Tokyo 365

A 20 year old girl's adventures living, studying, eating, and exploring Tokyo, Japan for 365 days.

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Fushimi Inari

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Robot Restaurant

I'm not sure how to describe this experience in fear of misrepresenting it. Which may stem from the initial problem of me not really knowing how I feel about the Robot Restaurant, even several months later. So I'll just say a little and let the the pictures speak for themselves.

I'll first mention that the show was bright, loud, wild, and pretty much always entertaining (sometimes because the show was amusing, other times because the poor execution was comical).

Important: do not come for the technology. The show was pretty low tech for something flashily advertised. In the light, many of the robots were cheap looking, clunky things that looked as though they came straight from a 60's scifi. But after being dolled up in neon LEDs, they didn't look as bad as they were slow and low functioning. Many "robots" were simply plastic structures on wheels, controlled by guys dressed head to toe in black, standing on the side of the main stage.

The waiting lobby though was the epitome of gaudy Las Vegas opulence. Quite a fun pre-show handout. 

The bento, inedible. I actually gagged a little nibbling on a piece of the fish. Please eat beforehand. You're not here for the "restaurant" part of the name.

More than anything, this show was about the half naked girls who were battling the robots (believe it or not, there was actually a vague story line). Even from the opening scene (above) there were few robots to be seen, aside from the moving platforms the women were standing on; however, I think it was during the entirely random "All I Want for Christmas Is You" pole dancing act in the first half in which I truly understood the priorities of this show.

A few pieces of metal on wheels, and a guy dressed in shiny plastic and a rainbow afro on roller-skates pretending to be a robot.

From here on out, maybe the most impressive parts of the show for the sheer lighting alone. The room is also small, making the structures look  impressively large in comparison. 

And speaking of the room being a small box in the basement floor of a building: if you are sensitive to exhaust, you might want to reconsider going, or at least go to the earlier show that night. There is very little ventilation in the basement theatre, so it only gets increasingly smelly as the night goes on.

In all, it was okay. 3 out of 5 stars. Just don't look at anything when the lights turn on and it'll be fun. I found it an entertaining experience to have, though its not something I would strongly recommend to anyone unless they had $50 to spare, low expectations, an open mind, loves glow sticks and rainbow LEDs, and wanted to have a truly, "only in Japan" experience (not to be mistaken for "a truly Japanese experience").

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Kiyomizudera

One of the loveliest temples in Kyoto! Perched high on a hill, this collection of shrines, temples, and gardens is one of the most visited attractions in Kyoto. And for good reason! There is no real overarching aesthetic that ties each landmark to the next, which makes moving between each unique landscape within the Kiyomizudera area generates the feeling of moving between entirely different sites over a small plot of land.

One of the streets leading up to the temple and shrine area is lined entirely with gift shops and restaurants, each carrying at least one of Kyoto's handful of notorious treats such as yatsuhashi in their baked state (cinnamon flavored crunchy tile cookies) or in their pre-baked state as a delicious mochi, most traditionally shaped into a triangle with a dollop of anko (red bean paste) in the middle. If you're looking for samples--and lbh, who isn't looking for samples on vacay in Japan--make sure not to miss this street on the way up/down, as you'll find that every store gives out tastes of at least one of their goods, if not all.

A whole separate area to buy charms, find out your fortune, rub some lucky statue bellies--you know the drill.

The beautiful wooden stage! With a lovely view of the city.

All bundled up on that cold wintery day and really enjoying my hot manju from the walk down the temple.

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Morning Zazen - Sitting Meditation in Kyoto

On my first trip to Kyoto in January, I became friends with the waitress at my table when going out to dinner one night. I say friends, but we only talked for about 5 minutes. I told her I would be back in Kyoto in February for some volunteer jobs and we exchanged information and planned to meet up. Sure enough, we have come to be great friends through our time in Kyoto, and recently when she has been visiting Tokyo. So how does this related to this post? 

It relates because of the series of serendipitous events that allowed Noah and I to attend this morning zazen session in Kyoto. Without having met my waitress friend Rino, I would have not met Mika, a teacher and mother who attended the same web development class as Rino. And without Mika, I certainly would not have been able to find this amazing temple in Kyoto that allows laymen into the temple once every two weeks to practice morning meditation, or zazen, with the ordained monks. 

Every seat in the temple was taken, despite it being 7 am and freezing (plus no shoes or socks). After chanting sutras, we meditated in silence for and hour and a half, with a short stretch break in-between. For the meditation we were required to sit in seiza, or typical Japanese style, with your legs folded under you. So that stretch break was much welcomed.

I had a hard time emptying my mind of distractions and would often catch myself very deep in thought on a particular subject. It was helpful to concentrate on my breathing though, if not just to distract from the pain in my legs. There was even the opportunity to be hit on your back with a stick by the monks who walked around during the meditation. And when I say hit, I really mean a major whack with a wooden plank. This only happens if you request a smack, a process which begins with bowing, you folding your body over your legs to expose your back, the monk whacking you, and the two of you bowing again. I watched this process multiple times out of the corner of my eye during the meditation, entirely clueless regarding this baffling ritual. But finally I got up the courage to do it myself, just to see if you needed to be a special person or have certain ~meditative prerequisites~ to do it or not. Sure enough I received a giant smack on both sides of my back. Looks like anyone can ask for it. Hoping that I didn’t offend any religious customs by partaking. 

The zazen as a whole was a great experience that I certainly didn’t expect to have. Not only a refreshing way to start the day, but a great reminder of how to bring your focus back to the present and exercise to push your physical and mental capacities that have probably gone challenged for a long while after becoming so used to daily rituals. For an activity to have such a striking impact, utilizing only our bodies to enable the experience, is an amazing thing.

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Changing of Seasons, or Thank Goodness It's Not Winter

Came across this photo the other day and remembered how excited I was to see this plum blossom starting to bloom back in February. In the dead of winter in Kyoto, I had been, for 3 months, completely fed up with the freezing winter, and was ecstatic to see some form of life emerging. 

Above, Noah and I, very bundled up in Kyoto in February. My average number of layers was 6: thermal undershirt, shirt, cardigan, wool long cardigan, down jacket, winter coat. Inside and outside.

Japan's winter was THE worst winter I had ever experienced. Not because it was the coldest weather I've been through, but rather, for the lack of central heating. Whether you were inside or outside, the temperature was the same, though it always felt a tad bit colder inside my host family's house. There was no refuge anywhere, for 4 months. I felt bad using the heater in my room very much, plus it would blast cold air after having been on for more than 20 minutes, so I resorted to ski thermals, a fleece shell, and down jacket every night when I slept. That being said, I am beyond overjoyed that it is now spring.

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Kanji Struggles

It's the worst when stroke order matters when looking up kanji. I think I was close though.

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Gotaru Ramen - ごたる

Read up about this place a while back, but lost track of it in my mental ramen catalogue among the other hundreds of great ramen spots in Tokyo. And then the other week, I happened to stumble upon it when walking with a friend to tea ceremony. Gotaru? Hadn't I heard that name before? Sure enough, it was the place, and my friend and I decided on a date to eat there the following week.

Easily one of my favorite tonkotsu ramen shops in Tokyo. Ordered the kikurage (wood-ear mushroom) ramen, and out the bowl came, topped generously with mushrooms, green onions, and two melt-in-your-mouth pieces of chashu. Like a traditional Hakata ramen, the soup was a thick tonkotsu broth, which was absolute creamy perfection, and the noodles were thin. I loved that you were able to choose the hardness of the noodles, and opted for the second hardest (right after flash-boiled). Sesame seeds, red ginger, and garlic toppings were available on the counter to add to your liking. An amazing ramen shop most certainly worth the short trip out from Takadanobaba.

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Owl Cafe - フクロウの店

Wow. One of the best experiences I've had that cost $10. For that price, we received a drink and admission into this owl cafe where we were able to spend an hour and a half holding, petting, and gawking at the cafe's adorable owls. I think this was my first time seeing a real owl (city girl), let alone holding them!

Very scared it was going to poo on my head. It happens.

Look at that loving gaze! Words cannot describe how majestic this experience was. Please visit one of these cafes! There are also cat cafes galore in Tokyo, dog cafes, which are more of places where people are allowed to bring their own dogs, rabbit cafes, a goat cafe, and a reptile cafe in Yokohama (next on my list).

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Meal Muji

I had gotten to know Muji through its New York stores, and now its San Francisco branch, but when I was in the US, I had no idea what type of scale this amazing "anti brand" existed on. Back home I wanted to live and breathe Muji - their understated, printless, unbranded goods are so elegant, I've always thought - and when I came to Japan, I realized that one could indeed live and breathe Muji. Not only do they have clothing, house goods, stationary, packaged food items, but also bikes, houses, and as I've learned a few months ago, cafes and bakeries.

I went to Meal Muji on my lunch break between teaching the first and second classes at the English school I work at. With a two hour break, I usually have time to wander around after eating. Today was not the case. I barely made it back in time, thanks to the huge line at this cafe! There were at least 50 people in line at all times, even with there being probably 100 seats in the cafe space itself, and even when I left at 2:45pm. The concept is simple, and fits right in with their wholesome and clean image. Several set options are available, and with each one, you can choose a different number of entrees. With every set, you are free to choose among the many hot and cold entrees that day, and receive a dessert and a bowl of regular rice. Or you can upgrade to a bowl of multigrain rice for 50 yen more (which I did). I believe the three entree set was ¥800 approximately? A tasty and simple, homestyle cooked meal that was healthy and filling. I could wish for nothing more. 

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All you can eat strawberry picking

What would be totally unheard of in the US for the overwhelming loss of profits of for the farms involved, strawberry tabehoudai, or all you can eat strawberry feasts, are a popular spring activity in Japan. 

For a set price, you and your group of friends are let loose inside a strawberry greenhouse and are free to eat as many strawberries as you possibly can stomach within a set time period (usually an hour, hour and a half).

No pesticides are used, and even still, these strawberries are in perfect condition and aren't buggy in the least! The Japanese are extremely particular about the looks of their food, particularly their fruit, so if they were anything less than perfect, they would certainly be garbage (or hopefully, compost).

I've been on two occasions to these strawberry tabehoudai - once with the disability service center in Kyoto and again with my study abroad group. At the greenhouse that I went to with my study abroad group, we also were given a container of cream to dip the strawberries into.

Each time I've eaten maybe 40 strawberries?! I counted my remaining leafy tops the most recent time I went. Every single one is so incredibly delicious and juicy (or maybe that's in part due to my adept strawberry picking skills), it's hard to stop eating at number 30! But I promise, it IS possible to get stuffed on strawberries. What a decadent thing to get full on though, isn't it. 

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Roadside "pit stops" in Japan

No one likes pulling over at a pit stop in the US. The bathrooms are always gross, the junk food is always the same, everything smells like gasoline. Essentially, it's never a pleasant experience. Obviously, like so many other things, Japan has that market perfected. Their pit stops are like mini food Disneylands with not only convenience stores, but bakeries, fancy gift shops selling local goods, high end grocery stores, and designer level dessert shops. Typical Japan.

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Kit Kat Chocolatory

Yes, this is a real thing, and yes, you should go! Certainly nothing like the scale of the M&M stores back home, rather a tiny corner of the Seibu department store depachika, or food basement, with two or three staff members. But despite it's quaint size, the usual food-trend crazed masses flock to this 4mx4m patch of land to get in on the first Kit Kat store in the world. Which is exactly why I went too.

The special packaging, for your viewing pleasure while waiting in line for the register. In fact, as you walk up to the store, you are ushered into the roped off queueing area and are giving a "menu" of the flavors available that day. We waited maybe about 20 minutes? Though we also came early, as we heard that they tend to run out of flavors even in their first few hours of opening (wut).

Kit Kat centerpiece art (is it real?)! I think the time of day determined the large number of older adults that were there. I do know though that this store certainly appeals to all ages. But apparently, it also has a special market among bald, middle-aged men with glasses (see photo above).

A mini history of Kit Kat with changes in packaging across the years.

While you would expect a huge variety of flavors (in Japan they have tons, from sweet red bean, to wasabi, to pudding, among so many more); however, this store only sells select flavors for a limited time, I believe. When we were there, they offered chili, special dark chocolate, sakura-matcha, and cream cheese flavors. 

So of course, Chloe, Noah, and I got one of each and devoured them immediately. We agreed the sakura-matcha was basically the same as the regular matcha flavored one, but aside from that, each of the new flavors fit their profile pretty well! A great, quintessentially Japanese gift to bring to people back home if you have the chance.

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I miss cafes

There are tons of things I miss from back home, but a big one is definitely going to cafes - to work, to catch up with friends, to casually drop into, to read a book and sip on a latte. Literally an impossible dream here in Tokyo. When there are 2 hour lines like these to get into a Starbucks, or when you get to a seemingly cute cafe tucked away somewhere secret and then come to find that each burnt, espresso sized coffee is $7, your desire for a drink goes away real fast. Also the constant bane of being lactose intolerant - finding places with soy milk. In Tokyo, it's only the chains - Starbucks, Tully's and Doutor - that offer soy. Whyyy? I miss you, San Francisco. 

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Sushi of a lifetime - Ginza Kyubey

For my early farewell party at my part time job, my boss took me and some co-workers out to the best sushi meal I have had, and will have, in my lifetime. Well, lifetime only because currently as a college student, it's hard to think of me throwing down hundreds of dollars/yen on sushi in the future, but who knows. I hope there are more kind, sushi-loving benefactors in my future.

In our private room, we had our own chef and assistants who prepared our 12 (?), 18 (?) (it was hard to count) course sushi dinner. Already, at the first course, I was blown away. The toro (fatty tuna) was the most amazing I have ever tasted. No stray chunks of fat, but rather a perfectly marbleized cut that melted in my mouth faster than I was able to assess where on a scale of amazing to extraordinary this sashimi placed. I think I understand now what meat eaters mean when bragging about fine steaks.

Unfortunately, the names of some of these fish escape me at the moment (just kidding, i never knew them), but I can describe them! Above, the only cooked fish of the night. A smooth, white fish that was for the most part left unseasoned, so the flavors of the fish itself and the light grilling could shine through. 

We had a special course of bonito, which is currently in its top season. The strong and distinctive flavor was nothing like the fishy dried bonito flakes we often think of as a topping. For this dish, the chef split each of the pieces of sashimi down the middle, added some grated ginger and daikon in the center, then closed the butterflied sashimi back on itself to make a little bonito "sandwich." Absolutely delicious, and surprisingly creamy.

Toro and squid nigiri. I forget one of them though, my apologies! I should have written them down as I was going, but it was just too exciting to think of that at the time. 

Uni maki! Sea urchin is a big "hate it or love it" type of food, and often turns people off with it's fishy smell and custard-like texture. Apparently the smell problem only occurs with uni that isn't fresh. The only other time I had uni, it was also a mild taste with barely any smell, so I wasn't too worried about this. However, the only bad thing about sushi is that you have to stick the whole darn thing in your mouth, so there's really no testing the waters to see if you like it beforehand or not. Hesitating a millisecond before stuffing this entire uni maki in my mouth, I slowly chewed and found the uni-rice combination pretty tasty.

I have never been a shellfish fan, and wasn't enthused to see these prawns being brought out to the table. However, the sushi making process was quite an interesting one. Before making this presentable piece of sushi above, the chef took 8 live tiger prawns and one by one, chopped each of them in half. As the head half of the prawns twitched and quivered on the cutting board, the chef swiftly made their bottom parts into our nigiri. Sorry for the graphic description, but I think the whole act was supposed to be entertainment as well. When the pieces were placed on our plates, it seemed they were for the most part, still alive, so I quickly shoved the whole thing in my mouth before it had the chance to flop off its bed of rice.

The top part of the prawn, fried into a crispy, senbei like treat. On the far left, yakitamago, a sweet egg omelet, and on the right, anago, or salt-water eel.

I was absolutely stuffed to the brim by the last course, but couldn't bear to waste one bite of this delicious meal! To end the night, tsukemono and assorted maki, to be followed by watermelon for desert. A few other dishes were served as well that there wasn't space for pictures of, including a refreshing daikon/shiso leaf "sandwich," a jellied lotus appetizer, and clam miso soup. My apologies for not knowing all the names of the fish! If you ever do get the change to go to Kyubey, I think what we had, the omakase course, is the way to go. 

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Gontran Cherrier Tokyo

This Paris born boulangerie has a two new branches in Tokyo, one in Shinjuku, the other in Shibuya. While there are many of the usual pastry suspects, there are also quite a number of Japanese-ified spin offs on French classics, like their miso loaf, squid ink baguette (below) and matcha scones. 

Somehow got a picture without crowds mobbing the store. The eat-in option also draws a large following for afternoon tea. Savory veggie, meat and cheese pastries also open up the shop as a lunchtime option.

Squid ink baguettes! I think for ¥500 or so. Pretty reasonable!

Aside from Gontran Cherrier's lovely aesthetic, this shop will remain high on my list for its nice selection of dairy free breads and pastries (VERY hard to come across in Japan!)

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Toriyasu Donburi - Kyoto

Named the "best donburi in Kyoto," we had to check this mom and pop shop out! The restaurant has been around over 50 years, surviving - thriving - on only three dishes: oyako-don (chicken and egg), tamago-don (egg only donburi), and karaage-don (fried chicken donburi). And beer, of course. Their menu outside the shop simply lists only these four items, no descriptions, and certainly no pictures like the typical Japanese restaurant. 

Right next to the restaurant was their poultry shop, a humble establishment, their customers mainly older women. Which only went to show that this was no flash-fashionable restaurant, but one with a steady following across generations. 

The restaurant's customers though, were mainly younger couples or friends, as well as the ubiquitous lone salary man. Some older ladies also passed through on a lunch outing. Despite it being 1:30pm, we still had to queue!

What melty, eggy goodness! It was too big a portion for both Noah and I, though we still tried to finish as much as possible - Japanese customs to follow! I had the oyako-don, Noah, the karaage-don. In both, some of the chicken pieces were a little too fatty us, though the karaage pieces were perfectly crisped, not to mention quite generous in size! We both agreed the karaage-don is the way to go. Go big or go home, right?

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Potoncho - Kyoto

Potoncho - a narrow alley between the main road and the Kamogawa river in Kyoto. A quite walk during the day, but a bustling night scene with a unique mix of traditional upscale restaurants, themed bars, and jazz clubs. During the summer, platforms are erected that jut out from the river view side of the restaurants for a “floating” dining experience, right above the Kamogawa. One of the best finds in my time in Kyoto!