Pick Happiness

I realized that to get a feeling for my posts about the restaurant Manmaru, something more is needed. Pick your favorite Beatles song and play it. Or go with "Baby's in Black", which was what I heard while there. Because all Manmaru plays is the Beatles.

I've written about the manga and show "Wakakozake" before. The premise is a woman who enjoys going out alone and drinking and dining. Part of that is she has a favorite little restaurant she likes to visit. I kind of feel that way about Manmaru.

So of course it was the first place I stopped at for dinner on my recent trip. Each time I order sake just so they can overfill their little glass so it runs over and fills the saucer below. It's my Murasaki moment. As to the sake, it's a jumai ginjo that is called "Pick Happiness". I didn't know the name until the lovely server told me.

Something Manmaru specializes in besides unagi is dojo or loach. So I ordered it.

Dojo is a fresh water fish and in November, Manmaru was offering a tempura styled dish served with lemon. It was salty and crispy.

I went with the smaller unagi don set that came with their delicious miso soup and cucumber tsukemono.

Finally I have a good photo of the unagi.

It's fun to find all the eel images in Manmaru. Like this little decorated plate.

I was tired from the long flight but I decided to walk a little. There were a couple things I wanted to buy over on Sunshine 60 Dori. Not wanting to deal with chaotic Ikebukuro Station, I took one of the tunnels that runs under the many train tracks to get to the other side.

This tunnel actually has an official name. We Road, and it's been in the news recently because they have an artist who has been painting the walls and ceiling. I've seen her there a few times, but unfortunately I don't know her name. The colorful walls and ceiling do lighten up the long walk way with the very low ceiling.

I was also looking for a specific restaurant that night. Sometimes locations are not clear on Google Maps. I noticed this SEIBU window display that someone else had posted online. So I had to take a photo.

I also couldn't help but noticed the trains in this shop window.

It's MARUZEN, a book and stationary store with a cafe. If you feel like dining with the Haneda Airport and Toshimaen Express Trains, this is the place to do it. MARUZEN is located at 2 Chome-25-5 Minamiikebukuro, Toshima City.

It seems there are a number of fruit parlor cafes in Ikebukuro. This one is Kajitsuen Riberu. The brightly lit store caught my attention. I may visit here in the future. This is located at 1-chōme-19-1 Higashiikebukuro, Toshima City.

Something I definitely wanted to see during this trip were illuminations. I remembered viewing a few back in 2010 and I wanted to see more this time. Ikebukuro's contribution were these lit "trees" along Meiji Dori outside the train station.

I really did not plan this photo. But I like the way it turned out.

And my little purchases. A couple bath salts and hair clips from Tokyu Hands because I forgot my hair clips that I use when bathing. And a couple more bath salts from Tomads. Along with perusing the craft and kitchen sections of Tokyu Hands. Because I like cooking and crafting and it's fun to see what Japan has to offer.