Crafty Update

Top: Peace, Bottom: Negotiation

I had a little break from work this week so I thought I'd get a head start on doing my holiday cards. Can you believe it? I actually worked on my holiday cards BEFORE Thanksgiving this year! I'm kind of stunned myself.

It was a little rough going at first (the fox and the bunny had some trust issues) but I finally got predator and prey to sit down together and work out their problems. As I suspected, it mostly had to do with hunger on the fox's part, and not-wanting-to-be-eaten on the bunny's part. The problem was solved with marshmallows. Ladies and gentlemen, Fox and Bunny wish you "Peace & Joy All Year Round."

I used the Gocco machine to screenprint them with red and silver ink. I'll be sending the cards out to friends and family, but the few leftovers will likely make it into my Etsy shop, so keep an eye out for them if you want one!

In other crafting and Etsy shop related news.... Several months ago I pledged my May through September shop proceeds to help elderly Ethiopians who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. The result is a nice $400 check, earmarked to help elders, for the Missions to the World AIDS Care and Treatment Project. Thanks so much for your help!

The year isn't over yet, so I'm committing my October through December proceeds to help Aid to Artisans. They're an awesome organization that supports handmade traditions by connecting artisans in the developing world to markets in the developed world. If you need to do some holiday shopping and want to help a good cause in the process, come by the shop... I'll be updating it over the next month with new items... Here are some of the crafty things I've stitched/printed up so far.


Cloudy Coin Purses: Make it rain money! The coin purses are stitched with silver thread for extra optimism, and each comes with two handmade felt pins, one for sunny weather and one for thunder-n-lightnin' weather.


Alejandro el Legarto the Pencil Case: Alejandro is 3/4 friendly green lizard, 1/4 vicious alligator, and 100% hungry pencil case. He and purple Sally Salamander have a penchant for cookies. They each come with a hand-stitched felt cookie pin. Nom nom nom....


Ornaments: I'm almost done using up my previously ginormous craft supply stash, but I still have a fat bag of felt scraps. I think most of it will go towards making holiday ornaments. Not sure what the result will be (it mostly has to do with the color and size of the scraps) but for starters I have some summery oranges and leaves to hang on the Christmas tree....


Holiday cards: Now's as good a time as any to put some holiday cards in the shop... I dug through my storage and came up with some cards from as far back as 2005. Holiday Safety Tips and Everything You Want, both shown above, are greeting card / booklets, and there is only one set each. Also up for sale are some Gocco screen printed cards: Peace on Earth and Joy. They are in limited supply, so if you want a set, snatch it up!

DEAR SANTA:
Oooh, I want the L Letterpress Kit!
There's a giveaway over on i-DIY -- enter a comment to win!

LINK DUMP:
Connectivity
Satellites in South Korea :: why Lee Si-kap owns more satellite dishes than any other South Korean
Blackboards in Africa :: analog blogging in Liberia
Internet Usage Around the World :: global map of who's using the internet and how much
Open your ears!
Music from a Tree :: tree as instrument, by Diego Stocco
Soundtransit :: book a ticket and travel with your ears
Smithsonian Folkways :: listening is an act of love
Sound Recordings by Tony Schwartz :: listen in on the past, through the recordings of an old pro
Imagination & Stories
Marco Polo Sightseeing :: paintings of Marco Polo as a modern-day traveler by Nora Sturges (full gallery here)
Significant Objects :: a project to test the value of a well-told story... using Ebay

Dalian, China

Cleaning supplies

[*edit: Sorry for the delay! Here's a mini Dalian guide in case you ever find yourself in this corner of the world!]

Dalian is located on the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, west of Pyongyang, North Korea. Like Hong Kong and Shanghai, Dalian had a colonial past that lent a distinctive shape to its skyline. From 1858 to 1950, the city was occupied at turns by the British, the Russians, the Japanese and the Soviet Union, before it was finally returned to China in 1950. In the summer, Chinese tourists flock to Dalian for its beaches, but the city remains comparatively unknown as a destination among foreign tourists. Though urban redevelopment progresses no less steadily here than it does anywhere else in China, the urban planners have incorporated a nice amount of green space and many of the newer buildings are actually quite picturesque.

We hopped over to Dalian from Seoul (less than an hour away by plane) for a three-day weekend. Tristan and Heather, new residents of the city themselves, showed us around.

Check out my set of Dalian photos on Flickr >

---RESOURCES---
Wikitravel: Dalian: I found Wikitravel to be the most helpful for giving me the quick lowdown on Dalian's different districts and what there is to see in each one. You'll probably find yourself concentrating most of your non-seaside activities downtown in Zhongshan and Xigang, so be sure to download and print the maps to those two areas.
DalianDalian: This website has a Google map with both English and Chinese names on it, as well as the location points of plenty of foreign restaurants and cafes.
Dalian Xpat: A little difficult to navigate, but it has an Events listing, a small restaurant directory and a Forum.
Flickr: Before we went, I looked up "Dalian" on Flickr, and saved some of the interesting photos I found into a Gallery. It helped me keep track of some of the things I wanted to see.


Signs

---WE GOT AROUND---
By taxi: Taxi drivers will probably not understand any English, so be prepared with the names of your destinations, including your hotel name, written down in Chinese. Try searching for the English name on Baidu.com (China's answer to Google), or ask your hotel front desk for help.
By tram: One charming feature of Dalian's urban landscape is it's tram system, which dates from 1909. There are still some vintage cars running along the tram lines, but the more up-to-date cars look nice too, in a sleek and mod 60s kind of way. Here are some details about which lines sport the old-timey trams, and where they go.
On foot: Dalian is small enough that you can get around most of downtown (Zhongshan and Xigang) area by walking. For a sense of scale, you could probably get from Zhongshan Square to Labour Park on foot in 20 minutes, provided you aren't run over by a car along the way. As for avoiding that tragic fate, we followed the same tactic we used in Bangkok: run alongside a hardy-looking local when crossing the street! Regrettably, traffic lights and crosswalks are few and far between in Dalian, and the driving attitude that most of the locals have adopted is a little bit scary...

---WE STAYED---
Express by Holiday Inn at City Center Dalian: We only wanted a clean place to crash at night, and the surprisingly roomy Holiday Inn Express suited our needs perfectly. I recommend passing on their bland breakfast buffet, though. Instead, grab a snack from the supermarket across the street or from a stall along Tian Jin Street.
Chinese name: 大连海尊快捷假日酒店
Chinese address: 大连市中山区天津街189号
Dalian Hotel (大连宾馆; Dàlián Bīnguǎn): Among mid-priced options, the Dalian Hotel (大连宾馆; Dàlián Bīnguǎn) on Zhongshan Square is a standout with loads of historic character, but they don't seem to speak English so those who can't communicate in Japanese or Chinese may be out of luck.
Kempinski Hotel Dalian: For more lush digs, try the 5-Star Kempinski Hotel Dalian. They have a Paulaner Brauhaus microbrewery in the basement.


Patterns

---WE SAW---
We spent most of our visit to Dalian poking around the Zhongshan and Xigang districts looking for interesting architecture and delicious street food, so I've listed the highlights of our downtown wanderings below. But Dalian also has a picturesque shoreline so, if you're there during the warmer months, check out the beaches along Binhai Road. I also regretted missing the TV Tower south of Labour Park; I hear there's a fun slide you can take down the hillside.

Zhongshan Square (中山广场 / Zhōngshān Guǎngchǎng): Dalian has numerous squares, actually circular in shape, scattered throughout the city. The colonial-era buildings surrounding Zhongshan Square date from the era of Japanese occupation and are now mostly inhabited by financial institutions. Built between 1910 and 1920, they are beautifully preserved and give a lot of character to the city's architectural heritage.
Tianjin Street (天津街 / Tiānjīn Jiē): Souvenir and snack stalls run along the length of this pedestrian shopping street in the Zhongshan District. Nosh on some spicy lamb chuàr (羊串) or sweet, candied tánghúlu (糖葫芦) as you browse. One section of the street has some seafood stalls where you can order your shellfish out of tanks, but they seem a little tourist-trappy and the grilled river prawns we tasted there weren't all that fresh or tasty.
Russian Street (俄羅斯風情街 / Éluósī Chuí Qíng Jiē): If you follow Shanghai Road north from Zhongshan Square and cross the Shengli Bridge, you'll find Russian Street, a short pedestrian road lined with renovated and preserved Russian colonial era buildings. They are mostly filled with souvenir shops and tourist traps, but the street itself makes for some beautiful photos if you can find a way to crop the postcard stands out. For me, the more interesting buildings were at the northwestern end and beyond, where the dilapidated Russian buildings blend into a landscape of Soviet-style apartment blocks and smaller, run-down Chinese dwellings.
Central Wholesale Market: Located across the plaza just north of the Dalian Railway Station (大连火车站), this market has several floors packed with wholesale goods -- everything from dried and canned foods on the first floor to clothing, accessories and toys on the upper floors. You'll find some pretty cheap souvenirs here. To the right of the building entrance is a food court with common street eats on offer.
People's Square (人民广场 / Rénmín Guǎngchǎng): Unlike most of Dalian's circular squares, this one's actually kind of rectangular! People's Square is bordered by some Russian style government buildings. Come here to watch the kite-flying action, or join in yourself (there are a few vendors around waiting to sell you some kites). There's an area of quaint old Chinese houses a few blocks northeast of People's Square that is worth exploring. Judging from how these things normally turn out in rapidly developing China, they might not be there for much longer.
Japanese Street: Recently revamped, Japanese Street is supposed to feature architecture from the Japanese colonial era, but has pretty much been renovated beyond recognition. But because it doesn't appear to be receiving the droves of tourism traffic that the city was probably hoping for, it does make for a pleasant and quiet stroll, and here and there you might find the odd old Japanese style house that hasn't met a wrecking ball.
The Forest Zoo (森林动物园 / Sēnlín Dòngwùyuán): Keen on seeing a passel of pandas, we took a taxi to the Forest Zoo's Panda Hall, only to find one washed-up, bored fellow lolling about in his glass enclosure. He didn't want to be disturbed. Nearby, there was nothing going on in the intriguingly-named "Violent Animal Performance Area," so we boarded the cable car for a looong ride (with stunning views of the mountain and ocean!) to the other side of the park to see the lions, tigers and bears (oh my!). The Forest Zoo is a fun diversion, but it takes the better part of the day to see and is not a world-class zoo by any means, so skip it if your visit in Dalian is short.


1. Jiǎozi, 2. Over the bridge noodles, 3. Hotpot, 4. Barbeque, 5. Wrap, 6. Tanghulu, 7. Dao xiao mian, 8. Cold rice noodles

---WE ATE---
Dalian isn't really known for its distinctive or particularly delicious local cuisine, but since many of the citizens hail from other parts of China, you can experience a variety of dishes. Heather guided us to a popular dumpling restaurant and a fantastically spicy hotpot venue, and we experienced many tasty discoveries simply by following our noses as we wandered the downtown streets. The usual rules regarding street food in Asia apply: if the venue looks popular and busy with locals, the food is probably good; but if it's eerily quiet and/or the menu has a large amount of English and Japanese on it, be wary!

1. 大清花饺子 / Dà Qīng Hūa Jiǎozi / Qing Dynasty Dumplings: There's a wide variety of dumplings (饺子 jiǎozi) on offer here. We ordered servings of lamb, beef and seafood boiled dumplings, and all had the hallmark soft skins and juicy fillings of expertly made dumplings. As an added bonus, our meal came with a free appetizer of dofu nǎo.
2. 周記米线 / Zhōu Jì Mǐ Xiàn / Weekly Rice Noodles: This restaurant's specialty, "Over the Bridge Noodles" (过桥米线 guòqiáo mǐxiàn), hails from the Yunnan region in China but is popular in Dalian. The hot chicken broth, chock full of meat, mushrooms, bean sprouts, quail eggs, rice noodles and a host of other tasty things gave us a blissful food coma. If you are staying in Dalian for a while, there is a loyalty tally board at the front -- eat 5 bowls of noodles and get the 6th bowl free. We found the small noodle shop -- tucked between Labour Park and the Foreign Languages Institute -- via a tip from Wikitravel.
3. 皇城老妈 (港湾广场店) / Huáng Chéng Lǎo Mā (Gǎngwān Guǎngchǎng Diàn) / Imperial Mother Gangwan Square Location: For some spicy hotpot, Heather asked around and heard good things about this Sichuan style restaurant. The location is a bit fancy-pants, with multiple floors overlooking the big lit-up boat sculpture on Gangwan Square. We ordered a half-and-half hotpot, with one side filled with mind-blowingly spicy red peppers and the other side a soothing mild milky broth. Into the burbling soup went a variety of meats, veggies, tofu and fishcake. Out of the soup came the savory boiled treats, perfect when ladled atop a bowl of rice. Though we started out wondering if we could handle the heat, the hot peppers numbed our tongues and we soon found ourselves addicted to the adrenaline-inducing spices. For dessert, try their humongous red bean ice; it's really really huge. They'll break it into separate dishes for you, so hurry and snap a picture of the towering dessert so your friends back home will believe you -- I was too late on the draw, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
4. Barbeque: I don't know the official name of this street (友好路 / Yǒuhǎo Lù, maybe?) but every evening from around 6:00 pm until midnight, about 1 block west of our hotel (the Express by Holiday Inn), a row of outdoor charcoal grills and tables sprouted up like magic. Just about anything that could be skewered on a stick and grilled was on offer here. We sidled up, pointed to the meats that we wanted, and sat down to await the BBQ goodness. Especially recommended: lamb, chicken, green onions wrapped with tofu skin and toasted mantou. Not skewered but also mind-blowingly delicious and incredibly juicy when grilled: sea urchins and crabs. Also on offer but not tried by us: hotpots and hearty looking soups.
5. Wrap: At night, there's a short one-block-long string of food stalls directly across from the Zhongshan Hotel. We had a delicious savory wrap sandwich filled with ham, egg, lettuce, scallions and hot sauce, at a popular stall where the crepes were kneaded and grilled on the spot for a steady line of customers. Other stalls in the same market offered the usual suspects: scallion pancakes and lamb skewers.
6. Tánghúlu (糖葫芦): You can find a lot of snacks on sticks in China, and not all of them are salty. Tánghúlu consist of long bamboo skewers of fruits and nuts coated in hardened sugar, and they're an absolutely delicious indulgence. The one we sampled at a stall along Tian Jin Street were not too sweet and consisted of what tasted like tangy crab apples interspersed with walnuts.
7. Dāo xīao mìan (刀削麵): A bowl of pork and knife shaved noodles at a small neighborhood restaurant near the Dalian Polytechnic University, served in a stone bowl. So verrry good! I could have this every day.
8. Cold rice noodle salad: I don't know what it's called, but I really liked this dish that we enjoyed at a market near the airport and the Dalian Polytechnic University. To prepare a serving, the vendor chopped up the fresh broad rice noodles (河粉) with some minced cucumbers, green onions and parsley, and mixed them all up with some sauces. Served cold, it was a savory, slightly spicy, refreshing salad.

Enjoy your trip to Dalian!

Guest Post @ Everthenomad

Yay, I have a guest post about Seoul over on Ever the Nomad! Go check it out!

Ever the Nomad is a travel blog run by Anja Mutic, a traveler and talented writer who freelances for Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Time Out and Travel + Leisure... What a job!

These days, Gavin and I have been taking a lot of walks. Gavin's usually in charge of navigation. I am in charge of the camera. The recent passing of a friend was making me look all the more carefully at my surroundings, thinking philosophically about impermanence. I dedicated my guest post to "disappearing" Seoul -- the neighborhoods and character-laden streets that are being bulldozed throughout the city in the name of modernization. Time marches on and cities must change -- that's inevitable and necessary -- but I wish that the Seoul and Korean governments' insatiable hunger for bigger and shinier things could somehow accommodate some element of the past, a bit of local color, some stories to grow on...

Below, some photos of alleyways in Korea...


1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6


1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Things I learned about life from Emil Goh (1966-2009)

Last Tuesday, the 8th, I was sitting upstairs in MMMG cafe, hunched over at my laptop working through some revisions when my e-mail sounded a new incoming message. The little red email icon bounced in the dock, but I ignored it as I concentrated on the project at hand.

Finally, I took a break from work to sip my coffee and check my e-mails. When my eyes fell on the message from Doug, the first words made me catch my breath. "I got a call today that Emil has passed away." My heart was in my throat when I called Doug to confirm, hoping fervently that this was some crazy mistake. The next several hours and the next several days proved heartbreakingly that it wasn't so. It was a heart attack that took him, too young at the age of 43, on the morning of September 7 only 4 days after the opening of a group show he was in.

This past week I've read numerous eulogies of Emil online. Eulogies from his inner circle friends who've known him much better and for much longer. I pondered for a while whether I should, could or would add my own thoughts, as I'd only known him for a short while. Normally I don't wear my heart on my sleeve, nor am I comfortable sharing my emotions online. But online is precisely where I met Emil, and although he may not have known it, he played a huge part in shaping how I came to see Seoul, my home away from home. I think the best testament to a human being's legacy is how he or she affected the people and the planet left behind, so I thought I should record this: things I learned about life and about how to see things, from Emil...


Photos via Superlocal: 1. undecided, 2. cute animal xmas couplelook, Edae, 3. yellows, 4. snow white bingsu

Not long after I arrived in Korea, I noticed another Flickr member posting photos of Seoul. His Flickr name was Superlocal. Superlocal had an eye for the delightful and beautiful aspects of everyday things. He snapped photos of people sleeping on the subway, people with funny hats or mismatched shoes, the odd details of modern life with a fondness for the everyday, the more mundane the better. We had a common interest in food and design, and we were both living in Seoul, so I casually made him a Flickr contact so as to keep up on his observations about my newly adopted city.

He was such a prolific poster, that it got to the point where it was hard to walk down a street in Seoul without spotting something and saying to Gavin, "Oh, right, Superlocal posted a photo of that last week!" After following his photostream for a bit, I realized that we shared a common Southern Chinese ancestry, a background not often found in Korea. We started trading comments and e-mails back and forth, becoming Flickr friends: lamenting the lack of Hong Kong style dim sum in Korea, celebrating the discovery of some delicious buckwheat noodles in a back-alley in Jongno, bemoaning our poor Korean-speaking ability and our fruitless efforts to acquire it.... always trading travel and restaurant tips and noticing how we always seemed to "just miss" each other at exhibitions or cafes. On one occasion, I found myself eating patbingsu at MMMG at the same exact moment that he uploaded a photo of the same patbingsu he had eaten not long before.

If I was ever feeling momentarily down about living far away from family in a foreign country, I only needed to take a peek at one of his funny photographic observations to set my brain on a more positive course. How silly to dwell on the negative. There was so much awesomeness in this city! There was so much awesomeness... everywhere! Get out onto the street and look for it!


Photos via Superlocal: 1. weekly fix, 2. twinset, 3. #FF0066 girl, i think, 4. deep fried bun

Emil was a bottomless fount of information and was always eager to trade recommendations: for iPhone apps and YouTube videos; quick to send links about the delicious deep fried bun he had in Fukuoka or to ask where he might find a passable Vietnamese banh mi in Seoul (Sorry, Emil, I don't know of any). Though obviously well-composed and carefully color-balanced, his almost daily photographic notes were prosaic in tone. I noticed with bemusement that in his written descriptions, he almost never used the word "I," preferring instead to be an anonymous "eye," giving his mostly international viewers the feeling that they had somehow been teleported into the heart of Seoul from abroad, with an instant zoom-lens view of snacks sold on the streets and sneaker trends on the subway. Actually, it's quite unusual for me to have online friends, but "Super" aka "Emil" was a stellar online communicator, shooting off e-mails and comments with a regularity that belied the busy-ness of his offline life.

So when I finally met Emil Goh face to face early this year -- it was a chance encounter at a gathering of some design-folk in Gangnam, the sort of thing I almost never go to -- it felt as if we were picking up in the middle of an ongoing conversation. I think with anyone else it would have been strange or awkward -- online and offline personas sometimes don't match -- but Emil was apparently exactly the same in real life as he was online -- constantly upbeat, constantly noticing quirky things, constantly snapping photos, gushing about his favorite finds, and always always on the go. Eager to share his passions: design, creativity, modern and vintage ephemera, the industrial shops along the Cheongyecheon, camera and print shops in Chungmuro, and food! Always, he was in search of deliciousness!
Now instead of e-mails I got text messages, brief but almost always about snacking...
"at mmmg this afternoon want a cuppa?"
"i'm having fried mantou u hungry?"
"fave tempura place in hongdae 죽촌!!! "

After a couple of meals with Emil, I noticed that he had a million friends. He could spot them from across the room or from a block away. He introduced everybody to everybody -- and then reintroduced you, if you happened to forget that he had introduced you before -- yet never made anyone feel like they were unimportant or forgotten. The unique aspect of Emil's style of socializing was that instead of being a social butterfly, flitting from friend to friend in search of someone more important, everyone just gravitated to him. There was surely some kind of electromagnetic or metaphysical force that caused friends and acquaintances to cross the street, turn a corner and suddenly bump into him, wherever he happened to be.

Emil was relentlessly positive. I never heard a bad word about anyone or anything out of him, although goodness knows he must have faced the same difficulties that any traveler faces in a foreign country. He also didn't seem to forget things or people -- he retained names, faces, obscure details and references -- and he almost always followed up loose conversational threads with emails and texts peppered with exclamation marks and sounding just like he spoke: "that iPhone app I talked about!" followed by a link and then a half-dozen more. "thanks a gerzillion!" "ace!!!!" He always seemed to be bouncing in his seat whenever we met for a "cuppa" and I imagined that he was even bouncing in his seat when he tapped out these short messages. Though Emil obsessively acquired Apple, MMMG, and Muji objects, he didn't buy these things so much to increase his coolness factor -- actually, I think it might have been the other way around -- but because he was endlessly curious about things. He had to play with a zillion gadgets figure out how they worked, had to examine every item's form and function, reveling in their individual charms with a sense of wonderment and joy. He could obsess about anything from a rubber band to his beloved iPhone (which can't even work in Korea), and he loved to share his discoveries with friends and... well anyone. He just loved to share.


Photos via Superlocal: 1. italian stovetop coffee maker, 2. old school rubber bands, 3. raffia, 4. old skool lead

For all his generosity of spirit, I realized after his passing that I just didn't know that many personal details about him. We talked about design and art, and we connected (as he did with so many of his friends) over a shared love of food, but he closely guarded matters of the heart. He was simply one of those rare people who could endlessly give to others, without asking for very much in return. I found it rare to meet an artist who was so humble, who spent so little time self-promoting (or so much time promoting others) or even talking about his own art projects. I know he must have shared this aspect of himself with many others who were connected with him in the art world, but I honestly didn't realize he was such a well-known artist until after he died. Possibly, he was too busy living to even bother having his own health checked out. To me, Emil was simply the first person I thought of whenever Gavin and I found a delicious hole-in-the-wall restaurant tucked in some forgotten neighborhood of Seoul. "I had some awesome naengmyeon today in Gyeongdong Market! I'll post it when I develop the film..." I emailed him a month ago. "naengmyeon sounds great! can' t wait!!!" he responded, all lower case with exclamation points in a hurry as usual. So, Emil... I'm sorry I'm rather late...

On Friday, I went to his funeral at St. Francis of Assisi Chapel in Hannam-dong. In one eulogy, a friend read a poem describing him as "secret agent" from outer space, whose special mission "to save everything humble and every event miscellaneous from the destiny to be perished on Earth," a description that I found exactly right. I do think that Emil is somewhere out there in the ether, he's moved on from Earth to find better food, cooler and funnier object-things, fantastic intergalactic details of design, in some other galaxy or universe. He's already found a million new friends, they're sharing an absolutely awesome, space-age version of a shaved ice frozen dessert! And all the while, he's snapping photos, observing and sharing, like some superhappy ethnographer, just like he was here on Earth.

Rest, Emil -- but keep on going. You keep inspiring me.

More memories of Emil via artlife, douglaswillis, usccharles, arduino, legsup, poketo, jasonglewis, yourboyhood, jythings, westwoodMan, chungwoo... Emil Goh on Seoul, published here and here. Art here and here.

Kyoto Eats

Here's an overview of all the delicious food we had in Kyoto. If only Japan weren't so expensive, I'd go there every month!

Kaiseki dinner at Hiiragiya Bekkan [link: Flickr photos]
Kyoto is well known for its kaiseki [link: Wikipedia], a traditional multi-course dinner that has evolved to a form of high art that takes into account every aspect of the dining experience, from taste and aroma to color and presentation. Each course of a kaiseki dinner is made of local seasonal ingredients, and the small, but beautifully displayed, dishes are served at the perfect pacing so that the diner can savor each one by itself. Although there is a general format to what is presented and in what order, the rest is up to the chef's creative discretion, so every kaiseki experience is sure to be unique.

Ah, our kaiseki dinner at Hiiragiya Bekkan -- I barely know where to begin! By the time we returned to the room from our evening bath, all refreshed, the host had set up our low dining table and arranged the cushions.

1. Tofu, yuba, sour plum, wasabi
The very first course was yuba, also known as tofu skin or bean curd skin, presented in a small, elegant crystal bowl. The yuba was freshly made, soft and silky, and arrived draped on top of a triangle of tofu. The contrast to this mellow and soothing flavor were the sour plum and wasabi which topped the arrangement.
2. Toasted rice, winter melon, sour apricot, lime
Secondly, we were served a refreshing broth in a black lacquer bowl. In the broth, the a ball of toasted rice, a sliver of winter melon, a sour apricot and a slice of lime, all continued the soothing vs. sharp juxtaposition of flavors set up in the first course.
3. Tuna, snapper and mackerel
Third, a small celadon saucer with three slices of sashimi arrived. The tuna, snapper and mackerel slices were topped with coarsely grated wasabi and a sprig of purple flowers. Our host showed us that the little blossoms (which I originally thought were just garnish) were for flavoring the soy sauce. Sniffing the little sprig of purple flowers, I found they had a strong perfume but a subtle and aromatic flavor.
4. Pan-seared sea bass, soft-boiled egg, pickled vegetable
For the fourth course, there was a broiled sea bass, served along a soft-boiled egg and pickled vegetables, beautifully arranged on a plate decorated with fish paintings. With this menu item, I was a little disappointed, for the fish was a tad overdone.
5. Octopus, sticky rice, beans
The fifth course was a very welcome small bowl of sticky rice topped with beans and grilled octopus. Somehow, I always crave some rice whenever I am having some kind of Asian dinner, I'm not sure why.
6. Lotus root, veggies, tofu
For the sixth course, there was a healthful medley of lotus root, vegetables and tofu presented in a rustic white ceramic bowl. The dish was sprinkled with some sesame seeds to add a textural crunch and a warm toasted flavor.
7. Eggplant, grated radish, tororo (grated mountain yam)
The seventh course was one of my favorites, an arrangement of eggplant, grated radish and tororo (grated mountain yam). The eggplant had a mellow flavor yet firm texture, and we enjoyed the meaty-savory-umami-ness of the slimy tororo topping.
8. Watermelon, peach, grape, mint
Then, a small palate cleanser of pickled vegetables was served before the final plate of fruits: watermelon, peach, a mint leaf and a grape.

But kaiseki wasn't the only thing we ate in Kyoto... For our other meals, we tried to spend less money...


1 & 2. Snacks at Nishiki Market [link: Flickr photos]
We arrived Sunday afternoon in Kyoto on empty stomachs, so it was particularly hard to navigate Nishiki Market without pouncing on every free snack sample offered. A little pickled cucumber here, a little savory seaweed snack there -- who can resist? Plus, there were fishcakes in every flavor, grilled eel on sticks, red bean filled plum mochi with textures as tender as baby bottoms, and colorful candies with cute designs. I was in heaven! But we reigned in our appetites, knowing that ramen noodles were our real lunchtime destination....

3. Ramen at Ippudo [link: Flickr photos]
Real Japanese ramen noodles were on the list of things we wanted to eat in Kyoto, so I carefully studied the recommendations on Bento.com and printed out some maps before our trip. Our research led us to Ippudo [link: Bento.com], a Hakata-style ramen specialist known for their especially rich pork broth. I had the Akamaru modern style ramen, with pork broth, simmered pork slices, bean sprouts, miso paste, fragrant garlic oil and Ippudo's "special sauce." The broth had a complex flavor with strong hints of sesame. Each table got it's own plate of raw garlic and a garlic press, so I topped off my noodles with freshly grated garlic. Gavin went for the classic style ramen noodles. The broth had a cleaner taste than the Akamaru noodles, but was still thick with pork flavor. The classic was definitely my favorite, a simple thing done really well. Though we were both very full from the noodles, we couldn't resist ordering a plate of pan-fried gyoza dumplings and a delicious Hakata roast pork bun to finish off our lunch. All in all, a wonderful meal with which to welcome ourselves to Kyoto! By the way, I absolutely love the cute, bitmappy animation and the beautifully illustrated menu watercolors on their website.

4. Sushi at Sushi-sei
Sushi-sei is located on the 11th floor of the Isetan Department Store, right near Kyoto Station. Having read that they serve Tokyo-style sushi from a well regarded shop in Tsukiji Market, we headed there for an early dinner. Sitting up at the sushi bar observing the friendly banter that goes on between the sushi chefs and their regular customers, I really wished that I could speak Japanese. As it was, we made do by pointing at the picture menu and ordering some very fine uni, tamago, tuna and yellowtail sushi a la carte.

5. Yakitori at Kokekokko
Also in the Isetan Department Store, on the 10th floor, Kokekokko is a charcoal grilled skewer joint with chic decor and a grand sparkling nighttime view of Kyoto. Actually we were more concerned with the view of the charcoal grilling action so we sat ourselves at the bar and ordered some skewers with different chicken parts, including gizzard and thigh. Especially delicious were the cherry tomatoes with bacon-wrapped bocconcini mozzarella. And if you like mountain yam, their salad comes with a large bowl of slimy tororo dressing! Kokekokko boasts that their skewers are grilled with special Bincho-charcoal, yielding crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside deliciousness.

6. Bar food at Shirokiya
Our last stop of the night was recommended to us by the desk clerk at the Hearton Hotel Kyoto, as a cheap but delicious izakaya. At Shirokiya, near Karasuma Oike, we had our cheapest meal of the evening, and helped ourselves to fried wonton skins with cheese and an okra salad. Finally it was time to call it a night and head back to the hotel.

Actually, our time in Kyoto didn't turn out to be toooo expensive, since we were rather protective of our wallets when searching for places to eat. But if you are are going to Kyoto fully prepared to spend a lot of cash, there is a whole 'nother world to be discovered, a legendary level of haute cuisine that Gavin and I have yet to experience. Next time I'd love to indulge at the much-fussed about Kikunoi (traditional kaiseki) and Okumura (French(!) kaiseki), or to dine, on the more casual end of the scale, at beef specialist Gu Hyo and unagi (eel) experts Kaneyo. All four restaurants, and other great-sounding finds, are reported in Chubby Hubby's Kyoto Guide 2009, which I sooo wish he posted BEFORE our June trip!

Kyoto

After our too-short stay in Nara, we headed to the city of Kyoto, the capital of Kyoto Prefecture and a former capital of Japan from 794-1868. Compared to Tokyo one might be tempted to think of Kyoto, with a population of only 1.4 million, as a small town. But during its millennium as imperial capital of Japan, Kyoto amassed a plethora of cultural treasures and beautiful architecture that remain well preserved because the city escaped Allied bombing during WWII.

My little sketchy map of downtown Kyoto is woefully incomplete. Actually, the sights in Kyoto are so numerous and spread out that 2 days isn't nearly enough time to see them all. Since our time was limited, we had to make some tough choices. Ultimately, we ended up focusing on downtown Kyoto for eating and drinking, and Higashiyama, the area east of the Kamo River, for temple-hopping.

----- RESOURCES -----
Bento.com provides helpful restaurant reviews and maps, and organizes them by neighborhood, covering both the Tokyo and the Osaka/Kyoto areas. They even tell you which places are open on Sundays and late nights!
Wikitravel.com breaks Kyoto down into regions so you can plan your trip efficiently. And, you'd be surprised how hard it is to find a railway map of Kyoto that shows all the lines at once, so this one comes in handy.
Lonelyplanet.com has paid downloads of their Kyoto chapters on its Pick & Mix website. The Neighborhoods Chapter is the one with all the maps.
Jnto.go.jp is the Japan National Tourist Organization's site. As someone who occasionally geeks out about website interface design and usability, I just want to tell the developer of this site: Thank you! Check out the "Plan, Check and Go!" tab to figure out just which trains you need to take and how long it will take to get to your destination.
Kyoto Walks [PDF download] shows you some suggested walking and biking tours in Kyoto, courtesy of the Japan National Tourist Organization.

----- WE GOT AROUND -----
On bike
Kyoto is pretty flat, and many of the sights are located far from subway or rail lines, so a bike is an ideal way to go temple hopping. In fact, it seems that many, if not most, Kyotoites get around by bike, so you'll be in good company.
We noticed two bicycle rentals located just north of Sanjo Station (on the Keihan rail and the Tozai subway lines), making that an ideal starting point for exploring picturesque Higashiyama-gu, the temple-filled neighborhood east of the Kamo River. Some hotels also offer bike rental if you ask ahead.

On foot
In downtown Kyoto, where sites are more closely spaced, hoofing it is the most rewarding way to take in the sights and smells, especially if you intend on sampling snacks in Nishiki Market, spotting geishas along Pontocho, or souvenir shopping along the Teramachi Covered Arcade....You could probably walk the length of Nishiki Market in 10 minutes -- it's not that long -- but definitely plan on spending a little longer to try some different treats!

By subway or train
I think the subway and rail lines in Kyoto are pretty hard to sort out if you can't read Japanese (and possibly even if you do!) but after a day or so, we kind of got the hang of it. The ticket machines have English instructions on them -- just look at the station map to see how much it will cost to get from where you are to where you're going, punch in the amount, and out comes your ticket. Another option, if you're planning on using the subway a lot, are the one- and two- day sightseeing passes [link: Wikitravel].

----- WE STAYED -----
Hiiragiya Bekkan
One of the many things that excited me in planning our trip to Kyoto was the prospect of having a true kaiseki dinner. Kyoto is known for this form of Japanese haute cuisine, a multi-course meal sourced from local and seasonal ingredients in which each dish is prepared with utmost attention to taste, texture and appearance. In our hunt for an authentic kaiseki, we researched numerous ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) that serve the meal in your room, but found that the experience often comes at a hefty cost, ranging from $300 to $1000, per person! After our sticker shock we were about ready to give up on our search for a beautiful -- yet affordable -- ryokan. Then, I happened upon a link for Hiiragiya Bekkan, the annex location for luxe ryokan Hiiragiya, where Anthony Bourdain [link: Wikipedia] was entertained by geisha in his No Reservations Japan episode [link: YouTube]. We quickly booked one night in an 8-tatami mat room, with full kaiseki dinner and breakfast, for $378 inclusive.

For travelers from the West, a ryokan can offer an experience of traditional Japanese culture that a simple sight-seeing itinerary would not provide. For us -- after living in South Korea for 4 years -- removing one's shoes at the door, sitting and eating on the floor, and using a bathhouse were themselves not such novel experiences. Nevertheless, the beautiful surroundings and the careful attention to detail -- in aesthetics, pacing and service -- elevated these daily activities to a special level. In a way, your stay in a ryokan is a carefully scripted performance. The bathhouse rooms are not en suite, so you will need to schedule your bath in advance. As you bathe, your host prepares the dinner table in your room and, after your bath, serves the kaiseki dinner, course by course. Following dessert, the table is taken away and the host prepares your bedding. There is a time and a place for everything, nothing is rushed and everything savored. The resulting experience is one that might not suite some independent travelers who would rather not be bothered, nor told when to eat or bathe. But traveling is precisely the time to try on different ways of looking at the world! So I highly recommend the ryokan experience if you have time in your schedule. Some other high-end ryokan in Kyoto -- pricier, but very well regarded -- include: the main Hiiragiya, Yoshikawa, and Yoshida-sanso.

Hearton Hotel
Since our first night's accomodation was kind of expensive, we decided to book our second night at the cheapest place we could find on Expedia. This being Japan, the cheapest hotel that showed up in the search results was still $116/night. The Hearton Hotel won't win any design awards, but it was clean, comfortable and conveniently located a block from the Karasuma Oike subway station. They also offer bike rentals if you ask ahead. Yougendo, a ryokan/guesthouse, can be a cheaper option at $65 per night pp, if you're traveling alone.

----- WE SAW -----
Nishiki Market [link: Bento.com]
A 400-meter long shopping arcade running east-west between Karasuma and Kawaramachi stations, Nishiki Market contains hundreds of food shops specializing in local delicacies. Everything looks and smells so enticing, and much of it can be freely sampled, so bring an empty stomach! The ever-helpful Bento.com has a photo tour and a list of some recommended shops to get you started. But don't be afraid to explore with your other senses too, and let your taste buds be surprised when you pop a piece of vinegary pickled vegetable in your mouth!


1. Fushimi Inari Taisha, 2. Maple

Fushimi Inari Taisha [link: Wikipedia]
The Fushimi Inari Taisha is a Shinto shrine located a few stops south of central Kyoto on the Keihan rail line. Its countless orange torii gates and numerous statues of foxes (Inari's messengers) make it a stunning backdrop for photographs. Inari is the god of harvests and business, so make an offering here to give your company a little fiscal boost this year.

Gion [link: Wikipedia]
It seems that a lot of cities are on rivers and there always seems to be a "traditional" side and a new "modern" side. Kyoto is no different. On the eastern bank of Kamo-gawa, opposite bustling downtown Kyoto, is the Gion neighborhood, once a renowned geisha district and where townhouses (machiya), temples and shrines still define the landscape. We decided to explored Gion first on foot, the better to see all its picturesque views of the tree-lined canal, traditional tea houses and narrow alleyways. The day was warm and the sun was high in the sky, but the rushing water in the canal and the shady willows lining it purified the air and refreshed the soul. Then we rented bikes from a bike shop just north of Sanjo Station, and set off to the east to see some temples.


3. Altar, 4. Nanzenji

Chion-in [link: Wikipedia]
The Chion-in temple complex, originally built in 1234 and rebuilt after a fire in the mid-1600s, is the headquarters of the Pure Land Buddhism sect. It's notable for its very large sanmon (the distinctive 2-story, 3-door gate that leads up to the Buddha hall), which is on Japan's List of National Treasures.

Shoren-in [link: Shorenin.com]
From Chion-in, we headed north, skirting the base of Mt. Higashi. After a slight uphill pedal, we rested (umm... I'm really out of shape) at the beautiful garden of Shoren-in. From the shady confines of the covered wooden hallways you can enjoy the natural scenery from numerous vantage points without setting foot on the soil. The sliding doors inside have gorgeous paintings on their panels, making the interior view very pretty as well. And a refreshing crossbreeze make this a wonderful place to sit for a spell, review your guidebook and change a roll of film, as we did. If you're visiting Kyoto in the fall, the Shoren-in temple holds nighttime light shows.


5. Maple leaves and sunlight, 6. Slippers

Nanzen-ji [link: Wikipedia]
Built in 1264, Nanzenji was initially an imperial villa. After the Emperor became a student of Zen Buddhism, he dedicated his palace as a Zen temple in 1291. Destroyed by fire three times during its history, the current structures date from the late 1500s. Nanzenji's Hojo Garden is a well-known example of karesansui, or dry Japanese garden design. From Hojo Hall's covered corridors, you can enjoy different views of the carefully arranged stones and raked sand. Another beautiful spot on the Nanzenji temple grounds is the aqueduct. This arched brick structure has been bringing water down to the city from Lake Biwa since 1890. And just on the other side of the aqueduct are some smaller subtemples that, receiving less foot traffic from visitors, offer quiet retreats. There is a set of steps leading up to the top of the aqueduct, in case you want to have a look at the flowing water.

Tetsugaku no michi (The Path of Philosophy) [link: Japan-Guide.com]
After poking around Nanzenji, we rode north towards our next temple destination, Ginkakuji, on a path running alongside the old tree-lined Biwa Canal. The path is known as Tetsugaku no michi, the "Philospher's Path," because it was the favored walking route of a 20th-century philosopher, Nishida Kitaro. These days you'll more likely find cafes, photographers and dating couples rather than strolling philosophers. The route is a popular -- and crowded -- destination during cherry blossom season, when the trees lining the canal bloom in explosions of pink and white flowers.

Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion) [link: Wikipedia]
The original intent was for Ginkakuji's Kannon Hall to be covered with silver foil, but this plan was... er... foiled during the Onin War when construction was halted. Nevertheless, Ginkakuji is still known as the Silver Pavilion. Kannon is under renovation as of this writing, but the rest of the temple grounds are definitely worth exploring. Check out Kougetudai [link: Flickr photo], an abstract cone of white sand representing Mt. Fuji, and Ginsyadan [link: Flickr photo], a wide expanse of combed white sand representing the ocean. This geometric, and curiously modern-looking, dry landscape contrasts with the lush moss garden surrounding it.

7. Twilight, 8. Lantern

Kiyomizu-dera [link: Wikipedia]
As the sun started its descent, we biked back down to Southern Higashiyama and found ourselves at
Kiyomizudera, a large temple complex supported on a steep hillside by 139 15-meter-tall wooden pillars. While you're enjoying the view perched up here, consider that not a single nail is used in the construction of the entire temple. Then, you can go drink from the waterfall behind the main hall, where the three streams are said to give you wisdom, health, and longevity, if only you choose two of the three to drink from. We decided to forgo all three, and instead went back down the hill to explore the shopping streets north of the temple. The Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka [link: Japan Visitor Blog] souvenir shops are quaint, if a little cheesy, and if you spot women wearing kimono tottering around the neighborhood, rest assured that those aren't real live geisha but only other tourists who have paid to be photographed in traditional garb. You can try it too, but those wooden shoes look a little uncomfortable....

Pontocho [link: Wikipedia]
Pontocho is a narrow, cobbled alleyway running parallel to and directly west of the Kamo River in downtown Kyoto. Kabuki theater got its start here, and its been home to many geisha houses since the 1500s, so the area has a long history as an entertainment district. Quiet during the day, the street gets going after sundown, when lanterns blink on and restaurants open their doors for dinner. We finished off our evening with a stroll along the Teramachi Shopping Arcade [link: Wikipedia], which runs parallel to Pontocho a few blocks to the west.

Our 2 days in Kyoto weren't nearly enough to do it justice, and we were sad to miss out on so many intriguing sites. I mean, I can't believe we went to a city with a Monkey Park [link: Wikipedia], and we didn't even go see the monkeys! But the upside of our too-short trip? An excuse to return! During my trip research, I saw so many beautiful photos of brilliant fall foliage covered hillsides, temples nestled in blankets of pristine snow and explosions of springtime cherry blossoms. It's truly a place that has something to offer year-round, so I'm sure we'll be back...

I've got one more post on Kyoto (food!) coming up, so stay tuned....

Nara

Nara City, located in Nara Prefecture bordering Kyoto, was an ancient capital city of Japan from 710-784 AD. These days, like Kyoto, it's noted for it's well preserved historic temple architecture and scenic views. But it's a small city, so while Kyoto gets all the tourist traffic, Nara enjoys a gentler, sleepier vibe. Something about Nara really inspired me. We only spent one day here, but you wouldn't know it from all those photographs I took! And post-trip, I sketched a little map to go with this post.

----- RESOURCES -----
Bento.com is an indispensable guide for locating good eats in Japan. The section for Nara is slim, but worth a look.
Wikitravel.com has a concise but very useful guide to eating, sightseeing and sleeping in Nara.
Infomapjapan.com provides a free map of Nara with the temples and hotels clearly marked.
Lonelyplanet.com has a paid download of their Japan guide's Kansai chapter on it's Pick & Mix website.
Naraexplorer.jp highlights eventsand festivals in their free seasonal newsletters and also has an online dining guide.

----- WE GOT AROUND -----
On foot
Nara is a small city, so you can easily see everything in the downtown area and in Nara Park in one day, on foot. A rented bicycle (check with your hotel) would also be a good alternative if you are spending longer than a day and want to reach parts of town that are further south or west of the Kintetsu Nara Station.

----- WE STAYED -----
Hotel Sunroute Nara
Boxy but clean, comfortable and neat, our twin room at the Sunroute Nara provided a nice view of the 5-story pagoda and was a 3 minute walk to Nara Park. Our (low-season) rate was 11,550 Yen, about US $119.

If you are looking for luxury accommodations, check out the beautifully appointed Nara Hotel overlooking Nara Park. Built in 1909, it's architecture charmingly blends Western deluxe-class and Japanese royal architectural styles but a stay here will set you back anywhere from US $300 to $3000 per night.

----- WE SAW -----

Deer
Nara Park is home to some 1200 free-roaming tame deer. According to legend, shortly after the capital city was built in Nara, the Shinto god Takemikazuchi arrived in town astride a white deer to guard it. As a result, for as long as people here can remember, deer have been regarded as divine animals. The deer are gentle and sweet creatures, and have even been trained to bow, but once you have procured one of the many deer biscuits for sale throughout the Park, watch out! It's really impossible to hand out the biscuits one by one, or even to choose which deer to give the treats to; the strongest and most insistent deer always seem to win.

Nara Park is a popular spot for local tourists to bring their children. A (perversely) fun thing to do is watch the little kids freak out at their first experience of the large biscuit-crazed mammals:
Toddler: Ohhh, hello Mr. Deer. You're pretty big. Can I pet you?
Deer: Well hey, little guy what's u--- oh! I see you have a biscuit! Lemme--!
Toddler: Wait! No, not my hand!
Deer: Gimme the biscuit, kid. Now. Release. The. Biscuit.
Toddler: Waah! Deer lips are slimy!
Deer: Mmmf. Nom nom nom.
Toddler: Mommmy!!! I've been slimed by a deer!
Mom: Ha ha ha! Hubby, are you recording this? Where's the video camera?

No, but seriously, the deer are very sweet, peaceful creatures.... Just don't deny them their biscuits.

Kofuku-ji and the 5-Story Pagoda
Kofukuji is pretty hard to miss, since it's located right at the western entrance to Nara Park, and you can spot its 5-story Pagoda from afar. At night the pagoda is lit up and, reflected in Sarusawa Pond, makes for picturesque photo-ops. Right in front of the pagoda seems to be where some of the larger deer hang out, waiting to pounce on tourists who purchase the deer biscuits here. I'd advise giving up those biscuits quickly -- these bucks don't fool around. Or save your biscuit money for the calmer deer in more remote parts of the Park.

Todai-ji and the Daibutsu
Todaiji (東大寺,, literally "Eastern Great Temple") was an important administrative center for Buddhism during the period that Nara was capital. It's main hall, the Daibutsu-den, is the largest wooden building in the world. Inside it is the Daibutsu, Japan's largest Buddha statue. Together with several other temples and sites throughout Nara City, the Todai-ji temple complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the wide, paved road leading up to Todaiji, before you reach the first big gate, is another popular spot for biscuit-addled deer to hang out.

Nigatsu-do
Nigatsudo (二月堂, literally "The Hall of the Second Month") is a two-story hall situated east of Todaiji. Its location on the Mt. Wakakusa hillside gives it a terrific perspective of the city, particularly amazing at sunset. Perhaps it was the way the twilight glinted on the bronze lanterns, perhaps something about its particular proportions and subtle decoration, but I couldn't help gazing at this place and thinking, "This is the most beautiful wooden building I have ever seen in my life." It really is worth the short hike just to take in the view from this stunning piece of architecture.

From the tourist brochure, I discovered that Nigatsudo has been the site of a 2-week long purification ritual every March for the past 1200 years. It's called Omizutori, and involves the temple assistants waving huge, 80 kilogram, lit torches from the 2nd floor balcony to shower spectators with*"cleansing" sparks. Wow. I would love to witness that, but, on the other hand, I do hope they have lots of extinguishers and a fire station located nearby....

Kasuga Taisha
Founded in 768, the Kasuga Taisha (春日大社, Kasuga Grand Shrine) is a Shinto shrine located a good 15-20 minute stroll southeast of the Todaiji. The walk is very pleasant, as the path is lined on both sides by thousands of moss-covered stone lanterns. The shrine has thatched roofs, thousands of bronze lanterns and vermillion-hued pillars that contrast brightly against the deep green of the surrounding forest. It's a very beautiful sight in midday, so I can only imagine how gorgeous it must look when all the lanterns are lit! According to my guidebook this happens only several nights out of the entire year during the festivals of Setsubun Mantoro (February 2-4), Obon Mantoro (August 14-15) and Kasuga Matsuri, the Monkey Festival (March 13).

Higashimuki and Mochiidono Shopping Arcades
When you're done seeing the temples and the deer in Nara Park, stroll down these two covered shopping arcades and explore their side streets to look for souvenirs or snacks. Jaded by my previous experiences of touristy shopping streets, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Nara doesn't do cheesy tchotchkes. Well, sure, there are a lot of deer-themed souvenirs, but they do make unique and cute gifts for the folks back home. And there are some really beautiful traditional arts and handmade crafts to be found as well. We only spent one day in Nara, so regrettably we couldn't try the many hole-in-the-wall eating establishments that looked so enticing here.

Naramachi
Naramachi is an old neighborhood, founded in the 8th Century, that still contains numerous machiya, or traditional Japanese merchant houses in the Edo Period style. We planned to take the noon train back to Kyoto, so we spent early Sunday morning wandering through the narrow sidestreets and alleyways. Though I wished we could have explored the area when the antiques shops, cafes and handicraft shops were open, seeing this historic town in the quiet and soft Sunday morning light was like traveling back in time. There were many beautiful shrines and temples scattered throughout the area, and strings of stuffed red-satin dolls, good luck charms called "migawari-zaru," dangled from the merchant houses' eaves. If you're interested in learning more detailed history, it might be worth it to take an English-guided tour. Me, I'm more of a loner who prefers my quiet walks unmarred by tour-guide chatter, so I might prefer this self-guided one, courtesy of Nara's tourism website.

----- WE ATE -----

1. Kaki no hasushi (柿の葉ずし), 2. Sampler, 3. Roast rib cartilage, 4. Fried chicken skin with citrus vinegar

Kakinoha sushi
This type of sushi is local to Nara and involves cured mackerel or salmon and vinegared rice wrapped in salted persimmon leaves. They are usually shaped with a wooden box mold. When we arrived at Kintetsu Nara Station it lunchtime and we were famished! So we picked up some kakinoha sushi box lunches in the station, dropped our luggage off at the hotel, and enjoyed a picnic seated on the benches at Sarusawa Pond.
Nakatani Honpo (中谷本舗), inside the Kintetsu Station concourse.

Yamato chicken
These chickens have been specially bred in Nara for taste and texture. At Yatagarasu, the specialty is Yamato Nikudori, free-range chickens raised at subcontracted farmhouses in the Yagyu countryside, personally selected by the head chef in the morning and slaughtered at 130-140 days old. Nearly all parts of the chicken -- from breasts and thighs to cartilege, gizzards and skin -- are served grilled, fried, even raw. Yes, raw! I overcame my apprehension after the first bite. The flavor is very mild and it has the tender and smooth texture of a premium slice of yellowtail sashimi, without any fattiness or fishiness. Perfect with a little bit of coarsly ground wasabi and soy sauce...
Yatagarasu (やたがらす), 13-1 Hayashi-kōji-cho, 0742-20-0808.

Many guidebooks consider Nara worthy of a day-trip from Kyoto. But shortly after arriving, as we sat on a park bench munching on our sushi box lunch while gazing at sunbathing turtles, I started to think, "Well, maybe we should scheduled our whole 3-day weekend hdre..." Nara has a way of slowing you down and putting a relaxed smile on your face. So if you have some time to spare and you're visiting Nara in the off-season, give her 2 days or even 3, so you can stroll a little slower, eat more locally grown and freshly harvested meals, enjoy some quiet moments of contemplation at the temples and, of course, make friends with the deer!