Kyoto: Arashiyama
Lori:
Planning for our epic-Japan vacation included contributing to a list called “Japan Trip Ideas List”. As boring as it may sound, the list now includes a million and one ideas of classes, restaurants, temples, more restaurants, stores, more restaurants, historic sites, and more restaurants. For me, a must see was the area known as Arashiyama in Kyoto. Any travel brochure on Kyoto includes people walking through an incredible Arashiyama bamboo grove and I starred this contribution as a “must see”. What got added to the bamboo expedition was reservations at an incredible yudofu restaurant (all things made from tofu).
After a short ride on the JR, we arrived at a town bustling with TOURISTS. Who told everyone else in the world to come to Arashiyama today? After passing through Tenryuji Temple, we ventured down to the Katsura River. The water was the color of jade. The hillside beyond was covered with multiple textures and shades of green with a hint of autumn orange. The boats with oarsmen making their way downstream added a quaintness to the river (even though they were filled with tourists).
We meandered along the river path until a sign directed us up a mountain path to our lunch hideaway, Shoraian. The restaurant built of dark brown wood offered us our own private tatami room with a view of the river through the upper most boughs of a beautiful momiji (Japanese maple) tree. For two hours our waitresses dressed in salmon-colored kimonos offered us 7 courses mostly made from tofu. Every course was artistically displayed and delicately seasoned, and were it possible, we would have taken a nap before the palate cleansing desserts of pudding or ice cream made from soy milk. I relished each course, but especially remembered the earth-colored, pinched triangular plate which held the tsukemono (pickled vegetables). The pottery choices just seemed to make the experience so much better!
We ate until we rolled down the hill to the river path leading us to the famous bamboo grove. About the grove, it was quite spectacular, but would have been much more zen-like were it not for the hoards of other tourists who interrupted my experience. Taking photos without heads of people required focusing on the tops of the bamboo. But hey, it was still a view to remember.
Linda:
Never met this Nhi friend of Mäneka’s. But through her travel recommendations I feel like I’m getting to know her. Her suggestion of the tofu restaurant Shoraian in the lush hills of Kyoto’s Arashiyama area converged with Lori’s research and it became our Kyoto splurge restaurant.
Jewel-like offerings of various soy-based dishes were presented in a serene setting looking out onto the blue-green river filtered by maple leaves. I was particularly a fan of the nama-yuba. Of course, Lori and I wanted to be sure we allowed time to get lost and still be on time. So we had 45 spare minutes to walk through the hills beforehand. Forty years ago, when we were both in the same Japan abroad program, my sister Anne & I used to wander these hills, but with much less money in our pockets. Still we’d manage to find oishii snacks along the way.
During momiji season, the area is swarming. So, though we missed the blaze of colors across this area, we had much of it to ourselves.
Hope to meet the famed Nhi one day!
Kamala:
The views around Arashiyama were absolutely beautiful! And Shoraian was no exception. Mäneka and I were both won over by the small chunks of cream cheese that came with a small curly shavings of katsuobushi on top. I was also a big fan of a dish that featured a small sticky rice dumping in a thick, tasty broth, with chrysanthemum blossoms in it. To add to the charm, we were presented with a postcard of a painting that the owner did that matched the dish. Art and food reflecting each other!
Mäneka:
At Shoraian the “small Wagyu steak” course was outstanding. I had never had true Wagyu beef prior to this occasion, and it truly lives up to its reputation. Buttery meat, robust beefy flavor and perfectly tender. It didn’t hurt that the slices were served up with an outstanding shoyu. Further proof that good ingredients and simple preparation go a long way. Balaram’s favorite course was the assorted box, which included a fried potato patty.
The bamboo grove was quite spectacular, but as Lori said, not very serene due to the overwhelming abundance of tourists. Balaram aptly dubbed it “the Mona Lisa of Kyoto.”