foodie sunday in minoo

Yesterday, Satoshi had to work. The weather was nice except for the volcanic smog (VOG) in the air, so I decided to go out for a walk.

I first had lunch at my favorite cafe, Per Caffe Bianco. The daily pasta lunch was delicious, a melt in your mouth pork simmered in tomato sauce and veggies over spaghettini. A cup of pumpkin soup and for a little extra, a cappuccino...1150 yen (about US$11.50)

It was my first cappuccino for 2011 from this cafe.

Business seems to be a bit rough for them, but I'm glad their food is still good and their cappuccinos still delicious.

After lunch, I walked a little ways into the Quasi Park and found these people.

This big contraption had 3D (red/blue) glasses attached to them and everyone was looking in and listening to a man tell stories.

I also went to look inside and the pictures don't move but it was neat to listen and watch the man talk about different historic spots in Minoo.

Listening to storytellers while looking at paintings were a form of entertainment for Japanese during the Edo Period, about the 1600s.

Hello Kitty comes in a Minoo (our city) version, with her in a monkey costume, a little monkey and momiji (maple leaf) tempura. The monkey and momiji tempura are famous items in our city.

I bought this one attached to a pen...600 yen (about US$6)

I saw this sasanqua, there was a red tree next to a white tree that had "mixed" to make this red-white flower, cool yeah??

I saw these matcha ichigo daifuku the other day while walking past Korakudo, but didn't have any money with me at the time, so I picked some up to try yesterday...400 yen for 2 (about US$4)

Around the strawberry is a sweet bean paste with minced green tea leaves and a soft mochi (rice cake) around everything...delicious.

Lots of walking and lots of eating...the air is bad with the VOG from Kirishima, and it looks like the weather will be getting a little cooler this coming week.

Hope you have a good week.