Enjoying Edo

We have had gloriously beautiful weather so far this week. Squirrel likes to go outside an walk around. She doesn’t appear to have any specific agenda except walking. No destination, nothing she’s particularly interested in, just walking.

She did show an interest in some flowers this afternoon though.

Yesterday I went with some friends to a fabulous museum, the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Edo was the former name of Tokyo. The Edo period is a period of Japanese history going from 1603 to 1868. The museum was built to preserve the history of this period. If you ever have some extra time in Tokyo and have any interest in Japanese history, this museum is worth a visit. They have wonderful recreations of what Edo was like during those years, such as part of the Nihonbashi bridge and a fullsize kabuki stage.

A living room.

Emergency fire equipment.

Trying out an Edo style kitchen.

The museum is very dark, to help preserve the artificats inside, which didn’t lend itself to good photographs.

Oh well, guess you’ll just have to come see it for yourself!

After going through the museum we went up to the 7th floor to one of the restaurants many restaurants, called the Gohan-ya “Sumidagawa”. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the produce used at the restaurant all comes from sources within Japan, a rarity in a country that has to rely heavily on imports because of the scarcity of farmland. The prices at the restaurant were fantastic (lunch in Japan is usually very affordable, unlike dinner). I ordered a negitoro don set.

Negitoro don is a bowl of rice topped with finely chopped toro (tuna with the highest fat content, used often in sushi) and thinly sliced scallions. This was accompanied by a bowl of miso soup, several slices of tofu in a soy based sauce, and some tsukemono (Japanese pickles). I also had a small side order of tororo (a paste made from Japanese yams) (which you can see in the picture below–it is the white stuff with green bits in it in the bowl at the bottom right of the picture). Everything was delicious.
A couple of my friends ordered the tendon (a tempura over rice–no, not that tendon), which also looked fabulous. They reported that it was light and crispy like it should be.

The restaurant not only had good food, but pleasant staff as well. I would definitely go again.

{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }

Bobbi March 12, 2008 at 6:14 am: No fair to make me so hungry first thing in the morning. I wonder how Miso would be for breakfast? Squirrel looks like she was having fun.

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Phoe March 12, 2008 at 7:23 am: Now I’m hungry.

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Jackie March 12, 2008 at 8:00 am: I always wondered about the name Edo as that was the name of my favorite Japanese fast food mall court place. Now I know! Sounds like the food there was better though…

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gleek March 12, 2008 at 8:14 am: bobbi, miso is AWESOME for breakfast :) traditional japanese breakfasts are soooooo good. i crave them often. god, that food looks great. i’m so hungry now.

that museum looks pretty cool! i wish i could go!

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Melissa Hodgen March 12, 2008 at 11:43 am: Lovvvve squirrels socks!
The museum look fun but do you think Julia Child could make french bread in it?
I too am hungrey now, but would have no idea what to order if I went to Japan unless the menu had picture.
I think I would just keep saying, “Teriaki” and hope they would understand.

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laline March 12, 2008 at 12:09 pm: squirrel is very cute
the museum seem to be really interested i’ll add it to my list of things to do in Tokyo
The lunch seems to be délicieux
i can wait to go in japan and taste allthose delicious things

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mushroommeadows March 12, 2008 at 1:43 pm: Nummy! Everything looks so tasty (especially as I sit here and force myself to eat donuts, cookies, and chips…sad lunch)

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Jen March 13, 2008 at 8:32 am: Your daughter is soooo cute! This was a great way to get me excited for our visit (less than 2 months)

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Enjoying Edo

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