Place

　In the City of Kawaguchi which holds a large population of foreign residents, Nishi-Kawaguchi station West side is especially a densely populated area with them. The area radiates exoticism with wafting scent of spices. Lately, Asian-restaurants and foodstuff stores of the area is often picked up by media as “a place you can feel being in a foreign country while never having to leave Japan”. Have you ever visited the area?

　Ever since the streets of Nishi-Kawaguchi station West side area have finished improvement around 20 years ago, residents from Asian countries are increasing. Today, the greater part of the foreign residents’ population of this area is Chinese. Naturally, among all that includes Thai, Vietnamese or other country’s restaurants, the number of Chinese restaurants is most remarkable. From shops specializing in noodles, pre-cooked meals to restaurants serve delicacies of each countryside, you will never miss to enjoy authentic Chinese tastes once got inside the area. 

　Among them, one of the most popular restaurants attracting Chinese customers with its authenticity is “Kyoutoushikasai ” . In there, you will have your fill of delicacies from the taste of home-cooked Chinese meals of each region, spit-roasted meals to freshly roasted ducks that are always being roasted in the front kitchen. You can locate this vast eating establishment in the West side area, about 3 minutes of walk from the station. Private rooms with huge round tables with a seating capacity of 7 – 20 are available on the second floor. Weekends will be a hectic day for the restaurant with incessant calls for bookings and placing orders. 

　This “Kyoutoushikasai” was opened in 2016 by Mr. Zhao and his wife, Mrs. Xu. They came to Japan in 2008 and moved to Nishi-Kawaguchi area in 2010. Fascinated by Nishi-Kawaguchi, they kept striving for revitalizing the area. Now their restaurant has become one of the most prominent large-scale Chinese restaurants in Nishi-Kawaguchi area to be featured in TV shows and articles in magazines. Mrs. Xu says in early days, the restaurant used to be favored mostly by local Chinese. However, Japanese and Vietnamese customers are now increasing after they knew about the restaurant via media. Nevertheless, they staunchly kept authentic Chinese tastes to keep impressing not only Chinese but also Japanese who are stalwart fan of “Hardcore Chinese tastes”. 

 “Kyoutoushikasai” is also frequented by local Chinese people on occasions like Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, Birthday party, etc. when they need to sit around tables and enjoy the feast with family or friends.

　Aside from roasted duck, the signature menu of the restaurant, they have meat dishes, seafood menues that are cooked with fresh fishes from an in-house fish holding pool, low-priced nibbles, gorgeous main dishes, etc. on the menu. Menus gathered from all over China accounts for 300 or so. No way you can eat them all at one visit. As for drinks, Chinese alcoholic drinks, sour drinks and cocktails, unique soft drinks from China are all awaiting you. The chef’s craftsmanship, that have won the local Chinese’ confidence, never disappoints you. I assure you will enjoy this restaurant whenever you visit on your own, or in a large group of friends. 

 No need to worry about not speaking Chinese! You will be welcomed by friendly staff, they even have a Japanese and a Vietnamese staff. I really recommend you this restaurant when you crave some greatest “Hardcore Chinese tastes”, or eager to sit around a table with friends!

　Why do not you visit Nishi-Kawaguchi station West side area packed with restaurants and foodstuff shops from all over Asia, where you can feel the lively exotic sensation without leaving Japan!

Kyoutoushikasai

Address: 1F & 2F, Nishi-Kawaguchi Lion’s Mansion Yamate, 25-3, Nishi-kawaguchi 1-chome, Kawaguchi City

Open hours：11:00 am～12:00 pm

Open 365 days

Editor’s NOTE

There is no better way to feel happiness than sitting around a round table with your dearest ones and enjoy nicest meals. 

By SPRING

On SPRING, the editorial staff 

I am on an endless diet throughout the year.

On May 19th (Sun). 2024, I enjoyed a BBQ party at the Arakawa Athletic Park!

At the Arakawa Athletic Park, under the clear sky of verdurous season of the year, we, a group of six, had a good time over BBQ grill! I cannot wait to tell you that my first BBQ here turned out to be the exquisite one.

Save your time by prior reservations! Just bring your body to enjoy BBQ!

　We had ordered **“Mega Portion for 4 Persons” ** at the time of making reservation for this site. It came with plenty of foods includes sufficiently seasoned BBQ meat, vegies and stir-fry noodle set, as well as marshmallows for dessert! It was enough to get us feel completely full even for a group of six.

Of course it is OK to bring your own foods! It would be nice to throw your original BBQ party

  Bring-in your own foods is also permitted here. I saw other tables were enjoying original potluck BBQ parties. It is another appealing advantage of BBQ to enjoy with foods of your choice!

  Riverside BBQ site is exquisitely refreshing and exhilarating! On a fine day with scorching sun, it would be best to borrow an awning tarp.

You will have no trouble with fully equipped pit

  BBQ pit, charcoal, tongs, paper-plates, chopsticks, paper-napkins, etc. Essentials to BBQ are all await here to spare you from bringing heavy bags. And you can start BBQ right away because charcoal is already fired in your pit. When the grill got charred, you can ask staff to change it. Rental kitchen scissors, kitchen knives, etc. are also available to ease your on-site preparation of foods.

Equipped with clean toilet facilities, tap water supply

  BBQ site is also equipped with portable toilet facilities and tap water service. There will be no problem in washing foods and your hands.

Quick and easy clear-out! Just follow instruction from the staff

  As your closing time is approached, staff will tell you about the timing to start clearing away. The only thing you got to do is separate the garbage by types of material and put them in designated garbage pits. Almost nothing will bother you in after-BBQ decluttering. You can leave with no garbage with you.

 “On-site Interview for other users”

・Female group of seven. Basketball team members.

  Following the last year’s BBQ here, this was their second time of having good time here. They said it suited them to bring their own foods and can use the pit with no preparations. They had had a very pleasant time in the previous year, so came again to enjoy BBQ this year, too.

☆    They brought various foods and enjoying the exquisite pleasures to the full.

・Duo with a doggy friend

  We often go to an enclosed dog park, though never been to a BBQ site. We enjoyed being here very much because we could bring our food here. 

☆    Doggy friend “SAKICHI-chan”, sitting on its own seat, also looked happy. It is wonderful to be able to bring our pet friends there.

Voices from my good company

  The area had nothing of this kind when I was living around here before, but now, the atmosphere became very nice with these sites as dog park and BBQ site. I heard that this place allows us to bring foods, so I brought some homemade bacon today and I am happy that everybody liked it.

☆    I think it is nice that you can bring your food of choice in addition to order pre-arranged meal set!

■ Reservation・Other Details■

Application: Online reservation is available. Reservation accepted from 2 persons.

https://digiq.jp/reserve/arakawa/order_calendar.php

Open period:

On Saturday, Sunday, National holidays from April 13th (Sat), 2024 ～ November 24th (Sun), 2024.

Close：

Weekdays

The part with no reservation confirmed by 17:00 on the day before.

The day municipal events are scheduled

Open hours：

(April～October)  1st part 10:00～13:00   2nd part 14:00～17:00

(November) 11:00～15:00

Fee:

Adult (over Junior High School students) / \1,540/per person,  Elementary School pupils / \770/per person

Parking space:

Available  “Open hours” 9:30～17:30    “Charge” \600/per car

Other:

Can bring your foods of choice.  Have preorder menu includes free alcohol, free soft drinks.

Enclosed dog park.

Access：

Bus: From Kawaguchi Station West Exit→bound for Nishi-kawaguchi Station West Exit→off at “Iizuka 2-chome” and walk about 6 minutes.

On foot: Walk about 20 minutes from Kawaguchi Station West Exit.

■ Inquiry■

Arakawa Athletic Park, BBQ Site

TEL: 070-3139-8296

Editor’s Note：

Since it was Sunday on which I visited the site, I saw many families with children or doggy friends there. With fully equipped BBQ facility and come-with-your-hands-free plans, even novices like us could comfortably enjoy the vibes.

You know how refreshing it is to have a BBQ party on a spacious riverside site! Why do not you create the greatest memory with your friends and family at Arakawa Athletic Park this summer?  By Mimosa

　 From Kawaguchi Station, East Exit, walk south-eastwards on Honcho-Odori street for 7 minutes. When Kawaguchi Post Office appears on your left, you will notice a drifting fresh aroma of coffee. Today, I am going to introduce you “Beans Factory COFFEE ROAST Kawaguchi Shop”. 

　 Inside the shop and turn your eyes to the right. There is a variety of coffee beans on the racks, the shop’s products, welcome you. Amongst the information cards that introduce name and producing area of each bean, you will find the shop’s specialties “Kawaguchi Special”, and “Cupolan Blend” of which name derives from “Cupolan”, the PR mascot character of Kawaguchi City! 14 years has passed since its opening, the shop is fairly acknowledged in Kawaguchi City. Also, they insert English and Chinese translations on each product’s information card. Mr. Ishida, the shop manager says the shop is frequented also by Chinese, German, Ethiopian customers. To my surprise, coffee beans they are dealing with are all coming from over 30 countries and areas, such as Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

　 What is special about this shop is that, they start roasting beans after they received an order for it (Roast-on-Order). This enables them to offer freshly roasted beans in a good condition. The source of aroma I noticed while I was walking on the street must have been coming from this process. A Certificate of Commendation was displayed in the shop. They say they periodically hold coffee brewing competition with COFFEE ROAST Urawa Shop, one of the company’s other retails, and Mr. Matsumoto from Kawaguchi Shop won the last competition! Like this, they are always polishing skills together. 

  They gave me a knack of brewing wonderful coffee.

  How to brew coffee (in the order given by the VIDEO): 

・10g. of coffee beans for 100cc. of coffee. They use 20g. of beans to make 200cc. of coffee. 

・Temperature of freshly boiled water is too high to brew coffee. Rest it a little. About 90℃ is the best for brewing. 

・Pour a little amount of hot water onto the coffee grounds and allow them to be steamed for 20-30 seconds.

・Confirm that the coffee grounds are well-steamed, start pouring hot water. Make sure the hot water goes straight down forming a thin line to the grounds. 

　 ※Start pouring from the center of coffee grounds, then, gradually move the spout outwardly, like you are drawing a circle. 

       Do not let hot water touch the coffee paper filter! 

       This allows hot water runs directly into your coffee to ruin the distinctive flavor.

       Using a pot with a narrow-mouth makes easier to pour hot water. 

・Bubbles emerge in this process contains coffee scum. Not to break these bubbles as mush as possible when you pour hot water. 

・Stop pouring hot water leaving bubbles on coffee grounds (scum stays on top of the coffee grounds).

・Gently sway the pot to stir brewed coffee inside before pouring into a cup. 

Here comes a wonderful cup of coffee!

  You can learn how to brew savory coffee from the shop’s demonstration. Coffee flavor changes by brewing method, etc. So, when you visit the shop, do not leave only with coffee beans. Bring back your new discovery which obtained from asking questions to coffee professionals. While waiting for your beans are roasted, you can enjoy a cup of sample coffee. Incredibly exquisite, the sample coffee is! 

Bean Factory COFFEE ROAST Kawaguchi Shop: 

Address: 103-2, 1-20, Honcho 2-chome, Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture

URL：https://facebook.com/coffeeroast.kawaguchi

Phone：０４８ー２２８ー３２０１

Editor’s Note

Since my stock of coffee beans had just run out, so I bought coffee beans named “Cleopatra” when I visited this shop. Its mild flavor, standing right in the middle between acidity and bitterness, turned to be one of my favorites.

by Masa

　“Do you take exercise regularly?”

　Starting with Ara-kawa riverside, Kawaguchi City is blessed with many favorable places for running and walking. Today, I am going to introduce you a shop in Saiwaicho, Kawaguchi City, which specializes in running activity, “RUNARX RUNNING COMPANY”.

　Mr. Hidehito Sato, the owner of the shop, had learned the importance of regional contribution through his experience of joining volunteer activities at the time of the great East Japan Earthquake. Then he opened this shop with the hope to be of great contribution to a community through running. 

　He says; “Running is something quite wholesome and friendly activity to anyone. I would like you start running by following your own motivation, as well as considering your own physical strength”.

☆This shop’s specialties are;

●Specialists help you choosing shoes

Give advice by checking the forms and features of your feet, also provide after-sales services.

●Events

The shop is holding various kinds of events that involves running.

※Choose safer places for events for parent-child’s stress-free participation. 

🍺They even have this peculiar but brilliant event, “Run and Beer”, in which runners enjoy beer together after running♪

※Please check Event Schedule by visiting the website below. 

●Details

RUNARX RUNNING COMPNY

Open Hours: Tue – Fri   12:00 – 20:00

             Sat & Sun & National holidays   12:00 – 18:00.  

Closed : Monday

OffiIcial website: https://www.runarx.jp/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runarxrunningcompany/

Editor’s Note

If you want to start running, or be more fascinated with running, you must visit “RUNARX RUNNING COMPANY”! Through running activity, try to know your condition and expand your world of running. 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Bｙ MIMOSA🌻

  It is one thing to go out of town to have fun, it would also be nice to spend time in a nearby park. 

  Today, I am going to introduce you “IINA PARK KAWAGUCHI”, a wonderful place to spend time with your family on weekends. 

１ How to find fun at IINA PARK KAWAGUCHI

①Enjoy spending your own time on the Grass Space.

It is so nice to spread out a picnic sheet on the grass and have bento-lunch brought from home or onigiri-rice balls and pastries bought at the park. Children are throwing flying discs around, some people are playing with dogs, etc., how to enjoy the place is all up to you.

②Kids get excited on FUWA FUWA Dome

Large-sized playing equipment with five huge lumps. The surface is made of highly resilient material. This children’s favorite playing equipment is always packed with kids who are bouncing around or rolling about.

③Stroll around along the trail

You will not miss the trail circling the park. You can take a stroll along it appreciating surrounding trees and coppice, or seasonal flowers. The trail with gentle slopes here and there is a good walking course for your workout as well as to take your dog for a walk.

２ Other facilities in the park

①Indoor Playing Room “ASOBooN”

In there, you can enjoy “Athletic Section” in which kids can go wild playing with huge toys and inflatable mattresses, “Square” in which kids can play-house or parents can read books to them surrounded by the nature of Kawaguchi.

②Restaurant, Café, Shops

You can buy onigiri-rice balls made by freshly cooked rice on the wood-burning stove, or local products and foods and vegetables. You can also buy Kawaguchi City’s most famous bakery’s breads and pastries there.

③Historical and Natural Museum (Open: 9:30 AM ～ 4:30 PM)

From exhibits and films, you can learn about industries of Akayama/Angyo areas and the history of the Ina Family, the leading figure of the region during the Edo period. Also holding workshops and events relating

to Kawaguchi City’s history, etc. Please visit the museum’s official website （https://www.kawaguchi-bunkazai.jp/shiryou/index.html） for further details on event schedule. 

④Regional Commercial Products Center

Markets of local products such as farm products, plants and flowers, or events and workshops conducted by residents’ groups are held here.

Editor’s Note

How do you find this introduction of IINA PARK KAWAGUCHI? You really ought to come and spend the time here on a fine day.　By  Kishida