Lunch at "Yumi-ya" Restaurant

This is a view of Gojo Zaka Slope, coming from Kiyomizu Temple (towards Higashioji Dori Avenue).  

"Yumi-ya" restaurant is in the site of Kyoto Kiyomizu Hanakyoka Hotel, which is located behind Gojo Zaka.  Jinrikisha (Rickshaw) are parked in front of the hotel entrance for sightseeing.

This lunch set is called "Plate of Feast" (1,500 yen).  Tuna sashimi, tempura, and several kinds of side dishes of seasonal vegetables are served in a boat shaped dish.

And after-lunch coffee is included in the price.  Very reasonable.

"Ocha-noko Saisai" of Sannen Zaka

This is Sannen Zaka Stairs (Slope) in Gion.  These people are all going to the Kiyomizu Temple.  In the middle of Sannen Zaka, there is a spice shop called Ochanoko Saisai (see the finger point in the photo).

The shop's new product is Curry Rice Cracker, and I sampled a really small piece, the size of my thumbnail.  It was so hot and spicy at first, but surprisingly it became "very delicious" in a few seconds.  I liked it very much and purchased a few packages.

Restaurant Endo

Endo is a very popular restaurant specializing in tuna dish.  At the bottom of the Sannen Zaka stairs in Gion, this wooden signboard is placed for direction and it's very easy to find the restaurant.

The lunch set I ordered was Tuna and Avocado on steamed rice, miso soup and pickles (900 yen).  Tuna sashimi marinated in red pepper and sesame sauce melted in my mouth!  So great!!

The restaurant is always very crowded.  On weekends and holidays in particular, I often see a line of people waiting to be seated outside of the restaurant.  Also, customers are asked to take off their shoes before being seated at this restaurant.

Dragon of Kodai-ji Temple

One sunny day in the middle of rainy season. I went to Kodai-ji Temple in Gion, to see the very famous Hojo Garden.

This is a photo I took in 2007, but now...

The garden looks like this!

Yes, this is what I wanted to see.  The Dragon!

The Dragon, made of wood, tiles and stones, was so dynamic and I was momentarily under the illusion that it "moved?!"  According to the Feng Shui, it is said that the East Kiyomizu area of Kyoto is protected by the Blue Dragon, one of the four guardian spirits.

The temperature of this day was 31 degrees C, and the shady bamboo-lined path was cool and very refreshing.

And from the path, you can view the Kannon so close up!

"Ippudo" Ramen

Ippudo is a Hakata style, pork-bone (tonkotsu) broth ramen noodle chain.  Their overseas restaurants are located in New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul.  We have one in Nishiki Koji Street in Kyoto.

This is their very classic tonkotsu ramen called Shiro-maru Moto-aji (750 yen).   

At lunch time, it is 850 yen with a bowl of steamed rice and gyoza dumplings.

This is Aka-maru Shin-aji ramen, with dark garlic oil and spicy red miso.  It goes very well with Mentaiko (spicy cod roe) over steamed rice.  850 yen.

Yasaka Dori Avenue in Daytime

Thank you for comments on my previous "Yasaka Dori Avenue."  This is how it looks during the daytime.    

Yasaka Dori Avenue

The Yasaka Dori Avenue with full of tourists during daytime becomes very quiet at night.

(Super Moon on May 5, and Venus in the sky)

Lunch at "Hanakago"

Hanakago restaurant opened in September of last year in Gion, near Yasaka Pagoda.  

At first, I thought it was a dessert cafe restaurant, but the other day, I noticed a signboard of their pasta lunch menu, so I went in for the very first time.

I ordered a 1,500 yen lunch set of hors d'oeuvres, homemade bread, and "pasta" which they change menu daily. This is a plate of their hors d'oeuvres;  egg omelet, ratatouille, carrot and tuna salad, fritt of fresh-water smelt in oil, bruschetta of bonito, uncured fresh ham.

The homemade bread was very delicious, too.

From several kinds of pasta they had in the menu, I chose vegetable pasta with a horse mackerel. Haricot beans, field peas, zucchini, broccoli, corn and tomato... It was a very colorful pasta.

I completed my lunch with a set of dolce and coffee (500 yen).  Great lunch, and I should have come earlier!!