Ginormous Haul of 24 Japanese Snack Foods

I had hilariously ridiculous task of using up some food vouchers at the airport food court before we boarded our flight in Japan. It felt like an episode of Supermarket Sweep and it proved more challenging than I anticipated:

1. I had about 10 minutes to use up about 4,500 in yen before the flight boarded, it's about $45
2. It was a use it or lose type deal
3. Everything at this food court was very reasonably priced [no price gouging here] which actually made the task of spending all our vouchers even harder. Most items were about 126 yen with a few high roller items topping out at 350 yen
4. None of us were hungry so I couldn't buy like a meal or something more expensive like alcohol
5. I had to be able to haul it onto the plane so heavy beverages were out of the question

I filled up my basket with anything that looked interesting and I actually came in a little over my budget so I took two boxes of caramels out and clocked in at 4,476 yen. Not too shabby.

I've displayed my haul on a wee little table to welcome Adam when he arrives in two days. I've tried to "sell" some snacks to my family, but so far no takers. Here's the breakdown starting from 12 o'clock:

1. Bag of little bags of little round biscuits
2. Green tea Pocky Crush
3. Vanilla ice cream flavored Combo type cookie
4. Strawberry gummies
5. Milk candies
6. Grape gummies
7. Green tea Milky candies
8. Orange gummies
9. Apple gummies
10. Green tea Kit Kats
11. Seaweed flecked cookies
12. Green tea mochi chocolates
13. Green tea biscuits
14. Dark chocolate Pocky
15. Pretz stick crackers
16. Milk chocolate Pocky
17. Another type of Pretz crackers
18. Variety pack of yokan bean dessert
19. Corn caramels
20. Strawberry caramels
21. Melon caramels
22. Grape caramels
23. Caramels with a drawing of a cow on the box
24. Another box of caramels with a drawing of a cow on the box

"Covert" photos from dinner at Sushizen

We went to this one sushi restaurant twice this visit. The first time, the sushi bar was so hushed and reverent in atmosphere, I was reluctant to jeopardize my first dinner by taking photos. Day two, I snagged a spot next to the wall and was shielded by my family so I covertly snapped some pics when the chef was making trips back and forth to his old timey ice box. They actually built an old fashioned ice box to hold the fish and better regulate the temperature so it doesn't get too icy or dry.

I waited for the sushi chef to abandon his post

Some sort of chewier fin section of some sort of fish...I forget

This Uni [sea urchin] photo is upside down, but I did enjoy this "very delicious" fresh uni right side down

Fresh seasonal corn fried fritter

Lightly broiled Toro [fatty tuna]

Aji [Fish] had good aji [flavor]: I'm making up jokes that mostly amuse me

Scallop

King Salmon in a sauce with scallion and ginger

I got bolder and took a not so secret photo when he started beheading the live sweet shrimp. I swear the shrimp kept moving for a good 3 minutes after beheading

Freshly beheaded Ama Ebi [fresh sweet shrimp]

King Salmon Roe

Fatty Tuna, Shiso plus some sort of pickle maki. This one was actually one of my favorites, the flavor combo was unexpectedly "very delicious"

Tamago Yaki [Egg Cake] was super light and fluffy like cake

I can't remember what the heck this was, but it was [of course] "very delicious"

Food Halls: Daimaru Department Store

I'm on a mini family get away to Sapporo, Japan, the northernmost island. The abundance of local farms and fresh seafood provides for many things that my relatives would call, "very delicious" and "I think the best one." Whereas Adam and I pursue good food at in intramural / club sport level as weekend warriors, the rest of my family pursues good eating at a world class Olympic level. My "ordering" strategy is simply to say, "I'll have whatever you're having." 

One of my favorite things to do when visiting Japan is to wander around the vast gourmet food halls located in the basement of every department store. The food hall at Daimaru department store is smaller than the ones I've seen in Toyko, but even a "small" food hall is filled to the brim with lots of things to see and even more "very delicious" things to try. I wandered around for a good hour yesterday examining the goods and mourning my tummy space limitations. 

Cakes cakes cakes

Strawberry cake expertly packed to withstand a giant earthquake or the commute home. I've never seen so much packaging for one slice of cake that cost $3. 

Paper bag

Cardboard box

2 napkins wrapped individually in plastic

1 plastic fork

1 pack dry ice

1 cardboard divider to prevent cake from moving around in the box

and finally...

1 slice of Strawberry Cake

Wish I could buy one and just attack it with a giant fork

Carefully cultivated watermelons displayed like precious babies

Ginormous seedless black globe grapes

Some dim sum takeaway

Freshly fried fishcakes chock full of local seafood. This was "very delicious"

Zvy Dority would freak out over this display of her favorite food...rice and seaweed

Fried cutlet lunch boxes

Strawberry and whipped cream sandwich? It would be even better if they replaced the bread with cake.