We slept in today and decided to have a day off sight-seeing, and go and get a replacement from my ailing suitcase. Of course, we got side tracked on our mission and found a wonderful little gift shop come art store called Akao Shobundo ( 256 Yamazakicho Nakagyoku, Kyoto). A marvellous shop for tourist souvenirs but he also sells woodblock prints and crafts from the vey cheap to the very expensive. I was in heaven but was very restrained. The owner is gorgeously friendly and helpful. In the end, he gave us directions to the cafe where he often eats lunch, and his favourite traditional tea house if we wanted Japanese tea.
We decided to try the restaurant, and found it in a back lane in what looked like a private house. It is called the Fukuyama diner, only open between 12 and 3, and is to be found behind the bowling centre, in a little alley. It was tiny, very atmospheric, with stools round a counter, and a lovely lady who cooked and served in her minuscule kitchenette. The menu was a set one, seasonal, specialising in local Kyoto recipes, and cost 1800 yen. For this, we got tea, white rice, pickles, green vegetables and an egg. The highlight was a mushroom soup broth in a small teapot which contained fish, mushrooms and chicken. You drank the soup after pouring it into the lid, and then ate the solid bits with your chopsticks. She also served us fried pork with a sweet sauce. Absolutely the highlight of our trip. We would never have found it without the help of our friend at the shop. Plus, in trying to find the diner, we came across some lovely gardens and buildings amongst the more modern monstrosities. We skipped the other recommended shop, the Ippodomtea shop behind the Kyoto city hall, but we might make it there another day.
Sated, we popped into Loft to find the suitcase and I got one, even though we were a bit distracted by the huge Gashapon selection. Gashapon are little collectibles which you can get from coin machines - usually in arcades or train stations- for about 200 to 400 yen . We have become quite addicted to them and amused the boys at the cashier no end by our excitement over their machines. Actually, as usual, my whole trip seems to have been dedictated to amusing the locals. I seem to send them into fits of giggles, as I drop things, wear odd earrings, get mixed up with the coins, push around what is considered a very large suitcase, dress eccentrically ( Japanese ladies of a certain age are very feminine, discreet and refined on the whole), and generally be myself.
On the way back home we got distracted by an amazing Danish shop called Flying Tiger, which sold a huge assortment of things, very well designed and very cheap. Would that it existed in Melbourne. I must say, the Japanese and the Scandinavians get my vote for being superb designers.
Another distraction was the amazing distraction was the Bal store, which has lots of beautiful shops spread over several floors. My favourite was the amazing Nicolai Bergman flower and design store. If anyone wants to buy one of their colourful flower displays, I will love them for ever! Hint, hint. We did eventually make it home, and vowed to have an early night and get up early tomorrow, to get our body clocks more in order.
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