December 5, 2012

• Kyoto Arashiyama.

  It rained. It rained throughout the whole day we got to Arashiyama, the western outskirt of Kyoto. Arashiyama was to display their annual ‘Momiji Matsuri’, literally means the red leaf festival. An annual event that takes place there to welcome the autumn season. It was supposed to be a festive day, but the rain got in the way and the festival that was supposed to start at 10AM was canceled.

  With umbrellas balanced above our heads, me and my traveling gang accepted our unfortunate Sunday and crossed the Togetsukyo Bridge, the landmark of the area, to get to the other side of the river where shops, tea houses, and restaurants are located. From the other side, view of the autumn leaves was spectacular. Even the rain didn’t stop us from enjoying the vast colorful landscape that colored the town all alongside the river. It was still early in the day and too early for lunch, so we decided to visit one of the many tea houses to stay away from the rain, and to get ourselves warmed up. At the tea house, an array of tea and sweet sets available, and I settled with the traditional matcha that comes with a handmade wagashi. The others opted for something less traditional.

  
  

  We stayed and talked for about an hour before we felt it was time to head back out there. It was still raining but we determined to at least walk around for a while before we stop somewhere for lunch. We visited one of the many temples in the area, Tenryuji Temple, and were surprised by the vast beautiful landscape inside the temple that happens to be a priority for the visitors more than the temple building itself. After a while, our stomach started to growl. One of the guys suggested of a good place for lunch. A ‘yudofu’ house that he once visited with his family. ‘Yudofu’ means hot water tofu or simmered tofu. It is basically a hotpot dish of tofu as the main course. A perfect meal companion to the rain.

  He took us into alleys. We took several turns. Nothing around but residential houses. Soon we discovered a long wooden house with clay-tile roof and its perfectly manicured shrub. We’ve arrived at the restaurant. Perfectly hidden a few blocks away from the bridge, the main road, and the crowd of tourists. Upon entering, we discovered the outside wall of the restaurant is a mere disguise for the immense garden inside.

  
  

  One has to pass though the garden in order to reach the two-story wooden building where the dining area is located. Once inside, we were guided to the second floor, to a dining area with a top view of the garden. Soon after we were seated, an array of side dishes were presented to accompany the main dish, the tofu hotpot. Most of the side dishes were consist of various pickled vegetables and homemade soybean products, including a dish of soft-boiled egg and vegetable tempura. The meal also ended with another soybean-based dish, a pudding.

  
  
  
  

  I later found out that this restaurant is called SAKANO and is well known for its homemade tofu and tofu products. The meal we had was a typical meal set and happens to be vegetarian friendly. It was a perfect light meal and one that warmed us quite a bit to get us ready to venture the town for souvenir shopping and more snacking, before we headed back to downtown Kyoto. Despite the unexpected cancelation of the festival due to the rain, it was an all around pleasant day.

  • 5:34 am
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