Japan Culture Day and Ichiban Japanese Restaurant

On Sunday, November 4th, the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society hosted a Bunka no Hi, or Japan Culture Day.  The celebration of Japanese culture included dancing, a demonstration on how to put on a traditional kimono, calligraphy,

ikebana (flower arranging), a matcha tea ceremony, origami, sweets, and more.

Members of the Friends of the Japanese Garden of the Buffalo Olmsted Park Conservancy, The Japanese Group of Buffalo, The Buffalo Kanazawa Sister City Committee, Buffalo Bonsai Society, International Ikebana Club Chapter 50, Rotary Club of Buffalo Sunrise, Serene Gardens Garden Center & Cafe, the Asian Studies Department of UB, and the Buffalo office of the Consulate General of Japan were present to create a fully immersive event.

After the event we visited the Ichiban Japanese Restaurant in Bladell, NY. The unassuming store front hides a beautiful izakaya. My youngest daughter was enamored with the dolls in the alcoves, my eldest with the flowers drawn onto her plate, and my step-son actually savored his selections!

 

The chefs created artistic pieces that disappeared all too quickly.


I loved the freshly sliced pale yellow ginger and the house made panko crunch.

Everything was so fresh. Sweet and delicate with none of that tank flavor you find at some places. All of the sashimi and nigiri sushi were well proportioned and a great deal of attention went into each plate's preparation.

We will certainly be returning to this location and I highly recommend trying out the Holiday roll.