This is Day 5 of my jobless trip to Japan. I have been bumming around for 1 week and the withdrawal syndrome is really catching up on me. The typical me will be trying to check on my email every 2.5 seconds or so, but given that I have quit from my current job, I don’t really have an email to check. In reality, I do have my previous work email but as I am on a long leave before my last official day, I should not be checking on my email as I do not want to do any work outside of my jurisdiction 🙂
Today – is about taking it easy. Rather than going round and round, today is about chilling, finding local food and wasting time. In fact – I think I only got out of the hotel about 10+ (excluding my usual morning walk). The objective today is head to the market and makan!
To go to the market, I need to take the subway from Kyoto Station. As the subway is ran my the municipal council, I am not able to use my JR Rail Pass. The cost of taking the subway from Kyoto Station to Shijo (I think!) is JPY210. It is very near – just two stops away.
When I got to the Kyoto Station – I noticed the escalator going up, and up and away! Similar to Osaka Station, the escalator heads up to a Sky Garden. The last time I went up on Osaka Station, the wind was so strong. On the Kyoto Station sky garden, the temperature seems ok. Well – the weather was pretty ok. Not cold at all.
(Should use the staircase instead of escalator?)
Nishiki Market
Nishiki Market is the main market in Kyoto. I am not particularly sure if it is also for locals, because from the types of shops and the people that goes to the market – seems like its mainly tourist!
There are some great food in Nishiki. As usual – my eyes can’t get away from the best soft serve in the world (Cremia!?!). But whether its fate or not, I was able to skip Cremia and enjoy the local food instead. Few notable ones:
Soy Doughnut – it is much cheaper here in the market in comparison to Arashiyama and… a lot less oily!
Potato and Butter Croquette – ah yummy. Potatoes and butter is a match made in heaven. Well – you can never go wrong with butter innit?
Grilled Fish Cake – pretty yummy. Say no to processed food?
Shirakawa-Minami Dori
This is an old school street that is quite pretty. I think I have been here before, but could not really remember. The last time I was in Kyoto was about 3 years ago. And it was more of _bang bang bang_ type trip. It was a day trip and more to visit the Fushami Inari. As I was a novice to Japan then, spend most of the time travelling by foot (lol).
<<insert Shirakawa Minai Dori Gallery>>
Food I ate today!
In addition to the food in the market, following are some of the food that I ate!
Don – finally
Heavenly dessert from Sir Thomas Lipton Cafe
Uni Pasta
OMG…