Yamanashi Day Trip (Part 1) Kitaguchi Hongu Sengen Jinja and Arakura Fuji Sengen Jinja / 山梨日帰り旅行 （パート１）北口本宮 浅間神社と新倉富士浅間神社

On a weekend back in September, my wife and I along with our usual travel partners Yukio and Reiko went on a day trip to Yamanashi Prefecture. Our main goal was to check out a shrine that was used as a model for a "Frog Shrine" in a drama that my wife and I had watched. Also, as we were going to be in Yamanashi Prefecture, we were looking forward to eating houtou for lunch.

享年の９月の休日僕と妻といつものの旅仲間の幸男と玲子は日帰りで山梨県に出かけました。一番の目的地はドラマ”ど根性ガエル”でカエル神社がモデルになった神社。あと山梨県と言えばほうどうでしょう。

But first we stopped by the Michi no Eki Fujiyoshida (roadside station, similar to a service area) and I saw the Mount Fuji Radar Dome. However we did not go visit the place.

最初に止まったのは富士吉田の道の駅。そこから富士レーダードーム館が見えたけどそこは寄ってません。

A man was walking his pet turtles at the michi no eki.

道の駅で一人のおじさんがペットの亀を散歩させてた。

Our next stop was Kitaguchi Hongu Sengen Jinja. It is also the location of the Yoshidaguchi climbing trail of Mount Fuji.

次の目的地は北口本宮浅間神社。この神社から富士山登山の吉田口です。

Me, my wife and Reiko at the entrance of Sengen Jinja.

僕と僕の妻と友達の玲子。

Sengen Jinja entrance / 浅間神社の参道

This is still a gate before the main shrine.

本堂の前にこの門を通る。

Hand purifying basin / 手水舎

Hondo / 本堂

Mikoshi (portable shrine) / 神輿

Kitaguchi Hongu Sengen Jinja seal / 北口本宮浅間神社御朱印

The next shrine we went to, we had to climb up quite a few stairs.

次お参りした神社は結構階段を上りました。

This is Arakura Fuji Sengen Jinja. This is the main shrine but the buildings and area used in the television drama is located further up the mountain.

ここは新倉富士浅間神社の本堂。テレビドラマで使われた建物はもっと山の上。

Hand purifying basin / 手水舎

On a clear day you can see Mount Fuji.

晴れた日に富士山が見える。

Prayer boards / 絵馬

You can see masks of demons on top of this shrine.

この神社の屋根に鬼が居る。

More stairs.

また階段だ。

Looking back after climbing the stairs.

階段を登ったあと、振り向いた眺め。

I believe that is the town of Fujiyoshida.

富士吉田の街だ。

Yukio taking a break by the five-storied pagoda.

五重塔のところで幸男が一旦休憩。

And now for the long walk back to the car.

さて、山から下りて車に戻る。

Arakura Fuji Sengen Jinja Seal / 新倉富士浅間神社の御朱印

It was time to go in search of lunch. We had already decided that we would have houtou which is a regional Yamanashi dish made by stewing flat udon noodles and vegetables in miso soup. We have already decided on which houtou shop to go to as well. A place called Houtou Fudo.

これからは昼食の時間。山梨県に来てるからほうとうを食べに行くのはもう決めてた。店も決定してます。ほうとう不動に行く予定。

Cafe Mamehiko Covivu / カフェマメヒコ 「コーヴァイヴ」

Back in my old neighborhood in Tokyo, in Sangenjaya, there is a cafe called Mamehiko. And next door to the cafe is Cafe Mamehiko Covivu which is more like a small shop selling coffee beans, bread and other snacks. They also have a few deli items on the menu as well which is why I came here.

元近所の三軒茶屋にカフェマメヒコというカフェがあります。そのカフェの隣にカフェマメヒココヴィーヴがあります。パンや珈琲とスナックが売ってる小さな店。デリメニューもあり、僕はその目的で店に入りました。

You can find the cat logo on almost all the merchandise.

猫のロゴは可愛い。

Not quite as good as the sandwiches at Picnic! Ago! Go! but still pretty tasty.

個人的にはピックにっくアゴーゴーのサンドウィッチのほうが好きけどこれも悪くなかった。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Yakiton [Asa-chan] / やきとん 「あさちゃん」

In March, our nephew moved into his new apartment in Oyama, a few stations away from Ikebukuro in Itabashi Ward. Now that he was settled in, we once again went to visit and had lunch with him. Close to his apartment is a really large shotengai called Happy Road which we also explored.

三月に甥っ子が完全に東京生活が始まったので、住む場所を決めたのは板橋区の大山。池袋から結構近い。ハッピーロードという有名な商店街もあり、場所的には良い。私たちもまた大山のほうに行ってまた甥っ子と一緒にランチ食べにに行った。

Happy Road / ハッピーロード商店街

We might have to come here for some ice cream some time.

いずれはここでアイス食べに行こうと思った。

Tobu Tojo Line / 東武東上線

This time around, we picked a shop called [Asa-chan] for lunch. It is not a yakitori place but a yakiton (grilled pork) restaurant.

今回ランチに選んだ飲食店はやきとんの店「あさちゃん」。

Beer for starters!

ビールから乾杯！

This may be a yakiton place but they have yakitori on the menu as well.

やきとんがメインですがメニューにやきとりもあります。

As you can see, we ordered a few other dishes as well.

見れべわかりますが、やきとんとやきとり以外の物も注文しました。

I love these roasted garlic skewers.

個人的ににんにくが大好き。

Yep, I think we ate quite a bit on this day.

結構食べたみたいね。

Public art

Walking the other end of Happy Road after lunch.

食べたあとにハッピーロードの反対側に歩いた。

Ooh, another burger shop to check out in the future.

おう、また新しいバーガーショップを発見。

Another place to check out as well the next time we're in this neighborhood.

あっ、また大山に来たら気になる店がいっぱい。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Home-cooked Korean cuisine and bar [Kantaro] / 手作り韓国料理＆酒場 「韓太郎」

About a month before our nephew was moving to Tokyo, he and my mother-in-law were in town to find an apartment before starting work. After all those preliminaries were done, it was lunch time and we decided on a Korean place in Ikebukuro called [Kantaro].

甥っ子が東京に引っ越す為に２月も一度来ました。その時うちの義理の母も青森から東京に来て、甥っ子のアパートの手続き等を行いまして、そのごは４人で昼食を食べに行った。選んだ店池袋にある手作り韓国料理＆酒場「韓太郎」。

My mother-in-law coming out of the restaurant.

僕の義理の母だ。

Starting off with some beer before the meal.

食べ物が来る前にビールで乾杯。

Can't go wrong with samgyeopsal!

サムギョプサルはいつも大歓迎だ！

And the samgyetang is quite delicious too.

サムゲタンも結構美味しいですよ。

Me and my nephew Ryo / 僕と甥っ子の涼くん

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！