Gunma Trip 2017 - Day 1

This is my first attempt to dig deeper into a single Japanese prefecture on my travel, and I have chosen Gunma because it has one of the top three onsen in Japan. But before going there, the first day I mainly used for the travel from HK and staying in Tokyo to take a rest before driving to Gunma.

Not sure whether because of the recent layoff in Cathay Pacific, I was greeted a couple of times on the flight by the flight attendants. Recalling my experience in the last few trips, when I was simply being ignored all along, it felt much better. But it might also be a bit too late for frequent travelers like me.

Arriving at Narita, we were examined by the customs as in our last few trips. The officer directly asked us why we came to Japan so often. I was at a loss and wanted to say that I wanted to help boost your economy and give you a job but thought it was probably too rude. Anyway after a short search we could leave the hall and went to pick up our car at Toyota Rent A Car.

On the same flight there were about 4-5 groups who also made the reservation but fortunately we came early so we didn't need to wait for registration. But because there were a big group following us, we had to wait for 15 minutes before the staff took us to the shuttle.

After a short ride we arrived at the depot and got our Camry Hybrid. The car was very new and comfortable, after an hour of smooth drive we arrived at the hotel we picked on the night - Hotel Okura Tokyo.

The hotel we were staying was in fact the South Wing Annex, as the original site was now under renovation, to be re-opened in 2019. The lobby was beautifully rendered, grand with a Japanese touch of elegance and luxury. I believe the Annex was much smaller, and after parking and registration, we were shown to our room on the roof top, Penthouse Deluxe Double Room P 320.

The room was very spacious, decorated in modern style with a nice cozy atmosphere. Along the entry was a closet and cabinets, then turning round we saw the large windows looking out to a balcony with plants to make it feel like a garden. There was a large sofa, a double king-sized bed, a dining table looking out to the window, and a writing table at the end. The washroom was also nice and hip.

Since we only had breakfast on the flight and no lunch, we went to the Café Camellia for an afternoon tea. I ordered a Double Espresso and a Club Sandwich, while Ivy went for a Cappuccino and a Mixed Sandwich. The portion was quite generous, with plenty of French fries on the side, so we were very full after eating, and the taste of the sandwich was quite nice also.

Returning to the room for a brief rest, we then took a taxi to Ayumasa in Shinbashi, the restaurant I booked via Pocket Concierge for dinner. It was not that far, taking us about 10 minutes to arrive, and once we entered the staff greeted us by name, and showed us to our private room upstairs.

The restaurant specialized in Shimane cuisine, particularly its sweet fish. The room is cozy and nice, giving us privacy to enjoy the wonderful food. I had pre-ordered the Hana Set with 9 dishes and including the premium local Shimane sake.

After a nice appetizer of different delicacies, then came the Pike Conger in Okura Soup. The fish is delicate and had a light taste, balanced nicely with the okura and in fact without telling us I would never guess it was the plant as it was so finely chopped, with the clue only the slimy texture. There was also some mushroom which gave a nice bite to the dish to complement.

The third dish was Sashimi with Japanese Egg Cockle, Japanese Spineless Cuttlefish, Prawn, Flounder and Horse Mackerel. The sashimi was all extremely fresh and tasty, with the cuttlefish simply melting in the mouth, and the prawn having a nice bite and sweetness. All the seafood was wonderful and the Zingibar Mioga finely cut into shreds also gave a good supplement.

Then came my favorite on the night, the Grilled Sweet Fish. Look simple, the two sweet fish were from Shimane Prefecture and grilled perfectly, allowing us to eat it whole. Dipping in the Tadesu sauce it further enhanced the flavors and immediately got me to think when I could come back for the full Sweet Fish course.

The fifth dish was the Deep-Fried Stonefish, with the spines and skin fried to such crispiness that it was just like a chip. However it didn't mask the nice sweet flavors of the stonefish and there was also no oiliness on the dish . Overall it was another great example to demonstrate the skills of the chef of Ayumasa.

Next was the Stewed Vegetable, including Taro Stem, Fava Beans, Eggplant, Chinese Yam. The vegetable were very fresh and full of flavors, again showcasing the quality of the ingredients. I particularly liked the Fava Beans, which were toasted before stewed, and that tremendously enhanced the flavors and every bite released a strong and wonderful taste.

Then came the Abalone and Firefly Squid, accompanying by some fresh vegetable, again pairing with the green Tadesu sauce. It was a great pairing with the sauce strengthening the rich aromas and taste of the abalone, which was cooked nicely, giving it a soft bite and not too rubbery. The squid was a local delicacy in Shimane. Though small in size, they were tender and tasty.

The last main dish before dessert was the Conger Eel Rice with Miso Soup and Pickles. The rice was cooked in a clay pot, and before serving we could already smelled the fragrance of the rice. Even by then we were so full, the rice was so good that we couldn't stop and finished two bowls for us each. There were also some charred rice remaining at the bottom which was another wonder on its own.

The dessert was a Noodle made from Japanese Arrowroot, and it was served on ice to make them not sticky to each other and having a nice texture. Dipping into a Black Sugar Sauce, the dessert had a wonderful balance of sweetness and freshness, and wrapping up the fantastic dinner to a great conclusion.

Finishing the whole bottle of sake, I was a bit drunk and decided to take a taxi to go back instead of walking as originally planned. All in all, a great start of my Gunma trip and looking forward to tomorrow!!