Kiyomizu-dera

Given its stature of this celebrated and historic Buddhist temple, Kiyomizu-dera is perhaps the most visited temple in Kyoto. A walk through the narrow streets in the Higashiyama district leads to this temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is known for its wooden stage structure that was built without a single nail. The wooden stage is located just outside the main hall and visitors standing on the wooden stage are offered an expansive skyline of Kyoto. Inside the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera sits the statue of the god of Kannon. A walk to the bottom of the temple is the Otowa Waterfall with 3 separate streams of water with each stream believed to have a different benefit. Visitors stand in line to get to the waterfall and on their turn, they take a metal cup that is attached to a long pole, hold it out to one of the streams to collect some water, pour it into their cusped hand to drink a sip of the water. Drink only from one stream of your choice as drinking from all 3 streams is believed to bring bad luck. Kiyomizu-dera is an architectural feat especially when it was built in the 1600s. The temple is a sight to behold any time of the year but it gets even more beautiful in the spring when colors from the surrounding trees spring to life.

 

Higashiyama

An incredibly well-preserved historic district, Higashiyama is the place to experience the yesteryear of Kyoto. Starting at Yasaka Shrine and ending at Kiyomizu-dera (Kiyomizu Temple), we take our time to stroll the narrow lanes and historic wooden buildings. The 2km walk leads through traditional shops and restaurants, the Ninenzaka Stairs and Sannenzaka Stairs. We frequently stop to savor the traditional Kyoto snacks sold at the shops where we taste the airiest cream puff, warm mochi grilled on the stick and coated with sweet soy sauce, piping hot steamed buns, and fish cakes. We discover our ever favorite Kyoto snack, yatsubashi, at the Otabe store, a very respected maker of this Kyoto sweet snack for the past 200 years. Made from glutinous rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon, the thin and delicate skin is folded into a triangle with a paste filling inside. At Otabe, various flavors include matcha (green tea) and cherry blossom.  At times we veer off the main walking route and go onto a street less traveled by people only to discover more of Kyoto life.

 

 

Yasaka Shrine by night and day

One of the most popular shrines in Kyoto, the grounds at Yasaka Shrine are always open, everyday and night. Come evening, the lanterns light up and one of our favorite things to do is to walk through Yasaka Shrine when getting between Gion and Higashiyama districts. There is something alluring about the quiet and serene walk in the evening, even romantic.


Night

Day

Kaiseki at Ryokan Motonago

Our meals at Ryokan Motonago are as wonderful as our stay there. Each day we look forward to the upcoming meal and come away impressed by how the ingredients are delicately prepared and served. Each tiny dish focuses on one ingredient in its truest flavor. Extravagance is not the word here but instead simplistic methods of cooking are used to bring out the taste and flavor of that ingredient.

Kaiseki, an elaborate and traditional course-by-course Japanese meal, is a highlight at anyone's stay at a ryokan so having at least a kaiseki meal at the guesthouse is highly recommended. We wake up every morning to having kaiseki breakfast served in our room. On our first night we have the kaiseki dinner also served in the comfort of our room. Each time a course is brought into the room, the room maid carefully kneels by the low wooden table and gently places the food on the table.



Breakfast
A Japanese breakfast traditionally consists of grilled fish, rice, and miso soup. At Ryokan Motonago, our breakfast is brought up a notch with a different preparation of tofu everyday--braised or boiled. On one of the mornings, we are served soba (buckwheat noodles) as an addition to the usual suspects. A side of pickled gobo (burdock root) and daikon (radish) are essential sides. Tamago (egg) is cooked and folded into thin and delicate layers.

 

 

Dinner
The more elaborate affair is at dinner when the food is presented course by course. Within a course, sometimes 2-3 small items make up a course. The food is prepared with the idea of being refined while showcasing its delicate taste.

 

Aperitif: plum wine.

First Appetizer: Tofu, kani (crab)

Main Appetizer: Quail balls, potato, daikon, uni (sea urchin) on whitefish with potato filling, sea cucumber with minced daikon.
 

Sashimi: Tai (sea bream) and maguro (tuna). 

Boiled and seasoned food: Boiled hamachi (yellowtail, daikon, and mochi.
One pot dish: Rare wild boar, nappa cabbage, and mushroom. 

 

 

Broiled fish: Tai (sea bream).
Hot food:Minced wild duck in potato ball sitting in a starchy broth with shredded carrots and negi. 

Fried food: Ebi (shrimp), moroko (river fish), and red pepper tempura.

Vinegary delicacies: Cured saba (mackerel), oshinko (pickles).
Rice and miso soup with yuba (tofu skin) and fish cake.

Dessert: Pudding

One practical tip we learnt about the way the Japanese incorporate wasabi and soy sauce when eating sashimi is that contrary to what we see people in America doing i.e. mixing wasabi in the soy sauce, people in Japan dab some wasabi onto the piece of sashimi and dip the fish into the soy sauce. According to our room maid at the ryokan, only children mix the wasabi into the soy sauce.