We stayed in Kyoto for 5 nights, and slept on tatami mats with futons. They were slightly hard on the mat but very warm!
Every morning we had Japanese breakfasts. It consisted of samon, tofu (which was made by boiling in water in the metal bowl), rice with partly boiled egg (yummo), and the smaller plates of pickles. These small dishes varied each day. The food was fantastic here… I could happily have this food all the time.
Well Kyoto has certainly been enjoyable and to celebrate our last full day it turned on blue skies and 18c. It was so good I could even wear the one T-shirt I brought with me.
To live up to the expectations of those you left back in Adelaide, Helen and I continue to do the peace signs in our photos. We’ve also, god forbid gone to Mc Donalds. T and B (and their relatives) advised that it was a better experience than that in Australia! It is true that even the small Maccas in Nara had, for some reason, a grand piano. Helen did have a prawn burger. We can advise that the food still has the same awful consistency and generally poor taste, although I reckon the lettuce is better here.
To continue with the things we promised to do. Helen and I have had our photo taken in a “Astro Boy” booth. We expected stickers but rather got lots of little photos! Reading Japanese would help us there! We’ll try again for a sticker machine!
We’re having some fine Kaseki food served to our room tonight and a final sleep on our futons (yeah!!!) I am looking forward to our western bed on our return.
Kym
Arashiyama is a beautiful location, with a number of temples, shrines, and bamboo groves.
As well as the other 100 plus tourists… the main street really is like harndorf. Lots of shops with food, or trickets of some description.
After our walk around the town and the groves, we had a great lunch in a department store at another end of the tram line. The meal was really good… octopus balls in a soup that was continually being cooked. Yummo.
What do you eat after sushi in Kyoto before stumbling back to the ryokan?
Ice cream Sundae at Karafuneya coffee, of course!
We came across a dessert palour (which also served spagetti…) on the way to the bus stop. They had 100 different varieties… thankfully we only had one each.
There is an amazing amount of pastry shops and cakes, which are really had to walk by.
We haven`t had a dud meal yet… lets not forget the food from the vending machines. I could definately live here just for the food.
To visit the Tsukiji fish market, believe it or not, we woke up at 3am and walked to the market from our hotel. There is very little traffic on the streets at that time of the morning, apart from taxis and men in suits riding bicycles.
Our tour guide Nakamura-San met us at 4am, and began to lead us around the market. We went down a few alleys, visited the shrine that workers at the market the keep the rough seas at bay, and then ventured in to the various parts of the fish market. On the tour we had to be careful as looking the wrong way can have you getting hit by a motorised cart, or a grumpy worker trying to move his fish.
There was a heck of a lot of fish, fresh tuna (picture), frozen tuna, sea urchin, octopus, eel, cod, just to name a few. The frozen tuna shed was my highlight, with the cold mist hovering over the tuna from the ground to below our knees. The large ships that catch the tuna clean and then freeze the tuna until they reach the market – which may be up to a year. At the market the frozen tuna is marked with red paint, which is washed off when they clean it, to indicate the lot number, as well as sign indicating the business who caught the fish.
Apart from a large number of frozen fish, there are also a lot of fish kept in water. Certain buyers request to have the fish killed at the market before it gets delivered. This is done by cutting its neck and draining the blood.
During the tour we also watched the live auctions of a variety of fish – some which are over in literally seconds.
The worst part about the tour is the number of other tourists that can be seen closer to 6am. When we arrived there wasn’t any, but when we went back to see the fresh tuna auction – you could hardly move.
From 1st of April, tourists will be banned from Tsukiji. This is due to the problems they have caused (touching fish, using flash when taking photos and getting in the way of the people doing their work). Which is really unfortunate – as it is a great experience. We paid for our tour and got venture all over the market – places where other tourists wouldn’t normally visit (all guide books tell you to see the tuna auction). Yes, before you mention it, I know we are part of the problem.
The market itself is also due to be moved about a 5 minute car ride down the road in a couple of years to make way for the Tokyo Olympic games press center – if they get it, and then turned into apartment blocks.
After the tour we queued for 30 minutes to have sushi for breakfast – which was worth the wait!
^ HK
When I first heard about coffee in a can from Belinda and Tim, I’ll admit that part of me was skeptical. Iced coffee in a can.. Yes I can accept.. But hot coffee…. Doesn’t seem logical really.
However, I am pleased to say that I am no longer skeptical. Once we cleared customs, collected our bag, picked up the mobile telephone, train tickets, and used the ATM, we came across our first vending machine while waiting for the train to Tokyo. 120yen later coffee in a can was purchased. The moment I touched the can it was hot – and it tasted great!
Okay I know it doesn’t replace my regular mocha… But as they say “when in Tokyo…”. We are only at the end of our first full day in Tokyo, and so far I’ve had two of these cans… How many can I make it before the end of the trip…? :)
– Helen
We finished shopping. We did pop over to the Mandarin Oriental to find a Michelin Star Chef from Provence cooking up a storm!!!
It is an irony that the last time we were in KL we were returning from Provence!
After visiting the night market on Wednesday we walked along to the hawker food area. Strategy with these places is to always look for the busiest place – and it worked!
This meal was fantastic – and very cheap, and very fast. Although they did seem amused that we were there.
By HMK
You can find coffee in India….
