Sendai Castle Ruins (Aoba Castle) | Review by 黃國棟

When visiting Hirome Market in Kochi, how could you miss this iconic local dish? Myojinmaru is a very famous restaurant in Kochi specializing in straw-seared bonito and is also one of the places where salt-seasoned straw-seared bonito tataki originated.

As I passed the stall this time, I happened to catch a chef demonstrating the straw-searing process, so I couldn't help stopping to watch for a while.

The chef placed the bonito on a grill and lit the straw to sear it. The flames instantly shot up high, completely engulfing the fish in a blazing fire. It was truly an impressive sight! I could feel the heat even from some distance away. The whole searing process was so eye-catching that I couldn't resist taking out my phone to record it.

What makes this dish special is that the intense heat from the burning straw quickly sears the outside of the fish while keeping the inside fresh and tender. It is then eaten with salt, which is a very representative Kochi style.

However, my main purpose for visiting Hirome Market this time was to browse the market and experience its lively local food atmosphere, so I didn't actually sit down to try the bonito dish. I simply enjoyed watching the live searing show.

It was a little disappointing not to get to eat it, but seeing the bonito seared over a blazing straw fire in person was still very interesting and made for a special experience during this trip to Kochi! Next time I come, I'll definitely buy a serving and try it.

When visiting Kochi City, of course you can't miss the famous Hirome Market! Before I even went inside, the large sign and cute lucky cat at the entrance caught my eye. After taking some photos, I couldn't wait to look around.

As soon as I entered the market, I immediately felt the lively atmosphere. There are more than 60 food stalls offering all kinds of local Kochi specialties, from sushi, grilled bonito, skewers, and ramen to desserts and local sake. Just looking at the food at each stall made me want to try everything.

The most unique thing here is the open communal dining setup. You can buy whatever food you like from different stalls and bring it to the shared seating area to enjoy together. Everyone gathers around long tables to eat and drink, which gives the place a real sense of local life.

However, once I actually went inside, I realized it was even livelier than I had imagined. There were quite a lot of people, and the seating areas were very crowded. The sounds of people chatting and eating filled the market. The whole place was full of energy, but it was a little noisy for me.

I didn't specifically look for a seat to eat this time. I just walked around, checked out the different stalls, and experienced the market atmosphere before leaving after one lap. Although I didn't have a big meal here, I still thought it was very distinctive and felt that I had experienced a representative part of Kochi's local food culture.

I found another fun instant noodle souvenir on my trip to Japan! This time, it was DONBURI, a cup version of Chicken Ramen, the world's first instant ramen. It has the classic chicken broth flavor, and now there's a cup version to choose from. Even the packaging looks appealing!

They had both cup and bag versions, and both are worth buying. If you're planning to bring some back to Taiwan as souvenirs, I'd recommend the bagged version. It's compact, doesn't take up much luggage space, and is easier to carry.

When browsing supermarkets or stores in Japan, it's really hard to resist bringing home these unique instant noodles. If you like Japanese instant noodles, keep an eye out for this one!