Vignettes of the World
The fantastic tour at the Samurai Museum presents visitors with a brief history lesson of feudal Japan. The young and knowledgeable tour guides shed light on the hierarchy of Japan’s ruling power during the Shogunate period, which lasted for roughly 7 centuries between 1192 and …
I went to Nishiki Market twice on this trip to Kyoto. The irony is that I went the second time because the first time was not good enough, and I would not rest until I found something fantastic there. Having gone twice and confirmed that …
Nanzen-ji Temple is one of the most important Zen temples in Japan. Nestled in the foothill of the Higashiyama mountains, Nanzen-ji Temple has an enormous temple ground that accommodates many sub-temples, as well as a 19th century aqueduct. This presents tourists the opportunity for a variety of scenery in the tour. Needless to say, the late 13th century temple is itself a history lesson to learn, besides the messages that inform the philosophy of life at its famous Zen karesansui garden.
Nanzen-ji Temple began as Emperor Kameyama’s retirement villa, a detached palace called Zenrin-ji palace during the middle of the Kamakura period in 1264. The name of this palace was taken in reference to the Eikando-ji Temple, which lies nearby to the north of Nanzen-ji Temple.
In 1287, Emperor Kameyama built a temple in the palace, and this temple stood for the inception of the villa’s religious nature. The original villa was turned into a temple in 1291, two years after Emperor Kameyama abdicated the throne and turned to the life of ascetism as a monk in 1289. By then, Nanzen-ji Temple has taken the form and substance as Japan’s “first temple of the land.”
Throughout its long history, the temple had experienced complete destruction during the civil wars of the Muromachi period (1333-1573). Reconstruction completed in 1597, and the temple continued to expand through the Edo period. However, in 1895, the Hatto was once again destroyed by fire. The current structure is a reconstruction in 1909.
Nanzen-ji Temple is the head temple that oversees the Five Zen Mountains of Kyoto, of which Tenryu-ji Temple is one. In terms of its Buddhism, Nanzen-ji Temple is representative of the Rinzai school of Buddhism. Under its supervision are two tracks of great temples. The Five Zen Mountains of Kyoto was one, and the Five Zen Mountains of Kamakura was the other.
There are a number of exceptional features that Nanzen-ji Temple offers, making it a great destination for tourists. As with all temples in Japan, Nanzen-ji Temple is unique in its own right. I will briefly discuss some of the amazing features there that made the tour an incredible experience for me.
You won’t miss the stately wooden gate of Sanmon at the Nanzen-ji Temple. A structure of 1628, the Sanmon Gate was a gate established by the Tokugawa shogunate to commemorate the soldiers that died in the Osaka Castle siege. The very original Sanmon Gate of the 13th century had long been destroyed by fire in 1447.
Meaning “three doors,” the Sanmon Gate of Nanzen-ji Temple is considered one of “Kyoto’s three main gateways.” The building has two stories. The upper level gives home to spirit tablets and precious Japanese artwork.
The Hojo is the abbot’s residence and the main hall of Nanzen-ji Temple.
The key features to appreciate at the Hojo are the national grade cultural treasures of fusuma (sliding door) paintings, the artwork of the Kano school of artists in the 17th century; and the Zen rock garden, with an imagery of a mother tiger bearing her cubs across a river.
The Zen garden here was the work of Kobori Enshu, who was a 17th century tea ceremony and garden design master. He was known to have introduced “western perspectives” in his gardens, including the perfect ratio to achieve the visual effects that encourage meditation.
The Hojo is quite a big compound and the red foliage there was very beautiful. I did sit at the porch and admired the Zen garden. Despite the heavy foot traffic there, I did feel momentary peace.
Meaning “heaven given,” the Tenjuan Temple is a small sub temple of Nanzen-ji Temple, with a main hall, a study and two gardens of 17th century construction. This temple commemorates a Zen religious master that used to instruct Emperor Kameyama on Zen Buddhism.
By this time of my tour in Kyoto, I had seen a dozen of temple and villa gardens already. Yet I was still amazed by Tenjuan Temple’s garden. In autumn time it has a charm that works in mysterious ways.
The day was brightly lit, but the Tenjuan Garden was cool with a warm penumbra, as trees with lush red foliage line the small pond. Large carps in gold and red swam sluggishly in the pond, their tails stroking the fallen maple leaves floating on the pond’s surface. This garden space by the pond reminds me of a gentlewoman of sublime grace. I might like this garden even more so than the Sogenchi garden of Tenryu-ji Temple.
Tourists must stroll in one direction from the main hall of the temple. I loved the garden space so much that I took two rounds at the pond.
The Nanzen-ji acqueduct is a 19th century red brick public utility structure, a part of the Lake Biwa Canal system. The Lake Biwa Canal was a public project that the Governor of Kyoto proposed to revive Kyoto from economic and cultural decline after the Meiji reign moved its imperial seat from Kyoto to Edo (now Tokyo) in 1869.
Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan. Beginning in 1890, the canal system draws water from Biwa Lake and in the process of channeling the water it provides Kyoto with both drinking and irrigation water, the source to power hydroelectric plants and also a passageway that enabled the transportation of goods. Tanabe Sakuro was the chief engineer for this project.
At that time in history, such an infrastructure was groundbreaking for Japan as the chief engineer drew upon the latest infrastructural expertise from the United States. The western style architecture of the aqueduct, named Suirokaku Water Bridge, with beautiful arches rolling to infinity, presents a remarkable juxtaposition to the traditional Japanese temples that span over the temple ground of Nanzen-ji.
The Biwa Canal system is still in use today for the transportation of water between Lake Biwa and Kyoto to fulfill water demand. However, the waterway no longer allows freight passage.
The Wikipedia on Nanzen-ji.
Nipponderful.com on Tenjuan Garden.
The Wikipedia on Nanzen-ji in Kyoto (Chin).
Japan-guide.com on Nanzenji Temple.
The Wikipedia on the Biwa Lake Canal.
Touristinjapan.com on Nanzen-ji Temple.
The Wikipedia on Kobori Enshu.
Take a walk in Central during non-office hours and you find two hot spots that brim with tourist energy. The Tsim Chai Kee wonton noodles and Lan Fong Yuen together take over the little walking space there is in the Central Mid-levels escalator area as …
Tai O of Lantau Island is known for many wonderful things. A thorough exploration of the treasures of Tai O is a whole-day affair. I have previously covered the Tai O Heritage Hotel, formerly Old Tai O Police Station. On this slightly cloudy spring day …
Founded in 1911, St. Paul’s Church stands beautifully on Glenealy in Neo-Gothic, Classical Revival and Dutch styles of architecture. The church belongs to a group of heritage buildings that stand on an area named Tit Kong, the Iron Mound. This group of heritage buildings include the church itself, the Bishop’s House, and the Old S.K.H. Kei Yan Primary School—amongst the many other Anglican buildings in the general area.
The buildings at the Iron Mound are the very testaments to the Anglican Church’s pastoral and educational missions in Hong Kong. Throughout the 20th century, the Anglican Church has established multiple schools in this location. The Bishop’s House (1851), for example, once served as the collegiate schoolhouse for St. Paul’s College, where prominent Hong Kong legislative councilor Wu Ting Fang once attended school.
Of the Anglican denomination, St. Paul’s Church came into existence by the efforts of four critical persons. At the time of founding, Lam Woo, Huang Mou Lin, Li Wei Zhen and Reverend A.D. Stewart called for the establishment of a church for the expatriate congregation of the Anglican faith in Hong Kong.
Throughout a century of its history, St. Paul’s Church has nurtured 35 bishops, 6 of whom became the archbishops in Hong Kong and overseas.
The St. Paul’s Church was one of the early Anglican parishes that began preaching in Chinese. It grew into a sizable church, and by 1938 it came under the administration of the Anglican Church in Hong Kong. During the Japanese Occupation, the church was turned into the training site for the kempeitai of the Japanese Imperial Army. After WWII, the church established the Sheng Kung Hui Kindergarten, bringing home its efforts in offering Christian education to the locals of Hong Kong.
If you take a stroll in this part of Central, just a stone’s throw from the bar and entertainment establishments of Lan Kwai Fong, you will not miss the stately St. Paul’s Church, situated a bit more uphill from the Fringe Club.
If placed in a historical context, this area’s hodge podge of heritage buildings (and yes, Lan Kwai Fong’s bar establishments are also historical) exemplify the varied, colorful and eclectic character that forms the very core of Hong Kong’s heterogeneity. The Fringe Club, formerly Old Dairy Farm Depot, is now an arts and culture venue. The decadence of Lan Kwai Fong’s nightlife is the result of astuteness by the business leaders of Hong Kong. The Anglican cluster of buildings then add to this unlikely mix of heritage the call for atonement and the pursuit of holiness. And surely, St. Paul’s Church’s architecture appeals to the soulful yearnings for peace and hope.
The main architectural style of the St. Paul’s Church is Neo-Gothic, with elements of Classical Revival, Dutch and Tudor.
The first striking impression of the St. Paul’s Church is the Dutch walls featuring the colors of blue and white. The blue color adorns the roof and the mouldings against the white stucco walls.
Extending to a seemingly endless sky is the spire on the southern end of the building that typifies century-old churches anywhere in the world. In the urbanscape that is Hong Kong, this gothic architectural feature of the church embodies a significance that transcends the changing face of Central in the past century.
The other end of the church features a Dutch gable and canted bay. The main arched window in its front is the same motif throughout the upper row of windows that follow in the side walls.
The windows on the upper row of the side walls have pointed arches, a detail that comports with the building’s gothic theme.
Of most significance in St. Paul Church’s interiors are the stained glass panes that lie behind the altar. It was a gift of Reverend Stewart in 1917, shipped from the United Kingdom. The paintings on glass depict the disciples of Jesus Christ and Jesus himself. I was not able to enter the church during non-sermon hours. Therefore, I have not been able to photograph this beautiful piece of installation.
The St. Paul’s Church is a Grade 1 Historic Building.
The Official Website of the St. Paul’s Church and Vicarage.
The Antiquities Advisory Board, Bishop’s House Historical Building Appraisal No. 9 and No. 49.
Master-insight.com, A Building Cluster that Carries the History of Sheng Kung Hui’s Faith and Educational Missions (Chin).
There are not too many options for proper hiking in Sheung Shui. I have covered Tai Shek Mo previously, and today I made it to the Wah Shan hike from Sheung Shui to Fanling. Be prepared to roll on the rolling ridges that fasten themselves …
The Man Mo Temple is one of the earliest temples established in Hong Kong Island. Two wealthy Chinese merchants came up with the funds to build it between 1847 and 1862. Standing on Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, Man Mo Temple bears witness to the …
Once you’ve had Japanese food in Japan, you can never go back to Japanese food elsewhere.
This has been the comment I have heard from many, many people. As this was my first trip ever to Japan, I naturally had high expectations for its food. Yet, to my great disappointment, the food that I had on this trip had been the worst aspect of the traveling experience. I will discuss briefly some of the food I had in this entry.
As a first course, perhaps the book Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan’s Food Culture by Matt Goulding will be helpful for those who are quite serious in learning about Japanese food. It is so well written that you will salivate by reading it. The book has the power to convey the brilliance of Japanese cuisine in words that readily transform into actual sensations in your palate.
For Hong Kong people, the go-to website for restaurant information is Open Rice. In Japan, the locals use Tabelog. These are sort of equivalent to the American Yelp. The great thing is that Tabelog comes in English as well.
With the exception of Unagiya Hirokawa, there was not one restaurant that required advanced booking. However, there were a few that have limited seating and required some kind of advanced queuing.
For example, Menya Inoichi, a Michelin-recommended ramen house in Kyoto, has only ten spots. Lines form at 5pm for dinner, and I arrived at around 5:35 pm or so. The waiter called out the person right in front of me as the very last customer they could take in the evening. Yes, they cut off the queue right in front of me. I begged, but a no is a no.
The restaurants in the following table come in a random order, it is not a ranking.
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Unagi Hirokawa (Kyoto) | 44-1 Kitatsukurimicho Sagatenryuji, Ukyo-Ku, Kyoto 616-8374 | Unagiya Hirokawa is a 1-star Michelin restaurant serving charcoal grilled freshwater eel over rice. The flavors of the unagi were wonderful, but the eel was lacking in texture. | Lukewarm recommendation |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Curry House Coco Ichibanya (Kyoto) | 411 Matsuyacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 600-8105 | Curry House CoCo Ichibanya is a chain restaurant specializing in Japanese curry. I had a katsu curry and it was good. Unlike the Japanese curry I had previously, the dish at Coco Curry came with a bit of heat. It was a pleasant surprise. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Sushiden Kenzan (Kyoto) | 7th Floor, Kyoto Takashimaya Shopping Center | Sushiden Kenzan serves mostly sushi. There was a piece of sushi that I had never tried before in my sushi platter. I thought the sushi was quite good, but perhaps not necessarily much better than what I get in the United States or in Hong Kong. I arrived at a later time of the night and so some of the items I wanted were sold out already. There was a half hour wait around 7:30pm. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Namaste Dhaula Giri
(Kyoto) |
80 Tamamizucho, Higashiyama-Ku, Kyoto | Namaste Dhaula Giri serves Nepalese cuisine near the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Its curry was excellent with the naan. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Machikadoya Karasuma Gojo
(Kyoto) |
418 Matsuyacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 600-8105 | The Machikadoya Karasuma Gojo is a perfect spot for solo diners, offering one-person meals for a super economical price. The food is simple, very basic, but you can taste the natural flavors and it is very satisfying. It is commoners’ food and that was what I liked. Opens 24 hours. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Ootoya
(Kyoto) |
601 Nishiuoyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8142 | I went into this Ootoya before heading into Nishiki Market because the sign outside says, “fall vegetables,” and I was craving just that. My dish came with a generous portion of wok-fried oysters with an assortment of fall vegetables, and it was exceedingly pleasant. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Marion Crepes
(Kyoto) |
230 Eirakucho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8071 | In this pedestrian area with many wonderful street food establishments, Marion Crepes offers a wide selection of both savory and sweet crepes. I opted for a simple strawberry with vanilla ice cream. To be fair, it wasn’t too bad. | Lukewarm recommendation |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| 7-Eleven
(Kyoto) |
43-2 Bishamoncho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto 605-0812 | The egg salad sando’s of Japanese convenience stores are world famous. I had just one opportunity to try it near the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It was quite good. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Natakanidou
(Nara) |
29 Hashimotocho, Nara 630-8217 | The mochi of Natakanidou is the delightful product of the traditional pounding technique of mochisutki. | Must-try |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Kyo Tsuke-men Tsurukame
(Kyoto) |
559 Nakanocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8042, Nakagyo Ward | I decided to have a bowl of ramen here because of the “votes” of the Japanese locals. There was a bit of a line. The restaurant was very cramped. I ordered the spicy ramen and it did not turn out that well for me. The broth was simply too thick. But maybe their other ramen flavors would turn out better. | Lukewarm recommendation |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Kyoto Gyo-collet
(Kyoto) |
The shop at Nakagyo Ward (close to the Nishiki Market) closed permanently and they are now at another location. | Gyoza is the Japanese rendition of dumplings. I ordered the kobe beef gyoza at this shop, and it did not turn out well. The meat had a gamey taste that is unusual for beef. It only tasted better after adding soy sauce and their spicy chilli oil. Their gyoza were also way overpriced. | No |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Nero
(Nara) |
39 Hayashikojicho, Nara 630-8227 | Nero is a restaurant in Nara serving Japanese styled western food. I had a burger patty meal, but the meat did not turn out well. Like the kobe beef gyoza at Kyoto Gyo-collet, the buger patty had a gamey taste that is unusual for beef. The restaurant had a pretty cool ambience however. I went in the late afternoon and even then they almost turned me down because they were quite full. | No |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Myriam Café
(Nara) |
39 Hayashikoujicho, Nara-shi, Nara 630-8227 | Myriam is a petite Japanese styled café in Nara. I had its signature chocolate cake with black coffee, and sat there for an afternoon admiring the non-Japanese lady there speaking fluent Japanese. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Moku Kintetsu Nara
(Nara) |
Floor 2, 5 Konishicho, Nara 630-8226 | Yakiniku is Japanese grilled meat. You grill the meat at the table in open fire yourself. I really enjoyed my only dinner in Nara there. Needless to say, all beef is Japanese-grown there. | Yes |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Sally’s Kitchen (Kyoto) | 400 Funayacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8051 (inside the Nishiki Market of Kyoto) | Sally’s Kitchen offers the famous Japanese fruit sando’s. I liked my strawberry sando but perhaps it did not live up to all the hype that surrounds it. | Lukewarm recommendation |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Ichibachosou Kaisentonya (Kyoto) | 209 Kajiyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-8052 (inside the Nishiki Market of Kyoto) | In Kyoto’s Nishiki Market, Ichibachosou Kaisentonya offers a wide spectrum of sashimi over rice kaisen-don (seafood rice bowl). I ordered uni (sea urchin) and tuna, which are supposedly the higher-end sashimi, but the food was underwhelming. It was not cheap either. | No |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Romantei Lucua
(Osaka) |
Lucua Food Hall B2 Level | Romantei Lucua is a chain restaurant specializing in beef don (grilled beef over rice). The seasoning was a bit too light at first impression. I added a whole lot of furikake and it was much better. | Lukewarm recommendation |
| Restaurant | Location | Comment | Recommendation |
| Oyajino Kushiya Honten
(Osaka) |
2 Chome-4-14 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0002 (inside the Shinsekai neighborhood) | Oyajino Kushiya serves a special kind of Osakan food known as kushikatsu, which are skewers deep fried in breaded batter. This restaurant has very interesting ambience and offers more than kushikatsu. I wanted to try it because this type of food typified the Osakan workmen culture as a kind of cheap street food for them. However, it is just not my type of food. | No |
I think what readers can take out of this list is the types of common Japanese food that you should try on your first visit in Japan. Although some of my meals did not turn out so well, the same type of food can be found in other restaurants. If you are quite serious about the local cuisine of Kyoto, certainly look up kyo-kaiseki in your research.
The Gio-ji Temple lies in the quiet of Arashiyama’s back quarters, its petite garden covered in moss. Its humility is deceiving. Unlike the bigger temples, such as Tenryu-ji, Jojakko-ji or the Nison-in Temple, Gio-ji appears, at first glance, to pale significantly in terms of the …