Made in Japan?

Last week, Mark, my buddy from Japan, sent me an e-mail. The poor lad is quite new to Melbourne and was whining about a disturbing lack of chuhai purveyors in the city. The only locale, he tells me, is a Japanese grocer south of the Yarra, and everyone knows that if you live north of the river it takes a bomb up your arse to venture south.

So it got me thinking, mainly about drinking chuhai and the sweet mother-love of Kirin Black, but also about where you could go in Melbourne to get yourself some old-fashioned Japanese home-stylin'. If you're homesick for the Far-East, maybe these links will help...

Japanese grocers
Yes, a disturbing lack of them north of the river...
Fujimart, South Yarra
Omuro, Church Street, Brighton
Suzuran, 1025 Burke Road, Hawthorn
Tokyo Deli, 419 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick
Tokyo Mart, Elsternwick [Licensed Japanese Grocer]

Restaurants
Akari 177, 177 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy [Sushi]
Chocolate Buddha, Federation Square, City [Ramen, Donburi and Sake]
Eat Drink Bento, City [Bento, Soba noodles, Tempura]
Ginza Teppanyaki, Chinatown, City [Teppanyaki]
Hanabishi, City
Kenzan, City
Kokos, Crown Complex, Southgate [expensive, but they have a sake sommelier!]
Kuni's, City
Kyoto Japanese Restaurant, St. Kilda
Momotaro Ramen, Richmond
Tomoshibi, Middle Park [Sushi, Sashimi, Sukiyaki]
Torimatsu, City

Izakayas/Japan-influenced Bars
Iku Yakitori, Brunswick
Izakaya Chuji, City
Robot, City
Ume Nomiya, Fitzroy

Ryokan
Japanese Mountain Retreat, Dandenong Ranges
Shizuka Ryokan and Day Spa Retreat, Hepburn Springs

Homewares/Kimono
Genki, Cathedral Arcade, City
Made in Japan, South Melbourne, Southgate, City, Chadstone
Oriental Artifacts, Toorak

Books and Comics
Anime Zone, Box Hill
Japan Book Plaza, South Yarra [Books, CDs, Anime, Comics]
Lupin and Jigen, City [DVD rental, Cafe, Manga library]

Karaoke
How hard is it to find private karaoke rooms in Melbourne? JEE-zuz.
Club Enka, City

Bathhouses/Massage
Geisha Melbourne, City [Japanese hair (!) and massage]
Ofuroya, Collingwood [Japanese bathhouse]

Events
Asian Film showings, various
Melbourne International Film Festival (includes Chakushinari, a film I desperately wanted to see in Tokyo), 5 venues, July
Miyazaki Film Fest, Cinema Nova, Carlton, August 12

These links are by no means definitive, so for the love of Ayu-chan, leave a comment if you have a recommendation!