Thank you for choosing Tokyo Free Walking Tour at the eastern garden of the Imperial Palace. We had the pleasure of welcoming nine guests from the United States, Canada, Germany, India, and Italy. We hope you enjoyed the tour and shared interesting conversations with our guides and fellow participants. As promised, group photos and snapshots are attached to capture and commemorate the wonderful time we had together.
Japanese people are sensitive to the changing seasons, and one of the most enjoyable ways to appreciate each one is through seasonal foods. Ingredients that are in season are at their peak in both flavor and nutrition, enriching our eating habits. Autumn especially brings us abundant natural gifts such as sweet potatoes, matsutake mushrooms, kuri or chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, persimmons, grapes, and Japanese pears. These foods can be enjoyed on their own or used as ingredients in dishes and sweets. This time, I would like to introduce dobinmushi, kuri red rice and kurimusiyokan.
Dobinmushi is a traditional Japanese soup made with matsutake mushrooms, ginkgo nuts, shrimp, chicken, and white fish. These ingredients are steamed with dashi broth in an earthenware teapot, creating a fragrant and flavorful soup. The aroma of matsutake mushrooms alone is enough to stimulate your appetite. Ginkgo nuts are not commonly eaten in many countries, but they are part of Japanese cuisine. They actually have a strong smell, but once boiled, they become pleasantly mild. It is common to see people collecting ginkgo nuts beneath the trees to use in their dishes. However, they should be eaten in moderation.
Kuri red rice is made by simply boiling rice, azuki red beans, and kuri chestnuts together. It’s easy to prepare at home and offers the natural flavor of freshly harvested chestnuts.
Kurimushiyokan is a steamed yokan jelly made with anko or azuki bean paste , wheat flour, kuzu or starch, and chestnuts. It has a moist and chewy texture, allowing you to enjoy its light sweetness and the wonderful flavor of chestnuts. These dishes and sweets beautifully express the taste of Japanese autumn and provide a delicious way to enjoy the season’s charm.
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For more information about our tour, please visit our website at https:https://tfwt.jp/east-gardens-of-the-imperial-palace/, https://www.facebook.com/TokyoFWT or Tokyo Free Walking Tour at https://www.tripadvisor.jp/.
(posted by Ritsuko)