Magical Mitsuwa

 If you're feeling nostalgic for Japanese foods since Daruma and other area Japanese grocery stores have closed, your best alternative is a road trip to Edgewater, New Jersey.  http://www.mitsuwa.com/english/  Mitsuwa is a large Japanese supermarket with a food court.  Also nearby is the Sanseido bookstore, which  carries Japanese books, magazines and stationery goods.  The food court has a variety of small counters.  Place your order, pay in cash, and wait for your number to be called. 

 Katsuhana. I love the plastic food display. 

 My boyfriend chose the Berkshire Pork Katsu (fried pork cutlet) set. ($11.50)

 I ordered the Kani-Cream Croquettes Set (crab and cream-filled croquettes) ($7.20).

Sanuki Udon is a famous type of udon from Kagawa-ken on Shikoku and very delicious.

 Sanuki-Sando Udon Display

 My croquette set with finely shredded cabbage salad, rice, tonjiru soup and pickles. 

 My boyfriend's pork katsu set with rice, cabbage, pickles, tofu and tonjiru soup.

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We wandered about shopping for books and groceries for a while, and returned for a second meal at Kayaba, a soba place.  Slightly gluttonous, but totally worth it.

 Zaru Soba with tempura and tsuyu set ($5.90)

 Tempura soba in a hot broth. ($5.90)

 Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour.  They're great hot or cold.  The cold version is served on a bamboo mat called a "zaru", then dipped into a bowl of "tsuyu", a dipping sauce of dashi, sweet soy sauce, and mirin.

Tempura soba in a hot "tsuyu" broth.  The tempura quickly becomes soggy. 

 Oishinbo

 This little girl was eagerly watching the ladies make fresh taiyaki and obanyaki.

 Taiyaki and custard-filled taiyaki.

 Taiyaki "baked sea bream are made in molds with waffle batter filled with sweet bean paste "azuki".

My boyfriend fondly remembers the taiyaki shop near the train station.  Every night on his way to juku, he'd pass by this shop and smell the delicious treats.

 Another variety includes custard.

Sweet bean paste.

Custard filling.