Zen is really one of the best sake bars I’ve been to. Since I posted a long and loving review of my initial visit there, here’s a capsule view of the two consecutive nights we went during this trip. Which means I didn’t drink everything here, sadly. Highlights from my perspective were: Furosen. Can’t get enough […]
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Sakurada, Kyoto (桜田)
Sakurada is really one of the best restaurants I’ve been to. Since I posted a long and loving review of my initial lunch there, here’s a capsule view of dinner. Highlights from my perspective were: The daikon with the tsukuri (2nd row center, next to the tuna). Instead of cutting the daikon into a long […]
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Shoraian, Kyoto (松籟庵,嵐山)
Ahhhh, the whispering bamboo forests of Arashiyama. Strangely, it was quiet here despite it being the Saturday of a long weekend, and the one of the forced exodus from Tokyo. And it was quieter after we walked through the forests, along the river, and up the rough rock steps to the entrance to Shoraian. Down […]
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Jojakkoji, Kyoto (常寂光寺)
I think most travel sites aren’t very helpful, but it’s pretty easy to upload a few pictures per temple. Consider these a teaser to help you decide where to go. Also, they’re all on the map (once I get the map fixed). Jojakkoji was an accidental visit but turned out to be really nice – […]
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Nishinotoin Shokudo, Kyoto (京 小町食堂 西洞院店)
I’ve been accused of excessive blogging, but only once or twice. (I’ve also been accused of a few other things in relation to this blog, but mostly they were inspired by Canadia and her denizens.) Anyway, For the 3 minutes it’ll take to upload and type, I think it’s interesting and maybe useful to point […]
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Kyomachi, Kyoto (京町)
Pontocho. Part two for this evening. Better than part one. Contrary to all my protestations, this place faces the main alley and is bright and a little commercial-looking. Not too much though. And as soon as you get inside, it’s dauntingly old-fashioned, with a proper entrance leading up to a tatami area behind closed doors, […]
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Kyona, Kyoto (酒と味 京菜)
The Kamogawa, at night, looking north. Learned an interesting thing about orienting yourself within the (already very sensible) street grid of Kyoto: you always have mountains on three sides, and the ’empty’ side is south. The bright lights on the west bank are the outward-facing manifestation of the much-beloved and little-penetrated Pontocho district. Maybe it’s […]
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Sarasa Pausa, Kyoto (サラサ麩屋町PAUSA)
We’ll return to this theme repeatedly over the next couple reviews, but the neighborhood blocked out by the Kamo River and Karasuma Street on the east and west, then Oike Street and Shijo Street on the north and south, is probably the coolest in the world. It has all the old-fashioned, mildly touristy charms of […]
Nezameya, Kyoto (祢ざめ家)
Not everyone is fascinated by Fushimi Inari, Japan’s greatest shrine to the fox god. Some people, in fact, just get sleepy walking through all those gates. For propriety, you’re supposed to walk through them off-center (humble), and bow as well, but with thousands of gates, it ain’t happening. In fact, it never happens. I can […]
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Fushimi Inari Jinja, Kyoto
I think most travel sites aren’t very helpful, but it’s pretty easy to upload a few pictures per temple. Consider these a teaser to help you decide where to go. Also, they’re all on the map (once I get the map fixed). Fushimi Inari shrine is deeply quirky. Some time ago, somebody was really into […]