KYOTO TO NARA

I've touched on the history of Kyoto and Nara over the past month, so will not again bring up their past, except for one ideal look back at this region of Japan.  You can read Eating as our ancestors did from this weekend's issue of The Japan Times, but I'll quickly summarize:

• 
  Researchers are trying to learn what the country ate 1300 years ago, so are looking at the Nara period from 710-794.
• Nara is the easternmost site of the Silk Road, and to this area first came to Japan religion and rice in water culture.
• 
  Essentially, then, there was rice, fish and vegetables.  
• But fish went bad quickly, so they dried it or added salt.
• The making of soup from dried fish flakes (usually bonito, a type of tuna) led to what became the notion of umami, the essence of deliciousness, for glutamic acid is found in the flesh/bones, which gets converted to monosodium glutamate, almost another term for umami.

• 
  The sodium to preserve fish, however, no doubt led to all kinds of ailments, lowering the life expectancies of earlier generations.
• Whle the daily salt intake of the Japanese has dropped from 14.5 grams in 1973 to 9.5 grams in 2017, the country still consumes more salt/capita than almost any other nation.

• 
  Then why do Japanese live longer than other developed countries?  They say that the reasons have to do with a low rate of obesity, minimal consumption of red meat and high input of plant foods like soybeans and tea.
• The obesity rate of men is 4.8% and women 3.7%.
• Compared to 24.6% for men and 26.2% for women in Canada.
• I can attest to the fact that there is too much salt in Japanese cuisine, for my body feels it.

• 

  This leads to the term washoku.
• Means food of Japan, and has drawn world attention for being healthy and delicious.
• Katsuoboshi, or dried tuna, is boiled into dashi, this essence of umami, from which came Washoku.
• Research has shown that the perfect dashi is boiled for 18 minutes and 30 seconds.

• 
  Kyoto in particular has perfected Washoku into Kaiseki, which takes the main principles and elevates them to fine dining.  The banquet is comprised of small dishes masterfully prepared and served at the peak of freshness and elegance, representing the season.

Woke up and went to maybe the best kaiseki breakfast we have had so far on this trip.  Absolutely wonderful and beautiful...but perhaps still with too much salt.  This is the meal for one person.

Photos in the Kyoto Westin Miyako.

We've seen this Christmas tree from another level.

Went to the Club Lounge to finish this posting, with unfiltered sake and champagne.

Next, on to Nara.

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KYOTO

We left Osaka  by train for Kyoto, 36 miles away. Saw some fall colors.

Passed the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery.

Kyoto Station is impressive.

A shuttle bus comes from the Kyoto Westin Miyako twice an hour.  All hotels have at least one large Christmas tree.

Check in went well.  Nice room.  Went to the Club Lounge to do my blog.

Lot's of stuff to drink, but the food was only appetizers.

Nice breakfast buffet.

We debated going to Kiyomizu, where the Fall colors were almost past the peak.  However, this is a Saturday, and the advice was that there would just be too many people there.  So we instead caught the subway to walk up and down Shijo-dori, or Gion.  The internet here is very fast.  The next 24 photos took less than a minute and a half to download.  On some cruise ships, that would have taken all day.

Kyoto Minamiza Theater.

To Yasaka Shrine.

Yasaka Shrine.

Certainly our best viewing of Fall colors on this trip.

Supposedly, Maikos and Geishas walk in kimonos on the street in Gion.  However, most the following are probably just dressed up normal people, and those who rent.  Only a little more than $25 for 6-8 hours.

Three giant round daikon (turnips).

We thought that if there was a line to get into a restaurant, it must be really worthwhile.  So we joined one, eventually went in, and saw it was for soba.

Cold soba and beer.

Hardly worth the wait.  After a transfer, the station is a short walk to the hotel.  Back to the Kyoto Westin Miyako.

Well, I'll end my posting with 6459 steps.

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