Today was going to be a busy one! We left the house at about 8:30am and made our way to the station. Along the way, Koa got to ride on the back of Grandma’s bike, and he said he had fun. We said goodbye to her at the station, as she went off to work while we went to meet Mariko’s dad at a different station. We put our overnight bag in a coin locker, then took the Keihan Line towards Kyoto.
Our first stop was Otokoyama, which is famous for its bamboo groves and temples. We took a cable-car ride up the side of the mountain, and found ourselves among super-tall bamboo and camphor trees. Some of the camphor trees were several hundred years old! We also got to see a few momiji (Japanese maple) leaves that had not yet fallen to the ground. Mariko’s dad conducts tours sometimes, so he explained a lot as we walked along. There were some temples at the top, and we paid our respects to the gods there. It was really amazing to walk among those bamboo groves and temples, high above the urban sprawl below.
After we decended from the mountain, we had a quick lunch near the station. I had gyudon (beef over rice) and the kids shared kitsune udon. Mariko had curry udon, and I can’t remember what her dad had. Our bellys full, we got back on the train and headed towards Uji. When we arrived, we got a little bit of dessert: ice cream and macha (green tea). In Uji, there is a famous bridge, which is one of the first in Japan. The river it spans is very wide, and flowed very quickly. Mariko’s dad explained a couple of the famous battles that took place long ago, and how the samurai would cross the river on their horses. There is also a statue of Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote The Tale of Genji. Much of the novel takes place in the village of Uji.
After crossing the bridge, we wandered thru town for a bit, then found ourselves at Byodo-in Temple, which is featured on the 10-yen coin. The temple is amazing, and houses a large Buddha. There is also a very modern museum on the temple grounds, and the exhibits are interesting and explain much about the importance of the temple. It’s always fascinating to me to visit these temples because they are so beautiful and serene.
It was getting late in the afternoon when we left Byodo-in and we made our way towards the river again, this time crossing over a brilliant red bridge. Mariko’s dad and I quickly visited two more temples, before heading back to the station. The train ride back to Osaka was a nice rest, with Koa falling asleep on Mariko’s lap. When we arrived at Sekime station, we decided to head straight to the ryokan we would be spending the night at so we could check in and drop our bags off. The ryokan was small and basic, but would be perfect for a tired family. But before we could rest, we needed to have some dinner!
Mariko’s dad led us to a fugu (blowfish) restaurant a few blocks away. Fugu must be prepared by licensed chefs, because it can be deadly if not prepared correctly. This particular restaurant had a glass window where you could watch the chef prepare the fugu. It was somewhat disturbing to watch as he skinned the live fish, then proceeded to cut up the squirming body. Then we settled into our little enclosed booth and table, where a gas stove sat below a large nabe (pot filled with water). We ordered a special drink of sake with broiled fugu fin for taste. It was pretty tasty, and we also had beers to wash it down. The first foods to be served were fugu skin, then fugu sashimi, which was pretty good. Nothing so special, though. Then we had some deep fried fugu, which didn’r really taste special, but was good since I was really hungry. Next, the server brought in a big plate, with noodles, veggies, shiitake, tofu, and chunks of raw fugu. I’m glad I had sake and beer already, because it made it easier to handle the sight of the fugu pieces, which were pulsating and twitching, still full of life. It was pretty gross, actually. But after cooking it in the boiling nabe, it was just like any other fish. Lastly, came another “specialty” dish: fugu sperm sacs. I really wasn’t having any of that. So, I politely refused, and ordered another beer.
After dinner, we headed back to the ryokan, said goodnight to Mariko’s dad, and unpacked. A quick shower and a little tv, and it was off to dreamland. All-in-all, and great day, with an unforgetable meal to top it off.