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Last night (Saturday), J. and I took off - along with trusty traveling companion, Deb - for a bit of an odyssey. We were in search of a unique restaurant that had been recommended to us. We were told it was deep in the woods of Mt. Tokao, about an hour west of Tokyo. Well, we departed a little past 1PM thinking that would give us plenty of time to arrive in the area, do some exploring and make our dinner reservation of 7PM. We made it by 7PM, but without too much time to spare. Did I mention getting there is an odyssey??? There were 4 different train transfers, including one delayed train, and a bus ride before we ever
saw the restaurant. Literally, if you were to look for this town on the Tokyo subway/train map, just go to the very LAST stop and you'll find it.
Was it worth it, you ask? Absolutely! Easily one of the most beautiful and unique dining experience I've ever had.
The restaurant - not sure I would even call it a "restaurant" since its more like a small mountain village - is a collection of 39 preserved and renovated Japanese thatched-roof tea houses, farm sheds and other small buildings. Some are for private groups and some are large enough to acomodate multiple tables/parties.
Apparently, the owner of the restaurant buys/collects old buildings, moves them to the site and renovates them for use. They are immaculate - as are the grounds. The gardens surrounding the place are 5 acres of beautiful mountain streams, ponds, Zen gardens and so forth. The wait staff is composed of Japanese ladies in kimono who provide great service and the food is grilled at your table. Just a great dining experience.
Couple of weeks ago, I took off to Shibuya and Harajuku, prominent areas in Tokyo, to roam the streets for the afternoon. As always when in Tokyo, they are fascinating, alive with people and sprinkled with history amongst the modern city life.
Harajuku is famous for the "Harajuku Girls" because of their unique fashion sense. This area has influenced the style-de-jour of college-aged girls with dyed hair, wild clothing and a hipster sort of attitude. Singer Gwen Stefani has popularized this style in a line of clothing and a song about them.
Shibuya is home to that monkey who ran through the train station as well as the "busiest pedestrian crosswalk in the world"... Great area for shopping and people watching.
A few photos from the day below. I checked out the Meji Shrine. Emperor Meji ruled in the early 20th century and was credited with opening Japan to Western ideals and customs. He was the first Emperor to cut off his top-knot and start to dress in Western-style business suits, a very big deal at the time. His shrine memoralizes his life and was rebuilt after WWII.
Last weekend (10/10-13), J. and I took off to Kyoto for 3+ days of touring this ancient Imperial capital city. For over 1500 years, Kyoto was the center of power in the Japanese lands. Today, its a large commercial center that combines the modern elements of any large city with great preservation of its ancient Buddhist Temples, Shinto Shrines and Imperial Castles and Palaces. A fascinating place, no doubt. One minute, you're walking past the most modern building and in the next block, your faced with a 7th century temple. One interesting bit of geography was that there was a shogunate in the west of the city and one in the east - and they proceeded to fight in the center city. So, today, their battlefield is the modern core of downtown while all of their palaces and temples are on the perimeter. That requires a great deal of walking, I tell you!
Kyoto was one of the few major cities in Japan NOT bombed during World War II. In fact, as I've read, it was considered as a target for an atomic bomb because it was the 'intellectual capital' of Japan. Thanks to the urgings of then-Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, it was removed as a target and received relatively minor atacks and little damage. Therefore, its one of the few cities in Japan where pre-war buildings, as well as the historic sites, can be seen.
One of our favorite areas to visit was Gion, the old geisha district. While there are still the traditional teahouses and private houses where geisha entertain, the area across the river is now a bustling entertainment and arts district full of nightlife, street musicians, artists and other bohemian types. We saw a great impromptu concert down on the riverfront Saturday night by a band of twenty-something jazz musicians.
Great city full of history, great craftsman still making pottery, ceramics, silkscreen fabrics and merchants selling fresh fish and tea from tiny stalls. Oh, and I can't go without mentioning the shinkansen (the bullet trains)... That is THE way to travel! It was wonderful - and so easy, stress-free and worth every penny. Write your congressman and tell them to start investing in the same in the US - there is no better way to travel!
Some photos from our travels below.
saw the restaurant. Literally, if you were to look for this town on the Tokyo subway/train map, just go to the very LAST stop and you'll find it.
