Author Archives: Julie

War Memorial of Korea and tour to the DMZ

War Memorial of Korea

20140730-163431-59671390.jpg’The Korean War Monument’ stands in front of the museum

Despite its name the War Memorial of Korea is more a museum of war than a memorial, although there are a few monuments in front of the museum building. The museum is huge and begins with a history of war and weaponry in the Korean Peninsula from prehistoric times through to the early 20th century, including a rather nifty device called a Hwacha for firing 100 rocket-propelled arrows at once and a 1:2.5 replica of Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s battleship which lead the Korean Navy defeat of the Japanese in 1592.

20140730-165239-60759280.jpgThe War History Room (clockwise from top left): Bronze Age stone daggers; busts of 16th century General Gweon Yul and Admiral Yi Sun-shin; an impressive array of cannons and mortars; colourful Joseon era armour and shields

BattleshipJulie with the scale model of Geobukseon, Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s battleship

However, most of the exhibition space is given over to the Korean War. Similarly to the Vietnam War, its name in the land where it was fought is not the same as the one we use – the South Koreans know the conflict as the 25th June War after the date when the North Korean troops invaded. The displays follow the war’s progress chronologically and expanded on what we had learnt at the UNMCK in Busan. The South was completely unprepared for and surprised by the invasion from the North whose troops had been in training for months. Within 3 days they had taken Seoul and just weeks later had conquered all but a tiny corner in the south-east of the country around Busan.

North Korean front lineThe furthest extent of North Korea’s front line

At this stage, the UN forces were fully deployed under the leadership of American General MacArthur and executed a counter-offensive at Incheon near Seoul to regain the capital and thence by pincer movement push the Communist troops back northwards. They were almost at the Chinese border, having captured most of the northern territory, when Kim Il-sung called on Mao for assistance from China and in desperately cold (-30 degrees) conditions the UN forces were forced to retreat as the Chinese Army joined the conflict. After a little toing and froing around the area which is currently demarcated as the border, a stalemate was reached and an armistice signed although technically the war has not ended.

Retaking SeoulSouth Korean flag being hoisted ourside the Capitol building to celebrate the recapture of Seoul

The usual museum type displays were punctuated with several audio-visual items including two ‘4D experiences’ which were essentially like war based theme park rides. They didn’t necessarily add much to the information we learnt, but definitely provided a nice change of pace. The first simulated the landings at Incheon with a 3D display and moving seats which made us feel as though we were aboard a boat in the harbour – not one for those who suffer from travel-sickness. The second was for me less successful, trying to replicate the bitterly cold retreat from the extreme north complete with an icy AC blast and 3D light show ‘blizzard’.

UK forces tribute at War Memorial of KoreaThe final Korean War exhibition room commemorated the UN forces and reiterated what we had learnt in Busan. It included this case of artefacts and information board of statistics for the UK’s participation.

Tour to the DMZ

Having brushed up on our Korean war history we were eager to visit the de-militarised zone or DMZ (in your best American accent that’s a ‘zee’ not a ‘zed’), the 4km wide strip of land around the ‘Military Demarcation Line’. Its name notwithstanding, it is actually the most highly militarised border in the world and can only be visited as part of a tour group. We’d booked on the very highly regarded United Service Organizations (USO) tour. USO is a non-profit organisation providing support and entertainment to US forces and their families. Our enthusiasm was scarcely dampened by the disclaimer that we had to sign on arrival at the USO offices – put simply it said that we acknowledged that we were about to enter what is technically still a war zone and any consequences were solely our responsibility…

On the bus with USO badgesUs on the bus with our USO badges

20140803-101654-37014718.jpgMap of the DMZ [source: Wikipedia]

It took just an hour on the bus to reach the Civilian Restriction Zone where the list of names and passport numbers previously provided to USO were checked by ROK (Republic of Korea, aka South Korea) soldiers and we were waved through. This is not the edge of the DMZ but an additional buffer that South Korea maintains, I suspect as a safety precaution so they don’t have lots of unaccompanied tourists wandering over the boundary lines into the minefields. Once inside, our first stop was the Dora Observatory, an observation deck overlooking the DMZ.

20140802-212803-77283418.jpgDora Observatory, the motto over the entrance reads ‘End of Separation, Beginning of Unification’

Inside the observatory we were shown a short presentation pointing out the major landmarks that are visible from there:

  • inside the DMZ on the northern side is Gijungdong, the ‘Propaganda Village’, with the third highest flag pole in the world and a massive North Korean flag with a dry weight of 60lbs, so heavy that it has to be taken down in inclement weather so that it doesn’t rip under its own weight. The village’s name comes from the rousing messages that used to be broadcast from loudspeakers there for large portions of the day. In fact the buildings are just a facade, empty shells with no actual inhabitants.
  • The Gaeseong Economic Area, a surprising and heartening story of collaboration between North and South employing around 700 South Korean workers (largely in managerial positions) and 50,000 North Korean workers manufacturing electronics, clothing and watches. The advantages of cheap labour for the various South Korean firms involved and much needed economic input for North Korea ensure a mutually beneficial outcome.
  • Taesongdong, the ‘Freedom Village’ on the southern side of the DMZ with a slightly smaller but still enormous flagpole has around 200 inhabitants guarded day and night by the UN and ROK forces. As the village is technically not in South Korea they are not required to pay tax on the money they make from their crops and the men are exempt from National Service. They are wealthy compared to the average South Korean farmer although life in the village must be very restrictive and there are rules for who can live there.
  • the unused railway lines running across the no man’s land
  • a GPS blocker on the northern side prevents TV and radio signals from the South reaching across the border. A side effect is that it disrupts mobile network signal for visitors to the DMZ.

Gijungdong 'Propaganda Village'View through the crowd to Gijungdong and its huge North Korean flag

After the presentation we were free to go to the outdoor platform and feed the binoculars with ₩500 coins (£0.30) to get a closer look at the North Korean side. Photos were allowed behind a thick yellow line about 3m back from the edge so that you could hardly see anything, especially with several busloads of people in front of you, but with a bit of zoom we managed to take a couple of pictures and Andrew got a few sneaky ones from the platform’s edge too.

View over DMZ from Dora ObservatoryView over DMZ towards North Korea

Next stop was the ‘3rd Tunnel’. Found in 1978 by the South Koreans (the third of four found so far, hence the name), it was dug by the North Koreans as an invasion tunnel, it is rumoured that there are quite a few more which remain undiscovered. There were electrical issues when we arrived, probably due to the pretty much constant rain that had been falling for the week prior. Because of this we were able to walk down the long ramp to the tunnel entrance but not take the usual trip into it. At the bottom we saw holes where the dynamite had been laid to blast the tunnel, black paint on the walls (the North Koreans’ cover story is that they were looking for coal…) and the ends of the PVC pipe boreholes which the South Koreans sank to find the tunnel.

20140802-221448-80088375.jpgView into the 3rd Tunnel [source: Koridoor]

At the bottom of the ramp we noticed a spout and drinking cups with a sign announcing ‘DMZ spring water’, we had to give it a try! Halfway back up the ramp there was a bit more excitement as the lights went out and for a couple of seconds before the emergency lighting came on it was pitch black! Making our way to the top in semi-darkness we saw a long queue of people waiting to go down and speculated that perhaps visits had been stopped until the electricity came back on – I think our timing was lucky.

After lunch and a quick look around Dorasan Station we made the short hop to Camp Bonifas, the US Army base at the edge of the DMZ and the entry point to Panmunjeom, or the Joint Security Area (JSA). This is where the armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953 and nowadays is the area in the DMZ where any talks between the two sides take place. It’s also a tourism destination from both sides (we know someone who has done a similar visit on a trip to North Korea). Our guides (and guards) for the day were US soldiers Specialist Wood, Private Barnhart, and their boss, 1st Sgt Bailey.

20140803-094711-35231487.jpgRailway tracks running towards Pyeongyang at Dorasan Station. Its tagline is ‘the first station toward the North, not the last station from the South’ and eventually it is hoped that it can connect into the Trans-Siberian Railway, linking Korea to the rest of Asia and Europe by rail.

We signed another disclaimer, this one was more focussed on behaviour within the JSA including no form of engagement or communication with any North Korean soldiers, no gesturing or pointing of any sort towards North Korea and generally being on best behaviour so there was no chance of photos or video from the other side showing the UN in an unfavourable light. For similar reasons, the dress code is strict – no T-shirts without collars, no sleeveless tops, no short shorts or skirts, no sandals. The USO tour rules were very emphatic about this and fortunately all of our group were deemed to be suitably attired.

Conference Row‘Conference Row’ in the Joint Security Area (JSA)

An army bus drove us from Camp Bonifas to the JSA where we were told to form into two lines before we walked through ‘Freedom House’, the South Korean’s main building here, to ‘Conference Row’ where the cross-border buildings are situated. Once we’d entered one of the small concrete buildings and gathered around the central table, Specialist Wood told us that the table was placed over the border so half the group was technically standing in North Korea! There to guard us were two ROK soldiers in a modified Taekwondo stance and dark glasses to make them look more intimidating. Neither of them moved a muscle while everyone shuffled around to have their picture taken near them, the Korean equivalent of the guards at Buckingham Palace. It was all a little surreal, on the one hand very serious, surrounded by soldiers on high alert, and on the other taking photos as if we were in front of a normal tourist sight.

Inside JSA conference roomInside the conference room

With ROK soldier in JSA conference roomUs with an ROK soldier, Andrew is on the North Korean side of the room

Back outside on Conference Row, Specialist Wood gave us some more information and pointed out a single North Korean soldier who he called ‘Bob’ standing out on the steps of the main North Korean building in the JSA, ‘Panmun Hall’. He was the only North Korean that we saw although we were assured that they were watching us.

Specialist Wood on Conference RowSpecialist Wood talking to us on Conference Row

North Korean soldierNorth Korean soldier

From Conference Row the bus took us back past a memorial for two American soldiers killed in the JSA by North Koreans in 1976, an event known as the Axe Murder Incident. Also the ‘Bridge of No Return’ where POWs from both sides were given the option to cross after the armistice was signed but with the understanding that there would be ‘no return’. In practice however quite a few North Koreans make it to South Korea each year though mostly via China, not through the DMZ. Our USO guide told us that they are welcomed with open arms and set up with a house and job as well as being invited to tell of their ‘terrible’ experiences in the North on TV.

Bridge of No ReturnOvergrown Bridge of No Return

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour to the DMZ although we were mindful to remember that everything we were hearing was from the South Korean perspective. Not that I suppose for a minute that North Korea is a blissful place to live, but I don’t suppose the DMZ villages are called ‘Propaganda Village’ and ‘Freedom Village’ over the border either. It should also be remembered that this is all politics, largely caused as far as I can see by rivalries between the US and the then USSR after WW2. Many Korean families were split with members on both sides of the dividing line and no way to stay in touch, so as far as they are concerned a unified Korea would be the ideal solution. Unfortunately, I think that 60 plus years of division will take quite a lot of untangling before unification is possible. To end on a positive note, as the DMZ is so untouched by humans, and despite the land mines, it is a paradise for wildlife and several endangered species are known to live there.

Daegu, South Korea

We’ve been using Airbnb to find accommodation on and off throughout the trip and it’s been especially useful for finding apartment rentals for a few weeks as it’s really nice to have a kitchen and a bit more space than the average hotel room. Another option is to rent someone’s spare room, which at its best is basically living with locals in a local neighbourhood. This is what we opted for in Daegu and we felt like we’d struck gold staying with lovely Gabby and Andrew. On our final evening we all had takeaway fried chicken and beers sitting in their living room watching Korean soap operas – it doesn’t get much more homely than that!

Gatbawi hike

July is the rainy season in Korea and we’ve sometimes had to juggle our plans a liitle to better suit the weather. On our first day in Daegu, the forecast was for a cloudy day but with no rain so we set out on the hour long bus ride north from Daegu to the Palgongsan Provincial Park and the fairly short but steep hike to Gatbawi shrine. The mountains were shrouded in clouds when we arrived and rain seemed inevitable but we’d come too far to turn back now and anyway I had an umbrella and Andrew had his hat, we’d be fine…

20140727-224318-81798526.jpgVery cloudy path up through the forest

Halfway up the hill there was a heavy shower which we were able to shelter from in a rest pavillion before continuing upwards through the damp air and dripping trees. The stairs were unrelenting with no flat sections at all but it wasn’t far really and we soon arrived at the shrine. The Buddha statue is carved from a single piece of stone and its official name is ‘Stone Seated Medicine Buddha’, but he is popularly called ‘Gatbawi’ which means ’Buddha of the Stone Gat’ (the traditional wide brimmed Korean hat) referring to his very obvious headgear.

20140727-224829-82109843.jpgLady praying next to Gatbawi Buddha

20140727-225114-82274061.jpgThe area around the statue is set up for the devout rather than for tourists with piped monk chants coming from speakers and stacks of mats which Koreans use when bowing, a kind of meditative humbling process to bring them closer to the Buddha Nature

The view might have been fabulous but all we could see was cloud and then it started to rain again. This time it was more than just a shower and the tarpaulin over the bowing area wasn’t really keeping the wet out anyway so we decided to head back down the hill. The Lonely Planet said there were two routes between the bus stop and the shrine, we opted for the non-step route for our return. It wasn’t any easier going, if anything it was harder as the path was sometimes rocky and slippy in the wet which required more care than the reasonably regular steps.

20140727-225222-82342665.jpgAndrew on the downward trail

Eventually we reached a crossroads with signs pointing off to different temples in each direction. The name of the one off to the left rang a bell, but that made no sense at all so by mutual agreement we set off on the path heading down the mountain. Of course, what we should have done was consult the photo of the trail that we took at the bottom of the hill and match up the Korean symbols with the sign, but it was raining, we were wet and trying to juggle camera and umbrella without getting more wet was too difficult so we just set off plodding downhill.

20140728-171431-62071187.jpgHollyhock in the rain

After a while we rounded a corner to arrive at a car park and (closed) information point. It was clear that we were in entirely the wrong place and to make matters worse, the trails marked on the map in the car park, the photo we’d taken of the map at the bus stop and our memory of the crossroads didn’t tally up at all. We ate our lunch on a wet seat before trudging back up the hill to the last temple we’d passed to see if we could work out how to cross the ridge. Fortunately the rain had more or less stopped and it didn’t take long to arrive at the seemingly deserted Yongjuam temple.

Lots of BuddhasDozens of Buddha statues at the entrance to Yongjuam Temple

After admiring the bell and ruing the lack of view due to the still massed clouds we thought to pass by the main hall in search of a trail down the other side; cue very loud barking dogs who obviously were not keen on letting us past. At last a groundskeeper appeared, shouted at the dogs and pointed out the trail to Gwanamsa temple from where we could pick up the original path down to the bus stop.

20140728-172133-62493607.jpgWe were very glad to spot Gwanamsa temple at last!

The supposed two hour round trip hike took us more than four hours, it’s a good thing we didn’t need to be anywhere else that afternoon!

Daegu markets

On our final day, we spent the morning chilling in a traditional Korean bathhouse before meeting Gabby for lunch at Seomun Market. She took us to “the best” food stall to sample tteokbokki, noodles and pancakes. After the delicious lunch we wandered through some of the stalls. Saturday afternoon is probably the busiest time of the week and it was packed. I was surprised that many of the clothes shops had an almost boutique look to them, much more upmarket than the clothes usually for sale in markets in England.

imageCooking up tteokbokki, rice cakes in spicy sauce, in Seomun Market

Daegu is well known in Korea for its traditional medicine market. This dates back to the 17th century when the king decreed that a medicine market should be set up there. It wasn’t quite what we expected. I thought it would be a big covered hall with shops and stalls (like a regular market) but it’s actually a couple of streets in the city centre which are lined with shops selling herbs and offering traditional medical services such as acupuncture.

20140725-212812-77292131.jpgA look through one of the shop’s doorways. The large glass jars contain ginseng, a vital ingredient in many Korean herbal remedies.

20140725-212834-77314442.jpgMost of the shops had piles of what to our untrained eyes looked like bundles of twigs

Yangneongsi Oriental Medicine Museum is just off the market’s main street. It is nicely set up but has essentially no English signage so the friendly lady on reception gave us a tour in broken English. It begins with a few dioramas showing the history of the area, followed by an overview of the different plants (and animals) used in the remedies, and some scary looking acupuncture needles. On the lower floor was an interactive space where quiz machines would work out which of the four body types you are, and we learnt how to make remedies, as well as being able to try a small cup of herbal medicine tea (quite tasty!) and try on a traditional hanbok.

20140725-214221-78141276.jpgYangneongsi Oriental Medicine Museum (clockwise from top left): reconstruction of an old style traditional doctor’s consulting room; medicinal herbs; learning to make herbal medicine in the interactive area; herbal tea dispenser

imageUs in traditional Korean hanbok. It’s unclear what link this has to traditional medicine but it was a fun activity. The hat Andrew is wearing is the ‘gat’ which the Gatbawi Buddha is named after.

Busan, South Korea

I’d heard that South Korea was one of the more well developed Asian countries and this, along with the geographical proximity, led me to expect that it would be quite similar to Japan. However, I have found many more resemblances to that other geographically close superpower, China. Small things like ladies dressed in ‘day pyjamas’ and an abundance of street food and other street vendors make it feel a little more foreign than the well-ordered modernity of Japan.

After the capital Seoul, Busan is South Korea’s second largest city with 3.6 million inhabitants. The first thing we noticed on the bus from the airport was all the apartment blocks, estates full of identical towers with their number painted on the side in huge numerals. They fill the suburbs and are unlike any cityscape we’ve seen elsewhere in Asia.

United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK)

It’s safe to say that before arriving in Busan neither of us knew anything about the 1950-53 Korean War, we’d barely even heard of it. The UNMCK is a reminder of the involvement of the rest of the world in this conflict between North and South Korea following their split at the end of WW2. The United Nations forces led by the US backed the South and China and the Soviet Union fought for the North. The site is unique as the only United Nations cemetery in the world.

20140719-215951-79191613.jpgEach grave is marked with a small plaque and a rosebush

The cemetery is the final resting place of 2300 dead soldiers from 11 nations, including 885 from the United Kingdom. We were shocked to discover how many fell under the banner of the UN – a total of 40,895 which doesn’t include almost 140,000 South Koreans. The grounds are beautifully maintained and it’s a peaceful place to wander and reflect away from the bustle of the city.

20140721-180256-64976214.jpgThere’s a 15 minute film outlining the history of the conflict in the inter-faith Memorial Service Hall

As well as the grave area, there are a couple of small exhibition halls and a number of different memorials around the site including a sobering recently erected ‘Wall of Remembrance’ inscribed with all of the names of the fallen.

20140721-180316-64996070.jpgMemorials at UNMCK (clockwise from left): The UN Forces Monument; Canadian Memorial Statue; a line of flags in front of the Wall of Remembrance

Busan museum

Just up the road from the UNMCK is the Busan Museum. It wasn’t the most gripping museum I’ve ever been to but, coupled with the video at UNMCK, it was a decent primer on Korea’s history with an understandable slant towards Busan. Situated on the peninsula’s south coast the city was the entry point for Japanese invasions as well as envoys in more peaceful times.

20140719-222607-80767560.jpgBusan Museum (clockwise from top): the museum building; reconstruction of a Jumak, or traditional tavern-inn; celadon pottery Arhat figures

Jagalchi market

Not another fish market I hear you cry. Well, errm yes, sorry about that but it was a 5 minute walk from our guesthouse and listed as one of Busan’s top sights so we had to go…

20140721-211019-76219541.jpgOutside stall complete with splashing fish in plastic bowls

We started with a stroll around the outside stalls before heading into the large, modern market building and were surprised by how much of the produce for sale was still alive and wriggling. There seemed to be fewer fish and more shellfish and other sea creatures than the markets we saw in Japan. Several times we had to take a closer look to inspect something that we didn’t recognise at all.

20140721-211059-76259975.jpgJagalchi market (clockwise from top left): Colourful stalls inside the market building; dead octopuses on display; bowls of weird sea creatures; drying fish above one of the stalls

There were a lot of octopuses. A Korean delicacy is a dish containing octopus so fresh that it’s still writhing – we haven’t yet felt quite brave enough to try it! Several times we saw a small octopus making a bid for freedom down the street before the stall-keeper spotted it and threw it back into its bowl!

20140721-211516-76516128.jpgThe streets east of the market building contained lots of shops specialising in dried fish and seaweed

Hiking around Geumjeong Fortress

For our final day in Busan we planned a long walk in the surrounding mountains, bookended by visits to a couple of the city’s temples. It’s hardly surprising that hiking is a popular pastime for Koreans, the country is covered in (small) forested mountains and Busan city snakes its way around several. It doesn’t take long then to leave the city behind and hit a trail. The weather was kind, after grey clouds and intermittent rain on the preceding days we woke to blue skies and bright sunshine.

After a subway ride and 20 minutes in the bus we were ejected at Beomeosa Temple, just inside the city but so peaceful that it felt like miles away. As we were reading the information board and lining up photos at the entrance gate we were accosted by a retired man working part-time as a volunteer guide similar to those who gave us tours at Matsumoto and Himeji castles in Japan. There wasn’t any discussion of whether we wanted a guide, he just started his spiel, but as always we found that we got more out of the visit with someone to point out interesting features and answer our many questions.

20140721-213738-77858332.jpgBeomeosa temple’s entrance gate is called ‘One Pillar Gate’. You’ll notice from the front that it actually has four pillars, but if you move around to the side it looks like only one. Hmm, personally I consider that cheating…

20140721-213910-77950403.jpgThe style of the roofs and bright decoration reminded us of Chinese temples

We were surprised by the number of worshippers at Beomeosa Temple. Each hall had a chanting monk and was full of ladies praying. Our guide explained that the different Buddha statues in each hall are prayed to for different reasons, e.g. one to wish for good fortune, one if you are recently bereaved or it is the anniversary of a loved one’s death.

20140721-221818-80298900.jpgBeomeosa temple buildings

The trail from Beomeosa temple up to the Geumjeong Fortress North Gate (Bukmun) is a steady climb through a valley strewn with boulders, a natural formation called the ‘Sea of Rocks’. It was hard going but we were sheltered a little by the trees and eventually emerged at the fortress wall. The wall extends 18km around the mountaintop and, along with its gates and watchtowers is all that remains of the fortress.

20140721-224958-82198318.jpgSea of rocks

We followed the undulating trail around the wall, stopping for panoramic views over the city and to look inside a couple of the defensive watchtowers. In one of them we found two locals taking a break from their hike with a picnic. They gave us some delicious fresh cherry tomatoes and a cup of makgeolli to try, telling us laughingly that it was ‘Korean Champagne’. It’s a kind of cloudy and fizzy rice wine (about 6-7% alcohol) and quite tasty although we declined a second cup for fear that it would slow down our pace – we still had a lot of ground to cover!

20140721-225143-82303055.jpgFortress walls and city centre in background from Wonhyobong, the highest point on the eastern ridge of Mt Geumjeongsan

20140721-225303-82383671.jpgView to the east from the Wonhyobong viewpoint

We stopped for lunch at the East Gate before pressing on to the South Gate (Nammun). This was definitely the hardest section. Mostly uphill over a combination of steps and rocky path, it was not what we wanted just after lunch…

20140721-225014-82214945.jpgGeumjeong fortress gates and watchtowers (clockwise from top left): Us at the north gate; fourth watchtower; east gate; south gate

The hike from South Gate to Seokbulsa Temple was described as tough in every reference I found to it. After the allegedly ‘moderate’ path around the fortress wall I was worried about whether I would even make it! But as it turned out it wasn’t too bad, a steep, rocky downhill followed by a winding and unrelenting concrete road uphill but the distances were short compared to what we’d already covered and frankly it almost felt like the easy bit!

20140721-225938-82778508.jpgJulie on the trail down from south gate

The temple itself was very quiet with just one other visitor while we were there and no monks in sight. If the buildings weren’t so well maintained we might have suspected that it was abandoned. Seokbulsa translates to ‘Stone Buddha Temple’ and this explains the main reason to visit which is tucked behind the temple buildings, a courtyard surrounded on three sides by sheer rock walls carved with 10m high images of Buddhas and guardian gods.

20140721-230134-82894466.jpgAndrew admiring rock carvings on one of the walls

imageThe other two sides of the temple carvings

At the back of the courtyard are a couple of small cave temples with damp walls and flickering candles. Behind these, climbing the steps to the left leads to even more carvings, this time of a seated Buddha and sixteen disciples as well as a shrine to the mountain god.

20140721-230402-83042060.jpgView out over the temple roof from the top of the stairs behind the carvings

It was a beautiful and impressive end to a long and tiring day.

Japan Round Up

What photo takes you right back to Japan?

We were really looking forward to the food in Japan and it didn’t disappoint. The fresh seafood in particular was superb.

20140629-115333-42813158.jpgEating sashimi for breakfast at the fish market in Kagoshima.

Summarise Japan in three words.

  • Delicious – “Oishi” was one of the handful of Japanese words that we learnt and it was used often, to the delight of restaurant owners.
  • Contrasts – From ancient temples and shrines to bright lights and high-tech, from densely populated urban areas to completely unpopulated areas of natural beauty, Japan is definitely a country of contrasts.
  • Omotenashi – This word which means Japanese hospitality really sums up our experience of the Japanese. When we were in Russia, we remarked on the generosity and kindness of its people, in Japan it seems that everyone is trying to make sure you have a good impression of the country, from old ladies who pressed sweets and biscuits on us, to men in bars ordering us food and drinks, to the overwhelming helpfulness of just about anyone who we asked for help.

You really know you’re in Japan when…

…you’re looking at one of the top three “something” in Japan. I don’t know whether it’s a mixture of modesty (not wanting to declare themselves the best) and boastfulness (really thinking that they are the best) or a love of order that ranks everything into lists, but it seemed like every sight we visited was ranked in some way although it was rarely stated what order or what the other two were. The most memorable example that we saw was the Ohkonotaki Waterfall on Yakushima – ‘one of the top one hundred waterfalls in Japan’ – seriously, who compiled that list?!

What one item should you definitely pack when going to Japan?

Walking shoes. We were both surprised by how many outdoor activites we found in Japan and how accessible they are.

Japanese food

We’ve eaten more fish since we got to Japan than we ate in the whole of the preceding year but, as we’ve discovered, there’s a lot more to Japanese cuisine than sushi.

Where to eat…

Although food is not cheap in Japan it is possible to eat out reasonably inexpensively (under £6) in noodle restaurants, or similar fast-food type places, and many restaurants offer inexpensive lunch set meals. Izakayas are like the Japanese equivalent of British pubs and they are among our favourite places to have a drink and a meal. In them, food is served in smallish portions for sharing, like Spanish tapas, and there’s always a drunk salaryman sitting down the counter ready to engage you in conversation despite having no shared language! We’ve found food quality to be excellent everywhere.

Fish, fish, fish

When you think about Japanese cuisine you’ll almost certainly think of sushi. We’ve had it from conveyor belt restaurants and boxed from the supermarket but without a doubt it’s best when served freshly made. There’s usually a small slick of wasabi between the fish and the rice, just enough to give it a kick but hopefully not enough to make your eyes water.

20140712-151447-54887052.jpgSushi (clockwise from top left): tuna is the king of sushi fish, fatty and medium-fatty tuna freshly made at a restaurant in Tsukiji market; mackerel sushi bought in Kanazawa station; mouthwatering salmon sushi takeaway box from a fish market on Kyushu

Sliced raw fish without the ball of rice is called sashimi. It’s usually served with a big pile of shredded daikon radish and sometimes with plain rice on the side. Dipped in soy sauce and at its freshest it just melts in the mouth.

20140712-151543-54943574.jpgA plate of sashimi from a fishmonger in Kanazawa

We’ve had small fillets of grilled fish too, sometimes as part of a buffet or set meal and often one of the oily fish like salmon or mackerel. Squid and octopus are also common. We ate both freshwater eel and conger (sea) eel, both served grilled on top of rice with various condiments (spring onion, dried seaweed…).

20140712-152035-55235892.jpgClockwise from top left: a whole grilled squid; minced fish cake; grilled eel served on rice in Nagoya; a small grilled fish as part of our breakfast meal in Tsumago

Meat

Just as the fish in Japan is fresh enough for sushi and sashimi, the meat is also of high enough quality to serve raw. We had ‘basashi’, or horse meat sashimi, in Matsumoto and tender beef sushi in Takayama just flashed under a blowtorch, and of course the lightly grilled wagyu steak in Kobe.

20140712-154237-56557942.jpgBasashi – horse meat sashimi

At the cheaper end of the spectrum, deep-fried breaded pork fillets, called tonkatsu, often form the protein component of a meal. Variations made with chicken are also common. Slices of roast pork are the usual topping for bowls of ramen noodles. We didn’t see lamb or mutton on the menu anywhere.

20140712-154334-56614730.jpgDelicious tonkatsu meal in Kyoto

Noodles

We have found three main types of noodles in Japan – ramen (egg noodles), udon (fat noodles), and soba (made from buckwheat). Soba noodles may also be served cold with the stock on the side as a dipping sauce. Supposedly, this allows the flavour of the noodles to come through and it’s actually much better than it sounds.

20140629-152121-55281553.jpgIn noodle soup shops we’ve found that you usually don’t order from a waiter or waitress but by paying for what you want at a vending machine by the door and handing over the ticket that it prints out at the counter. That’s all very well if, like this one, it has pictures and English but we’ve had lucky dip noodles before by just choosing a random button!

20140626-122410-44650480.jpgJapanese noodles (clockwise from top left): ramen are commonly topped with roast pork; udon noodles with raw egg, mixed through the hot noodles with soy sauce we thought of it as Japanese carbonara; cold soba noodles with mushrooms from the convenience store; ‘hoto’ noodles are a specialty of the area north of Mt Fuji, these ones were served in a deliciously savoury beef broth

Onigiri

Onigiri are balls of cooked rice often with a small filling of meat, fish or vegetables. For us they’ve been a reliable option for packed lunch from any convenience store or supermarket. Because of the shape of the convenience store version we call them ‘rice triangles‘. I love the ingenious packaging which keeps the seaweed away from the rice and hence dry and crisp when you come to eat it. It depends on the shop but they rarely have pictures on (and never any English) so choice is generally pot luck. A grilled version flavoured with soy or miso is available in izakayas and we’ve found it to be a good filler amongst all the protein options.

20140705-203734-74254191.jpgConvenience store ‘rice triangles’ and a grilled version in an izakaya

Tempura

You might have come across tempura before. It’s deep-fried vegetables and fish in a light and airy batter. Most tempura restaurants had a set meal of tempura on rice with miso soup which was cheap and tasty, but it’s a common dish in izakayas too. It is always fried to order and so very fresh and crispy. We always save the prawn until last, but I like the slice of kambocha pumpkin too, and in one izakaya we had a sweetcorn version containing a slice from a corn cob – yum!

20140607-163115-59475826.jpgA tempura set meal

Gyoza

Japanese dumplings are one of Andrew’s favourites and he always orders them as a side dish with noodle soup. I was unenthusiastic about them until we went to a gyoza izakaya where the range of fillings and cooking methods was wide. We had them boiled, fried on one side (the most common way of cooking), deep fried and with pork, vegetables, and even whole prawns inside the dumpling wrapper.

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Japanese curry

Somewhat reminiscent of fish’n’chip shop curry sauce we found Japanese curry to be a cheap, filling and comforting meal. It is usually a large portion of rice topped with a piece of deep-fried breaded meat (often chicken or pork) and covered with curry sauce. A special mention should be made for the oxtail beef curry which we had at a tiny restaurant near our apartment in Tokyo – something that I’m dying to try to replicate as soon as I return to my Le Creuset pot and a good source of oxtail.
If you need your curry on the go you can pick up a curry doughnut from a bakery!

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Yakitori

Yakitori literally translates as grilled chicken but it’s so much more – skewers of all kinds – meat, fish and vegetables.

20140626-110057-39657656.jpgThe open kitchen in a yakitori izakaya, grilled chicken and skewered prawns

Okonomiyaki

A specialty from Osaka and Hiroshima which have different styles. We tried the Hiroshima version – pancakes, cabbage, noodles, sauce, fillings (mixed seafood and oysters in the ones we had) are piled high and served on a hotplate.

Andrew waiting to eat okonomiyakiAndrew anticipating tucking into okonomiyaki in Hiroshima

Soy

Products made from soybeans permeate Japanese cuisine. Soy sauce is used as a seasoning and a dipping sauce for sushi and sashimi, edamame or soybeans cooked in the pod are a common and tasty beer snack or starter, tofu of various kinds fills the supermarket chiller section which would be devoted to cheese back home, a bowl of miso soup is included as part of every set meal and natto, or fermented soybeans, are eaten as a breakfast food.

20140626-112935-41375213.jpgClockwise from top left: Edamame; a cube of tofu as part of a set meal; slimy natto is a taste we didn’t manage to acquire; a different kind of tofu as a topping for noodle soup

Regional specialties

Despite the ubiquitous nature of much of Japanese cuisine, each region still has specialties which it is very proud of. From okonomiyaki in Hiroshima to lots of foreign influences in Nagasaki, different kinds of noodle dishes everywhere, and fresh peaches in Okayama.

20140712-155655-57415990.jpgRegional specialities (clockwise from top left): gohei mochi from the Nagano and Gifu regions of central Japan is a cake made from pounded rice, coated in a sweet nutty sauce and cooked over a charcoal grill; champon is a noodle dish from Nagasaki, its glutinous sauce and bamboo shoots betrayed its Chinese influenced origins; Kakuni Manju, tender roast belly pork in a steamed bun is another Nagasaki specialty from its Chinese immigrants; the area around Kagoshima in southern Kyushu is known for the quality of its ‘black’ pork (from the local black-skinned pigs)

Vegetables

For all its reputation as a very healthy cuisine we’ve found Japanese food to be very lacking in vegetables (restaurant food anyway) with the exception of the many varieties of pickled vegetables, a small dish of which accompanies every meal. The most common is some form of daikon radish, the enormous Japanese radish that is more like the size and shape of a giant white carrot. The only exception seems to be tonkatsu meals which are served with half a plate of shredded white cabbage only just made palatable by the addition of some sesame oil dressing.

20140713-064243-24163234.jpgA typical small plate of pickled vegetables

Bento boxes

When we weren’t eating rice triangles for lunch a good option was to buy a bento box from the supermarket or convenience store. A mini feast, it will have a good portion of rice, some pickled vegetables and some form of protein, maybe a piece of salmon or katsu pork or prawns or a square of omelette or some combination of these. Then you’ll have a little sachet of soy sauce, and disposable chopsticks and a wet wipe from the cashier, and you’re all set for a picnic!

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Baked goods and sweets

Breads tend to be soft, sweet and white with the exception of the expensive European style breads from upmarket bakeries that we gorged ourselves on in Tokyo. Similarly, cakes are usually extremely light and wispy in texture with extra sweet icing. We became obsessed with finding the small pancakes sandwiched together with margarine and super sugary syrup from the 7-11 convenience stores – just as trashy as they sound but completely addictive.

More traditional Japanese ‘sweets’ are often not actually very sweet. Mochi, made from pounded rice, are shaped into small balls with a variety of flavourings. Green tea is used as a flavouring more often than it ought to be in my opinion… Red beans, aduki beans cooked until very soft and gloopy, are also a frequently used ingredient.

20140713-063938-23978490.jpgClockwise from top left: sweet and light cakes; a mochi filled pancake; toasted white bread with coffee was a standard hostel breakfast; convenience store pancake sandwiches

Drinks

Nearly every time we sat down in a restaurant or cafe we were automatically given a glass of iced water which is a really nice touch especially if you’ve been out and about on your feet all day. Occasionally it was a cup of hot or, more often, iced tea also without charge and with as many refills as we wanted. About half of the time it was green tea, and half of the time a brown coloured beverage which we found to be vaguely reminiscent of buckwheat. I think that this was made from roasted barley, but we definitely tried a version made from roasted soybeans too.

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Beer was the most common form of alcohol that we drank. Due to some kind of strange tax loophole, the main breweries also produce something which is called malt drink. This more or less tastes like lager, and has a similar alcoholic content, but because it doesn’t contain hops it is around a third cheaper, so that was our carry-out drink of choice most of the time. And no trip to Japan would be complete without some sake (rice wine) drinking. We also tried its cousin, shochu, a spirit made from sweet potato, which tastes more like vodka. It was especially common in the far south of Kyushu with local varieties available in both Kagoshima and Yakushima.

20140501-183727.jpgTasting sake at a brewery in Takayama