NYAB Event - Shimon Minamikawa "Less the color, a month from Tokyo"

Shimon Minamikawa "Less the color, a month from Tokyo"

47 Canal

This event has ended.

Q: Do you have a daily routine and if so, can you tell us a little about it and when in NYC, does it change?

A: In Tokyo, usually I am going to same cafe or restaurant almost everyday. Cibot, Hato, Michelangelo, these are the cafes in which I always go. Rairaiken, Omura, Golden Brown, these are the restaurants or burger shops in which I always go. . .so before I moved to my present place one year ago, I went to different places. They were Tanbo, Gaya, On the Corner, Sawanoi etc, although many good cafe or restaurant are located in addition to this in Tokyo, I usually only go to ones in my neighborhood.

Recently, many cafes and restaurants which I loved were closed. For example, Roku, Shirokuma, Cicoute Cafe. It is a very sad thing. Although these stores were not famous at all for the tourist, they were loved by many tokyo people.

In NYC, I couldn't find a daily-use cafe around 47 Canal yet, but i like Brown Cafe and Nom War Tea Parlor now. Also I keep the diary every day, it is still continuing.

Q: When you go on holiday, where is your favorite place to travel?

A: I like the beach. Shonan, Shirahama, Atami, etc...especially, I like Atami. It was "trendy" in 1970's in Japan. Many celebrities had a cottage there, however, nobody is there now...In NY, i like the beach Fort Tildon which Anne took me last summer also I went to a town called Andes in up state last week with my friend. It was also wonderful there.

Q: For those of us unfamiliar with your hometown Tokyo, what do you think the is the most important knowledge to learn?

A: I think most good point is great food culture...though I don’t try all of Japanese food. I think sushi and ramen is famous in NY, of course I like that. But my recommendation it is called teisyoku, that casual japanese food plate. It is so good. So cheap so tasty. I think most important food in tokyo is soba (buckwheat noodles). It has a deep deep culture. Usually special soba shop is out of main street. Sometime they have no sign or very small sign. They have only a few kind of soba. No side dish, no dessert. But that kind of soba shop is expensive...because they making all soba by one person's hand. They use high-class materials. There is sake in most soba shops and especially the person of advanced age drinks sake together with soba. Soba without a topping are liked by those who only like soba, and they drink sake simultaneously.

Incidentally, I like soba with many many toppings, and i don't drink sake with soba.

If there is a dish in character with especially Tokyo, it is monjya. It seems like melted cheese? I can't explain what it is. Please try it if you go to tokyo. If you want to eat it, you will need to go to downtown of Tokyo.

Although Tokyo has much wonderful dish in addition to this, please read a guidebook of Tokyo for a famous place.