The morning we left Kyoto, we had a traditional breakfast at Gyozen-en consisting of rice, pickled vegetables, fish, and a hot pot where we could boil tofu and seaweed. It was the first time I ever had a breakfast like this and I really enjoyed it. The wasabi cleared my sinuses early in the morning and it was out of the norm having fish so early in the day, but it felt good to eat a thorough breakfast rather than run out of the house with a banana and yogurt in hand. After breakfast we headed to the bus station and took it by foot this time rather than by taxi. Close to Gyozen-en, we already saw some shops and we picked up some pickled vegetables and these delicious, savory sakura truffles. As we headed down the hill, we were so glad we decided to walk because there were stands along the way! Again, I had a pickled cucumber on a stick and since it was warmer, we finally decided to try sakura ice cream. That was not the end of it though because at the bottom of the hill, there was a shop where they made fresh rice crackers. Fresh rice crackers?!? I didn’t even know there was such a thing! Taro and I bought one and it was nice and warm. The man kindly told us to come in and enjoy it with a cup of green tea. After that, I had to buy a pack (and sad it say, I ate all of them already). We finally reached the bus station after looking at EVERYTHING along the way and I was sad to say goodbye to Kyoto.
We headed straight to Harajuku from Kyoto and I was quite excited at the prospect of seeing girls in crazy costumes and experience some of the shopping in Japan. However, I was greatly disappointed. I want to say it was due to the weather and the costumes were not out in the drizzle of rain despite it being a Sunday afternoon. Supposedly that is when you can catch the wild attire, but we had no luck this particular Sunday. The shopping…yes, the stores were crowded, but in Harajuku, the prices were insanely high! I couldn’t bear the dollar amount, but was fascinated with the style and fashion – whimisical, garden-inspired, nymph-like, and loose and flowy contrasted with chic, black, almost gothic influenced attire. It was definitely different from the fashion in the U.S. and it made me wonder if both styles would eventually come our way.
After Harajuku, we were really in for a treat. Prior to the trip, I heard about how Taro’s uncle makes his own soba noodles. Since his aunt and uncle discovered I was pretty open to food, Taro’s uncle told us that we would have soba the day we came back from Kyoto. Upon arriving to the house, there was salad, fresh tofu, and tempura waiting for us. And then came the soba. I have had store bought soba and the only place that I have found good soba in Southern California so far is Gonpachi. Taro’s uncle’s soba, though, far exceeds Gonpachi. The texture of it was perfect -al dente – and dipping it into homemade sauce made it even more delightful. I could not believe he made it himself! And then came the next surprise. He also made fresh udon. Fresh udon! I love udon and I especially enjoy having it when I am cold or sick; it gives a sense of comfort. When I have udon, I actually like a chewy texture to it and all I can say about Taro’s uncle’s soba and udon is Wow.
I am forever ruined. I just won’t be able to see soba and udon in the same way. You really cannot beat homemade noodles. Is it insane to think I would fly over to Japan just to experience and enjoy the noodles again? I think not.
At Harajuku with Taro’s cousin, Shohei:
The unforgettable dinner consisting of soba and udon:
Ten days. Nearly two weeks. That is how long the sakura (cherry blossom) trees are in season for. The window of opportunity to catch the trees and flowers in full bloom is so small yet Taro and I managed to travel all the way to Japan and witness its beauty. Prior to the trip, I told people how we were going to see the cherry blossoms without actually knowing how you really need to time the visit to see the trees. I have to say I am lucky because the train ride to Kyoto was a scene full of sakura and in Kyoto itself…I was completely breathless. Nothing can prepare you for the grandeur and absolute beauty of the cherry blossoms.
I think that is one thing I will miss the most – the stunning shades of pink and white that are scattered throughout Tokyo and at every step and turn in Kyoto.
The two of us:
The plan for Day 2 was to continue visiting temples and houses in Kyoto. Starting off our morning early, we dropped off our backpacks in a locker in the subway and headed off to find a place to grab breakfast. We ended up at a small cafe which served toast and sandwiches. Taro ended up getting toast with egg and ham while I had an open-faced pizza sandwich. Both were good for a light breakfast, but I had to buy a pastry before I left since they were making them in the back while we were eating so it was nice and fresh. We ate that pastry later in the afternoon and it was sweet and yummy with pieces of apple and raisin.
The first place we headed off to was Nijo Castle, across from the cafe we had breakfast at. What I enjoyed about this place was that we got to go into the actual building itself and see the different rooms the shogun would reside in. In addition, the paintings on the panel walls featured trees and large birds, whatever the fancy may be of the artist at hand. An interesting detail that I learned was that the wood floors were squeaky on purpose to alert the residents of any intruders. Taro decided it would be funny to run across the room like a ninja; I found it hilarious, but the woman in front gave him that crazy look. If we thought the building itself was large, the garden equaled in size. We stopped by a pavilion for a tea ceremony and enjoyed a cup of green tea and a sweet. It was nice to enjoy the zen garden. Near the exit of the castle, there were vendors and I picked up a beautiful silk scarf dyed in wine. It reminded me of the cherry blossoms. Last, we enjoyed dango again with a fermented rice drink. It was a lovely hour plus spent at Nijo Castle.
We then took a taxi to the Rokuon-Ji Temple. The first thing that we did was stop by the belfry; with a 200 yen donation, you can ring the bell. Taro and I wanted to do it for fun, but we also thought it would be a great picture. We both held onto the rope, but I was in no way prepared for the sheer force that Taro was going to use; he could have swung me off! It was a lot of fun, though, and we got a nifty postcard afterward. After the belfry, we headed off to the highlight of the temple, which is Kinkaku, also known as the Golden Pavilion. The Golden Pavilion is stunning because it sits upon the water and is covered (on the 2nd and 3rd floors) with gold-leaf on Japanese lacquer.
Our next stop was the Imperial Palace. The scale of it is immense, but it was, for the most part, disappointing. Similar to the White House, you cannot go in without a permit. Taro and I walked around it, but since there was little to see, we actually found a local coffee and tea house across the street and warmed ourselves up. It was nice just being able to sit with this Japanese grandmother with her two grandchildren running around making hot tea for us. I loved the homely feel to it.
Even though we only ventured off to three locations, it actually filled up our day. By the late afternoon, we decided to go to our next stay, Gyozen-en. This was a much more remote location, but next to it was the Sanzen-in Temple, which we immediately visited after checking in. Sanzen-in Temple is one of five Tendai Monzeki temples, a special kind of temple where in previous days, the chief priest was a member of the imperial family. Something that is quite beautiful that is stored in this temple is the Amitabha Trinity. The Buddha statue is large and covered in gold. I wish I could have taken a picture, but it wasn’t allowed. Despite that, the temple itself is covered with moss and maple trees so photographing this element of it contrasted nicely with the temples in the city.
We then returned back to Gyozen-en, where Taro and I separately dipped into the onsen. I have to admit, I was pretty intimidated by it just because you are not allowed to wear a bathing suit, but I pretty much got over it since there was only one lady there. I went into the rock hot spring first, which was just what I needed after being cold for the majority of the day. I soaked in the water and just enjoyed the trickling sound of the water coming down the rocks. Afterward, I went to the outdoor one, which was a good balance of the warmth from the hot spring and the cool, quiet air of the outdoors. The onsen was great and after two days of walking, it was nice to have a bit of relaxation.
What is special and unique about Gyozen-en is that it is much more traditional. Compared to the Westin Miyako Kyoto, there are sliding panels, tatami mats, an open feel to the different sections in the room, and futons. On a side note, I love the toilets here in Japan. They have heated seats! I want one for home.
Returning from the onsen, we were served dinner in our room – a nine course meal! Each dish was amazing, ranging from sashimi to boiled fish to sukiyaki to rice served with pickled dishes. I was stuffed, but I could not help savoring each bite. It was even nicer being able to eat in our room as we anticipated what would come next through the sliding door. I honestly felt so lucky to sit with the mountains as a backdrop sipping beer brewed in Kyoto and a glass of sake with the man I love.
Day 2 in Kyoto: another amazing time.
And finally photos from dinner:
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