Travel – Page 60

Tokyo – Horumon Dedesuke

April 11, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Tokyo, Kamakura, and the Kantō Region, Travel

It was great being back in Japan. Because this was going to be a rather short trip, our days were going to be quite busy and we'd be making good use of our JR Pass and Suica Card. While our flight to Narita was going to be arriving at around 5pm; I figured that by the time we got thru customs (pretty quick in Japan), got our pocket wifi, activated our JR Pass, got our train tickets for the following day, get to Tokyo Station, and check into our hotel, it would be around 830 or so. Which was a good estimate. Even though 9 or even midnight is not especially late in Tokyo; I still didn't want to be hunting around for a place to eat.

The Missus had really enjoyed the Horumon (offal) we'd had on our previous trip, I decided to make reservations at Horumon Dedesuke which was a mere 10 minute walk from our hotel in Ginza.

We found the place with little problem; having downloaded a photo of the storefront and using Google Maps.

One of the few phrases in Japanese I do know is "Yoyaku shitemasu xxxx des." As in "I have a booking for….." And they did have seats ready for us in a tiny corner as the place was packed.

In spite of flying Business Class…the seats on the San Diego – Narita route 787s don't go all the way to 180 degrees, so we didn't get much shut eye and we were kind of tired. So, a nice cold "nama biru" was just the thing. The Missus had a nice HiBall.

Our table top grill was prepped and some vegetables brought out and we were on our way……

First up, what was called the "Root of Tongue" on the menu……

This is the rear portion of the beef tongue; it was seasoned perfectly, was surprisingly tender, and very "beefy".

We found that we didn't need to use any of the typical provided sauces for any of the cuts we had. all were nicely seasoned.

Next to arrive was the one cooked dish; the Stewed Beef Tendon.

The "sauce" was that tasty salty-sweet we associate with Japanese cuisine; with an added Korean (as is with most Yakiniku places) touch of spice.

The tendon and associated beef parts were amazingly tender and a joy to eat.

I love "Harami"; skirt steak, so we ordered the prime skirt.

Man, this was really tender and beefy, just needing a slight sear on the grill…..rare was the best way to have this.

And then the "offal-ness" of it all started, with a triple threat.

With….from the left to the right; sliced small intestine, thymus gland, and large intestine. The small intestine was superb; quite fatty, toothsome, with a mild, pleasant, and surprisingly "clean" flavor to it. The large intestine, as expected was much more chewy, more "offal-ly", though also enjoyable. When I saw thymus gland on the menu, I immediately thought "veal sweetbreads", which is what I'm used too. These were quite tough and chewy; I'm thinking they were taken from an adult cow? That was probably the least enjoyable item we had.

This was a very good meal to start off our trip. The Missus has really taken to yakiniku and horumon. I just wished we had more of it here.

Horumondedesuke (ホルモンでですけ)

3-3-9 Ginza

Chuo, Tokyo

As we slowly strolled back to our hotel, we took it all in, the bright lights, the immenseness of it all, yet balanced out with the clean, the quiet……it was great being back in Tokyo.

Where in the world are we (again)? Part 2

April 10, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Kanazawa and Ishikawa Prefecture, Kyoto, Tokyo, Kamakura, and the Kantō Region, Travel

As you read this, we're probably just getting home…..

After another wonderful trip to Japan.

From the rather cold climate of our previous stop, we headed to warmer pastures.

To a city that houses one of the "Three Great Gardens" of Japan.

Which was quite impressive.

As was the fact that there was gold leaf everywhere….even on our sashimi.

Though we loved the dried/fermented/preserved fish here……cheesy-salty-savory….an umami bomb.

And of course there was "Japanese Breakfast".

Our next stop was a familiar one…..though we'd never been here during the spring. We lucked out and the Cherry Blossoms were in full bloom. As were the people, who seemed to be really enjoying themselves. In spring; life starts anew……and it seems like everyone celebrates….

Everyone is out having a great time; family, friends, of the two legged and four legged kind.

And in this day and age; you absolutely need a "selfie"…..

After all; who can deny how beautiful this is.

It's enough to make you want to massage a…ummmm…..cat?

All joking aside; it can be breathtakingly beautiful.

Of course we had to stop at the Missus's favorite Yakitori spot.

And how about some "Kogashi" (burned) Ramen?

And even a nice Izakaya stop with a wonderful shirako ponzu…loved the shiso flowers; which added just enough of that anise-basil flavor.

And then some what sadly, our time was almost up. And we ended up back in the city where we kicked things off…..though this time, staying in our favorite neighborhood.

Which meant a visit to our favorite restaurant.

And one final day trip…..

On a misty morning that added an air of mystery and drama to things…..

It's been a great trip again.

Though now it's time to stop monkeying around.

And head back to home and work.

Thanks for reading!

Where in the world are we (again)? Part 1

April 4, 2017 mmm-yoso Hida-Takayama and Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Nagoya, Tokyo, Kamakura, and the Kantō Region, Travel

It's been a tough couple of months and we needed to get away.

We'd had the outline of this trip planned for a while and after some consideration pulled the trigger.

It's easy traveling here and we learn something new and fun at every turn….like what a "Hanami Party" is. Folks here get (even more) goofy this time of the year…..I think this has something to do with it.

We started in familiar surroundings…..the Missus wanted Her horumon fix.

Check that one off the list.

We then headed to a city we've visited before, but spent a couple of days here this time.

And even went on a rather easy and fun hike on an ancient trail. Where you needed to ring the bells to avoid….well as the sign says.

In terms of eating, well we stayed with some of the "local specialties".

Including some really great noodle soup eaten on the Shinkansen platform of all places.

It had snowed a few days before our arrival at our next destination. And there were remnants everywhere.

We enjoyed the beef and the style of food here.

We're on the train to our next destination. Hope everyone is safe, sound, and warm, where ever you might be.

Kyoto – Torito

March 21, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Travel

The Missus wanted Yakitori for our last meal in Kyoto and I had a place in mind.

But first, some shopping.

Teramachi Dori, one of the major shopping streets, was strangely quiet on this evening.

The Missus managed to do some damage at this location of Lupicia.

After which we took a nice leisurely stroll up to the Juingu-Marutamachi Station. On street level above the station was a rather discreet, but popular place named Torito. I was interested in the place because of the rather polarizing reviews, some folks declared it yakitori for tourists, yet other said it was amazing….the strange thing about that yakitori for tourists thing is….well, you'll see by what we ordered.

It was out last evening in Kyoto, a place that makes us feel quite comfortable…we just feel relaxed and at home here and our trip to Japan was coming to an end.

The Missus decided to get a Hiball, I had a Suntory Draft.

We noticed that we noticed quickly was that the guy doing all the grilling seemed quite young….also, there were English menus.

But what was on those menus wasn't quite your tourist yakitori items….though the tourists we saw come in ordered stuff like breast and chicken rice bowls, we went full speed ahead and started with some very smokey chicken gizzards.

Which was fine….though a bit too dry for me.

The Nankotsu was very, very good….perfectly grilled, nice and crunchy, but really pleasant to eat.

And followed with Tori no Tataki, seared, basically rare chicken.

This was dark meat, very clean, but definite chicken flavor. A bit too chewy for my taste, I should have gotten the white meat, which I think is much more tender raw. Tourist food, huh?

The Missus absolutely loved the "Kimo" (chicken liver) and declared it the best She's ever eaten.

The Kawa-su, chicken skin salad was a nice refreshing change of pace.

Up next was more Chicken Skin….but not "just" chicken skin, but we chose "Chicken Buttock Skin".

Very interesting texture….a bit more chewy, but man, the flavor was so amazingly distinct……

Next up was our Tsukune….this is what I basically judge my yakitori places on. First thing we noticed was that the tsukune was made to order. That is, when the order is placed, the chef forms it by hand. Now watching this guy was amazing as he juggled both the grill and the deep fryer, never missing a beat. As you can easily see; this was the tsukune I've ever had.

From the light and crisp exterior, to the creamy interior….I'm wondering how much chicken fat is in this….a quick dip in the egg; more richness and flavor. This by far is the best I've had.

The Wing Tips were okay, though a bit too hard and chewy for us.

One thing we were noticing was the perfect amount of salt was being used.

I absolutely loved the Hatsu…the chicken hearts, which weren't grilled too heavily…..just the right amount of smoke and salt.

Surprisingly tender.

There's a part of the menu which features local, Kyoto bred chicken (the tsukune is on that part of the menu) and we tried the chicken thigh with quail egg.

There was a more distinct chicken flavor in this; something that's missing here in the States for the most part. Loved the little piece of cartilage left on the meat, it added a nice textural contrast, as did the quail egg, though I could have done without that. The Missus though, loves Her quail eggs.

The Chicken wings were just ok…..especially after having all the previous dishes.

The skin on these was a bit too rubbery for us.

The Missus loved Her "finishing" dish (Shime), going with the rich and velvety chicken bone broth with meatballs.

She still talks about how rich and lovely this soup was.

I went with my standard; a nice, nutty, smokey, yaki onigiri.

A perfect end to a wonderful meal for us.

As we were finishing dinner, the Missus declared this Her new favorite yakitori shop. So I'm guessing we'll be back whenever we're in Kyoto.

The shop is rather discrete. From what I understand….you know, I'm basically about the food…Torito is a species of bird. So the best thing is to find the carving of a bird outside the door of the restaurant.

Torito
9-5 Higashi Marutamachi
Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

As I mentioned earlier….Kyoto has a way of making us feel comfortable….in spite of all the tradition and sometimes, well, interesting stuffs…..

Kyoto – Arashiyama, Ippudo, and Din Tai Fung

March 18, 2017 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Ramen, Travel, Xiao Long Bao

We'd always had a visit to Arashiyama on the books and on our last full day in Kyoto, we decided to head out early in the day. We ended up taking the rather fun Keifuku Tram Line to Arashiyama Station.

It was a slightly hazy, but beautiful day….the air so clean. We walked out of the station and headed down what looked like Arashiyama's main street. And walked over to the Togetsu-kyo Bridge.

We headed north alongside the picturesque Oi River and took a right along a rather random street.

And just wandered around a bit.

And somehow ended up at the side entrance to Tenryu-ji temple.

It wasn't very crowded, so we just took in the sights a bit.

We headed out front, looking for the Bamboo Forest. I walked up to a traffic officer and asked for directions to the Bamboo Grove. In the typical Japanese way….he insisted on walking us most of the way there.

It was very pretty….but for some reason, I expected it to be a bit more grand.

I guess having grown up around various bamboo forests……

The place does take some really nice photos though.

Heading back down to the street, we found another entrance to Tenryū-ji. This is the garden area and is quite beautiful.

The Sōgen Pond, which was designed by Zen Master Musō Soseki over 700 years ago, is very beautiful.

By now, we'd had enough for the morning and headed back to downtown Kyoto. We walked around a bit and decided to have lunch at a place I had specifically marked down. We'd really enjoyed Ippudo in Osaka and there just happened to be a location in downtown Kyoto.

Call us boring, but we'd enjoyed ourselves so much on our previous visit to the Osaka location that we basically got the same thing. The Shormaru Special, what I call a classic tonkotsu with chashu and egg. And of course, the Missus got Hakata Chikara Meshi, chashu rice and an onsen tamago.

The broth was nice and rich, but not oily nor too fatty. The flavor is rather delicate. The chashu was tender and nicely flavored, the noodles just perfectly al dente for my taste.

I gave the Missus my tamago….now that's love. And when She cut into it….well, we had a perfect "egg porn shot".

Our meal was the perfect foil for the cool autumn chill.

Ippudo Nishikikouji
653-1 Bantoya-cho, Higashinotoin
Nishikikoji higashi iru, Nakagyo-ku

Feeling nice and warm, we headed on out to do some shopping. We found an underground passageway to Takashimaya Department Store.

Of course this lead right to B1 and the food floor.

We were wandering around the third floor of Takashimaya Department Store and I noticed this…..

Oh my….it was Din Tai Fung!

And there was no line…..

The Missus and I looked at each other……why not, right? We still had a bit of room in our bellies, so we went for a second, rather light lunch.

I was wondering just how good this was going to be. We got the pork and crab version of the Xiao Long Bao. When it arrived, it looked like the XLB on the left had leaked, but it had not. As for the wrappers….well just look at the classic "XLB hang". The wrapper were very nice, for some reason they seemed a bit thicker than the wrapper at DTF here in the states. I really couldn't complain about the amount of soup, nor the flavor (a bit too sweet for me), or the texture. This was pretty good. Much better than anything we have here in San Diego.

The Missus has got to have Her veggies, so we got some greens. Nice and simple, very mildly seasoned.

Din Tai Fung (Third Floor of Takashimaya Department Store)
52 Shincho, Shijo Kawaramachi-dori Nishi-iru
Simogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8001

I guess that's fun part of trips…you make basic plans, but leave time to wander and explore. You never know what you'll run into.

XLB at DTF in Kyoto….who'd have thunk.

Nagoya – Yep, it’s Yakyuudori

March 13, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Nagoya, Travel

After a nice morning and early afternoon of visiting Kiyomizu-dera and shopping, we had a nice nap, then headed off to Kyoto Station. We had booked a trip to Nagoya.

For what, you might ask? Earlier on the trip we had visited Asahikawa in order to check out the "Main Branch" of Santouka, during one of our many visits to Taisho, Taka-san had told us that we should go to visit the "Main Branch" of Yakuyudori in Nagoya. We thought "why not"? And soon enough and told Taka-san that we'd be glad to visit Yakyuudori and told him what day we'd be there. On our next visit, being the nice guy he is; Taka-san handed me a small slip of paper with a phone number and the address of 142 Fujimigaoka. Apparently, there are several Yakyuudori and Hinotetsu branches in the area, but this is the one we should visit. He even told me that his friend, the main Yakitori guy there would be expecting us.

So it's was a pleasant trip on the Shinkansen, about a 40 minute trip to Nagoya Station where we meandered around a bit, then caught the Nagoya Higashiyama Line to Fujigaoka Station.

We walked around exploring the area, which is much different than around bustling Nagoya Station. We walked through the market and checked out some shops, before heading down Fujimigaoka, which parallels the train tracks (a key item).

Along the way we passed another Yakyuudori. We checked the phone number on the sign. When it didn't match up, we kept going. Until we ended up at this little shop right next to an auto repair.

The locale was quite amazing as it was built right below the subway tracks. Entering was even more interesting……consider the nice, rather darkly lit, austere, yet fairly classy Taisho…jazz music playing in the background. And then check this place out!

Man, you gotta love this place! A total neighborhood "joint", the guys working here were really friendly, almost jolly. And everytime the train passed overhead, the whole restaurant would rock slightly! Amazing!

The "main guy" was so funny…he'd been expecting us, and in fact, wore a Yakitori Taisho T-shirt to welcome us! Check out that crock of salt!

Don't let his jolly and easy going appearance fool you. He had some major grilling chops. Every so often, he'd pass us our food, wink, and say, "better than Taka"! And just crack up.

We ordered all the usual suspects…..if you read my Taisho posts, or have been to Taisho, you'll recognize them. This is where Taka-san trained.

Things started with some Hatsu (chicken heart). We weren't too thrilled by the appearance, but man, this was really good. Heart like gizzards always seems to absorb a good amount of smoke. Combine that with the perfect amount of salt and grilling the chicken heart to "just done" and this was so good. It was very tender as well. You could tell that the chicken here was much different than what we get in the states.

I thought the gizzards were a bit too hard for my taste.

Nice smokey flavor though.

This was good time for a beer break. We ended buying a round for the folks working and they were having a great time….singing aloud, almost dancing…..we were just loving it.

And we loved the Tsukune too. Up to this point in time; I'd say this was the best I had ever had.

My goodness, that tare was a wonderful combination of sweet-salty-savory….the meatball was slightly crisp on the exterior, and meltingly soft….as is the hallmark of the tsukune served at Yakyudori-Taisho-Hinotez here, there was a light background hint of ginger floating around. And a dip in that egg yolk…..adding a rich creaminess. This was number one, until it was dethroned later on this trip. Still, I'd come back for this in an instant!

The Missus loved the creamy Kimo – chicken liver.

Again, not over-cooked, and without tare….but the Missus said it was great.

The nankotsu was also a winner.

Great crunchiness, crisp on the exterior. Nice, restrained seasoning.

And of course……a Yakyudori classic….the Teba, chicken wings.

The akahimo also tasted like a carbon copy of what we regularly get at Taisho.

The kawa (chicken skin) was also a winner. Here it's served without tare as well.

Light and crisp at first bite, transitioning to a creamy interior. Perfect salt, really great chicken flavor.

And then the buto-shiso….the porkiness of this was very distinct.

The interior of the pork roll was very tender, this was another winner.

We loved this place…..the casual, yet welcoming crew, the unique atmosphere. This is what we were wishing for and were left wanting at the Yakitori places in Tokyo. After returning, I chatted with Taka-san about the differences in the chicken used at Yakyudori in Japan and here in the states. I was told that he "wishes he could get the same quality and breed" here.

Well, I guess we'll just have to head back to Nagoya……

Yakyuudori (野球鳥)
142 Fujimigaoka
Meito-ku Nagoya Aichi

Before catching the Shinkansen back to Kyoto, we stopped at Takashimaya Department Store….of course going to B1 and checking out the food and snacks. One of the women working at one of the stands was so friendly and warm….really wanted us to taste everything! She was a hoot….so of course we ended up buying some snacks.

It was about time we got into the "holiday spirit" right?

Thanks for reading!

Kyoto – A Return to Kiyomizu-dera and “Morning Service”

March 11, 2017 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Japan, Kyoto, Travel

After having a fun evening with Kat and Satoshi we got up fairly early and headed out. The Missus wanted to revisit Kiyomizu-dera to check out the fall colors. We got on the Keihan Line and got off at Kiyomizu-Gojo. The Missus was up for walking all the way up to the temple. But I had already done that the last time and I talked Her into taking a cab! Whew…..

We decided to check out a few areas we missed the last time we visited.

We headed to the Jishu Shrine, which is dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a gentle-hearted god, who along being "in charge" of farming and business, is the prime deity of match-making.

Here we found the "Love Stones"……you can read all about it….

The stones are actually set about 10-15 meters apart. If walk from one to the other with your eyes closed, you'll find true love…..miss…and "sorry Charlie".

Two young ladies actually tried when we were there…..to rather humorous results. I'm kind of relieved the Missus didn't try. With Her sense of direction, I'd probably go up in a puff of smoke!

Speaking of true love….check out this affectionate little guy.

He is truly a pampered pooch……

The main reason folks come to Kiyomizu-dera is for the view. Man, the main viewing hall was a lot more packed than the last time we were here.

The views, whether from the Main Hall or along the trail are quite beautiful.

We meandered along, stopping now and then to take a photo. We'd been here before and it seemed so familiar. And yet, we were able to stop at places that were quite busy the last time around. Like the Three Story Pagoda. I think folks were focused on the views and I don' blame them in the least.

Even with all the folks around us; there's a sense of tranquility.

You get to appreciate the beauty of it all.

Soon enough, buses of non-Japanese visitors started arriving and the noise level started increasing. It was time to head on out.

Just as on our previous visit, we headed back via the side streets of Sannenzaka and Nannenzaka. There's always something interesting to see…..

On this day, there were a couple of wedding photo shoots going on…. This one went for a more dramatic, glamorous look.

While this couple and their photographer were really friendly and nice.

And when I went a displayed my camera, even flashed nice smiles for us. It was adorable.

We headed on back to Shijo-dori. There was some shopping the Missus needed to get done. It was, however, still a bit early. As we passed a coffeeshop, I noticed that the place had "morning service". We'd enjoyed the morning service at Komeda's Coffee in Kamakura, so we decided to stop and get some breakfast. From what I understand, this practice of providing toast, perhaps an egg, salad, yogurt, or something similar originated in Nagoya.

We shared the toast, yogurt, salad…the Missus had a coffee, I got tea. I don't recall what the name of this place was, but this held us until dinner!

Soon enough, a couple Salarymen came in and started smoking….it was time to get the Missus's shopping done.

We then headed back to the apartment, took our usual afternoon siesta….and headed off to Nagoya for dinner. Which we'd be having at a place with ties to San Diego.

Stay Tuned!

Kyoto – Catching up with one of my favorite Food Bloggers (and friends) at Okariba and Beer Komachi

March 10, 2017 mmm-yoso Beer, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

One of the great pleasures I've had over the years has been meeting up with other like-minded Food Bloggers….and at the top of my list is Kat from Our Adventures in Japan. We had met before in Osaka and on this trip, we wanted to make sure to touch bases again. This time, I chose the somewhat quirky; kinda country, rustic "Hunting Ground", Okariba which we really enjoyed the last time in Kyoto.

We had a nice walk over and met Kat and Satoshi. The place was much more busy than on our last visit.

And we spent a good deal of time catching up on things and just having a good time.

After all, places like this were made for friends gathering, sharing "pupus".

You can read all about this in Kat's post….and it also shows how far behind I'm at with my travel posts as well!

So from here on; it's most it's mostly photos.

Man, I love basashi…..

At the end of the meal, we gave the owner some Mac Nuts….even though we were sure he wouldn't remember us, he'd given us so much samples on our previous visit, we wanted to make sure to show him our appreciation…so of course he busted out the home made ume-shu……

Okariba
Okazaki Higashi-Tennocho 43-4, Residence Okazaki 1F
Kyoto

After dinner, we had a nice nightcap at another familiar place; Beer Komachi…….lot's of tourists and such….but with the San Diego beer connection menu….

It was a fun stop.

And I think it's a great reminder for Kat and Satoshi……….you can always come out here for a visit too!

Thanks for such a great time K&S!

Seville – A Return to La Azotea (Zaragoza) and Other Stuffs

March 8, 2017 mmm-yoso Seville, Spain, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

It was our last evening in Seville. And to be perfectly frank; this wonderful gem of a city really charmed us….relaxed, friendly, warm, and fun. For our last dinner, we headed back to the scene of our favorite meal in Seville, the Zaragoza location of La Azotea.

Like I mentioned previously; if you want tapas sized portions at La Azotea, you need to sit at the bar. We arrived right after opening and was greeted with a smile from the very efficient bartender Pablo, who recognized us from our previous visit.

After having some really delicious navajas (razor clams) on our previous visit, the Missus was all about the seafood here.

We started with a media racione (half portion) of Coquinas a species of Donax (small clams) served with fried baby artichokes.

That garlicky white wine sauce was so good and the clams nicely sweet, briney, and tender.

The Calamares was the weakest dish of the evening. Tender, but really nothing special in terms of flavor or how it was fried.

Sticking with the bivalve theme, the Almejas (Clams) en su Salsa (cooked in their own juices) was excellent.

Nice oceany flavor, cut with a bit of acid. The clams were very tender as were the shrimp. Another sauce just made for bread!

And of course, our favorite from the previous evening; the Foie Gras ala Plancha.

Which was just as beautifully rich and decadent as what we had previously. Great balance of sweet and earthy tones, crisp on the outside, molten and quivering inside. Just lovely.

We finished with a nice Vermut. What a nice way to end our stay in Seville!

La Azotea – Zaragoza
Calle Zaragoza 5c
Sevilla, Spain
Open Daily:
130pm – 430pm, 830pm – Midnight

It was Saturday night and Seville was happening. We headed back to the apartment, but decided to stop and enjoy this early (in Spanish terms – like 1030) evening. The Missus had been eyeing out this Helados (Ice Cream) and She decided to step in and get something.

And got the Goat Cheese and Quince Jelly Ice Cream!

Yikes!

I had a different notion….something from across the street.

I think there was some kind of student initiation or something going on here……

I had no idea what was going on, but it sure was festive…..

Though it seemed that most of the guys here just wanted to watch the football match…..

I had my one beer and left. It was time to hit the sack. Our train was to leave early in the morning.

We were a bit sad to leave Seville…..our trip to Spain was almost over. Just one more night in Madrid, then it was back to work.

Here's my requisite Jamon Bellota Iberico Pata Negra shot.

Actually, we shouldn't have been concerned. I had snagged really cheap first class train tickets form Seville to Madrid.

And this being Sunday morning and all; things were really quiet….like "Japan quiet". We were the only passengers in First Class which meant that we got a decent breakfast……and then were able to catch some shut eye!

With dreams of Foie Gras ala Plancha dancing in our heads!

Kyoto – Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher’s Path, Honen-in Temple, and Obanzai at Mimasuya Okudohan

March 2, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Travel

The Missus was rarin' to go during our first full day back in Kyoto. We'd put in a it of mileage on this day, but She did let me (us) catch the Keihan Line two stops to Demachi Yanagi. We got out, had a quick cup of coffee and headed East. Thru a few winding streets somehow ending up at Hyakumanben Chion-ji Temple.

From which we were to get our bearings and head back down Higashioji-dori taking a turn onto Imadegawa-dori.

In spite of being a pretty large street, things were very quiet on this morning, with very few people, and this rather unhappy fellow around.

We knew we were getting close as the street went over the river…..

And then we were on a path with signs…..the beginning of the Philosopher's Path.

Leading us to the gate to Ginkaku-ji.

And a sign I love……"No Selfie Sticks"!

Basically named the "Silver Pavilion", patterned after the Golden Pavilion (we'll get there one of these days), Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built his retirement home on he grounds.

After Yoshimitsu's death the complex was converted into a Zen Temple. That's the Silver Pavilion above……strangely, there's not much "silver" going on here.

However, we found the grounds to be quite impressive; especially the "Ginshadan".

Actually, we found the grounds to be quite tranquil and lovely……there comes a time when I need to stop typing and just let you enjoy the photos.

Looks just like a movie set.

And the view from the hill behind all the structures is quite pretty as well.

We left feeling relaxed…..

And headed down the Philosopher's Path.

And coming across this sign…..

Headed up the zig-zag road…..

To the gate of Honen-in Temple.

Which seemed to frame the fall colors perfectly.

And spent a few minutes.

Before heading back down that street and to the Philosopher's Path.

The path ends in the Nanzenji neighborhood and we walked on over to Sanjo Dori, crossing over the Kamo River. I was in search of our lunch destination.

Before we were interrupted by Typhoon Vongfong on our previous visit. I had planned having a lunch at a place that did Obanzai; basically a place that made seasonal dishes, many of them simple, rustic, and vegetable based, created to minimize waste. The dishes I saw just reminded me of stuff I ate growing up. this was almost the antithesis of the very popular Kyoto Kaiseki.

Just simple, home style dishes….soul food, if you will.

The place I chose was Mimasuya Okudohan……which had a display of "yasai" (vegetables), displayed outside a typical Machiya in the area north of Nishiki Market and the shopping arcades.

There was no one waiting when we arrived at opening time. The fragrance of steaming rice permeated the air as we were seated.

There was a simple two multi-course menu for lunch.

Like the "okazuya" I grew up doing take out from, things were prepped and set-up for a quick service.

And the place filled up fast.

We got one of each of the two lunches.

So many of the flavors were so familiar to me…and the Missus, since I make quite a bit of Japanese nimono style dishes at home. What we really remember is how good the rice was here….I mean, really fragrant, slightly nutty, just amazing.

And the miso soup….more of a red (aka) miso, with a savory bite to it.

And of course those items the Missus loves so much like Kabocha. I really enjoyed the nasubi (eggplant), which had so much savory and earthiness to it.

One of the lunches came with a not so traditional dessert…..which the Missus enjoyed as well.

As we left, we noticed that quite a queue had developed outside the restaurant. It's nice to see folks wanting to try obanzai. For me, it was like stepping into Baban's kitchen. And that's priceless.

Mimasuya Okudohan
318-3 Sanjocho, Nakagyo Ward
Kyoto, Japan