I was laying in bed last night contemplating my mortality. If yesterday had been my last day, it was singularly unremarkable. Death is inevitable, and as they say - you can't take it with you. That leaves me with today. This is why I travel: to gather experiences to make today something different, something new. And in between trips, I try to see home through the eyes of a traveler.
Which brings me to cherry blossoms, that symbol of the fleeting beauty of life. The Japanese cherry trees along the northern end of Waterfront Park bloomed in full glory this year, in a rare week of spring sunshine in Portland. There was actual hanami, festive picnicking under the trees by young people and families. It was a tiny sliver of Japan in Portland.
When we came back from Japan last fall, I went through withdrawal and started seeking out bits and pieces of Japan in our immediate surroundings. Some was pure armchair travel - like my marathon of Japanese movies. Some was already well-known to us - like our favorite izakaya and conveyor-belt sushi (see list below). Others were more subtle, like the cherry blossoms.
Of course, the blossoms themselves were not subtle: you could see them from multiple bridges and vistas around the city (one of their many blessings). But most Portlanders don't know that the trees mark a memorial garden for the victims of our internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Beneath the trees are stones - the interesting kinds of stones you would find in a Japanese garden - etched with haikus and other poems written by the survivors. Memories, pain, regret, cultural identity, and the redemption of spring.
And another: Last winter, we made a pilgrimage across town to Uwajimaya, a Japanese supermarket full of dried seaweed, curry bases, 20-lb. bags of rice, and what, for me, is exotic produce. But post-Japan, I was newly mesmerized by the market's home goods aisles: rows of rice cookers, ramen bowls, bento boxes, incense burners, tamago pans, handkerchiefs and washcloths - almost all the small souvenirs we had brought back with us from Japan, now weighted for me with cultural significance. And right down the street from our apartment was Portland's original Japanese market, the venerable Anzen. A fraction of the size of Uwajimya, Anzen sits almost lonely now, across from the Convention Center between MLK and Grand.
Some aspects of my return-to-Japan-without-leaving-Portland were not so subtle. No hidden secret, Portland's Japanese Gardens are about as close to the real deal as one can get outside of Japan. Even the hillside path from the Rose Garden (the park, not the arena) to the entrance reminded me of our walk through the cedar forest of Nikko. Though admission is not cheap, the gardens take at least an hour to explore and easily a couple more hours to enjoy. I find my attempts at description inadequate; suffice it to say, if we had stayed in Portland, I would have become a member.
I'll call this armchair-travel-plus: making the most of what's local to induce that shift in perception one gets from being someplace new. Of course, your "local" can limit the range of your armchair-travel-plus options - Portland happens to have strong ties to Japan. But with the right mindset, everything can be an adventure. In the words of a six-year-old, sent to gather the family cat from the basement, "Come, Zachary, we have a quest!"
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Portland has no shortage of fun izakaya, ramen joints, and conveyor-belt sushi. Here are my favorites, as well as a few I found disappointing:
Biwa (SE 9th & Ash): I've written about Biwa before, and for good reason - great atmosphere, good grilled food (a staple of the Japanese pub diet), and very solid ramen.
Miho (4057 N Interstate): A very Portland izakaya - set up in an old house with a menu that marries favorite Portland and Japanese ingredients. Vegan-friendly, though my favorite dish - the mochi, miso, and clams - is decidedly not vegan. I also like their basic shoyu ramen (which is, unusually, vegan) better than their roast pork ramen.
Shigezo (910 SW Salmon): I love that Shigezo feels a bit like Epcot Center inside - like a slice of traditional Japan without any irony or apology. Their menu is similar, a mix of all the fun stuff Japanese cuisine has to offer: good ramen, okonomiyaki, teriyaki and yakitori, curry, katsu, tempura, and - of course - plentiful sushi. They've recently opened a new store at SE 38th & Division with a menu that looks even more fun.
Marinepolis Sushi Land (multiple locations, including 138 NW 10th in the Pearl): Portland's original cheap conveyor-belt sushi joint. My sister calls this "$4 sushi" because she can get in an out for $4. I'm pretty impressed if you can do the same, but it shouldn't be much more than that. Decent salmon nigiri (two pieces) is $1.50; basic cucumber or salmon skin rolls (6 pieces) are $1. You can ask for anything as a handroll for just a bit more. Some things have to be ordered: miso soup ($1), basic udon soup ($2), calamari ($1.50), vegetable tempura ($1.50). Green tea is free. Be nice to the hard-working waiters, and don't forget to tip. For this genre - uber-cheap and fast sushi - Marinepolis is still the best.
Koji Osakaya (multiple locations, including near Pioneer Square at 606 SW Broadway): I grew up with Koji's and am including it here mostly out of nostalgia. I go to Koji's when I want Japanese comfort food, like donburi or ramen or udon, and their sushi is good quality for the price. A solid lunch option.
And the rest: I never made it to Bamboo Sushi, but I've heard very good things. Boke Bowl, touted for their ramen, is just OK in my book - it's a fun spot, though, if you're in the neighborhood. As for izakaya, Yakuza was too expensive for us (and we were underwhelmed by the happy hour), and Tanuki was cold and just not fun - I vastly prefer the atmosphere of Biwa and Miho. And if you're going to go for cheap, conveyor-belt sushi, stick with Marinepolis - nothing else we tried was as good, as reliable, or as cheap.
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| Cherry blossoms at Waterfront Park |
When we came back from Japan last fall, I went through withdrawal and started seeking out bits and pieces of Japan in our immediate surroundings. Some was pure armchair travel - like my marathon of Japanese movies. Some was already well-known to us - like our favorite izakaya and conveyor-belt sushi (see list below). Others were more subtle, like the cherry blossoms.
Of course, the blossoms themselves were not subtle: you could see them from multiple bridges and vistas around the city (one of their many blessings). But most Portlanders don't know that the trees mark a memorial garden for the victims of our internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Beneath the trees are stones - the interesting kinds of stones you would find in a Japanese garden - etched with haikus and other poems written by the survivors. Memories, pain, regret, cultural identity, and the redemption of spring.
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| "With new hope, | We build new lives. | Why complain when it rains? | This is what it means to be free." |
Another example: I was out running errands at lunch last April and stumbled upon a nondescript Japanese curry restaurant, Kale (900 SW Morrison). The owner, a young Japanese man, explained he uses the recipes of his wife's high school teacher. The curry was fragrant, savory, comforting - I'm no expert, but it was authentic enough to transport me back to a particular curry lunch in Hiroshima.
And another: Last winter, we made a pilgrimage across town to Uwajimaya, a Japanese supermarket full of dried seaweed, curry bases, 20-lb. bags of rice, and what, for me, is exotic produce. But post-Japan, I was newly mesmerized by the market's home goods aisles: rows of rice cookers, ramen bowls, bento boxes, incense burners, tamago pans, handkerchiefs and washcloths - almost all the small souvenirs we had brought back with us from Japan, now weighted for me with cultural significance. And right down the street from our apartment was Portland's original Japanese market, the venerable Anzen. A fraction of the size of Uwajimya, Anzen sits almost lonely now, across from the Convention Center between MLK and Grand.
 |
| Portland's Japanese Gardens |
I'll call this armchair-travel-plus: making the most of what's local to induce that shift in perception one gets from being someplace new. Of course, your "local" can limit the range of your armchair-travel-plus options - Portland happens to have strong ties to Japan. But with the right mindset, everything can be an adventure. In the words of a six-year-old, sent to gather the family cat from the basement, "Come, Zachary, we have a quest!"
_______________________________________________________
Portland has no shortage of fun izakaya, ramen joints, and conveyor-belt sushi. Here are my favorites, as well as a few I found disappointing:
Biwa (SE 9th & Ash): I've written about Biwa before, and for good reason - great atmosphere, good grilled food (a staple of the Japanese pub diet), and very solid ramen.
Miho (4057 N Interstate): A very Portland izakaya - set up in an old house with a menu that marries favorite Portland and Japanese ingredients. Vegan-friendly, though my favorite dish - the mochi, miso, and clams - is decidedly not vegan. I also like their basic shoyu ramen (which is, unusually, vegan) better than their roast pork ramen.
Shigezo (910 SW Salmon): I love that Shigezo feels a bit like Epcot Center inside - like a slice of traditional Japan without any irony or apology. Their menu is similar, a mix of all the fun stuff Japanese cuisine has to offer: good ramen, okonomiyaki, teriyaki and yakitori, curry, katsu, tempura, and - of course - plentiful sushi. They've recently opened a new store at SE 38th & Division with a menu that looks even more fun.
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| Our neighborhood Marinepolis |
Koji Osakaya (multiple locations, including near Pioneer Square at 606 SW Broadway): I grew up with Koji's and am including it here mostly out of nostalgia. I go to Koji's when I want Japanese comfort food, like donburi or ramen or udon, and their sushi is good quality for the price. A solid lunch option.
And the rest: I never made it to Bamboo Sushi, but I've heard very good things. Boke Bowl, touted for their ramen, is just OK in my book - it's a fun spot, though, if you're in the neighborhood. As for izakaya, Yakuza was too expensive for us (and we were underwhelmed by the happy hour), and Tanuki was cold and just not fun - I vastly prefer the atmosphere of Biwa and Miho. And if you're going to go for cheap, conveyor-belt sushi, stick with Marinepolis - nothing else we tried was as good, as reliable, or as cheap.
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| Hanami in Waterfront Park |
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