When you think about sushi, the first thing that comes to mind is probably nigiri sushi (握り寿司). Where a piece of sliced seafood, typically raw, is lightly hand-pressed onto a small oblong of vinegared rice.
Another is maki sushi (巻き寿司) that is made by laying out a large piece of nori, pressing down a layer of rice, spreading out ingredients and tightly rolling everything into a cylinder before cutting it into pieces.
There is also gunkan sushi (軍艦巻), that starts with an oval-shaped mound of rice. It’s then encircled by a strip of nori that sticks out at the top, which acts as a vessel to contain slippery ingredients like ikura and uni.
Numerous other types exist beyond the three popular ones above, and we’ve sampled almost all of them. The one that we hadn’t tried before though was temari sushi (手まり寿司). Similar to nigiri sushi but ball-shaped and pressed more tightly.
Apparently, its petite size and easy-to-bite form factor makes it the ideal choice for geishas who don’t want to smudge their makeup. Given that Kyoto is the geisha capital of Japan, it was the best place for us to finally try some.
We didn’t even have to step out of our hotel room to do so, because it was offered as breakfast on alternate mornings. They were pre-made the day before, placed in wooden boxes and stored in our fridge at noon.
The breakfast set comprised eight pieces of temari sushi, an individually-wrapped tea bag and a packet of instant red miso soup.
We had some very nice red miso soup at a fantastic izakaya in Osaka, and I was curious how the freeze-dried version would stack up against its freshly-made counterpart.
After tearing open the wrapper, a dark red, almost sponge-like, block was revealed. I was expecting it to be in powder form, so this came as quite a surprise.
I dumped out the contents into a cup and slowly poured hot water onto it. The chunky brick started gurgling and crumbling as it slowly transformed into a rich broth. A thick, fragrant red miso soup soon emerged, chock full of ingredients.
Enoki mushrooms provided a nice crunch and mizuna helped cut through the heaviness. Strange as it may sound, we even detected hints of pomelo.
The aka miso tasted deep, rich and was even more flavourful than the one we had at the izakaya. Needless to say, it was promptly added to our shopping list.
We took our time and slowly sipped on the umami-laden broth as we waited for the prescribed 30 minutes to allow the temari sushi to warm up to the ideal temperature.
Starting from the top left compartment and going clockwise, there was eel, salmon roe, snow crab, sea bream, conger eel, shrimp & egg, halfbeak and salmon.
Each pretty little piece could easily be popped into the mouth and was a one-biter, regardless of how small your mouth may be.
Similar to nigiri sushi, the rice was seasoned with vinegar, salt and sugar. Though given that they were prepared the day before, the toppings obviously weren’t as fresh.
They still tasted quite nice, and made for a pleasant and light breakfast to start our day. Of the eight, our favourites were the eel and salmon roe.
It’s always fun to try something new, and having kawaii temari sushi for the first time was an interesting experience.
However, we’ll probably stick with our tried-and-tested nigiri, maki and gunkan sushi the next time we find ourselves in a sushiya or izakaya.
Kansai Winter 2024
Heartwarming matcha soba by the old folks of Torikiku
The broth had a clear citrusy note of sudachi that shone through, plus something else that we couldn’t quite identify. Whatever it was, it made the dashi taste extra special.
Katsukura: Sometimes, all you need is some deep-fried pork
Whenever we find ourselves in Japan, our number one pick for crispy and juicy tonkatsu is invariably Katsukura from Kyoto.
Waking up to the smell of freshly-baked bread
The next morning, as dawn approached and sunlight started peeking through the blinds, we were awoken by an enticing and unmistakable scent.
OMO5 Kyoto Gion is great, but not so good on the knees
It’s right in the heart of the historic geisha district and offers a good combination of price, location and size. But if you have bad knees, stay clear of the Double Zashiki Tatami Room.
Catching the Kyo-train Garaku from Osaka to Kyoto
There are many ways to travel between the two cities by train, but the most beautiful and elegant one must surely be the Kyo-train Garaku rapid limited express.
Nihonshu bingo at Yamanaka Sake Ekimaru in Umeda
We were only halfway through our Japan trip, and I had already managed to move my progress bar from 36% to 53%. Crossing the halfway mark felt like a significant milestone.
The complete Club Level experience at Ritz Carlton Osaka
When travelling to a foreign land, hotels are usually just places to spend the night. But sometimes, they can be destinations in their own right.
Ritz Carlton Osaka: Camping out at the Club Lounge for all our meals
I had booked one night in a club level room, which included access to the legendary club lounge. And for the next 24 hours, all our meals were sorted.
Fancy champagne high tea at Ritz Carlton Osaka
Checking into a hotel is typically a mundane affair, except when you book a room with Club Lounge access at the Ritz Carlton in Osaka.
Sushi Sakaba Sashisu was so good, we had to go twice
Whenever hippos get hungry, they sneak off to the nearest izakaya and scarf down some nigiri sushi, together with copious amounts of sake.
The oishii asagohan at Yawaragi in Shinsaibashi
At night, Yawaragi is your typical salaryman izakaya. But at the break of dawn, it transforms into an atypical breakfast spot, famous for tamago dashimaki prepared à la minute.
Going down the gachapon rabbit hole at #C-pla+
I sumimasen-ed my way inside and found a sea of gachapon machines. Wall-to-wall and three storeys high, there must have been hundreds of them packed into that small space.
Supamakettos are tourist attractions too
If Forrest Gump had made a trip to Japan, he probably would have said: “Life is like a supamaketto. You never know what you’re gonna to get.”
Second time lucky scoring the popular Kani Doraku kaniman
Despite the supposed popularity of the buns, there didn’t seem to be a queue. As I got closer, I could see “本日完売” prominently displayed, highlighted in yellow for added effect.
Foraging for food at Kuromon Market, the kitchen of Osaka
Kuromon has gotten a bad rap in recent times, and has been labelled as an over-priced tourist trap. But if you steer clear of the expensive seafood, there are still many value-for-money gems to be found there.
Shabu shabu and sukiyaki for one at Shabuwara Namba
I can see why Shabuwara has such a high rating on Google Maps. It’s especially friendly for solo travelers, since each diner gets their own individual pot.
Design Pocket Osaka makes amazingly lifelike food samples
After having your fill of Japanese street food at Kuromon Market, you can stroll over to Design Pocket and buy plastic versions of the exact same items as souvenirs.
Doteyaki at old-timey Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho
Doteyaki was on our shortlist of local Osaka specialties to sample, and we had somehow serendipitously stumbled upon it.
The giant Tempozan Ferris wheel is actually kinda scary
Standing at 112 metres, it’s equivalent to 42 stories of a typical HDB flat. Putting it into perspective, that’s almost double the height of the building we live in.
Back again at Osaka Kaiyukan for a magical marine adventure
Compared to other aquariums we’ve visited in Singapore, Sydney and Hong Kong, there’s just something extra special about the immersive experience at the Kaiyukan.
