Boog's Blog

Freshest sasshimi ever except when alive. Outstanding.

Surprising dish: pork ribs with salad and herbed mashed potatoes, served with knife and fork.

Perfect tempura: no taste of the oil.

In Album 11/22/15

Check this out on Google+

Cooler

A very different breakfast this am. Large room, Chinese style layout, different items such as macha rolls with soybeans, grilled persimmons, grilled chestnuts, two kinds, and grilled shiitake mushrooms. Sand fish and flounder, fruits in gelatin, the list goes on.

Bath here has indoor outdoor pools as well as jacuzzi and hot stream rooms.

Eggs dunking in a net bad in a grated box. Cut the to off to have some hard boiled eggs and sit in the foot bath to warm the toes.

Shops in the town are seafood based, no surprise as we are on the coast. Fish of a large variety as well as the ubiquitous crab.

One public onsen appears to be most recommended, naturally I needed to try it out. Good, very good but not as good as the one in the hotel for hotel guests. Better waterfall in the hotel, better rocks to sit by and on.

In Album 11/21/15

Check this out on Google+

Surprising good uni as well as other delicacies. In some cases I got a double portion. Easy to guess why.

In Album 11/21/15

Check this out on Google+

See menu included.

Served in private tatatmi room

In Album Kaiseki dinner with menu

Check this out on Google+

A little cooler as we head to the coast

Last evening in osaka i had no wine, water. Reasoning is that California to which we will soon arrive, has lots of wine but no water. The onsen will have lots of water.

This is a very popular onsen, all reserved seats on the train were taken several days ago when we booked. This Shinkansen train was by far rougher and more buppy than any we have been on, noisy at each task joining.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3525.html

A snack before dinner: soybean and macha tea cheesecake with some ice cream.

Kaiseki crab and tajima beef kaiseki dinner. Pictured in separate album as is the full menu. Served to us in a private room.

Crab is much more delicate than the dungness. Interesting as sasshimi. Not impressed with abalone sasshimi.

In Album 11/20/15

Check this out on Google+

A bit less warm

Rest and shipping day before traveling to an onsen.

Final night at the hotel club, first rate.

In Album 11/19/15

Check this out on Google+

Rain forecast but not delivered

Morning at the imperial palace and its gardens open today to the public. Immense, of course.

Afternoon shinkensen ride to Osaka. We watched in amazement as three people cleaned, new head doilies, vacuumed the car during the 20 minute turnaround time. A train leaves every 20 minutes.

Veggie Raman on dotonbori; Namba Park at night.

In Album 11/18/15

Check this out on Google+

Warm again 75+

Walk through Hama-Rikyu gardens, 14 bridges, along Sumito river where we took the water taxi, 45 min, to, Asakusa

The architecture from the riverside and elsewhere is quite boring. Rectilinear building, one after the other. Almost no caps on the roofs. Good way to see how population dense the city is.

Wandered a most famous area, Akasuka, one Tom and I visited more than once. Bought wooden combs in this shop many years ago.

Over to the chef hat place, then to takashimaya nihonbashi, our old lunch grazing and peach adventure place.

Long walk back to hotel and then Kansai region dinner, the two classics.

In Album 11/17/15

Check this out on Google+

Sunny, warm, rain has ended. Hot. In mid 70s. Enough!

Giant chestnuts, different variety, from yesterday's visit to Meiji shrine in QB pics.

Kamakura day. Very busy train even though a Monday. Train almost emptied upon arrival.

First to see the giant Buddha, 12-13 th century Kamakura was the capital or leading city.

Brief visit to the highly rated hesedera temple, not overwhelmed after the better earlier ones. Kosokuji was far nicer, no crowds, no tourists, lovely garden, very quiet.

Wandered over to the large beach or bay. Nice to walk on the sand.

Miyazaki,of studio ghibli, steampunt clock at ntv shimbashi. Watch the YouTube version. This is a great bsj of string. QB called it the best clock ever.

http://tokyoexcess.blogspot.com/2012/03/miyazaki-steam-punk-clock-at-ntv.html?m=1

In Album 11/16/15

Check this out on Google+

Rain forecast but did not develop. Hot, in 70s

Showers, the long morning bath type, are one of the real pleasures for Boogs now living in drought country. Ah, long hot showers and hot (106 degree) public baths. Breakfasts are the most challenging item when in the rural areas.

Harajuku, Meiji shrine day.

Unfortunately no cosplay dancers or singers in the park. A traditional walk Tom took me on many times and I wanted to share it with QB. A faded tradition.

Added Meiji to shingu,nachi and Hongu grand shrines. Another, of course, impressive one; not so much for QB who thought this is far less impressive than the others.

QB trying green tea soft ice cream.

Meiji Jingu inner garden part of the shrine. Not impressive and expensive. Wandered over to shinjuku national garden. Inexpensive and very impressive. Finest chrysanthemums we have ever seen. Varieties, displays, and descriptions of developed styles. QB took pictures of a number of the displays.

Wandered through shinjuku area, dinner and back by yamanote.

In Album 11/15/15

Check this out on Google+