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Day 9, Kyushu Japan
Yokoso!
Baniku is a bit tough, like lean beef, looking and kinda tasting like a fresh cut of sirloin or round:
I didn't really care much for it, to tell you the truth. It was allright, but nothing I'd ever crave, nor desire to try again. Cooked, yes, but raw? Naaah.
And what is baniku? Well...
Before I let you know, just remember - what, ask yourself, is the difference between eating a cow, a pig, a fish, a monkey, or a dog (considering all are grown and prepared safely)? Is one at a higher developmental stage than the other? Is it morally wrong to eat a cat while it's ok to eat a chicken? On what grounds do you base your objections, besides... iiiilll?
Just some words for thought, is all. Unless I'm on a dare, however, it won't matter much, as I'll probably never try raw horse meat again...
We had it here at this mountaintop shopping center in Kumamoto Prefecture:
Where there's smoke, there's fire, and that ain't no cloud build-up you see in the yonder. We were sitting right below the caldera of Mt. Aso, which happens to be the largest active volcano in Japan, and among the largest in the world.
That open look-out area on the left is usually open to the public, but today, there was too much gas arising from the volcano. It's too bad, because down-below there's an emerald blue lake that's supposed to be absolutely gorgeous.
After a quick look, dad was already getting a headache from the cold and altitude, so we began the descent back into a more comfortable scene in Fukuoka City, to a place with something much better than raw horse meat, at least to me, and better yet, free!
Yep, that's the Kirin Dragon over there, sitting at the Kirin Beer Park and Factory that is so expansive, five Fukuoka Dome stadiums could fit on its grounds! And perhaps one of the reasons it is one of Kyushu's busiest tourist attractions is that tours of the beer-making process and facility are free, complete with two drinks on the house! Why, if I lived next-door...
Can't beat that! But another attraction at the park is an open market area that sits next to a giant flower garden, full of colorful cosmos flowers. It's a way cool area to picnic and just hang out, and many just lay out a blanket and enjoy lunch or dinner without even stepping foot into the brewing facility.
And that's the width of the flower garden, mind you, not the length! Nami is a good friend of Kumi's from small-kid day's - beautiful, very out-going, friendly, and funny (still single at this point of time, for some odd reason!), and she was nice enough to hang out and drive us all over the place during her off days from work. Thanks Nami!
Speaking of friends, we also got together one night at an izakaya spot way in the backroads area of Saga, one that I can almost gaurantee that I'm the first tourist to have ever sat foot in! Good friends, raw liver sashimi, broiled pig feet, Kirin draft - doesn't get any better! Except I wish I could speak Japanese better!
Not only does Kyushu have Japan's largest active volcano, but it also has Japan's longest (not highest) pedestrian suspension bridge, as well. It's located in Oita-Ken, and is called the Otsuribashi bridge, stretching 1,280 feet long and 570 feet high. The bridge shakes and sways a bit, but was completely safe, and the view, entirely fabulous!
In fact, the whole mountainside area of Oita-ken is gorgeous, and I only wish dad would have stopped alongside the road a few times, as these shots all came from a moving car, with plenty of missed shots along the way, as well. It was still early in the Fall season, but in cooler areas of Japan, the trees were already beginning to change colors in brilliant fashion:
You know, in Hawaii, there's lots of excellent food, just as there is in Japan. You can get great quality sushi, tempura, nabe, Kobe beef, fresh crab, teishoku, bento - a lot of the same stuff you see in Japan, with nuances of difference, of course. Over-all, the stiff competition in Japan makes for a better product, generally speaking, but in some of the better restaurants in Hawaii, I'd say the islands can still compete! However, if there's one food type that Hawaii lags far behind in, I'd say it has to be ramen. Or perhaps I should be more specific in saying a certain type of ramen, nameably, tonkotsu, or pork ramen. Kyushu, being so close to Okinawa, is famous for its use of pork, and this milky-brown broth derived from the slow boiling of pork fat, meat, and bones is legendary in its richness and flavor.
In Hawaii, there are only a precious few who make their own noodles on-site, but here in Kyushu, it seems more of the norm, the soft, chewy, yet firm texture always setting it apart from others and providing more variation and originality between stores. Even from non-descript, tiny entrances like this, you can find some of the best ramen anywhere in the world!
Through these doors, a bustling world of activity lies, a mix of cooks, servers, and clients crowded into a tiny alley-way of a room, decored in a cool blend of modern and traditional:
Another popular ramen shop, called Ichiran, comes with an interesting mode of meal setting, a setting where I presume it's safe to say - only in Japan! After all, I don't know any restaurant in America where you don't see the face of a single waitress, server, or cook! Privacy first, I guess! Why, even the guests are placed into their own little cubby holes, separated from eachother, albeit barely, by wooden dividers:
Actually, the theory here at Ichiran is that they want you to taste the goodness of their ramen without the possibly biased swaying in either direction by a kind or, on the other hand, unkind host, as their ramen should be the only thing you're thinking about! Because of this theory, this is all you'll see when dining here:
Everything you could think of, including individual, self-serve water fountains, are right there for you! In fact, even the payment system has already been taken care of, because before we sat down, we already paid for our bowls via an impersonal, vending machine-type cash collector! Perfect for shy people, Japan is!
After your ramen is delivered through the partially-covered opening facing the kitchen, whatever little you see in front of you is reduced even further!
But in the end, the main thing really is the ramen, and if the ramen is good, it's all worth coming back for! And here at Ichiran, my gosh, it was amazing! Fresh, house-made noodles in a broth that was rich, complex, and redolent with pork and garlic, this was as good a bowl as I've had here in Kyushu, and something with no equal in Hawaii, for sure!
I'll be wrapping-up our Japan trip in one more segment, where we spent an entire five days and nights bathed in luxury and pampered comforts. I won't tell you where, but here's a hint:
Lots more great grindz to come, including hairy crab, crazy-marbled beef, street-side, open-air yatai dining, and more fishing, too!
See ya!
Aku
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