I had the pleasure of visiting Matsukawa again after a long time.Watching the beautiful work of Chef Matsukawa from across the counter was truly inspiring.His sincere demeanor and meticulous attention to detail made every moment of his work simply beautiful.Warm, fluffy oshibori (hand towels) were served, possibly the most delightful oshibori in Japan.The first dish featured abalone from the Outer Bōsō Peninsula, sea urchin, and leafy vegetables with a refreshing jelly.The sea urchin was from Kyushu (if I remember correctly).On a hot and humid day, the tenderly cooked abalone paired with the refreshing jelly and the sweetness of the red sea urchin was delightful.The second dish was steamed rice with Aomori's spiny crab.I didn’t ask about the saltiness percentage, but the use of caviar was exquisite.The sweetness of the crab and the subtle richness of the inner roe, combined with the perfectly cooked rice, made this dish truly exceptional.It was a culinary masterpiece, a harmonious blend of flavors that felt like a complete entity.Each flavor molecule seemed to connect, reminiscent of a chemical structure diagram.It was a cosmic deliciousness.I felt as if this dish could be patented as a perfect creation in this world.I know it sounds a bit nonsensical, but I was overwhelmed by its profound umami and depth of flavor.As I watched Chef Matsukawa and contemplated the perfection of the dish, I realized we were still in the early stages of the course.Yes, I know it sounds a bit premature to say this, but I couldn’t help but feel that it might sound cliché.Tears began to well up in my eyes from the sheer emotion.I’ve felt moved by food before, but this was the first time I actually cried.Something suddenly welled up inside me; I was truly touched.My soul trembled.This was a dish that truly captured my heart.I apologize for getting carried away.Let’s refocus.The third dish featured flounder from Awaji Island, red clam from Yuriage, and bird clam.Each sashimi was, of course, outstanding.I savored each piece of flounder slowly.It was blissful; this is what it means to truly savor a meal.Since I was alone that day, I was completely focused on the dishes in front of me. It was pure happiness.The fourth dish was a lightly boiled tiger pufferfish, dusted with flour, revealing a gelatinous yellow substance inside.This was the skin of the tiger pufferfish.Growing up in Fukuoka, I often ate this fish during the summer, and I’ve always preferred it over fugu.This was the first time I had it served with the yellow skin wrapped around the flesh.The aroma of the brown rice cake on top and the subtle broth were perfectly balanced, and as the course progressed, I realized that the mild saltiness of this dish was essential.While it was a fish dish, the aftertaste was enveloped in the nuttiness of the brown rice cake, making it a wonderful dish with a delightful texture.The fifth dish featured conger eel and incredibly sweet fried corn from Okinawa, along with bachi-ko (a type of fish).I was amazed by this combination.The sweetness of the corn was used so effectively, and the bachi-ko added a gentle yet impactful punch to the conger eel dish, keeping it exciting.I understood why such sweet corn was included at this point in the meal.The pairing of fish and sweetness was exquisite.I was ringing bells in my heart, continuously marveling at this overwhelming course.The sixth dish featured young sweetfish from Lake Biwa.The bitterness and texture were perfect.Here, I was enveloped in a mature bitterness that awakened my taste buds.It was delicious, truly delicious.I considered having some sake multiple times, but since I was alone today, I decided to focus solely on the food and opted for a JPY 2500 sparkling tea from Shizuoka (which I highly recommend!).The seventh dish was eel from Lake Shinji.The contrast between the fluffy flesh and the crispy skin was astonishing.The grilling was superb.The choice of sweet vegetables paired with the fish was impressive, showing how ingredients can be combined so beautifully.The eighth dish was another monstrous creation: a giant turban shell from the same Outer Bōsō Peninsula!And the wonderful, wonderful wakame seaweed.The turban shell was cooked in a rich broth, which was generously poured into its shell, allowing us to enjoy everything together.It was delicious to the point of madness.I savored it deeply.I grew up eating turban shell grilled over charcoal during summer vacations in Genkai-nada, so I love it.But I had never seen such a large turban shell before.And I had never tasted such an elegantly prepared turban shell dish.I couldn’t ask where the wakame was from, but it was delicious.I’m reminiscing about that exquisite soup now, longing for it.The ninth dish was soba, followed by the tenth dish featuring meat and flower pepper.I thought this might be the last of the flower pepper, so I gratefully enjoyed it.Finally, we had rice, a junsai (water shield) soup, and a dessert of mizu yokan (sweet jelly).It was a truly wonderful course that moved me to tears.Thank you very much. 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