Sayonara to Kyoto

Yasaka-no-to Pagoda - off Ninen-zaka 

Reflecting on this trip to Kyoto, it was indeed a peaceful and reasonably paced holiday, despite the uncertain beginning.  We experienced different aspects of Kyoto - both the city as well as the surroundings:

• the old, historical and cultural heart of Kyoto - the Temples of Ginkakuji and Kinkakuji; Nijo Castle, and the meandering around Gion and the geisha district (including the Ninen-zaka and Sannen-zaka pedestrian streets); the Ukiyo-e Museum;
• the vibrant beat of modern Japanese culture (albeit through the eyes of Yayoi Kusama and the manga artists and Writers)
• the serenity of the Japanese countryside and village life in Miyama;
• the charm of two different markets - Nishiki market and the Toji temple flea market.

As always, am ending off with a bit more information about our accommodation and foodie choices.  We stayed in Gion, near where I stayed on my last visit.  Really cosy little place, makes me feel so Japanese!  Let me say it again, I strongly recommend renting an apartment if you are staying any time in Japan.  It gives you much more room, allows you the comfort of having little meals in your own little living room, and there's a washing machine so you don't need to bring too many clothes.

Udon Sanshiki

As for food, my posts on my previous trips are here and here.  I've reached the stage where I'm going back to old favourites, like my favourite conveyor belt sushi at Kyoto station, Sushi no Musashi, and even the yudofu tofu place near Nanzen-ji, Goemon Chaya (again, I wanted to go to the famous restaurant but the wait list was just too long).  So this time round, I will just introduce three new places (plus one dessert surprise)

1.  Udon Sanshiki

This udon restaurant was near our apartment and we went there on the first day because (i) we like udon and (ii) there was a queue in front and like any normal Singaporean we associate queues with good food.  So we stood outside for maybe 10 minutes before they let us in.  We really enjoyed the chewy, smooth udon noodles!  Liked it so much we would come back for dinner on our last night in Kyoto.

2. Hanamakiya

The buckwheat mill in action

This was an unexpected find.  After visiting Kinkakuji we walked back to the main road in the
direction of the bus stop.  Looking down one side road, we saw yet another queue, and upon investigation realised that it was a group waiting for a restaurant to open.   We joined the queue and were thus one of the first few groups to enter, good thing too as it would fill up quickly behind us.  Hanamakiya is a small, unassuming restaurant which serves practically perfect soba (buckwheat noodles).  The soba is made on the premises (you can watch the buckwheat mill in operation).

I ate the Nishin soba, which is soba (buckwheat) noodles in soup with herring on top.  I understand that the herring is a Kyoto specialty and indeed I bought it in the Nishiki market a few days later.  I liked its nice flaky texture, and sweet and slightly smoky flavour.  It was served in a slightly sour soup of wild mountain vegetables.  All washed down with buckwheat tea (soba-cha).

3.  Maguro Factory

Maguro Factory's tasting tuna platter

Now if you know your Japanese you would know that "maguro" means tuna. And that tuna is like "the" fish for the Japanese (certainly not salmon).  So this is like a modern Japanese restaurant, serving tuna cooked all ways. We tried out this mini tuna tasting platter where the different cuts are nicely served on top of a little box (see photo).  You get to lightly sear the tuna pieces on a hot plate, dip them in a sauce and enjoy. 

We also ate tuna sashimi, tuna on top of rice and served with soup on the side (you pour the soup on the rice, for a tuna fish porridge, and top it with freshly grated wasabi).  The tofu squares were given as our appetiser and I believe I washed it all down with some beer. 

Souffle pancake at Hoshino Coffee

Dessert Surprise: Hoshino Coffee

And now for dessert!  We finished our meal at Sushi no Musashi and wanted to have something sweet to end.  So we found this nice coffee place near the sushi joint where they serve these hugely thick souffle pancakes, topped with chestnut puree. 

I got hooked on souffle pancakes after visiting Himeji Castle during my last visit to the Kansai area - we were tired after our visit, there was time before our return train and there was a convenient cafe.  There's no better time to eat one - or two, as the case may be.  Accompanied by a cup of mellow, smooth coffee.

So that's it for another year!  I must admit that I did not expect to visit Japan for so many years in a row and there is still so much to see and experience in this beautiful country.

Sayonara for now! 

A Pair of Markets

Flea market at Toji Temple

One reason why I like visiting Kyoto is that by now, I can have the pleasure of revisiting my favourite haunts, but at the same time discover new places. 

This time, of course it was no different.  We popped into Nishiki market which I've been to on every visit to Kyoto, and also the flea market at Toji temple, which takes place on the 21st of every month.  I've never been in Kyoto on the 21st of any month so I was glad to have made it here. 

But first, a quick recap of the Nishiki market visit. 

Matcha and regular soft serve

I have to admit that I went to all my old favourites - we shared a serving of takoyaki balls, all smothered with mayonaise, BBQ sauce, and spring onions; the soft-serve soy ice cream; and a skewerful of marinated raw salmon cubes.  Plus other things besides.  The beef pao (which I ate last visit to Nishiki) are also extremely good but I didn't have one this visit as I was a little full already.  So moral of the story is eat the beef pao first  and you'll have a great morning. 

Nishiki is also a good place to buy food products to bring back to Singapore - I do recommend the packets of furikake, which are the toppings you put on top of rice, or the marinated preserved mackeral (with its distinctive smoky-sweet flavour).  You can also buy pickles, of every single variety you can think of.

The flea market at Toji Temple is quite different.  Set in the large, sprawling grounds of the temple, it is full of antique stalls, clothing stalls, craft stalls, food stalls, plant stalls etc.... indeed, there is something for everyone in this extensive flea market!  It was a little rainy the day we were there, which means that the photos are not that great but nonetheless we had a nice time wandering around all the stalls. 

Antique stall at Toji Market

The thing about going to these markets is that one must not have Marie Kondo and her teachings at the back of your mind.  We first went by all the stalls selling kimono and obi - with all their range of material.  The prices were good - very good.  But I knew it was most unlikely that I would wear one should I buy it.  To me, the most interesting stalls were the antique stalls with their mix of items ranging from old kitchenware, little ornaments, artworks, furniture etc.  I didn't buy anything as then I would have to figure out where to put it and what to do with it once back in Singapore - but still enjoyed just walking around looking at the goods.  And my cousin bought some food items and a little fabric purse, which made up for my lack of purchases :-)

The setting for all the market, Toji temple is itself impressive.  The temple was built in the late 700s, when the capital of Japan moved from Nara to Kyoto.  "Toji" means "East Temple" and it stood together with its neighbouring temple, "Saiji" or "West Temple" to mark the south gate into Kyoto.  Saiji was demolished many years ago but Toji, together with its proud and impressive pagoda, remains and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. More about the temple can be found here.

The temple is best known for its pagoda and the many Buddhist treasures within its halls.  We did not go in to any of the temple buildings this time round.  But treasures and buildings are static things. For me what caught the eye were the pilgrims walking around the outer walls of the jikido (or refectory) of the temple, stopping and saying a prayer at each scroll.  Oblivious to the crowds around them, they quietly focused on their devotions.  This, to me, is the tradition and religion which the temple has kept alive and growing for all the centuries since its construction, even as the world around it changes.

Pilgrims at prayer

More photos of my Japan visit here.