 Yakitori (Skewered Teriyaki Chicken) Stand Or maybe I should call it "outdoor festival junk food?" It's time for our crazy outdoor dance festival again, and I've been taking photos like all other crazy photographers. Why crazy? Oh, think about being a spectator of outdoor dance performances from around 12:30 to 21:30, either standing or sitting on the sidewalk and occasionally walking from one venue to another, when the temperature is somewhere around 35 - 36 degrees C in the daytime (could be higher on the blacktop), taking shots of the dancers. Well, actually not all amateur photographers stay that long... but I did yesterday. I know. I'm the craziest. Hahaha...   Yakisoba (stir-fried noodles)  Okonomiyaki (Savory pancakes) Stand  Drink Stand To be honest, I felt kind of embarrassed to take shots of the fair food at these stands, because at this festival, everyone is interested in the dance and dancers, not the fair junk staples (and they have nothing but "the staples" in this festival). I noticed a vendor looking at me like "Is this her first time to see food stands at a Japanese festival?" Oh well. Anyway, I'll post the festival photos on my another blog when ready. :) P.S. I take vitamin pills every day, so don't worry too much about my nutrition. ;) O.K. Here let me add one more shot which best conveys the true spirit of this festival.  Now how about that? ;) * I posted some photos from Yosakoi Festival here, if you're interested. ;) Categories: Miscellaneous |
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
I've Been Living on Fair Junk Food...
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24 comments:
I think it is a good thing to document what is served at the matsuri :) looking forward to what photos you took.
fair food is so interesting though! and its really different in different places. at least for me (in the USA) it's a cool cultural thing.
only a foodie understands LOL
masa
At the last 盆踊り I went to, there were so many more people queuing up for food than there were dancing, haha. Maybe you can tell from these videos I found?
mmmm...I miss Japanese festival food!! So yummy! My favorite is Takoyaki and taiyaki. Super yum! What do you usually eat??
I love food photos - especially the everyday/snack type foods that we don't see here in the US.
K & S
I'm such a great takoyaki lover but one thing I can't stand is the takoyaki with a whole small octopus in. :(
China
Yeah, here in Kochi, we can see some staples that are popular throughout the country AND some local specialties, such as yuzu drink and aisukurin (ice milk).
Masa
That's right! :D
Erin
I bet there came so many people to watch. The taiko performance is cool! :D
Chibi Chibi
My absolute favorite is takoyaki, but I'm a bit picky about it. Octopus bits shouldn't be too big, and aonori topping is the must. ;)
Yesterday I tried skewered teriyaki beef, but it was sooooo chewy like rubber!
Lorelei76
This site has some great close-ups of Japanese festival junk food if you're interested.
Had to cancel our trip this year :( had a very sad event so we couldn't make it, look forward to seeing your pictures, wish I had been there. Still trying to think of ways we could move to Japan permenantly but I appear to be the problem :( anyway hope we can catch up with you soon, take care from both of us.
This reminds me of the farmer's market in kochi I went to several years ago. The takenoko and unagikimo was delicious!
I miss kochiken food :(
Hi there obachan!
I'm a new reader to your blog.
I love your writing style and the many food pictures you have!
This post is making miss festival food in japan (i'm singaporean by the way)
I'm now inspired to visit Shikoku, especially kochi :)
nexa
Demon
Oh, I missed you guys at Yosakoi! I'm so sorry to hear that you had a very sad event... Hope you and misa-san are feeling OK now.
I really, really hope that you can move to Kochi and find a good job here.
Sure I'll post Yosakoi photos for you guys. This weekend I'm going to my parents' house and cannot work on the photos, but they should be ready before the end of this month, hopefully.
Yamo
Wow, it's great to hear from someone missing Kochi. Hope you comne to my blog often! :D
Nexa
Thank you for your nice comment. I hope that you have a chance to come to Shikoku someday. :)
I miss matsuri! Mmmm, your pictures make me hungry.
obachan (actually I should call you one-chan), most of my relatives still live in kochi-ken, near ino (I think). I do read your blog often, just don't comment often.
There's a fair starting tomorrow in my city too. The traditional fair foods we have are corn dogs, mini doughnuts, and various types of fried dough covered with sugar...hmm, maybe fried foods are just popular in general? Seems like even junk food is more "healthy" in Japan :D
Hi Obachan - I haven't been writing lately or posting (but that was par for the course for the past 2 years - the first was productive in posting on the blog!). I am back in Australia, working in Sydney. Came only 3 weeks ago, but feel like it was years since leaving Osaka. I love these photos - I will be looking at them when I talk to my friends that are going to matsuri every day. BTW the sushi here sucks so far. I am yet to find a place that sells decent sushi. I think I will have to make it myself! Please enjoy the heat, but make sure you have a kirin to wash down the vitamins each day!!
Ah, takoyaki - one of the most disgusting and delightful foods at the same time.
Seeing these pictures makes me miss matsuri food quite terribly.
Catch a goldfish for me, will you?
Fuji mama
Sounds like you enjoyed matsuri somewhere in Japan, right? BTW, I love the photos from your recent visit to Japan.
Yamo
Ino is such a nice, quiet town. I hope to visit the autumn festival there in this coming November. :)
Christine
We have corn dogs here, too, and one corn dog usually costs apx. US$5! What do you think? I'm not sure how bad our festival food is for our health, but it sure is for our finance!
Lucas
OMG, you are back in Australia?! I was dreaming of visiting Osaka sometime in the near future and see some fellow bloggers including you there. I bet you're missing that yakitori place near your apartment. Yeah, if the Japanese food there is rather disappointing, you're going to have to make it yourself, and I'm sure you had enough practice in Japan. ;) (Ah, but the ingredients and seasonings you can get there may not be the same as what you were used to in Japan...)
Anyway, good luck with your new start in Sydney. :D
Cara
Oh, goldfish catching! :D My parents didn't allow me to try it when I was a kid. They said, "We know you won't take care of them after taking them home and let them die. It's a waste of money!" When I see goldfish at matsuri, I still hear my parents' voice in my head. Hahaha...
Hi Obachan! It looks really fun~ The same thing happened to me when I was in Taiwan during last summer, I was taking pictures of all the food stands in the night market, and everyone was looking at me funny. >< Anyway, I think its really iumportant though, because without those foods, it wouldn't be the same experience at all!
I'd be willing to stand/walk there that long as long as I am eating all the yummy foods namely: okonomiyaki, takoyaki, sashimi etc.......Matsuri ne?
Wonderful photos of the festival!
Mmm, I miss matsuri! Last itme I was there I had these wonderful filled pastries shaped like Doraemon.....Mmm, anko daisuki.
ahhh...tabemono no matsuri!
much of what is eaten at Japanese festivals is not really junk food-at least in comparison with what one gets in the US.
the last time i was in Japan we had those wonderful fresh fruits dipped in a boiling sugar syrup. it gave the fruit a thin crunchy candy coating and they were made right as you ordered them (they don't keep).
when we got back to the US we practiced making them and were successful! the strawberries were the best IMHO.
Gabriel
Absolutely. The food stands are "the must." That's especially true for this particular festival, because dancers have to eat food once in a while so that they can keep dancing in an extreme hot weather. Also the spectators need to eat meals but all restaurants/ coffee shops are super-crowded during this festival, so the food stands are actually crucial for their survival.
Mirage2g
Thanks. I just wish that those matsuri foods were not that expensive, though...
Tindy
Ah! Doraemon yaki. :D I saw Pokemon-yaki at this festival, but they were not filled with anko.
Shiborigirl
I agree that they use relatively good fruits for those candied fruits, but about the meat products and the oil they use for deep-frying, I'm not too optimistic...
I'm so happy to hear that you successfully made candied strawberries over there. That's my favorite, too. :D
BTW, I saw your website and fell in love with the beauty of the shibori fabric. You're a great photographer!
Give me japanese junk food anytime.. :) the western junk food.. i just can't stomach.
Well, I'm not sure if our junk food is any kinder to your stomach, but as I have repeated, it'll be hard on your wallet. ;)
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