Archive for the category "Japan"

August 23, 2006 - May 19, 2009 1000 days in India

1000 days in ...:

• a landscape sunset on Marine Drive
• color: saffron
• sound: tut-tut! tut-tuuuut! TUT TUT!
• a name: Tata
• smell: the smell of the streets, tidal mixing, peelings, mangy dog, exhaust and spicy sweat
• an expression: "Jasa dista tasa nasta mahnun phasta jag" (Marathi proverb: "Things are not what they seem and that is why the world is wrong")
• a sensation sunburn in Breach Candy
• a favorite: the temples of small towns, Hampi, Khajuraho, Aurangabad ... (and Japan, but it is far from India)
• a rant: all aspects of real estate (pro or personal)
• flavor: alphonso mango
• remorse: Real estate may be
• hope: September
• Appointment: Holy Name Cathedral
• a thought: "One more year"

It is 7am on Monday 16th of April, we just got to the apartment with a little more than 10 hours behind schedule. By adding the small night from Saturday to Sunday, and the fact that we will go to work in an hour after a shower hoped restorative, this will still only 5 hours sleep in 48 hours (and 60 this evening). So I hope you will excuse the delay in the last tickets Japanese tomorrow.

Now copy a hundred times: "I never take Air India loses its engines at takeoff" ...

Over time the return journey to the capital, the day was short. So we spent the afternoon in Ueno and Asakusa, north of the city, supposedly the last two traditional areas of Tokyo. The return to the sprawling city is still a little disappointing after Kyoto even in these two areas, they are only neon, speakers screaming and department stores. So we spent most of the afternoon in the Tokyo National Museum, the only true city museum (but quality offsets the amount, especially for works on paper and Buddha statues), before Finally in Asakusa and Senso-ji, the main temple area.

In the evening we wander in Ginza, the night power consumption must mobilize some plants, before they offer one of the last living of sushi (all you can eat, but excellent). Tomorrow, the last day, one should visit the Imperial park and make some purchases.

Quote of the day: "Yes, it's that love be constant love, and it does not change the taste of a woman change as women change" (Sacha Guitry, second thoughts)

Quiet enough to finish this little trip to Kyoto day: in the morning, visit To-ji, an impressive site which houses the highest pagoda (five levels) of Japan, then head north into the charming streets to Nijo -jo, the first residence of the shogun: Inside, murals are absolutely gorgeous (and we find our friend Roger and his many cronies ...).

All these places are quite remote, there is a lunch break in a restaurant specializing in eel (yum!) Then restarts by Nishiki market, an arcade where plague many merchants from various foods, fruits, vegetables, fish, all more unknown to each other (I did not know there were melons 75 euro coin ...).

The hour is already late, so we catch a commuter train to visit Tofuku-ji, a site full of superlatives: largest portal, largest meditation hall, the largest and oldest dormitory for monks ... It returns Gion (nothing to do, nothing special this neighborhood) and we ended the afternoon with a final temple, close to the hotel, Nishi Hongan-ji (unfortunately partly repair).

Now, a warning: it is possible that this is the last ticket. In fact, we booked a restaurant tonight fugu . It is hoped that the cook was well within the 30% to pass the exam (funny story for lovers of self-selection: the exam to obtain a license to prepare fugu is among others to prepare and eat a fish ... ). And do not think that this decision has anything to do with recent quotes late post ... although ...

Quote of the day precisely: "What can be a cause havoc by the sheer force of seduction" (Sacha Guitry, Quadrille)

PS: good, well it's failed to escape in majesty, the chief had passed his exam ... It was not yet cartridges missing, we took the set menu, which includes: the grilled fugu skin salad (crisp) fugu sashimi (the most dangerous part of a priori as raw and close to the deadly liver very nice to see the grounds of the plate through all slices, but the taste is unremarkable compared to other sashimi) fugu steam (delicious, just the texture of scallops Jacques) fugu fritters (a boorish and full of edges, but not bad anyway), fugu cooked in ashes ( quite dangerous too, since the animal is not carved up, and it is served half-cooked), and finally a kind of porridge in fugu (barely touched so the rest was already rich). All accompanied by a hire sake, large glass of warm sake which have inffusé tails fugu. Side side effects, it is true that at the end of the meal, and for an hour, it feels very numb tongue, but it is unclear whether this is due to remaining poison, Sake or pepper fugu past the grill. In any case, very interesting experience (served in a small private tatami room and more beautiful), to again and recommend. However, it avoids the irony of awarding him the words To Do & To Die ...

Temples day today. Small, large, old, more recent, sober, glitzy ... fascinating day in any case, despite the sometimes annoying tourist influx, half icelui consisting of French ("Rogeeeeer! Wait me, is not the Chinese who understands what I asked "! that's where we're happy being single ...).

To make the most of the day, it goes to the east of the city by metro. Reached Keage it wanders through the main artery where the temples of the corner: Konchi-in Tenju-year Nanzen-ji and Nanzen-in. To escape the crowds, it grows up to Oku-no-in, a delightful little lost in the mountains, under a waterfall temple. These relatively small temples are visited fairly quickly, until reaching Eikan-do, a large complex with various buildings are connected by charming walkways, surrounded by beautiful gardens.

After a break for lunch udon, in a no-frills atmosphere, went to Heian-Jingu, a huge memorial palace also reduced to two thirds of its intiale size. If the buildings themselves are interesting, gardens, once again, carry the feature: it is a festival of cherry and plum blossoms, the spectacle of rain on petals ponds where carp frolicking and proliferates Lily is absolutely beautiful! We leave all happy southward, eclipsing the museum (it's too good to be locked), to join Shoren-in and Chion-in, probably the most impressive (but not necessarily the prettiest) temple in this part Kyoto.

The temples closing early (between 16 and 17h), we must return to the city center, through Gion, the geisha district, a bit disappointing (we feel the continued state somewhat artificial and purposes tourism, especially two weeks before the annual competition for schools geishas). Returning to the city center, we pass by Ponto-cho, the former red light district of Kyoto, now converted into theaters, and the shopping district (balance 3 LV).

Back to the hotel and after a good twenty miles, we allow a new kaiseki. Lack of surprise or because of the hotel chain printing is a little less enthusiastic than the first time. However, the meal is very correct, and concludes with a Soba Shochu that will soon take effect after a long day ... Tomorrow, heading south-west, to the last day in Kyoto!

Quote of the day: "It is not infallible because we are sincere" (Sacha Guitry, Quadrille)

Day somewhat reduced today due to change of hotel. The morning before check out, walk in the gardens of the Imperial Palace. Roughly the size of the Tuileries, but not much of interest fortunately there cherry!

Once the hotel made change (moving from north-east to south-east of the city), it tackles the big piece of Kyoto's temples is in Higashiyama-ku. They are tens, widely dispersed, so we will select. We begin by Sanjusangen-do, a huge wooden building which houses a fabulous collection of 1000 Buddhas in gold, all identical, wisely aligned ten rows ... very impressive.

The rest of the afternoon goes to Kyoto National Museum, small enough in the absence of temporary exhibitions and a remarkable quality, especially the room kimonos and lacquered furniture. We leave the museum to 17h, and decided to push up Kimoyzu-dera, a huge temple a few kilometers away. On the path that leads to it is almost like in Agra, as are many tourists and souvenir sellers. We understand better by reading the banners that mark the way: this temple is the candidate of Japan for the seven new wonders of the world that it should be enacted 07/07/07 (yes, the Taj is also, not all this obviously has no official status, but voters are many). It is true that the resort is beautiful, even if the period brings its many tourists.

Tomorrow important day under Higashiyama, with a dozen major temples (but surely reduce to not spoil the fun by running) and evening in Gion, the geisha district!

PS: we did not say, but new photos have obviously been added to the gallery in 2007 Japan> Kyoto

Quote of the day: "Women do stupid things when they think" (Sacha Guitry, I have a dream)

Today, enjoying the weather, go-back in the day in Nara, the first capital of the Empire. It takes four seconds before the 9:10 closing doors, and go for 45 minutes of simulated RER in Kansai. Arrived in Nara, you get a little scared, as usual concrete, cars, trams ... but where are the temples? We picnic in the east, to Nara-koen, a huge park on the hillside where are located most of the temples. On the way, we meet Kofuku-ji, the second largest pagoda in Japan (the first in Kyoto).

We start the day by Todai-ji temple in Nara King, housed in what is still the largest wooden building in the world (and even the current version, which dates from 1709, does not represent it that two-thirds of the original version!). Inside, a huge bronze Buddha and other statues absolutely gorgeous (by the way, you will have noticed the two wooden statues guarding the gates of the temple, the most beautiful I've ever seen, at once so massive and an unreal smoothness ...). You will see in the (many) photos Nara a kid coming out of a hole in a pillar: Legends say that this hole is exactly the size of a nostril of Buddha, and anyone can go inside experience enlightenment , adults stuck trying ...

After the temple, attempting to escape the crowds by visiting the steepest parts of the park, in contact with 1200 deer that inhabit it. Big and small temples succeed, all the most beautiful and ancient than the others! A special thought for Kasuga Taisha: home this time no less than 3000 lanterns are lit twice a year for a festival, it seems, absolutely magical. It is true that the prospect of climbing at night all these lanterns lined with stone stairs and paper gives really want to go back to that time! We also take leave in the hands of monks, and drafting an ema at a crossroads ...

To finish this great day, a small rise on Mount Mikasa-yama and a detour to the botanical garden. All this still under the cherry blossoms! Decidedly, this already gives eager to return to the same time next year, but this time only in Kyoto and the rest of Kansai. For the fans: it was a new To Do & To Die (like what, there are not that small dishes that receive the label ...)!

Just arrived, we feel the stupidity just five days here, it will be far too little! It is true that we did not really have a choice, because the filling of hotels. But the city is extensive and persists as to walk around all as the weather is relatively mild, the number of visits will be necessarily limited. On the other hand, there is not room for either: there are more than 2,000 temples in Kyoto, it would be unrealistic to expect to see more than a few tens of five days!

Once the check in done, lost in a hotel near the imperial park, so we start wandering westward to discover Kitano Tenman-gu (a very nice park with a temple around which hundreds of Japanese photographing cherry blossoms on their mobile phones) and Kinkaku-ji (one of the most famous temples in Japan ... obviously, its upper two thirds are covered with gold leaf! But for two or three points of interest in the park, you are entitled to three restaurants and four souvenir shops ...).

Back in the north, and Daitoku-ji. This complex comprises 24 temples, unfortunately off limits: you can often shoot the frames and roofs. All these trips are made by charming narrow streets lined with traditional houses: sliding panels, translucent paper, Zen gardens, lovely grannies bicentennial ... A real pleasure, that Japan we were looking ... even if it is a cliché! !

The area is very residential, it is difficult to find sustenance, which led him to skip lunch (this is not the first time, far from it, train journeys often take place at the time of made hours check in / check out). So we will try to regain strength tonight (may already be a kaiseki, high Japanese cuisine, which is the capital of Kyoto), normally before a future visit to Nara, the first capital of the country, very close, and that several sites are listed in the UNESCO heritage.

PS: as expected, kaiseki tonight so ... Oh la la, my ancestors, it's good, refined, so pleasing to the eye, the nose and palate ... It deserves a To Do & To Die for him only ... The spirit of the thing thus: historically, kaiseki is a suite of 6 to 8 meals (3 or 4 bites each, no more) that served as accompaniment to sake (which rises quickly to the head, I confirm particularly cold). Today, it is a meal in itself, where the presentation is at least as important as taste. It is far from Indian standards (try asking a cherry branch on a uttapam mix or ginger flower on a plate of dal, ridiculous insured) ... We will not make you the details of all the dishes (for nippophile greedy queen stoves: we can discuss if you really insist), but we strongly advise you not to provide a step kaiseki next time you're in the area! Incidentally, it was the best among others ate sashimi far. Yes, we write it often, but there bluefin tuna was ... rah, hard to find the words ... I've realized when I began to purr with sushi with eel.

Reminder: many visitors read the text of day tickets on Japan, but very few will see the photos. So we remind you that the galleries include separate each city albums, online in real time at:

http://www.hindigo.net/photo

It had to happen eventually though: it rains. A nasty drizzle, dense enough to umbrellas, cold enough to rush out in the lower neck. As a result, projects walking tour quickly turned short, so as not to risk the cold before the crucial step, Kyoto.

According to the Lonely, is not missing much, the sights are on the whole very few or eccentric. This step was more desired by logistics: not a hotel room available throughout Kyoto and Nara for tonight!

So, no pictures either, but we'll put those in Hiroshima to compensate. And we walk especially in Osaka, a huge covered porch full of all the more crazy than the other stores. We still ended up finding a local LV just below the hotel ...

In the evening after dinner so pub grub alongside world record holders descent Asahi, stroll in Den-Den Town, the neighborhood geeks Osaka, right next to the hotel. Many electronics stores, but also across a few shops manga. Out of curiosity, never having opened this type of work in France, we enter. On the ground floor, the "cute" titles accumulate quietly. We take the escalator to the first floor, without noticing the pannonceau crossed a pink X, together with a warning hiragana with the number "18" ... You see where I'm going ... so the first floor, entering an amazing world last one row DVD vaguely alluring way Baywatch, linear whole book and DVD (not just cartoons but also films) trash all over each other. And there are thousands compulsés by young pimply as lustful grandpas ... We leave very quickly, fire cheeks and a deep desire to vomit ... And we look back with delight to the Indians, who Maxim (version "shirt without the top button and bermuda ") is currently the pinnacle of eroticism despite their kamasutresque heritage. Violations of women's dignity are not always where we thought ...

PS: the barometer is falling, morale goes ... and you look back (unrelated to the paragraph above) to this adage in a teacher preparation: "The evil female gives you an idea of infinity" (and n ' Nicolas is not that contradict me I think ...)