Gion Matsuri: Ato Matsuri

If there's one thing you absolutely have to experience while in Japan, it's one of the many matsuri--or festivals--that take place throughout the year. The Gion Matsuri is quite commonly associated with Kyoto's summer because it is the biggest and most important one within Kyoto. It is also one of the three largest matsuri in Japan along with the Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka) and the Kanda Matsuri (Tokyo). This spectacular festival takes place throughout the entire month of July with the main parade occurring on the 17th every year. The main parade has consisted of two parades (Saki Matsuri and Ato Matsuri) combined into one for many years, but that changed in 2014. The Ato Matsuri, which takes place a week after the Saki Matsuri (the main one), was revived and while the number of floats aren't as much, it is still incredibly impressive to experience. 

My friend and I were supposed to go to the Gion Matsuri on the 17th, but were forced to cancel because of the continuous pouring rain that went on for the entire day. We went a week later for the Ato Matsuri and the weather was perfect :) People transfer the deity from one shrine to a special place in a ritual called Shinko-sai Festival (Saki Matsuri) and return it during the Kanko-sai Festival (Ato Matsuri). Despite arriving at 7:30 in the morning to get decent spots, the streets were already quite crowded with people who were anxiously waiting for the matsuri to start at 9:00. Lots of photos to show so I hope you all enjoy!

Trying to nab the perfect shot :)

Pulling the float around a corner is quite tricky.They first place thin, flat bamboo sticks under the wheels...

Then make sure everything is set before they pull

Last float! :)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Finding Jingisukan

If you really want to get a taste of any country, you have to experience some amazing, local food. Tourist guides and websites will give you a nice list of "must-eat" places and while those are quite handy, sometimes, it's nice to walk aimlessly around until you stumble upon a local restaurant-- away from all of the craziness. My friend and I did just that while we were trying to find a restaurant that her friend had recommended to us. We got lost and didn't find it, but found something insanely delicious at Yamada Mongol.

Jingisukan (Genghis Khan) is named after the man who founded the Mongol Empire and consists of meat (usually mutton) and vegetables that are cooked on a dome-shaped metal grill in the middle of the table. This grill is heated by white stones (aka VERY HOT) and a slab of animal fat is placed in the middle to sizzle and melt. You can order various types and portion sizes of meat and vegetables to grill and a bowl of rice is served alongside. While vents are located directly above the grill to suck away what smoke it can, you'll still leave with a smokey feeling. I'm not a huge red meat fan, but the vegetables were amazing after they were dipped into a sauce :) 

Onions cooking in animal fat

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week! :) 

Ramen Yokocho: Ramen Lovers Rejoice

Tucked away in a small alley in Susukino is Ramen Yokocho-- a narrow lane lined with various ramen shops serving up Hokkaido's famous dish. First established in 1951 with eight shops, the alley has since expanded to seventeen, giving visitors a wide variety of options. Karyn and I didn't have a specific one in mind, so we walked from one end to the other before choosing a ramen shop that wasn't crowded. Many of them seat twelve customers at the most, so be prepared to wait if you come at a busy time.

Went to Teshikaga, a well-known restaurant that serves both miso and seafood dashi :)

Choose your meal, buy the ticket and hand it over to the chef inside :)

Amazing ramen :) 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week! :)

Donburi Chaya: First Taste of Uni

I'll admit--I'm not the biggest fan of seafood, but I wasn't going to visit Nijo Market and NOT try some delicious donburi. I read about a small restaurant called Donburi Chaya, located in a small alley within the market. They didn't open until about 7:30 so my friend and I waited patiently outside, looking for potential omiyage from other shops that were already open. Donburi Chaya has a wide variety of donburi for customers to try and I decided on the salmon ikura uni-don, an amazing combination of fresh uni (sea urchin), ikura (fish eggs) and salmon sashimi on a bed of warm rice. I don't eat ikura very often, but I've had it since I was little (thanks, Dad!) and salmon sashimi is probably my favorite type of sashimi, but I have never tried uni before. 

 In a way, it was a smart and a what-were-you-thinking?! decision at the same time. The uni was incredibly delicate, smooth and creamy and I was surprised that it didn't have a fishy taste at all! They definitely didn't skimp on the serving size either because I was impressed with the amount that was given. That was the smart decision. The not-so-smart decision? I'm probably spoiled by the uni in Hokkaido and will forever compare any other ones that I eat to that...But hey, can't beat Hokkaido when it comes to seafood I guess :) The donburi that I ordered was just over 1,800 yen, but definitely worth it! 

Probably one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in Japan.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week! :)