August 2017 - LIFE ENJOYER

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Earlier this July, I had my first visit to Kyushu. 'First visit ?' Yes, indeed. I mean - I could never say no to the pancake, kakigori (Japanese shaved ice), sushi and ramen in Tokyo, nor the Matcha goodies and classy historic spots in Kyoto. But hey, I'm here finally and I totally had a great time.

This time, I visited Saga and Fukuoka of Kyushu and here are some of my shots in Saga:

Karatsu Castle

Built by Terasawa Hirotaka in1600s, Karatsu Castle is the signature historic spot of Karatsu. It is also known as "Dancing Crane Castle"

Sweeping view of the downtown! How peaceful!

Hikiyama Exhibition Hall

Hikiyama Exhibition Hall is an exhibition centre displaying hikiyama (or giant floats). These Hikiyama are the highlights of every year's Karatsu Kunchi Festival and truly showcase the extraordinary craftsmanship of the locals.

Karatsu Shrine

Right next to the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall lies the Karatsu Shrine. The Karastu Shrine is well supported by the locals and of a peaceful ambiance to me.

Karatsu JA restaurant

A buffet lunch at the Karatsu JA restaurant was totally a treat- food was well prepared using ingredients from the nearby farmlands of Saga.

Karatsu JA supermarket

You just couldn't miss the fruit in Japan and here in Karatsu, fruits were even cheaper (but equally juicy and fresh!)

Yutoku Inari Shrine

The Yutoku Inari Shrine is not somewhere you should miss- it is one of Japan's top three shrines dedicated to Inari. The scale, colour and interior are totally enchanting!

Our tour guide however did suggest us to visit again in the red leave or sakura seasons, when the whole shrine would be surrounded by a sea of read leaves/sakura! Oh yessss, let me come again please!

But of course, you couldn't possibly miss the Saga-gyu when visiting Saga! (Many of my friends indeed spent 1-2 days to Saga just for the wagyu meal!)

A dinner at the representative Saga-gyu restaurant Kira is a big YES!(More details in my next blogpost!)

But to be very fair, what amazed me the most was this random Japanese breakfast I had in Saga. The food was very simple and yet super delicious- everything from the ingredients to the seasoning were fresh, original and 'simpler yet better'!

My trip to Saga was totally an eyeopening and fruitful experience! Not only did I learn more about the reputable Saga-gyu and Saga agricultural products, but I also got to experience the peace and beauty of Saga.

Saga was not a very touristy nor crowded place like Tokyo, and that kind of peacefulness and quiet was very precious. I do recommend a day trip to Saga if you are around!

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Wagyu beef has become quite a common ingredient in some high-end steakhouses and premium Yakiniku shops. And to most people, 'A5 Japanese Black Wagyu' is like a synonym of 'the finest Japanese beef'. During my trip to Saga, I was very lucky to learn and have a try of one of the best Japanese Black Wagyu, namely Saga-gyu.

Saga-gyu (Saga beef), along with the Kobe beef and Matsuzaka beef, is one of the top three Japanese wagyu. Winning multiple awards in Japanese beef competitions every year, Saga-gyu is best known for its amazing quality as revealed by its signature sweet and rich taste.

To maintain Saga-gyu' s quality and superior brand value, a strict and scientific certification system has been developed. In fact, the title of ‘Saga Beef’ is not only about where the cattle is raised, but whether the meat can meet Japan Agriculture’s rearing criteria (which is very methodical with strict rules)(More details can be found in JA's website or my previous post about The visit to the JA Meat Centre!)

The certification system is complicated but at the same time also proves why Saga-gyu is called the 'finest'. My visit to Kira, the representative Saga-gyu restaurant in Saga was a heavenly experience that I tried the finest Saga-gyu! Here are a few shots of mine!

The Japanese wagyu grading system looks into 5 criteria : (1) marbling, (2) meat color and brightness, (3) firmness and texture of meat, and (4) color, luster and quality of fat. And these were definitely some of the best!

Teppanyaki was probably one of the most popular ways to taste wagyu beef!

But Seiromushi was also an interesting, indigenous way - the Saga Wagyu beef was steamed with vegetables in Steamer Basket.

The marbling was INSANE!!

Perfection is simple: an incredible A5 Saga-gyu steak with a bowl of plain Saga rice. The beef tallow from the steak gave the rice some magical aroma and enriched the texture....it was toooo good to be true!

My love for the Saga-gyu is REAL, and luckily in Hong Kong, there are places serving authentic, premium Saga-gyu. Hana, by Mr. Steak Concept, is a Japanese restaurant specialising in authentic Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu and Seiromushi cuisines in Hong Kong. The restaurant has been highly acclaimed for the food quality (Saga-gyu is one of their key highlights)

The marbling was mindblown- I mean.... the very fine yet even fat distribution was purely art.

Do visit Kira if you are in Japan, but if you are not, Hana in Hong Kong could also be a really good choice! (Sukiyaki Saga-gyu with rice is my top favorite!!)

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