Back in Japan (May 2014)...Relaxation in Hakone

I've been back in Japan for a week and have been enjoying my time.


Last week, a day after I arrived, I went to Hakone with mom and sister (Tomoko) for 2 days. Hakone is our regular destination for a weekend trip. It's less than 2 hours by car from mom's home and we can experience nice retreat every time.


Before we got to our hotel, we stopped by at a local soba house for lunch. Hakone has many really good soba houses who make their own soba at home. I had stone-ground soba in soup, with freshly foraged bamboo shoot (from their yard) with soba berries. Really nice.


We checked in at our hotel and enjoyed onsen (hot spring), followed by Champagne aperitif before dinner.


We never miss sushi dinner every time we stay in this hotel. The meal here is always outstanding. I was in heaven from the beginning.


After so many savory dishes, we moved on to nigiri...I couldn't stop eating...I think I had at least 10 pieces! With different kinds of sake, we had a fantastic night.


In the next day, after morning onsen, we had breakfast. The breakfast here is always great. I enjoyed the donabe porridge, too. We left the hotel and stopped by at Hakone Shrine. I felt so refreshed.

It was such a nice beginning of my stay back in Japan this time.

Natto making update...I found the perfect soybeans for natto!

I found the soybeans I really like!


A box of sample soybean arrived the other day. They were 3 different varieties of soybeans for different purposes, all organic and non GMO, by Signature Soy, 5th generation soy farm in North Dakota.


I first tried a variety for natto (SS2802) to make my homemade natto, and I was amazed by its quality. The beans were perfect small size and nicely nutty. It was like eating the special artisan natto from Japan!

I learned that the company also export soybeans to major natto manufacturers in Japan. That's why my homemade natto made from their beans tasted so authentic!


With Uruguay koshihikari rice, made in double-lid donabe rice cooker, "Kamado-san", it was my super happy moment. My special natto rice, made in collaboration between USA, Uruguay, and Japan.

Natto is a wonder food. For 5 kg of soybeans, only 3 g of natto bacteria is needed to make natto. The bacteria multiplies by more than 4 billion times after 24 hrs of fermentation in the right conditions. Amazing, isn't it?

My basic natto recipe is here.

Happy natto. Happy donabe life.