It's not '110', it's '100 and 10'—stay at this inn! — A trip to Yobuko, the town of gourmet food and morning markets —

Delivering to you from Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, NaguNagu Tourist (Nagu-Tsu) tour, we are here again today.

It's an hour and a half from Hakata, or a 30-minute drive from the center of Karatsu City.
We have arrived in Yobuko, famous for its morning market.

Today's inn is 'Hyaku to Ju' (100 and 10).
It is read exactly as 'Hyaku-to-ju'. If written in numbers, it's not '110' but '10010'. The meaning of the house name will be explained later...

This is an introduction to an artistic and gourmet inn.

Oh, but before that,

Let me briefly introduce Yobuko.
Yobuko is now famous for its morning market and squid.

Yobuko Port, a natural harbor, has long prospered through trade with the Korean Peninsula and the continent. This area was a trendy, cutting-edge town where continental culture arrived early. Later, in the Edo period, it became wealthy from whaling, and grand mansions lined the streets. The remnants of that era remain on Yobuko's morning market street.

Checking in a little early.
(It's a leisurely trip, after all.)

The evening view of the harbor; the winter sun is warm.
(Oh, it's January now.)

An inn renovated from an old folk house.
It was once a merchant house called 'Manjuya'. Written in numbers, it's '10010' (Ichimanju), which breaks down into '100' and '10'.

And so, 'Hyaku to Ju' (100 and 10).

On the first floor is the restaurant 'vesper'.
It is also open to non-guests.

Since it's an old folk house, there is a shared shower room instead of a bath.
The washroom and refrigerator are also shared. It has been beautifully renovated and is comfortable.

There is a spa resort (Yobuko Daiba no Yu) about a 10-minute walk away. To digest the luxurious meal (Kawashima's chef's choice kaiseki) I had for lunch, let's go soak in the large public bath while taking a stroll.

◇◇

Phew, that felt good.
When I stepped out of the building, it was just about time for the curtain of night to fall.

I walk side by side with my wife.
For some reason, I'm reminded of the lyrics to 'Kandagawa'. The only thing they have in common is a bath and a waterfront, but...

Unlike in 'Kandagawa', I'm not shivering, and the cool air feels pleasant against my flushed body.

◇◇

Our inn this time, 'Hyaku-to-Ju', leaves you alone in a good way.
Basically, the owner is in the restaurant (kitchen) on the first floor. The entrance is separate from the guesthouse side on the second floor, so it's isolated.

Alright!
Now, the moment you've been waiting for. Here comes the food porn.

Cheers!

An appetizer platter that I hesitate to even call a 'one-plate'.

I'll write down the menu for you.
Starting from the front, clockwise:

Every single one was too precious to just swallow down quickly.
They were all dishes I wanted to chew well and savor.

And for Nagu-tsu, what's important is
'using local ingredients'.

Why do we travel? I believe it's essential to taste the local area. I want to visit such restaurants as much as possible.
And I only introduce restaurants I want to visit again. (Actually, I want to keep them a secret...)

Yes,
beer disappears in a flash, doesn't it? (lol)

Let's try some white wine and sake too!

It's named after 'Tenzan', the famous mountain that reigns over the central part of Saga,
and this is a new brand from Tenzan Sake Brewery that bears that name.

'Shining along with modern eating habits'
is the concept.

Junmai, polished to 75%.
I was told it's a sake with a solid umami flavor, but

it has a fruitiness you wouldn't imagine from these numbers, and an acidity that pairs perfectly with Western cuisine.

The dish to face off against this sake is this!

In a sense, it tastes exactly as you'd imagine, and is as delicious as it looks.
I'll finish every drop of the soup, too.
I can only sigh. Ah... so good...

Yes, finally the last one

If it's fish, then it has to be meat!!

Saga's prized brand meat
Saga beef rump steak.

The light, savory flavor of the meat spreads juicily throughout your mouth.

Pairing it with red wine and

Shichida!

Here, I made the
regrettable mistake of ordering the Shichida in the wrong order.

I was told that this green label is fruity, and the red label I had earlier has a rich umami flavor... I should have paired this green label with the fish.

Well, the meat and the sake are both delicious, so it's fine!
This is truly a feast of wine and meat, hehehe.

Compared to a typical course, the portion is on the smaller side, but since our family has small appetites, it was more than enough.
Of course, the sense of satisfaction in our hearts is immense.

Oh, I forgot to introduce the dessert.

Savoring the lingering finish with freshly ground coffee that has a nice bitterness.

A relentless food terror starting from the afternoon.

It was a day where my stomach was surprised by suddenly eating such luxurious food.

Thank you for the meal!
Let's head back to the room.

◇◇

I'll say it again. This inn, Hyaku to Ju, leaves you alone in a good way.
The guesthouse side on the second floor is quiet and doesn't even have a TV. When you return to your room, you can just gaze blankly at the night view of the harbor, read a book, have an after-party... or,

Sleep!!

So,

Tomorrow (next time), I'll be reporting from the Yobuko morning market!
(

To be continued... )

If you haven't enjoyed the lunch food porn yet,
click here