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Sanuki udon is a popular type of udon originally from Kagawa prefecture in Shikoku Japan. Sanuki is an old name of Kagawa Prefecture. The udon is characterized by its thick, square shape and more tender texture. There are several ways of eating udon. The basic is to choose the temperature: cold or hot in soup. Then there are a lot of choices of toppings and side dishes: eggs, ginger, spring union, dipping sauce, beef, tempura, etc. There are around 700 udon shops in Kagawa prefecture. Many are family run small shops that only open for a few hours a day until lunch time and/or close on certain days. So if you want to have udon in Kagawa, lunch hour is probably the best. Besides, not all restaurants are served at the table. Many restaurants are self-served which means that you have to go pick your own toppings, side dish, then order udon at the cooking counter. Of course, you would have to clean up (turn tray) as well. In addition to buying and tasting, you may also try to make…

Lined with many unique shops, cafes, art galleries and museums in both white walled houses and early western buildigns, Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarater in Okayama Japan is one of the best places showcasing traditional culture. Tasting local food is a favorite things for tourists. In the old town, you may also experience how to make the red bean crepe with your own hand.

Kitano Meister Garden was first built as Kobe city primary school in the foreign residence’s area in 1908. An extension of the Eastern Block was built in 1931, featuring 3 storeys and arched corridors. There were 1,400 students at its peak, dropped to 1,142 after the wars, and continued to decline as the population decreases. This did not just happen to this particular school. It was a general phenomenon. Over the past decades, many schools were closed and merged. In 1995, the 6.9 on moment magnitude scale Great Hanshin earthquake (or Kobe earthquake) has badly damaged the Northern Block of the school but the Eastern Block miraculously survived the earthquake with only minor damage. It is considered a lucky building but the school was eventually closed down in 1996. In 1998, the venue was opened again as Kitano Meister Garden, turning the classrooms into workshops and shops where people can enjoy learning in this unique building. Today, it becomes a popular tourist spot, attracting more than 1,000,000 visitors every year.

Oroshi soba (or Echizen soba noodle) is one of the famous local food in Fukui, Japan. It is basically soba served with a lot of grated radish. The history of soba in Fukui goes back to the Edo Period some 400 years ago when the first domain lord ordered the farmers to grow buckwheat as the staple food so that the community can stay out of starvation. Today, soba remains a local favorite food and soba noodle restaurants are everywhere. Established 90 years ago, Echizen Soba no Sato is one of the premium soba companies specializing in soba noodle. The company is now running by the third generation. Since 2002, the company has started to grow their own buckwheat in Hokkaido and Fukui, completely the supply chain. Their business has grown beyond just selling soba noodles as well. They have made other products as well. One of the interesting things is the soba ice cream! When you visit Fukui, not only you may taste Oroshi soba, but also try to make some for you and your friends and family. It…

Kutani ware is one of the traditional Japanese potteries with over 350 years of history. Kutani is the name of the village where porcelain raw mineral was discovered, now part of Kaga, Ishikawa Japan. After the discovery, the first lord of Kaga spearheaded the production of porcelain by learning from China and building kilns in the 17th century. There are several styles of Kutani ware but the main features are the vivid color: bluish-green and the “5 colours”, using green, yellow, red, purple and navy. Kuntani ware was designated a traditional craft in 1975 and now available in Kanazawa, Komatsu, Kaga and Nomi-shi.

Yilan is rich in agricultural resources with a lot of farm lands growing various agricultural products. The story of this Kumquat Jam DIY workshop began like this: Kumquat is abundant in Yilan. In fact, 90% of kumquat in Taiwan is grown here. People didn’t know what to do with this excess supply of citrus fruit. An old lady with medical background thought that it was a waste because kumquat has medical value. She often boiled kumquat drink for the villagers for better health. The first generation of Agrioz owner carried her believe in “serve people with what you eat” and developed healthy kumquat products with no artificial colouring, added sugar, etc. The second generation of owner expand the business further by adding healthy elements which as low calories and wellness. When you come to Yilan, there are quite a few DIY factories that you may visit. Agrioz (Chinese name: The Village of Kumquat) is one of the famous ones. It’s a well-designed DIY place with a DIY workshop area, a semi-outdoor coffee shop and a shop. Many people come here to take pre-wedding photos.

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