Author: Matthew Gammon

We welcome the shortest month of the calendar with a fabulous February issue featuring our main article on one of Yokohama’s most popular historic trails. And, although one of the coldest months in Yokohama, warm yourself indoors with a selection of imported American beers from a few of the city’s finest taprooms. This month enjoy various special events throughout Yokohama including the Yokohama Strawberry Festival at the Red Brick Warehouse. Soon enough, the chills of winter will end and the warmth of spring will flirt from around the bend.

Standing 330 meters above sea level, Nokogiriyama is a great weekend getaway right across Tokyo Bay. The main temple grounds of Nihonji, built across the cliffs and rolling hills, were first constructed some 1300 years ago, making it one of the oldest temples for the sect of Soto Zen Buddhism in the Kanto area. Here you can find one of the largest daibutsu (large Buddha) statues (standing 31m tall!) in Kanto, as well as a wide array of 1500 other statues and carvings spread throughout the area–all the work of master artisan Jingoro Eirei Ono in the 1780s. Also, you…

jalapeños 10 (halved with seeds removed) bread crumbs (finely crushed) 100g corn grits 100g pastry flour to taste egg 1 Stuffing cream cheese 150g cheddar cheese, shredded 150g pizza cheese, shredded 150g blue cheese 150g chili powder 20g onion powder 15g oregano to taste Sauce maple syrup 100ml black pepper, ground to taste Directions Allow the cream cheese to warm to room temperature. Mix with other stuffing ingredients. Fill the jalapeños with the stuffing mixture. Mix the bread crumbs and corn grits. Batter the jalapeños in flour first, then egg, then bread crumb/corn grits mixture. Deep fry in oil…