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Torikatsu Chicken – Best Chicken Cutlet in Japan (Shibuya, Tokyo)

ゆん — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 10:14:32 +0000

Are you looking for reasonable and great local restaurants in Tokyo? Then, you should try Torikatsu Chicken in Shibuya. For a Japanese who has lived in Tokyo for more than 30 years, this restaurant is a favorite of mine and I have been there many times.

Located a 6-minute walk from the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, it is a convenient place to stop by while sightseeing.

The restaurant opened in 1977, and it has a retro Japanese atmosphere with a sense of history.

Torikatsu Chicken specializes in cutlets – deep fried meat and vegetables. It offers Teishoku menu, the classic Japanese set meal comes with the main, miso soup and rice. For the main, you can pick and mix from 11 meat and vegetable cutlet options such as chicken, pork, ham, squid, croquette, egg plant, onion etc.

The pricing is simple: The set menu with two cutlets is ¥800, three is ¥1,000 and four is ¥1,250. There are lots of customers from other countries and it has English menu, so you don’t need to worry.

The most recommended choice is the chicken cutlet, which is also the name of the restaurant. I always choose two of the chicken cutlets and sometimes add a croquette. The sauce and mustard go well with cutlets. They are best eaten with rice! And don’t forget to try the free pickles, they are great too.

The restaurant doesn’t take reservations and sometimes there is a line. Turnover is fast, so wait times are relatively short.

Torikatsu Chicken

Hours: Mon 11am-3pm / Tue-Sat 11am-8pm

Tel: +81 3-3461-0298

Address: Miyakoji Bldg 2F2-16-19 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-kuTokyo

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Beautiful Rainbow Latte You Should Try in Tokyo

ゆん — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 05:46:08 +0000

Tokyo has a lots of unique and photogenic cafes, so If you are visiting there, you should definitely try some of them. And one of your choices should be “ROAR COFFEE”.

ROAR COFFEE Tokyo Ginza

“ROAR COFFEE Tokyo Ginza”, which just opened in 2024, roasts its own carefully selected beans from around the world and offers high quality coffee drinks.

Though it’s very new, it is widely known by not only local Japanese but also by travelers from all over the world. English menu is available, so you don’t need to worry. It’s located near the major shopping street in Ginza, so it is convenient to stop by while shopping.

Rainbow latte art you must try

One of their specialities is “Rainbow Latte Art” (¥720-). They make unique beautiful rainbow lattes with the coffee beans and flavors you choose. The flavors available are the normal caffe latte, raspberry white mocha, honey latte and salted caramel latte. You can also choose the background color of your latte; brown, white and black.

How beautiful! If you choose white, it is made with form milk, so you will add the espresso by yourself.

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For the gym person

If you are a gym person, there are also protein drinks for you! You can choose either chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.

Something to fill your stomach

There is also a wide selection of hot sandwiches, toast, ice cream, and other desserts. My favorite is the hot sandwich of prosciutto, truffle butter and half-boiled egg (¥750).

The melting texture of the half-boiled egg and the softly fragrant truffle are so good!

ROAR COFFEE Tokyo Ginza

Hours: 8:00 – 18:30

Tel: +81-3-6264-0451

Address: 3-12-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo-to 104-0061

Web: ROAR COFFEE

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In-N-Out Burger opened a one-day pop-up in Tokyo 2024

ゆん — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:53:53 +0000

On June 15, In-N-Out Burger, one of the most popular hamburger chains in the world from the United States, opened a one-day pop-up store in Tokyo, Japan.

Burgers sold out one hour before opening

In-N-Out Burger is a hamburger chain with locations in only a limited number of states in the U.S. and is loved by people all over the world.

The popularity of the event was the same in Japan, and despite the short notice, many people gathered on the day of the event, waiting up to seven hours.

I used to eat it almost every week when I lived in California, so it has fond memories for me. It is rare that I get a chance to have that taste in Japan, so I took the opportunity to participate in the event.

June 13 (2 days before)

Suddenly, TimeOut reports the news of In-N-Out Burger’s pop-up in Japan.

In-N-Out Burger is opening a one-day pop-up in Tokyo this weekend (TimeOut)

The only information in the article was that “In-N-Out Burger will have a pop-up at a restaurant called RIDE in Tennozu Isle on Saturday, June 15 from 10 AM to 4 PM.

The article was saying, “In-N-Out Burger’s official facebook account advertised that content,” but when I went to the facebook page, I could not find that content. I wondered if there really was a pop-up… I was skeptical.

June 14 (1 day before)

The next day, information about the pop-up began to spread on X as well.

明日In-N-Outが日本に1日限定のポップアップを行うらしい。 pic.twitter.com/ursRnIvP1c
— Tetsuro Miyatake (@tmiyatake1) June 14, 2024

June 15 (On that day)

6:10　I found some posts on X from people who were already in line.

I was convinced that there was indeed going to be the event and decided to get ready and head there.

8:05　Arrived at RIDE restaurant in Tennozu Isle, the venue for the pop-up store.

I received a wristband, which served as a numbered ticket, and a novelty key chain, and head to the end of the line.

There were already around 300 people in line, many wearing In-N-Out T-shirts, hats, bags, and other goods. It seemed that there were many people from many countries.

9:00ish　All the 800 numbered tickets gone

At a little past 9:00 AM, one hour before the store was scheduled to open, all the 800 numbered tickets had already been distributed. A “Closed” sign was posted even though the store had not yet opened.

9:15　The store opened 45 minutes ahead of schedule.

The store opened ahead of schedule and the line began to move little by little.

13:10　I made it right up to the entrance.

13:20　Inside the store, finally!!

Finally, it was my turn to enter the store.

First, we ordered at the casher. Each person was limited to one hamburger. Unfortunately, there were no potato fries, and they served potato chips, instead.

As of 13:20, unfortunately, the T-shirts were sold out (they were probably available until around 13:00), and only caps were available.

However, they gave us the paper hats and stickers for free!

It was exciting to see the In-N-Out-ish decoration inside!

13:30　Burgers were served!!!

10 minutes after ordering, the burgers were served! After waiting in line for five and a half hours since this morning… Finally, the time had come.

Ah, this taste! I felt the bun was a little different from the one in the U.S., but the taste was satisfying enough.

It was a strange feeling to eat the burger in Japan…. I am usually satisfied with a regular cheeseburger, but I finished the animal-style double-double in one sitting!

How I felt for the In-N-Out Burger pop-up

The burger was of course very delicious at the In-N-Out Burger pop-up in Tokyo, but there were some things that I felt differently about, such as the lack of animal-style fries, etc., which made me more keen to go to the local In-N-Out Burger.

It was also quite tough, as we waited for a total of 5.5 hours, starting 2 hours before opening…. I heard that there were some people further back who waited for 7 hours.

On the other hand, it was fun to feel the enthusiasm from the In-N-Out fans. It was fun to see many people wearing In-N-Out goodies, making me feel like we were at a live concert.

When will the next In-N-Out pop-up be?

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Nagaoka Fireworks: What to bring and how to access

ゆん — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:54:08 +0000

The Nagaoka Fireworks Festival is one of three major fireworks festivals in Japan, attracting more than 1 million visitors each year.

In this article, I will introduce what to bring and how to access to the venue.

What to bring

Since the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival attracts a large number of visitors, it is difficult to rush to prepare what you need on the spot, so make sure you are well prepared. Here are some things you will need on the day of the event and things that are useful to have with you.

Ticket

What you MUST have it the tickets. If you have paper tickets, make sure you won’t forget them.

Picnic sheet (Packing tape & Cussion)

Some venues do not have chairs and you need to bring your own picnic sheets. Check in advance whether you will need one to be prepared.

Placing stones or other objects to hold the sheets is prohibited. Bring along packing tape to hold it. In addition, bringing a cushion will make it more comfortable to watch the fireworks for quite a long time.

Portable power bank

Crowded places will consume cell phone batteries faster than usual. A mobile battery is indispensable so that you can enjoy your visit without worry even if you unexpectedly want to take a lot of photos or videos!

Offical mobile app

There is a official mobile app you can download on your phone. You can easily access the program, venue map, and other information needed on the day of the event, even when you are offline. Since it is difficult to get a signal at the venue, make sure to download it in advance.

Camera & Tripod & Shutter release

If you want to take beautiful pictures of fireworks, I recommend using a camera, tripod, and shutter release. However, the maximum height for a tripod is sitting height. Be sure not to disturb the people around you.

Hat or Parasol

Since you will be walking to the venue and staying outside, I recommend that you take careful precautions against sunburn and heat stroke. Remember to bring a hat or parasol.

Face towel

It is useful to bring a face towel to wipe sweat and for sun protection.

Wet wipes

It would be convenient to bring wet wipes with you for eating at the venue.

Raincoat

It is a good idea to have it with you in case of sudden rain. During the fireworks, umbrellas are not allowed as they will disturb the surroundings.

Screenshots

It is important is to search in advance for information you want to see at the site and take screenshots, such as how to return or how to take good pictures of fireworks, etc.
In many cases, there is no signal inside the venue due to congestion.

List of things to bring

Access on foot from Nagaoka Station

The nearest station for Nagaoka Fireworks Festival vanue is Nagaoka Station, Niigata.

It takes 30 minutes to the venue A from the station, while an hour to the venue B because you have to cross the bridge. Please make sure that you have enough time to get there.

The bridges will be closed for some time, so head there beforehand.

Ne pedestrian traffic time (2023)

Ote Bridge 18:50 〜 22:00
Chosei Bridge 20:00 〜 20:45

Prepare return ticket beforehand

After the event, the way to the Nagaoka station is very crowded, and lines begin to form on the way. It is difficult to purchase a return ticket on the spot, so it is safe to prepare a return ticket in advance.

Reports and tips

Here the article introduces how it is like based on my own experience in 2023.

Nagaoka Fireworks Festival Guide – reports and tips from 2023

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Nagaoka Fireworks Festival Guide – reports and tips from 2023

ゆん — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:06:58 +0000

The Nagaoka Fireworks Festival is one of three major fireworks festivals in Japan, attracting more than 1 million visitors each year.

This article introduces how it is like based on my own experience in 2023.

What is the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival?

The Nagaoka Fireworks Festival’s Grad Fireworks is held at the Shinano River in Niigata on August 2 and 3 each year. This is is one of three major fireworks festivals in Japan, attracting more than 1 million visitors each year. The sky is filled with beautiful fireworks with thoughts of peace.

How to buy the ticket?

To watch the Nagaoka Fireworks inside the venue, you must purchase the tickets online during the following periods.

For international visitors (Non-residents of Japan) ONLY

May 27 – June 6, 2024 (first-come-first-served basis)

For all the visitors

May 27 – June 6, 2024 (by lottery)

June 27 – July 12 (first-come-first-served basis) *If there are seats left.

During July (first-come-first-served basis) *If there are seats left.

Please find more details on their website.

Last year we were not selected for the photographer seats in the lottery during the general sales last May, and purchased tickets for the athletic field seats in June. The ticket was 2,000 per person in 2023 (4,000 yen in 2024).

How the day was like

For the 2023 Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, the show started at 7:20 pm, and admission to the venue began at 3:00 pm. We came from Tokyo on Thursday, August 3 to see the fireworks, and stayed in Niigata for one night.

Here, I will introduce how the day was like hoping that you will find them helpful in planning your day.

2:16 pm　Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagaoka

We took the Shinkansen at 2:16 pm to head to Nagaoka. Some people were already waring yukata! We arrived a little early, but it was quite a good timing to have some time to enjoy food and drinks around before the fireworks.

3:51 pm　Arrived at Nagaoka station

Nagaoka station was already filled with people.

It takes 30 minutes to the venue A from the station, while an hour to the venue B because you have to cross the bridge. Please make sure that you have enough time to get there.

4:00 pm　Enjoy food stalls

On the way to the venue, there were many food stalls. It was fun to stop by and eat and drink on the way.

Especially, City Hall Plaza Aore Nagaoka, a five-minute walk from the station, has lots of stalls and it was a good place to enjoy.

You could also buy the event T-shirts.

Even after City Hall, you could find many stalls selling fried chicken, yakisoba (fried noodles), and pizza etc. You could easily buy food and drinks, so you don’t need to bring them all the way.

4:30 pm　Arrived around venue A

After working for about 30 minutes, we arrived at the area around venue A. Venue B is across the bridge, so it takes another 30 minutes. There is no shade, so you had better bring your hat and parasol.

5:00 pm　Arrived at our seats at venue B

After 1 hour walk, we finally arrived at our athletic field seats.

Inside the athletic field, we could seat anywhere. Each person was given a 1.5 square meter area to seat. At 5 pm, the back row was quite filling up, but there was still plenty of space to choose. Basically, you can see the whole fireworks from anywhere in the field, so there was no need to go early to get a spot.

5:15 pm　IEON Nagaoka

After securing our space, we went to the AEON Nagaoka store, a 6-minute walk away. There were lots of food stalls there too.

You could also buy a variety of food and alcoholic beverages in the AEON.

There was food coart, where people could eat and relax.

Here in the food court, there is a shop called “Friend,” which serves Niigata’s soul food called “Italian.”

This “Italian” doesn’t mean food from Italy, but yakisoba (fried noodles) with meat sauce. Thick noodles are covered with a generous amount of meat sauce, with bean sprouts, cabbage, and corn. It is a taste of immorality!

There are a lot of restrooms, but there was long line, so it’s better to go earlier.

Also, cell phone reception is bad due to the crowd, it would be better to decide where to meet up with your family and friends in case you become separated.

7:00 pm　Back to the venue

We returned to the venue at 7 pm for the 7:20 start of the show. The sunset was just beautiful!

We set up the tripod and got ready for the pictures.

7:20 pm　Fireworks started!!!

Here are some of the views from the seat of the athletic field at venue B. You could also watch the videos here.

The fireworks was huge and more powerful than I had imagined!

9:40 pm　Out of the venue

The program ended at 9:15 pm and we went out of the venue. The nearby Ote Bridge was closed until 10 pm, so we had to wait.

The bridge opend exactly 10 pm and we headed to the station.

10:40 pm　Arrived at Nagaoka station

It was not so crowded, and it took only 40 minutes to the station.

Around the station, there was traffic controls. It is better to buy the train ticket beforehand for a smooth ride.

10:48 pm　Shinkansen

Things went smoothly and we were able to board the Shinkansen at 10:48 pm. There were several extra trains for the day, so it was no crowded and we could even get the seats.

11:20 pm　Arrived at Niigata station

The train departed at 10:59 pm and arrived safely at Niigata station at 11:20 pm. We got to Juraku Stay Niigata Hotel by 11:30 and were able to take a good rest!

Nagaoka Fireworks Video

Here are videos of the 2023 Nagaoka Fireworks festival, taken from the Athletic Field, Venue B.

My impression

I expected crowds and chaos since this is a big event that attracts 1 million visitors, but it was surprisingly pleasant throughout.

Different from fireworks shows in Tokyo, all seats require tickets, so there was no need to save spots from early in the morning, and operations were very well organized, making the event stress-free experience!

The fireworks was so large that sometimes I couldn’t capture the whole within my sights, which was breathtaking, and it was the most impressive fireworks in my life.

Tips to enjoy Nagaoka Fireworks

Here are some tips for enjoying the Nagaoka Fireworks that I actually felt from my experience.

1. Book your hotel beforehand

Hotels in the Nagaoka and Niigata area are booked up early. Make your reservations as early as possible.

2. Book your Shinkansen ticket beforehand

It is recommended that you purchase a reserved seat on the Shinkansen ticket to Nagaoka before it sells out.

For your return ticket, purchase a non-reserved seat beforehand. On the way back to the station, it is quite difficult to buy ones because of the crowd.

3. Note that the mobile signal might not be received

Around the venue, you will likely lose cell phone reception due to the crowds. I recommend that you decide on a meeting place in case you get separated. Also, be sure to take screenshots of any information you need beforehand, such as how to return or how to take good pictures of fireworks, etc.

4. Check what to bring in advance

It is better to prepare necessary belongings in advance so that you won’t forget anything. Some seats require you to bring a plastic sheet by yourself, so check your sheet and be prepared.

Nagaoka Fireworks: What to bring and how to access

Read in detail

Hope the information is helpful, and you will have a great day at Nagaoka Fireworks Festival!

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