Kyoto - Part 2

Our last two days in Kyoto were spent visiting more local sites and taking a cooking class in a local chef's home.  Although we did not have Shozo as our guide, we did okay on our own.

We spent a day in the Arashiyama area. The train station at Arashiyama is scattered with six hundred cylindrical pillars with kimono fabric displayed on each, known as "The Kimono Forest".  As we were leaving at dusk, the pillars were illuminated which created an even more impressive sight.

Carol dunking her hands in the
fountain for good luck

Also located in Arashiyama is the Bamboo Forest. These dense groves of  bamboo trees reach up to 100 feet. Photos don't capture the special effect of the sunlight filtering through.  

A small shop in Arashiyama

Rickshaw waiting at a train crossing

On a hillside above the Oi River is a wild monkey park.  The park has over 100 wild monkeys living in the area.  The monkeys are known as the Japanese Macaque or Snow Monkey. After a twenty minute climb, we reached the top of the hill 600 feet above town.




The monkeys are roaming freely - that is Allison in a cage feeding one of the wild monkeys outside.  

Each monkey in the park has a name and a family history dating back to 1957.

That night we had dinner at a much anticipated "Sushi Go Round". A conveyor belt packed with sushi plates continuously circles the counter.  You grab what you want and as much as you want as it circles by. Charged by the number of plates stacked in front of our seats, we spent about US $60, left filled, and loved every bite!

"Raw horsemeat & mane" 
We did not try this one. In fact, we looked away every time it came around, except for when I took this photo.

The next day we spent the afternoon at a Haru cooking class at the home of our instructor and chef, Taro Saeki. Taro met us at a bus stop in his neighbourhood and from there, we walked with him to his home.  We met his two young girls who were out of school and enjoying their afternoon snack. Taro's wife, Yoshiko, helped in the kitchen while we learned all about Japanese cooking. With Taro's help we prepared all of these dishes for our evening meal  - dashi; miso soup; Fukumeni (simmered tofu and radish); Kimpira (stir fried root vegetable); Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese omelet); and Kobe Beef.

Taro explaining some ingredients

Cooking the Dashimaki Tamago (omelet) with Taro and Yoshiko.

Taro presented us with the Kobe Beef along with the certificate of authenticity that all butchers provide to buyers in Japan. We learned quite a bit about Kobe Beef in the class. Wagyu is a label which literally means "Japanese Beef" but in Japan, beef is known by region - sort of like wine. Kobe is, in the opinion of Taro and many other Japanese chefs, the best of the best. Taro showed us the website that tracks all exports of true Kobe beef. In February of this year, only about 255kg were imported into the US. None has gone to the US in March. Most of what we see labeled as Kobe Beef on restaurant menus in the US isn't true Kobe Beef.

Our completed dinner which we all enjoyed in Taro and Yoshiko's home!  Amazing and delicious!  A very special meal we won't forget.





Later that evening I found a laundromat - we've been lucky so far with washer/dryer in our apartments or laundry service at our hotels.  This was the first time we had to go to a local laundromat.  The first one I found, after removing my shoes to enter (who knew it was customary to remove shoes in a laundromat!), was too busy, so I found another a few block away.  




Our last morning at the train station - ready for the bullet train to Tokyo!