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!

I visited this restaurant on May 10, 2023, and gave it a 3.3 on Tabelog.

Name: 大人のてっぺん
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Top Of Adult
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Izakaya

I visited this restaurant on May 9, 2023, and gave it a 4.2 on Tabelog.

Name: 山さん寿司 本店
Description: 北鉄金沢、金沢/寿司、海鮮丼、海鮮

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Yamasan Sushi Main Store
Description: Hokutetsu Kanazawa, Kanazawa/Sushi, seafood bowl, seafood

I visited this restaurant on May 9, 2023, and gave it a 4.0 on Tabelog.

Name: 源左ェ門
Description: 野町、北鉄金沢、金沢/居酒屋、郷土料理、海鮮

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Genzaemon
Description: Nomachi, Hokutetsu Kanazawa, Kanazawa/Izakaya, local cuisine, seafood

I visited this restaurant on May 9, 2023, and gave it a 4.0 on Tabelog.

Name: バー スプーン
Description: 野町/バー

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Bar Spoon
Description: Nomachi/Bar

I visited this restaurant on May 8, 2023, and gave it a 3.8 on Tabelog.

Name: ちゃんぽん亭総本家 彦根駅前本店
Description: 彦根/ちゃんぽん、ラーメン、からあげ

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Champontei Sohonke Hikone Ekimae Main Store
Description: Hikone/Champon, Ramen, Karaage

I'll never understand cultures that synchronize everyone's vacation time. Similar to August throughout Europe, most Japanese folks get Golden Week off in May. The upshot is that everywhere is crowded, hotels are expensive, and there's nothing to do because everything's closed.

The first 5 restaurants I'd picked out in Shinbashi were all closed. Presumably, because their Tabelog rankings were high enough to justify the lost revenue. Alas.

I visited this restaurant on May 6, 2023, and gave it a 3.0 on Tabelog.

Name: らぁ麺 くろ渦
Description: 新宿三丁目、新宿御苑前、新宿/ラーメン、つけ麺

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Ramen Kurozu
Description: Shinjuku 3-chome, Shinjuku Gyoenmae, Shinjuku/Ramen, Tsukemen

I visited this restaurant on May 6, 2023, and gave it a 3.6 on Tabelog.

Name: らーめん バリ男 新橋本店
Description: 虎ノ門、内幸町、虎ノ門ヒルズ/ラーメン、つけ麺

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Ramen Bali Otoko Shinbashi Main Branch
Description: Toranomon, Uchisaiwaicho, Toranomon Hills/Ramen, Tsukemen

Since my study abroad in 2005, this marks the tenth time I've visited Japan. It's amazing how much technology has changed the experience of international travel. The convenience is undeniable, but it feels like I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the challenge of having to figure out how to survive with no Internet access.

I visited this restaurant on May 4, 2023, and gave it a 3.3 on Tabelog.

Name: 九州の旨かもん 旨か酒 くすお 新橋店
Description: 新橋、内幸町、虎ノ門/居酒屋、もつ鍋、馬肉料理

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Kyushu Umakamon Umaka Sake Kusuo Shinbashi Branch
Description: Shinbashi, Uchisaiwaicho, Toranomon/Izakaya, offal hotpot, horse meat dishes