Blogs from Japan, Asia - page 3

From the Frugal Expat: Kyotois the hub of traditional Japanese culture because it served as Japan's imperial capital for more than a millennium (until 1868). In Kyoto, countless amazing things exist, including golden temples and vermillion shrines, Zen rock gardens, and swaying bamboo forests. You can also eat ramen bowls and participate in elegant tea ceremonies. It's one of the few places left where you can still see geisha hurrying to appointments in wooden tea houses while wearing ostentatious kimonos and white cosmetics. Two thousand temples and shrines throughout the city are still inhabited. Kyoto is overrun with tourists, along with some really bad tourists, probably Americans. They hassle the geishas for photos, interrupt their work routines, and have even grabbed women, knocking them to the ground. There is cons... read more

Very early start as we won free lottery tickets to the Toyosu Tune Auction. Facts we learnt; 200-400 fresh Tuna per day caught in the Japan sea 1000 frozen p/day caught around Spain/Iran Frozen sells for 3k-4k yen per kilo (£10-£15) Most expensive fresh tuna sold for new year celebrations at $3.1 million for the whole thing. The floor is green to allow a good visual contrast with the red meat. We obviously had sushi for lunch with friends and a mooch around Asakusa (being cleansed) and Akihabara (arcades).... read more

Nagoya is the home of my grandfather. He arrived in the US at the age of 16 in 1896, having graduated from high school at age 14. I know very little about his life before our family started farming in Kingsburg. He started as a houseboy for a family in Los Angeles. They taught him to read and write English, one of the few first generation (Issei) who were truly bilingual. I will digress with a story that perhaps sheds considerable light into our family. My grandfather passed away peacefully in the summer of 1965, under his favorite shade tree in the back yard. During the days preceding his funeral, an elderly man showed up at the Greyhound stop in Kingsburg (it was at an old gas station on Simpson). They sent me to pick him ... read more

Backstreets: The Gion district of Kyoto embodies the romanticism that surrounds Japan’s ancient capital. Filled with machiya (traditional long wooden houses), it harbors several “teahouses,” where geiko — the Kyoto term for geisha – entertain their high-class guests with quick-witted conversation and skilled musical performances. Yet just north of Shijo Street, the neighborhood evolves into a very different kind of entertainment area. Narrow alleyways are filled with small bars, many of which are kyabakura, hostess clubs that sell the fantasy of female attention. It’s a pocket of Kyoto where one needs confidence or an introduction to open many a door. And it’s also hiding one of the city’s best kept ramen secrets. Mendori Hyakkei has no visible sign on the street. Instead, hungry ramen seekers must walk a few steps through a building – a ki ... read more

Another day behind but needed an early start for today. So Wednesday we hit the retail, started at Itoya, 7 floors of stationary needs, and a card for someone’s 50th this weekend. It might not make it in time…sorry. Then to Gotokyji temple, with all the beckoning cats in a lovely neighbourhood with interesting architecture, good tree combinations of Sakura, Acer and Pines and bonus Swedish Fika 😍. Then to Shimo-Kitazawa as teen is into thrift store resorts, a lot of Americana as that’s clearly the trend but not quite what we were after, however some purchases were made but then an early night.... read more

From its high-end restaurant showstoppers to its on-the-go convenience store offerings (and all sorts of other fantastic creations in between), there’s nowhere better in the world to sample sushi than Tokyo. Don’t miss the Japanese capital’s signature sushi style: Edomae sushi, a delicacy that combines expertly compacted, wasabi-smeared rice balls with meticulously cut fish that holds onto its seasonings, resulting in maximum umami. You can find it among the other super-fresh fish and seafood at the famous url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tsukiji.or.jp%2Fenglish%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdab1853c73fe4ad265b008dc55bf3d9b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638479527080236883%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Zp18BjSCxzSGzl0LQxYk7U%2B7x5qIXeIBoaVmPJK%2BDbY%3D&reserved=0... read more