Kinmata, Kyoto (近又)

One kaiseki course in a day just isn’t enough. I came down to Kyoto with a simple restaurant strategy: Open Tabelog Kyoto. Call restaurant #1. Call restaurant #2. Et cetera. Of course I got rejected from some very lovely-looking places. But I booked the ones that were #8 and #9 on the day (it changes […]

Nishikiyu, Kyoto (錦湯)

There’s one problem with Kyoto – the transportation system is more like that of a a medium-sized Japanese city (which it is) than that of a world-class tourist destination (which it is). That means you can get into weird situations where despite just going from one temple to another, you’re kinda far from anything and it’s […]

Sagatake (さが竹)

Continuing the random walk around Arashiyama (punctuated by lunch), there are plenty of pleasant little sights to see. If you’re tired of weathered shrine gates, you’re tired of life. ‘Saga’, by the way, has nothing to do with the prefecture. This area is named for the ancient emperor who lived here (嵯峨, not 佐賀, and […]