-
The newly opened bookstore "Bunkitsu" in the Chunichi Building
It has been five years since the Chunichi Building, a symbol of Nagoya for half a century, was demolished. The new Chunichi Building, which opened this spring, has many attractions, including a restaurant floor, shops, and a hotel, but my favorite of all is the new style bookstore "Bunsetsu."
The collection isn't particularly large, but the tasteful selection and display of the books is exciting.
I work here once or twice a week.
The reason is that just thinking about finishing the work within 90 minutes without extending it gives me incredible concentration (for me).
Since I discovered this method of using my stingy side to increase efficiency, I stopped going to the supermarket.
-
Chao's summer limited menu "Chanpuru"
I always eat bitter melon spaghetti with thick sauce at this time of year. It's my favorite food. I know it's the enemy of dieting. But before I know it, I'm rolling up the thick noodles with a fork.
My friend and personal trainer, Takahashi, says, "Instead of strictly restricting your food intake every day, you can split it into two days and cut back the next day if you eat too much."
Following this teaching, I strictly forbid eating thickened ramen two days in a row (obviously).
-
Supermarket "Alvis"
The residents of Kita Ward had been whispering about what could be built on the site of the former hospital, which had been left abandoned for quite some time, but then at the end of last year, Albis suddenly opened on the vast site.
This supermarket originated in Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, and is the second in Nagoya. It is a rare supermarket in this area that "emphasizes the local color" with a wide range of Hokuriku specialties.
I and my friends from Kita Ward are crazy about it. White shrimp, yellowtail, bento rice, onigiri rice balls with grated kelp, Kaga vegetables, pork cutlet rice bowls with sauce, Toyama black tea, and local sake from Hokuriku. This shows off the rich food culture of the area.
Every time I go, I feel like I'm going to a Hokuriku product fair, rather than to a supermarket. And every time I go, I'm always thrilled to find a seasonal fish I've never seen before.
This Obon holiday we plan to buy some sashimi here and have a hand-rolled sushi party (with New Zealand wine of course).
-
Kanayama's warm-hearted food stall "Wara to Sumi"
This is a place in Nagoya where you can enjoy New Zealand wine other than Bokumo.
In fact, until recently, this shop was operating under the name "Shie" at a human-hearted food stall in Fushimi, but it has since moved to Kanayama and is now operating under a new look.
The new restaurant's name, "Wara to Sumi," is exactly what it sounds like: it serves dishes smoked with straw and grilled over charcoal. Seafood, meat, side dishes, rice, sweets. They have it all. They also have a selection of sake for enthusiasts. The owner's personality is bursting.
I like to pair roast venison with a New Zealand Pinot Noir.
Nagoya has long been said to have few tourist attractions, but it seems to rank highly as a city that is easy to live in.
There are definitely "fun places to have" like the four I just wrote about in life. I think that's what makes Nagoya so appealing. Sorry for being a bit of a hatcho miso.
