Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Mount Fuji

The bullet train route from Tokyo to Kyoto, Tōkaidō Shinkansen, carries more than 150 million passengers each year. The trains are on time (average 6 seconds off schedule) and fast – 300 km/hour (180+mph). The cars are air sealed and quiet. The train goes through mountains instead of around or over. We saw lots of buildings and little farm land. Farms we did see were growing tea. The best sight we saw was snow capped Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is a volcano that is often used as a symbol of Japan. It last erupted in the early 18^th century and is located at the junction of three plates (plate tectonics). It is over 12,300 foot elevation and is snow clad some of the year. The challenge – can a Lumix Panasonic camera capture Mount Fuji through the window of a train traveling 180 mph? The answer is: yes you can take a decent picture. Can you take a picture of a bullet train moving in the opposite direction at the same speed? No, you just photograph a blur.

Phoenix crowning the Golden Pavilion

.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................The Phoenix is the mythical bird of immortality. Every five hundred to one thousand years or so, the Phoenix builds his nest,and it ignites burning the bird down to ashes. Then the Phoenix rises from his own ashes. The Phoenix is part of Chinese, Egyptian, and Greek mythology. It is also part of Harry Potter mythology.

Kinkaku-ji - Temple of the Golden Pavilion

Matsui-san told us there were 1600 shrines and temples in Kyoto. He took us to Kinkaku-ji first and it is definitely the most beautiful. The Shogun had this pavilion built on his retirement estate in 1397. His house was up the hill and he could observe the structure and pond from above. His son converted the pavilion into a Zen temple housing Buddha's ashes. The top two stories are pure 24 karat gold leaf - you could not see the first story from above due to trees - and the structure is crowned with a gold phoenix which is of course believed to rise from its own ashes. The island with two trees is in the shape of Japan. Many other islands and stones depict the creation of Buddha. This structure was rebuilt after it was burned down by an insane monk in the 1950s. The lack of wind made the reflection picture possible. We were told that this weather condition is rare. 1599 temples to go!

Jerry-san

At a shrine with Ume or plums in bloom.
In front of the bullet train with Andy-san.
Jerry-san with woman in full kimono.

Big Tuna

............................................................................................................Tuna from all over...Peru, Sydney, Tahiti to name a few.

Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace is among the few green spaces in Tokyo. It is about 7.5 square kilometers and it is across the street from the Mitsui building. The Emperor lives on the grounds. Andy and I saw a procession of horses and a fancy carriage returning royalty from downtown to the palace while we were stopped in a cab waiting for them to cross.

Eel for Lunch

When I saw these eel swimming 6 AM Monday morning at the fish market, I never thought I would be eating them for lunch on Wednesday before boarding the flight for Houston. Our hosts ordered them without asking us at a department store Chinese Restaurant. Eel on fried rice is actually pretty good. Try it!

Kyoto Diet

We asked Matsui-san, our driver and tour guide, to join us for lunch at the Chinese restaurant at the Kyoto Brighton Hotel. Andy and I had the One Plate Lunch featuring fried rice with beef, mackerel, salad, and soup. We were quite hungry after touring the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) and Kitano Tenmangu (Ume Plum Trees).

We ended the day at Ikumatsu on the personal recommendation of Hiroyuki Kato. Ikumatsu is over 100 years old and beautifully decorated. You walk down a short pathway between buildings with stone steps and bonsai trees. After removing your shoes you cross a wonderful clear stream with koi and enter a private dining room. Our menu accompanied by Sapporo beer, Saki, and Chardonnay was:

Aperitif:
Unrefined Saka

Sakitzuka (Appetizer):
Sweetfish with Japanese apricot

Hassun (Food from mountains and sea):
Grilled ground Japanese conger with Japanese pepper, Rolled salmon with Canola, Soy sauce with Citrus fruits and child fish, Buds of Japanese angelica, Ume jam, Ocellated octopus, Bracken

Mukozuke:
Tuna, Horse Mackerel, Sea bream

Suimono (soup):
Kudzu, Shiitake mushroom, small turnip, carrot, Yuzu

Yakimono (Grilled Dishes):
Fried Spanish Mackerel marinated in seasoned vinegar, Pond Smelt, Fresh ginger pickled in sweet vinegar, cooked yuzu

Takiawase (assorted simmered foods):
Salted Pollack roe boiled down with soy sauce and mirin, Bamboo shoot, Butterbur, Leaf bud of Japanese pepper

Kobachi (small dishes):
Bean tofu skin, raw sea urchin, Okura

Sunomono (dishes with vinegar):
Crab, Egg cockie, cucumber, Tosaka Laver, Mioga ginger

Atojiru (Soup):
Water shield, bean tofu skin, Japanese hornwort, Miso paste

Gohan (Steamed Rice):
Small fish rice with Japanese pepper
Mizumono (Dessert):
Orange wedges, strawberries

Geisha and the Samurai Warrior

Kogoro Katsura was a Samurai who lived in the mid 19th century. He supported the Emperor in Kyoto versus the Shogun and the feudal lords in Tokyo. The dispute is Japan was political but also over isolation from foreigners. Kogoro favored trade with foreigners and returning the land to the people. Kogoro was aligned with two powerful Samurai, both of whom were killed by forces of the Shogun. There were many attempts to kill him on the streets of Kyoto. He was forced to hide when the Shogun’s warriors came looking. His life was saved many times by the geisha, Matsuko Ikumatsu. Ikumatsu performed as a geisha at Kyoto’s Sanbongi. She was born to a samurai family. Her father, Kizaki, served the Obama clan in Wakasa.

When Kogoro needed a hiding place he went to a special room at the geisha house where he sometimes hid in a very large trunk. Ikumatsu was very brave and loved Kogoro and would lie to the warriors looking for Kogoro. When the warriors would not leave she took them to the special room and served them Saki. She could pull a rope when needed and a ceiling loaded with heavy rocks would fall from above killing the warriors. In 1867 the Shogun relinquished power to the Emperor. Ikumatsu, age 25, married Kogoro Katsura who was ten years older.

Andy, Jerry, and Hitoshi heard this story told in Japanese by our lovely Kimono clad hostess with translation by Hitoshi. We were seated at the table at the traditional Japanese restaurant, Ikumatsu, in the special room under the ceiling used to save the life of Kogoro.

I am dedicating this story to Tane Sakura who saved my life at least once and who has been married to me for nearly 35 years. Tane is the “seed” in Japanese and Sakura is a common girls name in Japan, with the literal meaning “flowering cherry”. Sakuranbo is actually the fruit of a different cherry tree and is sometimes used for names of young girls.

Kyoto Has Everything

When you are in a foreign country it is nice to be able to find the things you need to make your trip pleasant. A few of the things that can be found around the corner from Kyoto Hotel Okura are:

Something for Jerry-san: Almost every few blocks you’ll find refreshment dispensers on street corners. All dispensers have Coca Cola Classic and Coke Zero. For only 120 yen you can quench your thirst.

Something for Tane Sakura: Would Tane Sakura go in a dog shop with little dog clothing articles for sale if it was next to her hotel? Of course she would.

Something for Trish the Dish: When on vacation why not drink the drink of your adopted homeland. Enjoy a Guinness from the Hill of Tara bar served up by an Australian right next door to Hotel Okura.

Tokyo Tower

After business meetings we stopped at the Tokyo Tower to view the city. The tower was opened in 1958 and is a steel tower that is taller and lighter than the Eiffel Tower. It is 333m tall and has a special observatory at 250m. When you look out over the city you see buildings as far as the eye can see in every direction. This city’s scale is mind boggling. Over 35 million people live in the greater Tokyo area. Amazing thing is that the sidewalks are never that crowded. People use trains and the subway so the traffic is not that bad with the only bottleneck being the Bay Bridge. This place is just huge.

Coke Zero

Yes, they have Coke Zero in Tokyo. And you can buy it at a 7-11 around the corner from Hotel Okura. Four 100ml bottles sell for 500 yen. I have not seen Diet Coke here. I think that Zero is better suited to the local taste. Back in Houston, Moto decided that Jerry-san is the sommelier of coke after I launched into a comparison of Zero vs. Diet. Diet has that vanilla after taste that you do not get in real Coke or Zero. Two bottles down and with the caffeine hit I might make it through lunch, meetings, and dinner.

Other American institutions close to Hotel Okura include the US Embassy (it is huge), McDonalds, and Starbucks.

Signing off,
Jerry-san

Sushi for Breakfast

I have not eaten much sushi in my life, but I learned today that sushi for breakfast is strangely appetizing. Perhaps your stomach is ready for it after seeing all the fish laid out at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo or maybe it is just that your bio clock is still on Houston time.

On the way to the fish market I had a bottle of hot lemonade which is also new for me. I guess that is in place of warm Sake. We picked out a sushi bar at the fish market that had no line. Two wonderful chefs talked to us through our hosts’ translations. We had a wonderful meal of green tea and miso soup with tofu. Egg cake and ginger were starters. Nigiri sushi dipped in soy sauce was exceptional. Tuna, shrimp, horse mackerel, yellow tail and snow crab were my favorites. Octopus was bland and sea urchin was a little mushy. All in all, a great breakfast with personal attention from the family who owns this establishment made this great experience.

Tsukiji Fish Market - Tokyo

When you arrive in Tokyo from the US you are probably going to be awake early because there is fifteen hours time difference from Houston. I was awake at 3 AM so I had no problem leaving for the Tuna Auction at 5 AM. This time of year it is around 40 degrees in the morning, and I think cold weather is ideal for a fish market visit. My hosts, Toru Iijima and Kenji Ueda, took myself, Andy, and Bob to the market. Immediately you knew you were at a fish market by the smell of fish about a block from the market. Not a bad smell, just fishy. The first thing to note is that there are large trucks, forklifts, and mule size trucks, and they share the pavement with you, and they are in a hurry. Every step could be your last step as they whiz by hauling fish and ice, or just empty. So watch out!

You walk through the fish market with every kind of fish, eel, prawn, and shellfish imaginable. Whole fish, fillets, live fish. Blowfish, tuna, mackerel, squid, octopus, etc. are on display. After you make your way through the commotion, you enter a large refrigerated warehouse and the visitor area with large "No Smoking" signs in Japanese and "No flash" handheld signs in English and Japanese. There are hundreds of tuna laid out for inspection - all frozen and with a plug of meat that shows color and texture. Each tuna is labeled with weight in kilograms and place caught. Toru identified two side by side, one from Peru and one from Sydney. One 360 KG tuna was from Tahiti. There were larger tuna at the other end of the building that must have weighed double that amount or more.

The auction begins with a ringing of the bell and bidders wear caps with bidding cards. Like auctions all over each bidder has his own way of making a bid whether it be a touch to a nose or ear, or a half wave. The auctioneer is quite enthusiastic and expends quite a bit of energy. I do not know the prices paid but you can buy a pound of tuna filet for about $10 in the market. Some tuna is more expensive, with the best being the Oma area of northern Japan where Blue Fin Tuna live in the best water.

Over fishing has hurt tuna populations and Oma catches may only be 2 or 3 tuna per day for 30 to 40 boats. Recently a record price was paid for a tuna caught north of Japan's main island of Honshu. The 232 KG tuna went for 16.28 million yen or about $175,000.