Kieran

 I’m not saying that any city or society is perfect, but from my short time here, I believe some things are just better in Japan. Here’s a list of what’s impressed me:

1. A sense of playfulness and joy in many people that really jars with the West’s idea of Japanese being shy and repressed. I have heard more laughter on this trip than I have ever heard in a city.

2. Astonishingly good service in shops, hotels, restaurants – always with a smile (photo top). If we could manage half their  level of service in Ireland, we’d be doing very well.

3. City so safe that bicycles are left unlocked, keys left in scooters, purses left on outside tables when people go in to order food. At no time have I felt even vaguely threatened.

4. Best food presentation I have ever seen, and wonderful ceremony surrounding food. Obviously there is fast food as well, but a proper meal is cooked with love, served with care, includes a range of tastes and sensations, and is eaten with gratitude. It’s consistently uplifting. No wonder the place is awash in Michelin stars. 

5. Best looking shops I have ever seen and lots of interesting things to buy. I’m not a huge shopper, but if you are (and can afford it), come here!

6. Heated seats on the subway in winter, heated toilet seats with built in bidets in the hotels, and a clear square that magically appears on the fogged up mirror after a shower.

7. People so well dressed Parisians almost look shabby in comparison.

8. City so clean that in parts of town even the sidewalks look freshly polished. What’s really strange about this is all the rubbish bins were removed after the poison gas attack in the subway, and yet it is a shock if you even see a cigarette butt on the street. 

9. Smoking rooms that keep the air clean (even inside the smoking room) and separate smoking areas in outdoor public spaces.

10. Pet lovers never had it so good. There’s:

 a. Pet drinking fountains.
 b. Dogfood dispensing stations.                
 c.  Cat cafes. 
 d. Pet buggies, stylish pet clothing, pet everything. The man in the photo had just about every pet gadget you can buy…

Technorati tags: Japan, Tokyo, food, travel

I thought that rather than write anything today, I’d just put up some photos I took strolling around Tokyo…

 We took the Bullet Train from Tokyo down to Kyoto, for a change of scenery and a bit of more traditional culture. Kyoto, which means “capital,” was indeed the capital of Japan until 1868.

Since it survived World War II relatively unscathed from the wide-spread American bombing, it has many more old buildings and temples than Tokyo. 

Our first outing was to the Kiyomizu Temple, a Buddhist temple founded in 798. It’s a large complex, with many little temples and a waterfall with holy water, which comes down in three streams and which you can drink for wisdom, health, and longevity. That’s the idea, anyway, and I was happy enough to give it a try.

I also visited the Kyoto National Museum, where they had a few beautiful paintings, exhibitions on court culture, and an exhibition on the Japanese film industry (many of the early films were made in Kyoto).    

We stayed at Ryokan Kazuki, and took the waters there before dinner, enjoying a traditional Japanese bath. It’s quite relaxing, and it helps get in the mood for an evening in of eating (see below). 

Dinner was a formal Kaiseki meal at the ryokan. There was no shortage of food. Here’s an idea of the courses, courtesy of Wikipedia, and it sounds about right:

Sakizuke: an appetizer similar to the French amuse-bouche.

Hassun: the second course, which sets the seasonal theme. Typically one kind of sushi and several smaller side dishes.

Mukozuke: a sliced dish of seasonal sashimi.

Takiawase: vegetables served with meat, fish or tofu; the ingredients are simmered separately.

Futamono: a “lidded dish”; typically a soup.

Yakimono: Broiled seasonal fish.

Su-zakana: a small dish used to clean the palate, such as vegetables in vinegar.

Hiyashi-bachi: served only in summer; chilled, lightly-cooked vegetables.

Naka-choko: another palate-cleanser; may be a light, acidic soup.

Shiizakana: a substantial dish, such as a hot pot.

Gohan: a rice dish made with seasonal ingredients.

Ko no mono: seasonal pickled vegetables.

Tome-wan: a miso-based or vegetable soup served with rice.

Mizumono: a seasonal dessert; may be fruit, confection, ice cream, or cake.

I can’t believe how much I’ve eaten on this trip, and how much I have liked it!

Technorati tags: Japan, Kyoto, food, ryokan, travel

 Our days have been so packed here, it’s hard to cover things in any kind of detail. Yesterday, we started at the Tsukiji Fish Market, which they say is the largest in the world. It’s a great experience, although it’s such a hive of activity, it’s hard not to feel in the way! There’s row upon row of fish stalls, and a huge fruit and vegetable section as well. I’ll be back later in the trip for some sushi…

We had lunch in a neighbouring hotel as part of the Irish trade delegation, and then, in the afternoon – ice cream! We went to Ouca, a shop with fairly wild flavours from a western perspective – a seasonal pumpkin, black sesame ice cream, salty soy ice cream lotus blossom ice cream, red bean (azuki) ice cream, etc. 

The flavours were fun, but I think it was an Italian pre-fabricated base, if I’m not wrong. An interesting concoction that they served had agar-agar cubes with ice cream and red beans, topped with a sugar sauce. 

For dinner, we went to Kacyo, a Ryotei with private rooms that used to be a private men-only place for closing business deals.

The nine course dinner was great, with the sashimi served with edible shiso flowers and the lobster tempura being two of the highlights for me.

We staggered back to the hotel, stunned.

This morning, we had breakfast at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant in the hotel with the Minister for Agriculture. 

We then headed to some of the posh department stores including Takashimaya and Mid Town in Shinjuku, to check out the food halls.

The presentation and variety on offer was truly astonishing. If we had the former in Ireland, I would be in serious trouble.

We had lunch in Mid Town at Yamanoue Tempura, and the shopping centre contained a beautiful branch of Sadaharu Aoki, a patisserier I first discovered in Paris, and Toraya for traditional Japanese sweets.

I have bags full of chocolates and confections, which hopefully will make it back to Ireland if I can exercise control. 

Tonight there’s an embassy reception with the Taoiseach, but I’d rather keep eating and walking. Tokyo is far more relaxed and enjoyable than I would have imagined. It’s been a brilliant trip so far. 

Technorati tags: Japan, Tokyo, food, travel

 I arrived safely in Tokyo, and although exhausted from lack of sleep and the long flight, I’m delighted to be here. 

Not only am I in the extremely comfortable environs of the Conrad Hotel in terms of lodgings, but we visited a few food shops and had a great meal out tonight courtesy of Bord Bia. 

We went to Inakaya in Roppongi, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a Robata Yaki restaurant, which basically means they cook fresh ingredients on a grill in front of you and do a lot of shouting (adds a lively vibe).

We were served an insane amount of courses, including grilled shitake mushrooms, grilled fish, a bit of sushi, grilled asparagus, more grilled fish, etc. etc. 

For those of you in New York, you can get a taste at home – Inakaya opened a branch last year at 620 8th Ave (on the ground floor of the New York Times building). 

I’m tired, stuffed and off to bed early. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow, with lots more eating. Poor me.

Technorati tags: Japan, Tokyo, Inakaya, travel