Springtime in Kyoto

Reading: Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
Listening: Stuck in Your Love, m-flo loves melody.
Craving: Chinese foooood

Saturday, April 7
Chris and I used the remainder of our Seishun 18 passes (unlimited JR rides) on a trip to Kyoto. As usual, we had grand plans in mind, but we had trouble waking up and didn’t make it into the city until late.

Forget the temples: our first stop in Kyoto was Jumbo, for the best okonomiyaki in town. Though we’d hoped to join Dylan and Heather, the place was full, and we wound up sharing a yakisoba and a jumbo mixed okonomiyaki between just the two of us.

Tummies bulging, we headed into the rain for 平野神社, where despite the rain, everyone was happily enjoying hanami (cherry blossom viewing) picnics. We met up with the others, and on the way to Heian Jingu, we stopped at the touristy Kyoto Handicraft Center, where souvenirs such as sushi clocks and printed mugs can be purchased. Over soft cream (soft serve) at a coffee shop, I realized that Chris and I would need to return to Sannomiya for my 6:00 pm work party (welcoming the new teachers), and we hightailed it out of there.

Due to traffic accidents and crowding, the journey back to Kobe via bus and train was nightmarish. We arrived in Sannomiya late. To my further embarrassment, I discovered that the Chinese restaurant at which the party was being held was a fancy pants deal. I sorely regretted having worn my favorite, yet filthy sneakers.

As I walked through the doors, apologizing profusely, a group of teachers rushed forward and ushered me to a seat, where my glass was filled with oolong tea, and I was encouraged to eat from the large dishes of untouched food. The spread included scallop soup, mayonnaise shrimp, assorted deep fried items, sweet bean rolls, and almond float. Ravenous, I immediately set my chopsticks working, but at such a work event, socializing is far more important than eating, and I reluctantly put down my plate to chat with my many drunk colleagues.

In the meantime, Chris had been waiting for me. Thankfully, he was invited to our nijikai (after-party), a group much pared down from the original party, and my co-workers loved getting to know him. Since we hadn’t eaten the Chinese feast that the others had, Chris and happily ate from the small menu of snacks on the bar menu. Everyone enjoyed beers and parfaits, and our superiors (old and new principal) picked up the tab. Sweet.

We caught a late train home, and didn’t fall asleep until 2:00 am. An early morning wake-up for another day in Kyoto seemed highly unlikely.

Sunday, April 8
Sure enough, though I had set my alarm for 7:00, we didn’t officially leave bed until around 10:30. We hurriedly ate convenience store lunches (egg salad sandwich for me, fried chicken for Chris) before heading out.

We arrived in Kyoto at 2:00, and we hurriedly took the subway for the Kyoto Imperial Palace, closing at 3:00. Though the palace was beautiful, being herded through masses of people took away from some of its magnificence.

Crowd-free shots were all but impossible that day.


Where are we going? Japanese love herds.

Handsome Chris.

Me affront the gardens with duck-filled ponds.

Outside the palace, we stopped at a snack stand for steaming bowls of kitsune udon. Even the simplest of foods tastes amazing after a chilly day of walking.

I fell asleep on the long bus ride to 円山公園, which was filled with picnickers sprawled on large blue tarps beneath the sakura trees. I learned that hanami need only involve chips and beer.

As is such at larger sakura-filled parks, rows of food shops lined the walkway, offering everything from takoyaki to candied apples. Chris ate a large grilled squid, we shared a pita pocket stuffed with chicken, and I munched on a fresh ear of corn, dipped in shoyu and grilled. My tummy is looking forward to matsuri season in the next few months.

We left the park as the sun was setting, though many visitors were only arriving. We made our way for the sakura “light-up” at the Kyoto Botanical Gardens (植物園). Open after dark, the park featured sakura trees lit from below by spotlights. Against the black of the sky, the delicate blossoms appeared completely different.

Back at the station, we ate at KYK, our favorite tonkatsu restaurant, where miso soup, cabbage salad, and rice are always refillable!

We returned home at 12:00 am for showers and sleep.