On the way to Akitsu's family home to make New Year's greetings, I stopped by Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi to buy a small gift. I heard that they sell "Jiraiya" tempura at the basement floor, and since my mother has been into tempura recently, I wanted her to taste something close to the authentic taste that I'm familiar with from living in Nagoya. I was able to get a pack of 10 tempura. When we tried it at Akitsu's family home, it tasted familiar to me, but my mother felt it was not the same as what she's been enjoying from the local supermarket. It turns out the supermarket tempura she likes has a sweeter seasoning. Well, it's not a matter of which one is authentic or different, and even if the one I brought was authentic, it doesn't mean it's delicious for everyone.

First visit in December 2021 (No.3276) The original shop of "Tempura Rice Ball (Tengmusu)" is said to be "Senju" in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, where it was created in the 1950s as a staff meal at the tempura set meal restaurant "Senju". In the early stages, shrimp were used with tails attached (I do remember seeing that before), but now mainly red shrimp (sarl shrimp) without tails are used. The "Tempura Rice Ball (Tengmusu)" at "Senju" in Tsu City has tempura filling inside the rice ball, so you can't see it from the outside (laughs). Unfortunately, I, a busy person with no money, cannot go all the way to Tsu City in Mie Prefecture, so I visited this place, which was established in 1988 (Showa 63), even though it is a latecomer but I see it often. Tempura Rice Ball (Tengmusu) for 702 yen is the most standard item with 5 pieces and comes with a side of karabuki. The 10 pieces I bought last time at Ginza Mitsukoshi were too many, so this is the right amount and a delicious item that can also be enjoyed with alcohol. Thank you for the meal.

Today's souvenir bento for my grandmother was from Tsukikoba. I stopped by and gave it to my grandmother on the way home, so I didn't take any pictures. I should have bought some for home too. I've had Tsukikoba's tempura before at a department store food fair. I feel like going to Nagoya and trying freshly made tempura. The receipt today showed Tsukikoba for ¥734. I'm not sure if it's recommended for that month or if it represents a moonstone brought back from the moon. Tempura is just so cute! The size is perfect. Whoever came up with it first is amazing! The tempura rice ball looks like a small hina doll. The lightness of the tempura is delightful. The fun of eating it in 2-3 bites. Recently, the Kanto region is also starting to focus on cost performance, not just Kansai. Why is it better for tempura to not be too big? What is the fun of holding a rice ball in your hand, different from sushi? I want to try the real thing in Nagoya someday! I'm interested in miso stewed udon as well, but I'm the only one in my family. I want to stay in Nagoya for at least 2 nights someday. There were three types of bento boxes available this time: tempura, simmered dish, and one with either grilled fish or tsukune skewers, and another with teriyaki chicken, I think. I chose the one with fish for my grandmother, who loves fish because she grew up near the sea. She says her eyesight has been getting worse recently and she can't remove fish bones anymore. There are pre-processed "boneless fish" products available everywhere now, making it more convenient. The department store bento boxes are overwhelmingly increasing in Japanese cuisine options.

Before boarding the Shinkansen, I bought some tempura as a souvenir, but ended up eating it on the train. Haha! When it comes to tempura, it's got to be from Imaneya! It's amazing that you can now buy it even in Tokyo. In the past, it was a specialty dish that you had to go all the way to Nagoya to buy! I'm grateful for that. Imaneya's tempura has a good overall balance and you feel like you could eat as many as you want. Also, the packaging is great! When you see it, the tempura tastes even better. Next time I go to Tokyo, I'll buy it again and make sure to bring it back as a souvenir.

I first encountered "Tempura Rice Ball" over 30 years ago. I heard that it originated in Nagoya, and I thought, "I see!" At that time, it was a small rice ball wrapped around a small shrimp tempura dipped in tempura sauce. The Tempura Rice Balls at "Jiraiya" are small, with small shrimp tempura. It's more like pressing the shrimp tempura onto the rice ball rather than wrapping it. The tempura sauce is on the stronger side, and the flavor is rich. The simmered shiitake mushrooms on the side are sweet and flavorful. It may be more cost-effective to get the "Tsukitemari" set for 880 yen (excluding tax) than buying a single pack of 5 pieces for 660 yen.

I was looking for a small bento for a quick snack and happened to come across "tenmusu". The lady at the counter was very helpful and recommended a set of 5 tenmusu. I thought 5 might be too many, but they were bite-sized, so I managed to finish them all easily. Although they were good, they weren't something I would specifically want to come back for. If I have the chance to stop by again, I'll try some other items.

Tempura rice balls, I really like them but I don't often compare them, but I think they are very delicious. The packaging creates an exciting atmosphere ↑↑, and the deliciousness exceeds expectations! Even though plain shrimp tempura might not be that tasty on its own, when combined with the rice and seaweed, it shines in your mouth!! Just like seeing a really skilled makeup artist in a magazine or on TV, each component stands out and tastes delicious. I couldn't help but close my eyes and enjoy every bite. Ah, happiness~.

I bought an Ehomaki today because it's Setsubun. This year, I got a special version from the famous restaurant "Jiraiya". Of course, it had their signature tempura shrimp inside. The texture of the plump shrimp is great. The tempura shrimp goes surprisingly well with the other ingredients like egg, shiitake mushrooms, and cucumber. It's a luxurious version of Ehomaki from Jiraiya. A special edition that comes once a year. It was quite delicious. Thank you for the meal!

Tempura rice balls