Chōshi: The Tip of the Ear

Sunday we, the Chiba+Kun Ambassadors, went on our first Chiba tour to Chōshi.

Wait! Where are we going? Where is this Chōshi?!
Relax, it’s a city on the tip of our dog Chiba-kun’s ear.
If this sounds fishy to you, you’d be right.
Chōshi’s Fishing Port has the largest catch of sardines, bonito and tuna fish throughout Chiba prefecture. 😛 Chōshi’s main catch is the sardine いわし.
Okay, I’ll stop fishing for jokes and show you with this picture I snagged from wikipedia.

That highlighted tip of Chiba-kun’s ear is Chōshi.

Chōshi giving us a warm welcome!

We leave in the travel bus bright and early in the morning and arrive two hours later to the beating of drums!

The performance has several different songs, each with their own story. There is also a special dance in which the Taiko drummers hold the taiko supported by a beam of wood and dance around in circles. (video coming soon)

Food Adventure

Where’s the food?!
Next we head off to eat one of Chōshi’s specialties: Fish! Chōshi’s sashimi (raw cuts of fish) is probably the best I’ve ever tasted. Very fresh. Raw fish should be fresh yes, but it could have come straight from the docks judging the taste. I also had some light-battered tempura shrimp. Delicious!

I could eat that meal again and again.

So what’s for desert?
How about some soy sauce ice cream? If it doesn’t sound good, just trust me, it really is a treat. The first impression is that it tastes of caramel and coffee, licking on it also has an essence of cheese. So it has quite a bit of a cheesecake flavour. However, it is definitely a unique type of ice cream not to be confused with these tamer variants. 😛 We even see the shopkeepers pour in the soy sauce that mixes with the ice cream!

Soy sauce ice cream: A must try!

I have to confess there is more. The next one on the menu is just as strange, perhaps even more so in taste. Soggy rice cracker ice cream is the extremely unappealing name I shall give this one. Not because it’s bad, but just to scare those of you with less adventurous taste buds off. 😉 You see, this ice cream is sweet yet it has salty chunks of cracker in it. The result: An exotic mixture of all sorts of flavours, usually enjoyed separately, popping up in the mouth. It makes me think of Willy Wonka’s factory by how unique it is.

Onward!

Next we take a train past two soy sauce factories; Higeta and Yamasa, both are based in Chōshi. Soy sauce is a thing here. 😉 Then we stop by Inubōsaki Lighthouse, created in 1874 by a Scot called Richard Brunton. It has survived many earthquakes, and still stands fully capable. There is also a museum section concerning the lighthouse. We climb to the top for a good view of the area, and the lighthouse delivers.

There is something romantic about lighthouses I like a lot. Their beacons guiding ships through fearsome storms and treacherous fog, always standing tall and firm. Maybe you’ve seen the kid’s show ‘Around the Twist’, I guess that contributed to the cool and mysterious image of lighthouses I have.

A view from the lighthouse.

Great views and a bit of international history.

I have more pictures uploaded for the public on my FaceBook account.

The Entrance to the Observation Plateau

Another point of interest we stop by before heading home is an observation plateau called 地球の丸く見える丘展望館. Here we have a great panoramic view of all of Chōshi, and more. On a good day you can see Mt Fuji. There are many things to see. The pictures are on my FaceBook. (A video in which I attempt to capture this 360 degree view is on its way to my Youtube channel.)

The tour guides tell us they have the Eastern variety of the white cliffs of Dover here. (It does look quite similar.)

The trip to Chōshi has been swell. Great views, great food, and a unique history as a great fishing port. There is a tour booklet being produced in English which will make exploring Chōshi easier for non-Japanese speakers. It’s a nice day out if you are in Chiba, unless you have other fish to fry. 😉

I hope you enjoyed my account of this tour of Chōshi.
Please leave any questions/ requests/ remarks in the responses below.

Cheers,
Kyle

My New Job: What’s a Chiba-Kun?!

Hi everyone!

Chiba-Kun Standing Next to Me 🙂

I just got a new job as a Chiba-Kun ambassador! 😀
Now you may ask: What’s a Chiba-Kun?
Well, this is Chiba-Kun!

Chiba-Kun is a big red dog. In fact, he is a very big red dog as he is derived from the geographical shape of Chiba Prefecture. Chiba-kun is also a bit of a play on words, which I’ll explain assuming you don’t know Japanese.

-Kun is an affix used for guys’ names in informal situations (in stead of -san). So you would either call me (mr Mullen) Maren-san or (Kyle) Kairu-kun.

Now for that word joke: The word for prefecture is also an affix; Chiba prefecture is called Chiba-ken -> turn this to -kun and you have a big red dog called Chiba-kun. Ha!

Here is a quote describing Chiba-Kun taken from Chiba Prefecture’s Tourism Website:

He is very curious and loves to take on a challenge.  When facing something unknown, he becomes even more courageous and passionate, and his body shines red.
Living in Chiba Prefecture, blessed with a warm climate, rich nature and abundant seafood and agricultural products, he has a weakness for tasty foods and loves to eat.  He is a lovable character who can sometimes be mischievous.

In other words, I am Chiba-kun. (Including the redness and weakness for tasty foods!)

The thing sticking out is his BELLYBUTTON, just to be clear.

Here is a good picture showing him Geographically.

Now you know what Chiba-kun is, you’re probably wondering: What’s a Chiba-Kun ambassador?
Well let’s look at that quote again, it quite aptly describes what I’ll be doing: Going into the unknown with passion! (also eating lots of tasty food 🙂 )

I’m going to try to find as many cool/ fun/ interesting/ good things to do in Chiba and I want to let you know about them. So that maybe, if you’re looking for a good holiday spot, you can enjoy the charms of Chiba prefecture the way I have.
I’m going to do my best to explore and explain the best parts of Chiba.

This is the start of much more to come! I hope my blog will help, inform and/or entertain you as I travel down this new, unknown road, and convince you that Chiba is worth a visit!

You will find all Chiba related posts in my ‘Welcome to Chiba!‘ category. You will also find more Chiba related pictures and videos on my FaceBook and my Youtube Channel.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or requests regarding what I cover in my travels – I am all ears.

Of course any other comments are also greatly appreciated. 🙂
Feel free to write them in the responses below.

Cheers,
Kyle

Chiba’s Sakura City

I really like Sakura city; it has a really good holiday vibe to it and is full of culture & history.

The first time I went was in March, it was the first sunny day we had in ages so I wanted to enjoy it outside.

I get out of the JR Sakura station around 2 in the afternoon. Rather late, but this isn’t an elaborately planned trip. I just want to see more of Chiba prefecture at this time.

Feels Exotic

As I exit the station I stop by the tourist information kiosk. “You’re late!” the clerk says smilingly. “I knowww…” I reply guiltily. She gives me an English and a Japanese map and circles where I should go. “Come again earlier please.”

There are many things to see in Sakura. You can also rent a bicycle for the day until 16:30.

The surroundings of Sakura city are very picturesque; bamboo forests, hillsides, and winding roads. It really feels like I’ve travelled far, but it’s only 50 minutes by train from where I live.

When you see suits of armour personally they are pretty intimidating!

I don’t have much time so I head towards the samurai houses. There are three next to each other open to the public. Look at the armour, stroll through their garden, check out the rooms. Pretty fun, and educational!

Very friendly people, and nice art, at the Sakura Art Museum.

Then I see the large Art Museum so I decide to stop by for a quick charge of high culture. 😉 In doing so I meet the lovely people in charge of the Sakura newspaper at their photo exhibition. They are so excited by my Dutch background that they all take pictures with me and we have a good long conversation.

Ok so let’s time travel forward to the 26th of May!

This time I arrive before twelve and have lunch at a cafe close to the Keisei Sakura station. It’s really tasty and quite cheap. 🙂

I stop by the tourist information kiosk again and rent a bike for 500¥.

Rice Paddies Bike-View 😉

Then the fun begins! I get to cycle through the countryside en route to the Dutch windmill called “De Liefde.” On my new little nifty bicycle I take pictures of the rice paddies and whatnot on the way there.

I really like having a bicycle to go around on sightseeing; you get around faster and see way more.

I stay at “De Liefde” for a long time. Speaking to people, reading about windmills, and recording this video about “De Liefde” in Dutch.

You can go inside to the second floor.

Approaching Sakura’s Windmill

‘De Liefde’ From the Front

It is here that I learn more about the importance of Sakura city in the Edo period. Lord Tonno made sure everyone studied what the Japanese call Rangaku. To be read as ‘Dutch studies.’ These studies from the Edo period formed the basis of various things Japanese schools have in their textbooks even today.

Some Dutch remnants in today’s everyday Japanese life; The unvarying backpack every primary school child wears, and the secondary school uniforms the boys wear.

This is what I gather from the man who works in the windmill. The Dutch also started a hospital in Sakura. The windmill was built in 1994, on the 40th anniversary of Sakura city. “De Liefde” is a symbol of the goodwill between Japan and The Netherlands. I find this historical international relationship fascinating.

When I’m all Dutched out I cycle back through the pleasantly sunny rice paddies.

I stop by to see the National History Museum but it’s too late to go and see that now. So I head over to Sakura’s Steak Gusto, grab a steak, drink a beer, and return back home!

Man, life is good!

Yokohama’s China Town Followed by Oktoberfest… in May?

Monday I went to Yokohama’s China Town. Although it was a fleeting visit I can already tell I want to see more of Yokohama.

When I arrive at the station I am to meet my friends at the choyo-mon gate. The problem is that the streets of Yokohama’s China Town are peppered with gates! And very pretty they all are too. I found some temples too as I wandered through China Town.

Large Temple

Dragon Temple

Dragon Temple Close Up

Cool souvenir shops and Chinese restaurants make this place good to stop by if you’re in the area.

Nice Little Park in the City

Yokohama China Town Street View

Eventually I find my friends and we head over to the seaside park at the coast of China Town. It’s great to feel the salty breeze on my face once again, it has been a while since I was at the seaside. This time enjoying it from a park without all the sand is also a plus.

The Seaside Park

Enjoying the Waves

Yokohama is a very big place though. I have only seen a small part of it – and not very well either. I will definitely go again after a little research on what else there is to see.

We then continue on to Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest in May, in Hibiya Park Japan

The Oktoberfest is a huge beer festival still going on in Hibiya Park close to Shimbashi station. (at least that’s how I got there)

There are multiple beer stands open with various German beers that get poured into their respective glasses. You can keep any of the glasses, but you’d lose your 1000¥ deposit.  The beers are sold at a premium price as with many of these types of events. However, if you’re willing to shell out some cash, the place is buzzing and you are guaranteed a good time – drinking hats and all!

Tokyo, Auf Wiedersehn! 😉

Authentic German Singing! ;P haha

Action Shot!