastic about sushi. Crispy chicken thigh meat And more sushi More beer back in the hotel room later to end this long and interesting day. Even the weather cooperated. Our legs hurt for days after all this biking. Not much going on in our remaining time on the island besides swimming in a coral lagoon. FYI, Kikai is 25km east of Amami-Oshima (see enlarged inset).

The storm didn't stop until sometime in the afternoon so we were stuck inside the hotel/room the whole time. The hotel offers only 3 same sets of breakfast every day, but at least they vary the sides a little. Too much spam in this Goya Champuru (stir-fried bitter gourd with eggs, tofu and spam). Gave all the (salty gag-inducing texture and taste) spam to the partner. Kei Han (Amami soupy chicken rice) is one of the 3 breakfast options. Before the shredded ingredients went into the bowl Apparently you "should" eat maybe 30 "healthy" food items per day and must include something fermented. Seems hard for most of us at home to consume that amount, but I think it's quite easy to accomplish this goal in Japan. I count 5 fermented food on this tray alone. Getting your 5 servings of vegs and fruits a day is easy here. Just eat small portions of a few things each meal. The idea is it's better to vary the ingredients. We lost much of the day to the miserable weather but when it was finally dry again we did go out for a long walk for a few hours. The drainage system on the island is very efficient. They have to save all the rain water for. After such a long and heavy rainfall there was no puddles on the road. Our system here at home is worthless. Japanese are always surprised to hear that. They think we are a developed, "advanced" Western nation, and must have good engineers/city planners etc. Hah! Natural coral lagoons, there are many of these on Kikai island. When the tide is high you can enter the lagoons to swimm or snorkel. Found new snacks. "Steaks". Mentaiko (?) roe flavour Beefy wasabi flavour Dragon fruit I brought from Amami survived the flight. There's a mochi stand in front of a (proper) supermarket where we bought new mochi every day. Mochi is one of the foods I have managed to overcome and now can't get enough of. Though, I still can't eat many foods with mochi/slimy/pasty texture. Dinner at a small mother-daughter run restaurant in the neighbourhood. They have 2 private tatami booths and a counter. We had to sit at the counter in the hallway. It's actually just a restaurant inside a private home, the front was converted into a restaurant. Only 2 traditional straw mat booths and a hallway counter. The family live in the same building. We thought we'd get there "early" to secure a spot, the 2 private booths were already occupied by islanders. Southern islands did trade with other south east Asian countries/communities such as China, The Philippines, Taiwan etc so you can't fail to notice the many stir-fry (and other) dishes in their repertoire. These similar dishes usually contain dashi, whereas in other places it's more often fish sauce or soy sauce. (Soupy) tofu with cabbage. Amami-style somen, a little soupy again. I don't like "somen" at home but here it's delicious. Chewy, al dente, not a gloopy mess. We ordered some rice and got this. The setup, from where we were seated, at the other end of the counter looking straight at the kitchen, 2 private booths on my left. The counter could fit 2 more people if you got rid of the clutter on it. When we were paying the bill the mother and daughter grabbed someone from a private booth to translate our conversation! They had many questions for us. So funny and sweet. We gladly indulged islanders in their light-hearted curiosity. It's my first time seeing drying sesame. I looked it up. Sesame does not grow like rice, in a flooded field. Needs well-drained soils and has low tolerance for salt. Takes about 5 months until ready to be harvested. HeidiH, I think they just sell a bit of everything, including Champagne. It's a small island.

We like slow-cooked dishes/meals. Made one of partner's childhood favourites: "thread meat" and cauliflower with nutmeg. The cut needs long, slow braising and then the meat comes apart in thread-like strands. Children call that "thread meat", hence the name. Lots of bay leaves from my plant in this (have had my bay laurel plant for many years, didn't save the info tag). Not sure about the exact variety but it smells so intense (no problem for us). Steamed half a head of cauliflower until tender. Another meal was my favourite flatfish: brill. Getting ready for the oven. Brill is sweet and delicate, I like to keep it simple. Meal #3. From left to right: Mettwurst, Düsseldorf-style fresh blood sausage, Tyrolean Speck. Cheese is the best food in.the.world. Nothing is above it. Nothing. (Middle is Swiss Emmental, a bit aged, nice on a slice of bread with Marmite. Or without anything, really.) Some longan, and that's my new "The Mouse" bread board! A wood product stall at the market in Düsseldorf has this The Mouse design. Getting harder to find nowadays. @Kim Shook: me, too! I also feel the same about Austria. Love the nature and gastronomy in both countries. If you ever find this Culinaria Germany book... I know you would enjoy reading it. Also, that's a nice beer. I've been to beautiful Bamberg several times. The brewery where your beer comes from is extremely popular with locals and tourists alike. One of the top breweries on my beer list. Already hard to get a seat at that brewery bar-restaurant way back then. It only got worse every time I returned. All the beers in their core range are great, but especially the "Urbock", though... Whoa. It's like eating and drinking at the same time. @Dejah: I use the same cube. Not the type who makes everything from scratch or "authentic"! (I prefer the noodles in the photo) Could eat this every day. Oh wait, I actually did almost just that, in 2004.

Lunch in Düsseldorf yesterday. A type of blood sausage called "Flönz" is unique to North Rhine-Westphalia. Flönz received its own Geographical Indication status back in 2016. I am particularly fond of this blood sausage and have eaten it many times at Schumacher brewery restaurant. However, yesterday I immediately noticed how small the portion had become. "Pillekuchen" served with apple jam/jelly is another typical dish in North Rhine. It's basically a big potato pancake. Hmm... potatoes. Düsseldorf-style rye rolls (and a type of seedy rye bread underneath) for the next dish. Beef tartare. The onions are the sweet type, which I can eat and did eat them all. The stated amount is the amount you pay, not unnecessarily complicated like in some countries. No stress when eating out. Have eaten here many times. It's my favourite place for lunch when in town. Have tried other brewery restaurants and they were fine but I always come back to Schumacher. ---------------------------------------- Other photos next. Turn back now if you would rather stop here. ----------------------------------------- Stand up cafe. It's still tiny but now they have a big screen for flashing/moving adverts. Busy shawarma restaurant. A modified motorised bike And from behind. It's a delivery vehicle Knife sharpening service in front of a supermarket. The sharpener is a middle-aged woman. Only the second time I've seen that. Usually it's a man. Anyway, I took a photo of the sign. Will check when they are back next year so I could bring my knives to be sharpened. But maybe not as I can't carry knives on public transport. At first it looked like the girl got this many balloons from the boyfriend Dreary but at least it was dry. Today it just rained non stop. A popular butcher's trailer at the market. There's never no queue. You take a number and queue, then queue again to pay. I always buy dried sausages and blood sausage at this stall. An employee with a kind face looked at me when I was making this photo. He smiled. Christmas decoration and shopping is in full swing. I love Deutchland, and the top 2 reasons are beer and bread! I buy breads from different bakeries, including this very well-known place. Photo taken from where I was standing in the queue. It's been much busier, you won't be able to see much of the interior then. Ramen before going back home. First photo is shoyu broth. Second is milky bone broth with miso. Got 6 packages yesterday. Already ate 2... Some (blood) sausages and 1 of the breads I bought.

#1 "Oyakodon" (chicken and egg bowl). (See how it's done at one of the most popular Oyakodon shop in Tokyo) Seaweed, miso soup and pickles. #2 Pumpkin A crunchy, sour salad. White strands are shaved fennel. Medium rare pan-seared duck breast. Sweet-sour-savoury pomegranate sauce. More pumpkin on the side, as well as simple boiled small potatoes. Pumpkin on the right is in meal above (though, not sure if I got the name correct). Squash on the left is in another meal below. #3 Squash soup with chewy, nutty whole grain wheat. Pumpernickel and mushrooms The cheese. Very hard and strong tasting/smelling goat's cheese. Everything sounds beautiful in Spanish (to me). Si. Last cheese brought back from Lanzarote ("Lan-Tha-ROH-Teh"). Snacks and beer Beer with the duck meal Some beers are fine to drink way past expiry date

It's just a short flight to neighbouring island Kikai(jima) in the Amami archipelago. The airstrip on coral reef island Kikaijima. The settlement near the airport and the ferry port, has the most inhabitants. (Photo found online). Aerial photo of Kikaijima. Much flatter and tiny next to very mountainous Amami-Oshima (25km/16mi away). They say it takes about 2 hours (by car) to circumnavigate the island. Kikaijima is the world's second fastest growing coral island. There's an institute for coral research here. I opened my reading material and started to read, not even reaching the bottom of the page then I heard the captain on the PA "crew be seated for landing". It's the shortest flight I've been on. For inter-island flights JAL use this type of aircraft. The partner couldn't stand up all the way, ceiling is a bit low for tall people. And on these inter-island flights there's an English-speaking stewardess who would personally brief us on what's happening or what the captain says. Probably the smallest airport I've used. Step inside and immediately behind the glass door is where you wait for your baggage to unload and pick up. Still more than 5 hours until we could check in so we left our rucksacks at the hotel and hopped on our rental bikes and started exploring. It only takes a few minutes to reach the countryside, which is pretty much the entire island. We were a bit of an attraction on Amami but even more here on Kikai. When paying for something in a small shop the owners were keen to find out where we came from and had many questions for us. They were especially delighted to hear we decided to visit their island ("nobody has heard of us"), and using bicycles to get around. Almost all Japanese tourists use rental cars. Some grain being dried The best quality white sesame in Japan comes from Kikaijima. The island is also the biggest producer in Japan. One of the top sites on the island. Over 100 years old, 17m high last time it was measured. It's indeed big. Most restaurants are located in the main town near the (air)port. We were happy to find this one in a village along the way. It's a canteen inside some kind of institute but anyone can eat there. We saw villagers, government employees, maintenance employees etc. They all arrived almost at the same time (after us). Saucy meat balls Braised pork (with tofu and eggs) A small kitchen runs by 2 men. You have to remove your shoes upon entering. After eating/sitting/sleeping on the floor for a week we were happy to see chairs again. There's still some time to kill before returning to the hotel. We decided to check out a "supermarket" in the neighbourhood. It's more like Walmart (?), has some essential food and alcoholic items, clothes, household goods, souvenirs, that kind of stuff. It's a small island. I was curious about this bread Sesame snacks And other sesame products Can Calbee really recreate the flavour of Japanese "glass shrimp"? I should try non potato snacks next time. DP 2010 in a general store on a small island, just like that. At home I have to order it from a wine shop. They also have many egg gadgets. Kikaijima is tiny and rural, not only are there few restaurants but they are also small. I've read people without reservation might not get in. It happened to us tonight. Luckily, 2 Tokyoans who came at the same time had a reservation invited us to join them in their private tatami (straw mat covered floor with a low table) booth. One of the men used to be a military personnel here on Kikaijima, now comes back often to do spear fishing. We all enjoyed the meal and ourselves so much the time just flew by. If we didn't have to go back to sleep we would probably have talked and drank until the wee hours. Was brought to the table immediately. Not sure what the morsels on the right was. Today's specials. Crunchy and super light tempura. The herb/plant is Eucedanum Japonicum, for tempura only the young and tender leaves are used. There was more food but with company it was not practical to photograph each dish the moment it arrived. Baked purple taro roots. They like it like this on the island. Shortly after returning to the hotel the heavy rain and storm really picked up. We opened the curtains, turned off the lights and watched the thunder-lightning-typhoon show. It lasted until afternoon the next day. It was frightening and fascinating at the same time, such is the power of nature. How's that for the first night on this coral island.

Arrgh... I hate to be back in hell. --------- Last breakfast at the guesthouse. Natto with raw egg and raw okra. One last look from the deck A week's worth of beer After saying our farewell we took the bus to Naze, the biggest town on the island, where we stayed the night so we could catch a flight early the next morning. On the first trip to Japan we had a hell of a time trying to find the flush button on the control panel. There was no English on it back then, rarely. Now most toilet control panels have English. (This one is in our room) Immediately went to check out the town and its supermarkets etc. New number plate, so far seen only on newer scooters. The creature in bottom left corner is actually a rabbit. Endangered Amami wild black rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi). There are not many left in the wild and not only that, they are found only on Amami and another island south of Amami. I've seen a taxidermy of it, looks more like a big rodent without a hideous scaly tail. Together with the blue bird they seem to be the island's mascots. Seen on all kinds of brochures, banners etc. This one is not endangered at all and has an easier life than the rabbits. 2 hours later he had only changed position. The islands don't have huge supermarkets, tinned fish section is rather small and not really interesting. This supermarket has posters with suggestions for some ingredients. "Goya chanpuru" (stir-fried bitter gourd with eggs and tofu) is suggested here. I always go straight to the fruit section first. Imported dragon fruit here. Dole means it comes from a big farm in Vietnam/the Philippines or some other south east Asian countries. I like to drink soy milk when in Asia. A bit disappointed to see how small the selection here is. Cow's milk has its own big section. I buy the yellow and green packages when in Japan. Kimchi is quite normal in Japan. If I don't make my own I have to go to an Asian supermarket in the big city elsewhere to buy it as standard supermarkets don't stock kimchi at all. Shopping trolleys have a separate child seat. I don't use one at home. They never clean it, people put their children and/or dogs in it. Gross. Finally, craft beer from the tap! The tiny brewery is only a couple of minutes on foot from my lodging. Immediately drank 2 rounds of IPAs. The beer bar has some fancy-looking and interesting tinned seafood and meats. Never saw them again anywhere else after this. Late lunch at a "chicken rice" (Amamian speciality "Kei Han") specialist. "Big clam" sashimi. It's from a big clam, hence the name. Bitter gourd with Amami grain miso Aubergine with miso Chicken rice components Top rice with some of the ingredients and then pour the piping hot broth into the bowl. Soon after lunch I saw this... Shaved ice with beans and sweet potato mochi (purple balls) Only had room for snacks in the evening. Black sesame "pudding". The town is small, there's a fishmonger on my street. Island's own tuna Butter flavoured crisps. Overwhelmingly buttery. Shegunin is a local citrus. Does not work in the "sour ale". Tasted medicinal, but not "sour". Strange. Craft beer from the brew pub in the neighbourhood we visited earlier.

Whoa. Just got home. Disoriented and "depressed". First meal was sourdough bread with cheese. I missed cheese and sourdough. Went to a Chinese/Asian supermarket in the big city nearby to pick up a few things. Feels a bit strange not eating seaweed in different things every day so my first lunch at home I had to have some. Next time I want to make "tororo soba" (Japanese mountain yam with soba). Forgot to get the yamaimo (Dioscorea japonica) yesterday for that dish. Purple sweet potato wheat noodles with seaweed, yolk and natto for now. To eat you stir the ingredients together and the whole thing turns into a slimy mess. Natto with silken tofu. One of the ultimate neba-neba (slimy food) ingredients. Tamari-glazed salmon belly I shall resume the trip photos and stuff shortly.

Brought mine back from Sicily. Quite a bit more expensive than any typical Asian fish sauce brand (price-volume). Almost can't tell the difference in taste when tasting it side by side expensive Vietnamese fish sauce from Phu Quoc island*. Both are good, a refined delight. -------------OFF TOPIC BELOW----------- (*Phu Quoc: I stayed there for a week. Only had electricity a couple of hours a day. Spartan room at a beach guesthouse, no news(papers), no other tourists on the beach/nearby except for Scottish pensioner Mitch who lived on a boat in Nottingham, who overwintered in India and also Vietnam that year. We ate together every evening, at the only place behind the guesthouses on the beach, literally an open shack with a palm leaf roof. We talked about everything in the universe. The island and encounter with pensioner Mitch left a lasting impression. I hope when I'm his age I would still be able to travel, have my health, have his perspective on life, kindness and an open mind. The day we returned to Vietnam mainland we heard about the tsunami (!). We were at the beach every day on Phu Quoc! Well, I only buy fish sauce from Phu Quoc ever since. To me it tastes better than all the others.

Ken, I actually have 2 with me here. For the snorkelling pix I used a Kodak (https://kodakpixpro.com/shop/wpz2) I forgot to bring a lens ring that I removed from my real underwater camera (Olympus TG-6) so it could not be submerged without it. Can't buy any spare batteries for the Kodak (only sold in the US) so that's the first and last time I buy anything Kodak. The 1 and only battery that comes with the camera lasts about 30 minutes. Love my waterproof Olympus. If you remember this photo of a whale watching me watching it.

Bus stop sign on Amami-Oshima island It could rain whenever. Most bikes are unlocked. At home they would be gone, even if you lock it. I had 1 bike stolen and another bike's chain lock got cut and left on the ground. There are freeze-fried foods as souvenirs all over Japan, of course they also freeze-dry their speciality "chicken rice" on the southern islands. Plain sago palm (coarsely ground). At home you can flavour and use this ingredient to your own taste. Postman on a Honda. Too bad they don't have many electric cars and scooters on the islands. I've seen only 1 or 2 charging ports. Also, petrol is only half the price. Not a florist. You see this all day long. Some people don't have a big front garden so this is the solution, as long as you keep the plants within your property. A simple house, heavy rain and typhoon-worthy. A takeaway kiosk. They sell packaged meals. Breakfast Finally found it. Happened to walk past a butcher's shop on the way back to the bus stop. The dragon fruits and guavas still had dirt on them. They came from the butcher's own garden. We bought all the dragon fruit. Cost about $15. Lunch was at the fishmonger again, but with someone whom we invited to join us. We are a bit of an attraction in this small town. Some people do a double take, some unruly children stop in their tracks and stare at us in silence. The boss of our new friend asked if he could take a photo of us for the town's news publication! We were taken by surprise. (It had happened before in Mexico at a restaurant we went to every day for clams.). This part of the island rarely sees tourists from "The West". Our new friend works for the town's tourism board and tourist info centre. Sashimi bowl and tuna tartare bowl. Last dinner at our rural lodging. After the meal we enjoyed talking with the owner and another guest until bed time. Every day the owner told new guests about us and how we found his place etc. Preserved pig's tongue the owner made himself. Knowing I am interested in the food he makes sure to tell me about it every day. Island black pork (and the sauce to go with it) Pure dashi broth made by the cook The setup for shabu-shabu (Japanese-style hot pot). I said to the owner my 2 favourite meals involve sitting round a fire (but without the dancing and singing). I meant "hot pot" and cheese fondue. The last sunset from our deck. We moved on to the another place the following day. Some photos from a snorkelling tour. Forgot to change white balance to "underwater". Looked amazing in person, though.

Kagoshima-style natto is minced and pretty mild (I prefer it strong and the soya beans whole, if I had to choose one version ...). Neba-neba kind of food is something foreigners can't/won't enjoy eating. Japanese are delighted that we like neba-neba (= slimy/sticky) ingredients/dishes. In Japan you'll be eating neba-neba breakfast at least once, or multiple times. To eat this you mix the natto with included mustard and sauce packages, other slimy ingredients and a raw egg. I have an aversion to slimy texture/foods but it appears to be selective, as I enjoy eating okra and various types of seaweed, and also natto. At home I slice pineapple into chunks, sprinkle with salt and chilli flakes, eat with a fork. My host would rather make pineapple more presentable. Gas meters. Mine at home is still analogue-style. An old telly, someone turned it into a porch light. (The shop now fell in disuse and disrepair.) I am asthmatic with multiple (potentially fatal) allergies. Here I experience no allergic reactions to plants, foods or exhaust/pollution. One of the reasons is the lack of traffic. My lodging is in a rural area, but these empty streets are in a small town nearby where I first need to catch a rural van and then wait some time for another bus to anywhere else. This is a "long distance" bus (that goes from the airport and all the way to this town at the far end of the island, where I'm staying. This route takes more than 2 hours.) After snorkelling (with a tour = us, 2 guides and an Australian resident who's also 1 of the guides' English teacher) we were dropped off at a Kei Han ("chicken rice") specialist. Sashimi and seaweed Toppings for Kei Han (chicken rice). Fine threads of egg, pickled gingerroot, cooked shiitake, shredded chicken meat, pickled daikon. To eat you make a small portion of rice with the toppings, then add the scalding broth. "Chicken rice" is one of Amami's specialities. In the Edo period it was served to (high ranking) government officials and the likes. Now everyone can enjoy it. Dinner back at the guesthouse. Sashimi I think this is how I like pig's ear: pickled. I like okra and bitter melons raw. Vegetables in Japan are often much smaller (in size) than the giant stuff we have at home. My favourite vegetables again. Okra and aubergine in a nice sauce (I don't know what it is...) Cube next to the fish is breaded tuna. Looks like a lot of food but it's just 2 bites of each thing. We really don't need more than that. This is the setup. After the photos I put them all back in their original position on the table. A special, imaginary bus stop for children. It's an anime loved by Japanese children. After WW2 the southern archipelagos were under US administration for some years. Islanders would rather be part of Japan so this resulted in much anger and fear. Amami islands were "returned" to Japan in 1953. Other islands were occupied until the early 70's. After that Japanese government started modernising and developing all the southern islands. Before researching and seeing old photos I would never have thought these islands had endured so much hardship for so long. Now it's hard to find remnants from those dark times. Now the southern islands are the Hawaii of Japan.

I've seen these 2 flavours in Spain, costs round 5 euros each. Always fun to check out what artificial flavours different countries make. In Japan I've not come across "fried eggs" flavour, which is typical in Spain. Fried chickens, and onions and cream? Probably pickled sour plums. I shall try this one next. Breakfast. Notice the tomatoes are always 3 small pieces and symmetrical in presentation. Like in other south east Asian cuisines, okra are a common vegetable here, usually eaten raw, blanched, or fluffy tempura. Fish cake (photo above), dried shrimp, raw herring roe and fried mackerel at 7 in the morning. Used to be a phone box, now a bus stop/shelter. It's big enough to fit a bench. My guesthouse is opposite. Old buoys became planters. If you are observant you won't fail to notice they have a knack for finding creative ways to give new life to old things. Some snacks. Ginger for the bus rides (motion sickness, in highly mountainous places). The peel is near transparent and the root is not fibrous, like Taiwanese ginger. Snacks made from sugarcane. Not for us but wanted to try anyway. Lunch at the fishmonger, at the ferry port. Super fresh and high quality seafood. Best part is it's cheap (meal 950 yen/$6,40, draught Orion beer from Okinawa 500 yen/$3,40). My table next to where the fishmongers work (father and sons) Lobster and fish tanks next to my table Half of the shop is the kitchen (mother and daughter run it). There's a queue at lunch time. I came at 3pm, 30 minutes before closing time. Went there the second time on another day and had to join the queue. They have 5 or 6 small tables. Right in front of the port ("sea station" in Japanese). Blackfin tuna aquaculture is big, no huge, business in this part of the island. Speaking of fish, many fish packages contain a piece of the head (but there's also whole heads). Eye is clear and not collapsed is a good sign. Cloudy golden hour seen from my private deck Time for beautiful dinner again. Living dangerously... chicken sashimi. The meat is always from the thigh and breast. Not near the guts. The partner's plate, here you can see the thigh meat and the breast meat more clearly. You eat it with grated ginger and garlic, and a chicken sashimi sauce. Plain salt is also an option. Oden (a type of stew) with kabocha. I love hot pot type of food. Grandmother of guesthouse owners made this herself. My request: seaweed tempura. It's common on Amami islands. A common local fish, I've had them several times in a week, in different ways. To my delight, every single one of them had a pair of roe sacs intact. (Sorry roe were out of focus, these fish are really small.) I don't eat tempura at home, prefer to eat it in Japan. Assorted vegetable tempura (okra, aubergine, bitter melon, seaweeds, and fish). And the rest, including miso soup with clams. On the long plate: pickled vegetables, sago palm seed miso with peanuts and strawberry conch. It's a one man operation. His kitchen and counter, facing the dining area. He has a grill specifically for frying fish in the morning and it's on the lower counter. We talk about food every day, he shows me some stuff he's got and discloses how he gets things done. One of the best guesthouse and home-cooked food experiences in my travels. The kitchen (behind the shochu "bar" and curtains). Btw, these are maturing sago palm seeds. The same thing islanders use to make "nari miso". The seed head is absolutely huge. Processing the seeds is labour intensive, and even though food is plentiful now they are not giving up this old tradition. Impoverished islanders turned to the seeds in order to survive in times of hardship. They are poisonous to both humans and pets so you can't just eat them without proper processing. We don't have cool things at home, because if they can't steal them they will vandalise them. Kerb light/reflector with built-in solar charger. I include the channel drainage with cement cover. The drainage system has to be efficient and good. With the amounts of heavy rainfall they receive they need it. On the plus side, these islands are extremely lush, moist and dense. Not to mention the free fresh water supply from nature. Japanese has this philosophy when it comes to food: Let little seem like much. So long as it's fresh and natural. (and beautifully presented, I would add.) It's a balance of beauty, nutrients, flavours, simplicity, enjoyment. (At least what I think.)

One of the last things I want to eat anywhere in Japan is "potato salad", and I love all things potatoes. Will not touch "potato salad" or "Russian salad", or anything similar. It most probably contains mayo, an ingredient I deeply dislike. The cook says one can create several versions of sago palm seed "miso" by adding other ingredients to it. This one is my favourite. It has dried shrimp bits and bonito flakes. I've had versions with peanuts, squid and something else but this tastes the best (to me). Little pink chunk on the left is uncured (herring) roe and other bits. Breakfast at 7 in the morning Shortly after breakfast we took 2 buses to a nice beach where we spent many hours swimming and snorkelling. The sign right next to the path that leads down to the beach. Danger is never far away. Amami pit viper (Protobothrops flavoviridis) is venomous. They are found all over the island. They come down from the mountains and out of the bushes after heavy rain. They not only attack you on the ground in bushy areas but also from above (such as a branch or tree), a position which you don't usually notice. Brought fruits and some snacks. Found a shop selling craft beer from a brewery in the biggest settlement on the island. We passed through a little village along the way where we saw many of these signs. Probably reads "elderly people on the road, be patient". Have only seen 1 elderly person using a 4-wheeled walker all this time, all other (very) elderly people walk without any aid. This always amazes me in Japan. Back home many people the same age are in bad health. A couple of hours after returning from the beach it was time for dinner. Fish and octopus sashimi Soup (daikon and tiny pig's knuckle) Sesame "tofu" Turn the piece of fish over, easier to eat. The cook taught us. Vegetable tempura (?) and daikon kimchi. There's a big enough kimchi section in each supermarket here. Strawberry conch meat out the the shell Does not look like a big pile of food like in some other cuisines. We enjoy every last morsel and are so stuffed after every meal. We take our time, especially me as I'm not used to using chopsticks daily. The last couple of days there's been a lot of heavy rainfall, also thunder and lightning happening the whole time. Our first time experiencing this kind tropical weather so it's quite intense for us. Rainy and typhoon season is supposed to be over but apparently it's not really, yet. Islanders are resilient, their homes have to be rain and typhoon proof (1 or 2 direct hits every year). Last night it rained so very hard and literally non stop, all night, lightning lit up the sky and thunder rattled the windows until morning. I hardly slept a wink. Crabs leave the water sometimes. The cook says many come on land on days of full moon. Not sure if these local crabs are eaten, they are small. The wild hermit crabs, which can get quite large, are protected. The ginger marmalade is eaten like other small breakfast components. Use chopsticks to pick up a small amount, eat with rice. Never put a whole big piece of food or portion or eat in one go. Eat slowly and a little morsel at a time. I was told how to make the ginger marmalade. Easy enough. After the chat he let me try Hiroshima version, with clam meat. Much more intense but a bit different. Ideas for when I get back home.

Goya Chanpuru is one of the most typical Okinawan dishes. Amami is a blend of Okinawan, Kyushu and "mainland Japanese" cultures so this dish ("goya chanpuru"/stir-fried bitter melon with eggs, tofu and ham) is also typical on Amami islands. Amami-style does not contain tofu, however. The rest of breakfast spread (sour plum, fried fish paste, goya chanpuru, crunchy savoury seaweed, pickles and delicious ginger marmalade). Must ask the cook how he makes the ginger marmalade so I can recreate it at home. Pretty sure it has the local brown sugar/sugarcane syrup in it. This is the dining room. A table is literally a thick, whole piece of wood from a big tree. The views from where we eat Went to a neighbouring island on another day trip. Notice how quiet the village and streets are round these parts. This is one of the reasons we come all the way to "the other Japan"! Danger in paradise is never far away. These signs are everywhere, each indicates the elevation in that area. There's no one outside or on the street in this village. Someone was visiting an shop owner round the corner just parked her car in the middle of the road. We went to the shop to buy beer and the driver was chatting with the shop owner out front. Big Indian coral trees, over 60 of them on this path. They are more than 300 years old. That's older than the USA. So tropical here the plants love it. Dripping flowers everywhere, even the wild weeds are pretty. Empty village street again. Fire service on Kakeroma island. This is the size of a mini van. The refuse vehicle is just a little bigger, which is less than half the size of one at home. Time seems to stand still here. Ferry schedule and price list are hand-written Another beach we had to ourselves Beer on the deck again during golden hour. Amami-style somen Squid with "nari miso". Nari is sago palm, the symbol of Amami. The seeds are used to make "miso", flour etc. This miso is sweet and savoury with a coarse texture. I quite like it. Will buy some to take home as it's only available on these islands. (Some interesting info about sago palm and the role they play in the history of Amami here) Amami has its own black pork. The guesthouse owner made tonkatsu today with it. He churns out good meals day after day. He puts me to shame. A former high school teacher who became a guesthouse owner at 39 (15 years ago). He said his food was rubbish in the beginning, so he asked a cook at his regular pub to teach him. He also started learning from cooking programmes and cookery books. Now he's a confident and very good cook, it's also part of his success running the guesthouse business. Japanese guests marvel at his home-cooked meals every time, and we have the same reaction. I changed my plan twice to be able to secure a vacancy at this guesthouse! (There are only 3 rooms) Across the street from our guesthouse in rural Amami. The green building is a shop that sells fruits, vegetables, preserves etc grown by locals in the area. There are prices on items and you just put money in a piggy bank tin. No one "works" there. The app translates the characters: "fresh and safe. Direct sale!!" (2 exclamation marks) Also nearby is a private dragon fruit farm. Japanese love to grow own fruits and vegetables in their own gardens. A crab stopped in his tracks when he saw us. Immediately the ants tried to attack him. I poked him gently so he could make his escape from the ants. It really feels like being on a (sub)tropical island. We are glad to be here. No pollution/exhaust, no sirens, more nature and less people. Water activities are popular (SUP, kayaking, snorkelling, diving etc). We swim and snorkel. People fish for themselves, just enough to eat and no more. The aubergine was soft and mild. Goes well with soy sauce and bonito flakes. With chopsticks. Not a knife or fork in sight. I eat crisps with chopsticks. I asked the cook for you. He uses soya oil. Fish are firm-fleshed and flavourful. They are all new to us and we enjoy the taste. The owner can speak a few English words, and the rest using a translation app. New tourists arrive almost every day, mostly from Tokyo. They happily act as translators for us. Same situation on previous trip to Okinawa. We also use a translate app. We are the first non Japanese tourists he's had, and staying a week at his place. Southern islands are not on most non Japanese tourists' itinerary. Another reason we have come here.

Amami, island of the morning calm. I don't even eat breakfast at home, here I eat fried fish and sausage at 7am. Fried fish is part of a traditional Japanese breakfast. On Okinawan islands I usually got spam ("not for me" is the nicest I can say) so sausage is a nice change, though I would rather leave it out all together. Owner-cook said the mackerel came from the waters round Kagoshima. Took the ferry to neighbouring island Kakeroma and spent the afternoon at a beach there. A giant cement emperor slit shell greets tourists Someone said to me "Why take so long to get to Amami? You could go to other places in Asia. Cheaper, too." Thanks for going there, and leaving me this all to myself. The photo above is a nightmare scenario for us. The best beach is an empty one. One minute it was burning hot like standing under a magnifying glass in the sun, then the next minute the rain came down in buckets. Took shelter in a tiny shrine up a hill where we ate our lunch. The guesthouse owner made us rice balls filled with leftover seaweed/salted fish etc. Looking down at the village as we ate our simple but delicious rice balls. Went back down to the beach after the rain. Many crabs scrammed as we approached, and they were so fast. This one held its breath waiting to see what I would do next. Had a "sundowner" (or 3) on my deck during golden hour Views from our room The room here. Have stayed in traditional tamami room like this a bunch of times. Sit/eat/sleep on the floor hurts my back a lot as I'm not used to it. Ladder to the small loft. (We've moved it sideway leaning against the wall.) Dinner as the sun was reaching the horizon. It gets very dark very fast after that. Sashimi One of the common fish in these waters. I was told it's OK to eat the head, bones and all. 3 tiny fish (cooked in a different way but I forgot to ask how) Salted fish on soft tofu Strips of pig's ear in a sour brine Braised daikon and pork belly I put the dishes closer together for the photo then put them back when done. In Japan they are particular about the position of each dish on the table. I brought these from home for the owner. He was very surprised and happy. Okinawan cookery book I bought in Okinawa on a previous trip. In top right corner is some chocolate candies given to me by someone but I eat no chocolate under 99 or 100% cacao content. Also brought with me Okinawan fermented tofu but forgot to get it out of the bag for this photo. Gave it to him later, which he said he also liked to eat it. Many mainland Japanese hate this fermented tofu and can't eat it at all. I bought the pumpkins recently. Took 3 small ones in my rucksack all the way here. @Kerala, it's my third visit to Japan. Thanks. @KennethT, these snacking ones are small, size of small whelks. Pierce the protruding meat using a toothpick and pull it out. It comes out of the shell in one fluid whirl, usually. Texture is a lot like octopus, tastes sweetish and briny.

The plane was on time but we took off 25 minutes later than scheduled. Luckily we didn't miss our bus to our final destination. I was so dead tired and about to doze off then partner pointed at something big and black above a sea of clouds. Finally, we saw Mount Fuji! We did try on the very first trip to Japan but it was quite far away (in Hakone). Yep, that's Mt. Fujji poking its top through the puffy, cottony clouds. Almost there. Amami-Oshima island. Plane was about to make a turn. The runway is a man-made extension, like many islands, there's no real, totally flat surface that's naturally big enough for a commercial airport's runway. The flight was gentle and the landing was smooth (the 14 hour one to Tokyo was the same). I had a fright of my life flying from Guadalajara to La Paz (Baja Sur). I think the suicidal pilots busted the landing gear on touchdown, too. As soon as I exited the aircraft I was blown away by high heat. Thought Tokyo was hot (27C), on Amami it's boiling hot 31+. Immediately round the corner was a display of Amami island's shochu, one of its specialities. 2 more hours going through many very long tunnels in an old (70's?) bus to the other end of the island to reach my lodging. Bus got full very soon as it was time young students got out of school. Only saw students and elderly islanders use the bus. Everyone else uses own cars here. Staying at a "minshuku" (family-run small guesthouse with home-cooked meals) in rural Amami where public bus service is limited and no taxis. 15 minutes after our arrival dinner was served. OMG, rice 3 times a day. I don't eat rice at home but will make an exception for Japan. The owner cooks everything himself and presents it so beautifully, too! Tuna sashimi. Always begin with sashimi. Tuna is a speciality in this part of the island. There's a big tuna statue at the ferry port. Fried fish. Fatty fish just like salmon but flesh is completely white. This piece is the collar. Thought it was a type of melon, until I saw the inside, which was young aubergine. Tender and mellow Seaweed Soft tofu topped with crunchy, savoury seaweed. Strawberry conch. A common starter in the Amami archipelago. Fried fish paste next to the conch Miso soup with clams A piece of coral as chopstick rest and my first Amami shochu (made from sugarcanes, Amami-Oshima is the biggest producer, other Amami islands have their own versions, also made from sugarcanes.) More about this Amamian shochu. 3 days ago I was eating "Oktoberfest food" at home and now I'm eating home-cooked food on a tropical island far away. Where exactly is Amami archipelago? This is where the name of the thread comes from. In full it should be "The Other Japan - Strawberry conch, shochu and snorkeling". Japan's southernmost islands have their own cultures and languages. Their kingdom is now a part of Japan. If you listen to islanders when they speak with each other you'll notice it's not exactly Japanese. They speak own languages with each other, but of course Japanese is the administrative and commercial language. Map of languages spoken in the archipelagos. I always look forward to returning to this fascinating, complex, ENTHRALLING island nation. National Geographic Traveller magazine April 2023 issue. This is Japan's announcement of the official reopening of the country. Previous travel restrictions have been lifted. The unofficial number one on my list. One that never ceases to surprise and delight. Everywhere I go Everything I go Everyone I know There's no one like you In Tokyo.

London yesterday's morning, moments before touchdown. From here it's another 14 hour flight... Flying over Germany Good morning, Tokyo! Watching the sunrise from my comfortable seat (JAL/Japan Airlines). Long bridge that enters an underwater tunnel Konnichiwa, Tokyo! Have 4 hours to kill waiting for my connecting flight. I left home on the 27th and sill haven't reached my final destination. That'll be 7 hours from now, if I'm lucky. There's this thing at HND/Haneda airport that looks like a robo-mobility scooter. It goes round the terminal flashing its lights and making noises. Some children get on one for a ride. They all look so happy afterwards.

------------ #1 ------------ Plain Leberkäse with sharp mustard Liver dumpling in a creamy soup with chard A simple "Wurstsalat" ("sausage" salad) ------------ #2 ------------ Offal cold cuts with pickled silverskin onions Grated horseradish, pungent Styrian mountain cheese and a salad. ------------ #3 ------------ Roast chicken is one of Oktoberfest classics (at the fest you get half a bird). Red sauce is mojo picon from Lanzarote. Boiled or steamed bread dumplings in a creamy mushroom ragout is a typical Bavarian dish. This version is a not typical at all... mushrooms and sweetcorn cooked with a bit of cream, and the bread dumplings (previously cooked) are fried cuz I like a crispy crust sometimes. And now the beers, in my private "Wies'n" (="field")! 2 packs of Oktoberfest beer styles from different breweries. (Can you imagine yourself taking a pack of these home on the back of your bicycle? It's quite normal for us here to bring most things home on our bikes.) I enjoy checking out different beers each day FYI, this is the site of Oktoberfest the year it was cancelled. The world's biggest beer drinking event was cancelled due to Corona. Not once, but twice! Have been to the pumpkin farm 3 times now. 11 kilometres/6,8 miles from my house, first half of the way biking on country roads through a village, second half right through the woods, then exit to this country road to reach the farm (50m/55 yards) behind me). Second haul.

Thanks, @Duvel! Prost! Konstanz, 2014. No, I didn't do a bike tour.

It's time for Oktoberfest, but on a much smaller scale than Duvel's. Don't want to eat only "Oktoberfest food" every day for the next 2 weeks so there will be my normal food in between, too. Fried sliced bread dumpling with eggs. One of the ways Bavarians use up leftover dumplings. Peeling off the casing Raw red cabbage with cream. Sweet mustard for someone else and coarsely grated horseradish in cream for myself as I can't abide sweet mustard (I know it's "traditional"). Much better lighting when I ate this lunch, it was a warm and sunny day. Fried Leberkäse Matjes, masago (capelin roe) and apple mixed with quark. Liver dumpling in broth Potato salad. I cooked the potatoes together with a bunch of lovage stalks and then steeped them in a vegetable broth that's been boiled with lovage stalks in it so yeah, it's very lovage/Maggi intense in flavour. (Again, not very "traditional" kind of potato salad.) My last chunk of heavy Lithuanian black bread. (There's a small loaf of another type of Lithuanian black bread still in the freezer then it's really finished.) Oktoberfest in my private Biergarten. First box of Oktoberfest beer. And my first "haul" of the new pumpkin (and squash) season! In a row on the ground. (There are more pumpkins and squashes in the yard behind me). FYI, how to properly enjoy Weisswurst (the illustrations are easy enough to understand):

Summer decides to come back, who am I to say no?! It's very hot, though, but I'm not going to whinge. (Several meals in this post.) Matjes with pickled beetroot and quark. Lithuanian black bread and the rest of the spread. Smoked mackerel, boiled small waxy potatoes and salad (buffalo mozz). Cold beetroot pasta Broke the burrata when I tipped it over. Some snacks. Peanut flips from Polish supermarket. "Mexican style" here means a bit spicy. Oktoberfest is coming... (next weekend)

Always notice how people shop in certain places, in this case it's one of my regular Turkish grocers. Many Turkish shoppers picked out the best ones, and I followed. Turns out these figs are sweet, even though they are a bit pale inside. I said to the owner's daughter that one day I would go to Bursa in September just to eat figs. She went "oh wow, really? You know about Bursa figs?!". (FYI, Bursa, about 1 and 1/2 hours from Istanbul, is a big black fig producer. The town produces figs for about 75% of Turkey, and also exports to quite a few countries.) And this is Bursa black figs I buy by the tray (?) every week when in season. Bursian government announced last week the fig season officially started and exports would begin the following day. They are probably in the lorries on the way here! --------- #2 Scrambled eggs, North Sea shrimp (Crangon crangon) and Roma tomatoes. Shrimp shell broth, pumpernickel and butter lettuce. ------- #3 "Cold water prawns". Probably Pandalus borealis. Razor clams. Pumpernickel (German) and horseradish from Styria, Austria. Made a spread with grated horseradish and crème fraîche. The reddish version has beetroot added to it.

Also, soaking reduces oligosaccharides (so that it's easier to digest). You can also do a "hot soak".

It's good to have your own maggi plant (AKA lovage). Tear the leaves into smaller pieces and add to anything. Such an intense herb/plant. - - - I call this thing Vietnamese "Leberkäse". Steamed pork paste with tendons (I didn't make it myself, the product is imported from France and is readily available in Asian supermarkets where I live). I usually use a crusty bread but these days I also like these airy and pillowy Polish steamed buns. And speaking of Maggi... I have here 3 to compare. French version is a bit salty. The other 2 taste almost similar. Both good. Hmm, next time I shall bring back a Mexican version. Look at it on the shelf every time. - - - (Beetroot-) cured salmon belly Potatoes with quark and gherkins On the right is Matjes Also, pumpernickel and quark with chopped dill and blow-my-head off grated horseradish.