Latest issue is on sale now

The latest issue of Jiyujin is on sale now.
This issue features fish. Good fish restaurants at fish markets and fishing ports, Tsukiji, cooking recipes etc.

Nearly 40 restaurants are featured from Hokkaido to Kyushu, which will be helpful for one day trip.


Tsukiji, the biggest fish market in Japan, is introduced with detailed information for visitors.
12 brokers who could (possibly) sell individuals small portion of fish, 13 sushi restaurants and other good fish restaurants favoured by frequenters, calender of seasonal fishes...

The cooking recipes part is useful when we get fresh fish from the market. Preliminaries, how to choose cooking tools and seasonings, fish recipes are taught by Michelin starred restaurants chefs.



These recipes seem professional but easy! Good for beginners!

A Visit to Ninja Towns

Ninjas are legendary warriors in Japan, who were skilled in various extraordinary martial arts.

Although many of real ninja's legends are not known even to the Japanese, the image of their contumes and performance has now become very popular not only within Japan.

Personally, the phrase of "ninja" just reminded me of "Hattori-kun", an anime character, and I did not really know about real (?) ninja, before we picked up this theme in our latest issue...

In the new issue of Jiyujin,Iga and Koka, the birth places of two major ninja schools, are visited to learn about the secrets of ninja; the history, their weapons and tools, tactics, costumes, trics of the ninja house and so on.

Introducing ninja weapons and tools

The special feature is the ninja tactics (nin-jutsu).
Here, a profesional ninja performer Mr. Kuroi (a disciple of the 21st master of Koka-school Ban Sect) introduces some of the basic tactics.

The introduction of ninja tactics(left) and trics of ninja house(right)

It could be useful sometime in my daily life!!?

January Snow Report

This winter's snowfall in Uonuma is far less than that of average years.

We normally have more than 1 meter depth of snow in January, but the depth is about 30 centimeters now!

It's good for daily life as we don't have to care about cleaning snows on the roads, which helps us to drive safely, and we don't need so much heatings.

But actually it's a little dissapointing, especially for winter sports lovers...

Jan 5
We had some snow during the new year's holiday, but

Jan 8
it melted next week.

Jan 11
It snowed a little again.
Enough snow on mountains for skiing.

Jan 12
Now roads are covered with snow.

Jan 19
It's gone again.

Jan 27
Sunny!

Jan 28
Now the snow is about 30 centimeter deep (or less).

New issue is coming soon!

We just completed the new issue of Jiyujin!
For a while, I was occupied by editing, too busy to blog (bad excuse, I'm sorry...)




The coming issue focuses on historic towns in Japan. From Hokkaido to Kyushu, old castles to ancient roads... Lots of fascinating places are visited.

What I like the best is Ninja's town; Iga and Koka...
But the detail will be next time.

It will be on sale on Jan 26!

Santa Claus has come!

Yesterday some Santa Clauses came to our office.


A little bit hasty, though.

I chose the one with very cute strawberry cap, topped with whipped cream, whose body was filled with strawberry flavoured pudding (right).

Wish you happy Christmas!

Hot Springs Encyclopedia

After the first snow, we had little snow and the blanket of snow has gone.

But still it's winter and I can't be away from the heating... A good season to visit hot springs now.

The other day Jiyujin's extra number, Onsen Zukan (Hot Springs Encyclopedia) , was released.
This issue features "Nigoriyu," a type of hot springs with clundy colour.

"The Secrets of Cloudy Colours of Hot Springs"

There are great variety of hot springs in Japan.
Different smells, tastes, temperatures, benefits for the human body...
Colours, or visual effects, are also valued, as Japanese people enjoy hot springs by bathing.


The variety of colour is amazing.
White, brown, green, gray, blue, black.....
These waters are not trasparent but cloudy, whitish, mysterious colour.

Gray? Blue?
Colours often change day by day

I like blue ones. Isn't this colour like a mixture of the sky and clouds?

Michelin-starred chef's choice

Last spring we had a guest from Michelin's three-starred Japanese restaurant "Kanda."
Chef Hiroyuki Kanda visited Uonuma, seeking for "the best rice in Japan" to serve in his restaurant.

Chef Kanda studies in the field

Uonuma is well-known for good Koshihikari rice. But the area which produces "Uonuma Koshihikari" is vast and the tasted of rice differs by fields because of natural conditions.

He met three producers we recommended, visited their rice fields, and tasted the rice. Consequently, he chose the rice produced by Mr. Kiyoshi Suzuki (Kiyoshi-san), saying

"It was moving. The taste was just like Kiyoshi-san, clear, straight..."

Kiyoshi-san with his wife

Last week, we had a good news from the Michelin. Kanda won the Michelin's three stars this year again.

Congratulations!!

Kanda in Moto-Azabu, Tokyo