Ryokan Night (hers)

Scott was very gentle in his description of the ryokan. It certainly was beautiful. However, I think sometimes the anticipated experience of an old, romantic tradition is more appealing than the reality. This was just such an occasion, the more to my dismay for my love of everything else Japanese.
Firstly, we had tried to reach the ryokan by taxi, due to being on the verge of a late check-in. We hailed a cab, only to be rejected because the destination was within 15 minutes walk. So we ran, with our baggage, and arrived only 3 minutes late, but drenched in sweat. I was now thoroughly irritated. We got to our room only to find that tatami mats absorb smells, and we were expected to walk around barefoot like the thousands before us. Gross. I felt the sudden and pressing urge to wash my feet, so we reserved bath time. The staff felt it neccessary to announce to us that we would be bathing together right in front of a large family with young children. Very embarrassing.
When you bathe Japanese style, you shower first, then soak in a (usually communal) bath tub. Ours was basically a wooden box filled with scalding water. I had to refill a fifth of it with cold water and even then I couldn't bear to stay in long. Even more annoying was the depth; sitting properly I was so far submerged that I had to tilt my head back to keep my nose above water. Not the comforting, luxurious bath I had envisioned. Then, I became so entangled in my yukata that the waitress laughed at me, and I ended up looking like a sack of potatoes. My dress-up like a geisha moment ruined, we waited for dinner.
Dinner was pretty rough. It was "small" food, just 3-4 bites of any one thing, and all dishes had a very strong odor of rotting fish. Scott curses my inability to reign in my overriding aversion to smells, but I remind all you viewers that this instinct was what helped our Neanderthal ancestors decide what foods were safe. I can't help it, when I smell something dead, I can't eat it. I picked through what I could, and since Scott really didn't like it much either, I resorted to hiding food under garnishes and pouring things down the sink to make it look like I ate. I ate barely 2 tablespoons of food until dessert, where I was able to eat two whole slices of melon. After a cube of corn jelly and 2 sips of eel broth, it was a feast.
The evening was finally over, and we were exhausted from the emotional strain of pretending to like everything and always being uncertain as to protocol. Strangely, as disappointed as I was while it was happening, I now (2 days later) am glad I tried it. There is a saying which I think fits here: vacations are anticipated with relish, experienced with annoyance, and recalled with fondness. -Anna

Ryokan Night (His)

We speant last night at a Ryokan in the middle of Kyoto. A Ryokan is a traditional garden hotel where you eat dinner, sleep and eat breakfast in one room. The building in which we we staying was 190 years old. It was a beautiful house that lookes like it could have come straight off the set of ""The Last Samuri".
Above, you can see Anna sitting at our table. The décor was authentic Japanese with tatami rice mat floors and low tables. After we checked in and were shown to our room, we made a reservation for the baths. Traditionally, bathing is done in public baths in Japan, but this Ryokan was used to western modesty, and allows people to set times where they can bathe in private. After our baths, we put on our yukatas (Japanese bathrobes) and waited for dinner.


Dinner was a bit of a struggle, less for me than for Anna. The menu was set, consisting of no less than ten courses, most of which was seafood. There were several dishes of sushi and sashimi. It was not quite as good as some we'd had, but still, not horrible. Though the raw squid was a little tough to get down. There were also some cooked dishes like grilled sweet fish, boiled abalone, and sauteed octopus. There was also a tempura dish with fried foie gras of all things. (I am slightly surprised at how much influence the French have had on Japan. There seems to be a French bakery on every corner.).
After each course, a kindly old lady would come in and replace our dishes with new ones. Throughout, she would point and rattle away in Japanese about which foods should be dipped in what sauces, and how to eat them.
After getting through most of the courses, with Anna trying to get me to eat hers so we wouldn't insult the chef by not eating, we were relieved to see that desert was simply fruit.
Dinner took nearly two hours to eat, and we were nearly exhausted by the time we were done. Two ladies came in, took the table away an pulled two thin mattresses out of the closet and laid them on the floor with some blankets and pillows. We were happy to settle in, read our books and enjoy the silent comfort of an old house.

The next morning, the process was reversed. The beds taken away and replaced by the table. We ate breakfast (thankfully a western breakfast of eggs and cereal), got packed up and checked out. Then we made our way through several trains and one old cable car to Mt. Koya, where I write this now. We are staying in a Buddhist temple on a mountain. It is beautiful here, and, thankfully, the menu will be entirely vegetarian.

The many cuisines of Japan

Robatayaki, a Japanese do-it yourself indoor grilling restaurant.

Sushi. Okay, we forgot to take a picture of the actual food, but you get the idea. The sushi here is fantastic.

Shabu-shabu. Together with sukiyaki, these two methods are basically Japanese fondue. You throw veggies, noodles, and rice cakes into the pot and let them simmer into you fish them out with chopsticks when they're done. Meat is cooked by swishing a piece in the broth while counting to 3. I must tell you that rice cakes and rice balls have a very strange consistency. Like gummy dough with no taste, you can chew it for hours and not be able to break it down.

A meal of soba noodles and rice balls. In the noodle bowl are two white fish cakes and two brown tofu cakes, and on the side are "pickles" and rice. The noodles are very slippery and rubbery but taste pretty good despite the texture. You will never get me to eat pickles of any kind.

More to come, we still have several days to go. Other common meals here are tempura, teppanyaki (hibachi grill style, SO much better than in the U.S.), and various rice casseroles. Check back. -Anna

Some Things Just Don't Translate

Throughout China and Japan, we saw several things that just didn't seem to come across right in translation. Here are a few:

It seems that elderly people getting run over on escalators is a common problem here.



The toilet in our Tokyo hotel room. No toilet should ever have this many bells and whistles on it.

This was on the menu at a resaurant we visited. So to the Japanese, they really are pronouncing it right!

You kids with crayons...stay away!

Look out! That light of Luminous Buddha is dangerous, it's going to get you! I love signs.

Could this be referring to the sign above? Hmmm.

Above one of the menu items is translated as "A beefsteak. I wore roasted meat sauce," and another line says "I sprinkled the soup which a crab was in to an omelet."

-Scott

Nightingales and Buddhas

GeoTagged, [N35.00939, W135.78755]

After a full day of shopping on our second full day in Kyoto (see The pic of Anna's new dress, very nice) we wanted to see more of the cultural side of Kyoto. The following day we made our way to Nijo Castle in the middle of the city.
The castle was built in the 1600'sb to protect the Imperial Palace in was was once the political capital - and many believe is still the cultural capital - of Japan. It is a sprawling site with it own palace, several gardens, a barracks, and offices and meeting rooms for the Shogun, the warrior elite who rules Japan at the time.
Inside the palace is the famous "Nightingale Floor". The floor lines the hallway to the palace and was designed so that the slightest weight shift would make the floor creak like the sound of Nightingales singing. This was to alert the gaurs in case anyone tried to sneak in, or out, in the middle of the night. We walked on the floor with our shoes off (you have to remove your shows before entering), and even tried to sneak around. The floor squeaks exactly like its namesake. It is a little strange, but sounds quite nice. I'm sure it did not sound so nice to the Shogun's enemies.

We were not able to take pictures inside, but you can see from the pictures we took outside that the grounds of the castle are gorgeous and very well kept. There is evens moat that is still filled with water, complete with many Carp (hmmm, are they Ill tempered Carp?).
The castle was complete with life sized figures that depict what daily life would have been like during the time of the shogun. The screens dividing the rooms were still original and had been painted in beautiful scenes showing tigers, dragons, hawks in a variety of landscapes. The castle has been not been altered at all since the 1600's and it felt like we were walking through a slice of history. We could almost see Samuri walking the halls.
We enjoyed the garden and peacefullness of the grounds until the site closed, and then went for sushi. That's right, Anna actually ate raw fish! I'm so proud of her!

The following day (today) we went to see the hall of 1001 statues in Sanjusangen-do Temple. Sanjusanhen-do is a Buddhist Temple, in the heart of Kyoto. There are actually 1001 statues in it. It is pretty impressive to see. Most of the statues are of the thousand armed Buddha, but the highlights are the very large central statue, and the 28 guardian statues along the front of the hall. Each of the guardian statues represented a different deity in Buddhism.
Anna and I tried to keep up with all the names and how they are connected, but we soon lost track. I didn't know that there were so many deities in Buddhism. For some reason I always thought it was one of the more uncomplicated religions. It's amazing what you can learn when you travel.
Again, we were not able to take photos inside, but above you can see the outside of the building. It is very long. It would have to be to house that many statues. The building is unique in that it was one of the first to combine sand with clay to form a more sturdy foundation, allowing for the longer base.

Both the building, and what it houses are impressive. And there is something about being inside a Buddhist temple that is humbling and calming. The smell of incense, the quiet, the feeling of peace. I'm not sure I understand it entirely, but I do respect and admire it. It's too bad the rest of the world isn't as serene.

Kyoto's Nijo Castle

Kimono and Traditional Dress

Above is a department store display of modern yukata, or a cotton kimono. The sash is called an obi and the shoes, which are traditionally wooden, are called geta. Many older women wear yukata everyday, and in Kyoto the traditional dress is even popular with young women. Antique kimono can still be seen in some stores, and they are more elaborate and made of silk. Silk kimonos are far more expensive than the cotton types.

Above is part of a fashion show we saw at the Nishijin Textile center. Polka dot yukata with white obi.

A lavender kimono with swirling flower pattern. A nostalgic design on a modern silk kimono. Elaborately tied matching obi.

Blue modern silk kimono with silver obi. Kimonos for men exist as well, I'll try to get a picture and post it soon. They are mostly only worn in stores or restaurants where it is the employee uniform, or anywhere in Kyoto.

I bought a new dress after oggling all the beautiful kimono. Men, tune out here. Modern Japanese women LOVE to shop, and designer shoes, purses, and clothing is very popular. Pleating and beautifully draped flow-y fabrics are popular styles. I find it interesting that even after all this time, well-draped and folded garments are still the height of fashion. It's really not hard to see the leap from traditional dress to modern. The shirt dress, which I am wearing, is elevated to a high art here. There are so many styles, and they actually fit me. Finally, clothing designed for short people! -Anna