Seafood in Nakaminato, a night away and blue skies in Oarai
Oysters opened on the spot and a sushi meal set a happy tone for Haruru’s short trip to Ibaraki. A night away and a bright view of the sea the next day gave her more to remember, before one last good meal on the way home.
From haruru.1002’s two connected accounts shared in December 2022, edited with permission.
Oysters and conveyor-belt sushi at Nakaminato
At Nakaminato Fish Market, the oysters were opened for her on the spot. Haruru liked their plump texture, and the photographs show the stall and the preparation at the counter.
On an earlier April visit she had chosen a seafood rice bowl. For this trip she followed a recommendation to try conveyor-belt sushi instead, and was pleased with the choice. Everything she ate tasted good to her, including the crab soup.
She did not photograph every dish, but a collage of six sushi views records part of the meal.
A stay she was pleased to have spent a little more on
Haruru had spent a little more on the accommodation this time. She felt it was worth it: the service, food, bath and room all left her satisfied.
Her dinner photographs show sashimi, fish and vegetables alongside a tabletop pot, a meat dish, rice and dessert. The meal was one part of the comfortable night away she enjoyed.
Turning towards the sea at Oarai Isosaki Shrine
The following day was clear. At Oarai Isosaki Shrine, Haruru finished her visit and turned around to find a view of the sea. She went down the steps to see Kamiiso no Torii.
The photographs show the torii on the offshore rocks, white water around it and the broad blue sea beyond. The colours of the sky and water made her want to hum a song about the sea.
Clouds over Tokyo and one more memorable meal
They started home early to avoid the motorway traffic. By the time Tokyo Skytree came into view, the clouds looked dark enough for rain, quite a change from the bright sky at the coast.
A ramen stop brought a set of yodare-dori chicken and a special salt-flavoured chicken-paitan ramen. Haruru liked it from the first taste, finished the soup and found herself saying she would come back.
After good food and time in the bath, it had been a satisfying one-night, two-day trip.
Sources for this account
Haruru’s accounts shared on 21 and 22 December 2022 explicitly connect Nakaminato market and an overnight stay to the following day in Oarai and the return journey. The earlier April seafood bowl is a previous visit. The account names Oarai Isosaki Shrine, Kamiiso no Torii, yodare-dori and special salt chicken-paitan ramen. The six-view sushi collage is one saved photograph; the bath experience comes from her account.