I visited this restaurant on May 21, 2023, and gave it a 3.2 on Tabelog.

Name: ザオイスターバー コウベ
Description: ハーバーランド、神戸、西元町/イタリアン、ダイニングバー、ワインバー

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: The Oyster Bar Kobe
Description: Harborland, Kobe, Nishimotomachi/Italian, Dining Bar, Wine Bar

I visited this restaurant on May 20, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: ニクスペシャリテ・マクラ
Description: 神戸三宮（阪急）、三宮（神戸市営）、旧居留地・大丸前/肉料理、ステーキ、ワインバー

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Nix Specialty Macra
Description: Kobe Sannomiya (Hankyu), Sannomiya (Kobe Municipal), Former Settlement/Daimaru-mae/Meat dishes, steak, wine bar

I visited this restaurant on May 20, 2023, and gave it a 3.7 on Tabelog.

Name: 七福神
Description: 三宮（神戸市営）、神戸三宮（阪急）、三ノ宮（ＪＲ）/串揚げ、居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Seven Lucky Gods
Description: Sannomiya (Kobe Municipal), Kobe Sannomiya (Hankyu), Sannomiya (JR)/Kushiage, Izakaya

I visited this restaurant on May 18, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: いろり家
Description: 小国町その他/居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Irori Family
Description: Oguni Town Others/Izakaya

I visited this restaurant on May 17, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: Kitchen HUB Dining
Description: 屋久島町その他/カフェ、ピザ、カレー

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Kitchen Hub Dining
Description: Yakushima Town Others/Cafe, Pizza, Curry

I visited this restaurant on May 17, 2023, and gave it a 3.8 on Tabelog.

Name: とんかつと、しゃぶしゃぶ。黒豚ふくや
Description: 天文館通、いづろ通、朝日通/とんかつ、しゃぶしゃぶ、鍋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Tonkatsu And Shabu-shabu. Kurobuta Fukuya
Description: Tenmonkan-dori, Izuro-dori, Asahi-dori/Tonkatsu, Shabu-shabu, Hotpot

I visited this restaurant on May 16, 2023, and gave it a 3.6 on Tabelog.

Name: 漁火
Description: 屋久島町その他/海鮮

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Fishing Fire
Description: Yakushima Town Others/Seafood

I visited this restaurant on May 15, 2023, and gave it a 3.4 on Tabelog.

Name: オールデイダイニング カザ
Description: 京都、東寺、梅小路京都西/ビュッフェ、カフェ、ヨーロッパ料理

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: All Day Dining Kaza
Description: Kyoto, Toji Temple, Umekoji Kyoto West/Buffet, Cafe, European Cuisine

I visited this restaurant on May 15, 2023, and gave it a 3.6 on Tabelog.

Name: 鹿児島ラーメン 豚とろ 鹿児島中央駅前店
Description: 高見橋、鹿児島中央駅前、鹿児島中央/ラーメン

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Kagoshima Ramen Pork Toro Kagoshima Chuo Station Store
Description: Takamibashi, Kagoshima Chuo Station, Kagoshima Chuo/Ramen

I visited this restaurant on May 15, 2023, and gave it a 3.6 on Tabelog.

Name: 広東料理　翡翠廳
Description: 高見馬場、天文館通、加治屋町/中華料理

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Cantonese Cuisine Hisui Hall
Description: Takamibaba, Tenmonkan-dori, Kajiyamachi/Chinese restaurant

I mean, just look at this screenshot. I can confidently take a photo of a friend's hand-written note, search for one Japanese word that I knew was written on it to find it, then select the text and paste it into a translation app, maps, etc.

In Japan, it's customary to use a coin locker at a train station to store your bags, so that you can spend time visiting a place without lugging all your stuff everywhere.

Unfortunately, this coin locker only takes five ¥100 coins (I've been spoiled by newer ones in Tokyo and Osaka that take IC cards like Suica) and I only had a single ¥100 coin on me.

So I went to a 7-Eleven to change a ¥1000 bill to coins and the attendant told me that they can no longer break change. So then I bought a bottle of tea in cash, but because these days you pay with cash using an automatic machine mounted in front of the register, it gave me back one ¥500 coin and three ¥100 coins. So I still only had four ¥100 coins when I needed five to use the locker.

So then I turned around and bought a donut with the ¥500 coin in order to break change again and this time I received three more ¥100 coins.

All so that I could pay ¥500 to use a coin locker… always an adventure!

I visited this restaurant on May 13, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: 草庵・中町井ｓay
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/そば、郷土料理、居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Soan/nakamachii Say
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Soba, local cuisine, izakaya

I visited this restaurant on May 12, 2023, and gave it a 3.2 on Tabelog.

Name: 中華そばマルキ商店
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/ラーメン

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Chinese Soba Maruki Shoten
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Ramen

Lots of good convenience store discoveries this week!

• A pizza sandwich filled with wieners and taco meat.
• Bread-flavored gummies.
• Fried and seasoned chicken skin, closely resembling the bottom of a KFC bucket
• A canned whiskey that comes pre-mixed with water.
• Individually-packaged cups of orange jelly housed in a larger cup
• Sparkling water that's been fortified with… a lot of fiber?
• Tangerine-flavored gummies designed to look like little popsicles
• Frozen chocolate banana chunks made with otherwise-wasted bananas

So much innovation!

I visited this restaurant on May 11, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: かつ玄 本店
Description: 松本、北松本/とんかつ、かつ丼

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Katsugen Main Store
Description: Matsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Pork cutlet, Katsudon

I visited this restaurant on May 11, 2023, and gave it a 3.8 on Tabelog.

Name: 風林火山
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Furin Volcano
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Izakaya

Had a great half day in Kanazawa, even though it wound up being a bit of a speed run. Omicho fish market and Kenrokuen garden are both popular tourist spots, but I found the local restaurants and bars to be really exceptional, both in service and food quality. If you like fresh fish, you really must visit someday!