#Kyoto 3.1 Gion Hatanaka Ryokan

I thought I try the American breakfast this time around (something different)

#1: American breakfast :)

#1: American breakfast 🙂

1.1: Home made marmalade and jam

1.1: Home made marmalade and jam

1.2: Thick toasts

1.2: Thick toasts

1.3 : Bacon and Salad

1.3 : Bacon and Salad

1.4: Plain Omelette with Ketchup

1.4: Plain Omelette with Ketchup

1.5: Home made yoghurt with honey

1.5: Home made yoghurt with honey

My other family members ordered the Japanese set.

Apart from rice, they had

1.1 grilled fish

1.1 grilled fish

1.2: Tamago (Egg) yaki with assorted root vegetables

1.2: Tamago (Egg) yaki with assorted root vegetables

1.3: Toufu

1.3: Toufu

1.5 : Miso Soup

1.5 : Miso Soup

1.6: Chawanmushi (Steamed Egg Custard)

1.6: Chawanmushi (Steamed Egg Custard)

Verdict:
3/5 of us will return.

Overall the stay here was pleasant. Comparatively to the Miyajima stay, the hot tub did not have as nice a view. There was only 1 kind of indoor tub.
Food wise, I would say they did take the effort, but probably, was slightly average compared to what we have had but it is slightly above average.
However, the location of the place made up for it ..  they are very nicely situated within town .. so it is quite easy to travel around and find transport.
This would be our 3rd ryokan experience and  .. if this is going to be your first, then i think you would probably have a good time enjoying all the facilities 🙂

Bye Kyoto for now!

Gion Hatanaka Ryokan
505 Gionmachi Minamigawa,
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto,
Kyoto Prefecture 605-0074, Japan
Phone:+81 75-541-5315

Kyoto: #2.3 Gion Hatanaka Ryokan

For Dinner at the Ryokan we had:

#1,#2,#3

#1,#2,#3

#1: Sea Urchin on Toufu in a Yuzu Sauce

#1: Sea Urchin on Toufu in a Yuzu Sauce

#2: Sea Bream Sashimi

#2: Sea Bream Sashimi

#3.1: smoked egg topped with foe gras,  heirloom tomato salad,

#3.1: smoked egg topped with foe gras, heirloom tomato salad,

#3.2: scallop sushi, preserved mackerel sushi, ikan billis 'wafer'

#3.2: scallop sushi, preserved mackerel sushi, ikan billis ‘wafer’

#3.3 the cup, candied fruit salad

#3.3 the cup, candied fruit salad

#4: Simmered Buri with daikon and spinach

#4: Simmered Buri with daikon and spinach

#5: Fish Soup

#5: Fish Soup

#6: Grilled hamachi with seasonal mushroom

#6: Grilled hamachi with seasonal mushroom

#7: Seared Beef slices with nuts

#7: Seared Beef slices with nuts

#8: Battered hamachi fins

#8: Battered hamachi fins

#9: Kani (crab) meishi

#9: Kani (crab) meishi

#10: home made vanilla ice cream with kyoto grapes

#10: home made vanilla ice cream with kyoto grapes

#10.1 Yuzu Jelly

#10.1 Yuzu Jelly


Gion Hatanaka

505 Gionmachi Minamigawa,
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto,
Kyoto Prefecture 605-0074, Japan
Phone:+81 75-541-5315

kyoto #2.2 : Ippodo Tea House

Had a very interesting traditional Japanese Traditional Tea.
Feel free to ask the waitress to explain how you should properly enjoy your tea!

Entrance

Entrance

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Tenka Ichi (Gyokuro) with Tea snack

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Close up of Tea Snack

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Hosen (Sencha) with Tea snack

Note: Depending on whichever type of green tea, there will be different number of tea cups ( used as a gauge to measure accurately the optimal temperature that each type of tea should be enjoyed; if teapot [100 degrees]-> 1st cup [80 degrees] (= -20 degrees) -> 2nd cup [60 degrees] (-20 degrees)).

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This implies that the tea should be enjoyed at 60 degrees

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Outcome: Sencha 🙂

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Input: Sencha

The shop itself, being the main shop still maintains the historical elements and tools used to make tea.

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Verdict: 5/5 of us will return. I wished we learned more to appreciate tea, but this was really education and a very good experience to learn about the Japanese Culture.
A very good place as well to buy souvenirs 🙂

IPPODO Tea
Teramachi-dori Nijo, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0915
Tel: +81-75-211-3421
http://www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en/shop/kyoto.html
Store hours: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (until 6:00 pm Sundays and holidays)*
Kaboku Tearoom: 11:00 am to 5:30 pm*
* Closed during New Year’s holidays.

Kyoto #2.2 Kuromon Nishiki

Because we enjoyed the market from our previous trip
( I do apologise for the previous poor quality and bad image – i had to start somewhere right)
we headed back there

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Live Fugus (Puffer Fish) for Sale

Live Fugus (Puffer Fish) for Sale

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This is why Kyoto is the Capital for Green Tea

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This time around, we tried:

#1: Tarts

#1: Tarts

#1.1: Egg Tarts

#1.1: Egg Tarts

#1.2: Cream Tart

#1.2: Cream Tart

#2: Cheese Fish Cake

#2: Cheese Fish Cake

#3:Soup

#3:Soup

#3.1: Daikon Soup

#3.1: Daikon Soup

#4: Maguro Sashimi on Stick

#4: Maguro Sashimi on Stick

#5: Doughnuts

#5: Doughnuts

#5.1: Doggie Bites for Dogs

#5.1: Doggie Bites for Dogs

#5.2: Soyabean Doughnuts

#5.2: Soyabean Doughnuts

#6: Goma (Sesame) Ice cream with Sesame Toppings

#6: Goma (Sesame) Ice cream with Sesame Toppings

#7: 7 flavours

#7: 7 flavours

#7.1: Customise your own furikake (rice toppings) / 7 flavours to put on your rice

#7.1: Customise your own furikake (rice toppings) / 7 flavours to put on your rice

#8: Green Tea

#8: Green Tea

#8.1 : Green Tea Ice-Cream

#8.1 : Green Tea Ice-Cream

Verdict:

Since its a returned trip, needless to say, 5/5 of us loved this place 🙂
This time around we didn’t get to see a geisha, but we saw

Live Filming

Live Filming

Kyoto : #2.1 Gion Hatanaka Ryokan

Breakfast

#1: grilled fish and fish roe

#1: grilled fish and fish roe

#2: Pickles

#2: Pickles

#3

#3

#3 : Porridge ( you can change to rice if you want)

#3 : Porridge ( you can change to rice if you want)

#4

#4

#4: White miso with mackerel and spinach

#4: White miso with mackerel and spinach

#5: plum and Seaweed

#5: plum and Seaweed

#6

#6

#6: Preserved Vegetables, Grated yam with seaweed, Stewed Root Vegetables

#6: Preserved Vegetables, Grated yam with seaweed, Stewed Root Vegetables

#7: Tamago (Egg) Yaki, fried 'ikan billis', Fish Cake

#7: Tamago (Egg) Yaki, fried ‘ikan billis’, Fish Cake

#8

#8

#8: You duo fu

#8: You duo fu

#9

#9

#9: Miso Soup

#9: Miso Soup

Verdict:  3/5 thought breakfast was ok  ..
Not saying that it all tasted bad or anything, but perhaps not much wow factor we were looking for.
To give them credit, they did put a lot of thought into throwing in ‘mini surprises’ with the way they placed some of the dishes.
nonetheless, this place seems to be very catered towards foreigner’s taste buds as well it feels.

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Gion Hataka
Yasaka Jinjya Minamimon Mae Higashiyama ku, 
Kyoto, 
Kyoto Prefecture 605-0074, Japan

Kyoto #1.2 Gion Hatanaka Ryokan

Stayed at Gion Hakata Ryoka.

Opted for both breakfast and dinner

Sitting Area

Sitting Area

View from the room

View from the room

Welcome snack: Matcha with Red Bean Dango

Welcome snack: Matcha with Red Bean Dango

Tea Time Snack

Tea Time Snack

So came dinner time,
this night, we heard the neighbouring room who had engaged a maiko for entertainment purposes. We could hear the laughters and Japanese instrument .. We would have called for one too .. except we probably could not understand her jokes and conversation

back to the meal,

#1 Assorted Appetiser, #2 Toufu with Palate Cleanser, #3 Sashimi

#1 Assorted Appetiser, #2 Toufu with Palate Cleanser, #3 Sashimi

#1 : Assorted Appetizer : Smoked Duck, Baby Daikon, "ikan bilis", Tamago, Candied fruit,  Boxed crab stick anago sushi with egg shreds and tobiko

#1 : Assorted Appetizer : Smoked Duck, Baby Daikon, “ikan bilis”, Tamago, Candied fruit, Boxed crab stick anago sushi with egg shreds and tobiko

Surpise Santa : marinated miso vegetables

Surpise Santa : marinated miso vegetables

Yuzu Liqueur

Yuzu Liqueur

Uni (Sea Urchin) with Annin Toufu

Uni (Sea Urchin) with Annin Toufu

Sashimi: Toro( Tuna Belly), Ika (Squid) and Tai (Sea Bream)

Sashimi: Toro( Tuna Belly), Ika (Squid) and Tai (Sea Bream)

Close up of Toro

Close up of Toro

#5: Clear Soup

#5: Clear Soup

#5: Clear Soup with Mochi, Rooted Vegetables (Lotus, daikon, Carrot)

#5: Clear Soup with Mochi, Rooted Vegetables (Lotus, daikon, Carrot)

#6: Rolled Daikon, Leek rolled in Kelp. Santa Hat ( Spinach). Santa face/beard) yuzu jelly

#6: Rolled Daikon, Leek rolled in Kelp. Santa Hat ( Spinach). Santa face/beard) yuzu jelly

#7: Soup

#7: Soup

#7: Daikon Soup with Leek and Fish Cake

#7: Daikon Soup with Leek and Fish Cake

#8: Grilled Mackerel with Mushrooms in miso

#8: Grilled Mackerel with Mushrooms in miso

#9: Assorted Pickles (Raddish, Cucumber)

#9: Assorted Pickles (Raddish, Cucumber)

#10: Mushroom Meishi

#10: Mushroom Meishi

#11: Miso Soup

#11: Miso Soup

#12: Toufu Cheese cake with Goma(Sesame) Ice cream and fruits (strawberry and black bean)

#12: Toufu Cheese cake with Goma(Sesame) Ice cream and fruits (strawberry, kyoto grapes and black bean)

Verdict:
5/5 agreed that what was the best part of this meal, would be the appetisers.
There was so much effort put into the crafting ( near Christmas season) of the food, plating and attention to the details.
Mains however, and subsequently after appetisers was good but did not wow us .

ok.. good night world

Good night

Good night

 

 

 

 

kyoto #1.1

On ward Kyoto for a relaxing Ryokan experience

Upon arrival at the station, we stopped for a quick lunch at the JR station in ISETAN

Ramen Museum : introducing only the best ramens

Ramen Museum : introducing only the best ramens

decided to go with what we couldn’t get in Singapore .. so we went for :

Settled with this

Settled with this

Free Flow of Eggs :)

Free Flow of Raw Eggs 🙂

Fish Cake

Fish Cake

Gyoza

Gyoza

#No. 2

Normal Bowl Ramen with eggs and sliced beef 

Char Han :)

Char Han 🙂

Verdict: 5/5 will return

The Fried rice was the highlight because it was really very well fried -> very fragrant even when they are carrying it to the table, you can really smell it.

The beef looked like it was marinated in sukiyaki sauce, but it was not. Just quite plain but nice for a change instead of the usual types we can get in Singapore.

Tokushima Ramen Toudai (徳島 ラーメン東大)
10F Kyoto Station Building,
Isetan

901 Higashishiokoujicho Sagaru Shiokoji Karasuma dori Shimogyo-ku,
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

Kyoto: #2.2

We decided we had to try the original and authentic

Ippudo Nishikikoji

And we were super glad for glad for brother’s sharp eyes! hahaha ok more like mummy! so we ordered

 

It was super awesome!! and you know i forgot to say, the difference is, you can choose how firm you want your noodles to be!!!! awesome!!

Ippudo Nishikikoji

〒604-8143 
京都市中京区東洞院錦小路東入ル
阪東屋町653-1 錦ビル1F

1F, 653-1
Nishiki Nishiki-cho Bantoya Le
enter Shojihigashi Chukyo-ku,
Kyoto Institute Higashibora
〒 604-8143

 

Kyoto: #2.1

So today we decided to make a day trip to kyoto, and we thought we went to the check out the Nishiki market!(錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) boy were we in for a treat! I will let the pictures do the talking

The Japanese Market are really clean and very nicely organized! Everyone was very friendly in selling and letting you sample all all their produce .. although we were also on a look out for Geishas too!!

 

On our way back to Osaka, when passing through this market to take the train back, we saw this!

Pounding Mochi

repositioning the mochi

This is a very traditional Japanese tradition that they do as part of New Year’s Celebration. This requires 2 people. One  person pounds the mochi with a giant wooden hammer and the other one wets and repositions the mochi between each stroke.

 

錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba

http://www.kyoto-nishiki.or.jp/english/
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3931.html