Stopover at Tokyo Narita International (NRT)

My extra stop at Tokyo Narita was much more of an adventure than it was a hassle for me. I was psyched at the prospect of getting some sushi on the ground, which despite being "airport sushi," is authentic Japanese sushi nonetheless. As it turned out, there is a sushi bar in the international transfer area, and it is quite good. They offer dine in service as well as take out. Seeing that I had access to the ANA lounge, courtesy of my business class ticket, as well as its complimentary Sake bar, I thought that take out would be the wise choice. Besides, there was a sumo match on TV, and come on, who can resist the sight of large, round Japanese men push each other around the floor? Not me.

Sushi at Tokyo/Narita - This may be airport sushi, but the quality level was first rate. From left to right: Horse mackerel (aji-saba), kanpachi, chu toro, red snapper (tai), otoro. Above the sushi is a fine cup of junmai-shu sake, courtesy of ANA. The prices were quite reasonable for how good this plate was. I look forward to diverting myself through Narita again soon.

Engrish Hello Kitty Toy - It's funny enough that a toy would declare itself "Boring," but it didn't click with me until a month later that this was actually supposed to be a "Bowling" toy (the Japanese reads "bo-ri-n-gu" and "su-to-ra-i-ku"). I just about busted open when it finally hit me. This item was for sale at one of the gift shops in the international terminal.

Japanease Seafood Chips - Made with real fish, shrimp, crab, squid, etc., these crisps are outstanding. Basically, the seafood is ground up and mixed with rice flour, then formed into a crisp and fried. The best way to describe the flavor is to imagine eating fried fish, but in potato chip form. Some chips have whole dried creatures pressed into them (a couple of shrimp and a squid can be seen in the chips in this photo). The black one is flavored with squid ink. The crab ones and the wasabi ones are really good, too. I picked these up at a gift shop at Narita.

The ANA Experience - Narita/Taipei (NRT/TPE) Route

My tickets were booked a bit late for my trip to Taiwan, so I ended up with an extra stopover at Tokyo Narita, then continuing on ANA (All Nippon Airways) to and from Taipei. It was my first experience with a Japanese airline, and I was generally impressed with the courteous service and food selection.

ANA Japanese Dinner, NRT to TPE - Clockwise from top left: Firefly squid with crab, beef and vegetable galantine with grilled tofu, Japanese pickles (radish, etc.), kelp cured shrimp and flounder sashimi, fried rockfish and vegetables with rice. There is also miso soup in the black bowl, and a dessert in the paper in the middle of the plate. And notice the bottle of sake in the upper right corner. Nice touch.

Salt-Boiled Firefly Squid (Hotaru Ika) and Swimming Crabmeat with Tosa Vinegar - Firefly squid congregate en masse off the coast of Japan each spring to spawn, creating a spectacular light show due to their natural phosphorescence. They are a sign of spring, and were celebrated on the May business class menu on ANA. Here, they were lightly boiled and served with crabmeat, some kind of sea tasting jelly, and something that reminded me of jellyfish. The taste was light, if not a bit fishy. The crab and sea jelly were pretty tasty, and the jellyfish add texture mostly, not much taste there.

Airplane Sashimi - Pink Shrimp and Kelp Cured Flounder - These were lightly vinegared to help preserve them, as they obviously have to be kept in storage for some time before service. Although not like sitting at a sushi bar, these morsels still were enjoyable, and a nice luxury at 30,000 ft.

ANA Japanese Dinner, TPE to NRT - Clockwise from top left: Soba noodles, Japanese pickles, appatizer dish (tamago omlet, pistachio crusted shrimp, fruit jelly, tiny dried fish), green tea mochi cake, fruit plate, beef and vegetables with rice. Again, there was miso soup, and sake.

Mandarin Lesson... In Japanese - The on demand entertainment system was convenient, so I thought I would pull up a learn Mandarin lesson to stay sharp. Turned out that it was only available in Japanese, which made for interesting viewing. I probably picked up more Japanese than I did Mandarin. For example, did you know that the Japanese word for "credit card" is "ku-re-di-to ka-a-do?" Well, now you do.

Kyoto Leftovers: Mishima Beef, Grocery Store Sushi, & Plastic Food

Some leftovers from my um, world famous (ahem...) Kyoto in Photos series. Most of these were taken while shopping at Takashimaya. Other food shopping photos can be found in my Nishiki Market post. Enjoy!

Mishima Beef at the basement grocery store in Takashimaya. Just stunning quality here.

The fat marbling on this Mishima Beef strip loin (aka top loin, NY strip) is unbelievable. The great tragedy was that I had no place to cook this, so I had to pass it up.

More Mishima Beef. This is ribeye, and is quite pricey at over $100/lb. It looks so good I want to cry.

The ulitmate insult - I found this piece of superb quality beef at a convenience store!!! Even the cheapo stores in Kyoto sell great meat!

A huge block of otoro - fatty tuna belly. This is another of my personal faves. Looks like this piece is about $100/lb.

The fish section at Takashimaya's grocery store had an array of single nigiri sushi pieces for sale at about $0.45 a piece. I grabbed a few pieces for a quick afternoon snack.

I also snagged a few other pieces of sashimi for dinner. At closing time, all sashimi/sushi is marked down to clear out inventory. Freshness is key for items eaten raw, and would be compromised by letting inventory sit overnight. I happened to time my visit perfectly to grab some otoro on the cheap (center). Buri (from a large hamachi - left) and some unknown whitefish (right) complete the set. Ice packs, wasabi, soy sauce, sudachi, and chopsticks were all included for no additional charge.

Look at that amazing marbling of the tuna belly! If you can even find it, this stuff goes for about $12 a slice at a good sushi restaurant in the States. After the discount, I got all of the above sashimi slices for less than that!

The grocery shop at Takashimaya department store has an indoor wood grill. A (very warm) cook uses it to prepare yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

While in Japan, I discovered the existance of a whole new industry - plastic food modeling. Many restaurants have giant window displays showing detailed models of each menu item.

The variety of options here is stunning. Actually, what's really stunning is how detailed and accurate these models appear. Meat has sear marks, soup broth is translucent, and those fried shrimp look crispy and delicious.

Kyoto in Photos: The Imperial Palace

Part 9 of 10

Place: Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto Gosho)

Getting there: Take the subway to Imadegawa Station (this stop is closest to the office where you need to register). Allow a solid 10 minutes for the walk.

Essential Information: The Imperial Palace in Kyoto was home to the royal family from the early 1300's until the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1868. Like many other places in Kyoto, fires have struck periodically over the years, requiring repeated reconstructions. The current main hall was built in 1855, and is representative of Heian style architecture. The Palace grounds are open to visitors, however, without advance tour reservations, entrance to the palace is not permitted. Fortunately, the tour is free and it is easy to register online.

My Take: I almost missed out on seeing the Palace. The walk from the subway station took a bit longer than I was expecting (even halfway running the entire way), so I was late and missed the tour group at the office. When I finally got there, I realized that I had forgotten to print out my reservation paper. Security would not let me through, and there were some miscommunications due to the language barrier. I was finally able to convey that I had, in fact, preregistered and received permission for the visit, but simply did not have the document handy. This realization seemed to shock the man into action, so he brought me over to another guard post and looked up my passport. Soon after, the guards were all smiles, letting me in and bowing profusely. All's well that ends well!

One of the side gates of the Palace. This one would typically be used by the servants.

One of the minor buildings in the complex, the Shunkoden. It was actually built in 1915 for the coronation ceremony of Emperor Taisho. It was the first such ceremony that foreign dignitaries were allowed to attend. With some type of mossy/algae growth all over the wooden roof, it looks like it needs a little maintainance.

A view of the Shishinden, the main hall of the Imperial Palace. Much of the ceremony surrounding the Emperor and his official business was conducted here. The Emperor's throne is also inside. Tour visitors are not allowed inside the courtyard, so I had to take this photo through an opening in a gate.

The brilliant vermillion of the courtyard gate contrasts with the silver-grey roof tiles. And for once, the sky was actually blue!

Strolling around the Palace grounds, I was struck by how much wood is used in the construction of these buildings. The craftsmanship is absolutely superb. But it's no wonder that fire has been a brutal enemy over the centuries.

The Seiryouden, or refreshing hall, was the earliest living quarters for the Emperor while at the Palace. Quarters for visiting dignitaries were also located here.

A closeup of the magnificent cedar roof, used throughout the complex on most of the main structures.

A cutaway model shows how many many thin strips of cedar bark are layered to create a thick roof surface. I read somewhere that these roofs can last for 70 years before needing replacement.

These steps lead up to the Kogosho, another of the Palace's halls.

The side platform of one of the verandas. The brass(?) plate is adorned with a chrysanthemum, the flower of the Imperial Seal of Japan.

In this hallway, you can see the floor is covered with tatami mats. Again, the beauty of the natural wood is evident.

Most of these are sliding doors, and are also removable, typically done during warmer months. The inner doors are covered with rice paper (shoji), which allows light in, but provides privacy.

A last view of the inner Palace grounds through one of the exit gates

A bridge in the Oikeniwa Garden

A view of the moss garden

The pond and pebble beach are the distinguishing characteristics of the Oikeniwa Garden

Kyoto in Photos: Nishiki Food Market

Part 8 of 9

Place: Nishiki Food Market

Location: Near the city center. Nishiki Market runs parallel to Shijo Dori, one block to the north. Nishiki's eastern end is perpendicular to Teramachi Shopping Arcade, also worth a visit. Take the subway to Shijo for easiest access.

Essential Information: Nishiki is a huge food market in the center of Kyoto. Just about any food item can be found here, from raw fish, to bean curd, Kyoto style pickled veg, grilled meats & fish, fruit, sweets, etc. Its location makes it the ideal place to stop for lunch while out sightseeing. The history of the market extends back some 400 years, with many shops still owned and operated by their founding families.

My Take: I absolutely loved this place! All imaginable manner of edible items are on full display, some already prepared, and some for bringing home to cook with. Honestly, Nishiki was fairly overwhelming, considering I had budgeted only enough time to stop in and grab a bite to eat. I was manic as I ran from shop to shop, taking in the sights and smells, trying to choose something to have for lunch, not wanting to miss a single thing. Looking at my photos afterwards, I was disappointed that I wasn't able to capture the essence of the market as well as I would have liked. I took too many closeups and not enough wide angle shots (well, not any, really :( ). I was like my 2-year old on Christmas, running from booth to booth, pausing just long enough to gorge my eyes and catch my breath before darting off to the next shop. I mean seriously, this place is several city blocks long (about a quarter of a mile!). How can anyone hope to take it all in in such a short time?

One of many shops offering both raw materials (I believe fish, in this case) and prepared foods. This one in particular had the luxury of a seating area, which was pretty rare in the market area.

Although these look and feel like wood, they are actually blocks of katsuobushi, or fermented dried bonito (skipjack tuna) fish. This was the first time I had seen dried bonito in its whole form.

The blocks of katsuobushi are shaved into micro-thin flakes (looks kind of like fish food) which are then used, typically with dried konbu (a type of seaweed) to make dashi soup stock - a basic building block of Japanese cuisine.

The quality and variety of fresh sea creatures available was astounding. I liked the propensity of the fishmongers to splay the fish open, like these great looking eels.

Of course, in my euphoric stupor, I took two photos of eels, neglecting scores of other items I could have snapped. But hey, eels are underused, in my opinion, and are quite tasty.

I did manage to capture these beautiful squid though...

Lots and lots of fish, grilled on skewers

Loose tea for sale

Chestnuts, fresh off the tree and still in their cupules

Kyoto is known for its variety of vegetable pickles. The ones here are preserved with salt and miso.

These are pickles too, but look quite different. Whole cucumbers are packed in a much wetter miso paste in this type.

With this huge array of choices, I picked teriyaki chicken??? I was starving, as you can tell by the bite mark I made before taking this picture. And this semi-boneless chicken leg was seriously off the hook good. And cheap too.

Kyoto in Photos: Ryoanji Temple

Part 7 of 10

Place: Ryoanji Temple

Getting there: Ryoanji is in the northwest part of the city, close to Kinkakuji, so plan to visit the two on the same excursion. I walked there from Kinkakuji, but you won't be missing anything if you take the bus from Kinkakuji-mae to Ryoanji-mae.

Essential Information: The grounds at Ryoanji have been home to a temple since 983, although it was used as a retirement estate for nobles for a time after. It was rebuilt to its current state at the end of the 15th century, following the Onin Wars. It is believed that the acclaimed rock garden was added at this time, although its creator is not clear. The rock garden consists of 15 moss covered stones, placed in 5 groupings on a bed of white pebbles and sand. There is no viewing angle where all 15 rocks can be seen at once. By tradition, only when one becomes enlightened will all the stones be revealed. The walls of the garden are made of clay formed by boiling in oil. Over the years, oil has leached out, creating interesting black patterns on the orange clay walls. The rock garden is the most important example of karesansui (dry landscape) design, and is said to be the perfect expression of Zen philosophy. Many consider Ryoanji's rock garden to be the single most important cultural work in all of Japan. Ryoanji is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

My Take: I was getting pretty tired when I arrived at Ryoanji. Excited to see a real rock garden, I was a little surprised to see how small it was, considering all the hype. I sat down to take in the scene, and snap a few photos. The pamphlet I received upon entering the temple encouraged visitors to be still and contemplate the meaning of the stones - their placement, how the sunlight hits them, the moss. It also said to look at the oil patterns on the walls, saying how no man had designed them. Of course, we should look for their meaning through meditation. Maybe it was because I was so tired (and this was my last stop), but I sat in quiet, staring at these rocks for a good long while. I don't think I came to any profound realizations, but I did enjoy the peace and quiet of the place. In fact, looking back, I now think that this was one of my favorite places I was able to visit.

A Small building along the path to the main temple

The rock garden. Measuring at only about 100' by 33', it was not as big as I was expecting. However, the viewing platform is so close that it doesn't seem possible to fit the entire garden in a single photo. This was about as good as I could do.

Three groupings of rocks at the far west end of the garden. Notice the oil stained clay walls in the back of the garden. What does it mean? Call me crazy, but maybe it means that we shouldn't mix oil with clay.

The group of rocks at the east end of the garden

A view of the wooden observation platform. The smoothness and coolness of the wood floors were strangely comforting to my tired feet (visitors are required to remove their shoes prior to entering the temple).

A closeup of three of the rock groupings. The sand is raked to perfection every day. Notice the perfect patterns around the rock islands.

A long view across the rock garden from the other end. Still can't see all 15 rocks though... If only I had a satellite handy!

Rats! Even from space, I can make out only... 5 rocks??? So much for technology. Expand map here.

An example of typical artwork inside the temple. I saw many temples like this, but most do not allow photos inside. Notice the traditional tatami mats on the floor. These woven straw mats help to soften the floor, and keep feet cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.

Behind the main temple is the Tsukubai water basin. It was donated to the temple by a member of the ruling Tokugawa family. The inscription is read clockwise from the top, but the square in the center is intended to be used as a part of each character. It translates to something like, "I learn only to be contented," a belief at the heart of Zen philosophy.

The deep green color of the moss garden, near the rock garden

Covered with water lilies, the nobles used to enjoy boating on the Kyoyochi pond. Daishu-in, a minor temple, can be seen in the photo.