BEER and FUGU (that poisonous Japanese Puffer Fish)

This day was symptomatic of what we did during our various train stops.  Yesterday we considered visiting Jindaiji, a botanical park, but decided that the Fall colors were still missing, so forget that.  We instead went on a quick shopping trip to Shibuya, which is the next stop on the Yamanote Line.  The photo from our room of Yebisu Garden Place, a sprawling shopping mall with the Tokyo Westin on one end, and the JR Ebisu Station at the other.  Ebisu is the modern way of spelling Yebisu, and the Museum of Yebisu Beer is located here.

The history of Sapporo Beer is linked to Yebisu, and the history of beer in Japan shows the intertwining of the entire beer industry.

• In 1876 the Meiji government established the Kaitukushi beer brand, brewed by German-trained Seibe Nakagawa.  This was the beginning of Sapporo Beer, from where came the North Star logo.
• Nippon Beer Jozo Company then took over and Yebisu Beer went on sale in 1890, becoming so popular that the Yebisu Beer Hall opened at Ginza as Tokyo's first beer hall.

• 
  Business boomed, and Nippon Beer opened a train station near the Shibuya Station in 1906.  Thus, the area around this new link became known as Yebisu, including naming of the street as Ebisu Dori.  This location is now the site of the Yebisu Museum.

• 
  In the late 1890s an intense price war challenged Sapporo Beer, Nippon Beer (Yebisu Beer), Japan Brewery Company (Kirin Beer) and Osaka Beer (Asahi Beer), leading to in 1906 Nippon Beer being amalgamated into Sapporo Beer and Osaka Beer and was called Dainippon Beer Company.
• During 1943 the Yebisu brand disappeared.
• After World War II, Dainippon Beer was in 1949 split into Nippon Beer (with the Sapporo brand) and Asahi Beer.

• 
  In 1964 Nippon Beer became Sapporo Beer and in 1970 featured Toshiro Mifune saying, Men keep quiet and drink Sapporo Beer, which became a very successful ad campaign,
• In 1971 Sapporo Beer re-introduced Yebisu Beer.
• One more side story is Asahi Super Dry, a revolutionary product created n 1987 proposing the "Karakuchi" taste, which means dry, where Super was added to suggest a crisp, clear taste to match any cuisine.  For the longest time now, Asahi Super Dry has been #1 in Japan.  The complete ranking today.

1. Super Dry, Asahi Beer
2. Kinmugi, Suntory
3. Style Free, Asahi Beer 
4. Nodogoshi, Kirin Beer 
5. Hon Kirin, Kirin Beer 
6. Clear Asahi, Asahi Beer 
7. Ichiban Shibori, Kirin Beer
8. Tanrei Green Label, Kirin Beer
9. Black Label, Sapporo
10. Tanrei Platinum Double, Kirin Beer
11. Premium Malts, Suntory
12. The Rich, Asahi Beer
13. Tanrei Gokujo, Kirin Beer
14. Ichiban Shibori Zero Sugar, Kirin Beer
15. Yebisu, Sapporo 
16. Kinmugi 75% Less Sugar, Suntory
17. Lager, Kirin Beer
18. Gold Star, Sapporo
19. Kinmugi The Lager, Suntory
20. Spring Valley Hojun 496, Kirin Beer
21. Asahi Nama Beer, Asahi Beer
22. Perfect Suntory Beer, Suntory
23. Nodogoshi Zero, Kirin Beer
24. Mugi to Hoppu, Sapporo
25. Off, Asahi Beer
26. Lager, Sapporo
27. Orion Draft, Asahi Beer
28. Clear Asahi Zeitaku Zero, Asahi Beer
29. Akiaji, Kirin Beer
30. Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch

Returning to our doings today, again, as mentioned above, the following photo is that of Yebisu Garden Place from our Tokyo Westin room.  The famed restaurant, Robuchon, is in the mansion.  We could not get a reservation.  Note that chandelier.

This is the world's largest Baccarat Chandelier, which uses 8500 crystal parts and 250 lights.  Built in France using the skills of 13 artisans who worked for 15,000 hours.  This is the 24th year of holiday exhibition here.  Below the view of the famous Shibuya Crossing.  You can see the Uniqlo sign in the background, the only outlet in the world, I think, that sells the special underwear I wear.

Bought six of them, and got a duty-free price.

What is so special about them?  Very comfortable and functional.  Returned for a sunset view of Mount Fuji.

Then, on to our Executive Club for Jameson Irish Whiskey on rocks. As the appetizers here are so minimal, we decided to try Torafugutei in Meguro.  I was here nearly a decade ago.  I have posted on this poisonous Japanese puffer fish on numerous occasions, so click on THIS for details.

Dinner for two uses one of these fugus.  Started with raw fugu skin.

Next, puffer fish sashimi.

These fugu pieces were still throbing and served as the basis for the "sukiyaki" type meal.

An induction stove is used, so the container for the "soup" is bamboo and paper,

This tempura fugu was to me the best of all the dishes,

The following sounded terrific.  Dried fugu fin in hot sake, which comes with a ceremony,

Unfortunately, for the price, 'twas a downer.  At the end, rice was placed into the remaining soup for a fine conclusion,

Ending with an ice cream sandwich type of dessert and tea,

This ending represented only 25% of all the small dishes used for this and that,

Yes, our best meal so far for the entire trip.  However, no numbness of the lips/tongue or hot flashes.  They must have entirely cleaned out the poisons, which is tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin.  They are found in the ovaries, liver, intestines and skin.  From 1886 to 1963 there were 6386 cases with a 59% mortality rate.  Now perhaps up to 6/year die, and these are related to personal fishing, for chefs who are involved are required to have a 3-year apprenticeship.  I must say so that there was a sense of euphoria and exhilaration.  If you survive for 4 hours after the meal, you will live.

Returning to the Tokyo Westin, I took a photo of this Christmas tree with a tooting train.  I wondered what was that strange sakuhachi-sounding background music that permeates the lobby and executive club.  It has the vague sense of this Japanese flute.  Turns out that this train is responsible for the vague noise, which must become unbearable for the staff, as the peal is always with you.

Thus we did nothing much today, but enjoyed it very much.  Even walked 8841 steps, a bunch going up and down steps.

Tomorrow, we move to the Ritz Carlton.

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