Having thoroughly enjoyed the kaiseki dinner at Ishiba the previous evening, I woke up feeling refreshed after a comfortable night's sleep. I even enjoyed a pleasant morning bath while gazing at the mountains peeking through the sun, before moving on to breakfast.
"Freshly Squeezed Golden Mandarin" - A refreshing mandarin juice to enjoy before a meal. It'll wake you up.
"Braised butterbur and oysters": The ingredients, which have a strong bitter taste, are seasoned a little more strongly.
"Spinach with sesame dressing"
"Kanto-style thick omelet" - this is the Kanto style with a gentle sweetness. If requested, they can also make Kansai-style dashi-rolled omelet.
"Boiled whitebait with grated daikon radish"
"A simmered dish of bok choy, taro, freeze-dried tofu, and shiitake mushrooms."
"Deep-fried tofu with homemade sesame sauce"
A famous tofu and fresh yuba specialty shop in YugawaraTwelve HermitagesThey use high-quality tofu made from domestically produced soybeans using a special manufacturing method that solidifies the rich soy milk with nigari (magnesium chloride), resulting in a smooth and delicious tofu that melts in your mouth.
Grilled Spanish mackerel: The mackerel is moist and fatty, and goes perfectly with rice.
"Rice": Made with Milky Queen rice from Ibaraki. The grains are distinct and the rice is beautifully silvery.
The blissful moment of enjoying freshly cooked rice in the morning. The aroma of rice rising from the pot brings a smile to your face—that's a sign of being Japanese.
Milky Queen rice is stickier than regular rice and cooks up softer. It doesn't harden easily even when cooled, making it suitable for plain rice, rice balls, and mixed rice dishes. All the side dishes seemed to be prepared to make you eat more rice, and my friend's husband ate three bowls, and everyone else easily finished two bowls!
"Clam Miso Soup" uses clams from Aichi Prefecture. At Ishiba, they believe that morning miso soup should be gentle on the body, so shellfish are the base ingredient.
"Nanko Ume" (a type of plum) tastes a little salty to me, perhaps because I've recently gotten used to low-salt plums.
"Pickles"
"Sweetened simmered shrimp" *Also sold as a souvenir.
"Beef simmered in soy sauce" *Also available for purchase as a souvenir.
"Brown rice tea"
"New Summer Oranges with Chardonnay Jelly"
Chardonnay is said to be the most aromatic of all fruits. Even though the alcohol has evaporated, you can still fully enjoy its sophisticated aroma.
After enjoying a satisfying breakfast that any Japanese person would love, including coffee, I packed my bags in my room and leisurely checked out at 11:00 AM.
I was able to take commemorative photos with the proprietress, waitresses, and concierge who saw me off, and I truly forgot the passage of time, enjoying two luxurious and relaxing days. I would definitely like to visit again♪
Click here for the table of contents of the Yugawara travelogue.
Ishiba
749-59 Miyakami, Yugawara-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture TEL: 0465-62-3808
http://www.sekiyou.com/
