Observations of Living on an Island and Related Good Eats

I'm learning the longer I'm in Japan that places here are often associated with a regional specialty in a way that makes it definitive of the place.  I've heard repeatively phrases like " insert name of place is known or very famous for ..."  or "you must try blank while your in..."   My working hunch that this kind of associating has something to do with a nation/culture built of a series of islands.

So what better way to test the truth of claims than to sample them myself.  With friend Bret and Angelina as guides, Eddy and I headed south to nearby Kochi in search of famous knives and fish.   The day began on a screamingly gorgeous fall day at the Sunday market where we found stall after stall of loveliness.

Ladies in aprons and sweet displays.

Giant shitake.

More giants, this time diakon (please use the woman's arm for scale reference.)

For lunch we checked the 'fish' off our to-do list with a sublime meal of katsuo no tataki, flame-seared mackerel.  The fish was paired with thinly sliced raw garlic and dishes of soy sauce, fresh ponzu juice, and coarse sea salt.   It was achingly delicious; sweet, smoked and oh so, buttery.


Up on a hill Kochi Castle which reminded me of the first time I saw castles along the Rhine in Germany.  Sheesh, I mean these places really exist?

 

Grannies in Japan rock the sweetest helmets.

 My treasures from Kochi:

A beautiful bottle of fresh yuzu juice and a bag of gingko nuts.
The lady who sold me the juice was a peach, she gifted me with few fresh yuzu . 

Tiny saucers for side dishes and pickles.

Finally my own piece of famed Kochi steel and friend whetstone.

I just love the graphic simplicity.

After coming home I can't say that I came to any real conclusions regarding my theory. But what I did find was edible treasures that exceeded my expectations and meal worth remembering. Big thanks Angelina and Bret for showing us the south side of our little island.