Eating Out in Kyoto

In the hunt for our new favorite restaurant (Kura Kura) we stumbled across this really great restaurant. To be honest we are pretty sure they get a lot of tourists through their doors as they are located very close to a hostel, and have an English menu. Regardless, they have a really cool atmosphere. There is a bar for couples, or tables for groups. It can probably hold a max of 30 people, so good luck!

Kyoto tips:
1. If a restaurant is full they do not always have a "wait list." You just have to go elsewhere or come back in hopes of getting a table.

2. Scope out where locals eat, and be sure to try the sort of "hidden" (sometimes, as is the case with Kura Kura, literally hidden) restaurants of Kyoto. Many of the hole in the wall restaurants throughout the alleys and side streets of Kyoto are exceptional for both food and drink.


Anyways, here are some photos of our adventure!

After a long day of sweating, it was nice to sit and relax in some great air conditioning.

 You can see we both have a great sweat-caked glow! 

 Japanese menus and specials. We can tell you what they say but the restaurant was really yummy, so even if you can only order off the english menu as we did, it's well worth it!

An unintended first course of flavored tofu and tobiko (fish eggs). This is sort of like odd-cheese-fish-flavored silken tofu. It's odd to a foreigner, but still really a nice light first course. 

This is the windows of our booth. The bar (the backs of the people you see) was totally packed, but if you can get a seat there you get a killer view of the chef's in the kitchen. The red icon in the glass looks very much like a Gion Matsuri festival float -perfect timing as this is Gion Matsuri month!

First course of tempura. This seven piece set was both fish and veggies and was oh so delicious. It is served with a tempura dipping sauce (possibly bonito or vinegar, soy sauce, and water?). the white ball is daikon (radish) shredded and it is traditional with tempura. You can add it to the dipping sauce or eat it by itself if you enjoy the taste of daikon. There is also salt, this time just plain, but frequently flavored (curry or otherwise). As was the case here, sometimes you also get the treat of a lemon wedge. Fruit is very expensive in Kyoto (and likely all of Japan), so receiving a lemon wedge is like getting a brick of gold as a pescetarian (i.e. fish eating vegetarian).

This was a five piece nigiri set. All 5 pieces were very yummy. By no means the best sushi we have eaten in Japan or the states, but certainly not bad. As you can see the salmon was very rich in color -something of some rarity in the states. 

Just some random photos

Here are just a few random photos that didn't make sense to make into their own posts.

Kyoto Tower as viewed from great room at Granvia hotel. 

sketch ball natural remedy health and beauty shop. Kev was tickled that they have the these kinds of shops in Kyoto (in the states these are generally just a bunch of B.S.) 

Shiwa sensei teaching us how to talk about our family. This class is hilarious and the teacher is awesome. "Maybe...it's ok..." is Sensei's favorite phrase . Thanks Kyoto City International Foundation! 

Teeny Tiny Coca Cola truck making a delivery to the subway station! 

It's been a month! (almost)

We have officially been living in Kyoto for a month! It has been amazing, and we can't wait to see what else Kyoto is all about.

If there are any questions you have or specific posts you would like to see, leave us a comment and we would love to respond with a post!

You know you're American when

You try to get an English to Japanese dictionary in Japan....Like total idiots we attempted to purchase an English to Japanese dictionary once in Japan. Sadly for us, when you ask where the "jisho" (Japanese for dictionary) is in the bookstore they say "hai hai' and walk you to this....

If you haven't figured out the punch line to the joke that is our time in Japan....all of these dictionaries are written in Japanese -either Kanji, Katana or Hiragana, meaning they are useless to us. At the end of the day, it is just plain humorous at this point, and makes us smile. We are also all the more grateful to our friends back home who are coming to Kyoto on business (props to Peregrine Semiconductor) who are willing to bring us things we need (socks, dictionaries written in English...you know, essentials) 

Tip for living in Japan: purchase and bring a dictionary with you...

Burger King - Have it your way

In the states there is no delivery of Fast Food...you have to get off your lazy bum and get it yourself. In Japan they will bring the Burger King to! We can't guarantee the quality or warmth of the food when you get it, but they will bring it to you....if you can order in Japanese...Good luck!

How to be manly in Japan

As hilarious as it might sound to try and be american-style "manly" in Japan, we have found a few ways that any average Joe (American, Japanese, or other) can man-up in Japan.

1. Get yourself some cool t-shirts

We don't know if it's the Japanese passion for nature and mysticism that brings these shirts about, but they are freaking hilarious. 

2. Learn to love "cool biz" 

Cool Biz is an awesome time of year, when Japanese business people put aside their black pants and white, long-sleeved shirts, and opt for a more summer casual look. By "summer casual" we mean gray pants, instead of black, and pastel or short sleeved shirts. We heard this was started by the government to help beat the heat, but we will report back after some research. You still stick out like a sore thumb if you are in anything but gray, black, or white as a man or earth tones and navy blue as a woman, so don't think your neon Nike gear will suddenly help you blend in (nice try tourists...and Meg).

3. Drink highballs all day long...in the can

Cheaper than beer, and generally with a higher alcohol content, canned cocktails, including highballs, are a great option. With the lack of "on-the-street-drinking" laws, you might as well just grab one on your way to work, or while sitting next to the river watching the sun set over Kyoto. There really is no bad time for a Suntory Highball.

Another classy and affordable option is just straight vodka (or whiskey, bourbon, gin, etc.). There is a killer vodka bar on Pontocho street that serves up hundreds of varieties of vodka. They also apparently own a Russian restaurant on the other side of the river, but we haven't made it there yet. 

4. Forget about shoes and get some hoes...knee high that is

At several points throughout Gion Matsuri we have seen men in a series of what appear to be handmade sandals, and at the big parade a few even threw on some ladies knee high nylons. I mean, why not? What manly-man isn't at least a little in touch with his fem. side. 

5. Eat all the meat you can

The Japanese love two things: meat and carbs, but rarely do the two meet. We see people eating all kinds of meat, even foot long polish hot dogs without buns. There are boulangerie shops on every street, if not two in a row. Quite honestly, these people are just begging to be the next obesity epidemic. The picture above is a popular advertisement by restaurants serving cow. Some are cuter than others with little red hearts painted anatomically correct on the body. 

Oh and did we mention you might as well stop eating protein bars now?...You will starve eating Japanese protein or fruit & nut bars. They can't be more than 1x3" and keep you feeling full for 1-3 seconds.

6. Get yourself one badass tractor

and by "badass" we mean...SUPER TINY. Check that thing out! The guy digging has a shovel almost the same size. Needless to say, we only saw this tractor once, and ever since it's only been men at work. 

Nijo Castle and a really easy way to offend non-Japanese in Japan

Trying to kill some time in Kyoto on Saturday morning before our meeting for the immigration consultation at Kyoto House, we wandered through Nijo Castle (aka Nijo jo). There isn't much to be said about these beautiful grounds that can't already be found on some really well written sites, so we won't bore you with out lame commentary. Instead here are a few shots of the grounds (again, like San Ju San, no inside photos allowed :-/)

Apparently, hundreds of years without any predators and you will get HUGE too. 

D-san checking out the water fountain/face washer/whatever the hell it was. 

How to be offensive in Japan (to foreigners, not Japanese natives...)

So although this shirt is hilarious to lots of US citizens in the US (don't judge, just laugh, you know you want to) foreigners in Japan mean mug you like you are solely responsible for the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Although Kev will not wear this shirt out in public anymore, non-Japanese traveling to Japan, please stop your mean mugging. Even in normal clothing, we get the worst mean mugs...We are sorry if walking by us in Kyoto ruins your ideal image of an all-Japanese Japan, but we can't help it. If anything, ask us how to get where you need to go -we are really helpful, we promise!!