New Aozora Restaurant: 4/22/2023. Shiro Hiratake mushrooms in Yamagata, Nagano. Guests are (according to J-wiki): "Lotti," another comedy duo. The guy with the glasses was just in Miami for the World Baseball Classic and had no voice due to what must have been extended screaming during the Japan-USA championship game.
The main expert, a retired J-League soccer player, gave "oyster mushroom" as another name for hiratake. A good variety of dishes in this episode: basic grilled, karaage, stir fry, and ending with a fancy pasta dish.
New Aozora Restaurant: 4/15/2023. Komatsuna in Edogawa-ku, Tokyo. Wiki has this as "Japanese mustard spinach." Also looks like bok choy. Guest is Matsushige Yutaka, one of those old-skool character actors whose image appears all over the place. In fact, he's featured in one of the CMs for the program.
Today's veggie is grown in a greenhouse in Tokyo -- where do they find the room in the city??! Of course both Matsushige and Daisuke sample the stuff right out of the soil! Dishes include stir frys, a rolled katsu, gyoza (!) and a pretty tasty-looking fried rice. I've had takana cha-han so I'm sure this tastes just as good.
4/1/2023: "Pakuchi" in Takeo, Saga-ken. Guest is another one of those Yoshimoto comedy duos, Shisonnu. Pakuchi translated to cilantro, the closest relatable thing I could find. These crazies just dug up bushels of the weed and just began crunching away at everything, including the roots! Not a whole lot to do after that, past salads and stuff. Kanpai dish was something with boar meat. Gotta make do.
4/8/2023: Clams in Tahara, Aichi-ken. Guest is Kazama Shunsuke, who I only know as the sign language sensei in "silent." In fact, I totally forgot he was on the show, several months ago. Been a while since we've had good seafood on the show. Just the grilled variety looked good enough but props to the sake steamed dish and pork with garlic tomato stir fry.
March 11: Seri in Yuzawa, Akita-ken, a big onsen town. Wiki pegs this veggie as "Chinese celery" or "Japanese parsley." Winter veggies gotta be strong. Doesn't look like much on its own but of course when you add pork to the mix... Guests are another comedy duo -- I'm sure Miyagawa isn't lacking for those types! https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913zqs1d3aru96u25z6.html
March 18: Mekabu in Kesennuma, Miyagi-ken. Two members of Snow Man check out a seaweed farm. Mekabu looks like a pine cone or a enlarged green Slinky toy. Like regular wakame or nori, the health benefits seem to evaporate when mixed with regular ingredients. Another product is also introduced in the second half, oyster pâté. Don't know about you but I'd rather have the regular oysters... https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/19137jlgy3cabtysoxor.html
March 25: Fukutachi in Ugo, Akita-ken. Freelance announcer Uga Natsumi braves the cold for another leafy green veggie that resembles Hakusai (Napa) cabbage from the exterior but has weird flower buds inside. I'm sure all that green is good but man, deep-fried spring rolls. Mmm! They even got Sapporo drafts in the middle of the program to "prove" how well the food matches with the suds. Other dishes include a nice stir fry and ended with... lasagna? Hey, it pairs with Sapporo! https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913ghpefq29tlvgc6by.html
Not exactly what I expected, based on previous shows hosted by Ariyoshi. However with that supporting cast of all stars, the first episode moved me to TEARS in one segment. Look forward to the rest of the series.
New Aozora Restaurant: 3/4/2023. Chilly winter episodes continue, this time in Odate, Akita-ken. This gave Miyagawa and two dudes from Naniwa Danshi to frolic around with a few doggies.
This episode is on "Nama Ham," which is usually translated as prosciutto in most subtitles I've seen. Japan really likes their dried fish so why not do it with meat too. Most online searches focus on salads but thankfully we had none of that in this episode! Good ol' fried stuff and even a pasta dish prepared by the leader of Naniwa Danshi, who I'd seen previously in a drama on NGN.
Latest on NGN: 11/22/2020. A rare solo episode for Himura, this time in Kochi. Koshiba Fuka and SHELLY are in studio. I swear I thought the two of them were paired earlier in the run but it wasn't the case. Shelly is on A LOT.
Anywell, Himura ate a humongous burger, a nice unagi-don, and a comically gigantic Chicken Nanban set with enough white rice to feed a small family. At the end, everybody got a shot at the burger. Fuka got through only a couple layers cuz she's so adorable and cute. On the other hand Shelly and Shitara were way more voracious with their bites, arrrgh!
Series just concluded tonight on NGN-TV. A lot better than I expected, particularly from the casting of Miura Tomokazu and Yamamoto Koji . Never saw the original but find it difficult to imagine those supporting roles being as nuanced.
Latest Aozora Restaurant: 2/18/2023. Renkon in Aichi-ken. Joining Miyagawa are two dudes from J-Soul Brothers, one of was in the same drama as him in 2018 (also co-starring Nakamura Tomoya). Poor guy has to endure renkon for consecutive spots in the program!
Like other items, it feels like there are limitations to a root vegetable. But man, that gyudon at the end appeared to make up for everything. Meat fills all.
New Aozora Restaurant: 2/11/2023. I missed last week's episode but not THIS one! Any time Aoyama Thelma visits, it's a must-see! Awabi in Iwate-ken, I'm there!
New on NGN: 10/25/2020. Another 2.5-hour episode that will be split into three parts on NGN. I've really been looking forward to this one for Mori Nana & Nakamura Tomoya.
Unfortunately they will likely be saving the best for last since the Sanji no Heroine trio leads off in Kagoshima. It sure feels like they're on these shows ALL THE TIME.
Himura is in Niigata, eating a whole fried chicken, a sauce katsu/soba set, and very affordable nigiri at a popular kaitenzushi restaurant. Good quality uni and nodoguro for 520 yen is INSANELY CHEAP! Also mazesoba, which is meh to me but YMMV. He ended up at a fast food-like chain that served spaghetti meat sauce on yakisoba noodles, labeled as Niigata's "soul food" by the locals. Umm, okay.
Of course they saved the best for last: Mori Nana and Nakamura Tomoya, ostensibly to promote their drama, KONO KOI ATATAMEMASUKA?, which began around the time of this episode. The two are in Takasaki, Gunma-ken -- an area I always felt like was in the provinces but is actually just like any other big city, with a cuisine to match. Dishes: Big double cheeseburger, curry udon, and a Joshu pork donburi set. The buta-don was only 780 yen, which feels insanely cheap. Nana turns on the cutie charm, as expected. Also: teenaged girls LOVE Tomoya!
New on NGN: 10/11/2020. Another extended episode that includes one big celebrity guest duo and one that probably appears on every one of these shows.
Himura in Kofu, Yamanashi: tori motsu, pizza, a big ol' burger and a Chinese-style "tsukesoba." He also ate a couple dessert items.
Kagoshima: San-ji no Heroine is featured. Not a fan but I sure as hell understand why they're booked for these foodie episodes. Duh. Here they get to gorge on tonkatsu, ramen (with plenny fatty pork), and yakiniku (you can't miss with gyutan!).
But they saved the best for last: my gal Yoshitaka Yuriko ("Yurippe" to her friends) and Tsumabuki Satoshi in Nasu Shiobara, Tochigi-ken. I felt so uncomfortable a few weeks ago watching Ayase Haruka trying to be enthusiastic for the camera and... failing. Not Yurippe: she's so giddy and spirited, humming the show's theme song, strolling about to the restaurant. I also don't buy for a second that they were actually calling the places cold for permission to dine in and film on location but the way the two address the issue... well, that's just good acting!
Oh, they get to chow down on a big steak donburi, mazesoba, and Jingisukan BBQ.
New Aozora Restaurant: 1/21/2023. Kobe in Hyogo-ken. Guest is Kosugi Ryuichi from the Black Mayonnaise comedy duo. Just seen him in all the "Isekai Izakaya Nobu" seasons, along with his regular gig in Sanma's "Honmadekka TV. "
No beef in this episode, unfortunately. It's nori time! Farmed out in the sea and harvested in a helluva way! Not a lotta ways to make it interesting but those spring rolls looked good, along with the nabe for kanpai at the end.
Miyagi-ken is visited by veteran bikini babe Isoyama Sayaka and Noro Kayo, whose wiki page I had to look up. Both have a frightening amout of beef and chicken.https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202009273/
Lastly (and kinda least, for my taste) Gyaru Sone is in Aichi. She gobbles a Chinese-style fried rice dish and a pork rice dish. It might be only me but I'm not really "getting" her persona. https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202009272/
Latest Aozora Restaurant: 1/14/2023. Hirame in Kosai, Shizuoka. Guest is Nakao Akiyoshi, an actor who was in a drama I kinda watched. The hirame is farmed so it's not like they had to do battle in the high seas. This is one of my favorite neta but I'm not sure I'd be into anything beyond that. I *do* have to give engawa a second chance, however...
1/7/2023: Happy New Year! The first episode of 2023 features konnyaku and ankou in Taigo, Ibaraki-ken. Konnyaku is probably my least-favorite item in oden but Daisuke and crew try to convince me otherwise. There's a stir fry dish that looked aight but only cause they threw in meat. The ankou nabe looked OK with shirataki. Guests are another comedy duo I've never seen before.
Just watched the New Years episode, featuring Chiriko-chan. Shopan also made her grand return to the program after... a year and a half?!! How did they ever make do without her?
This special is in Shirahama, Wakayama-ken. They ate at a really good food court, went "fishing" and took a raft ride across a beautifully clear stream. They have dinners for these annual specials and this one was at a restaurant featuring kue fish.
The main expert, a retired J-League soccer player, gave "oyster mushroom" as another name for hiratake. A good variety of dishes in this episode: basic grilled, karaage, stir fry, and ending with a fancy pasta dish.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913wvuwatnp1jct1wh6.html
Today's veggie is grown in a greenhouse in Tokyo -- where do they find the room in the city??! Of course both Matsushige and Daisuke sample the stuff right out of the soil! Dishes include stir frys, a rolled katsu, gyoza (!) and a pretty tasty-looking fried rice. I've had takana cha-han so I'm sure this tastes just as good.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913j6o5s8za5q0nscvn.html
4/1/2023: "Pakuchi" in Takeo, Saga-ken. Guest is another one of those Yoshimoto comedy duos, Shisonnu. Pakuchi translated to cilantro, the closest relatable thing I could find. These crazies just dug up bushels of the weed and just began crunching away at everything, including the roots! Not a whole lot to do after that, past salads and stuff. Kanpai dish was something with boar meat. Gotta make do.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913rjwhiaccukkj40r4.html
4/8/2023: Clams in Tahara, Aichi-ken. Guest is Kazama Shunsuke, who I only know as the sign language sensei in "silent." In fact, I totally forgot he was on the show, several months ago. Been a while since we've had good seafood on the show. Just the grilled variety looked good enough but props to the sake steamed dish and pork with garlic tomato stir fry.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913rinffbcdnc4why22.html
March 11: Seri in Yuzawa, Akita-ken, a big onsen town. Wiki pegs this veggie as "Chinese celery" or "Japanese parsley." Winter veggies gotta be strong. Doesn't look like much on its own but of course when you add pork to the mix... Guests are another comedy duo -- I'm sure Miyagawa isn't lacking for those types!
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913zqs1d3aru96u25z6.html
March 18: Mekabu in Kesennuma, Miyagi-ken. Two members of Snow Man check out a seaweed farm. Mekabu looks like a pine cone or a enlarged green Slinky toy. Like regular wakame or nori, the health benefits seem to evaporate when mixed with regular ingredients. Another product is also introduced in the second half, oyster pâté. Don't know about you but I'd rather have the regular oysters...
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/19137jlgy3cabtysoxor.html
March 25: Fukutachi in Ugo, Akita-ken. Freelance announcer Uga Natsumi braves the cold for another leafy green veggie that resembles Hakusai (Napa) cabbage from the exterior but has weird flower buds inside. I'm sure all that green is good but man, deep-fried spring rolls. Mmm! They even got Sapporo drafts in the middle of the program to "prove" how well the food matches with the suds. Other dishes include a nice stir fry and ended with... lasagna? Hey, it pairs with Sapporo!
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913ghpefq29tlvgc6by.html
This episode is on "Nama Ham," which is usually translated as prosciutto in most subtitles I've seen. Japan really likes their dried fish so why not do it with meat too. Most online searches focus on salads but thankfully we had none of that in this episode! Good ol' fried stuff and even a pasta dish prepared by the leader of Naniwa Danshi, who I'd seen previously in a drama on NGN.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913l12kclcdppdbytvy.html
Anywell, Himura ate a humongous burger, a nice unagi-don, and a comically gigantic Chicken Nanban set with enough white rice to feed a small family. At the end, everybody got a shot at the burger. Fuka got through only a couple layers cuz she's so adorable and cute. On the other hand Shelly and Shitara were way more voracious with their bites, arrrgh!
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202011221/
Like other items, it feels like there are limitations to a root vegetable. But man, that gyudon at the end appeared to make up for everything. Meat fills all.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913eqjhra28k3a7qxi0.html
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913rjag43mhlcb41v5t.html
Unfortunately they will likely be saving the best for last since the Sanji no Heroine trio leads off in Kagoshima. It sure feels like they're on these shows ALL THE TIME.
Himura is in Niigata, eating a whole fried chicken, a sauce katsu/soba set, and very affordable nigiri at a popular kaitenzushi restaurant. Good quality uni and nodoguro for 520 yen is INSANELY CHEAP! Also mazesoba, which is meh to me but YMMV. He ended up at a fast food-like chain that served spaghetti meat sauce on yakisoba noodles, labeled as Niigata's "soul food" by the locals. Umm, okay.
Of course they saved the best for last: Mori Nana and Nakamura Tomoya, ostensibly to promote their drama, KONO KOI ATATAMEMASUKA?, which began around the time of this episode. The two are in Takasaki, Gunma-ken -- an area I always felt like was in the provinces but is actually just like any other big city, with a cuisine to match. Dishes: Big double cheeseburger, curry udon, and a Joshu pork donburi set. The buta-don was only 780 yen, which feels insanely cheap. Nana turns on the cutie charm, as expected. Also: teenaged girls LOVE Tomoya!
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202010251/
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202010252/
Himura in Kofu, Yamanashi: tori motsu, pizza, a big ol' burger and a Chinese-style "tsukesoba." He also ate a couple dessert items.
Kagoshima: San-ji no Heroine is featured. Not a fan but I sure as hell understand why they're booked for these foodie episodes. Duh. Here they get to gorge on tonkatsu, ramen (with plenny fatty pork), and yakiniku (you can't miss with gyutan!).
But they saved the best for last: my gal Yoshitaka Yuriko ("Yurippe" to her friends) and Tsumabuki Satoshi in Nasu Shiobara, Tochigi-ken. I felt so uncomfortable a few weeks ago watching Ayase Haruka trying to be enthusiastic for the camera and... failing. Not Yurippe: she's so giddy and spirited, humming the show's theme song, strolling about to the restaurant. I also don't buy for a second that they were actually calling the places cold for permission to dine in and film on location but the way the two address the issue... well, that's just good acting!
Oh, they get to chow down on a big steak donburi, mazesoba, and Jingisukan BBQ.
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202010111/
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202010113/
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202010112/
No beef in this episode, unfortunately. It's nori time! Farmed out in the sea and harvested in a helluva way! Not a lotta ways to make it interesting but those spring rolls looked good, along with the nabe for kanpai at the end.
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/19136tdua0dper8h4mrl.html
Miyagi-ken is visited by veteran bikini babe Isoyama Sayaka and Noro Kayo, whose wiki page I had to look up. Both have a frightening amout of beef and chicken.https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202009273/
Lastly (and kinda least, for my taste) Gyaru Sone is in Aichi. She gobbles a Chinese-style fried rice dish and a pork rice dish. It might be only me but I'm not really "getting" her persona. https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202009272/
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913n0le1awcfess9fq1.html
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202101171/
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202101173/
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202101172/
Other guests:
Gal Sone in Hiroshima -- okonomiyaki!
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202101174/
Sashihara Rino in Odawara, Kanagawa -- meat bowl!
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202101175/
Ayase Haruka, Emoto Tasuku, and Takahashi Issei sample takeout items: motsu nabe and shio ramen.
https://www.tbs.co.jp/sekkaku-g/archive/202101176/
https://www.ntv.co.jp/aozora/articles/1913zd8cogquk0y2in2x.html
This special is in Shirahama, Wakayama-ken. They ate at a really good food court, went "fishing" and took a raft ride across a beautifully clear stream. They have dinners for these annual specials and this one was at a restaurant featuring kue fish.
https://www.fujitv.co.jp/burabura/_basic/backnumber/index-553.html