April and the puff pastry

It is spring here in Japan and I have decided to do more cooking at home. Recently, I have been into baking this last week and I have discovered a new product at the supermarkets here in Japan. Japan has started to sell Pie Sheets (In the USA, it is known as puff pastry).


As you all might know, I have love to bake quiches and pies and so on...

But, sometimes I get very busy and I do not have the time to bake from scratch. This is where the pie sheets come into play.

You can buy a pack of these pie sheets from the supermarket for about 400 yen. You get two sheets of pie crust. The brand I use most is Meiji.



This last week, I actually injured myself and I couldn't walk. These pie sheets were very easy for me to use and I was able to cook without spending a lot of time standing.

I made apple pies, pigs in the blanket and even homemade hot pockets with them.

Theres pie sheets are a lifesaver

Shopping in the Japanese department store for food

Since moving to Shinjuku I find it quite enjoyable to shop in department stores for daily goods. They are quite expensive compared to supermarkets but the quality is great.


This last week, I was walking around Shinjuku after work and decided to go check out the seafood department at Odakyu department store. After arriving at the department store I was quite shocked to find that they were having a sale on seafood.


I was able to buy a basket of squid and two Kai

The basket of squid only cost me 500 yen and the Kai cost 480 for the two.

Great deal

Yasukuni Shrine

After viewing the Emperor and his home, we decided to walk to Yasukuni Shrine located near the palace. This Shrine is quite famous because it is where some of the World War Two War Criminals are inshrined, thus making it a huge news topic in Asia. This last year Prime Minister Abe visited this particular shrine to pay respect  to his dead relatives. But by doing so.. He also prayed for the inshrined war criminals.


Lets just say it didn't go well with Japan`s neighbours.

Once we got to the Shrine we got something to eat and people watched. It is quite evident that many of the people who come here for prayer are either Japanese Mafia or Japanese extremists.



At around two in the afternoon we decided to head back home.

Yakiniku Dinner on New Year Day

After doing a lot of shopping and praying at the shrine. My friend decided head back to Shinookubo to eat Korean food because that was the only thing open during New Year Day.


So, he headed all the way back to Okubo to find a nice restaurant. Once we got there we found a nice looking restaurant but... there was a line and there was only one waiter. Knowing this we decided to head back to Shinjuku and check out a yakiniku joint we had seen earlier in the day.



Let me tell you this,


This restaurant was expensive but it was the joint!!!!

The first thing we ordered was raw meat to fry and I ordered cheese binbinpa

Then we ordered an assortment of raw meat to grill on hot rocks. 

The meal was quite delicious for a last minute meal and I plan on visiting again in the future.

Check the restaurant out here at this address

焼き肉ホルモン 門

〒169-0072 Tokyo, Shinjuku, Okubo, 1 Chome1-2 泰正ビル １F

03-3200-3307

Yakiniku Restaurant

Japanese New Year Day

Japanese New Year Day is similar to Christmas in the west. Most Japanese return to their hometowns and eat delicious dishes known as Osechi. The Osechi was first founded during the Heian period in Japan. Most people ate these dishes over a couple of days which meant that the food had to last. Thus, the food was stacked in boxes called jubako.

I have never eaten Osechi in Japan but I will eventually. Unlike most Japanese housewives I do not have days to prepare this glorious dish nor do I want to spend hundreds of dollars to purchase it. So, this year I decided to walk around my local area and eat Japanese Yakiniku and do Hatsumode (Praying for good luck for the year.)

Living in Shinjuku the closest shrine to my house is Hanazono Shrine located next to Kabukicho (Tokyo`s red light district)

 I left my house at around 3pm and headed to the shrine with my friend and on the way I decided to sample some delicious street stall foods in Shinokubo. I decided to eat a potato fried on a stick. It was quite delicious and cheap at only 200 yen.

After eating the potato I headed to the Shrine. But do the the amount of people waiting in to pray I decided against waiting and went shopping instead. I ended up buying my new oven then headed back to the Shrine to pray for good luck. Again the line was super long thus I decided to go to Hanazono Sweet Shop and enjoy some Japanese sweets and wait until dusk. 

This sweet is a soft rice cake with cream and raisins in the middle. It tasted like a raisin cookie not too sweet but very delicious. 

This is sugar candy that is often given with warm green tea in Japan.

This is a special Anmitsu only served on New Year Day. Anmitsu has many thing such as jelly, azuki (Japanese sweet beans), cherry and fruit. This particular one had green tea ice cream. 

This is fried mochi(mashed rice until it become a dough like substance) with seaweed and soy sauce. 

Food Food Food

As many people might already know, I really like to cook and eat healthy meals. About three years ago I used to weight about 150 kilos or 330 pounds. With regular exercise and healthy heating I was able to lose weight and get down to my current weight of 175 pounds. At the current moment due to me being busy with school and other private things I do not have time to go to the gym anymore thus I try my best to eat healthy on a daily basis. Over the last weekend I have trying to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into my daily diet. Thus, I am posting some pictures of some of the food I have made over this last weekend. The first dish is a salad with carrots, lettuce, and grilled chicken.


The second meal is a broiled salmon with a Japanese sake, soy sauce and butter base, with a lemon and herb salad.

The last meal I had is not so healthy but was quite actually good. The third and last picture is a picture of McDonalds limited addition American Burgers. This hamburger is called the New York Burger. It has the same patty as a quarter pounder. However, the toppings differ quite a bit. The New York burger uses a spicy type of cheese and also uses spicy mustard and also has a lot of veggies on top.

If you are in Japan I would recommend you try to eat the New York burger before they stop selling them.