Japan - Kyoto, Fushimi Inari Shrine & Arashiyama

Day 7 - 18 January 2019

Breakfast at Kinryu Ramen

Yes again! I was so in love with this ramen I wanted to have it again. Starting the day with this hot peppery bowl of wanton-mee like ramen is such a comfort to the stomach. 

It's weird though because it did not seem as great as the first time we tasted it. But for me it was still delicious. For my husband though, his ramen which comes with more char siew had an entirely different taste as the marinate of the meat which is mixed with the soup seemed too strong the second time.

Before our noodle breakfast, we stopped by a grilled crab store which seems to open in the day only. For 900 yen, the crab meat is not worth it as there is not much flesh. Grilling may have taken away some natural moisture too.

One day trip to Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Shrine

Similar to our Kobe trip, we went to Osaka Station and took the train to Kyoto station. From Kyoto station, we changed to the Nara line for Inari Station. Only the local trains stop at this station. It is a popular station since most tourists are here to visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Washing our hands and mouth to purify ourselves before going to the main shrine is a must. We did the same at Meiji Shrine on our last trip as well. The water is so cold on our hands! The selfie stick started to be frozen here and cannot work very well.

There are people wearing the traditional kimono and we also spot a couple taking their pre-wedding shoot. 

We walked through the numerous number of orange gates with many other visitors. It was hard to find a perfect moment to capture a nice shot with the beautiful vibrant colored gates. There will always be incoming crowds of people walking to and fro. As you continue walking further, there there will be more gates and the crowd will lessen. Eventually, we decided to walk down instead of heading all the way up since we had to go to another location.
 

My skin condition was starting to be slightly flaky from the dry weather.  We met so many Koreans in Namba area and their face make-up always look so moisturised. Maybe liquid foundation will help for winter weather. 

We came down to a food street and I was excited! First, we had this bigger and flatter form of dango. I do not know what it is called but it is was grilled and the skin has that slightly burned texture. Not too bad, Japanese herb flavour chewy mochi dipped with soy sauce. Then, there was a chicken grill store, which gives off a super nice aroma. Unfortunately, it looks better than it taste and the chicken was not that hot. Without the sauce, the chicken will probably be a bit bland.

Then, we passed by the steak store with a savory aroma too. Many people were eating it and 500 yen seems like a deal. Again though, this is not yummy at all. Quite tough and hard to bite. Later, we also had a 500 yen crabstick, which is nice with mayonnaise and chilli power. It was selling at S$11 during the Japanese fair in Singapore! Don't know why it is so expensive when it taste like mock crab.

Right after all the snacks, we entered a restaurant to have their Inari Udon set. I did not really fancy the udon and its soft texture. The tofu skin is so different though. It is double the sweetness of the Inari sushi I have eaten.


To Arashiyama Bamboo Groove

The sun was going to set soon! We headed to Saga-Arashiyama station via the Sagano Line. We had some decent photos before it started to turn dark. At that time, there were not many people and it was quite a relaxing walk.

And it was the first time I experienced walking across the railway track. When the train was approaching, the barrier would be down to prevent any crossing. Once it was safe, the barrier would go up again. Before this, I have only seen this scene in movies and anime haha.

As we walked back to the station, we came across a sakura soft serve. It is so creamy and refreshing in the cold night.

For our dinner, we decided to alight at Kyoto station and try a Kyoto Ramen. There are several ramen stores at level 10, and we chose the one that is nearest to the lift as it is a Kyoto style ramen.

Unfortunately, I did not like it one bit. The charsiew is indeed quite soft, but the soup base was not something I enjoy. There are bits and pieces of pork fat within.


Takoyaki Fanatic

Back at Namba, we went to find another brand of takoyaki which is said to be the originator of takoyaki. We ordered the set with different flavours. The size of the balls is smaller and they do not come in any sauce at all. Original taste works for me too.

There is one with some beef within and I find that a unique taste. Other than that, the takoyaki is the softest and most deflated among all, and lack any savory taste. So just like that, this ranked the last.

Since the satisfaction was not achieved, I queued for another takoyaki in central Dotonburi. Juhachiban Sons-Dohtonburi takoyaki looks quite different as they added some additional crumbs, which made the surface look like crabstick filled. While there is no significant difference in taste with the extra ingredient, this takoyaki is quite good and crispy. The mild hint of red ginger within the gooey flour is something I think made the snack more appetizing.

Still, my desire to try more takoyaki kicked in. We went to the opposite store for Kukuru Takoyaki. The service was not too good. I was not sure if the person even heard my order since there was no acknowledgement (To be fair, the staff were not local Japanese). We ordered a Konamon Set which includes takoyaki and yakisoba. The yakisoba was not served piping hot and it can be a bit overwhelming with the sauce.The takoyaki is pretty good in the overall taste and worth the space in my stomach.

Japan - Kobe, Maiko Park & La Shomon

Day 6 - 17 January 2019


Breakfast at Kinryu Ramen, Dotombori

This has got to be one of the best ramen that is so comforting to the stomach. We came across this branch of ramen the previous night and thought it looks pretty good. When we arrived, we waited for a while for the seats to be available after buying the meal ticket. There are only two types, one with the standard amount of meat and another with a top up.

If you look at the seats, you will know you have to take out your shoes to eat comfortably. But I was so lazy, I just ate sideways with the legs facing outwards. The place is partially outdoor and partially covered, so you get a good mix of cool breeze and warmth. 

They will call for you to collect your noodles and utensils. They also have two types of side dishes- leek and kimchi. It is no wonder this raman place attracted quite a number of Korean customers. For our first try, we did not want to spoil the original taste of the soup and did not add any sides into our bowl.

The first look and we can tell their noodles looks quite firm and springy. I sipped on the hot soup and I was amazed. The soup is peppery, flavourful at the right level and comparable to the taste of wanton mee soup. Maybe I like it a lot because I am Chinese. The char siew is quite average to me though. It is well marinated, but depending on which parts you are given, it can taste quite dry. 

Overall, this ramen is da bomb. I slurped down every single drop of the hot soup!

Going to Kobe 

We went to the Osaka Station and headed for the JR Kobe line area. It can be confusing to find your way but do just follow the signs. Looking at the train line map on the wall, we could only take Rapid and Local line as our stop will be at Tarumi. It took around one hour and is indeed around 800 yen (as per researched). You can just take a nice nap on the train.

The seat of the train can be turned 180 degrees to face another side. It is better to choose a seat which is not facing anyone as the legs feel more restricted when you try to keep within your space. We alighted at Tarumi station, and basically just walked around and decided to go to Maiko Park since we were too full for lunch. Maiko Park would be one station down at Maiko Station. 

Maiko Park 

This is quite a romantic place to visit by the sea. And because it is by the sea, the wind is not my normal breezy. It is the strongest I ever felt (by my own standards). I don't know why and since when, that I started to have this strange fear of strong wind. It will be worse if I were carrying an umbrella. So that day, I felt like the wind was too strong and my hair was flying every where. The lack of control and irrational fear of being flown away was conquering me. And then I froze there and started to cry >.<.

It was then that my knight in armor came to shield me from the wind. And I started to calm down. But the place is really beautiful, although difficult to take photo with your hair flying all over. You either need a professional photographer or a very strong hair spray.

If you are interested, you can visit the Maiko Marine Promenade, which is an observatory deck on the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. It only extends until a certain length of the bridge. I thought it might be quite similar to the Okhotsk Tower in Hokkaido. 

After we got our photos at the scenic place, we decided to walk back to Tarumi Station. It is not too far but probably takes around 30 minutes.
 

La Shomon

We decided to make a trip down to Kobe just for Kobe beef actually!

The main reason for us coming to Tarumi Station is for the Kobe Beef at La Shomon! Positive reviews has brought us here. Its location is rather convenient as well since it is walking distance from the JR station.

Tarumi area has a very laid back feeling when we took a stroll at night. There is not much happening outside as compared to Dotomburi.

La Shomon is at the second level and when we arrived at around 3 plus in the afternoon, it was relatively empty. The staff was ever ready and welcomed us in. We got a comfortable 4 seater table and we can put our jackets at the back of the sofa. Since it was a grill place, we tried to stuff the jacket inside the box as much as possible so that less smell gets onto it.

The staff provided us with the beef prices that day. We wanted the 120g Kobe beef but they later told us only the 100g (17,820 yen) was left. We ordered that anyway, together with another beef set (5,044 yen) [which consist of different parts of the cow], bibimbap (734 yen) and tea rice (472 yen). Since it is a beef place, there is really not much other options. So I thought of ordering the bibimbap for myself.

Our main expensive Kobe beef came out raw, a beautifully cut piece with a good mixture of fats and meat. The staff got to work to cook the Kobe beef over the grill. Precision and the right heat is quite important to not overcook the meat. Ice was utilized to bring down the flaming fire and prevent it from burning the meat. I think the fats/oil contributed and made the fire grow.

After the meat was done, it was placed on another plate with some pepper bits and fried garlic. We tried the original beef by itself and it is a such a delicacy. The tender meat can almost melt in the mouth and the juices is retained within. The fried garlic compliments the meat so well too and it is so tasty that I can eat it by itself. That small piece of beef is actually not enough shiok-ness for 2 pax but then again we are talking about S$200 here.

The bibimbap came in a slightly smaller portion than the usual I find. But the taste of the combination in the hot stone bowl is so delectable, and the sauce mixture is neither too moist nor dry. It is definitely one of the best, if not the best, bibimbap I have ever eaten. The ochazuku by comparison is quite bland, but by itself, it is light and comfortable on the stomach.

Just a piece of beef is never enough, so we ordered the cheaper alternative in a set. This set does not come with a designated chef to cook for us. And I had so much trouble grilling it when the fire keeps reaching for the meat. They did not provide any ice for us leh. The various parts of meat are delicious and flavourful although it was not as melty. Overall, I would say that the quality of the beef is so awesome.

In the middle of our meal, the lady who was seated at the other table walked up to us. At first, I was wondering why she stood there so long, but then realized she should be the owner of the place as she thanked us for coming.

At the end of the meal, we were given complimentary ice cream which we chose matcha and lychee. At the same time, the staff gave us a big notebook for us to write our message to the restaurant. So being kaypoh, we browsed through what other customers wrote as well. There were some good comments about the dried aged beef (5,044 yen) and that tempted the husband to want to try.

So we decided to order that, and the grill had to be set up again lol! The process is long though. The thick fat piece of beef was brought out, and it look more whitish. It was put on the grill and cooked for awhile. Then, it was wrapped with aluminum foil for resting of around 10 minutes. Goodness, we were a bit surprised and wonder how long will it take to cook the meat that thick. I think it was cooked 3x and wrapped twice before we got to eat. I would say that the beef is quite unique but so full of fats. If you prefer the rich collagen feeling of beef, then this might be for you.

At  the opposite of the restaurant at level 1, there is a traditonal shop that sells various daifuku. The lady staff was really trying her best to describe to us what were the various flavours. We had a walnut flavoured skin and a Japanese herbs skin, both with azuki paste. Personally, I really like the taste of Japanese herbs and the walnut one is quite special because it is saltish and sweet at the same time.


Mitsui Outlet Park

Nearby Tarumi station, you could also visit the Mitsui Outlet Park, which seems like a mini amusement park but filled with factory outlet brands. The place don't really have many people so it was kind of like a shopping haven. However, we did not get anything anyway.

Back to Osaka and Dotonburi

At the transfer station in Osaka, we had Cheese Cake Beard Papa. It is so good! Crispy crust, perfect sweetness and oozy cheese. Why didn't the puff taste so good the last time I had one in Singapore?

At Dotonburi, we finally set our mind to try the Horai 55 bao which always seem to have people buying. Their charsiew was sold out and we so got the standard pork filling. The bao skin is chewy and really my kind of thing! The pork filling is so juicy and peppery. This Japanese Bao is a must try!

And that is not all. My appetite was so good in Japan. We tried another brand of Takoyaki! Well, after that we decided to eat Okonomiyaki too since it is a signature in Osaka and went in the restaurant instead. There is a grill at the table, and that means piping hot food! I really think their Okonomiyaki is so yummy. Because of the grill, you get a slight burnt crispy bottom with the rich flavoured pancake that comes with lots of cabbage and meat.

And also the Takoyaki is the best thus far! Everything about it was way better than the few I have eaten the past few days. These takoballs are not so hollow, quite crispy on the surface and the tako flour is not bland.

The amount of carbs I ate in Japan is crazy. So much of my stomach space invested into those Takoyaki! Thank you husband for sharing the load and accommodating to the Takoyaki-maniac.