Steak Lunch @ Natural Kitchen Kouji

Lunch time. I went to the restaurant floor (B1F) of "COCON Karasuma."

I felt like having steak. I chose Japanese pub style restaurant "Natural Kitchen Kouji" and ordered their steak lunch (980 yen).

I liked their miso soup with lots of ingredients, and mixed grain rice. Steak was very tender and delicious too.

Wedding in Kyoto

When visiting shrines, we often encounter the Shinto style weddings. Apart from that, we also see couples who will marry (or married??) taking photos on the road.

Intense heat of over 35 degree C outside. They must be horribly hot, with heavily clothed kimono and katsura wig!!

Doyo No Ushi No Hi?

Doyo no Ushi no Hi means ”mid summer day of the ox." On this special day, we usually eat eel called "Unagi." July 21st was the day this summer and I went to Kaneyo, one of the famous Unagi restaurants in Kyoto. It is located in the very busy shopping district called Shin Kyogoku. I ordered their popular menu "Kinshi Donburi" mid size bowl of 1,600 yen.

Some yellow thing overflows the bowl...

And it was a big omelet.

The baked unagi eel I wanted to see was under the omelet!

Unagi price is high this year due to the poor catch, they say.

L'Hotel de Hiei

I accompanied my friend to stay one night at the L'Hotel de Hiei the other day. There is Enryakuji temple of World Heritage in Mt. Hiei, and it's about ten minutes by car from the hotel. Unfortunantely we didn't have enough time to visit Enryakuji this time.

In just a 30 minute drive from the Kyoto City, you can get to the hotel and enjoy this beautiful view with Lake Biwa.

Here is very cool and pleasant while everywhere else is having extremely hot summer. Beautiful sunset in the sky of West, and...

full moon in the sky of East at the same time.

The access to the Hotel from Kyoto is quite convenient as there is a hotel shuttle bus from Keihan Sanjo (reservation is required).

Sushi Lunch @ Tama Sushi in Yodobashi Camera Building

I went to "Yodobashi Camera" in front of Kyoto Station to buy some ink for my printer. Yodobashi Camera is a big chain store of electronic products, and their building actually has fashion floor, food floor and bookstores, etc.

After my shopping, I had a lunch set of chirashi sushi, miso soup, and chawan-mushi (steamed egg custard) at Tama Sushi on the restaurant floor (6F). Lunch set is 980 yen, and menu changes daily.

With 300 yen, you can add Tempura to the lunch set.

Iwami Kagura @ Yasaka Shrine

Gion Matsuri Festival is almost over. On the 16th of July, Iwami Kagura is always invited to Yasaka Shrine to performe the traditional sacred service dance. I never miss this event of Gion Matsuri, as Iwami Kagura is from Shimane prefecture, which is my home town!

Two hour long performance ended with the famous last episode of Orochi Taiji (Battle with the Great Serpent).