Tokyo Part 6: Tachikawa and the Search for Mount Fuji
- The Anonymous Hungry Hippopotamus
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
I came to Japan with very few expectations. I wanted to take in the experience as it presented itself and enjoy the adventure and excitement that accompanies uncertainty. That said, I did have some goals in mind and seeing Mount Fuji was among them, as the mountain, with its graceful conical form, has become symbolic of Japan itself.
From day one, I was chasing the legend across the skyline, scanning between buildings and searching in the distance for that perfect, maybe fleeting glimpse. I knew which direction to look in, but the magnificent mountain seemed to be hiding behind the haze or the clouds on most days. Such was the case the first time I saw her.
Base of Mount Fuji at Sunset, Shibuya, Tokyo
Only her base was visible. I captured it in the photo above (look behind the singular building you see at 12 o'clock) and pressed on in hopes of seeing the entire mountain.
Mount Fuji at Sunset from Meguro, Tokyo
The second time I saw Mount Fuji was from Tokyo, at sunset once again. Her top was still obscured by the clouds, but beautifully so, as the sun set them ablaze in shades of orange, yellow and red, making it appear as though the top of the mountain was on fire. (Below is a close up.)
This seemed so appropriate since Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano, though it has been dormant since 1707. A widely accepted theory about the origin of the name "Fuji" is that it comes from an Ainu word meaning "fire," combined with the word "san," which means "mountain" in Japanese.
Tokyo Gyoza Stand Oolong
Sui Gyoza
My search for glimpses of Fuji continued as I enjoyed my travels through Japan. One sunny Saturday, I headed to Tachikawa, a city in the western Tokyo metropolis, to visit friends, who are more like family, and happened to relocate from the United States to Japan for a few years. We met in Midoricho, Tachikawa for lunch.
They chose a restaurant called Tokyo Gyoza Stand Oolong. The concept behind the restaurant is "Neo-Machichuka" or modern, Chinese-style, pub fare. The restaurant specializes in handmade gyoza, designed by a Michelin-starred chef, as well as craft beer. How can you go wrong?
The high-quality dumplings came in both boiled and fried form. We started with the sui gyoza, a boiled variety filled with juicy ingredients encased in a tender, steamed wrapper.
Yaki Gyoza
Next, we moved to the yaki gyoza, a pan fried variety. These gyoza were filled with minced Iberico pork and shoulder loin and were rich in flavor.
Dan Dan Noodles
In addition to gyoza, we enjoyed several house specialities including the dan dan noodles. They were tossed in a spicy, sesame-peanut sauce and then topped with minced beef and pork, chili oil, scallions and crushed peanuts.
Shrimp with Eggs
We also shared the shrimp and eggs. The creamy, soft-scrambled eggs, topped with plump shrimp, blanketed a mound of rice.
Korokke
One of our sides was korokke, the Japanese version of a potato croquette, inspired by French cuisine. These mashed potatoes were coated with panko and then deep fried until crispy. This is comfort food, indeed.
Torokeru Potato Salad
Equally comforting was the torokeru potato salad, or melting potato salad. This restaurant speciality is known for its creamy texture, the inclusion of a soft boiled egg drenched in hollandaise sauce and toasted cashews.
Full on great food and connection, we wandered the nearby shops and wound up at Dragonfly Bar.
Mount Fuji from Tachikawa, Tokyo
And there was Mount Fuji, snow capped and glorious. Though she appeared like an untouchable, pale, blue shadow in the distance, this was the clearest, most complete view I had experienced thus far, and it was breathtaking.
We all walked through Showa Kinen Park for our remaining time together, before boarding our trains taking us separate ways.
The park spans over 140 acres and was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Showa's reign.
I was fortunate to visit during Fall, when the leaves on the trees were resplendent colors of gold. Too soon, it was time to bid farewell and return to my home base in Central Tokyo.
It was not long thereafter, that I left Tokyo to visit the second prefecture in my Japan travels. The best view of Mount Fuji occurred on the way, when I least expected it. It came rolling past, as I stared at the countryside out the window of the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto. It's as if the mountain decided to reveal itself, knowing that I wasn't looking for it.
There she was, the great Mount Fuji, clearly visible and perfectly symmetrical. Darting by her on a train made the experience that much more surreal. It felt like a generous parting gift, as I left Tokyo and sped westward to discover more of Japan.
Each time Fuji revealed herself to me, I felt special, as though the mountain only revealed itself to those who were willing to slow down, look carefully, wait patiently and pause gratefully for her timeless presence to appear. There is a beautiful life lesson in that.
See you soon with adventures from Kyoto.
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