Chronologically confused Kyoto

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This is technically my second visit to Japan, I came here for three weeks before Hong Kong but decided not to start my blog as I didn’t want to be accused of copying the wonderful Ed Tan (of course his is better as he went to the Pokémon museum and I didn’t), but I have just found some scribbles in my diary from last time round….



I just got back from dinner with Nate, John and Tamakisan (I think this is the right name), we went to a traditional “izakaya” (pub) and sat bare foot on the floor eating what I can only describe as Japanese tapas consisting of Octopus balls (not to be confused with octopuses balls), chicken skewers (yakitori), tofu, edamame beans, eel wrapped in egg (I gave that one a miss) and what can only be described as spring rolls filled with pizza topping! (It’s funny how I was obviously in awe of this at the time and now copying it up I think this sounds like a perfectly normal meal.)



It was such an authentic experience, we took off our shoes and sat on the floor at the table (in the past and in other eating establishments, people sat cross legged but here there were pits in the floor to let your legs dangle.) I found the whole situation slightly awkward at first as Tamakisan and Nate spoke enthusiastically in Japanese as I just nodded along pretending to follow the conversation although completely oblivious as to what was being said. The first part of the conversation I understood was when Nate asked the waitress, “peanuts?” And then proceeded to make a huge cross with his arms and put a finger to his throat- I think I was going to be safe!



Later Nate’s colleague John joined us in our private curtained off booth and we continued to order more food and drink by pushing a buzzer, I just went along eating whatever came, considering I had difficulties with reading the menu! I ordered some Sake which came in a glass inside a box; the waitress filled up the box and then, to my surprise, continued pouring the Sake as it overflowed into the box (this reminded me of Justin Huang at Caius lunch, if only someone would get him a box!). To drink my Sake I had to lean down and drink a small amount from the box before I could move the cup, I then drank to half the cup and poured the remainder of the box into this and Tamakisan watched on and laughed and applauded.



After my first lesson in Japanese drinking etiquette, Tamakisan endeavoured o teach me the art of chopsticks; I always thought this was ironic as it’s extremely tough to chop anything with the darn things but I have recently been informed by Wikipedia that the name stems from chop-chop as in hurry i.e. quicksticks” . My first attempt at using chopsticks was far from quick; Tamakisan began popping out edamame beans onto my plate I managed to pick them up and eat them thus passing the first test. The next stage of my chopstick education involved ordering some tofu and smothering it in soy sauce (I’m presuming Nate isn’t a tofu fan as he’d previously told me that the rule is to add soy sauce to any horrid Japanese food). The tasteless, white squares became squashed between the chopsticks and it really required a gentle touch, but I got there in the end much to Tamakisan’s excitement!



The guys then left to drink “real beer” in Tamakisan’s room (he must have been over 65 years old) as I, now wide awake from my earlier nap, got in a taxi back to the hotel and said my polite “Arigato di mas” to Tamakisan who had generously paid our bill, we shook hands, bowed and then he told me to have a great time in Japan and I’m sure that if today is anything to go by I most certainly will.

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