We treated ourselves to a lie in this morning and didn’t get up until 9am. We had ear marked a lovely cafe just a few minutes walk from the hotel for breakfast but on arrival at 10am we realised the timings I had researched were not correct. The cafe closed at 10am, not opened!
We walked back to our hotel and had breakfast in the cafe, Japanese noodles again!
After breakfast we checked out and walked the 10 mins to the train station with our luggage. We all used our IC cards and boarded for Odawara where we were to take the bullet train.
We arrived in Odawara with plenty of time and bought tickets for the Shinkansen. While we were waiting we purchased some onigari for lunch. Onigari is the equivalent to a sandwich, it’s rice with a filling inside wrapped in nori and designed to be simple and quick to eat.
Whilst we have ridden the Shinkansen before, it was a very short ride and so this is our first real trip on the famous bullet train. There is very little time for boarding so we queue up early in the marked queuing area for our carriage.
Upon boarding we secure our luggage and take our seats and we’re off at 200mph!
Time seems to pass very quickly at 200mph, even though it feels like we just boarded, it’s nearly time to get off. The girls eat their onigari while I work on the travel blog. Again we had hoped for a glimpse of Mount Fuji but didn’t get one.
The announcements on the train make it very clear that you need to be ready to alight as soon as the train arrives in the station, so we prepare all our luggage and queue by the door.
We take the bus to our hotel, check-in and shower, then out the door again to make it in time for the tea ceremony.
The experience is just 5 mins walk from the hotel and we pass through the shopping district, trying not to get distracted on the way. Kyoto seems more lively somehow, with Tokyo more business like. There certainly seems to be more tourists in Kyoto.
On arriving at the tea ceremony location we check-in and change into kimonos before taking some pictures in their typical Japanese garden.
We’re then led upstairs to the ceremony room where the host explains the history of the ceremony and how the tea is made. She explains, it’s not really about the tea or the sweets. It’s about respect and mindfulness which we will practice today.
Following the history lesson, she teaches us how to make the tea. Usually it would be the host who makes the tea, but this time we will learn for ourselves.
Using a matcha whisk we make a very swift backwards and forwards motion to ensure lots of air is brought into the tea. There should be a consistent covering of foam once it’s ready.
After the tea is prepared, or served to you, you perform a deep bow before you lift the bowl with two hands and then twist the bowl 45 degrees anticlockwise twice before drinking. This is to display the pattern on the side facing you to the host, which demonstrates respect.
You should drink the tea over several mouthfuls, rather than downing it in one. Once finished you should then complete the rotation moving in reverse before placing the bowl back on the table directly in front of you. Finally a deep bow completes the ceremony.
We all enjoyed drinking our tea, even the children, it was unexpectedly creamy in texture, probably due to the whisking.
With the tea ceremony complete we took the opportunity for further photos in our kimonos n the ceremony room and then in the formal rear garden.
We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learned just a little more about Japanese culture. Our host did explain that the tea ceremony is for special occasions, and they didn’t perform it every day. She quite often goes to Starbucks!
After the experience we walk back through the shopping district, again trying not to get distracted. Since we’re all hungry and it’s dinner time.
For dinner, we have a French/Japanese fusion restaurant picked out, Restaurant Muni, which is not far from the hotel. We’re seated at the counter and get a first-hand view of the chef making his tasty creations.
The menu is made up of lots of small plates, and we order 8 between the four of us. One of our choices is Omnirice, which Alex is obsessed with due to watching various YouTube videos - apparently it is very hard to make well.
The salad to start, included Gorgonzola and walnuts, and was borderline breaking my no western food rule, but it was absolutely delicious and even the kids got stuck in.
However, the hands down winner was the Wagyu steak sandwich. It was melt in the mouth and absolutely the best steak sandwich I have ever eaten. If we could have eaten more, we would have ordered another.
The chef made the omnirice in front of us and part of the process is to cook the omelette just right so that the centre is still loose enough, that when you score the top the omelette opens out over the rice. It was pretty impressive, and we’ll have to give that a try at home.
When it comes to desert, the chef asks us what we would like and lists out the options. We misunderstand him and think it’s one dish with all the ingredients he’s just listed and so order three of them. It turns out it’s three separate dishes and thankfully he just brings one rather than 3 of each!
We had such a lovely time and pay the bill and head off for an evening walk. Unfortunately we leave Bella’s fan behind, so we’ll have to come back tomorrow to pick it up and maybe get another steak sandwich - not really a hardship!
After dinner, we walk along the river and then through the bustling backstreets back to our hotel. It’s now much cooler and refreshing after the heat of the day.
We stop by a convenience store on the way to hotel for sake and snacks and Diana and I sit chatting and reading before bed.