Thursday, July 8, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Last Pictures from Our Trip
Back home now, jet lagged, but doing laundry. Connie went to work right after coming home from the airport. I am hoping to wake up Em soon from her deep nap.
Sam and Connie found a breakfast place (Nihon shoku) in Tokyo about a block away from our hotel about a week ago. They took us there yesterday AM (actually it was this AM, with the date change). Similar to the place in Hiroshima, only they had set menus rather than buffet/a la carte. Each of our breakfasts was about ¥400. From top to bottom, Sam, Connie, Em, and my breakfasts. Mine is Katsu-don.
OK, a couple of hours before taking the train to Narita, we wanted to get one more meal in. We went to another tsukemen place in Tokyo station. I think this place wasn't quite as good as the place next door where we ate our first Tokyo lunch. But the texture of the noodles was superb. They were fatter, and the soup had a sort of sweet flavor.
They had a pitcher of water at each table, and I noticed something in each pitcher. Connie was observant, and thought they were charcoal logs, to help to absorb foul odors or chemicals. Closer examination revealed that they were indeed little logs.
One last chance to relax at the hotel before catching the train.
The Narita Express (N'Ex) to the airport. Nice luxury (green car) with leather seats. Here, a pensive Sam, deep in thought about our trip.
Last meal at Narita. Sam got Curry rice, Em got tempura, and Connie had a bowl of udon.
There was an Origami museum and store near our gate. Neat looking. There were several large dioramas made with all origami.
One last picture at Narita.
Sam and Connie found a breakfast place (Nihon shoku) in Tokyo about a block away from our hotel about a week ago. They took us there yesterday AM (actually it was this AM, with the date change). Similar to the place in Hiroshima, only they had set menus rather than buffet/a la carte. Each of our breakfasts was about ¥400. From top to bottom, Sam, Connie, Em, and my breakfasts. Mine is Katsu-don.
OK, a couple of hours before taking the train to Narita, we wanted to get one more meal in. We went to another tsukemen place in Tokyo station. I think this place wasn't quite as good as the place next door where we ate our first Tokyo lunch. But the texture of the noodles was superb. They were fatter, and the soup had a sort of sweet flavor.
They had a pitcher of water at each table, and I noticed something in each pitcher. Connie was observant, and thought they were charcoal logs, to help to absorb foul odors or chemicals. Closer examination revealed that they were indeed little logs.
One last chance to relax at the hotel before catching the train.
The Narita Express (N'Ex) to the airport. Nice luxury (green car) with leather seats. Here, a pensive Sam, deep in thought about our trip.
Last meal at Narita. Sam got Curry rice, Em got tempura, and Connie had a bowl of udon.
There was an Origami museum and store near our gate. Neat looking. There were several large dioramas made with all origami.
One last picture at Narita.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Volume 4, Final Installment
Monday, in Tokyo, fresh back from Kyoto, we journeyed to Shinjuku after a light breakfast of pastries at the station. Went to the Govt building, 45th floor, to see the clear skyline of Tokyo. Kind of disappointing.
Rooftop garden at Isetan in Shinjuku for a quick lunch of depato food.
Connie just enjoys the gentle warm weather. Good thing her salad came packed with ice.
We forgot to bring the kid's Kumon papers, so I had to run to get some extras. Actually, this was on the way to a fly fishing store in Nishi-Shinjuku. I took a subway by myself to get there while the kids and Connie remained at Isetan. I had trouble finding the place. It is quite a challenge to find places in Japan; I asked a couple of people on the street, and they had no idea what I was talking about. The store ended up being tiny, but packed with expensive gear.
Later that night, we went to Kinmaru in the Ginza. Hole in the wall place that I had read about. The best ramen I've ever had. Small bite-sized pieces of buta kakuni. Perfect soft-center eggs. Perfect Tonkotsu broth, glistening with fat globules. Not too salty. Sam had the hiya ramen salad.
Breakfast yesterday was in Tokyo Station. Every time we are there, we find a new shopping/food arcade. The place is huge!! Sam had her favorite, Kari rice, while Connie had her udon, Em had Tenzaru Soba, and I had Tempura Soba.
Later we went to Kiba, off the Tozai line, to go to a supermarket. We wanted to see what one was like. There are none in the Marunouchi/Ginza area. Only very small store. This place, Ito Yokado, was like a fancy Walmart. They sold clothes, shoes and of course groceries. The kids went hog wild buying Japanese candy.
We ate pre-lunch there. Sam wanted their spaghetti, Em wanted a parfait and we all shared a green tea doughnut (chewy spongy texture, and it was great -- from a chain called Mr. Donut). I had a deluxe sushi box (only 1200 yen).
I especially liked my Uni and Ama Ebi.
This is our lunch. Green Tea soft serve ice cream.
Connie bought this Kuro Goma Dango at Takashimaya later in the afternoon. However, it was disappointing. It was savory, not sweet. Connie's smile soon turned upside down. Sure looks good, though.
On the way to dinner, Sam spied this green tea belgian waffle place. The obligatory stop led to the obligatory purchase, and then the obligatory picture.
Dinner was very good but expensive. Tonkatsu at a gourmet restaurant.
We forgot to take a picture beforehand, so you'll have to trust us. It really was tonkatsu. The tell tale cabbage remains.
We were still hungry afterwards, so while the kids ran off around Tokyo Station, Connie and I went to share a bowl of Shoyu Ramen. We were half-way through with the bowl, when we remembered we forgot the picture.
Home tomorrow... Everyone is sad.
Rooftop garden at Isetan in Shinjuku for a quick lunch of depato food.
Connie just enjoys the gentle warm weather. Good thing her salad came packed with ice.
We forgot to bring the kid's Kumon papers, so I had to run to get some extras. Actually, this was on the way to a fly fishing store in Nishi-Shinjuku. I took a subway by myself to get there while the kids and Connie remained at Isetan. I had trouble finding the place. It is quite a challenge to find places in Japan; I asked a couple of people on the street, and they had no idea what I was talking about. The store ended up being tiny, but packed with expensive gear.
Later that night, we went to Kinmaru in the Ginza. Hole in the wall place that I had read about. The best ramen I've ever had. Small bite-sized pieces of buta kakuni. Perfect soft-center eggs. Perfect Tonkotsu broth, glistening with fat globules. Not too salty. Sam had the hiya ramen salad.
Breakfast yesterday was in Tokyo Station. Every time we are there, we find a new shopping/food arcade. The place is huge!! Sam had her favorite, Kari rice, while Connie had her udon, Em had Tenzaru Soba, and I had Tempura Soba.
Later we went to Kiba, off the Tozai line, to go to a supermarket. We wanted to see what one was like. There are none in the Marunouchi/Ginza area. Only very small store. This place, Ito Yokado, was like a fancy Walmart. They sold clothes, shoes and of course groceries. The kids went hog wild buying Japanese candy.
We ate pre-lunch there. Sam wanted their spaghetti, Em wanted a parfait and we all shared a green tea doughnut (chewy spongy texture, and it was great -- from a chain called Mr. Donut). I had a deluxe sushi box (only 1200 yen).
I especially liked my Uni and Ama Ebi.
This is our lunch. Green Tea soft serve ice cream.
Connie bought this Kuro Goma Dango at Takashimaya later in the afternoon. However, it was disappointing. It was savory, not sweet. Connie's smile soon turned upside down. Sure looks good, though.
On the way to dinner, Sam spied this green tea belgian waffle place. The obligatory stop led to the obligatory purchase, and then the obligatory picture.
Dinner was very good but expensive. Tonkatsu at a gourmet restaurant.
We forgot to take a picture beforehand, so you'll have to trust us. It really was tonkatsu. The tell tale cabbage remains.
We were still hungry afterwards, so while the kids ran off around Tokyo Station, Connie and I went to share a bowl of Shoyu Ramen. We were half-way through with the bowl, when we remembered we forgot the picture.
Home tomorrow... Everyone is sad.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Japan, Volume 3
We got a very early start on Saturday. Hiroshima streets were quiet at 615 in the AM. We had a 7AM train to Kyoto, which went fine. No green cars on that train, though. Stood in line at the tourist information center, as all good tourists do, and then purchased our one day all-you-can-ride bus and subway pass. Got on a super crowded bus to go to our ryokan in the Gion district, a stones throw from Kiyomizu Dera, to drop off our luggage, so we could become tourists. I had a couple of suitcases with me when I was trying to negotiate the non-existent bus aisle when our stop came out. I had to put my pass into the card reader at the exit, and it was frustrating. I tripped on one edge of a suitcase, and I did a summersault onto the pavement. My circus training came in handy, as I had nary an injury, just a small scratch on a finger. Surprisingly, no one came to help me, except the girls and Connie. I think it was because I was embarrassed and I got up right away, brushed myself off, and kept muttering, "I'm good."
It was only 1030AM, and we had a hot 5 block walk (the ryokan literature said 6 minutes from the bus stop) to our ryokan. They greeted us with ice water and a cold Oshibori. Soon on our way to the infamous tumbling mat of a bus stop sidewalk, and we got onto the bus again to go sightseeing. We walked by Yasaka Shrine, a famous shrine right by our Ryokan.
It was Gion Festival, and we saw a parade from our bus on our way to Nishiki Market.
Nishiki Market is a covered arcade in downtown Kyoto, and it is revered as one of, if not absolutely, the best food market in Japan. Locally sourced foods, of many varieties that would not be found anywhere else. It covers about six city blocks, and it wasn't too crowded, by Japanese standards.
A tsukemono shop.
I wanted an Aritsugu knife from Kyoto. Their store is in Nishiki Market. Handmade, the old fashioned way. Only one side is sharpened. So you have to specify whether for a left or right handed user. The company's been in business for hundreds of years. They used to make swords. They make both old style carbon steel knives with wooden handles and plastic handled knives with a stainless clad (they're still carbon steel in the middle). They said that even the stainless ones will still corrode, but less of an issue. I opted for the later for ease of care. Here, one of the craftsmen puts on a first sharpening before a final hand sharpening. They gave me instructions on sharpening but a lot of it is in Japanese.
Here the boss is engraving a name in the prior customer's knife. My knife is next on the table.
Still in Nishiki, here is Connie with a baby octopus stuffed with a hard boiled quail egg.
Sammie eating dango.
Fish of all kinds.
Skewers of cured fish.
Took a bus, then subway to Nijo-jo. Walking to Nijo-jo, or Kyoto Castle. No pics allowed inside. Cool floors, which sing to you as a nightingale would sing, everytime you step.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightingale_floor
Back at Yasaka Shrine.
A tourist videoing my taking a picture of her, with the Yakasa Shrine large concrete torii entrance in the background.
Our ryokan attendant setting up our dinner.
Here is Emily's child plate. Sam, Connie, and I got their full Kaiseki treatment.
Fresh tofu with Uni, plum, and wasabi. Snapper and conger eel. A little shiso and snapdragon tsuma.
Conger eel soup and some cold delicacies that I don't quite remember (we have the menu, but it is in Japanese).
The crew.
Tempura course.
Rice and tsukemono course.
Here is Connie enjoying her meal.
Too much beer.
A simple dessert of dango mochi with a sweet sauce and kinako.
Our futon beds on the floor. Our room here was surprisingly spacious. We got a good deal on this place at a JTB affiliate called Japanican, and the description of the room was that of a small place.
Breakfast. Fresh tofu cooked in water with fresh herbs/greens.
Here we are again, eating.
Our simple breakfast. The tofu is so smooth.
Emily's breakfast, cooked over a flame.
The proprietor insisted that we get our picture taken upon check out.
We kept our luggage at the ryokan, and set out for some more sightseeing. Here is Connie and the kids in front of a picture of Kinkakuji. Doesn't it look real? So beautiful.
Here is Emily in front of the Kinkakuji-mae bus stop. We found the Pillsbury Dough Boy's war bride.
Here is Connie in front of another picture of Kiyomizu-dera. This looks pretty real too.
Connie and the kids trying to get the spring water to drink to get their wishes fulfilled.
Got back to the ryokan to fetch our luggage. We took a cab to Kyoto-eki. Only 1290 yen. Should have done that the first day in Kyoto, in retrospect. I'm lucky that I wasn't hurt. The four of us shared two bowls of ramen at a random ramen shop in Kyoto station. Shoyu ramen and Miso ramen. It was delicious!! So far, all the ramen we've had has been better than any we can get in the US. All the places here serve the noodles al dente, which is great!
Eating roasted chestnuts on the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Em slept practically the whole train ride.
I had to study the Tokyo subway station map to optimize the use of our JR rail pass, which is good on some lines in Tokyo, but not most.
Treats in our hotel in Tokyo. The staff here is so so nice. They left all these here when we returned.
Last night we went back to Tokyo station to eat. I spied this poster in a restaurant window last night.
It was only 1030AM, and we had a hot 5 block walk (the ryokan literature said 6 minutes from the bus stop) to our ryokan. They greeted us with ice water and a cold Oshibori. Soon on our way to the infamous tumbling mat of a bus stop sidewalk, and we got onto the bus again to go sightseeing. We walked by Yasaka Shrine, a famous shrine right by our Ryokan.
It was Gion Festival, and we saw a parade from our bus on our way to Nishiki Market.
Nishiki Market is a covered arcade in downtown Kyoto, and it is revered as one of, if not absolutely, the best food market in Japan. Locally sourced foods, of many varieties that would not be found anywhere else. It covers about six city blocks, and it wasn't too crowded, by Japanese standards.
A tsukemono shop.
I wanted an Aritsugu knife from Kyoto. Their store is in Nishiki Market. Handmade, the old fashioned way. Only one side is sharpened. So you have to specify whether for a left or right handed user. The company's been in business for hundreds of years. They used to make swords. They make both old style carbon steel knives with wooden handles and plastic handled knives with a stainless clad (they're still carbon steel in the middle). They said that even the stainless ones will still corrode, but less of an issue. I opted for the later for ease of care. Here, one of the craftsmen puts on a first sharpening before a final hand sharpening. They gave me instructions on sharpening but a lot of it is in Japanese.
Here the boss is engraving a name in the prior customer's knife. My knife is next on the table.
Still in Nishiki, here is Connie with a baby octopus stuffed with a hard boiled quail egg.
Sammie eating dango.
Fish of all kinds.
Skewers of cured fish.
Took a bus, then subway to Nijo-jo. Walking to Nijo-jo, or Kyoto Castle. No pics allowed inside. Cool floors, which sing to you as a nightingale would sing, everytime you step.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightingale_floor
Back at Yasaka Shrine.
A tourist videoing my taking a picture of her, with the Yakasa Shrine large concrete torii entrance in the background.
Our ryokan attendant setting up our dinner.
Here is Emily's child plate. Sam, Connie, and I got their full Kaiseki treatment.
Fresh tofu with Uni, plum, and wasabi. Snapper and conger eel. A little shiso and snapdragon tsuma.
Conger eel soup and some cold delicacies that I don't quite remember (we have the menu, but it is in Japanese).
The crew.
Tempura course.
Rice and tsukemono course.
Here is Connie enjoying her meal.
Too much beer.
A simple dessert of dango mochi with a sweet sauce and kinako.
Our futon beds on the floor. Our room here was surprisingly spacious. We got a good deal on this place at a JTB affiliate called Japanican, and the description of the room was that of a small place.
Breakfast. Fresh tofu cooked in water with fresh herbs/greens.
Here we are again, eating.
Our simple breakfast. The tofu is so smooth.
Emily's breakfast, cooked over a flame.
The proprietor insisted that we get our picture taken upon check out.
We kept our luggage at the ryokan, and set out for some more sightseeing. Here is Connie and the kids in front of a picture of Kinkakuji. Doesn't it look real? So beautiful.
Here is Emily in front of the Kinkakuji-mae bus stop. We found the Pillsbury Dough Boy's war bride.
Here is Connie in front of another picture of Kiyomizu-dera. This looks pretty real too.
Connie and the kids trying to get the spring water to drink to get their wishes fulfilled.
Got back to the ryokan to fetch our luggage. We took a cab to Kyoto-eki. Only 1290 yen. Should have done that the first day in Kyoto, in retrospect. I'm lucky that I wasn't hurt. The four of us shared two bowls of ramen at a random ramen shop in Kyoto station. Shoyu ramen and Miso ramen. It was delicious!! So far, all the ramen we've had has been better than any we can get in the US. All the places here serve the noodles al dente, which is great!
Eating roasted chestnuts on the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Em slept practically the whole train ride.
I had to study the Tokyo subway station map to optimize the use of our JR rail pass, which is good on some lines in Tokyo, but not most.
Treats in our hotel in Tokyo. The staff here is so so nice. They left all these here when we returned.
Last night we went back to Tokyo station to eat. I spied this poster in a restaurant window last night.
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