Hanakazuki （花かずき）| Japanese Restaurant | Former Aoyama Villa （貴賓館）

My guests and I went to the Former Aoyama Villa （旧青山別邸 or 貴賓館）, an important cultural property of Japan, located in Otaru （小樽） the other days.

So-called Herring Mansion is a symbol of herring fishing in the 19th to 20th century, born out of a dream of 17-year-old Masae Aoyama （青山　政恵）.　Masakichi Aoyama （青山　政吉）, his farther and herring billionaire, hired Nenosuke Saito, a chief Imperial carpenter, directing 40 carpenters, plasterers  and joiners to construct this villa. It is very gorgeous, but used during the summer time only!!!
If you are interested in this cultural asset, please refer to my other post→click here!

Well, well, well, we were so hungry that we dropped by "Hanakazuki （花かずき）", a Japanese restaurant adjacent to this mansion.

I love this atmosphere! Look at this Byobu （屏風）, Japanese folding screen! How fantastic it is!!

They also have a table room like this↓ While enjoying kimono or a beautiful peony garden out of big windows, guests can have a wonderful lunch time!!

Voila!
One of my guests ordered this seafood bowl （三色丼）! Otaru reminds us of fresh seafood!

The tea cup has a peony design. Yes, we can appreciate a lot of pretty peonies, Masae's favorite flowers, in full bloom, from May to July in their garden.

The other guest ordered a soba and herring sushi set （にしん棒寿司とかけそば）.

Herring roe just under the top herring meat is a great accent for the sushi! Crunchy x 2!!!

I ordered a "Herring box lunch （にしんお重）"↓

Herring cooked with soy sauce is very tender and delicious!! Yummy x 2!!

The set comes with local fresh sashimi! Bravo!!

We had a wonderful time in Otaru, an historical city in Hokkaido!

■Where is "the Former Aoyama Villa （旧青山別邸）"?

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■Tour guide information■

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