Vignettes of the World
It’s springtime and the major events of the year are underway. I visited the Art Basel 2025 last night at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Here’s a quick snapshot of my experience. The Art Basel brings together an enormous number …
I had just about a little more than a half day in Osaka and so I decided to visit Shinsekai. Time stopped at Shinsekai after the reconstruction period post WWII. Meaning “New World,” Shinsekai was once a beacon of hope for Osaka. The area developed …
Visitors of Nara must not miss the Nakatanidou mochi as it is certainly a precious intangible heritage of Nara. In my Japanese food entry, the Nakatanidou mochi is the only food that I thought was an absolute must-try in this Japan trip.
I passed by Nakatanidou a few times in my sojourn in Nara. The most crowded time was in the afternoon, with long queues of eager customers wanting a taste of this wonderful Nara specialty. Bloggers say that the shop displays the pounding technique during the day, but I did not have a chance to appreciate it.
When I was heading out for dinner in the evening, I passed by Nakatanidou again, when the store was packing up the last few mochi’s that were left over from the day. I snatched what was there, and ate it before having my dinner. After dinner, I passed by the store on the way back to the guesthouse. At that hour, the chef was cleaning the tools, utensils and the kitchen. There was just one box of mochi’s left. I snatched that box as well.
The chewy texture of the mochi comes from the repeated motion of rapidly pounding the glutinous rice dough, which serves as the wrapping for this wonderful morsel. At Nakatanidou, the mochi pounding is a world record. Nakatanidou holds the Guiness record for the speed of pounding the steamed glutinous rice.
TheIntroverTraveler has a perfect description of the amazing theatrics involved in the pounding of the steamed glutinous rice cake. The workers work in perfect synchrony with the pounding of a wooden mallet upon the dough to turn up a pillowy but stretchy mochi. The process of making mochi is called mochitsuki.
Needless to say, the fact that I went back a second time to snatch the last box of the day shows just how good these mochi’s are. The sensation of eating the Nakatanidou mochi is one of unlikely opposites. When I put the mochi into my mouth, the first expectation was that the glutinous rice cake would melt away. Its softness indicates so. Yet not so soon. I tasted the red bean paste inside and the whole piece became fluffy and chewy at the same time. It could have been heaven in your mouth, yes, as in having clouds squished between your tongue and the roof of your palate.
Before serving these mochi’s, a layer of yomogi is sprinkled. Yomogi is Japanese mugwort, which gives “the treat a subtle earthy and herbal taste.” (TheIntroverTraveler).
My only evening in Nara ended on a sweet note as I had this last mochi of the day with hot tea over a small coffee table on the tatami.
As I wrapped the super fluffy blanket around me that evening, I felt an incredible sense of satiation. I have seen the deer of Nara Park and savored the heavenly morsel of Nakatanidou mochi. There was wonderful chocolate cake and coffee at the Myriam Café in between. The cold was very soothing in Nara, and I did not have to fight with other tourists over so many things like I did in Kyoto.
In the following day, I would take a one last (or rather, the only) look at Osaka as the conclusion of my first trip to Japan.
TheIntroverTraveler on Nakatanidou, the Famous Mochi Shop in Nara (Japan).
The Toadai-ji Temple is a significant temple within the grounds of the Nara Park. I simply took a look of its outside, and did not bother to queue a long line to see the big Buddha statue inside. Suffice to say, the imposing Nandaimon Gate …
I had concluded my journey in Kyoto after five full days touring numerous temples for Momiji. It came time for Nara, and I headed out on the slow Nara train in the morning. I arrived into a Nara that was slightly overcast and notably colder …
In this journey I spent five full days in Kyoto and visited countless breathtaking sites for momiji foliage viewing. I found all of the sites that I visited to be worthwhile. Based on this experience, I have come up with the following suggested five-day itinerary for the red foliage season in Kyoto.
The dates of my travel were November 24 to November 28. Depending on how cold a given year is, it is safe to visit Kyoto in the few weeks between late November to mid-December if you want to ride on the red foliage season. There are online sources that show the projected red foliage season arrival each year, approaching October or so.
| Site | Significance | Transportation | Nature of Scenery |
| Nijo Castle | The historic seat of authority of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the site where the last Shogun announced a return of actual power to the Emperor of Japan in the Taiseihokan of 1867 | Metro | Temple architecture and historic gardens |
| Kiyomizu-dera Temple | A pre-Heian era historic temple with early roots from Nara and also practices Nara Buddhism. | Buses | Temple architecture, night photography |
| Yasaka Shrine | A shrine to pray for relationship success, a favorite for the Kyoto locals | Walk from Kiyomizu-dera Temple | Shrine altars |
| Gion District | A historic district known to be where the geisha’s are still present, with many food options | Walk from Yasaka Shrine | Antique street vibes lined with historic buildings |
| Site | Significance | Transportation | Nature of Scenery |
| Bamboo Grove | What used to be sections of aesthetic plants in the noble villas in the area | Metro | Bamboo grove |
| Tenryu-ji Temple | One of the most prominent Zen temples in Kyoto, with roots tracing back to the very first Zen temple in Kyoto | Metro | Temple architecture and gardens |
| Okochi Sanso Villa | The villa of famous actor Denjiro Okochi | Metro | Temples, villa and garden ground |
| The Jojakko-ji Temple | A temple abiding by the Nichiren school of Buddhism, a sect of Kamakura Buddhism | Metro | Temple architecture and gardens |
| The Nison-in Temple | A temple practicing Tendai Buddhism with cemetery grounds, including Emperors that buried here | Metro | Temple architecture and imperial cemetery |
| The Nonomiya Shrine | The former site where imperial priestess went through cleansing rituals before serving in the Ise Shrine | Metro | Shrine and a few torii gates |
| Site | Significance | Transportation | Nature of Scenery |
| Togetsukyo Bridge | Views of Katsura River, an ancient bridge that has much cultural significance for Arahisyama | Metro | A beautiful bridge with mountains hugging in the back |
| The business district of Arashiyama | Full of festive vibes during high touring season, with plenty of food choices | Metro | All around hip area with shopping and food |
| Gio-ji Temple | A sanctuary that gave home to heartbroken women | Metro | A moss-covered garden |
| The Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street | The Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street features century-old traditional Japanese houses called machiya’s. | Metro | Beautiful traditional Japanese houses |
| Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple | 8,000 stone markers that memorialized the lonely souls that did not have a proper burial | Metro | Beautiful garden, cemetery ground and a bamboo grove with very few tourists |
| Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple | 1,200 rakan stone statues carved by believers | Metro | Temple architecture and stone statue garden |
| Site | Significance | Transportation | Nature of Scenery |
| Ninna-ji Temple | A Shingon temple, where a member of the imperial family used to serve as head priest. | Bus | Temple architecture and garden grounds |
| Ryoan-ji Temple | A Zen temple with one of the most famous classical Zen gardens in Kyoto | Bus | Temple architecture, gardens and ponds |
| Kinkaku-ji Temple | Exterior covered in shiny gold leaves, exceptional three-tier architecture | Bus | Temple architecture, gardens and pond |
| Nishiki Market | Centuries old market selling all things food-related, featuring Kyoto local specialties and an overload of street food | Bus | Photography of wonderful store space and fresh produce of all kinds |
| Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine | A shrine dedicated to scholarship in the Nishki Market | Bus | Shrine architecture and ambience |
| The Samurai Museum | A cool museum in the Nishiki Market showcasing all that you need to know about medieval Japanese history during the Shogunate periods, as well as the samurai and ninja. | Bus | Historic learning |
| Site | Significance | Transportation | Nature of Scenery |
| Blue Bottle Kyoto | Located in a restored heritage building, a traditional Japanese wooden house, serves coffee and offers light refreshments as well | Metro | Heritage house architecture, peaceful and cultural vibes with coffee |
| Nanzen-ji Temple | The “first temple of the land,” as the head temple that oversees the top Zen temples of Kyoto and Kamakura | Metro | Temple architecture, garden and pond |
| Eikando-ji Temple | Fomerly Zenrin-ji Temple, Eikando Temple practices Jodo Buddhism | Metro | Night illuminated views, temple architecture and garden and pond |
| Fushimi Inari Shrine | Dedicated to the Shinto god of rice harvest, Inari | Bus and Metro | A cascade of torii gates line up beautifully for instagrammable photos |
I was just strolling in Sai Ying Pun and stumbled upon a hidden gem amidst its crisscrossing uphill grids. No. 9 and No. 10 Yu Lok Lane are classified as the shophouse type of tenement houses. A lot of the traditional Hong Kong tenements are …
The wetlands of Long Valley in Sheung Shui have finally opened to the public as a site of ecological tourism since November 2024. Wedged between the Sheung Yue River and Shek Sheung River in Sheung Shui, Long Valley had long been the freshwater marsh that …
The Grand Palace was the only sightseeing that I did in this trip in Bangkok. Its beautiful Thai architecture is a lavish expression of the aura of the Thai kingdom. The Buddhist faith is front and center in the Grand Palace, as it has always enjoyed the royal patronage that continues to this day.
Throughout the history of Siam, the Grand Palace has been the very symbol of the Chakri dynasty’s royal authority. The earliest buildings have served as the official royal residence since the 18th century, when Rama I came to power and ruled Siam.
The sheer size of the Grand Palace shows its significance. Currently spanning an area of 218,000 square meters, the Grand Palace consists of four sections that are of tourist interest. The crenellated walls alone measure 19,000 meters in length.
The most visited section of the Grand Palace is the royal temple section.
The single most crowded spot in the Grand Palace is the Emerald Buddha at Phra Ubosot. It is considered an object of national veneration in Thailand. The Emerald Buddha acquired its name because of its color, not because it is made of emerald. Carved from a block of jasper, the Buddha is believed to be of northern Thai craftsmanship of the 15th century. There are three raiment of the Buddha, periodically changed on specified dates on the lunar calendar.
King Rama I dedicated the summer and rainy season raiment, and King Rama III dedicated the winter raiment. These raiment’s are carved in gold and embellished with diamonds and precious gems. The Emerald Buddha’s religious and national significance notwithstanding, its exquisiteness itself is worth a visit. Indeed, Buddhism thrived under the first three kings of the Chakri dynasty, who were all devout Buddhists.
Perhaps it comes with no surprise that the architecture that adorns the Phra Ubosot is grand with exceptionally intricate details. Traditional Thai architecture features multi-tier roofs in colored tiles with finials and roof ridges. Although the building is made of bricks, the exterior is covered with gilt and colored glass mosaics in geometric patterns, awash with extravagance.
Shoes off as you enter into the Convocation Hall to see the Emerald Buddha.
The other significant structure that catches the eye is the Phra Sri Rattan Chedi, which is the golden stupa. A structure of 1855, the Phra Sri Rattana Chedi housed the relics of the Buddha. In Rama V’s reign, the brick and mortar stupa was dressed in the golden attire with imported gold mosaic tiles from Italy. This was an effort to celebrate the centennial of Bangkok in 1882.
In 1982, another shipment came from Italy to retile the stupa, for the bicentenary of Bangkok, during the reign of Rama IX.
I think the photograph conveys just exactly how dazzling the Phra Sri Rattana is.
Since I am not a Buddhist, and I tend not to enjoy the sight of Buddhist statues, I appreciate the cultural, aesthetic and historical (as opposed to religious) significance of the temples as the main lesson I take in visiting the temples of the world. The Phra Mondop embodies all such significance in one.
The Thai mondop spired roof of the Phra Mondop points to the azure sky of the day. The “exterior walls are covered in glass mosaic and around the base are rows of gilt-stucco Thepanom folded-palm deities atop a row of Asura giants interspersed with mythical Garudas” (descriptions on site) The Mondop is known as the library. A construction from the reign of Rama I, Phra Mondop houses a large lacquered mother-of-pearl inlay cabinet containing palm leaf Buddhist Tritaka Scriptures.
The Phra Vihara Yod Chapel was also beautiful. The historical significance of this chapel is that it houses the fragments of Buddha images collected from the ruins of temples in the old capital of Ayutthaya, the glorious kingdom that preceded the founding of Siam by the Chakri dynasty. “The building is decorated with porcelain dishes and plates imported from China or pieces that were broken during transport and fashioned into floral and geometric patterned mosaics,” (descriptions on site) with Thai Crown spire surmounted on the roof.
The Grand Palace remains the official place of residence for the Chakri kings. However, the current King of Thailand, King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), resides primarily in Germany. He does not live in the Grand Palace on any regular basis. Due to his living in Germany, there has been longstanding diplomatic issues raised by the German government. It is problematic for a head of state to be living in another country and running his own country’s affairs in a jurisdiction other than his own, owing to the territoriality principle of international law.
A thorough exploration of the Grand Palace, including the museums, will take at least 2 hours. If you are pressed for time, be sure to visit the few key structures that I have introduced here.
After a busy session photographing the beautiful architecture of the Grand Palace, it was only appropriate to have an afternoon coffee boost. We arrived at the Golden Place across from the main entrance of the Grand Palace, and sat down with Golden Coffee.
The Golden Coffee was a social project undertaken by Rama IX (the last Thai king) to transform the highland fields of northern Thailand. In those earlier times, the farmers of the highlands at Doi Mae Salong, Chiang Rai, grew opium. In an act of royal benevolence, Rama IX resolved to help farmers plant cash crops instead of opium.
In 2018, Golden Coffee was founded to support the coffee farmers at the former opium plantations. The Arabica coffee beans go through a “washed process,” then roasted to perfection. There is a marketing angle to Golden Coffee, in that it seeks to offer unique flavors in its hot and cold beverages. My cup of Golden Coffee was indeed delightful with a very pleasant aroma.
Descriptions on site at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The Wikipedia on Buddhism in Thailand.
The Wikipedia on King Vajiralongkorn.
Thailand is known for its food. Not just Thai cuisine, but any type of cuisine to which its chefs dedicate themselves. Since we were staying at the Grand Hyatt, we had quite a few meals at the restaurants in the hotel. Top that up with …